Tory ‘poppy fascist’ tarred and feathered on Twitter

Maria Caulfield: She should know better.

Maria Caulfield is the clueless Conservative MP for Lewes, in east Sussex. She is a former nurse and the wife of an ex-serviceman – which makes her ill-advised criticism of a Labour campaign group all the more ignorant.

It seems Tooting Labour Party were out campaigning yesterday (November 11) – and Ms Caulfield took umbrage at the apparent absence of poppies from the photograph they posted on Twitter:

But if you look at the photograph…

… while only one person is visibly wearing a poppy and four are not, we cannot tell whether the other 13 are wearing poppies or not.

It seems to This Writer that Ms Caulfield was, therefore, trying to score a cheap political point rather than expressing any genuine outrage – and I am not alone.

Twitter responded with its usual flair for accuracy. Ms Caulfield was – metaphorically, at least – tarred and feathered. I use the term advisedly, as it was an unofficial form of punishment and humiliation, often used on those who did not support the services, and remains a term for severe public criticism.

For an example of Conservative regard for ex-servicepeople, Ms Caulfield was urged to consider the case of David Clapson. Diabetic Mr Clapson – a former serviceman – is no longer with us because the Conservative-run Department for Work and Pensions decided to make him starve to death.

https://twitter.com/HRHTudor1976/status/929407955996499968

Here’s a pertinent point from Clive Lewis. He may be under investigation after allegations were made against him, but his willingness to stand up for the veterans speaks volumes:

If you want to look up ‘Geddes Axe’, here is a good place to start.

Of course, Tory attitudes in history and towards benefit claimants are not the only ways in which they have attacked veterans. Let us consider their current failings (after all, Twitter did):

And, of course, there was an obvious personal comment to make:

All in all – well, Judy Hamilton puts it very well:

And what of Labour? Judge for yourself:


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4 Comments

  1. Christine Cullen November 12, 2017 at 2:08 pm - Reply

    I give money to the British Legion. I do not wear a poppy, just so I can get up the noses of the self-righteous poppy police.

  2. Jennifer Goodson November 12, 2017 at 3:56 pm - Reply

    She would doubtless criticise me on my choice to wear a white one and think of the phrase NEVER AGAIN…..small minded bigot

  3. Rusty November 12, 2017 at 10:01 pm - Reply

    You say tarred and feathered, I’d use the army term “beasted!” Morally bankrupt these tories!

  4. Zippi November 19, 2017 at 3:42 am - Reply

    That people are not wearing poppies om their outer clothes is not evidence that those people are not wearing poppies at all. How many of us have lost poppies? In addition, there is more than one way to honour the war dead; there are poppy pins and brooches, which are much smaller, there are wristbands… Furthermore, is it always necessary to display a poppy? Is not the act of giving sufficient? Maria Caulfield should be ashamed for making that comment.

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