Independent Media | Campaigning Journalism
Theresa May tried to boast about her record in government. Labour’s David Lammy tore her apart.
On 27 June, Britain’s beleaguered prime minister attempted to say her government is delivering for everyone:
Whatever your age, wherever you live, the Government is making good progress delivering for you – a Britain fit for the future #PMQs pic.twitter.com/rXMagBUDZp
— Theresa May (@theresa_may) June 27, 2018
But Labour MP David Lammy wasn’t having any of it.
Torn apart
Theresa May gave 15 examples of how the government is delivering for everyone, ranging from slashing stamp duty to the expansion of Heathrow.
But it backfired, as Lammy tore her record apart in response:
*unless you're:
1) A #Grenfell survivor
2) Homeless
3) From the #Windrush generation
4) An EU citizen living in the UK
5) A UK citizen living in the EU
6) An Airbus worker
7) On a zero hours contract
8) Young
9) Disabled
10) A refugee
Have I left anyone out? #PMQs https://t.co/sM8iYyH2k5— David Lammy (@DavidLammy) June 27, 2018
Lammy called on members of the public to give their own suggestions as to whom this government has failed. They didn’t disappoint:
lots more good suggestions coming in:
11) Teachers
12) Users of Sure Start centres
13) Not a homeowner
14) A rail commuter
15) Receiving Universal Credit
16) Hit by the bedroom tax
17) Relying on a food bank
Keep them coming in; unfortunately this could go on for a while.— David Lammy (@DavidLammy) June 27, 2018
The suggestions kept rolling in until they had absolutely trounced May’s fifteen examples:
even more of your examples:
18) A WASPI woman
19) A public sector worker
20) A student 👩🎓 👨🎓
21) A carer
22) A fire fighter 🔥
23) Living near the Northern Ireland border
24) In need of legal aid
25) A badger
I’m sure there must be more…— David Lammy (@DavidLammy) June 27, 2018
A night to sleep on it and you’ve come up with yet more examples:
26) Suffering from mental health
27) Recently graduated with extortionate debt
28) People who breathe air in London
29) A northerner
30) Scottish 🏴
31) Welsh 🏴
32) Northern Irish ☘️— David Lammy (@DavidLammy) June 28, 2018
Theresa ‘wheat runner’ May
People didn’t even need Lammy to counter May’s ridiculous claims. They saw through her lack of sincerity the same way they saw through Boris Johnson’s mini-break to Afghanistan:
What planet are you on!!!! Not ours,,, https://t.co/gfMGYxITpD
— Robert (@pollypeel) June 27, 2018
Death
Destruction
Lies
Referendum and election fraud
Data theft
Bribed by Russia
Treason
Two wasted generations because of brexit
Mega austerity
Destruction of NHS
Destruction of the UK
— cirian75 #ABTV #PeoplesVote #FBPE (@cirian75) June 27, 2018
And they fact-checked her boasts:
Did you really just say improved mental health services? I think you live on a different planet to the rest of us. 4000 mental health beds closed since 2012. https://t.co/p3aq3sQHmwhttps://t.co/ixneKafILF
— Julian (@JulianPT158) June 27, 2018
One response laid bare the personal cost of May’s hostile environment:
A foster carer caring for a beautiful black little girl who cant get a passport because of her family history #windrush. Desperately want to take her to Disneyland. She deserves the best after such a horrible start in life.
— Helen Mills (@helenok) June 27, 2018
And while Theresa ‘wheat runner‘ May is at large, of course, our countryside will never be safe:
A field of wheat.
— Lucy Eleanor (@EasyLarry) June 27, 2018
Outlandish
No government in history could seriously claim that it’s delivering for everyone. Yet May’s record makes her boasting particularly outlandish:
What rubbish Theresa. You're just as bad as Trump for fake facts. Food banks reliance at all time high, NHS on its knees and that's before a disastrous Brexit kicks in. Worst PM in living history
— NI Atheist #FBPE (@NI_Atheist) June 27, 2018
Thankfully, it didn’t go unchallenged.
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Featured image via BBC – screengrab / RTUK – YouTube
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