Married to a millionaire? Not me, says Rebecca
SALFORD MP MOCKS ARTICLE FOR GETTING HUBBY WRONG
LABOUR leadership frontrunner Rebecca Long-Bailey has often spoke about her working-class roots and socialist beliefs.
So when political blog Guido Fawkes broke the news the Salford and Eccles MP was married to a multi-millionaire businessman it looked like a decent enough scoop. Under the headline ‘Long-Bailey’s wealth porkies’ the blog reported Ms Bailey-Long’s husband was Steve Bailey, a director at Bristolbased chemical firm Barrettine Holdings. Trouble was they’d got the wrong fella. Ms Long-Bailey is married to Steve Bailey, just not that one.
But Ms Long-Bailey, who is second-favourite behind Sir Keir Starmer in the contest to become the next Labour leader, seemed to take it all in her stride though. Tweeting a link to the article, which has since been deleted, alongside two laughing crying face emojis, Ms Long-Bailey wrote: “so funny, clearly I married the wrong Steve Bailey instead of my Steve who isn’t director of this company or heir multi million pound family fortune.
“Tripped up there didn’t I.” The piece, which has since been taken down read: “Long-Bailey has been campaigning on her ‘ordinary working-class’ background for a while, the day Beccy was born.
“She is keen to convince activists of her proletarian credibility, tweeting out this week: “I’m not your typical politician. I’m not a millionaire or a landlord, and I didn’t go to posh school. Instead I’m a life-long socialist.”
“While individually she may not be a millionaire, she is married to Steven Bailey, a director of Barrettine Holdings. The Bailey family are majority shareholders of the highly profitable chemical manufacturer which turned over £22 million last year, with the Bailey’s shares worth millions.
“Over the last few years the firm has also paid out millions in dividends to the shareholders.
“As with Lady Nugee (fellow Labour leadership candidate Emily Thornberry), claiming you’re not rich, your husband is, isn’t the persuasive argument they think it is...”