The hilarity over Mrs May’s set dressing seems to be overshadowing the fact that the Tories are stealing a Labour policy.

Back when Ed Miliband was Labour leader, his party followed a policy in which housing developers would be compelled to use the planning permissions they gained quickly, rather than sitting on them indefinitely in order to make a bigger profit – or be penalised.

The policy announced by Mrs May is another example of the hypocrisy for which the Tories are justly famous. They are stealing a policy they ridiculed, only a few years ago.

And they really don’t like being reminded of it.

Matt Turner of Evolve Politics asked Tory MP Andrew Percy about it, on behalf of senior editor Jessica A Miller. Here’s the query:

It says: “Given today’s new Tory housing proposals and the expected implementation of new ‘use it or lose it’ rules to force housing developers to use their land or lose it, we were wondering whether or not you still stand by your comments in a 2015 Daily Mail article where you said that Ed Miliband’s proposals to implement identical ‘use it or lose it’ rules for greedy property developers was: “the sort of policy you might expect from Soviet Russia”. We look forward to your prompt and courteous response.”

And here’s the “courteous” response:

That’s: “Are you still a member of Impress funded by a man who still thinks migrants should be paid to go home? You must be so proud of yourselves.

“What a childish outfit you are. Truly childish.

“The good news is Google allow you to set rules on email to ensure that such childishness can be filtered out.

“Also, you should really consider dropping the like [sic, he meant lie] you are independent. We had no idea as an office who or what you were, but googling you has told us you are a bias organisation hiding behind the lie you are independent.”

Do you think Mr Turner struck a nerve?

So the man who’s calling Evolve childish opens with a childish – and possibly actionable – insult against the independent press regulator, follows it up with an implication that he’ll ignore further attempts at contact, and ends by casting aspersions on Evolve‘s independence. Now, how many news organisations faithfully republished Ben Bradley’s libel about Jeremy Corbyn, again?

I think we can all tell which part of the media lacks independence.

And of course, there’s no answer to the question.

Why not? Here’s why not:

The Tories know they’re stealing a Labour policy, and they know it is a sign that the plans they have devised are weak; not up to the job. That’s why they don’t like being reminded of it.

Theresa May gave a big speech about housing in which she hoped to convince people she was taking the housing crisis seriously.

Unfortunately those watching the prime minister were somewhat distracted from what she was saying about planning policy by the fake wall background.

Standing at a brick-covered podium in front of the fake brick wall many people suggested Theresa May looked like she was trapped in a chimney, or attempting stand up in an underground comedy club or even re-enacting a key scene from children’s favourite Thomas the Tank Engine.

Source: Everyone’s laughing at Theresa May for giving a speech in front of a fake brick wall – Mirror Online

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