Tory gun joke in Jo’s seat Heads’ plea to PM on cuts
Demo demands the hunt ban must stay
THE Tory candidate in murdered MP Jo Cox’s Batley and Spen constituency made a sick shooting joke yesterday.
Dr Ann Myatt told a hustings audience: “We have not yet shot anybody so that’s wonderful.” They reacted with gasps and jeers before she made a rambling attempt to justify her comment.
Jo was shot last June by Thomas Mair, who was jailed for life for murder in November. Labour member David Keeton, who was at the hustings, said: “My initial reaction was shock, then abhorrence. For my wife and I it was made all the more personal as we knew Jo.” Dr Myatt was answering a question on tackling Islamophobia when she said: “This sort of evening is firstrate because we have here people of all faiths and we have not yet shot anybody so that’s wonderful.” She said in a statement: “I apologise for my ill-judged remarks.” APOLOGY Jo and Myatt THOUSANDS of animal rights campaigners marched on Downing Street to call on Theresa May to keep the fox hunting ban. Organisers of the Make Hunting History demo said 2,200 people took part in what they claimed was one of the largest animal rights protests in recent years. The PM admitted she has “always been in favour” of the blood sport after the Daily Mirror exposed a Tory plot to bring back hunting. Her manifesto pledges a free vote on repealing the ban brought in by Labour in 2005. Protesters of all ages, many wearing fox masks, made their way from Cavendish Square to Whitehall, chanting “animal abuse, no excuse” and “cull the Tories, keep the ban”. Speakers included Peter Egan, 70, Downton Abbey actor and animal rights activist. He told the crowds yesterday at Downing Street: “Tony Blair’s government got it right when he brought in the hunting ban.” Labour supporters Kim Gibson, 31, and Beth Driver, 44, both from Welwyn Garden City, Herts, said: “We want our voices to be heard as foxes can’t speak for themselves.” HEADTEACHERS have warned Theresa May that a potential £3billion of education cuts will force them to slash staff, science clubs and sports teams.
Seventy-one nursery, primary and secondary heads in one council area wrote an open letter to the PM, urging her to meet them and see for herself the devastating impact of Tory austerity.
A planned new funding formula will also trigger cash raids on many inner-city schools to fund a spending spree in Tory shires. The heads warn of real cuts of up to 8% on their under-pressure budgets, DOG DAY A protester and her canine pal join the march saying: “This level of cuts is untenable and will impact directly on the quality of education delivered to our young people.”
Music tuition, school plays, science and technology clubs, sports teams and school trips all face the axe, say the education leaders in Lewisham, South East London. And rising class sizes will mean the “breadth and diversity of the curriculum will be diminished”.
The Tory manifesto pledges a further £4billion for the schools budget by 2022. But experts fear it will not be enough due to rising inflation and pupil numbers. Nia Griffith The Shadow Defence Secretary insists Labour will keep Trident and stay in Nato. Dominic Raab Tory candidate is branded out of touch after saying food bank users aren’t ‘languishing in poverty.’ Labour’s lead among voters aged 18-25 according to YouGov poll Great to meet my Election opponent Baron von Thunderclap of Monster Raving Loony party at Staplefield Fete #gobaron Nicholas Soames
@NSoames Seat: Westminster North Labour candidate: Karen Buck Majority: 1,977 EXTREME Paul Nuttall