Saturday 31 July 2021

THE WEEK IN CARTOONS 25-31 JULY 2021

25.07.21 - Nick Newman, Sunday Times
26.07.21 - David Simonds, Independent
26.07.21 - Patrick Blower, Daily Telegraph
26.07.21 - Christian Adams, Evening Standard
27.07.21 - Christian Adams, Evening Standard
27.07.21 - Graeme Bandeira, Yorkshire Post
27.07.21 - Matt Pritchett, Daily Telegraph
27.07.21 - Jimbob, Instagram
Ironically, Jimbob's account was taken down by the social media censors last
week and he is now operating from a back-up page with a much smaller following
27.07.21 - Steven Camley, The Herald
28.07.21 - Patrick Blower, Daily Telegraph
28.07.21 - Matt Pritchett, Daily Telegraph
29.07.21 - Peter Brookes, The Times
29.07.21 - AF Branco, Daily Torch
29.07.21 - Ben Garrison, Grrr Graphics
29.07.21 - Patrick Blower, Daily Telegraph
29.07.21 - Matt Pritchett, Daily Telegraph
30.07.21 - Paul Thomas, Daily Mail
30.07.21 - Christian Adams, Evening Standard
31.07.21 - Paul Thomas, Daily Mail
31.07.21 - Stephen Hutchinson, Spectator
31.07.21 - Andy Davey, Daily Telegraph
31.07.21 - Peter Brookes, The Times

Friday 30 July 2021

BEGUM CLEARED

Far left Labour MP Apsana Begum has been acquitted on all three counts of housing fraud as her trial reached its conclusion on Friday.  The MP for Poplar and Limehouse was accused of making three fraudulent housing applications between 2013 and 2016, before she became an MP.  Much of her defence appears to have relied on her relationship with her husband, which it was said was 'controlling and coercive' and there were fears she may become the victim of 'honour violence'.

Begum's comrades in the Socialist Campaign Group were quick to congratulate her on the decision, including Burgon, Butler and Corbyn.  John McDonnell had even given her a personal character reference in court.  Many on the left criticised the decision of Tower Hamlets Council in bringing the prosecution, including Begum's comrade Grahame Morris who called it 'a malicious, politically motivated prosecution'.  That would be a strange accusation to throw around considering that Tower Hamlets is run by their own party, but perhaps this belies the deep divisions that course through Labour.  The current leader of the council is a centrist.

Following Begum's acquittal there was no comment from Labour leader Keir Starmer and a deafening silence from the moderates - not even Dave Lammy had anything to say.  This is a deeply divided party.

Apsana Begum pictured with far left colleague Claudia Webbe.  Webbe goes on trial
in September on a charge of harassment

COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS 29.07.21


There were five by-elections on Thursday with all five seats changing hands.  Labour lost two to the Tories and gained one from an independent.  The Tories gained two from Labour and lost two to the Lib Dems.

Pitsea North West, Basildon Borough Council

Con: 794 (56.5%) +14.8%
Lab: 430 (30.6%) -16.0%
BCRP: 82 (5.8%) -3.2%
LDem: 57 (4.1%) +1.4%
RefUK: 23 (1.6%) New
ForBrit: 19 (1.4%) New

Con GAIN from Lab

East Retford South, Bassetlaw District Council

Con: 493 (40.1%) +25.2%
Ind: 488 (39.7%) New
Lab: 247 (20.1%) -47.7%

Con GAIN from Lab

Knaresborough Scriven Park, Harrogate Borough Council

LDem: 635 (56.6%) +19.6%
Con: 384 (34.3%) -4.2%
Lab: 91 (8.1%) -16.4%
UKIP: 11 (1.0%) New

LDem GAIN from Con

Gaywood South, Norfolk County Council

LDem: 648 (39.3%) +28.0%
Lab: 561 (34.0%) -1.6%
Con: 378 (22.9%) -25.3%
Ind: 35 (2.1%) New
UKIP: 28 (1.7%) -3.2%

LDem GAIN from Con

Fellgate & Hedworth, South Tyneside Council

Lab: 850 (49.1%) +9.6%
Ind: 555 (32.0%) -15.8%
Con: 158 (9.1%) +4.7%
LDem: 125 (7.2%) -1.0%
Grn: 44 (2.5%) New

Lab GAIN from Ind

Abbreviations

Con = Conservative
Lab = Labour
LDem = Liberal Democrat
BCRP = Basildon Community Residents Party
RefUK = Reform UK
ForBrit = For Britain
UKIP = UK Independence Party
Grn = Green
Ind = Independents

Thursday 29 July 2021

RED KNIGHT

Tory peer Lord Ashcroft will publish his unauthorised biography of Sir Keir Starmer next month and released a promo video earlier this week.  In Red Knight, Ashcroft suggests that Starmer's portrait of a working class upbringing is not entirely true, in particular his depiction of his father as a shop floor tool maker.  In actual fact, claims Ashcroft, his father owned the tool making business.

Starmer's ascent to establishment hierarchy should be well documented in this 368 page insight and Ashcroft promises more 'previously unknown details' about the Labour leader.

Click below for the promo video and you can pre-order the book here.

Tuesday 27 July 2021

STARMER'S EMPLOYMENT HYPOCRISY

Following more than a year of failure, it appears to have finally dawned on the man of no substance that he really ought to try testing out some actual policies on the electorate.  Unfortunately for Keir Starmer, his new pledge on employment rights has coincided with news that his party is making permanent staff redundant and replacing them with temporary staff.  According to The Independent, the party is attempting to hide its 'fire and rehire' strategy by placing anonymous ads that do not mention the Labour Party by name.

It's dreadful timing for an already embattled leader.

Sunday 25 July 2021

THE WEEK IN CARTOONS 18-24 JULY 2021

18.07.21 - Andy Davey, Sunday Telegraph
19.07.21 - Graeme Bandeira, Yorkshire Post
19.07.21 - Brian Adcock, Independent
19.07.21 - Patrick Blower, Daily Telegraph
19.07.21 - Steve Bright, The Sun
19.07.21 - Christian Adams, Evening Standard
19.07.21 - Tina Garrison, Grrr Graphics
20.07.21 - Morten Morland, The Times
20.07.21 - Guy Venables, Metro
20.07.21 - Jimbob, Instagram
20.07.21 - Matt Pritchett, Daily Telegraph
20.07.21 - Steve Bell, Guardian
21.07.21 - Josh, Twitter
21.07.21 - Ben Garrison, Grrr Graphics
22.07.21 - Josh, Global Warming Policy Forum
22.07.21 - Matt Pritchett, Daily Telegraph
23.07.21 - Andy Davey, Daily Telegraph
23.07.21 - Matt Pritchett, Daily Telegraph
23.07.21 - Robert Thompson, Spectator

NEC MASK MORON

One of Labour's most senior councillors has been ridiculed after she posted a pathetic virtue signalling selfie on Twitter announcing that she would continue masking up - even when she is on her own...


Cllr Perry represents St Peter's ward on Islington Borough Council, but also sits on the party's ruling National Executive Committee as a representative of thousands of Labour councillors across the country.  One of those who took issue with her statement was Mark Dolan of GB News - another anti-lockdown voice who has thankfully found his way onto the station's roster.  You can see his thoughts on Cllr Perry's absurd mask stance below.


Dolan is right about the political nature of continued mask-wearing.  One only has to look at this week's proceedings in the House of Commons, during which most Tory MPs abandoned social distancing and masks while on the opposite benches Labour and the SNP remained distanced and masked up.  Face muzzles are adored by the left - not because they represent an effective measure against the virus, but because they are a means of social control and oppression.  It is precisely why Labour has always supported this wretched Tory government when it comes to the repression of the British people throughout this pandemic.  It is also why masks and other restrictions are still mandated by the Labour government in Wales, the SNP in Scotland and Labour mayors in London and Manchester.

Friday 23 July 2021

COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS 22.07.21


There were eight by-elections in total and it was a good night for both the Conservatives (one gain, two holds) and the Greens (one gain, one hold).  The Lib Dems didn't bother selecting a candidate to defend their seat in North Somerset and the Green Party swept to victory on the back of their absence.  Labour held two of the three seats it was defending.

Fortune Green, Camden London Borough Council

LDem: 1,197 (46.7%) +10.2%
Lab: 849 (33.1%) -2.7%
Con: 518 (20.2%) +1.7%

LDem HOLD

Alkham & Capel-le-Ferne, Dover District Council

Con: 315 (48.7%) -3.4%
LDem: 173 (26.7%) -9.6%
Lab: 101 (15.6%) +4.0%
Grn: 58 (9.0%) New

Con HOLD

Humberstone & Hamilton, Leicester City Council

Con: 1,062 (44.7%) +18.4%
Lab: 790 (33.2%) -15.6%
LDem: 262 (11.0%) +1.2%
Grn: 190 (8.0%) -7.1%
ForBrit: 37 (1.6%) New
RefUK: 37 (1.6%) New

Con GAIN from Lab

Congresbury & Puxton, North Somerset Council

Grn: 594 (64.5%) New
Con: 270 (29.3%) +15.7%
Lab: 57 (6.2%) -25.8%

Grn GAIN from LDem

Tyn-Y-Nant, Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council

Lab: 411 (80.9%) +8.8%
Con: 62 (12.2%) -15.6%
Plaid: 35 (6.9%) New

Lab HOLD

Staines, Spelthorne Borough Council

Grn: 561 (44.0%) +5.5%
Con: 486 (32.8%) +8.0%
Ind: 275 (18.6%) New
TUSC: 39 (2.6%) New
RefUK: 29 (2.0%) New

Grn HOLD

Cliftonville East, Thanet District Council

Con: 723 (74.5%) +14.8%
Lab: 211 (21.7%) -1.0%
WEP: 37 (3.8%) -13.8%

Con HOLD

Liscard, Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council

Lab: 1,137 (53.6%) +2.5%
Con: 582 (27.4%) +9.5%
LDem: 201 (9.5%) +0.1%
Grn: 109 (5.1%) -5.5%
Ind: 68 (3.2%) New
ForBrit: 26 (1.2%) New

Lab HOLD

Abbreviations

Con = Conservative
Lab = Labour
LDem = Liberal Democrat
Grn = Green
RefUK = Reform UK
ForBrit = For Britain
Plaid = Plaid Cymru
TUSC = Trade Union and Socialist Coalition
WEP = Women's Equality Council
Ind = Independents

Wednesday 21 July 2021

LEWES LABOUR'S WOKE SHRINE

Lewes CLP in East Sussex has gone full-on woke by allowing young local lefties to turn the front of their office into a shrine to left-wing ideals.  The end result is something that looks like a dumping ground for homemade Extinction Rebellion placards (see below).


According to the Sussex Express, the cardboard display was put together by 16-year-old Niamh Gearey and her friends.  Gearey told the Express: "We hoped to create slogans that sum up the way that we feel - marginalised, unrepresented and left out of political decisions, too young to vote".

Slogans on display include Corbyn's 'for the many', 'refugees welcome', 'climate revolution' and anti-British slogan 'we are Europeans' which is written both in English and Polish - 'jesteÅ›my Europejczykami'.  There are also a couple of BLM fists - one of which is accompanied by the message 'not just a trend' - a feminist symbol and the obligatory LGBT flag.

Despite the display being dubbed a 'generation z takeover', there are two song references dating back to the 1970s.  The big slogan on the right hand side - 'no future in England's dreaming' - is a lyric from the Sex Pistols' anti-monarchist God Save The Queen.  There is also a crudely drawn black Union flag which has 'one nation under a groove' written below it, a reference to a song of the same name by Funkadelic.

PRIME MINISTER'S QUESTIONS 21.07.21

Watch here from noon.  This will be the final PMQs before Parliament retires for the summer recess.

Sunday 18 July 2021

THE WEEK IN CARTOONS 11-17 JULY 2021

11.07.21 - AF Branco, Alpha News
11.07.21 - Morten Morland, Sunday Times
11.07.21 - Andy Davey, Sunday Telegraph
12.07.21 - Ben Jennings, Guardian
12.07.21 - Christian Adams, Evening Standard
12.07.21 - Patrick Blower, Daily Telegraph
14.07.21 - Patrick Blower, Daily Telegraph
14.07.21 - Guy Venables, Metro
14.07.21 - Jimbob, Instagram
14.07.21 - AF Branco, Flag & Cross
14.07.21 - Paul Thomas, Daily Mail
15.07.21 - Paul Thomas, Daily Mail
15.07.21 - Patrick Blower, Daily Telegraph
16.07.21 - Christian Adams, Evening Standard
16.07.21 - Andy Davey, Daily Telegraph
16.07.21 - Peter Brookes, The Times
16.07.21 - Bob Moran, Twitter
17.07.21 - Ben Garrison, Grrr Graphics
17.07.21 - Grizelda, Spectator
17.07.21 - Morten Morland, Spectator