How a former Tory MP responded to this dad’s tweet tells you all you need to know
Here’s how David Davis’s erstwhile chief of staff, former Tory MP Stewart Jackson, responded to a dad who tweeted a picture of his stepson who’s in hospital and was unable to go on the People’s Vote march on Saturday.
Here’s the tweet by dad, Anthony Hobley.
My stepson had an operation yesterday @GreatOrmondSt. He’s incredibly brave but gutted he can’t be at the #PeoplesVoteMarch today with his brothers & sisters. You can see he’ll be there in spirit & his brothers are saluting him with a dab! #PeoplesVote #peoplesvotemarch pic.twitter.com/lYoiREnBjH
— Anthony Hobley (@arhobley) October 20, 2018
It prompted lots of warm replies like this one.
If you DM me his name I will add him to my flag. First name and initial or nickname. He can be there with me 🇪🇺☘
— Spooky #IAmRemain 🇪🇺❤ (@Spookella) October 20, 2018
And then there was the former Tory MP, who chose to respond like this.
It prompted outrage online.
Absolutely disgraceful from Tories at every level, chilling talk of knives and nooses re: PM from her own MPs and now this defeated one insulting a little poorly kid. May’s “nasty party” jibe never truer, all thanks to toxic Brexit having poisoned political atmosphere… https://t.co/2HvRjhnU5O
— Rupa Huq MP (@RupaHuq) October 22, 2018
Tweet appears to have been deleted v fast. But shocking … https://t.co/EMFylSZlcW
— Rory Cellan-Jones (@ruskin147) October 22, 2018
I tell a lie this appalling tweet from former MP and David Davis aide @BrexitStewart is still up pic.twitter.com/dPcYOCpZdM
— Rory Cellan-Jones (@ruskin147) October 22, 2018
And Labour MP Wes Streeting suggested he might like to do the decent thing and apologise.
.@BrexitStewart this is beneath you. You should delete it and issue a grovelling apology. pic.twitter.com/Mu5WKDAtsU
— Wes Streeting MP (@wesstreeting) October 22, 2018
But instead he did this.
What sort of individual invades their sick child’s privacy at a sensitive time to make a political point about the so called Peoples Vote? Really. Awful.
— Stewart Jackson (@BrexitStewart) October 22, 2018
Much to people’s amazement.
He's… he's doubling down. pic.twitter.com/zNxHoMVyF0
— Jason Sinclair (@jlsinc) October 22, 2018
In his defence, Jackson offered up this.
.@BrexitStewart tells me he was 'obviously' referring to the stepdad not stepson. "I just think politics is in a low place when Remainers use their kids in this way, invading the child's privacy whilst in hospital to make a political point on the People's Vote." Not backing down pic.twitter.com/F9iRTMeoyd
— Paul Waugh (@paulwaugh) October 23, 2018
Except, well, we’re with this guy.
I see a few people making the argument that Jackson was calling the FATHER of a hospitalised child a "pathetic cretin", rather than the child himself. It's amazing what passes for the moral high ground these days https://t.co/aqfYw8zoTO
— Tom Chivers (@TomChivers) October 23, 2018
And these people.
No wonder Brexit's a mess when until recently this charmer was a key negotiator https://t.co/ORdeLTGYL3
— Kevin Maguire (@Kevin_Maguire) October 23, 2018
“Hi a boy is sick in hospital and I need to get a card”
“Get well soon cards are over here”
“No no, he’s a remainer”
“Uh-“
“And I’m a former Tory MP”
“I’m not sure what you’re saying”
“Where is your ‘what a pathetic fucking cretin’ section?” pic.twitter.com/CtzUfRrObl— James Felton (@JimMFelton) October 23, 2018
You could tell a lot about Davis' judgement by fact he hired Jackson. https://t.co/FAYjjy7REH
— Ian Dunt (@IanDunt) October 22, 2018
What a lovely bunch they are. https://t.co/XiI0O7QvGX
— Jay Rayner (@jayrayner1) October 23, 2018
But because we wanted to end on a positive note, there was also this.
What a fabulous picture.
My step son asked me to thank everyone for-all their incredibly kind wishes. #PeopesVoteMarch #peoplesvote #PeoplesVoteBanner #marchforme #PEOPLESVOTEMARCH #peoplesvotemarch @GreatOrmondSt pic.twitter.com/iYvQ3wh4aV
— Anthony Hobley (@arhobley) October 20, 2018
