So in another twist of the post office scandal, it’s revealed that education secretary Gillian Keegan’s husband was the CEO and chairman of of Fujitsu - the company who made the Horizon software.
I wonder if Sunak will be questioning his chum? 👇
I’m feeling so emotional.
I was a girl that grew up in a single parent household in social housing, told by too many people I didn’t have the right background to match my ambition.
I said sod ‘em, and did it anyway.
Today, Keir backed kids like me. Ambition is for all!
Don’t be deceived that the problem is just
@trussliz
, it’s the whole of the Conservative Party. It doesn’t matter if they replace her, they’ve still lost the trust of the markets, the respect of intentional partners, and the will of the people for them to govern this country.
The voters of
#MidBedfordshire
and
#Tamworth
hold far greater power than they realise on Thurs.
Why? Because next Wed Sunak becomes eligible for a leadership challenge, and with the prospect of 1/ 2 by-election defeats means rivals are licking their lips.
Could trigger GE!
I'm standing to be Labour's GE candidate for Southend West & Leigh.
I know how to beat the Tories at the ballot box & to deliver change for our communities. With the support of members, I know that I can deliver a win for Labour here in Southend West & Leigh.
#WinningWithLydia
A huge special shout-out to my mum who narrowly lost Roche South by just TWO votes last night.
For the first time in many years, she has returned Labour to being a serious contender in Rochford.
8 years ago today we lost the star of a generation, Jo Cox. But her light shones on, inspiring so many women like myself to step up in politics.
Always remember - there is more that unites than divides us 🌹
Sunak laughs in the face of a lady raising her worry about her wish to go back to how it used to be in the NHS.
Like ‘square one’ record low waiting times of only 6 weeks in 2010 under Labour perhaps?
Exclusive footage of Rishi Sunak challenged this morning by a former health worker on the state of the NHS, - captured by an off duty
@skynews
camera operator
@GuidoFawkes
This is absolutely appalling to be sharing the birth certificate of a CHILD on social media. Whatever you think about his mother, he is a slate entity and this is a safeguarding risk. Shame on you.
@greybrow53
Graham, have you tried to engage about this with your local councillors? I’d be keen to investigate this if you could email me at cllrlydiahyde
@southend
.gov.uk
@pinkbicyclegirl
@ChrisMasonBBC
I’m almost feeling nostalgic about the days when the best material we had against the PM was this dance and a wheat field, rather than 10%+ Interest rates, grannies dying from the cold, and screeching u-turns on tax breaks for yacht owners
Three separate Southend Tories are defending Anglian Water in the paper today, including Anna Firth MP.
They say the reason we have lost a Blue Flag from our beach is due to a dodgy test, testing in the rain, or sea gulls, and nothing to do with the regular sewage releases!
🤦🏼♀️
Hundreds of doors knocked today in a fully Conservative held seat, yet we found ONE Tory all day.
Dozens of switchers to Labour who prefer our policies of progress compared to the Tories with their designs of decay.
Change is coming, and it’s time to
#BuildACityWeCanBeProudOf
Great reception for Labour out in Chalkwell today. Lots of casework picked up (inc that wonky post).
Residents are chuffed with the extra £2.5m we’re putting into road repairs
The local Tories will be pleased to hear that despite everything they still have ONE committed voter!
I see Jamie Driscoll is retiring his Labour membership, but not calling a by-election.
If you’re elected as an independent, fair enough. But if you’re elected for a party, you should serve your time for that party. No individual is above collective responsibility. Sheer arrogance
This budget speech by Starmer is a perfect demonstration of the benefit of having such a tenacious, forensic leader.
He’s quoting back promises from Hunt and Sunak over the years as cold, hard evidence to why you can’t trust the Tories on anything.
Case closed your Honour.
Holding my cllr surgery today in busy Kent Elms library, and deeply concerned about potential Tory plans to close it.
This is a vital library for Eastwood, especially for the many school children who visit it.
I will fight the closure every step of the way!
#SaveSouthendLibraries
"It is clear to me she broke through many, many barriers on her way to this House and she should take great pride in that"
Labour MP for Mid Bedfordshire, Alistair Strathern, pays tribute to his predecessor Nadine Dorries during his maiden speech
I’m currently at the Leigh Town Council. What a shambles. Dozens of residents here screaming for resignations of this shameful Tory council. Calls of ‘SHAME’. Outrageous rudeness to the public.
This is an absolute failure of public office 😡
@tomhfh
I gather we had to open up our beef and agricultural markets in order to join. How will this effect out British farming industry? What about food standards implications?
Tonight I called for Southend Council to purchase Roots Hall, and over time we can sell it to fans with a ‘buy a brick’ scheme.
I believe this is the best way to secure the future of the club, by handing it to those who love the club.
I’m cautiously hopeful as I follow this important meeting for the
@WASPI_Campaign
today, which has the potential to finally recognise the great pension injustice.
The campaign has worked tirelessly to build this evidence, now they deserve to be fairly heard. No more delays!
According to Anna Firth, I shouldn’t comment on the 8 YEAR delay to knife crime legislation because ‘I know nothing’.
I worked for the Police designing technology to combat knife creating for longer than she has been an MP.
Great result for Labour here in Southend yesterday - with huge increase in vote share across the city
…Labour are now the biggest group on Southend City Council for the first time!
@Anna_Firth
@Feargal_Sharkey
@AnglianWater
Unfortunately
@Feargal_Sharkey
we lost a Blue Flag in Southend and Anna Firth’s reaction was to declare it a bad test and demand a retake. And of course she voted to keep dumping sewage. No wonder people in Southend are saying that she says one thing and does the opposite.
As proud as I was to stand for election myself, it can’t beat the pride I have in my mum standing!
Anyone in Rochford (Roche South) give a vote to the incredible Shona Hyde-Williams 🗳️
#votelabour
Absolutely gutted. Normally I’m a campaigning machine but now the biggest election in a generation comes and I’ve been struck with poor health for weeks, including vertigo and now the chicken pox!!!
So virtually supporting all the brill
@UKLabour
candidates out there instead! 🌹
@YvetteCooperMP
@wesstreeting
Wes that reaction was priceless but much more composed than I would have managed…it was that level of extreme cringe that makes you need to cover your ears and eyes and beg for it to stop
@tomhfh
Clearly you don’t understand Tom. Kemi Badenoch agreed to open up these markets so that the other countries (especially Canada) could increase their net agri export, not import more. We have directly competing products, but ours are much more expensive due to higher standards.
@DanJamesNelson
@even_thorizon
@Gavin_Haran
Actually I distinctly recall it was was worse in reality, and that you were criticising that having a mobile food bank going to the most deprived areas of the city was a bad thing because it might compete with local businesses
Whilst Anna Firth drags Rishi Sunak to Leigh to share in her embarrassing claim that clams are a ‘Brexit bonus’, I’m stepping up to be the Labour alternative that will focus on the real threat: sewage pollution pumped into our waters!
#WinningWithLydia
#SouthendWestandLeigh
Cannot believe the Defence Minister decided it was in any way appropriate to snigger during a serious moment as the PM discussing the Gaza situation. SHAME on Schapps
He’s lost control of his party,
he’s lost control of the country,
He’s lost control of his memory,
and now he’s lost control of himself.
Sunak is completely unfit to govern.
#GeneralElectionN0W
The state of our Prime Minister Rishi Sunak everyone.
Can’t hold it together and gets angry after a simple question from
@Keir_Starmer
It’s embarrassing and childish
#GeneralElectionN0W
Whilst I’m disappointed it’s not my time yet, I’ll be working hard to support
@DavidBSampson
to win for Labour here in Southend West & Leigh.
We need change and a better future for our city, which only Labour can deliver.
🌹
Great to catch up with the amazing
@AngelaRayner
here with us today to help get the brilliant
@BayoAlaba
elected!
She is such a warm person and inspiration to women across Labour, and a real star of our party 🌟
Pleased to say that tonight I became the cabinet member for Climate, Environment, & Waste on Southend City Council.
It is an enormous privilege to take on some of the big challenges in this brief, but I’m looking forward to meeting them with lots of ideas already bubbling!
Big thanks to Southend hospital who provided excellent care this morning! Exceptional staff at day surgery.🥰
Surgery went well, and despite having impacted wisdom teeth removed, I’m already chatting away. So sorry Tories, I’ll still be as fiercely holding you to account as ever!
Some people ask why I block on social media. This is why.
I stood for election because I wanted to improve Southend. Not so I can get creepy msgs, see 🍆 pics, or take abuse.
So if you step over the line, I will block you, no matter how mad that makes you, soz diddums xx
Labour deputy leader
@AngelaRayner
tells
@BethRigby
that she has changed her behaviour as a result of concerns for her safety, describing the abuse and threats she has received as 'frightening'.
Read more:
Bet no-one had ‘disrespect D-Day’ on their Tory campaign bingo card…
Apparently Sunak’s inspired our local Tory cllr into mocking the Labour candidate, a former soldier, for being in France doing a parachute jump for DDay raising money for the RBL and TrustLinks.
Obscene.
‘The Tories are talking about banning smoking…but having watched what was said at the Conservatives conference, I have to ask, what have they been smoking?!’
@Ed_Miliband
🤣
🌹🌹BOOM! GRADUATE! 🌹🌹
Love my
#JoCoxLeadership
sisterhood!
@LabourWomensNet
Immense journey, even more immense women.
And remember: grab your 🧹 , we ride at dawn!
@tomhfh
I just value British food, British jobs, high animal welfare standards, high food quality, and good business sense…which all means not undercutting British business.
Absolutely packed room of business leaders eager to hear
@Keir_Starmer
and Labour’s vision for business. The size of this crowd should have the Conservatives very worried indeed.
Packed room and buzzing atmosphere as we officially launched Southend Labour’s local election campaign at the Ironworks today. We’re
#BuildingACityWeCanBeProudOf
#VoteLabour
🌹
Possibly one of the wettest canvassing sessions I’ve ever done, having to duck for cover in a bush 😂
Worth it to help get the brilliant
@Southend_Mike_
elected though!
Thank you to the kind resident of King’s Road who donated an umbrella to us! ☔️
#labourdoorstep
@mattzarb
The fact that you think we need to be focusing on the threat of the Greens rather than the Tories shows exactly why we were in opposition for so long
So turns out the flagship Tory pledge for free childcare is a complete catastrophe. Unsurprising.
But what is new, is the excuse it’s the IT. Maybe they should try turning it off and on again? Robo-Sunak I mean?
Courtesy of The Times 22/1/24
After her cracking speech today, bringing my mum to tears of inspiration, was fabulous to see
@AngelaRayner
at the
#JoCoxLeadership
graduate celebration event this afternoon. Superstar ⭐️
I’m thrilled to see the government U-turn on closing ticket offices today.
Well done on everyone who took the time to take part in the campaign and ensure our voices were heard 📣
Thrilled to meet up with the incredible
@Feargal_Sharkey
and chat about Southend Council serving notice on Anglian Water for the Southend Sewer work odours! Still more to do though to stop the
#SewageCrisis
on our beaches though
Over the last few days I’ve been speaking to residents about our incredible candidate in St Laurence, Madison Faulkner-Hatt.
Absolutely one to watch 👀 as she is such a smart, articulate, caring, and talented young woman and it would be my privilege to serve with her
#votelabour
Incredible result for Southend Labour once again…second year in a row we’ve topped the most wards won!
Particularly happy with Daniel achieving the highest Labour vote count of the night, and 53% of the St Laurence vote 😮
In the most repugnant post of the year,
@Aaron_Banks
thinks it’s acceptable to argue there is ‘no huge risk’ from far right terrorists with husband of Jo Cox MP, who was tragically murdered by a white supremacist who screamed “ This is for Britain”.
Absolutely sick 😡
📣🌳💨 BIG NEWS! 🍁🌊📣
Delighted to say I’m joining the shadow cabinet as member for Climate Change, Environment, & Waste!
I’ve been campaigning on these issues my whole life, so I’m delighted to take this next step:
@LabourAnimals
@serauk
Tonight I spoke strongly against the proposals to downgrade our neonatal unit at Southend hospital.
I proposed that we reject this appalling idea that would see parents of 27-32 week old babies forced ~20miles away!
I’m pleased that the committee unanimously supported rejection.
I’m horrified to report that the Tories have today suspended all the staff at Leigh Community Centre, expected to be a precursor to its closure.
They also called the Police on a non-aligned Councillor who protested the decision.
The Leigh Town Council Tories must resign.
@wesstreeting
@BayoAlaba
Just to point out, Cllr Dan Nelson is deputy leader of the Southend Conservatives too, previously famed for his comments on food banks:
"This was a speech about empowerment..."
"Even this knackered old ruin of a cynical hack is feeling something I haven’t really felt for quite a long time..."
@AndrewMarr9 says Keir Starmer's conference speech has given him 'a prickle of optimism and hope'.
Our very active Labour candidate for West Leigh, James Morrison, has been to visit the site that Anna Firth MP, Thérèse Coffey MP, and Cllr Cartey promised to fix last year.
Oh dear. Far from being fixed, it’s got worse!
#ToriesDidntFixThePotholes
#ToryBrokenPromises
Confronting the poor state of our roads in West Leigh needs to be a Council priority.
We have lots of residential streets on the Marine Estate and around Highlands that simply haven’t been given due attention.
This can change with a proactive Conservative administration 🔵🔵
@supertanskiii
Probably your best video ever.
It’s nice hearing someone else that doesn’t Leader-worship. Whilst they are important, policy is developed by a spectrum of MPs. If you don’t like the leader, fine, find one you do and support them. Or get out and help locally.
The PM, the Home Secretary, and the Police, Fire, and Crime commissioner all descended into Southend and Leigh today.
I’m sure this totally unrelated to polling showing that the Tories are on track to lose both Southend seats at the general election. 🤔
Just had the most amazing day today in
#Shoebury
with
@BayoAlaba
, Labour’s brilliant candidate for Southend East and Rochford. Great to have
@wesstreeting
join us to listen to local concerns about the NHS.
#labourdoorstep
Southend is becoming an NHS dental desert under the Conservatives - but it doesn’t have to be this way. Labour has a fully funded plan to restore NHS dentistry for all that need it 🦷🪥
@DavidTredwen
@INorBY2020
@LBC
@WASPI_Campaign
I think you’ve misunderstood the WASPI campaign (as does the article). The problem isn’t changing the state pension age eventually, it’s the fact it was done midway through Women’s working lives
It was an honour to join the march against sewage releases onto our Southend beaches today, and I was proud to speak in support of all the great work of
@sascampaigns
I hear positive discussions have been had regarding the future of
#SUFC
and I hope we do hear good news soon. The legendary fans deserve this.
There will be work for those in power to stop this ever happening again of course.. but for now, I’m getting the beer on ice! 🍻
Another great session out on the doors of Leigh yesterday.
Lots of people are rightly very upset about the Conservative idea to close libraries and the destruction of Leigh Town Council by the power-thirsty Conservatives that took over.
Time for change!
#LabourDoorstep
Interesting to see that this now predicts Basildon South and East Thurrock turning red too…just need Castle Point to turn and Labour can win the South Essex coast 💪🏻🌹
Great day supporting my mum, Shona Hyde-Williams, in her election for Roche South ward in Rochford! She was very excited to be joined by
@wesstreeting
and his team too!
#VoteLabour
🌹
Unbelievably, last night the Tory chair of Leigh Town Council organised a vote to declare himself Town Clerk and Proper Officer.
Things are getting more rotten by the second.
@DavidTredwen
@INorBY2020
@LBC
@WASPI_Campaign
Pension planning needs to start in your 20s - and yet women were in their 40s+ when this was first discussed, and then the 2011 Pension Act then brought this change in sooner. Pension poverty is a real issue for many, especially with it combining with the cost-of-living crisis
As a state-educated, working class woman, it’s disappointing to see Sunak has ensured the top four offices of state are now held by privately educated men. Representation matters.