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Skinner blasts Tories’ nastiest generation

MP says new Tories are nastier than Thatcher

Dennis Skinner believes this generation of Tories are “nastier than Thatcher” and says that it’s proved by the defection of two of the party’s MPs to “ultra-right” Ukip.

The firebrand socialist MP has been the scourge of the “nasty party” in Parliament since taking his seat in 1970.

And videos of him skewering Tory idol Thatcher during her disastrous 11 years as prime minister have been viewed by hundreds of thousands of people on YouTube.

In a wide-ranging interview with the Star, Mr Skinner recalled how Mrs Thatcher axed “wets” from her cabinet to force through unpopular privatisations.

He said: “She weeded out — well it’s a silly statement, the ‘left of the Tory party,’ there can’t be one. But she got rid of people she didn’t trust.”

But the MP of 45 years said many of David Cameron and George Osborne’s gang of Tories are “nastier than Thatcher.”

“There are some now who are more right-wing,” he said.

“And it’s evidenced by the fact that their MPs have joined this ultra-right party Ukip, which is bordering on occupying the space left by the BNP.

“There’s not doubt about that.

“(Leader Nigel) Farage’s statement on immigrants blocking the M4 could have come straight out of the mouth of (former BNP leader) Nick Griffin.”

Ukip MPs Douglas Carswell and Mark Reckless have caused a Commons commotion by sitting on the same bench as Mr Skinner and other left Labour MPs since defecting from the Tories.

Mr Skinner said both have “moved a long way to the right” politically and revealed he has urged other Labour MPs to secure the seats by arriving early and using prayer cards — by which backbenchers can reserve a seat in the Commons.

 

Left-winger unhappy with Brand’s no vote call

 

Russell Brand’s public refusal to vote in elections has been branded “almost sickening” by Dennis Skinner.

Mr Brand revealed he had never voted and never will in a controversial Newsnight interview with Jeremy Paxman, blaming “absolute indifference and weariness and exhaustion from the lies, treachery and deceit of the political class.”

The Revolution author later said he’d vote and encourage others to do the same if there was a party that represented their views.

But Mr Skinner told the Star: “I think it’s almost sickening to see people like Russell Brand, with all their wealth, telling people not to use their vote.

“What else have they got when they’re skint, when they’ve got payday loans, up to their eyeballs in debt and haven’t got two ha’pennies to rub together?

“One thing they do have is a vote to change the system and vote for a little bit of socialism.”

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