Tory MP says most struggling children in his area are ‘products of crap parents’

A Conservative MP has claimed most children who struggle in his constituency are the “products of crap parents”.

James Daly, the MP for Bury North, was outlining what the New Conservatives group of MPs stood for when he stressed the importance of “stability” offered by a family unit.

The rightwing caucus is one of the most vocal groupings, predominantly made up of “red wall” 2019 and 2017 intake Tory MPs, who have intervened repeatedly on immigration issues.

Daly told the i newspaper: “I think New Conservatives represent very much working-class conservatism. We’re not a strange rightwing sect. It’s just people who want to give people the best chance to succeed and thrive in life.

“When you think about the family, it’s about stability. Most of the kids who struggle in Bury are the products of crap parents and so what do we do to try to address that issue? On the left it would just be: we’ll throw money at this and hope something sticks. Somebody like me thinks about this more fundamentally.”

He has since been criticised for by his comments. James Frith, Labour’s prospective parliamentary candidate for Bury North, where Daly’s majority is a slender 105, said: “It is revealing to see how little James Daly thinks of his own constituents. Rather than insulting the parenting skills of people in Bury, he should look closer to home.

“Over the last 13 years the Conservatives have failed to grow our economy, protect our public services or provide opportunities for young people in Bury and across the UK.”

Christian Wakeford, the Labour MP for Bury South and a former colleague of Daly’s, urged locals to remember the comments when deciding which party to back at the next general election.

Wakeford said: “This is what the current member for Bury North thinks of his constituents in the town it is an honour to represent. Make sure he remembers this next year when you go in that voting booth.”