Tag Archives: Lee Anderson

‘We Have Failed’: Lee Anderson Admits Tory Government Migration Chaos

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Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson has admitted his party has “failed” to stop migrants crossing the Channel in small boats, despite Rishi Sunak’s pledge to end the journeys.

He said the situation was now “out of control” and that the Conservative government was to blame.

Anderson’s comments, in an interview with Nigel Farage on GB News, followed the row over his claim that migrants who do not want to board the Bibby Stockholm barge in Dorset should “fuck off back to France”.

He said: “I’m not going to sit here and make excuses to anyone. This is out of control.

“We’re in power at the moment, I’m the deputy chair of the Conservative Party, we’re in government and we have failed on this – there’s no doubt about it.

“We’ve said we’re going to fix it, it is a failure.”

Anderson insisted the Tories had policies in place to tackle the issue, but he added: “I know it’s a bit hard for the British public at the moment to actually understand what we’re trying to do with the Rwanda flights and the Illegal Migration Bill and it seems very slow, it’s cumbersome.

“We’re up against it Nigel, let’s be honest. We’ve got the lefty lawyers, we’ve got the human rights campaigners, we’ve got the charities – everything’s against us, but I’m not making excuses.”

His comments are a further blow to Sunak in a week that was meant to showcase the government’s attempts to stop the boats.

Instead, they have been forced to deny plans to deport migrants to Ascension Island, while they also face legal challenges over the Bibby Stockholm, which has been dubbed a “quasi-prison” by opponents.

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Tory MP Lee Anderson Rinsed Over Tweet Telling Republican Protesters To ‘Emigrate’

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Tory MP Lee Anderson has been accused of trying to “cancel” republican protesters after he told them to leave the country.

The deputy chairman of the Conservative Party told anti-monarchy activists to “emigrate” rather than exercise their right to protest.

He made the comments after dozens of protesters were arrested during King Charles’s coronation.

Sharing an article on the arrests on Twitter, the MP for Ashfield wrote: “Not My King?

“If you do not wish to live in a country that has a monarchy the solution is not to turn up with your silly boards. The solution is to emigrate.”

Twitter users were quick to point out the irony of the hardline MP’s comments given he has previously railed against “cancel culture”.

One person commented: “Telling people who don’t agree with you to leave the country is about as ‘cancel culture’ as it gets.”

Jonathan Harris, a Lib Dem councillor in West Northamptonshire, tweeted: “30 p Lee – Idiot on display. You took the rights away for British people to live and work across the EU, and forget that great democracies are built on and absolutely allow the right to peaceful protest.”

Another described him as being a “liability” when being “this ludicrous” while one drily commented: “If you are leaving your country because you oppose its political system, Mr Anderson will, I’m sure, follow that logic and be the first to welcome you when you arrive at Dover.”

One pointed out: “Deputy chair of the Conservative party rejects freedom of speech.”

Meanwhile, one Twitter user told him: “I think you’re forgetting that the people protesting are the people of this country, they deserve to be able to freely express what they want for their country without being arrested.”

However, some did back Anderson’s view including fellow Tory MP Kevin Hollinrake who wrote: “Quite right Lee Anderson – time and a place for everything. Wrong time, wrong place.”

The Metropolitan Police Service has faced criticism after more than 50 people were arrested for alleged affray, public nuisance and breach-of-the-peace offences.

The arrests were described by human rights organisations as a “dangerous precedent” for a democratic nation.

It is not the first time Anderson has proved controversial, having previously called for the return of the death penalty and claiming people on Universal Credit were not in poverty.

Anderson is a former coal miner who was a Labour councillor in Ashfield before he defected to the Conservative Party in 2018 and went on to serve as a Tory councillor in Mansfield.

He has been dubbed “30p Lee” for claiming that meals could be prepared for that sum and suggesting people using food banks could not budget.

He recently clashed with Met Police commissioner Mark Rowley over the force’s handling of protests, telling him to “leave his ivory tower” to deal with demonstrators in Westminster.

Under the controversial new Public Order Act, protesters who have an object with the intention of using it to “lock on” are liable to a fine, with those who block roads facing 12 months in prison.

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Tory Deputy Chairman Lee Anderson Gets Schooled On The Law By Top Police Officer

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Lee Anderson was left embarrassed after his attempt to criticise a top police officer spectacularly backfired.

The Tory deputy chairman accused Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley of failing to crack down on protesters outside parliament.

“We have seen protesters once again in Parliament Square setting up some sort of Glastonbury-on-Thames gazebo,” Anderson said.

“Don’t you think it’s time you left your ivory tower, got out there on Whitehall and sorted the people out? You’re just letting it happen. You’ve got the powers now to do this.”

But Rowley told him this was wrong, as the controversial Public Order Bill – which gives police greater powers to stop demonstrations – is not yet law.

“Those powers haven’t come in yet,” Rowley explained. “You’re making selective comments based on a partial understanding of the law.”

Rowley, the UK’s most senior police officer, added: “The law is very clear that protest is disruptive and to a certain extent that is allowed.

“That is why the law says at the moment you might not like that but I have to work to the law rather than whim.”

He told Anderson: “You might want to believe the law says that no disruption is allowed whatsoever through protest, but that is not case.”

Anderson told Rowley: “You might want to believe you are doing your job correctly, I don’t think you are. I feel like I’m wasting my time with you.

“Do you think you’ve got confidence of the public?” he asked.

But Rowley hit back: “If people want to be personally offensive, then write it in newspapers, I’m not going to answer those questions.”

Rowley took over as Met commissioner in September 2022, replacing Cressida Dick.

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Lee Anderson Has Become The Latest Tory MP To Join GB News

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Lee Anderson has become the latest Tory MP to get his own show on GB News.

The Ashfield MP joins fellow Conservatives Jacob Rees-Mogg, Esther McVey and Philip Davies in getting his own show on the channel.

The controversial backbencher, who is also his party’s deputy chairman, has rarely been out of the headlines since being elected in 2019.

Last month he called the return of the death penalty and has also claimed that he has seen families who use food banks eating in McDonald’s “two or three times a week”.

Ironically, Anderson’s Labour predecessor as MP for Ashfield, Gloria de Piero, also has a show on GB News.

Anderson said: “GB News is the true voice of the great British silent majority. I’m joining the people’s channel to ensure their voice is heard.”

Michael Booker, the editorial director of GB News, said: “Lee has been a breath of fresh air in Westminster since he was elected, doing what many politicians are scared to do – talking honestly about what they believe.

“Our viewers and listeners appreciate his common sense language, something that has been missing from politics for a long time.

“As the next election will be fought in the Red Wall, Lee’s insights into northern voters will be key.”

Anderson’s decision to join GB News adds to a growing trend of Tory MPs branching out into broadcasting.

Former culture secretary Nadine Dorries also has a Friday night chat show on TalkTV.

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Rishi Sunak Rejects Call From Deputy Tory Chairman For Return Of Death Penalty

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Rishi Sunak has rejected calls for the return of the death penalty made by the new deputy chairman of the Conservative Party.

Lee Anderson said he backed the death penalty because “nobody has ever committed a crime after being executed”.

He told The Spectator magazine that capital punishment has a “100% success rate” when it came to stopping repeat offenders.

But speaking to reporters during a visit to Cornwall on Thursday, the prime minister said that was “not my view” and “not the government’s view”.

Sunak added: “But we are united in the Conservative Party in wanting to be absolutely relentless in bearing down on crime and making sure people are safe and feel safe.”

The prime minister said his government had “tightened up sentencing laws for the most violent criminals” and “they spend longer in prison”.

The death penalty for murder in the UK was outlawed permanently in 1969, with it totally abolished for all crimes in 1998.

Anderson was the most eye-catching appointment made as part of Sunak’s mini-reshuffle on Monday.

A former Labour councillor before converting to the Tories, he has been no stranger to controversy since being elected as MP for Ashfield in 2019.

He has criticised food bank users and also the England men’s football team for taking the knee in protest at racism.

Earlier, children’s minister Claire Coutinho said that while she was a “big fan” of Anderson, she didn’t back the return of capital punishment.

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Lee Anderson Has Said Putting Asylum Seekers In Hotels Leaves A Bitter Taste In His Throat

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A Tory MP has said that placing migrants in temporary hotel accommodation “leaves a bitter taste in my throat” and called for them to be deported instead.

Lee Anderson also said asylum seekers arriving in the UK should be “sent back the same day”.

The Ashfield MP spoke out as the government continues to come under pressure over the situation at the Manston migrant processing centre in Kent.

At the peak of the crisis a week ago, around 4,000 people were held at the facility, which is designed to hold about 1,600.

Immigration minister Robert Jenrick told the Commons that the situation had since improved, with numbers “back below 1,600” after more than 2,000 people were placed in temporary accommodation.

But Anderson said: “When I hear words like sourcing housing and getting extra hotel spaces for illegal immigrants, it leaves a bitter taste in my throat.

“And I’ll tell you what, I’ve got 5,000 people in Ashfield who want to secure council housing and they cannot get one. Yet, we’re here debating this nonsense once again. When are we going to stop blaming the French, the ECHR, the lefty lawyers?

“The blame lies in this place right now — when are we going to go back and do the right thing and send them straight back the same day?”

Jenrick responded by telling Anderson that while the UK should be “guided by our common desire for decency” it was “not right that migrants are put up in three or four-star hotels at exorbitant cost to the United Kingdom taxpayer”.

He said Rishi Sunak would meet with the French president Emmanuel Macron to reach an agreement on how to stem the flow of small boat crossings in the Channel.

Alistair Carmichael, the Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesperson, criticised Anderson’s remarks.

“We all want to stop these dangerous Channel crossings and defeat the criminal gangs who profit from them, but the Conservatives’ approach isn’t working and they blame everyone but themselves,” Carmichael told HuffPost UK.

“For years, Conservative MPs from Lee Anderson to the home secretary – and even the prime minister – have contributed nothing but alienating rhetoric and simplistic proposals that do nothing to solve the problem. This sort of unhelpful, expensive and callous nonsense has only made the problem worse.

“If Conservative MPs really want to deal with the asylum backlog and save taxpayers’ money, the need to focus on fixing the asylum system they have broken and processing claims for asylum more quickly.”

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Eddie Izzard Accuses MPs Of ‘Bullying’ Over ‘Transphobic’ Comments

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Eddie Izzard has accused two MPs of “bullying” after they made “transphobic” comments about the comedian, who is campaigning to become a Labour election candidate.

The 60-year-old, launched her bid this month to become Sheffield Central’s MP, told people to “join the 21st century”.

Izzard, who has many connections to Sheffield, having studied accounting, launched her creative career and carried out local activism there, said the city needs “to be bolder, brighter, stronger… on the map”.

Speaking to the PA news agency on Thursday, she said she has been getting “a great reaction in the street” during her campaign but a small minority of people have made transphobic comments.

Earlier this week, Conservative MP Lee Anderson said he “would not follow him into the toilets” if she came to parliament, while Labour MP Rosie Duffield said: “I’m not calling Eddie Izzard a woman.”

In response, Izzard said: “Some people aren’t up to speed, some people haven’t joined the 21st century and, well, they’ve got to get on the bus now because I’ve been out for so long now that I don’t know why they didn’t bring this up before.

“It’s different now that I’m going for a parliamentary seat, but I don’t think bullying is a great thing to be happening and so I’m just going to carry on.”

Addressing Duffield’s comments directly, she said: “Transphobic attitudes come from all different quarters, unfortunately.”

She added that the Labour MP’s comments did not make her feel unwelcome to run as a candidate for the party, but added: “Again, join the 21st century – trans people exist. I exist.”

Izzard said she hopes that being elected will have a “positive impact” for diversity in parliament and for Sheffield Central itself as she brings her global renown, activism and energy to the constituency.

“The fact that I’m trans is kind of by the by,” she said, adding that she “absolutely” thinks people should be focusing on her policies and vision for Sheffield Central.

Izzard is running after the constituency’s incumbent, Paul Blomfield, announced he would be standing down at the next general election.

On Labour’s election prospects, Izzard said new prime minister Rishi Sunak could pose more of a threat and that the party needs to get behind leader Sir Keir Starmer.

“I think it’s going to be tougher for us rather than having Liz Truss in there, but it doesn’t matter,” she said.

“We’re at a certain place in the polls and we’ve got to carry on fighting, and I’m very passionate about getting Keir Starmer in.”

Izzard said she has supported “every Labour leader going”, before stressing the importance of uniting behind a leader to get into government.

“You have to support the leader – that is how it works in politics – and we’re a broad church,” she said.

“We need to be near left and further left – we might agree or disagree on some things but we’re heading in the same direction.”

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Tory MP Forgets Liz Truss Is Prime Minister

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A Conservative MP has blamed a “long few days” for confusing prime minister Liz Truss leader with one of her predecessors, Theresa May.

Lee Anderson, Conservative MP for Ashfield, was being interviewed following the Truss speech to party conference in Birmingham.

He first hit out at the “gutter press” for its negative portrayal of the event, which was marred by a u-turn on scrapping the 45p top rate of tax and civil war within the Tory party.

He then praised Truss for a “pretty good” address, and how she “gets better and better every time I see her”.

Anderson added: “I think we’ve made the right decision in the end to vote for her.”

Asked whether Truss did enough to win over any floating voters in his constituency, Anderson said he “would hope so” but acknowledged that “the red wall is a red wall for a reason”.

He went on: “We had Brexit, we had Boris, we had Corbyn three years ago and now we’ve got Theresa May it’s a different ball game altogether.”

When interviewer Harry Horton of ITV remind him that the prime minister was in fact now Truss, Anderson conceded: “My mistake, it’s been a long few days.”

Earlier in the week, Anderson insisted the government’s “change of direction” on scrapping the 45p tax rate wasn’t a “u-turn”.

He also suggested the UK will only have a full economic crisis when Wetherspoons pubs are empty.

Anderson has previously courted controversy for saying that people use food banks because they can’t “cook or budget”.

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Tory MP Who Said Food Bank Users ‘Cannot Budget’ Takes Aim At Mick Lynch

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Tory MP Lee Anderson took a pop at union leader Mick Lynch on Thursday, and claimed the striking rail workers were “holding the country to ransom”.

Anderson, who caused a stir in May by claiming people who use food banks can’t budget or cook, did not hold back when discussing the latest industrial action taking place across the country this week.

The MP hit out at the general secretary of the Railway, Maritime and Transport (RMT), Lynch, who has been calling for rail companies to increase workers’ pay, protect jobs and working conditions in recent months.

Speaking to TalkTV, Anderson said: “The union leaders, the Mick Lynchs of this world, are creating havoc throughout this country.

“These people aren’t interested in working class people at all, I don’t even think they’re interested in the members.

“What happens is you get fifth columnists, these union leaders, holding the country to ransom.

Quite frankly they should be ashamed of themselves.”

He also alleged that these are people earning “nearly as much as the prime minister” with £150,000 a year “holding the country to ransom”.

It’s worth noting that Lynch dismissed claims that he was on a six-figure salary on Thursday morning, telling ITV’s Good Morning Britain that such allegations were “completely untrue”.

But this morning, TalkTV’s host, Mike Graham, responded to Anderson’s claims about Lynch by suggesting that there were “champagne socialists” who supported the idea of strikes, and who blame the government for mishandling the entire industry.

Anderson also questioned the industry altogether, claiming that sometimes there’s only one person on his train – himself – and at the underground barriers, there can be “10 or 11 people” being “not very helpful at the best of times”.

While London Underground staff are not involved with the rail strikes, they will be walking out on Friday in a separate dispute over pay.

Anderson continued: “The great British taxpayer – people on minimum wage, people on living wage, are going to work to subside this industry.”

Graham replied by agreeing that trains were not the primary mode of transport for most people.

He even claimed that drivers now have “to pay more and more money to buy the car, everything you do with the car is more expensive, but for most people in this country, the car is the only way you can get around”.

The Tory MP added: “We are being victimised by these union leaders, these rail union leaders, who quite frankly do not give a toss, Mike, about the rest of the country.”

“They’ve got this big bee in their bonnet, they are the official opposition because the Labour Party are pretty useless at the moment, and they’re saying, ‘look at us, we can hold the country to ransom, we’re not bothered that the government has just bailed the country out with taxpayer money over the last two and a half years.’”

Impersonating the union members, Anderson added: “‘You know what, we don’t care about Britain really do we?’”

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