Anna Turley has claimed that she paid tribute to the A66 joyriders because the police asked her to. Two responding police officers were killed in the collision…
The Redcar MP and Home Office border security minister wrote on Facebook on Sunday: “This morning I went down to South Bank to lay flowers and pay my respects, on behalf of our whole community, to the seven people whose lives were so tragically cut short yesterday… There really are no words for the heartbreak their families, friends and loved ones will be feeling today. May you all rest in peace.” That didn’t sit well with everyone…
Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy remarked on X: “Anna Turley is a Home Office minister. She wants to ‘pay her respects to the seven people whose lives were tragically cut short’ in the Middlesbrough crash this weekend. I can’t be the only one for whom this statement jars. We may live in an age of emoting, but we should be able to see the difference between right and wrong.”
Responding to that post, Turley wrote a letter saying:
“You have sought to attribute to me moral equivalence, or judgements about worth, which are not to be found anywhere in my post. The identities of the drivers of the Passat were not even public when I paid my respects and posted this – I did not know who had died at this point, other than the police officers who I named and paid tribute to. I am sure you knew this by the date stamp on my post. Moreover, Cleveland Police had specifically requested that I pay tribute to all victims in any message.”
Turley, who was formerly Labour Party Chairman, goes on to say she was “appalled” by Timothy’s post. Read her full letter to Timothy below:
“I am writing regarding the post you put out on X today.
Seven people were killed in my constituency over the weekend. All of them were human beings with families who are grieving them.
The fact that you have sought to create media hits and political points out of this horrendous event is beneath contempt.
You have sought to attribute to me moral equivalence, or judgements about worth, which are not to be found anywhere in my post. The identities of the drivers of the Passat were not even public when I paid my respects and posted this – I did not know who had died at this point, other than the police officers who I named and paid tribute to. I am sure you knew this by the date stamp on my post. Moreover, Cleveland Police had specifically requested that I pay tribute to all victims in any message. As incredible professionals, they were offering all bereaved families support in the aftermath. I know personally how incredible our Cleveland Police officers are – and these two men were exceptional. We were lucky to have them.
We in the Cleveland area are still dealing with the consequences of your time as a Special Adviser, when Home Secretary Theresa May cut Cleveland Police numbers by 381 officers – over 20% of the force.
I will not respond to you on X to further promote your post.
I am not writing to you for any purpose other than to tell you how utterly appalled I was by it.”
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