Tag: Conservative Party

Breaking with Boris

Breaking News – Rachel Johnson explains why she ditched the party of her Foreign Secretary brother Boris and defected to the Lib Dems

On this morning’s Andrew Marr Show on BBC1, Rachel Johnson was interviewed about her decision to defect to the Liberal Democrat Party.

Explaining her rationale for ditching the Tories and the party of her Brexit supporting Foreign Secretary brother, Boris Johnson, Rachel Johnson commented:

“This is single issue election. We could be going over a cliff on a hard Brexit… Everything on the table from last June is now off the table. Business needs to stay in the Single Market. It’s all lose, lose, lose… A second referendum gives the country another go”.

Answering a question about whether she plans to stand as a candidate herself, Johnson, a columnist for the Mail on Sunday, remarked:

“This is my paper making mischief to embarrass me… [But I am] not ruling anything out”.

Later, in the segment, she tempered this further by adding:

“I am very tempted to campaign in my constituency of Kensington and Chelsea”.

Given her comments, The Steeple Times urges Rachel Johnson to join with us to support Gina Miller’s Best for Britain tactical voting campaign and suggests she also throws her campaigning efforts behind the Liberal Democrats’ Annabel Mullin for Kensington and Louise Rowntree for Chelsea & Fulham.

#BritainDeservesBetter #MakeJuneEndOfMay

Louise Rowntree (left) pictured with Matthew Steeples of The Steeple Times and Annabel Mullin in Chelsea last week

The Johnson clan – Stanley Johnson (far left) with his children: Rachel, Boris and Jo

April 30, 2017
Video of the Week – Mocking May

Comedian Jan Ravens’ impersonation of Theresa May is utterly brilliant

With the election campaign under way, a little humour is definitely required and a comical video shared on YouTube provides just such.

Featuring the actress Jan Ravens’ take on Theresa May, the 2:45 minute clip has over attracted over 70,000 hits – and even Tory supporters have celebrated its sheer brilliance.

In it, Ravens mocks Mrs May’s enthusiasm for grammar schools and remarks on her having put an alternative to the Chuckle brothers in charge of Brexit. She speaks of us “now [being] the cautionary tale other countries tell their electorates to stop them doing anything so bloody stupid in the future” and adds: “We are now the global ghost of Christmas future: Asymmetric neckline, bad blow dry, tense mouth”.

April 29, 2017
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.

Annabel Mullin is the only candidate who can realistically unseat the Tories in Kensington

Victoria Borwick does not represent the views of her constituents on membership of the European Union

April 25, 2017
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 8^th June.

April 19, 2017
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.

April 16, 2017
An MP’s Manor

Norfolk manor house owned by anti-Brexit Conservative politician Lord Prior of Brampton for sale for £3 million

David Prior – now The Rt. Hon. The Lord Prior of Brampton – undoubtedly was a decent and able Member of Parliament. Educated at Charterhouse and Cambridge, he became first an investment banker with Lehman Brothers and Lazard and then subsequently represented the Norfolk North constituency between 1997 and 2001.

A Conservative but one with a belief that “the role of the market is hugely limited in health and social care” and that Brexit will be “a terrible mistake”, 62-year old Mr Prior – whose father was the “Tory wet” Jim, later The Rt. Hon. The Lord Prior PC (1927 – 2016) – acquired Swannington Manor, ten miles north of Norwich in 1990 with his wife and has recently put it up for sale for £3 million ($3.8 million, €3.5 million or درهم13.8 million).

Standing in 96.5 acres, Swannington Manor is a Grade II listed red brick built house that dates to around 1700. It retains many period features, extends to 7,519 square foot and includes 5 reception rooms, 8 bedrooms and a self-contained annexe. A 3 bedroom lodge – let on a protected tenancy – stands beside the property’s entrance gates and aside from various outbuildings, barns and stores, there are formal and informal gardens, a kitchen garden, a heated outdoor swimming pool and a hard tennis court.

Primarily to the south and west of the house are grazing meadows, water meadows, a trout stream, a series of ponds and areas of woodland. These have been maintained with conservation and duck flighting in mind and form what the selling agents Savills describe as “a small sporting estate”.

Surprisingly, given his comments about Britain leaving the EU, Lord Prior of Brampton was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on 21^st December 2016.

April 13, 2017
Mugged by Mrs May

Updated: Theresa May forges a new career in post-Brexit Britain: Flogging tea towels and mugs

Theresa May, a woman who should be busy sorting out the mess that is her “red, white and blue Brexit”, is in Saudi Arabia insulting the locals and refusing to wear a headscarf. She’s also been meddling in the affairs of the National Trust, moaning about Easter eggs and on Tuesday night an email pinged into our inbox from her “nattering” registered treasurer and director general of the Conservative Party, Alan Mabbutt.

Update, 6th April, 4pm: A reader submitted an edited version of the mug; it portrays Mrs May’s plan a little more accurately

In it, hapless Mr Mabbutt – a man once forced to apologise for sending dodgy emails – emphasised he has an OBE and asked: “My ‘Plan For Britain’ mug and tea towel have just arrived, have you ordered yours yet?” He then shamelessly urged supporters to donate £35 to get these limited edition items also and ridiculously claimed “supplies are running low”.

Just as Lloyds of London plans to relocate much of their operations to Brussels and Bentley talk of escaping tariffs by moving to mainland Europe, plainly Mabbutt and May think tea towels and coffee cups are our future. God help once Great Britain.

April 5, 2017
Booze Bashed By Brexit

Spirits brands hike prices by upto 16% and blame Brexit for increasing their supply-side costs

Drink loving Brexiteers may have cause to reconsider their enthusiasm for Britain leaving the EU.

Since last year’s referendum, the price of vodka has risen 5% on average whilst gin is up 3%. Bombay Sapphire has hiked its price by 16% to £24.20 for a litre bottle according to The Grocer and many other brands have followed suit.

Worldwide co-leader in the wine and spirits sector Pernod Ricard blamed the increases on supply-side costs rising due to Brexit whilst The Wine and Spirit Trading Association added that the Chancellor, Philip Hammond, has added to the industry’s woes and created “a tough trading environment”.

April 2, 2017
Big Beast Banished After Brexit Balls-up

Theresa May has made an error in sacking ‘big beast’ Lord Heseltine as a government advisor; that she never bothered to meet him speaks volumes as to her management of her government

Yesterday, in spite of having never bothered to meet one of the Conservative Party’s most knowledgeable grandees, Theresa May stupidly sacked Lord Heseltine.

In 2013, Heseltine wisely warned David Cameron that an “in-or-out” referendum would be the wrong thing for the UK. He was ignored and in spite of what happened next, the former Prime Minister’s unelected replacement, Mrs May, subsequently ditched her support for “Remain” and threw her weight behind a still to this day meaningless concept: “Red, White and Blue Brexit”.

Yesterday, Heseltine, who had been advising the government on restoring deprived estates, plans for east London and was also a national infrastructure commissioner, commented:

“I heard nothing from Number 10, I’ve had no relationship with Number 10 since the new Prime Minister (Mrs May)”.

“But I’m not complaining, I was getting on with the job that I was doing. I’ve never met Theresa May and so I can’t make a judgment”.

“My preoccupation has been from the very beginning that I believe that the referendum result is the most disastrous peacetime result that we’ve seen in this country”.

Repeatedly lauded as: “The last of a generation that was not always admired but was, with very good reason, always heard”, Heseltine could have – in spite of their differences on matters European – have provided the vicar’s daughter with good advice on business, housing and the environment.

Theresa May has chosen a different course but today she should be reminded of the old adage that “all political careers end in failure”. With the big beast ‘Tarzan’ again left free to roam the Serengeti, this misguided woman would do well to keep her other enemies closest.

March 8, 2017
MAYbe a SHOEin

Theresa May’s appointment as Prime Minister leaves a lot to be desired suggests Matthew Steeples – but we can thank God for small mercies also

Theresa May as Prime Minister: As much as I disliked the idea, it was never a MAYbe and was always going to be a SHOEin. Goodness knows what’s next, but with she-who-cannot-make-up-her-mind in charge, nothing will ever be predictable.

With Angela Leadsom’s cowardice exposed – she should not, in fact, ever have stood in the first place if she knew she wasn’t good enough – the inevitable occurred and now the real loser in all of this, David Cameron, will be swiftly sent on his way. Perhaps it was all planned but most likely it was simply a farce.

The country needs strong leadership right now and the worst Home Secretary in history and a woman who consistently has failed to deliver anything other than chaos is not, in my humble opinion, going to do that. At least, and though I very much doubt she’ll ever become PM herself, with Angela Eagle challenging Jeremy Corbyn we’ll end up with a decent opposition. Thank God for small mercies but even she couldn’t raise anyone to ask her a question at her campaign launch on Monday. The Eagle well and truly has yet to land but Darth Vader’s sister is sadly very much in control of the House. This is a sad day for democracy.

Matthew Steeples is editor-in-chief and co-founder of The Steeple Times.

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July 11, 2016