PRITI’S MAGGIE MOMENT
She evokes the former PM to stress law and order ‘is in party’s DNA’
PRITI Patel positioned herself yesterday as the heir to margaret Thatcher – and warned she would ‘take no lectures from the liberal elite’ on immigration.
To rapturous cheers, the Home secretary evoked the iron lady as she made clear her support for the police.
in a powerful speech to the Tory conference in manchester, she insisted law and order was ‘central to our Dna as Conservatives’ – as Baroness Thatcher had done four decades ago.
miss Patel’s comments were interpreted as a rebuke to Theresa may who, as Home secretary, had a notoriously fractious relationship with the police.
miss Patel said more needed to be done to recognise the ‘bravery, commitment and sacrifice’ of police officers, as well as equipping them with the kit and powers vital to clamp down on law-breaking. The ardent Brexiteer – the child of Ugandan asian parents – also took a swipe at critics of her tough immigration policy who claim voting to leave the EU was fuelled by racism, saying: ‘This daughter of immigrants needs no lectures from the north london metropolitan liberal elite.’
miss Patel added: ‘Only the Conservative Party is driven by the people’s priorities – and that means backing our police, our communities and our great country. That’s the lesson i took from the person who inspired me to join our Party. ‘a Conservative prime minister first elected 40 years ago this year, margaret Thatcher, knew that if you made the British people your compass, if you took time to understand their lives and their priorities, then your direction would always be true.
‘my policies,’ she said, ‘are based on things i and millions like me were brought up with: an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay; live within your means; pay your bills; support the police. That advice is as sound today as 40 years ago. support the police we will.’
after entering the stage to images of lady Thatcher, she:
Promised a £20million package to disrupt and dismantle county lines gangs which groom children in cities to carry cocaine and heroin to shire towns and seaside resorts;
announced £25million for security measures such as CCTV, and better lighting to tackle robbery;
Unveiled a £10million fund to hand Taser stun guns to an additional 10,000 frontline police;
Warned that labour leader Jeremy Corbyn wanted to ‘surrender our border controls s and extend free movement’;
reiterated her vow to end free movement and introduce an australian-style points based system;
revealed she would enshrine in law the Police Covenant – the Government’s ernment’s promise that in return for placing themselves in danger, officers will be looked after during and after their service.
in a blunt speech, miss Patel said: ‘We stand with the brave men and women of our police and security services. and we stand against the criminals... the gang leaders, drug barons, thugs and terrorists who seek to do us harm.’
more resources will be injected into the national County lines Co-ordination Centre to strengthen the fight against crime gang. a specialist British Transport Police unit will also operate at railway stations.
miss Patel said: ‘The kingpins of these criminal gangs are exploiting children. Forcing them to carry crack cocaine and heroin across rural and coastal communities.’
she added: ‘labour would stop the police from doing their job. and when it comes to our brilliant intelligence agencies, well - what can i say? The labour Party trust our foes more than our friends.’
To rapturous applause, she continued: ‘let the message go out today. To the British people – we hear you. To the police service – we back you. and to the criminals, i simply say this: We are coming after you.
‘We stand for the forces of right, and against the forces of evil. We stand for the law-abiding majority, not the criminal minority.’
‘Driven by the people’s priorities’