North Shropshire: Lib Dems shock win as Tory by-election defeat piles pressure on Johnson

The Conservatives have lost the North Shropshire by-election, a shock result that will put more pressure on Boris Johnson after a difficult few weeks for the prime minister.

Lib Dem candidate Helen Morgan triumphed in the contest sparked by the resignation of Owen Paterson amid a lobbying scandal.

She polled 17,957 votes, ahead of Tory candidate Neil Shastri-Hurst on 12,032.

Labour's Ben Wood was third with 3,686 votes.

https://news.sky.com/story/north-shropshire-lib-dems-shock-win-as-tory-by-election-defeat-piles-pressure-on-johnson-12497814

Shropshire Council
@ShropCouncil

Here’s the official vote figures - we will tweet out a link as soon as possible.

Lewis Goodall
@lewis_goodall

NEW: 🚨 LIB DEMS OVERTURN 23000 TORY MAJ AND WIN NORTH SHROPSHIRE BY A BIG MAJORITY🚨

Lib Dems: 17957
Con: 12032
Labour: 3686
Reform: 1427
Green: 1738

Maj: 5925

An enormous victory for the Lib Dems and a bodyblow for the Prime Minister.

Survivors and relatives of those murdered in the Miami Showband massacre are to receive nearly £1.5m (€1.75m) in total damages to settle claims over suspected collusion with the loyalist terrorist murderers.
...
One of Ireland's most popular cabaret acts, the Miami Showband was targeted as they travelled home to Dublin following a gig in July 1975.

A fake army patrol made up of Ulster Defence Regiment soldiers and Ulster Volunteer Force members stopped them at the bogus checkpoint outside Newry, Co Down.

Band members were made to line up at the side of the road while attempts were made to hide a bomb on the tour bus.

The device exploded prematurely, killing some of the would-be bombers.

Their accomplices then opened fire on the band, murdering lead singer Fran O'Toole, guitarist Tony Geraghty and trumpeter Brian McCoy.

Two other band members, Des McAlea and Stephen Travers, were also injured but survived the atrocity.

https://www.rte.ie/news/courts/2021/1213/1266497-miami-showband/

Stephen Travers
@MiamiShowband

On the way home from the High Court in Belfast tonight, I stopped at the scene of the massacre to say a prayer and to tell Tony and Fran and Brian that I hope they can now, finally, leave that field forever.

Stephen Travers
@MiamiShowband

Available now on Netflix. This happened to us. Similar atrocities continue throughout the world and will not stop while good people do nothing. For the sake of every victim and potential victim of state-sponsored terrorism and injustice, please #retweet.

https://www.netflix.com/gb/TITLE/80191046

Sam Coates Sky
@SamCoatesSky
How does No 10 square this:

In May the PM told Lord Geidt that he did not know who was behind No11 flat refurb until Feb 2021

Today the Electoral Commission says Boris Johnson Whatsapped Lord Brownlow in November 2020 asking for more cash for the No11 refurb

Boris Johnson to back bid to overturn Owen Paterson lobbying inquiry
Conservative MPs to be instructed to support amendment arguing parliamentary standards commissioner’s probe was flawed

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/nov/02/tories-set-to-try-to-overturn-findings-of-owen-paterson-lobbying-inquiry

Adam Bienkov
@AdamBienkov
The investigation found Owen Paterson had:

- Taken nearly 3 times his MPs’ salary for "paid advocacy".
- Broken official lobbying rules
- Smeared the commissioner investigating him

So now the government is trying to overturn the unanimous decision to suspend him.

Henry Zeffman @hzeffman
• Nov 2
NEW: Am told an amendment is set to be tabled to the Owen Paterson motion tomorrow by his supporters which would pause his case pending a review of the standards system led by John Whittingdale.

Government whips currently canvassing MPs on whether they would consider backing it

Adam Bienkov @AdamBienkov Nov 2, 2021

If successful, not only will Owen Paterson be let off the hook, but most likely so will any MP who chooses to act in the same way in the future.

Adam Bienkov
@AdamBienkov
59 Conservative MPs have put their name to an amendment that would overturn Owen Paterson's suspension and set up a new committee with a Tory veto designed to rip up the existing Standards system that found him guilty of breaching anti-corruption rules.

Adam Bienkov @AdamBienkov Nov 3, 2021

Among the list of Conservative MPs backing the plan to overturn Owen Paterson's suspension and rip up the current Standards regime is Karl McCartney, who was recently found to have broken the rules three times.

https://www.businessinsider.com/conservative-mp-karl-mccartney-broke-rules-watchdog-2021-10

Adam Bienkov
@AdamBienkov
Boris Johnson’s spokesman confirms the government will back the plan to overturn Owen Paterson’s suspension and rip up the system that found he had broken lobbying rules.

Pippa Crerar
@PippaCrerar
NEW: No 10 confirms it wants MPs to rip up House of Commons standards procedures in wake of Owen Paterson case.

Mr Ethical
@nw_nicholas
I'll spell it out as simply as I can. About 2 weeks before the Paterson brokered government contract to Randox was announced, Randox moved their operation into a tax haven.
Why isn't this news?

Nick🇬🇧🇪🇺
@nicktolhurst
+UPDATE+

Several MPs have told media contacts that "levelling up funding for their constituencies was threatened" if they didn't vote to back the corrupt MP Owen Paterson yesterday.

This is why so many Tory MPs voted for Paterson while simultaneously briefing against Johnson.

Brexit Buster
@BrexitBuster
Reminder: this is what greedy Tory swine Owen Paterson really thinks about British pensioners - while he fills his own boots breaking the rules on behalf of his paymasters. Disgusting and despicable - yet exactly the sort of creature Liar Johnson likes around him. #ToryCorruption

LONDON — Long lines outside gas stations. Panicked drivers fighting one another as the pumps run dry. Soldiers deployed to distribute fuel across the country. And in the background, the pandemic stretching on, food rotting in fields and families sinking into poverty. This is Britain in 2021.

Not long ago, as Prime Minister Boris Johnson lifted all pandemic restrictions in July, the mood across the country was cautiously optimistic. A successful vaccine rollout had finally restored cherished freedoms to daily life: visiting friends and family in their homes, socializing with strangers, eating in restaurants. Cases of the virus continued to multiply, but the number of hospitalizations and deaths fell markedly. The nightmare, it seemed, was over.
...
A convergence of problems — a global gas shortage, rising energy and food prices, supply-chain issues and the Conservatives’ decision to slash welfare — has cast the country’s future in darkness. Even Mr. Johnson, known for his boosterish optimism and bonhomie, has struggled to make light of the situation.

The panic of the past week, which recalled old memories (and myths) about the tumultuous late 1970s, was a long time coming. For many months, industry leaders across the economy have warned about chronic labor shortages — of truck drivers, yes, but also fruit pickers, meat processors, waiters and health care workers — disrupting supply chains and impeding businesses.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/01/opinion/britain-fuel-crisis-johnson.html

Kitty Donaldson
@kitty_donaldson

Boris Johnson, speaking outside the Capitol, says it’s time for the French to “prenez un grip” and “donnez-moi un break” after the spat over a U.K. submarine deal with the U.S. and Australia

[Twitter video]

Julian Borger
@julianborger

In White House readout of Biden-Macron call, Potus admits fault in AUKUS handling "The two leaders agreed that the situation would have benefitted from open consultations among allies on matters of strategic interest to France and our European partners." Will meet next month.

A COTTAGE that was once owned by Jimmy Savile is set to be demolished after locals backed the move in an online consultation.

The forum was set up by the Glencoe property’s current owner, the family of retail tycoon Harris Aslam.

It was originally purchased at auction after Savile’s death for £212,000 with the buyer intending to live there.

It has been repeatedly vandalised with slogans over the years since his death.

The depraved paedophile is believed to have abused up to 20 people inside his remote lair nestled in the Highlands.

https://www.thenational.scot/news/19570978.jimmy-saviles-glencoe-cottage-set-demolished-vote-locals

Prime minister denounced for comments on visit to Scotland, where he refused to meet Nicola Sturgeon

On a visit to Scotland on Thursday, the prime minister made a number of provocative comments, stating that a second referendum on Scottish independence is “about as far from the top of my agenda as it is possible to be”.
...
Speaking to reporters after a visit to the Moray East offshore windfarm, off the north-east coast of Scotland, the prime minister was questioned about Labour leader Keir Starmer’s remarks on Wednesday that there should be a “hard-edged” timetable for cessation of oil and gas exploration.

Johnson said: “We understand the importance to the north-east of Scotland of the oil and gas industry. The contracts that have been signed should not just be ripped up. But we need to transition as fast as we reasonably can.”

Pressed on whether he wanted to set a firm deadline, he replied: “Look at what we’ve done already. We’ve transitioned away from coal in my lifetime. Thanks to Margaret Thatcher, who closed so many coalmines across the country, we had a big early start and we’re now moving rapidly away from coal all together”.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/aug/05/johnson-makes-unbelievably-crass-joke-about-thatcher-closing-coal-mines

Bryan Elwick
@Elwick70

Boris Johnson laughing about the closure of the coal mines in the 80s and 90s. He really does think it’s funny

The destruction and misery visited upon 100s of working class communities, some that still haven’t recovered today, makes him smile

He’s no friend of the Red Wall

Brent Central MP Dawn Butler broke the boundaries of parliamentary etiquette by claiming Boris Johnson had "lied... over and over again" during a Commons debate on Thursday
...
Ms Butler was ordered to withdraw from the chamber by temporary deputy speaker Judith Cummins following her remarks in a debate this afternoon.
...
The MP said: "Poor people in our country have paid with their lives because the Prime Minister has spent the last 18 months misleading this House and the country over and over again."

She highlighted disputed claims made by the PM, adding: "It's dangerous to lie in a pandemic.

"I am disappointed the Prime Minister has not come to the House to correct the record and correct the fact that he has lied to the House and the country over and over again."
...
"At the end of the day the Prime Minister has lied to this House time and time again.

"It's funny that we get in trouble in this place for calling out the lie rather than the person lying."
...
Ms Butler said: "I've reflected on my words and somebody needs to tell the truth in this House that the Prime Minister has lied."

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/labour-mp-dawn-butler-kicked-24596017

BBC Politics
@BBCPolitics

The moment Labour MP Dawn Butler asked to leave House of Commons after refusing to withdraw claims PM Boris Johnson "lied to the House and the country over and over again"

bbc.in/3Buj0gW

[Twitter video]

Dawn Butler MP ✊🏾 💙
@DawnButlerBrent

Earlier after I called Boris Johnson a liar I was thrown out of Parliament immediately.

But he is a liar, and enough is enough. I needed to call it out!

[Twitter video]

Peter Stefanovic
@PeterStefanovi2

27 MILLION VIEWS! 27 MILLION!!!

Working TOGETHER we have sent a powerful message to UK News shows if they won’t hold this Prime Minister to account for his rampant lying in Parliament we will do it ourselves!

How long can you ignore it now @BBCNews?

[Twitter video]

Sir Patrick Vallance
@uksciencechief

Correcting a statistic I gave at the press conference today, 19 July. About 60% of hospitalisations from covid are not from double vaccinated people, rather 60% of hospitalisations from covid are currently from unvaccinated people.