🚨NEW: Liz Truss - Fear & Loathing on the Campaign Trail:
As the Tory leadership hustings draw to a close, with Truss the likely favourite, @allthecitizens take a look at some of the shocking and inaccurate statements from the incoming PM as she campaigned around the country🧵
One of her more notable comments, which she insists was meant “jokingly”, was at a hustings in Norwich where she declared “The jury is out” on whether French PM Emmanuel Macron is a friend or foe…
Truss, the current Foreign Sec, drew fierce criticism for the comment, with even other Conservatives like former Tory Minister Gavin Barwell stating that “you would have thought the foreign secretary was aware we are in a military alliance with France”: bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politi…
During the race, Truss also went out of her way to alienate SNP Leader Nicola Sturgeon, labelling her an “attention seeker”, claiming she’d “ignore” her if she launched an Independence bid, despite the SNP mandate or Sturgeon’s position as First Minister. news.sky.com/story/liz-trus…
At another event in Leeds, Truss attacked local authorities, stating that children in her school growing up had been “let down by Leeds City council, who cared more about political correctness than they did about all children learning English and Maths” adding…
“While we were taught about racism and sexism, there was too little time spent making sure everyone could read and write” - comments labelled ‘shameful’ by City leaders, and that “Conservative underfunding of schools for 18 years that really let kids down” yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/politics/…
Truss has also taken an explicitly anti-environment stance, promising to give the go-ahead for more offshore drilling of oil and gas, talking down Net Zero, and attacking renewables. Truss has said that: “What we want is farmers producing food, not solar panels”...
Experts however disagree, as solar farms can operate alongside farmland in the same space, a process called agrivoltaics.
On-land solar panels currently take up just under 0.1% of UK land, and most Brits, inc 73% of Tory members, supporting the projects. carbonbrief.org/factcheck-is-s…
Truss’ support of fracking to aid with the energy crisis has also come under fire.
At one event, she said “rather than simply saying the answer to everything is to give out more cash, we need to look at the root causes… And that's why I support fracking”
However, it’s been pointed out this won’t help families with bills, as shale gas production is less accessible than once thought, there’s around 10 times less of it under the UK than fracking advocates claim, and can take years to get the projects started. theguardian.com/environment/20…
The anti-renewables position taken up by both candidates has drawn heavy fire from across the political spectrum, even from the Daily Telegraph:
“Britain’s culture wars have reached such epically absurd proportions that even the sun is now the enemy”. telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/…
But weaponising divisive culture war politics hasn’t been limited to environmental issues. Asked by Julie-Hartley Brewer during the penultimate hustings if a trans-woman is a woman, Truss responded “no” they aren’t, contrary to what is stated in the 2004 Gender Recognition Act.
Both Truss and Sunak have taken this position.
(Sunak has also referred several times to "our women" in speeches, later altering it to "woke" people in Labour not being able to say what a woman is - an example of classic Tory wedge issue politics). pinknews.co.uk/2022/08/26/liz…
Truss has similarly hit out at ‘damaging wokery in public life’, at the August 23rd hustings in Birmingham, saying the party has “allowed the left to dominate the social space and I will not allow that to happen”...
Additionally, at an event in Darlington, Truss attacked the media 3 times in one night, accusing “some of the media” of trying to “talk our country down”, and blaming journalists for framing questions in a “leftwing way”.
When journalist Tom Newton Dunn asked who was responsible for Boris Johnson’s downfall and an audience member shouted “media”, Truss responded by saying “Sounds like you’re being blamed Tom, and you know, who am I to disagree with this excellent audience” theguardian.com/politics/2022/…
The dog whistle rhetoric continued at during last night's event, where she claimed Sadiq Khan was "anti-everything", and that her plan to fight crime was to "get Sadiq Khan out of office."
When it comes to issues of accountability, Truss has said that she won’t appoint an ethics adviser, despite multiple scandals involving the last PM and lack of due-diligence and honesty dogging Westminster, because she understands “the difference between right and wrong”...
But, as first reported in the @BylineTimes, both candidates, Sunak and Truss, have refused and are still refusing to commit to correct the record on lies told in the House of Commons under the Johnson administration, specifically by the former PM himself: bylinetimes.com/2022/08/23/liz…
Truss also said she's "ready" to push the nuclear button at an event in Birmingham, telling a crowd she’d launch nuclear war even if it means “global annihilation”
Notably, Truss has made a point to attack unions, after their successful campaigning, and as dozens of industries take to the streets demanding fair pay in line with inflation, by putting forward a proposal for maintaining minimum service levels on national infrastructure.
The result would potentially restrict teachers, nurses, the energy sector, transport and postal staff from striking effectively.
RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch called the plans “the biggest attack on trade union and civil rights since labour unions were legalised in 1871”, going on to add that:
On her track record, Truss has announced “people said it couldn’t be done, that we couldn’t get better deals than the EU, we got better deals” - despite claims a post-Brexit deal with the Pacific Block is forecast to only increase GDP by 0.08% long term.
She’s also said of post-Brexit disruption, when questioned on her shifting stance, “I was concerned about some of the disruption, the fact is that disruption didn’t happen” - despite multiple reports covering the issues at dover, with travel, passports, and now the #costofliving.
Though Truss, who supported Remain in 2016 and has said that she was “on the fence”, now supports Brexit, this wasn’t her first policy U-turn.
During the leadership contest she’s already made one, and is likely to have to make another due to the cost of living situation…
She recently insisted that a U-turn on regional public sector pay shows she’s “honest and decisive”, and that her plans, including paying civil servants and other staff in poorer parts of the UK less were “misrepresented”
It looks like we can expect a second policy shift before she enters No.10
After saying she wouldn't provide blanket additional support for struggling households she now appears to have softened her stance, floating possible “targeted” support and tax cuts theguardian.com/politics/live/…
Under Liz Truss, it seems, things will remain business as usual for the Conservatives even after the departure of Boris Johnson, if her language during the leadership race is any indication of things to come...
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🚨 A new investigation for @BylineBITE & @allthecitizens by @manasa_nara reveals concerns related to Sunak's wealth links to #Infosys - which has had a 'problematic tax and governance record.'
Investigation reveals there are "serious allegations of fraud and financial misconduct against Infosys and its top executives."
These include allegations of visa & tax fraud with regard to its US operations + allegations of financial misconduct & impropriety in India.
Sunak & his wife have a combined wealth of around £700 million much of which comes from Indian company Infosys which belongs to Sunak's father-in-law Narayana Murthy.
The company has a 'revenue of more than $16 billion and market value of $77.88 billion.' bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politi…
@KDenkWrites investigated the infiltration of the far right into anti-vax groups & the effect of two years of drip-fed extremism for @allthecitizens & @BylineTimes
2/The first indication of a far-right presence in anti-vax groups was links to the Workers of England Union in Feb 2021. Run by Robin Tillbrook - leader of the English Democrats Party, they offered legal representation for ppl whose refusal to vaccinate had cost them their jobs.
3/ Tillbrook has a longstanding professional connection to Mark Collett - leader of the far right group Patriotic Alternative.
🚨NEW: The UK’s new Data Protection and Digital Information Bill, introduced to the House on Monday, represents a ‘bonfire of rights’ in data reforms, say campaigners. 🧵
The Government’s new GDPR replacement legislation, dubbed a ‘Data Oligarchs Charter’ is said to undermine the rule of law, placing ministers in charge of the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), risking a ‘free flow of personal data’ between EU and UK. openrightsgroup.org/press-releases…
In a damning review from privacy org Open Rights Group, it’s reported that the Bill will “not only strip UK consumers of their privacy rights, they will create a jungle where big tech and rogue businesses will be free to harass everyone in the name of growth and innovation”
🔴 In partnership with @GlobalRepCentre, today we announce the recipients of The Tiny Foundation Fellowships for Investigative Journalism — a talented group of journalists who will be covering stories about big tech and government accountability. Here are our wonderful fellows!✨
Jennifer Ugwa is an independent investigative journalist based in Abuja. @Jennifer_fact’s fellowship will focus on digital loan sharks in Nigeria.
Amos Abba is an investigative journalist with the International Center for Investigative Reporting. @AmosAbba2 is partnering with Jennifer Ugwa to investigate how loan sharks are using cyberbullying as a tool for debt collection.