Page 2 | Ben Bradley MP

Imnobody4 · 2021-03-05T11:18:20+00:00

Ben Bradley is joining the WESC. Delighted to join the *@Commonswomequ* Women & Equalities Select Committee in the *@HouseofCommons* and be part of the debate on some really important and pressing issues. Had some mixed feelings - he did call for a Minister for Men in HoC. However he's also willing to challenge orthodoxies. This thread is encouraging. [[https://twitter.com/BBradley_Mans/status/1275882899133403136?s=19]] Reading *@Transgendertrd* evaluation of Stonewall guidance for schools on the train. Have to say some shocking legal, scientific and moral problems identified. Not least the concept of "affirmation, secrecy from parents and the idea that sex is "assigned" rather than biological. [[https://t.co/Uw3RG1gvlN]]

EnglishGirlApproximately · 05/03/2021 18:59

@toomanytrees he'll probably get in next time too tbh., but he is rapidly losing support as he was voted in on an anti immigration, pro brexit stance. Constituents are unhappy that all of the 'foreigners' here haven't immediately moved back home, unhappy that 'dinghies are still arriving every day' and are going to be sadly disappointed when they realise brexit isn't going to make Mansfield less of a shit hole (yes I do live here!). He gets very vocal support on social media but the majority of his supporters aren't local. I don't disagree that working class white boys are disadvantaged in many ways, bit I'm not sure how useful it is to demonise their parents and schools as a way of 'levelling up. I also find it disappointing that he can't want more for that group without wanting less for others.

GrimSisters · 05/03/2021 20:04

He's a privately educated oaf, who panders to the base instincts of those who voted for him. I agree with some of the things he's said on Twitter, but don't think he's trying to help women protect our rights.

AdHominemNonSequitur · 05/03/2021 21:23

Anything that shakes up WESC is good in my book. Well played. I believe select committee members often put themselves forward, some of them clearly had an agenda to undermine the Ministers decision on GRA. I can't forget or forgive the way they treated Kathleen Stock, Rosa Freedman and Alice at the oral evidence session. They showed their true colours. The current gender sensitive parliament call for evidence is the most Machiavellian thing I have ever seen. It is worded in a way that presumes gender not sex is a done deal and gives no way to logically register objections/fears/concerns. Needs fresh blood with a different perspective to break up the wokefest

TheSilentStars · 05/03/2021 21:27

@EnglishGirlApproximately

Ben Bradley is my MP and while be does know what a woman is he absolutely isn't someone I would celebrate being anywhere near an equalities committee. He barely manages to conceal his racism on social media - he blocks consitiuents who question his lies and let's appallingly racist language stand unchallenged. Hes doesn't remotely represent his working class constituents unless they are right wing pro brexit. He says appalling things about the poor and has claimed that benefits get spent in crack dens and brothels, and the 75% of parents in one part of his constituency are illiterate. Hes far from a friend to women, his interest in this is all about being anti woke and playing to his audience. He's caused more divide on this town than I've ever known. I'm GC and welcome voices of reason and balance on the debate but Bradley isn't it.

Mine too. BB is a friend to nobody except BB. But he'll break bread with racists and other gutter dwellers.

HPFA · 05/03/2021 21:42

@EnglishGirlApproximately

Ben Bradley is my MP and while be does know what a woman is he absolutely isn't someone I would celebrate being anywhere near an equalities committee. He barely manages to conceal his racism on social media - he blocks consitiuents who question his lies and let's appallingly racist language stand unchallenged. Hes doesn't remotely represent his working class constituents unless they are right wing pro brexit. He says appalling things about the poor and has claimed that benefits get spent in crack dens and brothels, and the 75% of parents in one part of his constituency are illiterate. Hes far from a friend to women, his interest in this is all about being anti woke and playing to his audience. He's caused more divide on this town than I've ever known. I'm GC and welcome voices of reason and balance on the debate but Bradley isn't it.

I completely agree.

It's tough because the left has rejected us so so I understand we have to work with people we might prefer not to and use mediums of communication that are less than ideal.

But this guy has said and done some disgusting things and, as you said, probably doesn't give a stuff about women or the issues anyway.

And quite apart from the moral issue, it's a really bad look for us to seem OK with this guy.

EnglishGirlApproximately · 05/03/2021 21:42

@TheSilentStars BB will do whatever it takes to advance his career. He has absolutely no integrity and chooses to get behind causes which give him maximum publicity. I feel more strongly about this absolute charlatan than any other politician in my 45 years.

EnglishGirlApproximately · 05/03/2021 21:45

@HPFA I'm sure he doesn't give a stuff about women's issues. He's on the committee to talk about working class white boys and how hard done by white men are. Fine for people to support him in that if its what they believe but he isn't there to promote equality.

AdHominemNonSequitur · 05/03/2021 21:50

[quote EnglishGirlApproximately]@TheSilentStars BB will do whatever it takes to advance his career. He has absolutely no integrity and chooses to get behind causes which give him maximum publicity. I feel more strongly about this absolute charlatan than any other politician in my 45 years.[/quote]
Gosh really? I'll look a bit closer. Only seen a few Twitter retweets and they seemed ok but...

thinkingaboutLangCleg · 05/03/2021 21:53

He's very much someone who is representative of his community and working class interests. The fact that someone like him can now only carve out a space in politics via the Conservative Party shows what a strange world we currently live in.

I know, Ova. It does my head in.

EnglishGirlApproximately · 05/03/2021 21:56

@AdHominemNonSequitur I believe he's cleaned his Twitter up recently. He went off to Parler for a while but since he's been back on Twitter he's deleted a lot of old tweets and is keeping pretty quiet. I'm sure someone's had words. Honestly he's awful. Mansfield is in a terrible state, we're in the middle of a pandemic and he's spent literally hours tweeting about footballers taking the knee and statues. He talks a lot about what he's done for Mansfield but nothing is actually getting done. I'm a floating voter but would rather spoil my ballot than vote for him.

thinkingaboutLangCleg · 05/03/2021 22:00

I wouldn’t consider [BB] a feminist ally at all, just someone we may be able to work with on specific issues.

Quite honestly, the Labour politicians I used to support have set the bar so low that that I’d consider BB a hero in comparison.

Thingybob · 05/03/2021 22:13

He absolutely doesn't represent the views of his constituency! He's said some truly awful things about families in our area and what he thinks of us.

Were they as bad as the comments on this thread that are directed towards the same constituents?

"Constituents are unhappy that all of the 'foreigners' here haven't immediately moved back home, unhappy that 'dinghies are still arriving every day"

"racists and gutter dwellers"

"panders to the base instincts of those who voted for him"

I welcome his appointment and the shake up of the WESC

EnglishGirlApproximately · 05/03/2021 22:43

@Thingybob the comment about Foreigners and Dinghies was mine (the others aren't), and there is absolutely a large element of his voter base that think like that. You only need to be part of his constituency Facebook page to see how many comments of this type there are. This area has been neglected by successive governments for years and have been convinced by Bradley and his ilk that its all the fault of Eastern European immigrants. I'm not saying anything about those people that they don't happily say themselves on social media.

Thingybob · 07/03/2021 11:48

@EnglishGirlApproximately

I live in an area with a similar demographic and I get annoyed when a large proportion of the population are dismissed as being ignorant bigots (in much the same way that GC women are often dismissed) for raising what they feel are reasonable grievances e.g. lack of employment, poor housing, inequality of opportunity, poor health outcomes etc. They may not always raise the issues in a politically correct manner that is acceptable to Islington socialists but they often have very valid points and I'm glad Ben Bradley is listening to his constituents.

It shows me that Ben Bradley is not just another mindless politician being swept along with whatever social justice cause is most fashionable. It also tells me that he is more likely to listen to us (unfashionable) GC women.

picklemewalnuts · 07/03/2021 14:27

There is a thread on here at the moment about a woman who is complaining about being overcrowded at home, when she has gone on to have several more children despite not having room for them. Ben would undoubtedly express his opposition to that bluntly. It wouldn't make him wrong.

Also, the comment he made about children brought up in brothels, and school vouchers spent on crack- that didn't come out of nowhere. I'm sure that has crossed his desk as an issue, quite possibly raised by teaching staff out of concern for children. He shouldn't have made a blanket comment, but what he said was very likely true. He wanted different support given, that couldn't be misused.

EnglishGirlApproximately · 07/03/2021 17:10

@Thingybob I have no issue with him listening to people concerns about immigration and what it means for communities. I live in the community and see the issues first hand. I have major issues with the racist language he encourages and allows on social media, the way he stirs up his supporters and creates tension. Its the last thing the area needs. If someone is racist you don't have to be an Islington socialist to have an issue with that (talking of being dismissive and stereotyping). I'm a floating voter and have voted Conservative on occasion, so have no axe to grind from that perspective and as I live in his constituency I'm sure you appreciate that I'm far from being a champagne socialist but Bradley will never have my support. He's more suited to the BNP.

@picklemewalnuts I have no doubt that there are issues like that in the area, there are in all areas. Its telling that a school governor got involved on that twitter thread to deny Bradley's claim that the head agreed with him and there are now several local schools he isn't welcome in. Again, the last thing people in these areas need and vulnerable children need is Bradley demonising them on social media for likes from his base. He's desperate to be a right wing talking head- that's his priority.

YawnyOwl · 07/03/2021 20:05

[quote EnglishGirlApproximately]@toomanytrees he'll probably get in next time too tbh., but he is rapidly losing support as he was voted in on an anti immigration, pro brexit stance. Constituents are unhappy that all of the 'foreigners' here haven't immediately moved back home, unhappy that 'dinghies are still arriving every day' and are going to be sadly disappointed when they realise brexit isn't going to make Mansfield less of a shit hole (yes I do live here!). He gets very vocal support on social media but the majority of his supporters aren't local. I don't disagree that working class white boys are disadvantaged in many ways, bit I'm not sure how useful it is to demonise their parents and schools as a way of 'levelling up. I also find it disappointing that he can't want more for that group without wanting less for others.[/quote]
Mansfield is NOT a shithole!

Defaultname · 07/03/2021 20:11

@Thingybob

He absolutely doesn't represent the views of his constituency! He's said some truly awful things about families in our area and what he thinks of us.

Were they as bad as the comments on this thread that are directed towards the same constituents?

"Constituents are unhappy that all of the 'foreigners' here haven't immediately moved back home, unhappy that 'dinghies are still arriving every day"

"racists and gutter dwellers"

"panders to the base instincts of those who voted for him"

I welcome his appointment and the shake up of the WESC

I'm wondering if we're going to have 'guttersnipes" and "the Great Unwashed" at this rate. How many of the old upper-class prejudices seem to have been adopted by the middle classes.

EnglishGirlApproximately · 07/03/2021 21:03

@YawnyOwl I have to disagree unfortunately.

YawnyOwl · 08/03/2021 14:15

@EnglishGirlApproximately it's got an m&s!