James Cleverly ( Stockton)

[Newtonianmechanics]

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/james-cleverly-stockton-north-shithole-b2451844.html

Course he said it! What happened to levelling up eh! Scary that they actually think like this. It isn't helpful at all. Disgraceful in fact.

Never been to Stockton, not even sure where it is, I don’t know if it’s a shithole or not. I do know that no member of our government, Home sec no less, should be talking this way about any place or community in our country. They work for us, they are supposed to do their best for us, they are supposed to help & support us - not run us down & disregard us.

This is funny.

I am about as far as a Tory apologist as it gets.

But what I am (which most people in this comment thread are not) is a realist.

Assuming Labour wins in 2024 (high probability of this) there will be no money to invest in places like Stockton over the entire first Parliamemt (2025 - 2030) because of our high debt service costs (nearing £100bn/year).

This is not a "hypothetical thing". It is reality.

Starmer knows this, which is why he is laying down the ground work for two terms (2025 - 30 & 2030 - 2035).

It is "possible" there might be levelling up money from 2030 onwards, but there will be no money until 2030.

Well hopefully it is just another sign to the red wall Tory voters that the people they put in power fucking hate them as do the Tory faithful down south as can be seen on this thread.

It's funny watching all the local Tories get pissed off about this as if their local schemes tied to the Teesside Freeport aren't just little cash grabs themselves, they don't really give a fuck about Teesside either.

Places like Stockton were at the heart of our industrial power and wealth, all squandered by Tories over generations.

There is one current conservative MP who studied in Stockton (the degree would have been badged as Durham though) so would be interesting to see if they stick up for the place that probably contributed to where they are today….

@Saschka saw a meme where Sunak was digging up Thatcher too.

Much less deprived than Middlesbrough and Hartlepool actually because Stockton includes some really lovely areas.

One of the issues in the NE is how divided it can be, e.g. the east of Darlington is one of the most deprived areas of the country and the west is one of the least deprived. The high tech jobs that Ben Houchen is so fond of talking about are out of reach to many since participation in Higher Education is low in the region (although as my teacher friend likes to tell me the NE has the higher percentage of Oxbridge applicants accepted).

What would happen if a teacher, careworker or doctor was overheard talking like that - eg they got poor exam results because their town is a shithole? They've got asthma because their town is a shithole? I know I would be disciplined and possibly sacked.

It isn't so much the language as the sentiment - it's saying "I don't care about poverty in your area because your area is shit".

Noone would mind if he was saying that there's no point investing in Stockton for economic reasons, that's a valid opinion. He wasn't, he was just sneering at people who you aren' t posh enough for his liking.

It speaks volumes that he feels comfortable saying this in parliament, imagine what he says behind closed doors?

The same as any urban area, there are good and bad parts of Teesside

@BouncingJAS which parts of the town did you visit? There are some beautiful and very friendly parts to the area.

Really sad by the attitude that Stockton children are not as worthy as some of the more affluent areas of the country, because that’s where this argument started wasn’t it?

It speaks volumes that he feels comfortable saying this in parliament, imagine what he says behind closed doors?

Exactly!

The government decree that our children should be taught about fundamental British values like mutual respect and tolerance yet show time and time again how they just lie, cheat and show no respect or tolerance for anyone.

Is that you, James?

Very good point.

Is that you, James?

Do some very basic research

Do you think being patronising makes you sound intelligent? I hope not because you sound thick as mince

😂😂😂

This is of course the ‘professionalism’ and ‘integrity’ Sunak promised us all….. 🙄

Regardless of the arguments around whether there should be more investment there, what the town is like etc no MP should be making comments like that, much less so in Parliament in response to a question (I know he wasn’t formally answering it) about child poverty. In any professional set up he would be disciplined, sadly in Tory land he’s likely just received a few pats on the back and shown up a little more how weak Sunak is.

He definitely said it which is terrible. And he's definitely lying about it now which is worse.

But the standards of this government are frankly through the floor so on we go. Sunak will dither and delay because he's weak and doesn't have enough people to form a vaguely competent cabinet. General election can't come soon enough.

I think his behaviour is a product of disgraceful behaviour in parliament generally. It’s embarrassing that our government/elected representatives think the jeering is at all acceptable at any time. This incident is a particularly revolting example.

“Stockton is not worth saving”

really? What do you think should be done with the people of Stockton then once it’s closed down? Shall we bus them to Surrey? Or make them live in tents in a refugee camp on the banks of the Tees?

what about all the other run down towns?

Actual people live and work there. It isn’t about “saving” it. It’s about investment and support. Children should not have to live in poverty regardless of their postal address.

What did Àngela Rayner say? SCUM. She isn't wrong.

Tents? You want to waste public money on giving away tents? For shame. Far too good for them. Public money belongs in Tory pockets.

It’s the front page of the Northern Echo so clearly it’s very newsworthy up here. That will have lost them a huge number of votes.

James Stupidly.

James Antonym MP and UK Home Secretary. So proud to have him representing us. There's a 2006 film, Idiocracy, a comedy about a dystopian future. We're all living it now, who knew it was a prophecy?

Just been checking the boundaries, Stockton North includes Billingham which was flavour of the month with the Tories during the pandemic when they realised there was vaccine manufacturing expertise there. At the last election the Tories massively reduced Labour's majority in the constituency so if they'd been more serious about levelling up they might have been able to gain the seat. Now it'll be safe Labour again after that fuck up.