By Ben Kerrigan-
A Conservative candidate in the upcoming byelection for Tamworth, has presented an unacceptable defence for his shameful post on facebook.
Andrew Cooper came under fire for sharing a controversial Facebook post in 2020, which suggested that jobless parents who still maintained a £30 phone bill should “f*** off” if they couldn’t feed their children.
The post which sparked outrage, calls for accountability, as the general public and political figures demanding high standards from Members of Parliament (MPs).
Cooper is vying to replace former deputy chief whip Chris Pincher as the Member of Parliament for Tamworth, in one of two critical byelections set to take place on Thursday.
The social media post, shared on Cooper’s Facebook account, included a flowchart implying that people should only seek help if they were employed and willing to give up their TV and mobile phone contracts.
The post created a divisive narrative by suggesting that those who were unemployed or paid for services such as TV subscriptions or phone contracts should “f*** off”, rather than seek assistance.
Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, declined to condemn Cooper’s comments during Prime Minister’s Questions, instead expressing pride in the government’s track record of supporting families during the ongoing cost of living crisis.
The controversial screenshot was shared on the local Facebook page “Spotted Tamworth,” accompanied by an anonymous message criticizing Cooper’s views: “Lovely potential MP!! Wants to starve the children!! He won’t get my vote! Absolute cretin!”
In his response to the outrage, Cooper stated, “I think most people in Tamworth would agree that benefits are not there to pay for luxuries. There are too many people on out-of-work benefits, and there needs to be improved incentives to get people into work.”
He emphasized the government’s commitment to encouraging people to transition from welfare to employment, echoing sentiments expressed by the Prime Minister and Chancellor.
However, the Mp failed to acknowledge his ill advised post in which he used vulgar language to convey his point.
According to the most recent constituency data, as of 2021-22, 19.5% of children in Tamworth lived in relative poverty. This statistics to a large extent shows the critical importance of policies and perspectives aimed at addressing the challenges faced by local families.
Andrew Griffith, a Conservative minister, praised Cooper as a “fantastic” candidate but also highlighted the importance of prospective MPs demonstrating empathy and wise language choices, especially on social media platforms.
Griffith emphasized that constituents expect their elected representatives to work diligently and advocate for their interests.
Griffiths himself resigned as minister for small business in July 2018 after saying he was “deeply ashamed” at sending 2,000 messages to the constituents over a three-week period, and was seeking professional help.
He was eventually re-instated to participate in a confidence vote, despite being under investigation for inappropriate touching and bullying.
The Labour MP Stephanie Peacock, who is leading the Labour Party’s byelection campaign in Tamworth, criticized Cooper’s comments, saying, “It shows a complete lack of understanding of the challenges facing families in Tamworth that the Conservative candidate is telling parents who are struggling to make ends meet to ‘f*** off’.”
Peacock highlighted the long-term economic challenges faced by the constituency and questioned Cooper’s suitability to address these pressing issues.
The byelection in Tamworth, traditionally a Conservative stronghold, is gaining national attention as parties prepare for a three-way contest, including the Liberal Democrats, in a bid to secure victory.
Amid the rising tensions, voters and political observers are keeping a close eye on the candidates and the expectations of high standards from their elected officials
The outcome of the byelection could potentially reflect broader public sentiment on critical issues, including poverty, unemployment, and the cost of living crisis.
One thing for sure is that Cooper sets a bad example as an Mp, and is not fit to hold an importance office as that of an Mp.