One way of looking at the #Boriscrisis is through the other end of the telescope entirely, and seeing what our local Teesside Tory MPs are saying on their outward facing social media platforms and perhaps, more importantly, what their followers are telling them. So to the keyboard and mouse.
Jacob Young
Seems clear from the national steer that the Tory whips are determined to try and remind us all via their MPs that we formally withdrew from the EU on the 31 January, and so every one of their MPs was given a pack of unending rent-a-quotes fro Boris and – quelle horreur – a 2016 video clip of Keir Starmer backing a remain stance. The only one who used this pre-digested dog’s dinner offering was the unfortunate Jacob Young.
Fat lot of good it did him: 71 replies from his followers, about two thirds of which were vitriolic:
“Have you all been WhatApped to say to use distraction techniques?? We’re not stupid!”
“Dead cat methinks Jacob!”
“As this video was from far more than two years ago and from before the last election I’m not quite sure what it has to do with anything let alone the issues facing Redcar -such as the cost of living increases, falling real wages (and lack of support for those on benefits especially the disabled and ‘working poor’)?”
And one from the heart:
“I stayed home put my family at risk as I work in the NHS. I couldn’t see my dying mum …. Surely Jacob, after what he has said and done over the last year or so you cannot stand by Bori. He will lose you the peoples vote.”
Simon Clarke
So a switch over to Simon Clarke in Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland. It must have been agony for him yesterday, sandwiched as he was (as Treasury Chief Secretary) for two hours of keeping his mouth shut between Boris and Priti Patel. He seems to have got his revenge by merely pointing out the number of media interviews he did afterwards.
Again this didn’t stem the bile:
“Got your email about why you are supporting Boris. He shouldn’t be in No10 and shouldn’t [have] been for a long time. Fancies himself as a Churchill type figure yet he’s an insult to such great men…He’s ballsed up Brexit from the moment he lied his way through the campaign for it. He’s said one thing about the NHS and then done the complete opposite. AND YOU’VE SUPPORTED THAT.”
It continued. One from a prominent person in the local voluntary sector:
“I heard the prime minister on the radio on my way home tonight. Made me so angry………It is a disgrace everything that many, many people went through, sacrifice after sacrifice. Sorry is the very, very least. A disgrace, brings shame on our democracy.”
But at least there was one that may have comforted him in a small way:
“Must stick in your throat following the party line. I think a big shock is coming in May locals AND AFTER. Are you ready to take over @Simon Clark MP?”
Matt Vickers
So on to Matt Vickers in Stockton South. He played a wise hand. He preferred instead to stick to what he thinks plays well with his punters. And so, congratulationss for a local eatery in his patch:
“After hundreds of votes and some very stiff competition, a huge congratulations goes to Fash and his fantastic team at Borge Restaurant for winning the Parliamentary Parmo Competition and proving their parmo remains the borough’s favourite!”
And Dehenna Davison
That stuck in my throat so I was going to see what the fragrant Dehenna had to say, but when I saw on the strapline of her FB that her moniker ‘had to rhyme with Vienna’ I clicked off. It meant nothing to me, Dehenna…
