Top Tory James Cleverly slams ‘hypocrite' Angela Rayner for warning about Britain's social breakdown
The ex-Home Secretary said her claim immigration and online culture are fuelling unrest 'rings a bit hollow' given Labour's history of 'jumping on every bandwagon'.
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The newly-appointment Shadow Housing Secretary told Sky News: 'I think she makes a very good point, and I think she has echoed things that Conservatives have said for a while.
'I think it rings a bit hollow when she was one of the people that took the knee during the BLM protest.
'She, the Labour Party, the Prime Minister, have jumped on every bandwagon that's come along, and they have spent so much time seeming to be on the side of the people who don't play by the rules, who jump the queue, who abuse the system.
'And now that they're in government, she is saying, 'Oh, well, I think you know, society is fracturing', seemingly blind to the role the Labour Party have played in driving wedges between communities.'
The Deputy PM told Cabinet this week that immigration, economic insecurity and time spent online were having a 'profound impact on society' and said ministers must face up to people's 'real concerns'.
She was presenting the findings of her year-long study, commissioned in the wake of last year's riots.
Downing Street said the unreleased study will form the backbone of the Plan for Neighbourhoods, which promises to invest £1.5 billion in 75 of the 'most deprived' areas across the UK over the next decade.
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The Independent
2 minutes ago
- The Independent
Another 60 people to be prosecuted for ‘showing support for Palestine Action'
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Telegraph
3 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Perverted liberalism has led to neo-Marxism, perverted patriotism may yet lead to neo-fascism
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He was mixing a family holiday (accompanied by a few non-political old mates) with discussions about ideas with his English friend, Dr James Orr, a Cambridge theologian, and Danny Kruger, the Conservative MP who recently made a powerful parliamentary speech in favour of Christianity in Britain. He saw the billionaire businessman Sir Paul Marshall, owner of The Spectator and patron of several conservative and Christian causes. The vice-president entertained and was entertained by Tom Skinner – patriotic Essex man, former market trader and star of The Apprentice, whose catchword is 'Bosh' – and a much more famous public entertainer, currently from Clacton, called Nigel Farage. Through the good offices of George Osborne, a surprising ally, given Mr Osborne's Remainer, globalist views, Mr Vance also met assorted Conservatives – Robert Jenrick, Chris Philp, Laura Trott and the rising star of the party's new intake, Katie Lam. It was a mark of how even Tory centrists feel the need to trim to the Atlantic wind that the journalist Daniel Finkelstein was among the guests. Lord Finkelstein's column this week was a fine read for Kremlinologists, as it sidled cautiously closer to Mr Farage. There is something attractive about Mr Vance's quest for ideas. Although it can be tactless (and may be intended to be), his readiness to propagate them is refreshing too. Since the days of Theodore Roosevelt, who invented it, the 'bully pulpit' has been the property of the US president. Mr Trump, however, is more bully than pulpit, and Mr Vance, a Catholic convert, is a most articulate preacher. He is searching, like so many, for a conservatism which goes deeper than economics and pays greater heed to those left behind by social change and discriminated against by modern public doctrine. He is influenced in this by the National Conservatism movement in the United States. In developing these views, Mr Vance and Maga allies identify 'woke' as their main internal opponent. They see woke doctrines, advancing under the camouflage of liberal tolerance, as neo-Marxist attempts to set different groups, tribes and classes against one another and to dissolve the proud historical identity of the nation state. This is an even more incendiary subject in America than in Britain but, goodness knows, it is hotting up here, chiefly because of this century's huge increase in immigration encouraged under both main parties. Mr Vance has expressed this vividly: 'I think the people whose ancestors fought in the Civil War have a hell of a lot more claim over America than the people who say they don't belong today.' He seeks allies for a comparable message here and, in more directly political terms, for the best political vehicle. He is contemplating a different party configuration on the Right. 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North Wales Chronicle
11 minutes ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Bioethanol plant deems lack of Government support an ‘act of economic self-harm'
Vivergo Fuels, near Hull, warned earlier this year that it was in imminent danger of closure as crisis talks continued with the Government. This followed the end of the 19% tariff on American bioethanol imports as part of the recent UK-US trade deal. On Friday, the Government said: 'This Government will always take decisions in the national interest. 'That's why we negotiated a landmark deal with the US which protected hundreds of thousands of jobs in sectors like auto and aerospace. 'We have worked closely with the companies since June to understand the financial challenges they have faced over the past decade, and have taken the difficult decision not to offer direct funding as it would not provide value for the taxpayer or solve the long-term problems the industry faces. 'We recognise this is a difficult time for the workers and their families and we will work with trade unions, local partners and the companies to support them through this process. 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He said: 'We did everything we possibly could to avoid closure, but in the end it was the Government that decided the British bioethanol sector was something that could be traded away with little regard for the impact it would have on ordinary hard-working people. 'We did not go down without a fight and I hope that the noise we generated over the past three months will make the Government think twice before it decides to sign away whole industries as part of future trade negotiations.' A spokesman for Associated British Foods, which owns Vivergo, said: 'It is deeply regrettable that the Government has chosen not to support a key national asset. 'We have been left with no choice but to announce the closure of Vivergo and we have informed our people. 'We have been fighting for months to keep this plant open. 'We initiated and led talks with Government in good faith. We presented a clear plan to restore Vivergo to profitability within two years under policy levers already aligned with the Government's own green industrial strategy.' The spokesman said the Government had 'thrown away billions in potential growth in the Humber and a sovereign capability in clean fuels that had the chance to lead the world'. The bioethanol industry, which also includes the Ensus plant on Teesside, has argued the trade deal, coupled with regulatory constraints, has made it impossible to compete with heavily subsidised American products. Vivergo said the Hull plant, which employs about 160 people, can produce up to 420 million litres of bioethanol from wheat sourced from thousands of UK farms. It has described bioethanol production as 'a key national strategic asset' which helps reduce emissions from petrol and is expected to be a key component in sustainable aircraft fuel in the future. The firm recently signed a £1.25 billion memorandum of understanding with Meld Energy to anchor a 'world-class' sustainable aviation fuel facility at the site. But Meld Energy said earlier this month uncertainly over the bioethanol industry was putting this plan in jeopardy. The Vivergo plant is also the UK's largest single production site for animal feed, and the company says it indirectly supports about 4,000 jobs in the Humber and Lincolnshire region. Vivergo has said it buys more than a million tonnes of British wheat each year from more than 4,000 farms, and has purchased from 12,000 individual farms over the past decade. But it took its last wheat shipment earlier this month. The farmers' union described the imminent closure of the Vivergo plant as a 'huge blow'. NFU combinable crops board chairman Jamie Burrows said: 'Not only is it terrible news for those hundreds of workers who will lose their jobs but also for the thousands of people whose livelihoods depend on this supply chain – that includes local farmers who have lost a vital market for their product.' The Ensus plant in Teesside differs from the Vivergo operation because it also produces CO2 as part of the process. Ensus, which is owned by CropEnergies, part of the German firm Sudzucker, is the UK's only large scale manufacturer of CO2, which is used in a wide range of sectors, including in drinks and the nuclear industry. Grant Pearson, chairman of Ensus UK, said on Friday: 'I met with Sarah Jones, the minister for business, today, to receive the Government's response to our request for financial support and the policy changes required to ensure that the Ensus facilities can continue to operate. 'The minister confirmed that they value both our contribution to the UK economy, the jobs we provide and support in the north east of England and in particular our production of biogenic CO2 which is a product of critical national importance. 'They are therefore looking at options to secure an ongoing supply of CO2 from the Ensus facility. 'This is positive news, however it is likely to take time to agree upon and finalise and therefore urgent discussions will be taking place to provide a level of assurance to the Sudzucker and CropEnergies' boards that there is a very high level of confidence that an acceptable long-term arrangement can be reached.'
