New Commons leader slammed for saying people in the ‘real world’ don’t care about Partygate | indy100

Boris Johnson pictured with bubbly and tinsel at No 10 Christmas quiz

Independent

The new Commons leader has been slammed for claiming people in the “real world” don’t care about Partygate.

Mark Spencer, the newly-appointed Commons leader, told BBC Radio Nottingham that “when you get out into the real world and you talk to real people” they have told him “what really matters” is the cost of their energy bills, the NHS backlog, and the economy.

The Sherwood MP, who described his new role as a “cool job”, added: "It's fair to say Downing Street didn't get everything right but let's focus on the real world here."

Spencer, who is jokingly referred to as the “big farmer” by the prime minister, succeeds Common leader Jacob Rees-Mogg who has been made minister for Brexit opportunities in the mini reshuffle.

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But people are not impressed with his comment about the “real world”.

Piers Morgan referred to Spencer as an “arrogant out-of-touch p****” while others pointed out the sacrifices made by millions – who most certainly live in the “real world” – over the last two years.

What an arrogant out-of-touch pr*ck. Millions of people care because \u2018in the real world\u2019 they were making incredible sacrifices while those making the rules ignored them for themselves.https://twitter.com/bbcpolitics/status/1491419962145189895\u00a0\u2026
— Piers Morgan (@Piers Morgan) 1644427646

Unbelievably offensive to the over 180,000 bereaved families across the country. \n\nTragically it's clear that in the "real world" we have Government Ministers that would rather pretend bereaved families don't exist than protect them.https://twitter.com/BBCPolitics/status/1491419962145189895\u00a0\u2026
— Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK (@Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK) 1644425419

He\u2019s never met one.https://twitter.com/BBCPolitics/status/1491419962145189895\u00a0\u2026
— Mark Dexter (@Mark Dexter) 1644430460

I can assure Mark Spencer that everybody who lost a loved one, who couldn\u2019t see them before they died, who couldn\u2019t attend a funeral & has yet to mourn the loss DOES CARE that our Govt didn\u2019t comply when THEY didhttps://twitter.com/bbcpolitics/status/1491419962145189895\u00a0\u2026
— nazir afzal (@nazir afzal) 1644424159

Wow. He really should speak to some of them. ASAP.https://twitter.com/BBCPolitics/status/1491419962145189895\u00a0\u2026
— James Oh Brien (@James Oh Brien) 1644423666

Parents in the "real world" don't care about mess on their children's bedroom floor, my children say.https://twitter.com/BBCPolitics/status/1491419962145189895\u00a0\u2026
— Robert Hutton (@Robert Hutton) 1644419503

Oh believe me pal. We f\u2026..g do!!!https://twitter.com/bbcpolitics/status/1491419962145189895\u00a0\u2026
— Denise Welch (@Denise Welch) 1644424744

Manifesting: the trend for saying out loud something you wish were true, in the hope that this will magically help make it happenhttps://twitter.com/BBCPolitics/status/1491419962145189895\u00a0\u2026
— Michael Deacon (@Michael Deacon) 1644419221

\u201cThe grown ups are now in charge\u201d latest\u2026https://twitter.com/BBCPolitics/status/1491419962145189895\u00a0\u2026
— (((Dan Hodges))) (@(((Dan Hodges)))) 1644418923

If he wants to find out what the real world thinks of Downing Street parties\u2026call a General Election.https://twitter.com/bbcpolitics/status/1491419962145189895\u00a0\u2026
— Gareth Snell (@Gareth Snell) 1644428156

People in the real world don\u2019t like being told what people in the real world care about by a politician who has no concept of what people in the real world care abouthttps://twitter.com/bbcpolitics/status/1491419962145189895\u00a0\u2026
— Liam Thorp (@Liam Thorp) 1644417322

The Govt would like you to care about just one thing at a time please.https://twitter.com/BBCPolitics/status/1491419962145189895\u00a0\u2026
— Brian Moore (@Brian Moore) 1644423722

People in the real world cancelled weddings, couldn\u2019t visit loved ones in care homes, couldn\u2019t attend funerals, couldn\u2019t hold the hand of a loved one as they passed away.\n\nOut of touch doesn\u2019t even cover it.https://twitter.com/BBCPolitics/status/1491419962145189895\u00a0\u2026
— Jim McMahon MP (@Jim McMahon MP) 1644429984

Spencer’s comments follow the Met Police yesterday giving an update on their Partygate investigation, which has been dubbed Operation Hillman.

The police said they will be sending “formal questionnaires” to more than 50 people in relation to eight dates as part of their investigation into potential lockdown-breaking parties at Downing Street and Whitehall.

Detectives are analysing 500 documents and 300 images as part of the probe, including a snap published by The Mirror of the prime minister with a bottle of bubbly during a “virtual” Christmas quiz in 2020.

According to former aide Dominic Cummings however, there are “waaaaaay better pics than that”.

Spencer was formerly the chief whip before bagging his new job.

He played a leading role in trying to get Tory MPs to support a shake-up of Commons sleaze rules in an attempt to spare Owen Paterson from being suspended, incurring their wrath when the controversial plan was subsequently abandoned.

Spencer also failed to prevent a revolt by 100 Tories over Covid rules and faced claims – which he has denied – that he told MP Nusrat Ghani she lost her ministerial role because her Muslim faith made people feel “uncomfortable”.

It was announced yesterday that Boris Johnson’s ethics chief, Lord Geidt, will investigate the Islamophobia claims.

His new role will still see him play a major part in liaising between Tory backbenchers and No 10.

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