“ I am clear that I want to see the government accept some of those amendments next week and if I don’t get that, I am prepared for the first time, for a very long time, to vote against the Government on those.”
TORY MP OPENS UP ON STING & SAYS HE’S READY TO VOTE AGAINST GOVERNMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, APRIL 22
STEPHEN HAMMOND says he is prepared to vote against the Government over its new immigration bill.
The TORY MP for Wimbledon told GB News he is keen to work with his party but would go against the Prime Minister and Home Secretary if required.
Speaking exclusively to GB News, Mr Hammond also spoke about finding himself at the heart of a recent political sting, claiming he was the victim of “scam merchants”.
Revealing how he currently feels about the Government’s immigration policies he said: “I don’t think there’s anyone who’s really against the principle of stopping illegal immigration. There’s illegal immigration, there’s economic migrancy and there’s asylum – but I want to be reassured.
“I want to ensure the Government is making adequate provision for under 18-year-olds in terms of making sure they’re properly looked after, and that we recognise that they are more vulnerable than others.
“I’m aware that two of my colleagues have been talking to the government fairly heavily. But I think it’s really important that we maintain our reputation that if you are under threat from persecution because of your religious, political, sexual orientation or whatever that the UK will offer you a home.”
Pressed on what he might do in next week’s vote he continued: “I am clear that I want to see the Government accept some amendments next week and if I don’t get that, I am prepared for the first time, for a very long time to vote against the Government on those.”
Mr Hammond also opened about being among a number of senior Conservatives targeted in the Led By Donkeys investigation last month.
Opening up about what happened to GB News he told Gloria De Piero: “I got an email and I looked at their website, which was there, they’d set up a fake website. And then they came back to me and said, ‘would I be interested in a preliminary interview?’
“I think that for a lot of us who have worked in the commercial world, it’s not unusual to get approached by people and have a very preliminary invitation. I made it very clear I wouldn’t break any parliamentary rules. I made it very clear that it was up for them to decide what they wanted to pay.
“I mean, I think the two things I’ve learned out of this are, one is that I don’t really regard these people as journalists. I regard them as scam merchants who,had they done that to my constituents, I’d be on to the ICA trying to make sure that they were shut down. Because actually the story here was, we tried to scam someone. They said they’re not going to break any rules, not going to break the spirit of any rules. Now, it’s perfectly legitimate, I think, to say MPs shouldn’t have second jobs, but it’s not legitimate to break data protection rules. And I think that is the real story here as well.”
Ironically, Mr Hammond said just three weeks before the sting he’d sought out officials to clarify the rules.
He said: “Three weeks before this all happened, I actually went to see the commissioner myself because the new rules that Chris Bryant has introduced are really quite opaque. They are very difficult to understand, so I wanted to understand what the rules are so I wouldn’t break any. So, I’d actually been to see the Commissioner beforehand.”
Mr Hammond was asked if he had sympathy with the general public who were left astonished at the fact some of his colleagues had asked for up to £10,000-a-day as a payment rate.
He said: “I agree. Which is why I was very clear that I didn’t ask for a particular sum of money. It’s up to them to do that. And I think, you know, several people remarked to me that that was a big difference. I absolutely agree that it looks so huge and that’s why we should have that discussion. I know I’ve made mistakes in politics. We all make mistakes. But I’ve always tried to do things honestly and to act for the best of my constituency. And I suppose I took it very hard that, you know, my reputation would be impacted for having done nothing wrong.”
