While Boris may have taken home the big cash in the latest register of interests, Guido spotted a few other Tory MPs who haven’t done too badly recently: Bob Seely, Karl McCartney, Tim Loughton, Henry Smith and Crispin Blunt all hit the Alpine slopes of Davos, free of charge, courtesy of Skigruppe der Bundesversammlung for the annual Parliamentary ski trip with the APPG for Switzerland. The group all received ski passes and lessons for the week, which took place at the start of the year.
As always, n(ice) work if you can get it. The best things in life are free(zing)…
The Westminster press pack might be swanning about the G20, but they’re missing the most important story going: the race for the Transport committee chair. By Guido’s count there are six candidates, more than for any of the other four select committee races caused by the Ri-shuffle:
- Jack Brereton
- Jackie Doyle-Price
- Katherine Fletcher
- Karl McCartney
- Chris Loder
-
Iain Stewart
One in particular has grabbed Guido’s attention. Karl McCartney has been sending some novel campaign materials to colleagues, including an Ivor the Engine and a Thomas The Tank Engine-themed campaign video. He has also photoshopped all his backers into an open wagon as part of his e-leaflet.
Thinking back to Karl’s recent bust-up with Mick Lynch, Guido’s not sure the train metaphor can be relied upon to deliver the goods…
Hat-tip to Tory backbencher and long-time member of the awkward squad Karl McCartney who during Sajid’s Commons statement that all the new Covid restrictions will be subject to a sunset clause on January 26, shouted out “what year?!”. His fellow backbenchers seemed to enjoy it.
Lindsay Hoyle has defended the introduction of new Covid measures on the parliamentary estate, including mask-wearing and social distancing, after Guido first revealed the plans last night – ahead of the Commission’s announcement to Members. A story which angered Tory MPs Karl McCartney and William Wragg, with the latter pointing out his “surprise” at the news appearing in Guido before his own inbox…
Speaking this afternoon, Hoyle dodged the question of why Guido heard before MPs, though warned that failure to comply may soon result in further Covid restrictions in SW1:
“We’ve got to work together. We’ve come this far because the House has pulled together, ensuring that we’ve got through it…it is about us doing the right thing…we have had an increase in Covid-19 across the House, it’s been badly reflected recently in the rising numbers…
“If we can get through these two weeks, I believe we’re then through to next year…unusually, the transmission has been on the estate…so let’s not try and undermine the officials of the house…I will always put the health and safety of this House first. So please help me keep this House open by trying to get through a very crucial two weeks…I’ve got to say, the measures have not been stringent, they could have been even more stringent, and some might have to…”
MPs will no doubt be staying tuned into Guido to find out if and when they are…
“This intolerant, illiberal and totalitarian response is akin to something out of the Soviet Union or North Korea rather than a place for learning and debate. The loony-left has certainly taken over it seems at the University of Lincoln Students’ Union and this is another chapter in their knee-jerk desire to stifle debate which revealed itself as they began ‘no platforming’ people they don’t like including those who are democratically elected… the Students’ Union ‘snowflakes’ are so self-obsessed they forget Lincoln is the home to one of the original Magna Cartas, the foundation stone of freedom the world over.”
Guido couldn’t have put it better…
Tory MP Karl McCartney has emailed all MPs making the case for them to sign the Duddridge EDM:
From: MCCARTNEY, Karl
Sent: 14 February 2017 15:15
To: MCCARTNEY, Karl
Subject: Motion of No Confidence in Speaker BercowDear Colleague,
I am contacting you as I am aware a number of colleagues do not normally sign EDMs and so are unaware or unsure of the easy way to support the Motion of No Confidence in Speaker Bercow as put down by our colleague James Duddridge MP.
The recent outburst by the Speaker, unilaterally barring the President of the United States – our closest ally – from addressing Members of Parliament, was a breach of Parliamentary protocol that parallels no others that neither I, nor more senior Members can recall. It was also indicative of a growing trend in politics of people in powerful positions showing contempt for democracy and an electorate who have made their views crystal clear.
The Speaker is the Chief Officer of the highest authority in the House of Commons and must be politically neutral and seen to be neutral at all times. He or she is, ultimately, the referee on the pitch of our proceedings, not a fellow player. Whether you agree with Speaker Bercow’s criticisms of President Trump or not, the very fact that he made those statements in the place and at the time that he did, at all, shows that he is not politically impartial and that his position is now untenable as his lack of neutrality on a number of issues has manifested itself wider than just Parliament.
I hope you will join me in supporting the EDM and Motion of No Confidence in Speaker Bercow and please do email or give me a call if you would like to discuss this further.
Kind regards,
Karl
Guido understands it already has considerably more support than the Carswell motion against Michael Martin…
