Andrew Jones Archives - Page 16 of 21

MPs watch: Football, Yorkshire Show and covid vaccines

Every month the Stray Ferret tries to find out what our local MPs have been up to in their constituencies and in the House of Commons.

In July, the remaining covid restrictions were lifted, a historic decision was made to overhaul local government across North Yorkshire and England reached their first major football tournament final in 55 years.

Parliament went into recess on July 22.

We asked our three Conservative MPs, Harrogate & Knaresborough’s Andrew Jones, Skipton and Ripon’s Julian Smith, and Selby and Ainsty’s Nigel Adams if they would like to highlight anything in particular that they have been doing this month, but we did not receive a response from any of them.

Here is what we know after analysing their online presence.

Andrew Jones, Harrogate and Knaresborough MP.

In Harrogate and Knaresborough, here is what we found on Mr Jones:

On July 5, Mr Jones voted for the Police, Crime and Sentencing Bill on its third reading in the House of Commons. The bill has been criticised for giving more powers to police over protests.
Voted to make covid vaccines mandatory for staff working in care homes.
On July 15, Mr Jones called for a debate on the future of the events industry in the House of Commons.
On Friday, he was quoted as “welcoming” new funding for flood defences in Boroughbridge.
Mr Jones updated his website once in July. He visited the CityFibre works in Knaresborough, a £46 million project which is currently under construction.
Mr Jones’ Twitter account is for “retweets only”.

Julian Smith, MP for Ripon and Skipton.

In Skipton and Ripon, here is what we found on Mr Smith:

Mr Smith tweeted on July 5 that he visited Broughton Hall.
On the same day, he voted in line with the government on the Police, Crime and Sentencing Bill.
Mr Smith also voted for mandatory covid vaccines for care home staff.
On July 16, he wished “good luck” to the Great Yorkshire Show on its final day.
Mr Smith did not speak in the House of Commons in July.
The MP posted four times on his website in July.
On July 23, Mr Smith tweeted to promote walk-in vaccine centres in North Yorkshire.
On July 27, he posted on his website that he had visited Devonshire Arms Hotel and Spa at Bolton Abbey Estate. He said it was “great to see that they are busier than ever”.

Nigel Adams, MP for Selby and Ainsty which includes rural Harrogate.

In rural south Harrogate, here is what we found on Mr Adams:

A regular Twitter user, Mr Adams tweeted about England reaching the final of the Euros and posted a video of him at the Denmark game on July 7.
He tweeted again on July 11 to say he was “absolutely gutted” that England lost in the final to Italy.
On July 13, the Minister for Asia met with the Indonesia ambassador to the UK.
On July 15, he met the South Korean ambassador.
Mr Adams voted in line with the government on the Police, Crime and Sentencing Bill and mandatory covid vaccines for care home staff.
On July 20, Mr Adams visited a United Nations memorial to those who fought in the Korean War.
Mr Adams tweeted on July 26 that a dog had visited his office.
Mr Adams updated his website once in July.
He spoke in the House of Commons on three occasions in July.

Union criticises Harrogate district MPs for backing compulsory vaccines

The trade union Unison has criticised MPs in the Harrogate district for voting in favour of compulsory vaccinations for care home staff.

MPs voted through plans to make it mandatory for staff who work in a Care Quality Commission-registered care home to have two jabs of a covid vaccine unless they have a medical exemption.

It will become law from October after the House of Commons last night approved the regulation by 319 votes to 246.

The district’s three Conservative MPs, Andrew Jones, Julian Smith and Nigel Adams all voted in favour of the move.

But the North Yorkshire branch of Unison tweeted:

“Concerning that Conservative MPs in our area voted to allow the state to mandate vaccination.

“We encourage all our members to get vaccinated, but making it law is not the way a liberal democracy should operate.”

Concerning that Conservative MPs in our area voted to allow the state to mandate #vaccination. We encouragr all our members to #GetVaccinated but making it the law is not the way a liberal democracy should operate. @nadams @AJonesMP @kevinhollinrake @RishiSunak @JulianSmithUK https://t.co/usBHo7oKvj

— North Yorkshire UNISON (@NYUnison) July 13, 2021

Unison was responding to a tweet by Rachael Maskell, the Labour MP for York Central, saying care staff “need respect” and she objected to mandatory vaccines.

She said:

“This authoritarian state is encroaching on human rights of others. What next?”

Some rebel Tory MPs said the government should have published an impact assessment before the vote, which ministers said was “being worked on”.

William Wragg, Conservative MP, said he was “in despair” and that the government was “treating this House with contempt”.

Care minister Helen Whately said managers could discuss the vaccine with staff or look at alternative roles for those who did not want to be vaccinated.

The Stray Ferret approached all three of the Harrogate district MPs for comment, but received no response.

Crime commissioner defends local MP for voting against dog theft law

North Yorkshire Police, Fire & Crime Commissioner Philip Allott has defended fellow Conservative, Harrogate & Knaresborough’s Andrew Jones MP, after he voted in Parliament against making dog theft a specific offence.

Mr Allott repeatedly called for the crime to be put into law during his recent campaign to become the new commissioner.

As part of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill that is currently going through the Commons, the Labour Party put forward an amendment that would have for the first time made dog theft a crime.

Currently, the law doesn’t distinguish the theft of a dog from that of an inanimate object.

MPs voted the amendment down on Monday with a majority of 113. Four Tory MPs rebelled against the government.

Mr Allott told the Stray Ferret that he wouldn’t have voted for the amendment if he was an MP. He said this was because the government is currently consulting on its own law which he believes will be tougher on criminals than the one Labour suggested.

He said:

“I strongly support a law for pet theft, but I want to wait for the consultation”.

Mr Allott, who lives in Knaresborough, previously highlighted a survey showing dog thefts increased by 250% last year due to gangs cashing in on the demand for puppies during lockdown.

Sought-after breeds, such as French bulldogs, can sell for more than £5,000 and a litter can fetch £35,000.

Mr Allott accused Labour of “mischief-making” and said the offence could include cats as well as dogs.

He added:

“I’ll be interested to see Andrew Jones’s understanding on this but he does care about pets. He did the right thing waiting”.

The Stray Ferret asked Mr Jones to comment but did not receive a response.

MPs watch: Fish and chips in Batley and Spen

Every month the Stray Ferret tries to find out what our local MPs have been up to in their constituencies and in the House of Commons.

In June, a planned covid ‘freedom day’ was delayed and the district was gripped by Euro 2020 fever.

Here is what we know after analysing their online presence.

Andrew Jones, Conservative Harrogate and Knaresborough MP.

In Harrogate and Knaresborough, here is what we found on Mr Jones:

The Harrogate & Knaresborough MP was spotted campaigning for the Conservatives ahead of the Batley & Spen by-election on five different occasions. He was photographed eating fish and chips with Tory candidate Ryan Stevenson.
On June 16 he voted to extend coronavirus restrictions until July 19. There were 23 Tory rebels.
On the same day in the House of Commons, he asked the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Steve Barclay, about the continuation of business support grants with the delay in easing restrictions.
The MP told the BBC’s Local Democracy Service that he would be “very sad” to lose around 1,500 voters in a proposed boundary shake-up.
On June 17 he chaired a Department for International Trade meeting that offered advice to Yorkshire businesses on trading internationally.
Mr Jones was quoted on his community “news” website discussing the improving retail occupancy rates in the Harrogate district. He said: “These have been difficult times and we are still not through them. Retail and hospitality are going to face ongoing challenges but these figures are positive and an improving position on much of the last few years”.
Mr Jones did not update his website in June.
The MP attended Harrogate Grammar School with Conservative councillors to meet pupils and celebrate Walk to School Day.

Julian Smith, Conservative MP for Ripon and Skipton.

Mr Smith posted on Twitter that he had also been campaigning in Batley & Spen for the Conservatives. “Great feedback on the doorstep”, he tweeted.
He tweeted that he has given talks at 15 schools in his constituency over the past few months. Schools included Beckwithshaw and Kirkby Malzard primary schools.
The MP posted on Facebook that it was “great to be back” in Pateley Bridge, as he was photographed inspecting a David Bowie film poster at Tordoff Gallery.
He also visited Stump Cross Caverns, which raised over £70,000 in a successful crowdfunding campaign that gave pledgers the chance to win a camper van.
The Boundary Commission proposed changes to Mr Smiths’ constituency that would see him lose Bishop Monkton and Burton Leonard.
During a Commons debate about the Northern Ireland protocol, the former Secretary of State for Northern Ireland called for “compromise on both sides” following months of unrest in Belfast. Mr Smith has spoken in Parliament on six occasions this year, with five of them being about Northern Ireland.

Nigel Adams, Conservative MP for Selby and Ainsty which includes rural Harrogate.

In rural south Harrogate, here is what we found on Mr Adams:

The Minister for Asia condemned the closure of Hong Kong pro-democracy news outlet Apple Daily. He tweeted that it was “another chilling step towards silencing opposition voices.”
The MP sarcastically praised former speaker John Bercow after he defected to the Labour Party from the Conservatives. He tweeted: “I’m sure he will be a great asset to them given his popularity with the great British public.”
In the Commons, Mr Adams said the UK government “does not shy from taking action” against China over human rights abuses.
The Boundary Commission proposed changes to Mr Adams’ constituency that would see him lose all areas within the Harrogate district.

Andrew Jones MP should be ‘shaking in his shoes’, says local Lib Dem leader

The leader of the local Liberal Democrats says Harrogate and Knaresborough’s Conservative MP Andrew Jones should be “shaking in his shoes” after a shock by-election result yesterday.

In Chesham and Amersham the Lib Dem Sarah Green overturned a 16,000-vote Conservative majority in a seat that has always voted Tory. It’s being described as being part of a “blue wall” in the south of England.

Cllr Pat Marsh told the Stray Ferret she was “delighted” with the result, which she said has given the local party hope that it can overcome a 9,000-vote majority in Harrogate and Knaresborough at the next general election.

Like Harrogate and Knaresborough, the Buckinghamshire constituency has a reasonably affluent and older demographic.

Cllr Marsh said:

“It’s given us a positive boost. It’s shown us that it’s not impossible and it can be done. He can’t be complacent any more.”

Mr Jones has won four general elections in Harrogate and Knaresborough and first took the seat in 2010. It was held by Liberal Democrat Phil Willis from 1997 until 2010.

In yesterday’s by-election, housing and planning concerns were cited as the biggest reason voters turned their backs on the Conservatives.

Cllr Marsh said she expects housing to be a factor for voters at the next election in Harrogate and Knaresborough, which is currently seeing an unprecedented growth in new build housing developments.

She said Mr Jones “doesn’t listen to people” when it comes to housing concerns:

“Central government has allowed developers free rein throughout this country. It’s had a devastating effect in parts of Harrogate.”

The Stray Ferret asked Mr Jones for a response, but he did not reply by the time of publication.

Conservatives enlist Andrew Jones MP to help fight Batley by-election

Harrogate & Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones has been spotted in Batley campaigning for the Conservatives in the upcoming by-election.

The Batley & Spen by-election is being held after Labour’s Tracey Brabin stepped down to become the first Mayor of West Yorkshire.

A photo emerged on social media of Mr Jones eating fish and chips in the town alongside the Tory candidate Ryan Stevenson.

Current betting odds make Mr Stevenson favourite, ahead of the Labour candidate Kim Leadbetter who is the sister of the constituency’s former MP Jo Cox. She was murdered by a white supremacist in 2016.

It appears Mr Jones was back in West Yorkshire over the weekend as the MP stopped for a selfie with a young Conservative activist.

A spokesperson for Harrogate & Knaresborough Liberal Democrats said:

“It is disappointing that he prioritises Batley and Spen over dealing with important local issues.

“But he’s free to do this as long as he’s not doing it at the expense of the public purse.”

https://twitter.com/luca_s05/status/1403650019773792258?s=20

It’s not the first time in recent months that Mr Jones has been enlisted by his party to bolster support. He revealed in the House of Commons last month that he spent time knocking on doors in Hartlepool for the recent by-election there.

Political parties of all stripes often send in big hitters and high profile politicians during by-elections. The Guardian reported the Labour Party sent “dozens” of MPs to campaign in Hartlepool, which was won by the Conservatives.

The Stray Ferret contacted Mr Jones for comment but he did not respond.

Andrew Jones MP ‘very sad’ to lose villages in boundary shake-up plan

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones says he will be “very sad” to lose just under 1,500 constituents under proposals for a major shake-up of parliamentary boundaries.

The Boundary Commission this week announced proposed changes to constituencies across the country as part of a review that aims to make Parliament fairer by giving each MP a roughly similar number of voters.

If approved, the changes could mean Harrogate and Knaresborough, which has been held by Conservative MP Andrew Jones since 2010, would lose 1,469 constituents with several villages north east of the towns falling under a new Wetherby and Easingwold parliamentary area.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Mr Jones said:

“The proposed boundaries are the subject of consultation now. Many MPs will see changes to the makeup of the constituencies they represent – some will see those constituencies abolished altogether.

“Whatever the outcome I will be very sad to no longer represent some parts of the Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency should they be moved into another constituency.

“By the time these changes come into force MPs will have represented constituencies on the current boundaries for 15 years. That’s a long time and many great partnerships between individuals and community groups have been formed.”

The Boundary Commission carries out a review every five years and has put its proposals out for public consultation with a formal report to government expected by June 2023.

If the proposed changes go through, they will only come into effect in late 2023, which could be too late for the next election if Prime Minister Boris Johnson decides to call it early.

Some MPs could find themselves with safer seats, while others will be more closely contested and some will disappear altogether.

A map of the new constituency and reduced Harrogate and Knaresborough seat under the Boundary Commission plans. Picture: Boundary Commission.

To put the potential loss of 1,469 constituents in Harrogate and Knaresborough into some context, Mr Jones won the 2019 general election by a margin of 9,675 votes, beating his closest rival Liberal Democrat Judith Rogerson.

Mr Jones added:

“The boundary commission always has a difficult job too but they do it independently of the politicians and that is entirely appropriate.

“The most important thing, whatever the new boundaries, is that those close ties between the community and their MP endure. I will do all I can to facilitate that strong working relationship between any part of the current Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency and their new MP should the final boundary changes bring about such a change.”

Elsewhere, Conservative MP Julian Smith’s Skipton and Ripon constituency would engulf Ripley but lose other villages including Bishop Monkton and Burton Leonard under the initial proposals.

Selby and Ainsty, which is held by Conservative MP Nigel Adams and includes areas south of Harrogate, would also be reduced in size to only include Selby and its surrounding villages.

The initial proposals will now be subject to revisions and consultations, with the first set to run for eight weeks before closing on 2 August.

A second consultation with public hearings will then get under way in spring 2022, followed by a final four-week consultation on revised plans in autumn 2022.

Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency (proposed new electorate 72,850)

Council wards to be included:

Harrogate Bilton Grange
Harrogate Bilton Woodfield
Harrogate Central
Harrogate Coppice Valley
Harrogate Duchy
Harrogate Fairfax
Harrogate Harlow
High Harrogate
Harrogate Hookstone
Harrogate Kingsley
Harrogate New Park
Harrogate Oatlands
Harrogate Old Bilton
Harrogate Pannal
Harrogate Saltergate
Harrogate St Georges
Starbeck
Harrogate Stray
Valley Gardens
Killinghall and Hampsthwaite
Knaresborough Aspin and Calcutt
Knaresborough Castle
Knaresborough Eastfield
Knaresborough Scriven Park

Skipton and Ripon constituency (proposed new electorate 74,270)

Council wards to be included:

Fountains and Ripley
Masham and Kirkby Malzeard
Nidd Valley
Pateley Bridge and Nidderdale Moors
Ripon Minster
Ripon Moorside
Ripon Spa
Ripon Ure Bank
Washburn
Wathvale
Wetherby and Easingwold constituency (proposed new electorate 74,405)
Council wards to be included:
Bishop Monkton and Newby
Boroughbridge
Claro
Marston Moor Ward
Ouseburn Ward
Spofforth with Lower Wharfedale

To view the current and proposed constituency boundaries in full go to bcereviews.org.uk

Harrogate and Knaresborough could be shrunk, under parliamentary boundary shake-up

The Harrogate and Knaresborough parliamentary constituency could be reduced in size, under proposals outlined today by the Boundary Commission for England.

Under the plans, Harrogate and Knaresborough’s electorate would be shrunk and areas, including Boroughbridge, would fall under a new constituency.

Harrogate and Knaresborough’s constituency would see its electorate fall from 74,319 to 72,850. The Conservative Andrew Jones currently holds the seat.

The commission has carried out a review of parliamentary seat boundaries and opened a public consultation.

Following further consultation next year, it will publish a final report on boundary changes in 2023.

Under the current proposals, the number of constituencies in Yorkshire and Humber would remain at 54.

But Conservative Nigel Adams’ seat of Selby and Ainsty, which includes the south of Harrogate, would be scrapped.

How the current constituency boundaries look in Harrogate and Knaresborough.

The current constituency boundaries in and around the Harrogate district.

Instead, Selby would have its own seat and the north of the district would fall under a new constituency called Wetherby and Easingwold, which would take in areas including Wetherby, Boroughbridge and Green Hammerton.

A map of the new constituency and reduced Harrogate and Knaresborough seat under the Boundary Commission plans. Picture: Boundary Commission.

Kirby Hill and Bishop Monkton would become part of the new Wetherby and Easingwold seat.

The Skipton and Ripon constituency, which is currently represented by Conservative Julian Smith, would include Ripley, which is currently part of Harrogate and Knaresborough.

Tim Bowden, secretary to the Boundary Commission for England, said:

“Today’s proposals mark the first time people get to see what the new map of parliamentary constituencies might look like. But they are just the commission’s initial thoughts.

“Help us draw the line to make the number of electors in each parliamentary constituency more equal.

“Each constituency we recommend is required by law to contain between 69,724 and 77,062 electors, meaning there will be significant change to current boundaries.

“We want to hear the views of the public to ensure that we get the new boundaries for parliamentary constituencies right.”

The review will increase the number of constituencies in England from 533 to 543.

Just under 10% of existing seats remain unchanged as part of the proposals.

Members of the public can have their say on the proposals as part of an eight-week public consultation on the Boundary Commission for England website.

The consultation will close on August 2.

MPs watch: Timid flowers, Eurovision and Knaresborough banks

Every month the Stray Ferret tries to find out what our local MPs have been up to in their constituencies and in the House of Commons.

In May, lockdown restrictions eased again and life in the district slowly began to return back to normal.

We asked Harrogate & Knaresborough’s Andrew Jones, Skipton and Ripon’s Julian Smith, and Selby and Ainsty’s Nigel Adams if they would like to highlight anything in particular that they have been doing this month, but we did not receive a response from any of them.

Here is what we know after analysing their online presence.

Andrew Jones, Conservative Harrogate and Knaresborough MP.

In Harrogate and Knaresborough, here is what we found on Mr Jones:

In the House of Commons, Mr Jones revealed that he was enlisted by the Conservative Party to knock on doors in Hartlepool for the May 6 by-election. The seat was won by the party for the first time in its history.
He spoke about the sub-postmaster scandal in the House of Commons on May 19, saying: “Trust is central to a thriving Post Office and trust is necessary for people to take on the role of sub-postmaster or sub-postmistress with any certainty or security”.
Following the latest unemployment figures that revealed 2,530 people in Harrogate & Knaresborough were claiming unemployment-related benefits, the MP wrote on his website encouraging local employers to take part in the government’s Kickstart scheme.
On May 25 in the House of Commons, he raised the issue of community choirs being unable to rehearse indoors following the latest relaxation of restrictions. It prompted The Times’ sketch writer Quentin Letts to describe the MP in the newspaper as a “timid flower”.
Writing on his local “news” website, Community News, Mr Jones looked forward to better times ahead: “Our country is turning its sights to a post-COVID future, a more digital and greener future. That is good news for us all”.
On May 26 he voted down several clauses put forward by opposition parties for the Environment Bill. These included stopping peat burning in upland areas and making it a duty to create a tree strategy in England.
On May 27 in Parliament, he raised the fact that Knaresborough no longer has a bank.

Julian Smith, Conservative MP for Ripon and Skipton.

In Ripon, here is what we found on Mr Smith:

In early May, Mr Smith attended a meeting with North Yorkshire County Council about the local Transforming Cities Fund proposals in Harrogate, Skipton and Selby.
With museums reopening in May, he visited the gardens at the Ripon Workhouse Museum which is part of Ripon Museums.
On May 19, he gave an online talk to children at Beckwithshaw Primary School. Writing on his website, he said the pupils were interested in local issues and asked him questions on covid and climate change.
Last week, Julian Smith, MP for Skipton and Ripon, described the claims by the Prime Minister’s former chief advisor Dominic Cummings over the government’s handling of the covid pandemic as “for the birds”.
Five of Mr Smith’s 11 tweets were related to Northern Ireland politics. He tweeted about the Ballymurphy inquest that exonerated those shot dead by British Army forces in 1971: “All thoughts & prayers with the families of those killed at Ballymurphy.”

Nigel Adams, Conservative MP for Selby and Ainsty which includes rural Harrogate.

In rural south Harrogate, here is what we found on Mr Adams:

On Twitter, he posted his own Eurovision Song Contest scorecard. He gave the UK entry, James Newman, a generous 24 points out of 40. In the actual competition, the song received no points and came last.
A story published in The Times on May 9 revealed that Mr Adams received financial donations and luxury trips abroad from controversial Indian businessman Sanjeev Gupta. Mr Gupta has links to the biomass industry and, Drax Power Station, which burns the wood pellets to create energy, is in his constituency.
The Minister for Asia tweeted that the foreign office will spend more money on the BBC World Service to help tackle fake news around the world.
In ministerial written answers, he wrote about India’s covid outbreak that ripped through the country in May: “We stand side by side with India as a friend and partner in the fight against Covid-19, and send our solidarity and condolences to the Indian people at this difficult time.”
He tweeted 17 times in May.

Hundreds attend free war graves tours at Harrogate’s Stonefall cemetery

Tours were held throughout the day at Stonefall cemetery in Harrogate yesterday as part of the first war graves week, which was organised by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Stonefall, which has more than 1,000 graves, is one of the largest war grave sites in northern England and one of only five directly maintained by the commission. About two-thirds of the dead are Canadian.

The cemetery was created in 1914 but most burials are airmen who died during the Second World War when bomber command bases were established in Yorkshire.

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones, Lieutenant colonel Simon Farebrother, commanding officer of the Army Foundation College in Harrogate, Harrogate mayor Trevor Chapman and Johanna Ropner, the Lord-Lieutenant of North Yorkshire were among those attending the tours.

They heard the stories of some of the dead, including Isikeli Komaisavai, 24, believed to be the only Fijian who flew with the British Royal Air Force and two 17-year-old Canadians who lost their lives.

War graves week gave those unable to travel to burial sites in Flanders and Normandy because of covid the opportunity to discover the war heritage on their doorsteps.

It is hoped it will become an annual event.

The commission, which is funded by governments in six Commonwealth countries, maintains more than 12,500 war grave sites in virtually every town and city in the UK.

To coincide with the week, it launched a postcode search function to enable people to search online for more than 4,000 war dead. It is available here.

Claire Horton, director general of the commission, said:

“By simply entering your postcode on our website you can take the first step towards making a new connection.

“We want people to share the stories they find and download a tribute for the men and women from their communities and display it in their window for War Graves Week.”

Ms Ropner said:

“I would encourage everyone to find out more about the men and women commemorated by CWGC here at Stonefall and indeed around the world.”

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Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency (proposed new electorate 72,850)

Skipton and Ripon constituency (proposed new electorate 74,270)

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