Year in rewind… the best bits of 2023.
From Speedo weather to winter pleasure, Barcelona to Berlin, to Downing Street to calling out the Beast Within (fucking SPAD! 😡 - unfinished business there).
With friends, with lovers and occasionally, distant others, we choose our
Loving Thursday Business Questions. Jesting Shadow Leader of the House labelled conservative policies ‘sh….ocking’.
She got the Mordaunt treatment in return. Even the Speaker was enjoying this!
Liz Truss made possibly the best speech I’ve heard her make. She was on form. She was funny. And she was also stark. Unscripted and able to take the mickey out of herself too.
And she caveated the opening of her speech with a note that she wasn’t running for leader or PM again,
Starmer getting the
@PennyMordaunt
treatment today. She is right in calling him out on his bizarre Urgent Question. National interest should come first.
1/2
This morning on my run I came across a chap running a bootcamp in a local park. We met 10 months ago in the street when he was homeless and desperate for help .
@PennyMordaunt
helped him and that intervention has transformed his life. Humbling & amazing to see him turn it around.
Just the most incredible team to be part of.
@PennyMordaunt
lifts people up. 9 ministerial roles under her belt, military ‘steel’ is in her blood, as is doing good by people in order to allow them to fulfil their full potential. I am an optimist because of ppl like her.
#PM4PM
Yesterday, I had the honour of being elected, having served 3 terms of office (12 years) to the role of Honouary Alderman of Portsmouth City Council. Joining a long line of people who each helped shaped our great city.
Thought it was fitting to use the photo from the count of
This is the point
@PennyMordaunt
and
@cj_dinenage
‘High-Five’ each other, having secured action on the re-banding re HMOs.
Something they have both campaigned on. ✅ ✅
Good example of team work between front and back benchers. 🤝
Thanks to
@DehennaDavison
for listening.
Love this! Wish more MP’s didn’t give a shit about the political editors of Westminster and stood up for themselves.
30,000 enquiries is huge. More MP’s should come out swinging and give these type of facts. An average of 25 cases per day is a large volume.
And cases with
How stupid can you be, slagging off your opponent on the doorstep (Ring-doorbells man!) saying they never knock on doors, are too elite to canvass etc... to be told by the resident that
@PennyMordaunt
knocked on their door only last Saturday and has helped them before. People who
This was a year ago, blows my mind at the incredible spirit that was shown in getting kit to Ukraine. Amazing people stepping up when
@PennyMordaunt
and
@portsmouthnews
put out the call 👌🏻🙏🏼
@pn_tomcotterill
where does time go mate?
We’re seeing the most incredible outpouring of support today for
#PM4PM
and it’s clear how Mordaunt reaches across divides and political differences. It’s pretty awesome.
Thank you
@David_Cameron
💙
It is strong leaders like
@PennyMordaunt
@David_Cameron
and
@DonnaJonesPCC
that made me so proud to be an openly gay Conservative. We face a lot of abuse, but they (and we collectively) did what was right.
It made me feel a little less like a
I was the first centre-right leader in the world to take the initiative and pass gay marriage. It's one of the achievements of which I'm proudest. Read my article in today’s
@Independent
as we celebrate 10 years of the Same Sex Marriage Act.
#Pride2023
My dads just cheered me up. He sent me some pics of the dyson ventilators his firm are making all the parts for. They’ve been working round the clock with Dyson and they’re rolling off the production line and he can have a day off after 18 days straight. Surrounded by amazing ppl
A strong leader who’s had to fight for everything. From her Portsmouth North seat (from Labour) to campaigns through to stopping bad national projects etc to personally helping people like me when I was so very down and out. She didn’t have to, but she didn’t even hesitate 💙 1/2
And that’s a wrap on 12 years of Full Council meetings come to an end.
I came to this as a nobody, painfully shy who didn’t know his own potential.
I’m leaving as a man, who I like, who helps people and tries to do good by others. Always. Thank you
@PompeyToryParty
for the
We're seeing real acts of true bravery today. By Ukrainians, defending their country and now by Taiwan. In the face of the worst kind of adversaries: Russia and China.
Reflecting on just how lucky we Portsmouth dwellers are to have two incredible women at the helm of our Portsmouth North association. ☺️💙
Both trail blazers, both history makers. Both tough as Titanium. 🤛🏻
@PennyMordaunt
@DonnaJonesPCC
The messages coming in from people of all backgrounds and political parties show the Pompey Spirit is on full display today. Our girl, making the city proud. 🥰
A bit of lunchtime campaigning for
@pennymordaunt
- getting out an update on local flooding issue and letting residents know what help and support is available re The Cost of Living.
#Pompey
#Cosham
Things happen for a reason… the universe has bigger plans I guess. Glad they now see what we all see here in Portsmouth. Some MPs would do well to review their behaviour last summer and sit up: this is the unifier. The amplifier of hope. The future. 🇬🇧
Don’t do this… copy and paste campaigns do just one thing: waste already stretched staff members time and Parly time. You’ll likely get a copy and paste answer back due to volume of copy n paste emails received.
If you’re going to write to your MP, make it bespoke and worthy of
So many people will never know that it was a Conservative in Andrea Leadsom, who changed things in this country for the better; allowing people with poor financial backgrounds (homeless, domestic abuse victims, ppl with complex needs) to be able to finally access bank accounts.
So good to meet
@Liv__Es
& Thomas &
@emilyhewertson
at
@blue_beyond_
tonight. Doing brilliant things for those outside of the capital… making a difference, inclusive, with critical thinking and good times. 🍺
Irene is Pompey’s oldest Tory member, a fact she’s very proud of. She was on a mission to be ‘cool’ and fist bump
@trussliz
to show her belief in ‘empowerment’. It was a great moment.
Com on
@asda
time to end sales of these ocean polluting cheap body boards at coastal stores like
#Newquay
. Amazing sustainable alternatives that could work in partnership with local surf shops. 🏄🏻♂️
@sascampaigns
@joelycett
The past few weeks have been so strange. Mixed feelings. Grief. Sadness. Anxiety. Lethargy. Pride. Love. Excitement.
I’ve spent more than a decade with these people, like family, always there. Last night was our last big hurrah. Together. And it’s hurting my heart so much.
I
An ex-medical officer had just driven for an hour to donate his old specialist combat gear to
@PennyMordaunt
&
@portsmouthnews
combat kit appeal for Ukraine. Seeing the emotion and strength when he spoke. And the pride that his gear will help save lives… amazing. 💙
Congratulations to
@MeenaghanL64846
, the formidable candidate who's just been selected tonight to fight the Portsmouth South seat at the next General Election.
Strong | Local | Competent 🤛
You have fantastic running mates in both
@PennyMordaunt
and
@cj_dinenage
@francisobrienUK
100%. It seems that the biased media and journalists find new dizzying heights of hysteria. Even the narcissistic self-promoting fence-sitters have joined in on this too. Collective hounding means they can fudge any responsibility. They always do.
Reading
@CalumMcSwiggan
brilliant memoir on my way up to Westminster and now I’m longing for a trip back to Rome… and Tuscan villas… and beautiful Italian food… and maybe a fleeting Italian romance. 😭
Very sad about Matthew Perry. But this quote hit home. If you can help someone, especially from a place of lived experience… do it. Who knows how many other peoples lives he has saved? That’s the legacy that matters.
Loving this! Thousands and thousands of people canvassed, literature on fire, business supporting our girl and the best people to campaign with. Salt of the Earth. I love them.
Mordaunt talking sense and passionately about the realities of Housing & democracy. 🏠
Including the win this week re HMO issues that
@cj_dinenage
&
@PennyMordaunt
secured.
Neighbourhood Planning Forums discussed too inc. the good & smarter plans that often come from them.
Well, I’m now officially an Alderman of the City of Portsmouth.
Better still, it was great to say a final farewell peppered with humour, light hearted jabs and a positive goodbye full of optimism.
A political masterclass last week from Commons Leader
@PennyMordaunt
Another Mordaunt Mauling of the SNP and their poor spending decisions.
Have a read 👇🏻