Guido learns that parliament’s wokest committee – the Women and Equalities Committee – is to welcome two new, perhaps unexpected, members: Philip Davies and Lee Anderson. Philip Davies is making a, no doubt, welcome return after having served on it in 2016 – where he made headlines calling for the word “women” to be removed from the Committee’s name. Lee Anderson is a co-conspirator favourite: from saying nuisance tenants should be forced to live in tents; to recently ranting that he’s torn up his licence fee. Confirming the appointment, Lee told Guido:
“The great women of Ashfield have been the backbone of my community for hundreds of years with barely any recognition.
Yes the men have worked down the pits and gone off to war but its our women that have kept everything together.
The women in communities like Ashfield need a voice in Parliament and anyone who knows me will tell you that I am a firm believer in better rights for women. I am a modern man with a modern outlook who is keen to speak up for the women in my community.
They deserve to be on a level playing field with us men which is not always the case. I will still open doors for women and give up my seat on public transport as I am a gentleman first and a politician second, but you can be assured that I will be fighting on all fronts for the women of Ashfield.”
Both men will no doubt relish the appointments, which they richly deserve. Guido sends his warmest congratulations to the pair. Chapeau to the 1922 Committee on the wit and wisdom of their appointments.
On tonight’s LIVE with LITTLEWOOD:
- Boris Johnson’s conference speech – Will his wind farms turbocharge Britain? Or is it just hot air?
- The Chancellor’s Choices – how Rishi Sunak could avoid tax rises and boost the UK economy
- The Covid fiasco – how were 16,000 C-19 cases lost on Excel? And can central planning ever work?
Host Mark Littlewood will be joined by the Spectator’s Kate Andrews; Conservative MP Philip Davies; the DUP’s Sammy Wilson MP; the New Statesman’s Stephen Bush; John O’Connell from the Taxpayers’ Alliance; the Adam Smith Institute’s Matt Kilcoyne and president-elect of the Oxford Union, James Price.
Join us LIVE for the issues that matter – TONIGHT at 6PM – HERE or on YouTube.
Esther McVey is positioning herself as the most ‘authentic’ Brexit candidate in the Tory leadership race, she’s gone even further than Dominic Raab in actively advocating a no deal Brexit as her preferred option. She’s also set out robust positions on spending aid cash on police and schools and scrapping HS2 in favour of investing in the North and the regions. Combined with her blue collar Tory credentials as a Barnado’s girl from Liverpool, could a different “blonde bombshell” wrongfoot the frontrunners?
Team McVey is a blue collar affair and a youthful one too. James Roberts, a former CTF operative and now Political Director at the TaxPayers’ Alliance, is doing strategy while Tory candidate Clark Vasey, who runs corporate affairs for Fujitsu, is working on policy. Brexiteer spinner Ed Barker is doing her comms, although McVey will be hoping his previous career as a saxophonist for George Michael doesn’t lead to any careless whispers on the campaign trail. Dan O’Neill, former aide to Richard Tice and Michael Fallon, is in charge of the digital side of the campaign. He’s also a saxophonist, will they be tempted to start a band?
McVey is also receiving informal advice from former senior journalist turned PR guru Ian Monk, as well as former Tory MP David Nuttall and of course her famous First Fiancé Philip Davies. Former Tory Vice Chair for youth Ben Bradley is leading her Parliamentary operation. She’s got five MPs publicly backing her at the moment including Remainer Gary Streeter – despite her Brexit position. Can her blue collar agenda reach out further beyond her Brexiteer base?
Social media support: MakeWay4McVey has a great name but only 284 followers and questionable proofreading skills, McVey herself has 34.3k followers on Twitter, she’s new to Instagram but has already got 164 followers in under 24 hours. No sign of a Facebook page…
Mainstream media support: The Telegraph has run a number of supportive op-eds although no major endorsements as of yet.
ConservativeHome members survey: 3.1% (7th)
YouGov public recognition: not yet included
William Hill odds: 50/1 (14th)
Guido spoke with Philip Davies this afternoon following the commencement of our campaign to get him to get a ring for Esther McVey following their engagement. Davies assures Guido that he has bought a ring, “three or four weeks ago from Hatton Garden”, it is just taking an unusually long time to be custom fitted. Guido got Mrs Fawkes’ ring made from scratch in less time. Esther must have a very busy schedule. Guido is looking forward to the photo shoot…
Guido is a big fan of Esther McVey, who is embarking on a pub-tour leadership campaign, flying the flag for “Blue Collar Conservativism”, something that has been missing from the Tory offer since Thatcher won over the aspiring classes with council house sales, union busting, and national pride. Important issues.
The more pressing immediate issue for Guido follows on from her revelation that Phil Davies, her MP flat-mate, ‘has popped the question and I have said yes. I haven’t got a date and I haven’t got a ring, but we hope to marry sometime next year.’ Guido has seen Esther and Phil around at events, they are a lovely well-matched couple. So Phil, this is said in friendly way…
In the words of Beyoncé, “you shoulda put a ring on it”. You are not an impoverished teenager. Pull your finger out Phil, you are punching well above your weight, stop messing about and pop down to Hatton Garden. It will also provide some great campaign narrative and photos… we are such romantics…
Readers will remember that Guido’s campaign support for the institution of marriage succeeded in getting Ed Miliband and Justine to do the right thing in the end. We can do it again…
Philip Davies has submitted a letter of no confidence in Theresa May in protest at the Chequers plan. He has explained his decision in a letter to constituents via the Yorkshire Post:
“Politics is all about trust and once it is lost it is impossible to win back. Many people have told me that as a result of this they have lost trust in the PM to properly and fully deliver the referendum result. It is with much sadness that I have to say that I have also lost trust in her to deliver the referendum result too. Failure to keep our promise to the electorate will almost certainly lead to the catastrophe of Jeremy Corbyn becoming Prime Minister and I cannot sit back and allow that to happen. Therefore I have reluctantly come to the conclusion that I have no alternative but to send a letter to the Chairman of the 1922 Committee asking him for a vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister.
If 48 such letters are sent a vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister amongst Conservative MPs will take place. This is a secret process and people do not need to declare that they have sent such a letter, but I believe you (and my constituents) have the right to know what I do as your local MP and that is why I am writing to let you know. Some of you will agree with my decision and some of you will disagree – I am well aware of that. But you all have a right to know.
I always have to look you all in the eye and tell you that I have done what I believe is right for the country and our Party. This has not been an easy decision and I have agonised over it, but I know in my heart of hearts it is the right decision. I hope that the Conservative Party and I can look forward to your continued support at what I appreciate is a very difficult time.”
Partner of Cabinet minister Esther McVey, who has been silent this week…
