Tag: Michael Fabricant

Michael Fabricant

Tory MP for: Lichfield (Staffordshire, West Midlands)
First elected: 1992
2017 majority over Labour: 18,581 (34.7%)
Seat at-risk ranking: 247th (out of 317 Tory MPs)

[Wikipedia article on Michael Fabricant]  [Wikipedia article on Lichfield constituency]

Tory MP Michael Fabricant has apartheid-era South African flag on his mantelpiece

From Channel 4 News FactCheck: Michael Fabricant has been captured on video standing in front of what appeared to be the flag of apartheid South Africa on the mantelpiece of his parliamentary office.

South Africa used the tricolour design between 1928 and 1994, and it was flown throughout the apartheid era, when South Africans were forced to live separately along racial lines and non-white citizens were openly discriminated against.

The flag became a symbol of the apartheid system and was regularly set on fire by protesters in a show of defiance.

Earlier this year, the Nelson Mandela Foundation called for the old flag to be banned from public display after became a feature of demonstrations by white farmers in the country.

The foundation said: “These displays demonstrably compound the pain experienced by millions of black South Africans who suffered under apartheid and continue to struggle under its legacy.”

Asked why he had an apartheid-era South Africa flag on his mantelpiece, Mr Fabricant replied on Twitter: “It’s alongside an old soviet-era USSR Hammer & Sickle flag – just out of shot. The cameraman can confirm. They are places I went on work visits in the 1980s. I am neither a Communist nor a supporter of apartheid.”

[Read full article on Channel 4 News website…]

Lichfield MP Michael Fabricant labels teenage voter ‘complete twat’ in Twitter row

From BirminghamLive: Tory MP for Lichfield & Burntwood Michael Fabricant has defended calling a teenager “a complete twat” on Twitter – claiming he suspected she was a Russian troll.

The politician launched the astonishing attack on Darcy May, 19, after she had questioned his commitment to part of the constituency.

The LichfieldLive blog reports that Darcy had called the Conservative MP “weak and wobbly” after suggesting he did not give enough attention to Burntwood.

But Mr Fabricant hit back on Twitter, stating: “Says a complete twat who seems unaware that there is no vote this year in Burntwood!!”

A shocked Darcy described the MP’s comments as “disgusting” on Facebook and added: “I never used foul language to him – I even asked if he would like to discuss this further in private message or in person, which he didn’t respond to.

“I never mentioned a vote in Burntwood and I never slammed the Tories – I literally just complained about Burntwood, yet I’m getting loads of messages from his ‘supporters’ attacking me personally.”

[Read full article on BirminghamLive…]

Tory MP Michael Fabricant says drunk MPs should not be accused of rape or sexual assault

From Evolve Politics: Michael Fabricant, the Tory MP for Lichfield, has controversially suggested that politicians who are drunk should not be accused of committing serious sexual assaults such as rape.

Speaking to BBC Newsnight, Fabricant said that people who commit acts of sexual assault should be considered ‘blameless’ if ‘everyone was sloshed at the time’.

Whilst admitting that ‘you sometimes get’ drunk people being accused of committing sexual assault, Fabricant went on to say ‘we’ve got to be very careful that we don’t get into that situation’ – blaming a ‘growing witch hunt mentality’ for the recent allegations of sexual assault.

The MP also dismissed recent allegations of sexual assault as just rumours.

[Read full article on Evolve Politics website…]