Kemi Badenoch’s party has been receiving money from fossil fuel interests while pursuing anti-climate policies.
The Conservatives received a hefty sum from oil and gas investors and those with roles at anti-climate campaign groups during the period when the party rolled back a key climate commitment.
New records released today reveal that Kemi Badenoch’s party accepted £50,000 in January from Neil Record, the chair of Net Zero Watch, the campaign arm of the Global Warming Policy Foundation (GWPF) – the UK’s foremost climate science denial group.
In March, Badenoch announced that the Conservatives would no longer be advocating for the UK to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 – the goal currently pursued by the government. In a speech hosted by an advertising group that works for the oil giant Shell, Badenoch suggested that we are “bankrupting ourselves” in the pursuit of the 2050 target.
Tories Ditched Net Zero Commitment While Receiving £250,000 from Oil Investors and Climate Deniers
What have the Tories fucked up now?
UK Tory leadership race lurches into dangerous far-right territory
Peter Oborne reporting for the Middle-East Eye says, “Former cabinet minister Robert Jenrick, who has a history of Islamophobic remarks, has emerged as the frontrunner”
The fact that this has happened to a party that has been a symbol of British political stability for two centuries should ring alarm bells with anyone who cares about democracy. For British Muslims, the prospect is frankly terrifying.
Peter Oborne, Middle East Eye, 6 September 2024
Remember this when you vote this week
From 35 foodbanks to 3,572 while the richest 1000 went from £284B to £1T.
The Tories Lose Two More By-Elections
Tory, George Freeman, boohooing that £118,300 is not enough money.
Tory MP George Freeman has quit his ministerial role because – get this – he says he can’t pay his mortgage on an income of “only” £118,300. That’s such a tiny amount that any of us would be hard-pressed to… Oh, wait, I meant to say most of us would love your income. Suck it up buttercup.
The median average salary for all workers in the UK is £27,756 Avtinity says which they get from this government source. If George’s outlier income of £118,300 cannot sustain a person then we are all doomed.
Honest Government Ad – Visit the UK
The Tory sleaze and by-election list
Just how many MPs have the Tories lost since the last election?
North Shropshire: Tory MP Owen Paterson resigned after the standards watchdog found he had broken lobbying rules. The by-election was held on 16 December 2021. Liberal Democrats gain.
Wakefield: In May of 2022, former Tory and sex offender, MP Imran Ahmad Khan, was sentenced to 18 months in jail for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy after plying him with gin at a party in 2008. The by-election was held on 23 June 2022. Labour gain.
Tiverton and Honiton: Tory MP, Neil Parish, resigned after admitting to watching porn in the House of Commons. The by-election was on 23 June 2022. Liberal Democrats gain.
Uxbridge and South Ruislip: After the resignation of Boris Johnson on 12 June 2023, a by-election was held on 20 July 2023. The Tory party managed to get Steve Tuckwell elected. Tory hold.
Selby and Ainsty: The resignation of Nigel Adams on 12 June 2023 led to another 20 July 2023 by-election. Labour gain.
Somerton and Frome: David Warburton resigned following his suspension from the Tory party over harassment and drug abuse claims. The by-election was held on 20 July 2023. Liberal Democrats gain.
Mid Bedfordshire: After the resignation of Tory MP Nadine Dorries on 29 August 2023, there was a by-election on 19 October 2023. Labour gain.
Tamworth: After the resignation of Christopher Pincher following suspension from the Troy party on 7 September 2023, there was a by-election on 19 October 2023. Labour gain.
You may remember 19 October 2023 as the day of the worst losses in Tory safe seats in recent history.
For those of you keeping score, the Tories faced 8 by-elections and lost 7 of them. There will probably be another one soon.
Tory MP Peter Bone suspended from Commons for bullying
Well, there goes another one.
MPs have voted to suspend Peter Bone from the Commons for six weeks after an investigation found he had bullied and was sexually inappropriate around a former member of staff.
The move is likely to lead to a by-election in his Wellingborough constituency, a former Tory safe seat polling indicates could flip to Labour.
Parliament’s behaviour watchdog found Mr Bone had exposed himself to an aide and physically struck him.
Mr Bone denies the charges.
MP Peter Bone suspended from Commons for bullying, BBC News
Here’s some related coverage:
- Brexiteer MP who ‘exposed himself to aide and locked him in bathroom’ loses Tory whip, Conservatives shun Peter Bone after five claims of bullying and one of sexual misconduct upheld
- By-election likely after MPs vote to suspend Tory Peter Bone over sexual misconduct allegations, A by-election in Wellingborough seems likely as veteran Tory Peter Bone faces a six week suspension from Parliament.
- Brexiteer Tory MP who ‘exposed himself to staff member and trapped him in hotel bathroom’ facing suspension, Peter Bone, who denies the allegations, was also found to have ‘repeatedly pressurised’ employee to give him a massage in the office
- Peter Bone: Ex-Tory MP accused of sexual misconduct and bullying suspended from Commons for six weeks, The sanction means he will face a recall petition in his constituency, which could lead to yet another by-election for Rishi Sunak’s party.
- Peter Bone’s abuse ‘left me broken’, says Tory Brexiteer’s former aide, In an interview the ex-staff member said Mr Bone’s behaviour was ‘often explosive’
- Spare us devout MPs like Peter Bone. If we ever had faith in them, it is long gone, Despite a direct line to grace, the moralising politician fell short when it came to morals about bullying
The Independent Expert Panel (IEP) has today published a report which finds that Mr Peter Bone MP “committed many varied acts of bullying and one act of sexual misconduct” against a member of his staff in 2012 and 2013. It has recommended that he is suspended from the House for six weeks. A suspension of this length triggers the Recall of MPs Act 2015.
Independent Expert Panel recommends suspending Peter Bone MP for bullying and sexual misconduct, parliament.uk
Tories lose some more: Tamworth and Mid Bedfordshire by-elections ‘one of worst nights any government has endured’
The results from Tamworth and Mid-Bedfordshire represent one of the worst by-election nights that any government has had to endure.
In Tamworth, the 23.9% swing from Conservative to Labour was the second highest in post-war by-election history. No government has previously lost so safe a seat – the Conservatives had a 42% majority in 2019 – to the principal opposition party in a by-election contest.
Tamworth and Mid Bedfordshire by-elections ‘one of worst nights any government has endured’, BBC News
It is almost as if the country is waking up to the idea that almost anyone is better than the Tories.
Here are the results in graphical form – thanks to the BBC.
If this loss rate carries over into the general election the Sunak’s Conservatives could face utter humiliation. I am okay with this.
The UK Faces a Steep Climb Out of a Deep Hole
Food shortages, moldy apartments, a lack of medical workers: The United Kingdom is facing a perfect storm of struggle, and millions are sliding into poverty. There is little to suggest that improvement will come anytime soon.
The UK Faces a Steep Climb Out of a Deep Hole, spiegel.de