Share this page!

Enter URL or ID to Unroll

You can paste full URL like: https://x.com/threadreaderapp/status/1644127596119195649
or just the ID like: 1644127596119195649

How to get URL link on X (Twitter) App

  1. On the Twitter thread, click on or icon on the bottom
  2. Click again on or Share Via icon
  3. Click on Copy Link to Tweet
  4. Paste it above and click "Unroll Thread"!
  5. More info at Twitter Help
GET A GRIP Profile picture
@docrussjackson
Feb 4, 2023 • 9 tweets • 8 min read • Read on X
Scrolly
#THREAD

Who is Alan Mabbutt?

A new Tory website paints union donations to @UKLabour, collected from workers in every sector, as some kind of problem.

In 2017, @Conservatives received 10 TIMES MORE in donations than Labour, much of it from dodgy Russians & non-dom tax-avoiders! Image
The website is "Promoted by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party".

In 2021 he was (still is) the Conservative Party DG & Registered Treasurer, & was named by the Electoral Commission in this damning report into Johnson's #wallpapergate lies.

electoralcommission.org.uk/who-we-are-and… Image
In 2015, the Tories were embroiled in a scandal under Cameron when it was revealed they were spending £100,000/month on Facebook ads, the bulk spent on collecting email addresses - back then a new method of bombarding voters with political messaging...

theguardian.com/politics/2015/…
The Tories had several non-party branded websites aimed at sucking in data - registered to Tory HQ - one confronting reader with a map of Labour figures criticising Ed Miliband, inviting users to hand over their contact details, in tiny writing saying "promoted by Alan Mabbutt". Image
In 2019, Mabbutt made the world news for pushing lies & blatant antidemocratic #disinformation when the @CCHQPress twitter account changed its name to "factcheckUK" & set up fake ‘fact-checking service’ to endorse Boris Johnson during election debate.

theguardian.com/politics/2019/… ImageImageImageImage
A Tory disinformation website promoted by propagandist Mabbutt pushed the LIE that "the overall #CostOfCorbyn remains at least £1.2TRILLION over the course of the next Parliament, meaning hardworking taxpayers would be hit with an additional £2,400 tax bill on average each year." ImageImageImageImage
In 2019 ex-Labour MP Ian Austin wrote to thousands of voters in @UKLabour marginal seats urging them to vote for Johnson over Corbyn: "We should lend the Tories our votes & stop Jeremy Corbyn!"

The strapline at the bottom of the letter states “Promoted by Alan Mabbutt” (CCHQ DG) ImageImageImage
Also in 2019, the @Conservatives published & delivered to marginal constituencies more #propaganda, this time disguised as a newspaper being delivered by Royal Mail.

Minuscule print at the bottom states: ‘Promoted by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative & Unionist Party’. ImageImage
It's hard to get any information on the Tory Party Director General, its Registered Treasurer, & largely hidden shadowy propagandist Alan Mabbutt - he's not a household name (I could only find 1 photo of him) but in the name of democracy & transparency, maybe we can make him one! Image

• • •

Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to force a refresh
　

Keep Current with GET A GRIP

GET A GRIP Profile picture

Stay in touch and get notified when new unrolls are available from this author!

Read all threads

This Thread may be Removed Anytime!

PDF

Twitter may remove this content at anytime! Save it as PDF for later use!

Try unrolling a thread yourself!

how to unroll video
  1. Follow @ThreadReaderApp to mention us!

  2. From a Twitter thread mention us with a keyword "unroll"
@threadreaderapp unroll

Practice here first or read more on our help page!

More from @docrussjackson

GET A GRIP Profile picture
Jul 29
🧵

Voters need to know how right-wing populist nationalist politicians and radical/far-right nativist extremists construct their divisive discourse and rhetoric to exploit the anti-elite climate and fuel violence and division - and what to do about it.

yorkshirebylines.co.uk/politics/the-s…Image
So what can be done to counter divisive narratives and framing and to help Britain to become a more open, inclusive, fairer, less polarised and better multicultural society?

I make several suggestions in the above article, but make more below, Image
Countering the extreme right’s narrative of feeling "attacked" and needing to "defend" national identity requires a strategic, multi-faceted approach that challenges their framing while addressing underlying concerns and emotions.

Read 25 tweets
GET A GRIP Profile picture
Jul 28
🧵

The shameless lie that "Britain is lawless" is categorically false, as it contradicts empirical data on crime trends, rule of law metrics, and the functioning of UK institutions. Reform UK often use fearmongering exaggeration and selective framing to create a sense of crisis. Image
Official data from the ONS and Home Office indicate that overall crime rates in England and Wales have fluctuated but do not support the notion of a "lawless" state. The ONS reported a 7% decrease in total recorded crime (excluding fraud) from 2023 to 24.

theconversation.com/most-crime-has…
Violent crime, while a concern in certain areas of the UK, has not reached levels that would justify describing Britain as "lawless."

The cowardly elites that run Reform UK would never dare to describe Trump's USA as "lawless" - despite its significantly higher homiced rate. Image
Read 19 tweets
GET A GRIP Profile picture
Jul 21
🧵

#OnThisDay, 21 July, 1969, the Chicago Daily News published: The ‘love it or leave it’ nonsense, by Sydney J. Harris.

It began: One of the most ignorant and hateful statements that a person can make is “If you don’t like it here, why don’t you leave?”

I reproduce it, below. Image
Harris was born in London in 1917, moving to the US in 1922. A formidable journalist who established a distinct voice integrating incisive social commentary with wit and humour, his weekday column, ‘Strictly Personal’, was syndicated in 200 US newspapers. Image
The ‘love it or leave it’ nonsense, by Sydney J. Harris.

One of the most ignorant and hateful statements that a person can make is “If you don’t like it here, why don’t you leave?”

That attitude is the main reason America was founded, in all its hope and energy and goodness. Image
Read 16 tweets
GET A GRIP Profile picture
Jun 29
🧵

A few thoughts on Bob Vylan leading the #GlastonburyFestival crowd in chants of "Death to the IDF" (Israeli Defence Force), livestreamed by the @BBC, and the mischaracterisation of the chant by some MPs, news media, and activists. Image
In England, where #GlastonburyFestival is located, all of us have the right to freely express our criticism of anyone or anything - as long as there is no intent to provoke immediate unlawful violence or there is a reasonable likelihood it will occur as a consequence.
In England, free speech is protected under Article 10 of the Human Rights Act 1998. However, inciting violence is a criminal offence under several laws which attempt to balance public safety with free expression rights.

There are a number of key provisions in UK Law.
Read 29 tweets
GET A GRIP Profile picture
Jun 26
🧵

Socially isolated and radicalised online, Marcus Monzo, 37, was convicted of murdering 14-yr-old Daniel Anjorin and attacking others with a sword.

He was fascinated by violence, far-right extremism, Incel ideology, conspiracy theories and figures like Musk, Tate, and Hitler. Image
UK society is insufficiently concerned about the harms of extreme online material of the kind pushed by the far-right, incels, & conspiracy theorists.

Debate is too often framed as being about free speech, rather than its sometimes horrific consequences.

actearly.uk/radicalisation…
In many countries, especially since Musk bought Twitter/@X, underregulated online extreme content has been used to groom and radicalise vulnerable people.

Too many cowardly politicians are scared to speak up for fear of being branded 'anti-free speech'.

Read 30 tweets
GET A GRIP Profile picture
Jun 10
🧵

Some MPs who have been in parliament for many years NEVER appear on any of the @BBC's "flagship" politics shows - but Reform's privately educated shit-stirring 'anti-elite' former Tory Sarah Pochin - an MP for FIVE WEEKS - gets her own special introduction on #PoliticsLive. Image
Politicians using dangerously irresponsible anti-Muslim rhetoric know their comments are normalising Islamophobia and endanger British Muslim women. Islamophobic incidents rose by 375% in the week after Boris Johnson called veiled Muslim women “letterboxes” in 2018.
#PolitcsLive Image
Britain prides itself in NOT being the sort of country that tells women how to dress. States that do dictate women’s clothing (eg Iran, Sudan, Saudi Arabia) are vilified as misogynistic & ultra-controlling: the antithesis of the enlightened, liberal west.
theguardian.com/commentisfree/…
Read 11 tweets

Did Thread Reader help you today?

Support us! We are indie developers!

This site is made by just two indie developers on a laptop doing marketing, support and development! Read more about the story.

Become a Premium Member ($3/month or $30/year) and get exclusive features!

Become Premium

Don't want to be a Premium member but still want to support us?

Make a small donation by buying us coffee ($5) or help with server cost ($10)

Donate via Paypal

Or Donate anonymously using crypto!

Ethereum

0xfe58350B80634f60Fa6Dc149a72b4DFbc17D341E copy

Bitcoin

3ATGMxNzCUFzxpMCHL5sWSt4DVtS8UqXpi copy

Thank you for your support!

Follow Us!

Send Email!

:(