Category Archives: Tories

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3 Dec 2019

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Accountability, Fake news, General Election, Sleaze, Tories

“Tories buy fake website bearing Labour MP’s name as party intensifies ‘dirty tricks’ campaign”

“The Conservatives are under fire for more “dirty tricks” after buying up a website address in the name of a Labour candidate – to tell voters to “stop Jeremy Corbyn.”

The domain name margaretbeckett.com – instead of promoting the former Labour foreign secretary, a candidate in Derby South – reads ‘Don’t Vote Labour’ and attacks her voting record.

A video of her Conservative rival, Ed Barker, carries the banner: “As the Labour candidate hasn’t set up her own website, I thought I’d do one for her.”

The stunt was attacked by Ms Beckett who told The Independent: “This seems to be more Tory dirty tricks, which is par for the course. It’s also a bit pathetic.

“If they were confident in their case, they would simply put that case forward instead of doing something like this to give people the wrong impression.”

Approached by The Independent, the Conservative Party did not deny that its candidate bought up the domain name and refused to comment.

The row comes after the controversies that saw the Conservatives set up both a fake ‘factchecking’ service and a fake Labour website that instead pumped out Tory policies.

At the weekend, Mr Corbyn protested that the succession of Tory stunts was bringing “politics and democracy into disrepute”. …”

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/conservatives-labour-website-purchase-jeremy-corbyn-margaret-beckett-vote-a9231301.html

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3 Dec 2019

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Accountability, General Election, General Election hustings, Simon Jupp, Tories

Jupp accepted Sidmouth hustings invitation on 15 November – pulled out after deciding to shop in Exmouth instead

FRIT! FRIT! FRIT! (see also post below)

OWL DOES HOPE HE WILL BE EMPTY CHAIRED! Maybe replaced with a block of ice!

“Mr Jupp’s campaign manager, Dan Hallet had initially responded to the Vision Group’s invitation to all candidates with a firm acceptance on November 15: “Simon will definitely attend the event scheduled for Fri 6 Dec at 1900,” after which a confirmation and an agenda were sent out to all candidates and released to the press and online.

Hustings chairman Peter Murphy said: “We were rather surprised then when we received a further email on November 24 from Mr Hallet.”

According to VGS, Mr Hallet responded: “I have double-booked Simon to attend late night shopping events and canvassing sessions in the constituency. …”

https://sidmouth.nub.news/n/conservative-candidate-pulls-out-of-sidmouth-hustings-event

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3 Dec 2019

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Accountability, General Election, General Election hustings, Simon Jupp, Tories

“Conservative election candidate pulls out of Sidmouth hustings” – prefers to shop in Budleigh and Exmouth (honestly!)

IF YOU ARE THINKING OF VOTING FOR JUPP – READ THIS! UNBELIEVABLE!

FRIT! FRIT! FRIT!

“The Vision Group for Sidmouth, which is organising the event on Friday (December 6), has confirmed that Mr Jupp will not be taking part in General Election hustings.

According to the group, Mr Jupp is unable to attend due to being double booked.

Mr Jupp said he is attending late night shopping in Sidmouth and Budleigh as well as the Christmas fayre in Exmouth.

The vision group announced last week that the time of the hustings was put back to 7.30pm to ‘complement the late night shopping event and not compete with it’.

The following candidates are scheduled to take part:

Peter Faithfull (Independent), Henry Gent (Green Party), Eleanor Rylance (Liberal Democrats), Daniel Wilson (Labour Party), Claire Wright (Independent).

Peter Clarke, who is set to chair the hustings taking place at All Saints’ Hall, from 7.30pm, said: “Clearly we are disappointed that for the first time we won’t be fielding all election candidates, but obviously are respectful of Mr Jupp’s decision.”

Mr Jupp, who took part in a hustings event held at Exmouth Community College last week, said: “As a supporter of local business, I have a diary commitment to attend late night shopping events and to meet residents in Sidmouth and Budleigh as well as the Christmas Fayre in Exmouth on Friday.

“I and my team have been campaigning hard across the constituency, including Sidmouth.

“It’s a shame the hustings have been organised for this busy Friday night which is crucial for local businesses. …”

https://www.sidmouthherald.co.uk/news/conservative-candidate-pulls-out-of-hustings-1-6406694

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3 Dec 2019

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Accountability, General Election, NHS (local), Simon Jupp, Tories

Jupp’s boss Raab appears confused about his plan to sell off NHS

Owl says: A vote for anyone other than Claire Wright in East Devon is a vote for Conservatives.

“Speaking on the Today programme, Mr Raab says the Conservatives have been “absolutely clear there is going to be no privatisation of the NHS” in trade talks with the US and there will be “no dilution of our protection of consumers”.

He is asked about a pamplet he co-wrote called “After the Coalition”, which says that two-thirds of hospitals could be run by private companies or not-for-profits.

Mr Raab says that is a “ludicrous assertion”, calling it a “snippet from pamphlet written a long time ago” and adding that he has “never advocated privatisation”.”

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/election-2019-50638180

Seems like his “communications” specialist Adviser Jupp (the Tory parachuted into East Devon) needs to go back to that Wimbledon flat to give his boss some help … assuming they both have jobs to go back to shortly.

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2 Dec 2019

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Accountability, Fracking, Tories

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Government (doesn’t actually) release report on fracking as ordered by courts

A sample page of the report which was ordered for FULL
release by courts:

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2 Dec 2019

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General Election, Tories

“Boris Johnson made an extra £800,000 in last parliament”

“Boris Johnson was the highest earning MP in the last parliament, raking in in almost £800,000 mostly through speeches and articles, according to a new study.

MPs earned over £8.4 million in addition to their parliamentary salary, which works out as an extra £12,900 per MP, according to data site LOBO.

The annual salary of an MP is set at £79,468.

However, it is claimed that over half of the extra £8.4 million was made by just 15 MPs, with Mr Johnson earning almost 10% of the total.

The figures are based over the period between June 2017 and October 2019. …

The full list of the 15 MPs who made the most amount of extra cash in the last parliament.

Boris Johnson £795,867
Nicholas Soames £606,419
Owen Paterson £365,870
Ed Vaizey £348,279
John Redwood £262,264
Jacob Rees-Mogg £245,757
Thomas Tugendhat £240,720
Edward Davey £235,333
Andrew Mitchell £229,702
Michael Fallon £197,982
Henry Bellingham £162,907
Edward Leigh £154,167
Mark Pritchard £144,128
Jo Johnson £137,684
David Davis £135,367

Boris Johnson made an extra £800,000 in last parliament

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2 Dec 2019

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Accountability, Claire Wright, General Election, Simon Jupp, Tories

Daily Mirror tips Claire Wright for victory in general election

MAKE IT SO! Remember a vote for anyone other than Claire Wright is a vote for the parachuted-in Tory.

“East Devon is tipped to change hands, with Conservatives nervous about losing it and the Love Actually actor is urging voters to back independent candidate Claire Wright.

The Tories could be ousted from a seat they’ve held for more than 150 years next week – with an independent candidate hoping to pulling off a historic win.

Claire Wright is tipped by some to win in East Devon, a seat that has traditionally been a safe Conservative constituency.

Love Actually star Hugh Grant has urged Labour, Lib Dem and Green voters to back Ms Wright.

It comes after the MRP YouGov poll, released last week, said East Devon is likely to elect an Independent.

It would be a major blow to the Conservatives if they lose the seat.

Ms Wright, who has stood twice before, has seen her share of the vote rise from 24% in 2015 to 35% in 2017, and is eyeing up a place in Parliament.

It will be an interesting battleground, Devon Live reports, as the Tories lost their district council majority in May after 45 years.

It is now run as a minority administration by Independents.

Their poll had Claire Wright on 41% of the vote, and ranging between 31% and 51% – just six points behind Tory candidate Simon Jupp.

Ms Wright, 44, said: “The past few years have demonstrated that the party system is broken.

“It is time for change. As an Independent, I would have exactly the same rights as other MPs and would work cross-party to achieve my manifesto pledges.

“I am different. I have no party whip to tell me how to vote. I am free to speak and free to act. And free to fight for the issues that the people of East Devon care about the most.

“This election is very unpredictable and presents a rare opportunity for residents to elect an MP who truly cares and puts them first.”

Former broadcaster Mr Jupp, 34, thinks differently.

He said: “I was expecting it to be a bit more difficult and to face a lot of opposition but people just saying to me that they want to get on with it.

“I know it is what you would expect me to say, but people are telling me that they want to get Brexit done.

“I voted to remain, but I back Boris’s Brexit deal, it’s a fantastic deal for this country to move forward.”

Clearly anxious about losing the seat, both Boris Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock have visited the constituency in recent weeks.

“All the results and polling point to this seat being a straight fight between myself and the Conservatives.”

The seat has been held by Sir Hugo Swire since 1997. After he announced that he was stepping down earlier this year, he made bullish claims that not only would the Conservatives once again win the seat, but that they would win more than half of the votes.

Former Independent MP Martin Bell thinks that Ms Wright can emulate his own historic win in 1997 in Tatton.

And Hugh Grant has urged East Devon voters to back her. He said: “Dear Lib Dem, Green and Labour voters of East Devon. Do this for your country. We beg you.”

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/tories-could-lose-safe-seat-21009359

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2 Dec 2019

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Accountability, General Election, Scrutiny, Simon Jupp, Tories

After 9 years in power Johnson still tries to blame Labour for anything and everything

Scrutiny – what scrutiny! How can parachuted-in Tory candidate Jupp wish to work for this ogre?

“As an exhibition in shameless buck-passing and politicising of a tragedy, it was hard to beat Boris Johnson yesterday.

On national TV, the mask slipped and the fairly disciplined and boringly repetitive candidate we have seen for the last few weeks was revealed as the Bullingdon bully he is.

By talking over, talking back, by dodging and weaving, by deploying straight out lies, Johnson tried to pin the responsibility for the early release of the London Bridge terrorist on a Labour government of nine years ago.

When asked about his own Tory Government of the last decade, that has closed courts, stripped the prison and probation service of budgets and the wherewithal to manage released felons, he squirmed that it was not his government.

It was the Johnson version of “someone else did it and ran away”.

It wasn’t statesmanlike, it wasn’t truthful, it wasn’t even dignified,considering the father of one of the victims had explicitly made a call not to use his son’s death as an excuse for flogging stiffer sentences in an election atmosphere.

It is easy to see why this cowardly Conservative lion is running from the scrutiny of the public.

He’s also running scared from Andrew Neil, though he blustered that he would submit to an interview by the Scots media prosecutor – if only the time could be found.

It is growing increasingly clear that Johnson is unfit for the office of Prime Minister.

The more people see of him, the more obvious it becomes to voters.

He is trying to sneak back into Downing Street without scrutiny and without giving account of himself.

If the polls are to be believed, voters in Scotland have already decided to reject Boris.

Hopefully voters in England will wake up and smell the coffee before it is too late.”

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/shameless-coward-boris-johnson-tries-21006507

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1 Dec 2019

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General Election, Tories

Johnson on Andrew Marr – a summary

Really, Stanley Johnson MUST insist on getting his money back for his son’s “e-jerk-ashun” at Eton!

Source: TW-IN Facebook page

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1 Dec 2019

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Accountability, Fake news, General Election, Tories

More Tory “fake news”: eight Tory ads banned by Google

“The Conservatives are running such a rampant fake news campaign that Google is now done with it. The tech giant has [banned] eight separate Tory party online adverts.

There have been many instances of disinformation from the Conservatives this election, such as:

Editing videos to misrepresent Labour figures.
A fake Labour manifesto website.
Pretending to be an independent fact-checker on social media.
Setting up fake encounters with voters for the camera.

And now we have eight banned adverts. Google would not disclose the content of the ads nor the specific reasons why they were removed. But the tech multinational’s guidelines claim that “we don’t allow ads or destinations that deceive users”.

‌“Tories are relying on cynical and dishonest tactics”

Labour Party chair Ian Lavery said:

The fact that the Conservatives are resorting to fake news shows that they have no plans or desire to improve the lives of people in Britain. While Labour is running the biggest, people-powered campaign for real change in a generation, the Tories are relying on cynical and dishonest tactics.

It’s unclear how deceptive the banned ads were. Because there are still Tory ads visible that claim to send users to “Corbyn’s Labour manifesto”, but actually go to “labourmanifesto.co.uk” – a fake Tory-run site.

Even the BBC recently criticised the Conservatives for editing video ads to suggest that BBC presenters endorse the party’s attacks on Labour. The broadcaster said the ads “could damage perceptions of our impartiality”. The thing is, viewers have caught the BBC itself doctoring broadcasted footage on numerous occasions in a way that favours the Conservative Party this election.

Big Tech politics

It’s welcome that Google has acted against what is likely outright fake news from the Tory party. But we must question whether profit-minded big tech companies should really be regulating our political sphere. Another solution could be regulation through parliament while ensuring we uphold free speech.

At present, the UK elections watchdog – the Electoral Commission – has not condemned the Conservative Party’s disinformation this election. When the Tory Press Twitter account pretended to be an independent fact-checker, the Electoral Commission didn’t single out the ruling party, instead saying “voters are entitled to transparency and integrity from campaigners in the lead-up to an election”. The Electoral Commission also said that it doesn’t have a role in “regulating election campaign content”, but the watchdog is asking for greater powers to ensure ads are transparent.

‌Another problem is that fake news can do a lot of damage before a regulator takes it down. That suggests we also need appropriate regulation and punishment to stop people and parties creating fake news in the first place.

Careful action

We must treat any internet regulation with extreme caution because the risks of inadvertently shutting down legitimate speech remain. But Britain surely cannot allow the levels of fake news coming from the Tory party this election. Given the Electoral Commission doesn’t currently have the powers it needs, at least Google has stepped in for now.”

https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2019/12/01/thats-it-google-is-done-with-the-tories-fake-news-campaign/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

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1 Dec 2019

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Accountability, General Election, Hugo Swire, Simon Jupp, Tories

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Rogues Gallery: Old codger Tweedledum, wet-behind-the-ears Tweedledee and Frit de Peiffel Johnson!

Gosh, doesn’t Hugo (I’m not going to interfere now I’m no longer an MP) Swire look wrecked! Where has he been! Obviously having a good time now he doesn’t have his fourth part-time job to worry about!

And their boss Frit de Peiffel Johnson

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1 Dec 2019

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General Election, Tories

Boris Johnson still FRIT FRIT FRIT

“There is no sign that Boris Johnson will agree to an interview with Andrew Neil before the end of the election campaign, with both the BBC and the Conservatives simply saying that negotiations are ongoing.

With little over a week until polling day, the prime minister has still not set a date for his one-on-one interview on primetime television, despite every other party leader agreeing to take part. …”

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2019/dec/01/boris-johnson-not-agreeing-andrew-neil-interview?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

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1 Dec 2019

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General Election, Sleaze, Tories

Book Review – Boris Johnson “72 Virgins” (a real book by Bojo available on Amazon)

“So it turns out In 2004, Boris Johnson wrote a “book of fiction” called ’72 Virgins’.

It’s about a group of Islamic terrorists who attack Westminster, whose plot is then foiled by a bicycling Tory MP known for tousled hair, classical allusions and flapping shirt-tails.

As the story develops, the protagonist seizes the opportunity to make himself such a lauded global hero that the media will deem it absolutely futile to print the latest thing he doesn’t want his wife to discover.

Ever the cretinous glutton, with a deeply false belief in his own guile, that very subplot increased in intrigue when, within two months of publication, fiction turned fact and Johnson was sacked from the shadow cabinet after the then Tory leader, Michael Howard, judged him to have lied to the party and to the public about his extramarital affair (lying no longer seems to be a sackable offence for conservative politicians, but rather the gold standard).

This book is brimming with terms such as “alpha male,” “Islamic nutcases” and “a mega-titted six-footer”. Arabs are casually noted to have “hook noses” and “slanty eyes”; A mixed-race Briton is called “coffee-coloured”; and slurs of “pikeys” and people who are “half-caste”.

Imagine the absolute outrage if Jeremy Corbyn wrote this book?

Laura Kuenssberg would never shut up squawking about it!
The BBC would lead with it on every story & it would be front page of every tabloid rag!

But he didn’t, Johnson did, so, of course, we NEVER hear about it.

He describes French people as ‘turds’ and makes strange personal attacks on Sierra Leone.

In the final third of the book, the plot becomes rushed and there are multitudinous printing and grammatical errors, and a number of sentences that literally do not make any sense.

The novel’s attitude to women is so rampantly sexist, it is depressing. In the 20 occasions in which women enter the narrative either the narrator or a character sizes them up and down, phwoaring over, to give a few examples: “tits out”, “lustrous eyes”, “long legs”, “a mega-titted six-footer”, “loads of pretty white teeth”, “good teeth and blonde hair”, and an “unambiguously exuberant bosom”.

One Female characters comment is attributed to her “premenstrual irrationality”, there are also appearances from a “girly swot” and a woman who looks “like a lingerie model, only cleverer and, if anything, with bigger breasts”, it actually reads like it was written by a horny teenager rather than an Eton educated prime minister.

If anyone feel the need to rush out and buy this, it’s on Amazon for £7.49, however Fultons are selling 6 rolls of Andrex for £3 saving you £4.49.”

Source: Dan Lambert, Facebook

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1 Dec 2019

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General Election, Sleaze, Tories

More Tory dirty tricks

“A Conservative parliamentary candidate has been asked to explain the addition of two swastikas to campaign placards which were apparently defaced in 2017, and were photographed at the time but did not feature any such Nazi insignia.

In June 2017, during that year’s election campaign, Simon Hart, the Conservative parliamentary candidate for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, who has represented the constituency since 2010, uploaded a photograph to Twitter of one of his campaign placards.

It appeared to have been vandalised so that after the words “Simon Hart” a scrawled message in black marker pen added: “WILL STARVE YOUR NAN AND STEAL HER HOUSE!”

The image generated some sympathy for Mr Hart, and was used in a subsequent article published by WalesOnline, about the abuse MPs including Mr Hart suffered during the election.

Local press claim Mr Hart has used the incident as a campaigning platform since 2017. …”

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/simon-hart-pembrokeshire-swastika-graffiti-nazi-sympathy-election-christina-rees-a9226291.html

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30 Nov 2019

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Claire Wright, General Election, Simon Jupp, Tories

Jupp’s boss Dominic Raab in danger of losing his seat to Lib Dem

Swire gone.

Raab might be going

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/nov/30/poll-finds-dominic-raab-risks-losing-seat-to-lib-dems?

Jupp …… ?

Not really a good time to be a “parachuted central casting Tory” with two “mentors” at such a low ebb!

Let’s make it all three out.

Remember: a vote for anyone other than Claire Wright is a vote for the Tories!

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30 Nov 2019

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Climate crisis, Flooding, Tories

Dawlish £14 million flood defence barrier … didn’t expect this

While this was happening Boris Johnson was at Dart’s Farm instead of being at the Climate Crisis debate at Channel 4:

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30 Nov 2019

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General Election, General Election hustings, Tories

A suggestion to the BBC …

If Johnson will not be interviewed by Andrew Neil but WILL be interviewed by Andrew Marr (and maybe by the anodyne One Show) replace the original presenter with Neil live on air, and wait to see what happens next!

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30 Nov 2019

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Accountability, General Election, Tories

Boris called “pub bore” for lacklustre radio interview

“It was like two pub bores talking about weather: HENRY DEEDES listens as PM takes on a Ferrari”

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-7740633/It-like-two-pub-bores-talking-weather-HENRY-DEEDES-listens-PM-takes-Ferrari.html

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30 Nov 2019

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Accountability, Economy, Post-Brexit Adjustments, Tories

Tories slammed by other Tories for introducing a Labour-type solution post-Brexit!

Owl says: but if we are all going to be richer by leaving the EU, why will this be needed?

And in a “free market” aren’t uneconomic businesses supposed to fail? Confused(dot) Owl!

“Tories slammed by free market groups over state aid pledges.

Business and free market groups slammed pledges today by Boris Johnson to expand state aid for businesses if the Conservative Party win the upcoming election.

In a press conference today, Johnson promised to expand Britain’s state aid regime once the UK leaves the EU.

“We will back British businesses by introducing a new state aid regime which makes it faster and easier for the government to intervene to protect jobs when an industry is in trouble,” a briefing document said.

Head of regulatory affairs at the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) Victoria Hewson said support for state aid was “veiled support for cronyism.”

“For all the lip service the Conservatives pay to free markets and free enterprise, today’s announcements about state aid call into question their basic understanding of how these systems work,” she said.

“Calls to expand state aid translate to veiled support for cronyism. Interventionist and protectionist policies always end up disadvantaging smaller businesses in favour of a few giants.”

A spokesperson for the Institute of Directors said: “It’s not clear how these proposals will fit with ambitions of a ‘Global Britain’. The Conservatives must be wary of opening a can of worms on state aid, it’s important to have consistent rules in place to resist the impulse of unwarranted protectionism.” … “

Tories slammed by free market groups over state aid pledges