Charles Walker, the Conservative MP for Broxbourne, has been criticised for his embarrassing response to a letter from an NHS nurse regarding public sector pay.
Walker rejected the plea from the nurse to support Labour’s public sector pay amendment to Theresa May’s Queen’s Speech last week, although in the letter, he acknowledged that the public sector pay cap should be “eased”. His justification for rejecting the amendment that would make this a reality was that:
“There is simply no chance of me, elected as a Conservative Member of Parliament, supporting any amendment tabled by the Labour Party while it is led by the Marxist duo of Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell. Two people who have consistently sided with the enemies of our country and have total contempt for its institutions of governance and law.”
Instead of offering a genuine reason behind the rejection of an incredibly sensible amendment that is vital for our hard-working public sector, Walker resorted to playing politics with the lives of ordinary working people up and down this country.
Newly elected Labour MP for Derby North, Chris Williamson, slammed the letter as “pathetic” and said Walker’s response to the nurse illustrated why “these Tories are unfit to represent the public”.
Read this pathetic response to a nurse from Tory MP Charles Walker, illustrating why these Tories are unfit to represent the public pic.twitter.com/nsB17bpSKv
— Chris Williamson (@DerbyChrisW) July 3, 2017
Walker’s letter was also ridiculed on social media, with one tweeter suggesting a campaign to buy him a copy of Das Kapital might help with his woeful understanding of what a Marxist is. YouTube star the Artist Taxi Driver also scorned Walker’s response as “poisonous”.
Let's start a campaign to buy Charles Walker MP a copy of Kapital and some tutelage by David Harvey. So he can get to grips with Marxism.
— darryl clifton REGISTER TO VOTE! (@cliftondarryl) July 3, 2017
Charles Walker Tory MP pens poisonous letter to an NHS nurse about public sector pay cap saying vote Labour you are this country's enemy pic.twitter.com/t5kDIuIHt0
— ARTIST TAXI DRIVER (@chunkymark) July 3, 2017
Just under thirteen million people voted for Labour in the snap election last month, which poses the question: does Charles Walker MP think there are thirteen million Marxists in the country? Despite Walker actually agreeing with the premise of the amendment, his refusal to cooperate with the Labour Party on the basis of a slanderous accusation of ‘Marxism’ and siding with ‘enemies of our country’ shows that the Tories are willing to spit in the face of public sector workers in order to ensure they cling onto power.
Somebody should send a memo to Walker that there is nothing ‘Marxist’ about wanting fair pay for public sector workers, or the Labour manifesto in general. Moreover, would invite Mr. Walker to actually provide any proof that Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell are Marxists. Actually Charles, we’re just begging you, pick up a book.
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