James Cleverly is facing criticism for his offensive remarks in Parliament. His defense that he was insulting the MP from the area, not the constituency held by Labour, was met with doubt.
Ben Houchen, the mayor of Tees Valley representing the Conservative party, criticized Cleverly for his use of “immature and unprofessional” language. In response, Alex Cunningham, the Labour MP involved, stated that he did not trust the home secretary’s words.
During the prime minister’s questions on Wednesday, Cunningham, the representative for Stockton North, questioned Rishi Sunak about the high rate of child poverty in his constituency, stating that 34% of children were affected.
During a later point of discussion in the meeting, Cunningham stated about Cleverly: “He was observed and heard uttering: ‘Because it’s a terrible place.'” Indistinct audio recordings appeared to confirm this.
At the time, a representative for Cleverly stated, “He did not make that statement and would not. He is disappointed that people would accuse him of doing so.”
A reliable insider shared a different account of the events on Thursday, stating that James had made a remark about Alex Cunningham, referring to him as a poor MP. James has since expressed regret for using inappropriate language in a parliamentary setting. It was clarified yesterday that he has no intention of criticizing Stockton, as he has actively campaigned there and holds it in high regard.
Cunningham expressed on BBC Radio 4’s PM programme that he found the explanation to be unbelievable. He stated, “I do not trust him.” The Chairman of the Conservative party was also on the radio earlier and denied that the word was used in the Commons. It is difficult to trust the statements being made.
“He did say what I said he said, people saw him say that, and I’m still content that he needs to come to the House of Commons, stand at the dispatch box and apologise to the people of Stockton.”
Despite not being able to confirm if the prime minister accepted the explanation, Downing Street maintains that Sunak still has confidence in Cleverly.
Just before the updated explanation was released, Houchen stated on Twitter: “I am not interested in excuses and I will always prioritize our area over political parties. It is evident to me that the home secretary should apologize for tarnishing Stockton’s reputation.”
“Despite significant advancements in recent years, including substantial investments and job growth, Teesside is still working towards a prosperous future in emerging industries such as modern steel production. Therefore, using this type of language only reinforces outdated and incorrect stereotypes that we have been fighting against for a long time.”
“Our community is full of passion and pride, making it a wonderful place to be. People from all over the world are eagerly anticipating the promising future that lies ahead. Unfortunately, certain politicians in Westminster are using immature and unprofessional language, despite knowing better, which is hindering our progress.”
Houchen expressed satisfaction that Cleverly had issued an apology in a subsequent tweet. He also stated that regardless of the content of the original statement, the rumors caused harm to Stockton’s reputation, which is not acceptable. He acknowledged that we are all fallible and acknowledged that Cleverly is a decent individual who made an error.
On Thursday, the Labour party brought up the issue once more in the House of Commons. Lucy Powell, the shadow leader, stated that it is unacceptable to criticize another member’s constituency and shows disrespect towards their constituents.
Penny Mordaunt, the leader of the House of Commons, responded by saying that the accusation made against the Home Secretary was denied by him and she believes him.
Source: theguardian.com
