Tom Hunt

Former MP for Ipswich. 2019-2024. NUFC fan.

[Tom Hunt @tomhunt1988]

@SandyofSuffolk @JuliaHB1 @AndrewRosindell @TalkTV Andrew has built up a significant personal mandate in Romford. Any other Conservative candidate would have lost the seat at the last General Election. If there were to be a by election now there would be a landslide for Andrew.

[Chris Rose @ArchRose90]

People like myself do still think highly of Danny Kruger, Robert Jenrick & Andrew Rosindell. So the Reform doing our “spring cleaning” line doesn’t go down well with me.

Particularly when the party has people like Kit Malthouse, Caroline Nokes, Andrew Boff & Gavin Barwell in it.

[Tom Hunt @tomhunt1988]

Hard to think of a better and more dedicated local MP than Andrew. Never treated with the respect he deserved by his former Party. So often sneered at by liberals wearing blue rosettes. His patience has finally snapped. A great patriot. I’m sure he’ll be valued in his new home.

[Andrew Rosindell MP 🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 @AndrewRosindell]

This evening, with sorrow, I have decided to resign from my position as an Opposition Shadow Minister and as a member of the Conservative & Unionist Party.

Since joining the Conservative Party at the age of 14, I have been a loyal and committed supporter of the principles advocated by Margaret Thatcher that have always underpinned my own political beliefs.

However, the time has come to put country before party. The failure of the Conservative Party both when in government and more recently in opposition to actively hold the government to account on the issue of Chagossian self-determination and the defence of British sovereignty, represents a clear red line for me.

Since entering Parliament in 2001, I have consistently argued, both from the backbenches and the frontbench, that the right of self-determination of the Chagossian people is sacrosanct, and that they alone should decide the future sovereignty of the Chagos Islands.

Regrettably, these concerns have fallen on deaf ears. Both the government and the opposition have been complicit in the surrender of this sovereign British territory to a foreign power. This was made abundantly clear by the failure of Conservative peers to vote down the British Indian Ocean Territory Bill at third reading earlier this month, following direction from the top of the party.

Sadly, I now believe that the Conservative Party is irreparably bound to the mistakes of previous governments and unwilling to take meaningful accountability for the poor decisions made over so many issues. Moreover, the views and concerns of constituents such as mine in Romford have been consistently ignored for far too long.

Following a conversation earlier this evening with Nigel Farage M.P., I have therefore agreed to join Reform U.K. as its seventh Member of Parliament.

It is clear to me that Reform U.K. is now the only political movement that is genuinely willing to fight for the best interests of the United Kingdom.

The views and concerns of the majority of the British people must no longer be sidelined.

Our country has endured a generation of managed decline. Radical action is now required to reverse the damaging decisions of the past and to forge a new course for Britain - one that firmly places the interests of the British people first.

[Rael Braverman @raelbrav]

The truth is finally beginning to surface. For years, the Conservative Party has treated its own genuine conservatives as an inconvenience - discarded, derided, and ultimately despised.

[Tom Hunt @tomhunt1988]

Rob was the only person with any credibility on immigration in the Shadow Cabinet.

The vast bulk of Conservative MPs still haven’t smelt the coffee regarding the betrayal that took place on immigration both legal and illegal.

[Robert Jenrick @RobertJenrick]

The truth.

[Tom Hunt @tomhunt1988]

Based on recent by election results in Suffolk local Conservatives would have almost certainly been wiped out this May on the county council. Ignore the weasel words, this has got nothing to do with “capacity” and everything to do with cowardice.

[East Anglian Daily Times @EADT24]

Fireworks at May elections meeting as councillors called 'idiots' https://t.co/juzuvaMuYR

[Tom Hunt @tomhunt1988]

In other words local democracy is being cancelled for another year. The last Suffolk County Council elections took place in May 2021, a political life time ago. Voters will see through this. Disgraceful.

[Suffolk CC @suffolkcc]

Suffolk County Council will write to Government to outline essential capacity issues caused by LGR.

This comes as councillors highlighted the essential capacity issues that are being caused by major reforms at a meeting of the County Council and Cabinet.

https://t.co/nXOOMWQmuh

[Tom Hunt @tomhunt1988]

Surely a no brainer ?

[Nigel Farage @Nigel_Farage]

I have written to @ShabanaMahmood urging her to rescind the citizenship of Alaa Abd el-Fattah and deport him from the country.

[Aubrey Allegretti @breeallegretti]

Nigel Farage wades into the row over Alaa abd El-Fattah, criticising the Conservatives for lobbying for him to be removed:

“Whilst Robert Jenrick is right to criticize Starmer over Alaa abd El-Fattah - we must not forget that it was the Tory government who started this.

“Whether it be Chagos, net zero or high taxes - Labour are only doing the same as the Tories, just worse.”

[Matt Goodwin @GoodwinMJ]

If you're not from the UK you should know that in the last 48 hours a teacher who showed his politics students a Trump video was referred to an "anti-terrorism" programme while the Labour government is celebrating the "return" of an Egyptian extremist who endorsed killing Jews, "colonialists" and police.

[Patrick Christys @PatrickChristys]

Oh dear

[The Telegraph @Telegraph]

🔴 Sir Keir Starmer has welcomed an alleged Islamist extremist, who labelled British people “dogs and monkeys” and called for Zionists to be killed, into the UK.

Read the full story here ⬇️
https://t.co/odM5KaH6fJ

[GB News @GBNEWS]

'Same old story, Labour are guilty of the very thing they accuse others of being!'

@benleo challenges former Labour adviser Paul Richards on Labour's decision to postpone council elections in May.

[Christopher Hope📝 @christopherhope]

LATEST Vijay Rangarajan, Chief Executive of the Electoral Commission, said: "We are disappointed by both the timing and substance of the statement.
"Scheduled elections should as a rule go ahead as planned, and only be postponed in exceptional circumstances.
"We are concerned by the possibility of some council elections in May being postponed, and even more by any further postponement to those which already had been deferred from 2025...
"As a matter of principle, we do not think that capacity constraints are a legitimate reason for delaying long planned elections.
"Extending existing mandates risks affecting the legitimacy of local decision making and damaging public confidence. There is a clear conflict of interest in asking existing Councils to decide how long it will be before they are answerable to voters.
"Voters must have a say on those that represent them at local government. We will work with the UK Government on these plans so that we can support voters, campaigners, parties and administrators who have been preparing for these elections." More at @GBNEWS.

[Steven Swinford @Steven_Swinford]

BREAKING

The electoral commission warns that delaying local elections for 9million+ people until 2027 risks undermining 'the legitimacy of local decision making and damaging public confidence'

It says that the 'capacity constraints' caused by reform of local government are not a 'legitimate reason for delaying long planned elections'

It says that scheduled elections should go ahead as planned

Follows @MaxKendix on delays

'Voters must have a say on those that represent them at local government. We will work with the UK Government on these plans so that we can support voters, campaigners, parties and administrators who have been preparing for these elections'

[Tom Hunt @tomhunt1988]

Unbelievable. These are county councillors elected in May 2021. A political life time ago. Still getting paid allowances by the tax payer. If the elections are further delayed I imagine it will backfire electorally on those frustrating democracy.

[Politics UK @PolitlcsUK]

🚨 NEW: The Government will ask Tory-controlled County Councils if they want to delay their elections till 2027

Ministers will confirm where will be delayed in January, it means some Councils could have their elections delayed a second year

[@MaxKendix]

[Tom Hunt @tomhunt1988]

@ITVNewsPolitics 🙄

[Tom Hunt @tomhunt1988]

@raelbrav Not sure where she was when it was all kicking off on the Rwanda Bill.

[The Royal Family @RoyalFamily]

A message from The King to the people of Australia following the antisemitic terrorist attack at Bondi Beach.

[The Royal Family @RoyalFamily]

A special message from The King, in support of Stand Up To Cancer. 🧡

As part of this year’s @SU2CUK campaign, @CR_UK and @Channel4, with support from the @NHS, have launched a nationwide Screening Checker to help people find out which cancer screening programmes they are eligible for and seek helpful advice on the process.

🔗 https://t.co/vBkgauFIme