Thatcherite minister calls death of Teesside steel industry a “distraction”

Last Updated: October 17, 2015By

The minister responsible for the so-called ‘Northern Powerhouse’ has attempted to play down the death of the steel industry on Teesside as a “tragic distraction” from the government’s agenda.

The remark on the closure of the SSI steel plant — with the loss of at least 1,700 jobs — is the latest in a series of gaffes by the Thatcherite James Wharton, whose own constituency is affected by the crisis:

•Snubbing a Commons debate on the issue to attend a business dinner
•Saying of northern job losses that they were “not my responsibility”
•Tweeting an inane selfie on the day job losses announced
•Dismissing rally on local jobs as just people “stood on a beach”

Source: Thatcherite minister calls death of Teesside steel industry a “distraction” | Political Scrapbook

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9 Comments

  1. Helen October 17, 2015 at 8:34 am - Reply

    This Government is only concerned for the rich, it is NOT concerned for the lower or middle class workers. Nor of the sick and disabled! Whom the Government promised they would look after! If you voted Conservative please vote Labour next time!

  2. Neilth October 17, 2015 at 9:10 am - Reply

    There was a meeting in Northampton yesterday between unions, British steel industry, MPs with steel industry interests in their constituencies etc to discuss this crisis caused largely by China dumping their massive surplus of cheap steel in the western markets.

    Other EU countries, Sweden, France, Spain et al are taking steps to support their steel industries with a view to present employment and future strategic needs and I understand that yesterday’s meeting have unanimously brought forward constructive proposals for UK steel production.

    I don’t advise anyone to hold their breath waiting for these Camorons to do anything to protect or support British industry.

  3. lambtonwyrm October 17, 2015 at 9:22 am - Reply

    Do we expect anything different from the Tories. If they could they would cut thr North off and float it into the North Sea

  4. Chris Kitcher October 17, 2015 at 11:00 am - Reply

    We really can’t have people in power who such views as this. When oh when are people going onto the streets to oust them?

  5. Mr.Angry October 17, 2015 at 11:29 am - Reply

    Look into his eyes the Tory persona non grata shining through.

  6. John. October 17, 2015 at 1:23 pm - Reply

    What exactly is the governments agenda, other than to create a divisive corporate sponsored totalitarian, surveillance, police state run by gilded oligarchs as per USA.

  7. Dez October 17, 2015 at 2:37 pm - Reply

    A “distraction”!? Phew and there’s me thinking it was a UK jobs disaster. Unfortunatel his mug shot looks like every other smug Con mug shot as being totally out of touch with the real world. That look is certainly not reflective of someone likely to be in the front line of a picket or leading strong representation hammering on a desk somewhere. Maybe thats the Cons PR picture style just for their own true blue HoorayHenrys…..ie smug and arrogant. They really need another PR shot just for the plebs so they think we are all in this together when a disaster strikes.

  8. John Gaines. October 19, 2015 at 9:21 am - Reply

    The Tories are flogging off England to the Chinese:
    8% of Thames Water
    60%of Weetabix
    10%of Heathrow
    House of Fraser
    Pizza Express
    Bishopgate Tower (amount not revealed)

    Corporate power, is the New Politics and China knows this from way back when they bought Africa, Corporate power controls our UN votes and the Tory Party and, now we have the utterly insane situation where we pay them £ Billions to build Nuclear Plants (we closed down perfectly good ones) and will now also pay more £Billions to Spy UPON THEIR OPERATION OF RUNNING THESE PLANTS. Well really, you could not get a policy such as this, even in an insane asylum.

  9. mrmarcpc October 19, 2015 at 2:53 pm - Reply

    Good this coming from a Thatcherite, honouring a woman who did nothing but hammer and destroy the North when she was in power, did us no favours at all, all the industries, the infrastructure that we once had, she decimated it completely, it’s all gone, all because of her and now one of her lickspittles says this, sums her legacy and the tories up and what their attitude and true thoughts about the North, screw them, working class scum that should do the country a favour and die, and they wonder why no one in the North likes them!

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