Welsh Secretary criticises professor for calling Tories the ‘lowest form of life’
The Welsh Secretary has criticised a professor for calling Tories the “lowest form of life”.
Simon Hart called the comments of Professor Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones “outrageous” during a debate in the House of Commons.
Hart hit out at the Llewellyn-Jones in response to a question from Scott Benton, the Conservative MP for Blackpool South, as part of a discussion about political neutrality in positions of faith.
In his tweet Llewellyn-Jones, who is a Chair in Ancient History at Cardiff University as well as Director of the Ancient Iran Program for the British Institute of Persian Studies, said: “A Welsh Tory. The lowest form of life.”
A spokesperson for Cardiff University told Nation.Cymru that the post does not “represent” its views and that it “expects” all its members to “treat others with respect”.
The Secretary of State for Wales also criticised the Bishop of St Davids Joanna Penberthy for “ill-advised and divisive comments” after she posted “never never never trust a Tory” on Twitter.
He has previously written to the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby on the matter, despite him being the leader of the Church of England, not the Church in Wales.
The Archbishop of Canterbury said he is “deeply embarrassed” by the post. The Church in Wales has also apologised for offence caused by the tweet.
‘Intolerance’
Scott Benton said: “I am very supportive of the actions taken by the Secretary of State involving the Bishop of St Davids, but does he agree that this issue of intolerance towards those who hold Conservative views is becoming more widespread throughout academia and public life, and that we need concerted efforts to address this?”
Simon Hart said: “As my hon. Friend knows, it appears that this sort of trolling habit is, sadly, not exclusive to the bishop; Professor Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones has also been busy dishing out abuse, with his most recent contribution being to describe Conservative voters as the ‘lowest form of life’.
“I cannot help but ask what the professor would have done and how he would have reacted if any of our colleagues had described university academics as the lowest form of life.
“It would have been as outrageous for him as it is for us, and I very much hope that Cardiff University will follow the example of the Archbishop of Canterbury and deal with this promptly.”
On the post by Professor Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones a Cardiff University spokesperson told Nation.Cymru: “The views expressed in no way represent the views of the University.
“We understand that these are historic and personal comments, expressed on a personal account.
“However, whilst they are personal comments the University expects all members of the University community to treat others with respect, courtesy and consideration at all times.”
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Being ruled by a Tory Government at Westminster is the real cause of our poverty Mark
A very measured description of tories in general and Welsh lickspittal tories in particular. I note that Hart tries to move the criticism to tory voters as apart from his leadership clique. Tory voters have been the most deceived of us. Hart’s slimy attempt to say that voters are being criticised is typical of the man.
In America they have an expression “No dumber animal than a poor Republican”. I think it crosses the Atlantic easily.
Can we get a different picture of the Viceroy when sharing his latest irrelevant anti Cymru soapboxing?
That thing on his face is hideous and I am about to eat
Get me his address. I’ll send him a fiver. He can nip down to his local pet shop and buy a rat to chew the thing off.
I do know some kind, tolerant and perceptive Welsh tories, but not one of them is a politician. Public speakers need to get that detail right.
Hooray! Mark Vested-Interest’s daily tantrum is up.
It’s funny watching Gammons having a meltdown
The tories are ruthless, cruel and will sell the assets NHS which was a people oriented initiative and has been paid for generations by working people. We now have a situation in this country of child poverty and foodbanks which will increase ultimately the ignorance of a generation which is what these louts want so that they can ride roughshod over the masses and do what they like. They will amorally ruin this once great country NEVER TRUST A TORY
Is this malevolence against academics just a manifestation of Hart’s insecurity after failing to get into a university himself and having to follow the classic Tory thicko route to Agricultural college?
We need agricultural graduates to lead the field workers, perhaps a spell of reorientation then a much more satisfying life harvesting spuds on top of Long Mountain as it was during the war…all these tory chaps look so unheathy and health is so important for a positive outlook…start with a five day fast…
You wouldn’t be suggesting what Mao used to call “re-educative labour” would you ? If so I’m right alongside you.
.. or a dose of a Pol Pot “holiday” where townies were sent to work in the countryside, although most of them failed to return. Bit extreme perhaps but the kind of thing Hart would inflict on others.
I feel I should speak up for non life forms so cruely left out of the heading….
Perhaps the growth of intolerance towards tories is because more people are starting to see tories for what they are, corrupt, self serving lowlife scum.
There’s a wide gulf between the professed beliefs of the Conservative Party and its actions. Even though I’m mostly happy about ‘left-wing’ concepts such as taxpayer-funded education and healthcare, I welcome alternative thinking. But the problem with the Conservatives is that they’re only pretending. Their supposed small-state ideology is just a front, behind which they’re happy to spend taxpayers’ money — as long as some of it ends up in the pockets of the rich. For instance, the 2013 Health & Social Care Act made the health system more bureaucratic — in pursuance of Andrew Lansley’s business interests. Although devolution… Read more »
Get a thicker skin, isn’t it? How would these people ever have coped with the heckling and rough and tumble of old style electioneering? Democracy = freedom of speech, difference of opinion. Get over it and do something to earn your keep.
Quite right, if you don’t want the public to have an opinion of you then don’t speak in public .
I thought we had explained, the Arch Oilman Welby is an opinionated observer, nothing more. The Sec of State for Wales is always a Panto Villain but this one makes my skin crawl…
Well the Tories don’t help themselves do they. Why do they think it’s been so hard for them to break through in the South Wales Valleys? An area decimated, left on the scrap-heap by rampant money orientated individualism. Now they have turned into the far-right UKIP, real Conservatism dead. So if they don’t like people calling them out for what they are – tough – it’s the truth.
The comment would be wrong if spoken by one MP (any of the union’s parliaments) about another. That’s the rule. As it is, the speaker is not an MP. His description has a venerable heritage. Nye Bevan called the Tories “vermin” and so they are.
Also Nye Bevan. “How can wealth persuade poverty to use its political freedom to keep wealth in power? Here lies the whole art of Conservative politics in the twentieth century.”
I mean, its a pretty accurate description. Welsh and Tory is almost as bad as it gets. Pretending to be proud of where you are from to score points when you just want to lick the boots of the elite. Probably love the royals too.
A Tory Secretary of State criticised these comments ? Well he would say that wouldn’t he ? Hardly worth reporting, and less so because he’s a Tory.
The Conservative Party should be prosecuted under the Trade Descriptions Act for failing to conserve anything. Every time they are elected Britain has a closing down sale. Remember this every time you have a sharp intake of breath when buying a postage stamp.
Lowest form of life criticises professor for correctly identifying it