The man who aggressively harangued former Labour MP Jonathan Ashworth in June has finally been jailed. Though not for that reason…
Majid Freeman is a pro-Palestine activist who filmed himself screaming at Ashworth, sparking others in Leicester to intimidate the MP to the extend he had to “hide” from them in a vicarage. Freeman, who was also centre of the recently elected “This is for Gaza” pro-Palestine MP’s election campaign, has now been sentenced to 22 weeks in jail for his actions during riots in…2022. Convicted under the 1986 Public Disorder Act, the court concluded he attempted to spark “immediate unlawful violence” and was found to have circulated false claims about local Hindus intended to provoke local Muslims. Sentenced two years after the fact…
Shokat Adam Patel is the MP for Leicester South, who took Jon Ashworth’s seat and declared his win to be “for Gaza“. He’s already signalled his priorities, tweeting a few days ago: “Solidarity with all the protestors in London today. The work begins here.” Patel happens to be the brother an Islamist group founder who “saluted” the terrorist attacks of 7th October…
Leicester South’s new MP enthusiastically shared a video of his Labour rival being harassed in the street during the campaign. Ashworth was followed and shouted at about abstaining on a Palestine-related vote. Patel finished his Twitter rant: “If you don’t want to be asked questions by the public when you are canvassing on our streets then maybe you should just stay at home?” It looks like Leicestershire Police has its own interest in the harrassing party…
Yesterday the police released a statement in relation to Ashworth’s assailant:
“A man has been charged following a warrant being executed at an address in Cecil Road, Leicester, yesterday morning (Tues 9 July).
Majid Novsarka, also known as Majid Freeman, 36, of Cecil Road, Leicester, has been charged with encouragement of terrorism and supporting a proscribed organisation.”
Freeman is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 24th July…
Kay Burley clearly didn’t have her morning cup of coffee today. Interviewing Shadow Paymaster General Jonathan Ashworth on the morning round, Kay confused her interviewee with Shadow Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds. Ashworth took it rather well, admitting that the Shadow Cabinet can differentiate the two because Reynolds was the “better looking” one. She might want to learn their names if Labour grab the keys to Downing Street…
Looks like Jon Ashworth’s constituents in Leicester South aren’t too happy about his refusal to aid Hamas on the ceasefire vote. They’re gathering to call for his resignation in Leicester. Guido assumes they’ll take the 7-minute walk to his constituency office on Charles Street. He might not be in…
The first of many?
Our elected officials haven’t let spending time in their constituencies get in the way of their summer plans, at least going by the latest update to the register of interests. Countless MPs enjoyed all expenses-paid freebies to the social events of the season, including Wimbledon, the Ashes and Glastonbury. Here are some of the more interesting examples:
- Jonathan Ashworth, Suella Braverman, Yasmin Qureshi and Greg Hands were amongst those taking free trips to the Ashes. Their visits alone were worth over £4,000.
- Rachel Reeves, Marsha de Cordova, Alok Sharma, Toby Perkins and Steve Brine (who in May was found in breach of lobbying rules) were amongst those with free trips to the tennis. Paul Scully and (North Sea Oil-Hating) Stephen Flynn were also in attendance at Wimbledon, courtesy of BP. Tickets for these MPs alone cost £8,300.
- At least nine MPs received £40,000 in paid-for Silverstone tickets. These included Lucy Powell, Karen Bradley, David Davis, Chris Grayling, Andrew Griffith, Andrea Leadsom and Priti Patel.
- Oliver Dowden enjoyed three trips to the opera, worth £1,800. He also received a freebie to Ascot, where he was joined by Theresa May.
- There are yet more names to add to the list of MPs skipping sitting days to visit Glasto – with over £17,000 in more free hospitality being registered for the music festival. Rosena Alin-Khan, Jonathan Reynolds, Steve Brine, Greg Clark and Abena Oppong-Asare were all there.
- These MPs weren’t alone in enjoying some gigs over the summer. Dehenna Davison, Pat McFadden and Liz Truss watched Bruce Springsteen. Paul Scully took a £1,100 ticket to see Billy Joel, Carolyn Harris watched Lionel Ritchie while Toby Perkins went to a Harry Styles concert. And fresh from losing his cabinet post, Nadhim Zahawi embraced the summertime sadness at a Lana Del Ray show.
Hospitality freebies aren’t the only perks enjoyed by our political elite caste. In addition to the lucrative second jobs, Liz Truss got £32,000 for attending a Dublin conference, Kwasi Kwarteng got £35,000 for two speaking arrangements, Alok Sharma lined up a £30,000 gig and Johnny Mercer bagged an additional £49,200 as a “broadcast fee for filming already undertaken”. Nice work, if you can get it…
