A CONSERVATIVE MP has been strongly condemned after suggesting an environmental activist who questioned his voting record was "spreading hatred".
Catrin Maby, a former Labour Senedd candidate, accused Welsh MP David TC Davies of voting for a bill that would “allow water companies to dump raw sewage into rivers”.
Davies, MP for Monmouth in South Wales, hit back at the former Labour candidate saying, “activists like you are more interested in spreading hated on Twitter than looking at the arguments”.
However, Davies’ has been hit by a massive backlash for his comments, with many accusing the MP of trying to stifle debate.
In a week when we should be thinking about the language we use online & the effect it has does the @UKLabour condone this kind of language from its activists? pic.twitter.com/qn3Z22owZg
— David TC Davies MP 🏴🇬🇧 (@DavidTCDavies) October 22, 2021
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Maby said: “So @DavidTCDavies, you voted yesterday to allow water companies to continue dumping RAW SEWAGE in our rivers.
“But you told Monmouth THIS was what was killing the Wye and the Usk, and not the effect of intensive farming or poultry units near water courses.”
Davies responded: “We voted to reduce sewage going into rivers-but we can't risk it backing up into people’s homes.
"The facts were set out but activists like u are more interested in spreading hatred on Twitter than looking at the arguments. In this of all weeks - shame on you.”
He later screenshotted the exchange and tweeted: “In a week when we should be thinking about the language we use online & the effect it has does the @UKLabour condone this kind of language from its activists?”
Conservative politician wants to ban the use of offensive terms like ‘raw sewage’?
— Peter Jukes (@peterjukes) October 24, 2021
Truly baffled by this. Perhaps, like me, David Davies needs to get reading glasses https://t.co/QftuRCrJFG
Peter Jukes, CEOI of Byline Times, responded to Davies, saying: “Conservative politician wants to ban the use of offensive terms like ‘raw sewage’?
“Truly baffled by this. Perhaps, like me, David Davies needs to get reading glasses.”
One user accused the Tory MP of attempting to evade “even the mildest of attempts at accountability or critics”.
Others accused the Tory MP of being inconsistent in his view around the language used in political debates.
Morning David. Which bit do you consider abusive? Just checking my abusive radar because I’ve just seen @andreajenkyns call @mrjamesob an Idiot and I’m confused as to what is acceptable.. a polite question from a Constituent or calling names?
— Deborah Meaden 💙 (@DeborahMeaden) October 24, 2021
Businesswoman Deborah Meaden responded to Davies, saying: “Morning David. Which bit do you consider abusive? Just checking my abusive radar because I’ve just seen @andreajenkyns call @mrjamesob an Idiot and I’m confused as to what is acceptable ... a polite question from a constituent or calling names?”
The comment is in reference to Tory MP Andrea Jenkyns who previously called LBC presenter James O’Brien an “idiot” and a “wokeman”.
Abuse James! you are so hypocritical, you actually trolled me and I responded to your tweet. See below. @mrjamesob #SelectiveMemory https://t.co/IThUUTYzrZ pic.twitter.com/OXcPKMKK4Q
— Andrea Jenkyns MP (@andreajenkyns) October 24, 2021
Another user pointed out Davies’ past tweet where he responded to a news article reporting that students had walked out of a “sexist” speech by a former cricket player.
At the time, Davies replied to the story, saying: “Severe weather warning: a large number of snowflakes seen at Oxford University.”
The Tories have faced severe pushback from campaigners and opposition parties after they voted against an amendment to the Environment Bill that would have meant companies would be legally compelled to reduce their discharge of raw sewage into rivers and seas.
Even several Tory MPs, including former ministers, rebelled against Boris Johnson's government on the amendment.
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The bill currently allows raw sewage to be discharged into waterways.
Conservative MP, Royston Smith, who voted down the amendment defended the Tories.
He said: “No one wants sewage into our rivers but you can’t change a system where most of it is still Victorian overnight.
"You only have to look at what Southern Water has done in Woolston to see how things are moving.
“Things like illegal sewage dumping, that’s a completely different thing but there does come a time when you have significant rain or flooding that the system won’t cope and it will overflow and outflow into the rivers sadly.”
The UK Government has been contacted for comment.
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