Tory sparks outrage after calling Birmingham a ‘dump’ at conference

Liz Truss ‘to unite Conservative party’ says Graham Stuart

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A young Conservative has sparked outrage after calling Birmingham a “dump” ahead of the party’s conference in the city. In a since-deleted tweet, Daniel Grainger, the chairman and operations Lead for the YoungConNetwork, said: “Birmingham is a dump.” Hitting back at Mr Grainger, West Midlands Mayor Andy Street replied: “Off you pop then, and take anyone with the same views with you.

“Try and take some time to grow up and understand just why this city is so special whilst you’re gone.”

He added: “I may be a Conservative, but I’m also a bloody proud Brummie. I won’t have anyone who’s never lived or breathed this place trying to put us down.”

Meanwhile, Labour MP Jess Phillips replied to Mr Grainger’s controversial tweet, saying: “I see the Tories doing their best to endear themselves.”

While Mr Grainger later apologised, describing his tweet as “ill-conceived”, this is not the first time he has tweeted about his disdain for the city. In April 2022, Mr Grainger tweeted: “Birmingham is firmly the worst city in the UK.”

In June 2021, he shared a similar sentiment, writing: “Birmingham is the worst city in the UK.” And in January 2020, he said: “CCHQ and the House of Lords should not be in Birmingham!”

Issuing an apology today, Mr Grainger said: “My tweet in relation to Birmingham was not about the city or its people.

“I’ve always enjoyed my visits to your city, but this morning I was greeted by an individual who threatened me with a mugging.

“I was angry and tweeted without thinking, I apologise for any offence caused.”

He added: “I’d also like to directly apologise to [Andy Street], the @Conservatives and other representatives of Birmingham for my ill conceived comments. I have now deleted the tweet.”

The Conservative Party is holding its conference in Birmingham from Sunday, October 2 to Wednesday, October 5.

Many senior Tory MPs are reportedly planning to boycott the conference, including Rishi Sunak, David Davis, Sajid Javid and Mel Stride.

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The former Chancellor reportedly plans to be in Yorkshire instead, with an ally of Mr Sunak telling the Sunday Times he plans to give UK Prime Minister Liz Truss “all the space she needs to own the moment”.

This comes as the party is facing turmoil after Kwasi Kwarteng’s mini-budget caused chaos in the economy.

The pound fell to a record low against the dollar earlier this week. And on Monday morning, borrowing costs reached their highest levels since August 2008.

Earlier this week, the Bank of England was forced to intervene over a “material risk” to the UK economy. It will start buying bonds in order to stabilise what it described as “dysfunctional markets”.

The BoE said: “Were dysfunction in this market to continue or worsen, there would be a material risk to UK financial stability.” It didn’t say how big the purchases would be but said they will be carried out on “whatever scale is necessary”.

Previously, the BoE said it would “not hesitate” to raise interest rates to try and protect the value of the pound.

US investment bank J P Morgan said the plummeting pound exposed a “broader loss of investor confidence in the Government’s approach”.

Meanwhile, a leading Tory donor told Express.co.uk that he believes Ms Truss could be gone by Christmas, saying: “This may be the shortest termed Premiership in history unless Liz Truss can turn it around.”

Express.co.uk has contacted YoungConNetwork for comment.

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