Tony

Retired Technical support engineer for typhoon based in Taif KSA. #IAmEuropean

[Tony @SleightTony]

@darrengrimes Have you sorted Durham finances out yet? You’re very good at pointing a finger, but, pretty useless yourself. What have you done that has helped your local community, which, is what you were elected to do.

[Tony @SleightTony]

@Nigel_Farage No you won’t. It always relies on international cooperation. You don’t like that, unless they are giving you cash.

[Tony @SleightTony]

@JuliaHB1 @TheSun 17miliion people voted to stay in EU in 1975, approximately 62% of the votes. Why is the 2016 referendum considered more binding?

[Tony @SleightTony]

@Robbie_Reasons The difference is she caused that to happen with her budget. The current situation is being caused by the US. The two are like comparing apples with oranges.

[Tony @SleightTony]

@lembitopik It is due to the action of the US against Iran, and Russia against Ukraine. Explain how drilling more North a sea oil will lower prices? The price we pay at the pumps never comes down as much as it goes up.

[Tony @SleightTony]

@TiceRichard No, the US is responsible for the rise in fuel prices. They started action against Iran. The rest of the world is paying the price.

[Tony @SleightTony]

@McivorJaymey This sounds like desperation.

[Tony @SleightTony]

@Jenny_1884 No

[Tony @SleightTony]

@darrengrimes And the connection to net zero is what? You spout complete rubbish. Have you sorted Durham finances out yet?

[Tony @SleightTony]

@Goosey30111568 It’s got nothing to do with the UK budget. It’s the US and France causing this, but, don’t let verifiable facts get in the way of your narrative.

[Tony @SleightTony]

@darrengrimes Pot calling the kettle black.

[Tony @SleightTony]

@TiceRichard Because it is only in your head. They are not. The gilt issue is due to US selling them.

[GetInTheBin 🗑️ @uktruth2025]

@TiceRichard 6% is real. “Markets horrified by Burnham’s socialism” is something you’ve invented. Bond yields are surging globally US Treasuries are at 24-year highs and French yields are soaring too. UK fiscal concerns add pressure, but markets haven’t issued your political press release. 🤦‍♂️

[Tony @SleightTony]

@jfoster2019 @andyburnham In 1975 17.4 million voted to stay in the EU. Why is the 2016 the only referendum that counts as binding forever?

[Tony @SleightTony]

@darrengrimes In 1975 the UK held a referendum as to whether or not to stay in the EU, 62% voted to stay. However you feel that the 2016 referendum should never be questioned. Why do you not say the same about the 1975 one?

[Tony @SleightTony]

@Kriggie1 You don’t have a choice in whether to pay NI or not. The rise in retirement age is not a to rob you, it is to ensure there are sufficient funds for you to get it. The population is getting older, each year more people are getting the pension, so fewer will be contributing.

[Tony @SleightTony]

@GavinDa83072875 It’s called personal choice. You have decided to pay for that.

[Tony @SleightTony]

@LeeAndersonMP_ Utter rubbish, you provide no evidence.

[John Kirby @csljohnkirby]

Dennis, who you vote for is entirely your choice.
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But let us deal with some of those claims using facts rather than slogans.
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“Open borders”?
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The UK does not have open borders.
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Small-boat arrivals in the year ending June 2026 were 33,374, DOWN 23% from 43,309 the previous year.
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“Non-existent deportations”?
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Again, no.
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In the year ending June 2026, 3,310 people who had arrived by small boat were returned from the UK, UP 35% on the previous year, with the latest quarter the highest on record.
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“Cancel jury trials”?
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The proposals are controversial, and I have concerns about restricting jury trial too.
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But the Government is not abolishing juries.
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The Courts and Tribunals Bill proposes judge-only trials for some lower-level either-way offences and certain complex cases, while jury trials remain for the most serious offences such as murder and rape.
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And the new administration is currently reviewing those proposals before the Bill returns to Parliament.
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“Cancel local elections”?
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Some elections were postponed because councils were due to disappear under local-government reorganisation.
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Many of the planned 2026 postponements were subsequently REINSTATED, and elections scheduled for 2027 are now expected to proceed while the reorganisation is reviewed.
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“Foreign aid off the scale”?
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UK aid spending is actually being CUT towards 0.3% of national income by 2027, partly to fund higher defence expenditure.
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ODA was £13.0 billion in 2025, DOWN 7.4% on 2024.
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And overseas aid is not simply money thrown away abroad. Humanitarian aid, health programmes and support in conflict zones can help people survive and remain closer to their own homes rather than becoming displaced across continents.
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Curiously, however, some people who object fiercely to public money crossing borders appear far less concerned about very large political donations or personal gifts originating from wealthy individuals based overseas.
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The Electoral Commission itself is now dealing with proposals for a £100,000 annual cap on donations from overseas voters and much tighter controls on crypto donations.
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Then “won’t use our gas and oil”.
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We DO use British oil and gas.
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Existing North Sea fields continue producing, and the Government's own policy is that they should continue through their economic lifespan.
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What is being restricted is new exploration.
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And there is a reason for that.
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British oil and gas is still sold at INTERNATIONAL market prices. Producing more here does not somehow insulate British consumers from world prices.
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Meanwhile the low-carbon and renewable-energy economy supported around 304,000 direct full-time-equivalent jobs in 2024, with employment up 51.6% since 2015.
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The broader official estimate of UK green jobs is around 652,100.
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So yes, let us talk about energy security.
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But home-grown wind, solar, nuclear, storage and other low-carbon generation are ALSO domestic energy.
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And reducing dependence on internationally traded fossil fuels can itself improve energy security.
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Then we get to “tax cars off the road”.
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Again, transport policy is open to legitimate disagreement.
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But pollution has costs too.
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Government health modelling estimated that PM2.5 and NO2 alone would impose around £1.6 billion in NHS and social-care costs between 2017 and 2025 where the evidence of association is strongest.
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Children, older people and people with respiratory and cardiovascular conditions are particularly vulnerable.
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So cleaner transport is not merely an ideological exercise.
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There are consequences for hospitals, public health, children missing school and ultimately taxpayers.
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You can absolutely argue that Labour has the wrong answers.
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You can argue that taxes are too high, spending priorities are wrong, jury reform goes too far, immigration controls remain inadequate or energy policy is mistaken.
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Those are legitimate political arguments.
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But “open borders”, “non-existent deportations”, “cancel jury trials”, “cancel elections”, “foreign aid off the scale” and “won’t use our gas and oil” are not accurate descriptions of what is actually happening.
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And I would rather debate what policies really do than vote on slogans about what somebody says they do.

[Tony @SleightTony]

@TiceRichard Utter rubbish. You are a grifter like your leader. You have no interest in the country or the people, only how much you and your mates can skim from the public purse.