One of the biggest scandals of this government – in a strong field – has been the widescale early release of serious and persistent offenders from prison, writes Esther McVey.
An even bigger scandal is the fact that it has now emerged that, despite assurances to the contrary, an unknown number of these prisoners have been released into the community without even being tagged. Incredibly, it is not just the public who doesn’t know how many haven’t been tagged – the Justice Secretary admitted that he didn’t know how many hadn’t been tagged either.
Government 'soft on crime'
McVey argues that if you are going to preside over such a disastrous policy of releasing dangerous people from prison, you would think you would be personally all over ensuring that these people were tagged so they could be monitored in the local community. The fact that the Minister hasn’t even done this can only mean this government puts the rights of criminals ahead of victims, and really are soft on crime.
Other concerns raised
McVey also comments on celebrity hair choices, backing Pamela Anderson over stars like Melinda Messenger, Olivia Colman, and Jamie Lee Curtis who have embraced grey locks.
On immigration, McVey notes that rumours have started again over the weekend about secret flights arriving at Manchester Airport – on the edge of her constituency – bringing in immigrants by stealth. She previously took this up with the Home Office, Manchester Airport, and Cheshire East Council, who all flatly denied that any such flights were taking place. She says she will be pursuing the matter, but for now everyone is denying it is happening.
Polling and security worries
McVey recalls co-founding Blue Collar Conservatism in 2012 with Clark Vasey, noting that most Labour MPs were middle-class, politically-correct metropolitans. Polling commissioned by the group, carried out by Public First, showed that the majority of workers (53%) want to see their taxes cut as well as those on businesses, even if that means significant cuts in government spending. Just 15% favoured the Andy Burnham way of higher government spending and higher taxes.
McVey also flags the sudden withdrawal of all US strategic bombers from RAF Fairford, which she says should alarm us all. This comes a week after five British nationals and a British-Iranian national were arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences in connection with the base. President Trump was furious that the suspects were released on bail and not detained, so does this rapid evacuation indicate the US has no faith in UK security, or is it that the special, trusted relationship is on the wane? Whatever the reason, it doesn’t bode well.
