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.
This month our MPs gave their thoughts on the partygate scandal as well as on Rishi Sunak’s wife’s tax affairs.
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, as usual, 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 out on Mr Jones:
- On April 6, Mr Jones added his voice to the widespread disappointment that the area has not been awarded any money from the government’s Bus Back Better scheme.
- This month, the government launched controversial plans to send ‘illegal’ asylum seekers to Rwanda. On April 20, Mr Jones voted for an ammendment to the government’s Nationality and Borders Bill to enshrine this power in law.
- Mr Jones visited Harrogate’s job centre on April 13, where he posed for a photo with Aldi and Warner Hotels employees who were recruiting.
- On April 19 in Parliament, Mr Jones asked for more information about the controversial asylum seekers processing centre in Linton-on-Ouse. He asked: “When might it open? what is its capacity? and how many local jobs will be created?”
- Speaking in the Commons on April 21, Mr Jones backed an investigation into whether Boris Johnson misled Parliament over “partygate”.
- Mr Jones has not updated his official website since January.
- During a Commons debate on April 26, Mr Jones responded to calls from some Labour MPs to bring trains into public ownership. Mr Jones said Labour “haven’t got a clue” and that rail travel has thrived since privatisation.
- On April 26, Mr Jones said it was ‘deeply disappointing’ that the Taliban in Afghanistan had suspended secondary school classes for girls.
- On April 27, Mr Jones voted in favour of the government’s Elections Bill, which aims to tackle election fraud.
Read more:
Julian Smith, MP for Skipton and Ripon.
In Skipton and Ripon, here is what we found on Mr Smith:
- On April 8, Mr Smith defended Chancellor and fellow North Yorkshire MP Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murthy after she volunteered to pay more tax. He tweeted: “Not required in law but this is right decision. Both Rishi Sunak and Ashkata Murty have shown dedication to North Yorkshire & the United Kingdom over many years. Diversity of origin, background & roots is to be celebrated as is a v successful woman as well as a v successful man.”
- Mr Smith congratulated journalist and Grassington man Chris Mason on his appointment as the new BBC political editor. “Great news! Ermysted’s Grammar School old boys smashes it again!”
- Mr Smith voted in favour of a clause in the government’s Nationality and Borders Bill that commits the UK to receiving 10,000 refugees a year through official resettlement schemes.
- Mr Smith also voted to send ‘illegal’ asylum seekers abroad.
- On April 27, Mr Smith also voted in favour of the government’s Elections Bill.
- On April 28, the Ripon MP visited the city’s cathedral for a preview of an event that celebrates its founding in 1350. He said: “Flowers, light, sound – it has it all. Get along this weekend if you can.”
In rural south Harrogate, here is what we found on Mr Adams:
- On April 9, the MP announced he would be standing down at the next general election. He told the BBC he wanted to spend time on other interests after more than a decade in parliament.
- Mr Adams called criticism by Keir Starmer towards Rishi Sunak’s wife over her tax affairs “distasteful and desperate”.
- On April 12, the MP posted on his website that he welcomed a government ‘crackdown’ on fly tipping.
- On the same day, the MP praised Boris Johnson for his trip to Ukraine to meet president Zelensky. “Outstanding leadership from both men”, he tweeted.
- The MP hailed the government’s controversial plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda in Africa. He tweeted: “This plan will deter and prevent thousands of dangerous channel crossings organised by people smugglers who care not if their clients drown or not. If you think that is ‘inhumane and horrific’ there’s not much more I can add.”
- On April 12, Mr Adams said it was time to let Boris Johnson ‘get on with the job’ after being fined by the police for breaking lockdown rules.
