James Daly, the Conservative MP for Bury North, stirred controversy by stating that struggling children in his constituency are primarily the “products of crap parents”. Daly, elected in 2019, expressed these claims in a conversation with the i newspaper. Bury North is a politically contested area, with a history of alternating between Labour and Conservative leadership since 1997.
The Labour MP unseated by Daly, James Frith, is preparing to regain his seat in next year’s forthcoming elections. The current majority is a mere 105 votes.
Daly is a part of the “New Conservatives” group, which counts politicians like Lee Anderson, Jonathan Gullis, Brendan Clarke-Smith, Danny Kruger, and Miriam Cates as members. Mr. Clarke-Smith showed support for his fellow MP’s viewpoint on social media, asserting that good parenting leads to better outcomes for children.
Daly, a former lawyer, makes the argument that the New Conservatives represent working-class conservatism. In his opinion, family stability is key. He criticizes left-wing politicians for attempting to solve issues by throwing money at them, instead of looking at more fundamental solutions.
James Frith voiced his shock at Daly’s comments to Sky News, stating that the residents of Bury North will likely feel the same. He puts forth that such judgmental views regarding families in Bury North coming from their representative are greatly disappointing and calls for an apology. This incident also underscores the need for Rishi Sunak to get a grip on the ‘New Conservatives. Furthermore, James Daly’s disrespectful statements about parenting in Bury North are deemed unpalatable and unacceptable in the sphere of UK politics.