Optimist. Father. Ex jockey, lawyer, Hexham MP & Minister. Brain tumour survivor and campaigner. Now consulting, chairing and charity work.
- Tweets 21,709
- Following 2,188
- Followers 25,380
- Likes 26,795
Sadly, just over a week ago we lost our twin boys
Teddy came and went from this world quickly and quietly. He passed peacefully. Our younger twin, Rafe, was not born until Tuesday 23, but died later that day in NeoNatal ICU.
Baby loss, and coping with grief, is very hard 1/
ALT Quote over picture of a dark and heavy North Sea in Southwold. Quote is: "Picture a wave in the ocean," he says to her. "You can see it, measure its height, the way the sunlight refracts when it passes through... You know what it is. It's a wave. And then it crashes on the shore and it's gone. But the water is still there. The wave was just a different way for the water to be for a little while. That’s one conception of death for a Buddhist. The wave returns to the ocean, where it came from, and where it's supposed to be."
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I am an MP
I had surgeries today in Hexham with constituents,
Knocked doors in Allendale, and went to my local pub
I will do all this next week +hold the @TyneJobsFair on Friday
I mourn #SirDavidAmess ... but for all my @HouseofCommons colleagues, we keep going 👍 #Democracy
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Have struggled all day with the loss of @JBrokenshire
His death, at only 53, is senseless
Please, seize the day
Hug the one you love
Be all that you can be
This is not a rehearsal
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Utterly misleading / unfair tweet and criticism 👇🏼
The Home Sec @pritipatel was attending the arrest of a suspected leader of a people smuggling gang.
I prosecuted these people pre 2010 - they are proper villains. As an ancestor of recent migrants I fully support her action 1/
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Welcoming Christopher Coleman Opperman, who has been called Kitto for many months, to this wonderful world.
Know that you will always be loved little man.
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Big @Conservatives win in #Northumberland County Council by election in #Seghill tonight: a positive swing to us, in a crucial former Labour ward ✅
CON: 55.5% (+1.1)
LAB: 40.5% (-5.0)
GRN: 2.3% (+2.3)
LDM: 1.7% (+1.7)
Well done Eve, Barry, Caitlin, and all the team 🙏👍
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Simply not true👇🏼
I have worked in 4 govt departments (unlike Hannan)
Yes, the civil service can improve, but this is political clickbait and needs to be challenged.
If you want a better and more driven civil service get better ministers, a clearer plan and a laser like focus.
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I have missed @afneil - the BBC were mad to let him go.
A great intro, genuinely worth 5 minutes if your time, whatever your views. And as an MP I can assure you that all MPs in @HouseofCommons know he is the best interviewer: 👇🏼👍
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Ian Levy, the new @Conservatives MP for #BlythValley in #Northumberland - taking it in with wife Maureen and daughter Alice
#GE2019
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Another GAIN!!
The leader of the Labour group in Northumberland has lost her seat of
Hartley - by 1 vote to @Conservatives
She had a massive majority in 2017
This is a trend
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I believe Government should be focusing on the issues affecting our economy, the cost of living, and the necessity of ending the war in Ukraine.
I do not believe the many months associated with leadership change helps that; I do not support colleagues undermining the PM 1/
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We buried our boys together in a quiet country churchyard 2 weeks ago.
A v tough time.
But thank you to
- the 1000s of you who have written in, with kindness, empathy and compassion.
- and the 100s of you who have financially supported our work on medical research 1/
Sadly, just over a week ago we lost our twin boys
Teddy came and went from this world quickly and quietly. He passed peacefully. Our younger twin, Rafe, was not born until Tuesday 23, but died later that day in NeoNatal ICU.
Baby loss, and coping with grief, is very hard 1/
ALT Quote over picture of a dark and heavy North Sea in Southwold. Quote is: "Picture a wave in the ocean," he says to her. "You can see it, measure its height, the way the sunlight refracts when it passes through... You know what it is. It's a wave. And then it crashes on the shore and it's gone. But the water is still there. The wave was just a different way for the water to be for a little while. That’s one conception of death for a Buddhist. The wave returns to the ocean, where it came from, and where it's supposed to be."
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A massive @Conservatives gain in Northumberland in South Blyth
Con: 1114
Labour: 270
Lib Dems: 114
👍👍✅
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A very moving day.
The headstone and the new bench overlooking the twins grave all in place.
We spent some time chatting to the boys 👍
#neverforgetbutonwards
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It has been a honour, and a great responsibility, to serve as a minister, but we need leadership change, and I have resigned. I will continue to work for my constituents in Hexham from the backbenches.
My letter to the PM.
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Thinking of our 2 boys taken too soon, and resting together quietly in an English churchyard. We think of you always.
Adding a candle on this Remembrance Day
#WaveOfLight2021
#BabyLossAwarenessWeek
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The Wave quote is a good description of this awful process, and an acceptance of life passing. You never regret trying to have children. Sometimes baby loss happens. We will never forget our boys. They will be with us always. Just sadly only in their spirit and their memory 5/
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Thread 🧵 on the Labour reduction in #WinterFuelPayments.
I was the Minister in charge of this policy at DWP from 2017-2022. Labour are making a big mistake 1/
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Nothing we could do. Just a horrible tragedy. We emerged from hospital a week ago shell shocked. We have taken some time out to recover. I am back at work part time, but bear with me. We will come through this, but will always miss our boys. Cards are fine, but pls no flowers 2/
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#DDay77
6th June 1944 - 77 years ago
As you enjoy your Sunday give thanks to the thousands of allied troops home fought and died for your freedom.
#NeverForget
🇬🇧 🇨🇦 🇺🇸 🇳🇿 🇦🇺 and more
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Get In!!
Celebrating with #NHS mental health nursing assistant ... and the new #Northumberland #MP - #IanLevy has overturned a 7915 Labour majority in #BlythValley 👍👍😃😃😃😃
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Wanted to put in words how bereft I am at the loss of my Labour MP colleague and friend #JackDromey … and explain how he exemplified cross party working in @HouseofCommons 1/
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I remain of the view that @RishiSunak is the right person to be our Prime Minister.
He is a serious person for serious times.
He was right about the economy during the summer: we need his leadership to get us back on track.
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I voted to accept the Privileges Committee Report this evening.
I have read the report in full. It is not acceptable to mislead the House of Commons, whoever the person, whatever the surrounding circumstances. The @HouseofCommons is more important than all of us.
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The loss of our younger twin Rafe was particularly acute. He lived and died within a long day. But we treasure our time with him in Neonatal ICU. We were able to tell him of all our hopes and dreams for him, and our family; but he could not make it and died in Flora’s arms 3/
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We are grateful to the NHS doctors + nurses who tried to save our boys. We are engaging with Sands, who help families coping with the grief of baby loss. We will try and establish a small fund to support research that will prevent other families experiencing the same pain 4/
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The PM has my support as we collectively address these issues post covid; that means levelling up, enhanced pension saving, better education / skills and real conservative policies both to grow our economy and look after the most vulnerable in our society 2/
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@floetry and I have now set up a donation fund for research that will hopefully assist the prevention of other families experiencing the same pain from #pprom + #babyloss that we went through with Teddy & Rafe. ❤️💞6/
justgiving.com/crowdfunding/…
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Sadly no justification for
- defacing the Cenotaph + Lincoln memorial
- the violence against police in Westminster.
Not acceptable. Protests must be peaceful and in accordance with social distancing rules.
The police have my full support.
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20 MILLION VACCINES! 💉🎉
Amazing news! Big thanks to everyone involved! We are getting there. When you get the call make sure you get the jab.
#TakeTheVaccine @MattHancock @nadhimzahawi
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Proud to be part of @Conservatives Party with
- 2 female PM ✅
- 1st Jewish PM ✅
- 3 Asian Chancellors in a row ✅✅✅
- Asian Home Sec ✅
- 1st trans MP
And on it goes.
But sadly @HouseofCommons friends like Saj, Rishi, Priti, Nadhim will face this idiocy a lot ⬇️ I fear.
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An honour to be allowed to speak in memory of my @HouseofCommons colleague, and friend #JackDromey - a great Union and Labour campaigner, but also the best example of cross-party working I know #RIP 1/
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Took the adored surrogate child (Zola🐕) to visit our 2 sadly departed boys, on Fathers Day.
Looking onwards, and seeking blessings on every sunny day, but never forgetting.
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It is clear @Keir_Starmer and @AngelaRayner could have released this months ago.
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Fuller details of what did happen - I, for one, want law enforcement cracking down on people traffickers who exploit the most vulnerable 2/
We’re cracking down on the criminal people-smugglers responsible for facilitating dangerous and illegal entry to the UK 👇🏽
#NewPlanForImmigration
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Delighted to be appointed by HM The King as Minister of State at DWP in the PM’s new Government @RishiSunak
Lots of work to do and I look forward to working with the new Secretary of State @MelJStride
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Worth a read 👇🏼👏
PM speech at the Munich Security Conference: 19 February 2022 gov.uk/government/speeches/p…
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Utter Rubbish. The man used his position in the Commons inappropriately- and I speak as someone who helped lead the remain campaign in the north. The Focus is on what he did to individuals and his approach as speaker. End of
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Great pic ⬇️
Great approach 👏
Thoughts + prayers for @BorisJohnson and his family tonight.
Get well soon.
We need you to beat #Covid_19 + get back to @10DowningStreet
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Many superb speeches from all parties, in front of @HarrietHarman and their children 2/
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2014 IndyRef was a once in a generation event. SNP seem to forget this. ⬇️
nitter.app/PoliticallyPaul/status…
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ANOTHER RECORD! 💉 Almost 500,000 more people vaccinated across the UK in the last 24 hours - videos can't keep up....
Some facts about the rollout [a thread] 👇
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Went to see our boys grave, and took Zola to meet them.
A very moving time in a lovely rural church 1/
Sadly, just over a week ago we lost our twin boys
Teddy came and went from this world quickly and quietly. He passed peacefully. Our younger twin, Rafe, was not born until Tuesday 23, but died later that day in NeoNatal ICU.
Baby loss, and coping with grief, is very hard 1/
ALT Quote over picture of a dark and heavy North Sea in Southwold. Quote is: "Picture a wave in the ocean," he says to her. "You can see it, measure its height, the way the sunlight refracts when it passes through... You know what it is. It's a wave. And then it crashes on the shore and it's gone. But the water is still there. The wave was just a different way for the water to be for a little while. That’s one conception of death for a Buddhist. The wave returns to the ocean, where it came from, and where it's supposed to be."
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In the last 24 hours 248,177 have been vaccinated in England.
That's 248,177 more people who will soon be protected from COVID.
248,177 who are less likely to require hospital treatment.
And 248,177 who are less likely to die from COVID-19.
#GoodNews
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Found!!!
Reunited with #Zola thanks to chipping, and Alex who picked her up late last night.
Thank you to everyone who helped particularly @silvesterldn
#DogsOnTwitter
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With @floetry at our first #WaveofLight
With 2 candles remembering Teddy & Rafe, who are never forgotten
#BabyLossAwarenessWeek 2020 matters and happy / sad to be joining in with the Global Wave of Light. For all those grieving a loss, know that #YouAreNotAlone
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I am supporting @RishiSunak to be our party leader and the next Prime Minister.
#Ready4Rishi
ready4rishi.com
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11 years!
Both of us tumour free💪
With @PaulBlomfieldMP, my Labour colleague and friend @HouseofCommons ahead of #WearAHatDay tomorrow 🎩🧢⛑🧑🌾
We were the lucky ones, our lives saved by great NHS surgeons. Get involved tomorrow to support brain tumour research & awareness
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Nine years ago today, I collapsed in @UKParliament and was rushed to hospital where I was diagnosed with a brain tumour.
Thankfully surgery was successful, but I was very lucky. It is thanks to @QSNeurosurgery and #DrNeilKitchen that I am here today.
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How it How it’s
started Going
No longer a Minister. It is CBB for me ⬇️:
Constituency
Backbenches
Baby
#onwards 👍
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1 year on from the loss of our twin boys and a short thread on baby loss, helping other parents / clinicians and more 1/
Sadly, just over a week ago we lost our twin boys
Teddy came and went from this world quickly and quietly. He passed peacefully. Our younger twin, Rafe, was not born until Tuesday 23, but died later that day in NeoNatal ICU.
Baby loss, and coping with grief, is very hard 1/
ALT Quote over picture of a dark and heavy North Sea in Southwold. Quote is: "Picture a wave in the ocean," he says to her. "You can see it, measure its height, the way the sunlight refracts when it passes through... You know what it is. It's a wave. And then it crashes on the shore and it's gone. But the water is still there. The wave was just a different way for the water to be for a little while. That’s one conception of death for a Buddhist. The wave returns to the ocean, where it came from, and where it's supposed to be."
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Worth five minutes, a coffee and a good read 👇🏼 ... @afneil sets out why the SNP / Green Party deal is, and will be, a disaster on many many levels for Scotland, my constituents in Northumberland working both sides of the border and the rest of the UK 🇬🇧
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Thank you 🙏
to the Northumberland community of #Hexham for the opportunity you gave me.
A thread on Democracy, family and fellowship⬇️🧵
Serving in the @HouseofCommons as the Hexham MP for 14 years has been the honour of my life. 1/
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When my children passed away in the summer of 2020 he was unbelievably kind.
I mourn this gentle but passionate man who existed to change things for the better. It was an honour to know him, and we are poorer for his loss. My thoughts are with a Harriet and their family 3/
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I could outline a lot lot more detail on this issue, but one thing is sure.
This policy as presently proposed will not last.
I am afraid the ministers should listen to their civil servants on this one / Ends
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Kitto will always be our third child.
Sadly our twin boys did not make it, being born too soon for this world. They are loved, and never forgotten but, for now, we celebrate a long journey to parenting 👍
Sadly, just over a week ago we lost our twin boys
Teddy came and went from this world quickly and quietly. He passed peacefully. Our younger twin, Rafe, was not born until Tuesday 23, but died later that day in NeoNatal ICU.
Baby loss, and coping with grief, is very hard 1/
ALT Quote over picture of a dark and heavy North Sea in Southwold. Quote is: "Picture a wave in the ocean," he says to her. "You can see it, measure its height, the way the sunlight refracts when it passes through... You know what it is. It's a wave. And then it crashes on the shore and it's gone. But the water is still there. The wave was just a different way for the water to be for a little while. That’s one conception of death for a Buddhist. The wave returns to the ocean, where it came from, and where it's supposed to be."
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Leaving the DWP.
Have done nearly 8 years as Whip, Pensions Minister and Employment Minister under 4 PMs. A real honour to have served.
Moving to another department, but just finished packing up and thanking my wonderful private office team.
#Onwards 👍
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I have lost 2 @HouseofCommons colleagues, murdered by extremists in the last 6 years. This👇🏼does not help.
My thanks to the police up and down the country who are now having to protect all MPs more because of idiots like this.
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INCREDIBLE - 10 MILLION VACCINATIONS! 💉
Almost 3 million in the last week alone. Huge achievement - well done to all involved!
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So excited #10for10 launches today 🚀
Persuading everyone to exercise, while raising money for charity: you could walk 10,000 steps, run 🏃🏼♀️ / cycle 10k 🚴🏻♂️ or do 10 press ups/ sit ups a day - or something much more inventive… see my own commitments here 1/bit.ly/3eeazNB
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👀 Amazing from Starmer ⬇️
I suppose Darlington is a long way from #HolbornandStPancras
On a day that the town I represent received good news this is what @Keir_Starmer had to say. Shameful. Labour voters in #Darlington will remember this for a long long time.
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- #LivingWage increase tomorrow [2010 it was £5:80 ...now £8.21]
And ... this week:
- #IncomeTaxThreshhold increases from £11,850 to £12,500 [was £6500 in 2010]
- #AutoEnrolment up to 8%
- Plus 15-30 hrs #Freechildcare worth thousands of £ a year introduced by @Conservatives
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New @Conservatives top team is #ModernBritain:
-Chancellor @sajidjavid = #Muslim, son of immigrant bus driver from Pakistan
-Foreign Sec @DominicRaab : son of a #Jewish refugee from Czech Republic
-Home Sec @patel4witham :daughter of #Hindu refugees from Uganda
#Proud
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After lots of campaigning delighted the @Conservatives govt have agreed that a new 'Great Northumberland Forest' with a million trees will be planted to help save the planet + provide long term timber - Chronicle Live chroniclelive.co.uk/news/nor…
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Reappointed as the #Pensions and #FinancialInclusion Minister @DWP 👍
Very pleased ...
And a short pensions thread👇🏼1/
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How it How it
started Finished
6 fringes, multiple speeches, meetings and more … with a small one! Thank you #Birmingham #CPC22 #onwards
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Thank you Len ⬇️
Don’t be shy, pls Apply!
#PensionCredit ✅👍
It’s a 10 from Len for our #PensionCredit day of action
On average #PensionCredit could get a pensioner household £3,300 a year in extra support
If you, a family member or a friend are eligible for #PensionCredit, don't be shy, please apply
Visit ow.ly/mfxs50JxO0x
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Another GAIN
(our 6th from Labour) in #Northumberland!
Massive win in Cramlington South East 👍
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Great to be back in #Hartlepool for the @Conservatives candidate @Jill4Hartlepool for the 3rd time dodging the rain and helping out in the by election 👍
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4 years ago we lost the twin boys … never forgotten … but these 3 doing very well now #onwards
Sadly, just over a week ago we lost our twin boys
Teddy came and went from this world quickly and quietly. He passed peacefully. Our younger twin, Rafe, was not born until Tuesday 23, but died later that day in NeoNatal ICU.
Baby loss, and coping with grief, is very hard 1/
ALT Quote over picture of a dark and heavy North Sea in Southwold. Quote is: "Picture a wave in the ocean," he says to her. "You can see it, measure its height, the way the sunlight refracts when it passes through... You know what it is. It's a wave. And then it crashes on the shore and it's gone. But the water is still there. The wave was just a different way for the water to be for a little while. That’s one conception of death for a Buddhist. The wave returns to the ocean, where it came from, and where it's supposed to be."
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Took Kitto to meet the brothers he sadly never knew. Grief fades in the end. These 2 have kept us going #onwards
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#WinningHere in #Northumberland!!
Last nights Blyth Council by-election result (Cowpen ward in new #Conservative #BlythValley constituency):
- Aileen Barrass (Lab) 231
- Adam Parsons (Con) 348
@Conservatives gain from #Labour with massive swing! #Onwards
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Delighted to be re-appointed by the PM as Minister for Pensions + Financial Inclusion.
We’ve already achieved a lot, but there is lots more to crack on with.
Top priorities are the #PensionSchemesBill thru @HouseofCommons
+ continuing progress on #ESG
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Not classy
Have a look in a mirror before you start criticising Helen - could say a lot more but happy Christmas
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Utterly brilliant takedown of @theSNP position by @michaelgove. 🔥
“Now the leader of the SNP is voting to take us out of the EU without a deal. He’s doing something that his own party said should be an imprisonable offence.”
CCHQ Press
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Love #Northumberland! Given bread by a supportive constituent today 🍞🥖👍#GeneralElection
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The first @Conservatives gain in #GE2019! Turning Blyth Valley in Northumberland blue ✅
Won’t forget my reaction👇
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I resign with great regret, given there are serious ongoing issues that need addressing ranging from cost of living support, to legislation, & parliamentary debates.
It should not take the resignation of 50 colleagues, but sadly the PM has left us no choice. He needs to resign.
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2 female #PrimeMinisters
Both @Conservatives 👍
We are proud to see the portrait photograph of the second female Prime Minister, @theresa_may, added to the famous staircase in 10 Downing Street.
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