The Steeple Times

Category: EDITORIAL

Editorial comment from Matthew Steeples.

Our editor tells it like it is and he rarely minces his words

  • The Busy Borwicks

    The Busy Borwicks

    Son of Kensington MP Lady Borwick’s curious connections to the people who ensured both Brexit and the election of Donald Trump revealed

     

    On Sunday, Carole Cadwalladr of  The Observer published a lengthy and well researched article that, amongst other things, examined the connections between The Hon. Thomas Borwick – the son of the Conservative hereditary peer The Rt. Hon. The Lord Borwick and Kensington’s Member of Parliament Lady ‘Call me Victoria’ Borwick – and the controversial US hedge fund titan and backer of Donald Trump, Robert Mercer.

     

    A director of a multitude of companies, in spite of being just 29 years old, “new media expert” Thomas Borwick – whose mother was forced to apologise “after using City Hall resources to promote her husband’s [now defunct] electric vehicle business” in 2009 – it now transpires, was not only Vote Leave’s chief technology officer but previously worked with SCL/Cambridge Analytica and AggregateIQ. Borwick currently touts himself to his 202 followers on Twitter as the founder of a political canvasing consultancy named Kan.to, an organisation that he boldy claims “will out-organise, out-plan, out-leaflet, out-twitter, out-work and out-vote all of its opponents”.

     

    Mercer, one of the owners of the far-right Breitbart News Network as well as being a major shareholder in Cambridge Analytica, is a man whose “sinister” connections to both Trump and Nigel Farage have rightly been widely criticised. On that basis, that the son of fervent Brexiteer Lady Borwick – a woman whose constituents voted 69% to ‘Remain’ and whose domain was home to a greater proportion of EU nationals than any other London borough in 2016 – has links to this billionaire and his activities should only encourage the voters of Kensington to ditch her and her out-of-touch party.

     

    We urge Kensington based readers to support Annabel Mullin of the Liberal Democrats on 8th June. This principled lady is the only person who can realistically unseat Lady Borwick and she is the only candidate who will support the beliefs the majority in this constituency continue to hold dear.

     

    #DumpLadyBorwick #VoteAnnabelMullin

     

  • Viscount St Davids

    Viscount St Davids

    A statement from Matthew Steeples about the man who, in a London courtroom, called him a “wanker”

     

    Yesterday, in London, in a stained tweed gilet more appropriate to Wiltshire than Westminster, Viscount St Davids – amusingly referenced in court as plain old ‘Mr St Davids’ much to the disgust of him and his and his somewhat pointless American barrister chum, Andrew Rinker – called me a “wanker”.

     

    According to much of the mainstream press – including The Guardian and The Sun – Viscount St Davids has now been banned from using social media and prohibited to contact me. I have yet to be informed of exactly what this means and have not seen any transcript of the court’s decision, but, in view of the fact that this thrice bankrupt individual decided to allegedly “laugh” as he was told of the conditions of granting him bail, I hereby record that I am proud to be the individual who first reported this intolerant individual to the police last year.

     

    I will be very happy to give evidence on 10th July and look forward to witnessing justice run its course. What is posted on social media, in my terribly humble opinion, does not stay on social media.

     

    Comments on this article will be moderated for legal reasons.

  • Blocked by Nuttall

    Blocked by Nuttall

    Matthew Steeples celebrates getting blocked by Paul Nuttall on Twitter

     

    When someone blocks you on Twitter, you know you’ve won. In the past, I’ve been cut off by an array of ‘delights’ ranging from the sofa loving sad sack Sir Christopher Meyer to the foaming-at-the-mouth firebrand George Galloway. Others joining that list include the blubbing blogger Jack Monroe and the pugnacious poet Pam Ayres, but the ultimate honour was bestowed yesterday when UKIP’s leader Paul Nuttall stopped me seeing his tweets.

     

    In spite of offering much criticism of Nuttall’s predecessor during his tenure in the same position, Nigel Farage never blocked me and in carrying out such action Britain’s ‘King of Fake News’ – a man whose own website carried an invented stories about his involvement in the Hillsborough disaster – only confirms that he and his Kippers can’t take criticism and they can’t deal with debate. No wonder they’re about to face the chop.

     

    #UKIPisOver

     

     Blocked by Nuttall – Paul Nuttall blocks Matthew Steeples on Twitter

  • Another Corbyn Calamity

    Another Corbyn Calamity

    Matthew Steeples reports that Jeremy Corbyn’s attempt to enthuse a child in Harlow didn’t go down well; children and politicians should never mix

     

    Yesterday, Jeremy Corbyn headed to Harlow, Essex. He gave a speech to an assembled audience – including a woman with an upside down Labour poster – and then picked up a child and tried to charm it.

     

    After I noted on Twitter that “the poor kid’ll be scarred for life #Awkward”, the child’s mother, Chloe Pullara, responded: “That’ll be my baby. It was an honour to meet @jeremycorbyn”.

     

    In a video also shared by Ms Pullara, Corbyn is seen asking the child: “Are ya’ alright then?” It hid behind its coat and did not look in the slightest amused.

     

    Chloe Pullara, a lady whose Twitter handle features the caption “proud to be the 48%”, plainly ignores the fact that Jeremy Corbyn’s party is backing Brexit as, in another tweet, she then added:

     

    “So I just got to meet our future PM @jeremycorbyn. The most wonderful man who made time for each and every one of us”.

     

    The incident, which comes in the wake of Theresa May being caught grimacing at children in a classroom, is yet another reminder of only one thing: Children and politicians should simply not mix.

     

    Another Corbyn Calamity – Jeremy Corbyn scares child in Harlow, Essex – Thursday 27th April 2017 – Chloe Pullara @educatedmole

  • Beating Borwick

    Beating Borwick

    ‘The Steeple Times’ urges readers in Kensington to vote tactically to unseat Victoria Borwick

     

    Victoria Borwick, in spite of representing a constituency that was home to a greater proportion of EU nationals than any other London borough in 2016, was a firm advocate of Brexit. In the months since the disastrous vote, she has continued to ignore the fact that 69% of residents of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea voted ‘Remain’ and on that basis we urge readers based in the locality to vote against her in the forthcoming general election.

     

    Though Theresa May supporting Lady Borwick has a majority of 7,361 (21.1%), the best way to unseat her would be a high turnout and for voters to unite behind one candidate. Whilst Labour have previously come second, most will be unable to engage with the thought of backing Jeremy Corbyn and on that basis, the only option is the Liberal Democrat candidate Annabel Mullin.

     

    Backing Borwick – The Steeple Times urges voters to vote tactically and back Liberal Democrat Annabel Mullin against sitting Conservative Member of Parliament Victoria Borwick MP in the 2016 General Election on 8th June 2017
    Annabel Mullin is the only candidate who can realistically unseat the Tories in Kensington
    Beating Borwick – The Steeple Times urges voters to vote tactically and back Liberal Democrat Annabel Mullin against sitting Conservative Member of Parliament Victoria Borwick MP in the 2016 General Election on 8th June 2017.
    Victoria Borwick does not represent the views of her constituents on membership of the European Union

     

  • Mugged by May

    Mugged by May

    Theresa May’s gamble to go to the country will likely pay off, but is it good for Britain?

     

    Theresa May supposedly decided to go call a snap election after a trip to church and a walking holiday with her garden gnome-like husband, Philip, in Wales over Easter. She has taken a gamble but given that Sky News are projecting the Tories are likely to win 44% of the vote against Labour on 23%, it is one that will likely pay off.

     

    Unsurprisingly and in a coward-like fashion, Mrs May has declined to partake in television debates but given her opponent Jeremy Corbyn is so hopeless, it would take only a calamity to unsettle any chances of her winning. Only the left-leaning Mirror is backing Corbyn and in spite of the Liberal Democrats likely to make a number of gains in the south-west, May will certainly hit Labour hardest.

     

    Mrs May, however, is not good for Britain. Since taking office last year, she has performed eight U-turns on policy and as Home Secretary she was a total disgrace. One only has to remember that this is the woman who closed the police stations and this is the woman who closed the fire stations. This, also, is the politician who wastefully funded her friends Gerry and Kate McCann’s search for their missing child to the tune of £11 million and this is the woman whose inquiry into historic abuse has cost £100 million and delivered nothing.

     

    Lady Macbeth-like May is a self-serving woman and she is not a good premier. This power grabbing vicar’s daughter’s about turn on Brexit is bad for Britain and her harshness towards immigrants is bad for business. She must be stopped and we urge our readers to vote for anyone but her on 8th June.

     

  • Failing to Come Together

    Failing to Come Together

    Whilst Theresa May’s Easter message is nothing but a damp squib, Jeremy Corbyn’s response is as much use as a chocolate teapot

     

    “Let us come together… Let us build a stronger, fairer Britain that works for everyone”, clucked Theresa May on Sunday in a 3:10 minute Easter message posted on YouTube.

     

    Mixing her Christian values with Brexit, the unelected Prime Minister went on about growing up in a vicarage and stood next to a wonky light fitting. She neglected to mention how the Mail on Sunday had exposed her “grubby, underhand deal” that sacrifices endangered species in favour of trade and growth and she said nothing of the failing inquiry into historic abuse that she’s already wasted over £100 million on.

     

    In The Guardian, former Labour spin doctor Alastair Campbell took an axe to the message and lambasted it by commenting:

     

    “I think even vicars’ daughters should be a little wary of allying their politics to their faith… She does not exactly say if God had a vote he would have voted Leave, but she gets closer to it than she should. If she really thinks she is leading a united country full of hope … I suggest she gets out more”.

     

    He added:

     

    “I don’t think I have ever known Britain more divided. As for her talk of compassion, community, citizenship and obligations to one another, she has taken an axe to those with regard to Britain’s relations to the rest of the world, and plenty of her domestic agenda points in the opposite direction”.

     

    Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn responded by calling for “peace” and “reconciliation” but neither he nor Mrs May offer very much hope. God help us all and God help (once) Great Britain.

     

  • A Right to Rape

    A Right to Rape

    That a man who raped a 12-year old child has walked free is an utter disgrace

     

    Daniel Cieslak met a 12-year old child in a taxi queue in Edinburgh city centre at 4am on 31st July 2015. He took her to a friend’s flat, had sexual intercourse with her and on being arrested “became distressed” and told detectives he had been led to believe she was 16.

     

    On the 17th March, Cieslak, a Polish born, 21-year old student at Napier University, pleaded guilty to rape but was shockingly discharged without sentence and without requirement to sign the sex offenders’ register at the High Court in Glasgow.

     

    The judge in the case, Lady Scott, took what she described as the “wholly exceptional” decision to “discharge [Cieslak] absolutely” despite the fact that she accepted that a victim under 13 years is “deemed incapable of consent”. She remarked: “Whilst there is no defence to this offence because of strict liability, the fact is that you would have had a defence if the victim had been a few months older”.

     

    That Daniel Cieslak escaped punishment is an utter disgrace. It is true that the girl he raped lied to him and told him she was far older than her years, but that he claimed he did not know the true age of what essentially is a child seems a little far-fetched. In response, Isabelle Kerr, manager of Glasgow’s Rape Crisis Centre told The Scottish Sun:

     

    “The law really can’t be any clearer. If someone is under the age of 16 they cannot give consent – therefore a 12-year old is not able to consent”.

     

    “It’s a concern to be talking about someone of that age as an ‘active participant’. It’s going down the road of victim blaming, something we’ve been working to tackle”.

     

    “I would be concerned that young women might be deterred from reporting rape if they feel they are not going to be believed or not taken seriously”.

     

    Whilst Lady Scott may be of the view that “justice [has been] best served” by her judgment, we agree with those who say that she got it wrong. That Daniel Cieslak walked free is entirely wrong and that a website named Tabloid Corrections claimed that he is an “innocent man” is even worse. As with the case of the convicted but not jailed paedophile Andrew Picard, all this result does is to bring shame on Britain’s legal system.

     

  • Hero of the Hour – John Prescott

    Hero of the Hour – John Prescott

    Lord Prescott is entirely right to suggest Jeremy Corbyn unfit to be Labour’s leader just as he was spot on about Sir Christopher “did nothing” Meyer over phone hacking

     

    According to The Mail on Sunday, last Wednesday, at a meeting of the Labour party, the former Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, told Jeremy Corbyn: “You’re not a leader and you never will be while you have a hole in your arse”.

     

    ‘Two Jags’ speaks for the nation if he did indeed utter such sentiments. He previously, entirely correctly, referenced Britain’s most pointless ever Ambassador to Washington and former head of the (equally irrelevant and rightly now defunct) Press Complaints Commission, Sir Christopher Meyer, as the man who “did nothing” over phone hacking.

     

    In a separate incident, the Welsh born railway signalman’s son supposedly termed the Labour leader: “Useless” and his team: “Just not up to the f***ing job”. If he did say that too, he again got it right on both scores and should be saluted and celebrated.

     

    We say: Please, Lord Prescott, keep going – You are entirely on message and our nation needs you. Britain requires a decent opposition right now and as Jeremy Corbyn won’t provide it, please, get your arse back to Parliament.

     

  • May it Haunt Her

    May it Haunt Her

    As David Cameron is caught on camera criticising the “stupidity” of Philip Hammond’s budget, we join those warning the guffawing PM that her ride is about to get a bit rougher

     

    Yesterday, at the unveiling of a new war memorial, former Prime Minister David Cameron was caught on camera saying: “Breaking a manifesto promise is stupidity” by a forensic lipreader.

     

    Cameron, whose conversation with Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon, was analysed for the MailOnline by Tina Lannin of 121 Captions, was plainly making reference to Philip Hammond’s decision to raise National Insurance contributions.

     

    Whilst Cameron, himself, will only be remembered as the man who walked away after his disastrous decision to call a referendum on Britain’s membership of Europe went against him, he is right on this point. His unelected successor now faces rebellion not only from the House of Lords on Brexit but also from her own MPs over National Insurance contributions. Mrs May has had it easy until now but things are about to get a hell of a lot rougher.