Words fail Minister over her Marcus Rashford own goal – Tom Richmond

The Work and Pensions Secretary’s initial 1,100 word statement contained no reference to the Manchester United and England footballer whose campaigning has left Boris Johnson – and the Cabinet – on the back foot on this issue after he mobilised a public petition to force MPs to debate the issue.

It fell to Jonathan Reynolds, Coffey’s opposite number, to say: “Half term has been and gone, so let me thank the real hero of the hour: Marcus Rashford. I think the Secretary of State might have forgotten to mention him.”

Again Coffey chose to ignore Rashford. Neil Gray, the SNP spokesman, then had a go: “I am delighted that the UK Government appear finally to be relenting to the incredible campaign run by Marcus Rashford.”

She ignored him, too, before Stephen Timms, a former Labour minister, said: “I do hope that the Secretary of State will have the good grace to acknowledge and thank Marcus Rashford for his campaign, as I certainly do.”

Only then, and with reluctance after many awkward minutes going back and forth, did the Cabinet minister concede: “Yes, of course I congratulate Marcus Rashford. He has shown his passion for wanting to make sure that no child goes hungry. That is a passion that I share.”

Grudging words that clearly hurt, they also expose the Minister’s rank hypocrisy. For, if she truly shared Rashford’s passion, she would be working with him after causing great offence at the outset of his groundbreaking campaign when she replied curtly to his appeals on Twitter and said: “Water cannot be disconnected though.”

Instead, her behaviour makes a mockery of Boris Johnson’s promises to support Rashford; betrays the 1.4 million children going hungry and disrepsects a 23-year-old campaigner who has achieved more than this Secretary of State will ever do. All the charmless Coffey does is score own goals – for the ‘‘nasty party’’.

IT was Nick Fletcher – the Conservative MP for the ‘‘blue wall’’ seat of the Don Valley – who spoke truth to power during this week’s Parliamentary debate on the Government’s levelling up agenda.

Referring to the Treasury’s Green Book that has so skewed infrastructure investment in favour of the more densely populated London and the South East, he was blunt.

“It is nothing short of a scandal that successive Governments’ failure to reform the Green Book has led to a lack of infrastructure investment in the North for decades,” he told MPs.

He’s right – apart from the fact that the word ‘‘scandal’’ doesn’t do sufficient justice to the decades of under-investment and under-funding that this region has suffered.

It was heartening, however, that it came from an independent-minded newly-elected MP – there’s just a small chance of the London Government taking a little bit more notice when the Treasury announces its new criteria in the Spending Review later this month.

And, if Chancellor Rishi Sunak wants any reminding about the issue’s importance and his own past promises, he will acknowledge his colleague’s final flourish.

“The over-concentration on quick economic returns has only exacerbated the North/South divide and needs to be totally reworked; otherwise, the Green Book will continue to give the same answer to any infrastructure proposal in the North – ‘The computer says no’,” said Fletcher.

Words of warning that need to be heeded if the Northern Powerhouse is to be turbo-charged at a time when it becomes even more important – and urgent – with each passing day of the Covid crisis.

NICE to see the SNP’s Stephen Flynn acknowledge the importance of the Northern Powerhouse agenda in the levelling up debate. “My biggest take from the debate is that I need to get my hands on The Yorkshire Post to see what all the fuss is about,” he said.

It prompted Halifax MP Holly Lynch to say “You could do with a subscription!” before the Scot replied generously: “We do not have The Yorkshire Post in Aberdeen at the moment, but I will put a call in with a local corner shop to see whether I can get it.” Rest assured, copies are on their way.

WILLIAM Hague – a politician ahead of his time – has cited the passage of the 1995 Disability Discrimination Bill as his most significant achievement in politics.

Yet, 25 years on, some disabled people remain second class citizens. Access to public transport can be a lottery while the selfish minority who park on pavements show no consideration for the wheelchair-bound.

Now it emerges that some disabled people in the UK have been struggling to obtain essentials such as medication and breathing equipment during the Covid pandemic. I hope Lord Hague – the former Richmond MP – can be persuaded to lead an urgent task force so that the 25th anniversary of the landmark law can be used to ensure people with disabilities receive the fairness – and humanity – to which they should be entitled.

THANK you to the volunteers and Royal British Legion who made it possible for such a dignified Remembrance Sunday service to be held at my local war memorial in Guiseley.

What a shame that the same could not be said for those impatient motorists who became agitated, even abusive, when the road was momentarily blocked for the two minutes’ silence. Have they no respect? Or shame?

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