The New Conservatives group of MPs have finally launched their well-briefed 12-point manifesto this morning, demanding the PM cuts net migration by roughly 400,000 before the general election. The 25-strong group of 2017 and 2019 intake MPs insist they’re not rebels, although designing a logo, hosting a manifesto launch, and warning Rishi should follow their plans or risk “eroding public trust” suggests they’re not planning on staying quiet over the next year…
The manifesto was written by Ipswich MP Tom Hunt, and is backed by the likes of Lee Anderson* – who missed the launch today due to an “illness” – Miriam Cates and Danny Kruger. It insists Rishi needs to “honour [the] trust” of the 2019 manifesto by reducing migration to around 200,000 a year by implementing strict measures, including a higher £38,000 salary threshold for skilled workers and reduce visas grants by 117,000. They warn the current system “just [isn’t] working”. Given migration is now at roughly 600,000 a year, and now the Rwanda plan is being pushed further down the road, that’s an understatement…
Unless the indigenous economically inactive can be brought back into the workplace, cutting immigrant workers will mean shortages in critical sectors – health and social care. Britain can’t realistically afford to raise wages in the public sector so it is difficult to square without immigration. Despite the fanfare, Downing Street have already poured cold water on the proposals. His spokesperson said today the current measures “strike the right balance currently“. 93% of the country appears to disagree…
* Anderson supports the group, though his name did not appear on its list of supporters this morning because, as Tory Deputy Chairman, he can’t officially endorse outsider policy proposals…
Read the full 12-point plan, and the list of MPs publicly backing the group, below:
SNP MP Gavin Newlands has been accused of calling Tory MPs Scott Benton and Tom Hunt “absolute scumbags“, with the moment picked up on the Commons microphones as Alison Thewliss read out her War and Peace-length intervention during the Illegal Migrant Bill debate last night. Guido has enhanced the audio for co-conspirators’ listening pleasure…
Newlands also took to Twitter to attack Benton and Hunt again, claiming they’d laughed at him for expressing “security concerns for [his] staff”. Tom Hunt tells Guido this is incorrect, and “there is no place for that kind of hate filled language”:
“I forget what me and Scott were talking about but it had nothing to do with the Thewliss speech or the intervention from Newlands. Before we knew it I looked up and a number of MPs were looking at us like they wanted to throttle us […] We had no idea what they’re going on about. Then all of a sudden one of the SNP MPs shouted “scum” at us. Sadly there are a small group of SNP MPs who continually bizarre in an inappropriate way in the chamber and hurl abuse at opponents. This was a continuation of that. The Chamber can get heated and I myself can be vocal. But there is no place for that kind of hate filled language. Particularly when me and Scott aren’t even guilty of what Newlands is accusing us of.”
To be fair to Newlands, it’s not the first time this language has cropped up in the Commons. Just ask Angie…
Following this morning’s news that Paulette Hamilton, Labour’s candidate in the Birmingham Erdington by-election, publicly weighed up the benefits of a violent revolution, two Tory MPs have now called for Starmer to immediately suspend the whip should she win tomorrow. She’s still the clear frontrunner, so that’s incredibly likely…
Both Tom Hunt and Gary Sambrook have now issued statements demanding Hamilton’s suspension, with Hunt issuing a Point of Order in the Commons this afternoon saying it’s “crucial” Starmer suspends her, and Sambrook also pushing for “immediate” action against her. So far, all Labour have said is “she has a point”.
Inevitably other Tory MPs, including Nadine Dorries, have also publicly condemned Hamilton in the last few hours – although so far only Sambrook and Hunt have called for Starmer’s personal involvement. Immediately removing the whip before she’s even given her maiden speech would surely be some kind of record…
Read Sambrook’s letter in full below…
Tory MP Tom Hunt didn’t hold back when confronting Paul Mason over his new book’s claims that Priti Patel is facilitating fascism. Hunt challenged the Trot over a quote from a Guardian interview:
“The interests of fascism are being represented in government by right-wing populists and authoritarians” he goes on to say “sadly Boris Johnson”. I’m sorry I think that’s absolutely unacceptable to say that, and please tell me what specifically are what the government or what I’m doing as an MP are promoting/supporting a fascist agenda?”
Mason also ignorantly repeated the canard that references to “cultural Marxism“ echo Nazi language and thinking – when in fact the term has been long and widely used by sympathetic sociologists. All Mason could offer in support of his argument was Priti’s drive to clamp down on illegal immigration…
Jacob Rees-Mogg has railed against the “woke-ification” of Oxbridge, slamming plans by students to take down a portrait of the Queen, and plans by 150 dons to boycott Oriel College of Rhodes. Both stories broken by Guido of course…
Responding to a question from Tom Hunt, Rees-Mogg slammed the students for taking down the Queen’s portrait, and pointed out that the “pimply adolescent” who called for it was an American. He’s also suggested renaming Cambridge “Churchill College”…
Following this morning’s story revealing Labour whip Alan Campbell loudly voted “NO!” by acclamation and then yes by division in last night’s provocative opposition day motions, Ipswich MP Tom Hunt has raised the matter with the Speaker’s office. It is against Parliamentary rules to shout one way and vote the other. As Hunt says in his letter, “This conduct is disorderly and I think it should be addressed.”…
Hunt references paragraph 20.61 of Erskine May, which notes of MPs that “if their voices and their votes should be at variance, the voice will bind the vote.” Alan Campbell’s voice can clearly be heard in the acclamation vote, and Guido has corroborated the fact that he did shout “NO” with multiple witnesses. By the rules of the House, Campbell’s vote should be changed from Aye to No…
While the non-political public will find this procedural wrangling a dull process story, it should result in a Labour Whip being the only recorded vote against. Which will be a funny backfiring of the stunt.
Read the letter in full below:
