Labour's John McDonnell says DUP's Arlene Foster is the 'real leader of the Conservative Party' after she told of sharing a phone call with the Prime Minister over the customs union. The shadow chancellor suggested the phone call gave Mrs Foster - whose DUP party props up the Tories in parliament - to give Theresa may "her orders". John McDonnell told the BBC's Andrew Marr "the Conservatives are going to fall apart on this" as wrangling over the Brexit strategy continued. A decision on the Government's preferred customs option has been postponed after Theresa May's Brexit "war cabinet" failed to reach agreement. A number of Cabinet ministers spoke out against the Prime Minister's hybrid customs partnership model, which would see Britain collect tariffs on behalf of the EU for goods destined for the block, with firms potentially claiming back a rebate if products remained in the UK on a lower-tariff regime. Instead many of them back the so-called maximum facilitation option which would … [Read more...] about John McDonnell says Arlene Foster is the ‘real leader of the Conservative Party’
Conservative party
New Sunderland councillor apologises over social media posts as Conservative Party lifts suspension
A newly-elected Conservative councillor has apologised for “offensive” social media posts after the party confirmed his suspension has been lifted. Barnes candidate Antony Mullen was suspended at a national level following comments labelled as offensive by Labour and Liberal Democrats.The Twitter posts included describing Sunderland as a “post-apocalyptic ****hole” and Labour MP Diane Abbott as a “filthy, bulbous pig”.In Thursday’s local government election, the teaching assistant won local support with 1,560 votes – a 322 majority over Labour rival Zaf Iqbal.The Conservative Party have now confirmed Mr Mullen’s suspension has been lifted with “immediate effect” with his party membership restored.A party statement explains the suspension involved tweets made between four and seven years ago while he was a student and before becoming a Conservative member.It adds a Local and Area Conservative Party Management … [Read more...] about New Sunderland councillor apologises over social media posts as Conservative Party lifts suspension
Conservative Party majority in Rushmoor local election results
The Conservative Party has retained its majority in Rushmoor in the borough's local elections, but the borough will have one new Liberal Democrat councillor. Abul Koher Chowdhury will become the only Liberal Democrat Party councillor in Rushmoor and will represent the St Mark's ward. The borough's other main change happened in West Heath, which previously had a UKIP councillor but will now be represented by two Conservative Party councillors. Residents headed out to polling stations across Rushmoor to vote for their favourite candidates on Thursday (May 3). A total of 13 wards in the borough were open for re-election - eight of which resulted in a Conservative majority. The Labour Party secured four seats while one Liberal Democrat was elected. The last of the results were announced by around 1am on Friday (May 4). Local elections 2018: Live updates as final results are announced Here are the full results: Aldershot Park Labour Party candidate, Terry Bridgeman won the Aldershot Park … [Read more...] about Conservative Party majority in Rushmoor local election results
Conservative Party deny having local election pact with Ukip in Sunderland
The Sunderland branch of the Conservative Party has denied making any deals with UKIP ahead of next week’s local elections. In a statement issued on Tuesday April 24, the Sunderland and Houghton branch of the eurosceptic party said it was not fielding candidates in the ballot “so that we could best help with unseating as many Labour Councillors as possible”. It also said it would stand aside in wards “where the Conservative Party stood a reasonable chance of winning”, but any suggestion of a formal pact has been ruled out by both sides. Coun Robert Oliver, leader of Sunderland Conservatives, said: “Sunderland Conservatives have not had any discussions with Ukip and we have not done any deals with that party in the local elections. “Unlike Ukip and Wearside Liberal Democrats we have put up a candidate in every ward in the city and have no interest in the Ukip agenda.” Sunderland is due to go to the polls for the latest round of elections … [Read more...] about Conservative Party deny having local election pact with Ukip in Sunderland
Ex-Tory minister: ‘Weekly Islamophobic incidents and rhetoric’ in Conservative Party
Former Tory minister Baroness Warsi, the first female Muslim to attend cabinet, has revealed that “there are almost now weekly occurrences of Islamophobic incidents and rhetoric,” in the Conservative Party. Speaking on ITV’s Peston on Sunday show, the former Conservative Party co-chair was being interviewed about the Windrush scandal that has plagued Theresa May’s Tory government over the last few days with accusations that their “hostile environment” immigration policy, formulated under the Tory-Lib Dem coalition, was an inhumane strategy used in the futile pursuit to cut immigration numbers. In light of the recent anti-Semitism row that has engulfed UK Labour, with wall-to-wall MSM broadcast, print, and social media coverage that has painted the issue as a “crisis” for the main opposition party, one may have thought this would have grabbed the attention of the media establishment. The reality? Cue the tumbleweed. Indeed, not even the … [Read more...] about Ex-Tory minister: ‘Weekly Islamophobic incidents and rhetoric’ in Conservative Party