A Class Act
In an attempt to re-define social class, Richard Leonard, Leader of the Scottish Labour Party said, “even a doctor on £100,000 is still working class.” The announcement attracted fierce criticism with Richard Leonard having to clarify the point he was attempting to make.
Liberal Democrats win By- election
The Liberal Democrats won the Brecon and Radnorshire By- election with 43.5% of the vote and a majority of 1,425 beating the Conservative Party and with the Labour Party in third place. In her acceptance speech Jane Dodds MP said “ My very first act as your new MP when I get to Westminster will be to find Mr Boris Johnson, wherever he's hiding, and tell him to stop playing with the future of our community and rule out a no-deal Brexit."
Frank Field to stand as Social Justice candidate in next election
Former Labour MP Frank Field has announced that he will stand for the Birkenhead seat at the next general election as the candidate for the Social Justice party. Field, who resigned the Labour whip last year stating, “the Labour Party has become a force for anti-Semitism.”
In announcing his intention to stand, Field said “I will be standing again as a candidate at the next election with the aim of doing what I have done for 40 years: always putting the interests of our town and our country first while championing the views and interests of the underdogs in our society."
Tory MP threatens to quit
Tory MP for Bracknell Philip Lee has said he will spend the summer recess contemplating his decision to leave the Conservative Party as a result of the party’s stance on Brexit. Lee who was elected in 2010 spoke about feeling alienated as a result of the party’s stance on Brexit.
In a podcast interview with fellow Tory MP Sam Gyimah who asked, “would you consider moving to the Liberal democrats” Lee said, “I’m increasingly feeling politically homeless.”
Scotland no more
In a week when every Conservative MP has spoken “passionately” about the UK Union and Scotland’s role within it including Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Ryan Henson, Tory activist and Conservative candidate for Bedford and Kempston in 2017 accused Scotland of “fleecing” English tax payers and that Scotland remaining in the union would be a “catastrophe” for England.
In 2014 Henson wrote an article for Conservative Home in which he argued that “Scotland faces economic ruin if it continues with it’s socialist policies “ and further said “ it is we English who bankroll their free prescriptions, fund the entirety of their children’s four year long university courses .”
In an attempt to play down his remarks Henson said the article was meant to be taken as satire and that he “passionately” believes in the union.