‘The Steeple Times’ urges readers in Kensington to vote tactically to unseat Victoria Borwick
Victoria Borwick, in spite of representing a constituency that was home to a greater proportion of EU nationals than any other London borough in 2016, was a firm advocate of Brexit. In the months since the disastrous vote, she has continued to ignore the fact that 69% of residents of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea voted ‘Remain’ and on that basis we urge readers based in the locality to vote against her in the forthcoming general election.
Though Theresa May supporting Lady Borwick has a majority of 7,361 (21.1%), the best way to unseat her would be a high turnout and for voters to unite behind one candidate. Whilst Labour have previously come second, most will be unable to engage with the thought of backing Jeremy Corbyn and on that basis, the only option is the Liberal Democrat candidate Annabel Mullin.
Two stories to keep beside you
A Question of Borwick
Matthew Steeples asks Conservative candidate for Kensington Lady Borwick five questions; he put the same to the Liberal Democrats Annabel Mullin also whilst Labour’s Emma Dent Coad failed to respond In the final hours of the 2017 General Election campaign, I asked the Conservative candidate for Kensington, Lady Borwick, five questions I considered relevant […]
The Busy Borwicks
Son of Kensington MP Lady Borwick’s curious connections to the people who ensured both Brexit and the election of Donald Trump revealed On Sunday, Carole Cadwalladr of The Observer published a lengthy and well researched article that, amongst other things, examined the connections between The Hon. Thomas Borwick – the son of the Conservative hereditary […]
Readers have their say
72 comments
In spite of her views on Europe, Victoria is a good constituency MP. I will be voting for her.
Yolanda….you are right. Borwick is a highly effective MP and always ready to work for her constituents.
How is she a good constituency MP? I’ve tried to contact her on multiple issues, but she doesn’t bother to respond. She doesn’t seem to do anything remotely useful in Parliament either. Frankly I’ve no idea what she actually does. I don’t have a party allegiance, I just want a decent representative and that’s not Victoria Borwick.
Jo, don’t tell lies! She is was of the most assiduous MP’s. In fact, if she can be criticised it’s because she get too involved in issues which the local councillor should be dealing with.
Now, get on with something useful instead of making up silly stories!
Exactly how is she a good MP? Just look at her abysmal record on ‘They Vote For You’. Not only is she completely out of step with her constituents on the biggest issue facing Britain since WWII (69% of RBKC voters chose to REMAIN in Europe), but she also comes near the bottom of the list in terms of MPs’ responsiveness. She is one of the worst at responding to her constituents. She does not care one jot about her constituents.
She’s utterly useless – as the statistics (and residents experience) prove.
Also a Brexiteer and a lobbyist for the ivory trade.
Victoria Borwick has been wonderfully supportive to the voluntary sector. She is always there for us and for her constituents. She is conscientious about attending parliament. I do not understand who is starting all this false news or as a simple person I would say falsehoods. I notice that the Lib Dem Candidate is repeating all this. Victoria Borwick has lived in Kensington all her life. The Lib Dem Candidate says her parents live in Kensington and Chelsea so clearly she doesn’t! Are we voting for her parents? Are we being asked to vote for someone who is too embarrassed to say where she does live? Very sad
Rifkind was a much better MP, and a distinguished one at that. Borwick doesn’t bother to answer quite of lot of letters sent to her.
The local Conservatives are generally quite useless at constituent service. I guess they have such big majorities that they don’t care.
She’s a terrible MP. The independent theyworkforyou site rates her as one of the very worst – only replied to 18 per cent of communications to her
Please just one example of a major speech or issue she’s campaigned on that isnt in direct opposition to her commons voting record.
One.
Anything?
Borwick has the look of a snarling fox in the first picture and looks like a deranged hag in the second. I will not be supporting her.
She is supporting Teresa May, the woman who will MAKE GREAT BRITAIN GREAT AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Victoria Borwick should be promoted for standing up to the REMOANING WHINGERS of Kensington!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lock them all up!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Vote Borwick!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well, that tells you all you want to know about Borwick supporters – they actually want to lock up the majority of the people in Kensington who voted Remain.
I live in Westminster and I will be voting Liberal Democrat for the first time in my life. Mark Field has let us down very badly and though I supported Brexit like him, I now realise the mistake I made. I want an MP who’ll stand up to Mrs May and represent Britain better. Her party has given up on us.
Oh Ethel do shut up, you old frump
Brilliant picture of dreadful Lady Borwick. She was a terrible councillor and in bed with the Candy brothers you know. Get her out!!
You are a dimwit. She was a brilliant councillor who stood up for residents.
She is the best MP this constituency has had for many years. What on earth are you talking about! The Candy Bros.
We will definitely have to agree to disagree about her record. She is as useful as a chocolate teapot. May she melt into obscurity. Ghastly woman.
Mathew, have you ever met Victoria?
I know her very well. She is one of the most compassionate of people.
It is very simply really. It doesn’t matter if she is the second coming of Margaret Thatcher (which she clearly isn’t). On the biggest issue in Britain in the last 70 years, she not only completely ignored her constituency’s overwhelming views but she also did not have the courage to discuss it and answer up to it. I think she is simply not a good advocate for Kensington and will not defend London or Kensington from the asinine hard Brexit that some idiot Tories seem to be salivating for. She does not represent us. She represents her own traditions and that has nothing to do with democracy
They both looks like they need a slap. That is all.
I used to be a Conservative but this initiative is spot on. We voted REMAIN and Borwick still doesn’t accept that. Vote her out on 8th June and vote in Annabel Mullin.
You should not be encouraging individuals who wish to sabotage our Brexit negotiations. The will of the people must rule the roost.
The will of Kensington was against isolation. She has a duty to her constituents which she’s failed. She’s made no effort to protect the Europeans in our community, or the risks to our academics, doctors, businesses.
Jo, are you quite simple? The electorate voted out. Understand it!
Exactly! And the will of the people of Kensington is that she go repreeny some other neighbourhood- maybe some little hamlet in England full of old people
That is not only nonsense, it’s a horribly mixed metaphor. The opposition should never have to fall into line.
The vote does not represent the will of the people because they were lied to by a bunch of right wing bigots.
Come on! Time for the political haggling to end! Stop trying to sabotage someone who will, as Rod rightly points out, MAKE GREAT BRITAIN GREAT AGAIN.
yes. Make Great Britain great again by disrespecting the NHS, your biggest trade partner, etc, etc and just generally being clueless about what balances the budget in your country. Go watch England play in the World Cup and leave the serious matters of a country to adults
As usual editorial comment from Matthew Steeples – the editor who tells it like he fantasises it to be.
What “disastrous vote”? Oh he means the vote in which the majority (including myself) voted for BREXIT. Sadly I don’t live in either the RBK&C or Victoria Borwick’s constituency but if I did live in the latter I would be voting for her – unless UKIP have a candidate
Well said, Iain.
The EU is the fantasy world of a load of self serving and greedy politicians. Thank God we are out from under!
We’ve been cut adrift and will be sold down the river by even more self serving politicians at home. Brexit will be a disaster for ordinary people.
We need MPs who Represent their constituents, here in London, and not some “Strong but Wrong” from Who Knows Where.
Enough of the stupid sounbites!
The European Union is on the skids and it’s ‘one size fits all’ currency is a failure.
Those who say that the EU has universal support within its constituent parts need their heads examined.
It needs deep seated reform; sadly that is just not going to happen.
The rise of Marine Le Pen in the EU’s founding nation should strike terror in the hearts of Europhiles. Half the voters in France are now supporting the most vehemently successful of Europhobe political movements.
Some of the dimwits writing here think they seem cosmopolitan and sophisticated by being ‘European’!
The reality is that the likes of Druncker and Verhofstadt have screwed up the EU.
Marine Le Pen is not going away. I have just spent the last month at my house in France and I can tell you that the feeling of hatred towards Paris and Brussels is palpable. It will not be Brexit that destroys Europe: it will be the people of France.
Great to see this. Victoria Borwick has been the worst MP I’ve ever had. She doesn’t bother to respond to letters or messages. Despite raising her interest in health in her maiden speech she’s done nothing to address concerns of doctors, nurses about the NHS. She’s barely present in parliament. And on Brexit, she’s failed utterly to represent her constituents in any way – not even a single speech. Kensington deserves better.
Totally agree. I’ve lived in Kensington all my life and don’t think we’ve ever had such a low profile representative. I have no idea what she stands for.
I think she stands for making herself richer.
Thank you Matthew for speaking up for Kensington. This woman is not working for London’s needs and strikes me as old-fashioned and vacuous. We need a younger, fresher, brighter and more down-to-earth face. I have met Annabel and would urge others to as I think you would be pleasantly surprised.
Would never vote for her (or J Corbyn). Tactical voting is probably the best answer. Lib Dems it is.
Funny how these below the belt articles only appear at Election Time. I have lived in the Borough of Kensington for more than 50 years and remember a long line of MPs from Brandon Rhys Williams to Victoria Borwick. She is a good MP – simple as that. Caring, engaged, passionate. Not afraid to take on the status quo. And the most approachable of all. So pack up and go home, you Lib Dem pathetics.
She fails to represent her constituents. 69% voted in favour of remain and that she ignores that shows her for just what she is: Ridiculous.
Matthew
Let’s have your take on this….
A good friend of mine is going up for selection as Tory candidate for a Midlands seat: it’s aggressively Leave.
My friend, an ardent remainer asked me, “How should I reply if asked whether I voted and campaigned for Remain(he did)”.
My reply was this, ” are you a conviction politician, or are you not?”
So, being honest he is going to tell the truth. Your pitch seems to be lie about what you truly believe in.
No wonder people despise politicians.
Your friend should be honest and tell the truth. It’s as simple as that. He should not be afraid to share his views as if he doesn’t and he’s subsequently exposed, the situation will only become worse.
Just as Victoria Borwick has done….the result? A torrent of vile and totally baseless abuse
I agree but I don’t think Victoria feels able to express her own convictions. In an email to me she says she was not in favour of Brexit but in view of the election result feels the best way forward is to support it. That is mob rule, not democracy. And a mob, however much one wants to play with the numbers, is not a majority. The reason the Conservative party is (imo) heading for oblivion over the next few years is that it too is being driven by a mobile minority. A recent article in Forbes makes interesting trading on this, even if you don’t agree with it. https://www.forbes.com/sites/francescoppola/2017/04/30/the-uk-government-is-completely-deluded-about-brexit/amp/
This makes me respect her even less. I don’t believe it at all either. She was BoJo’s deputy – no way she was against Brexit. She just needs to find a different borough to represent. She is out of touch with what Kensington has become for better or for worse
Did she seriously claim she was against Brexit?! She campaigned with her son for Vote Leave!!!
You totally miss the point. It does not matter if she grew up in Kensington. She is completely out of touch with her constituency on the most important topic in Britain since WW2. This is not democracy – she is entitled to her opinions but not to her seat if she fails to represent Kensington faithfully. I won’t even comment on the fact that she has never had the courage to explain this decision to anyone. Her focus on health is a joke because everyone knows that NHS simply does not function without foreign doctors, nurses, etc at Chelsea Westminster. She doesn’t want to be told who to represent so we should drop her and maybe she will do a better job for some hamlet full of old people in northern England
Sounds like we’ve another Camoron in the hood!
His personal opinions are irrelevant. He must represent his constituents first, and that includes their opposition to Brexit, whatever TMay does, or does not (who knows?) think about it. Country before Party!
If you did an opinion poll in certain constituencies the reintroduction of the death penalty or the penalisation of gay people would command huge support. Does that mean the MP should blindly follow their wishes and support their views?
If you think so I award you the Wayde Dimwit of the Year Award
Not at all comparable.
Death penalty does not intersect with everyone’s lives as ubiquitously as Brexit. Brexit impacts the families and professional fortunes of many families and workers in Kensington. She has not lifted a finger to protect her constituents and not once tried to explain it to anyone.
Borwick has only once responded to my letters. And in that she ignored what I asked her and changed the topic to something else she wanted me to support her on. I don’t feel she is an accessible MP at all. You can attack me for this, sure, but we are all allowed an opinion and the above isn’t an unreasonable motivation to vote against her.
You are probably one of those obsessive, slightly mad people who pester their MP on issues that are outside their scope of responsibility
Wow, what an unpleasant and personal way to make an argument. Policies not personalities in my book – you get no points for being plain nasty in my book Wayne.
When “Teresa”, Boris and Victoria Borwick tell you that Britain will leave the single market and get “exactly the same benefits” they are lying. A non-member of the EU that does not live up to the same obligations as a member CANNOT have the same benefits as being a member. They are, once again, promising you the impossible. Vote against a destructive Brexit on June 8. Vote against, Victoria Borwick, “Teresa”, BloJo and their cronies.
With a name like Mark Phillip you must be a hairdresser: it certainly isn’t a proper surname…but MP. let me try to educate you as clearly had an education bypass.
A deal will be done.
Why?
Simply because EU business leaders will not allow a restraint of trade with one of their greediest customers.
Now, dimwit, get back to your crimping and leave politics to those who understand it…you clearly don’t!
Wayne you are clearly a narrow minded troll incapable of engaging in a reasonable discussion. Presumably you think it’s ok to be so unpleasant because it’s how everyone else treats you ?
The vituperative comments, usually from the same group of your regular posters, shows them to be nasty, embittered and ‘chippy’ folk. It seems that their bile is directed at the prime minister; the Conservative Party; BREXIT and, in this instance, Victoria Borthwick. Lacking the ability to mount any rational arguement, these sadsacks just resort to puerile insults. They really are humourless dross.
Gulliver Ball = Most likely Glenmore Trenear-Harvey in disguise. What a boring individual and one who thinks he’s very clever to use such pompous words. Go get a life you old bore!!
Gulliver Ball – obviously well versed in a range of insults regularly aimed at himself by anyone unfortunate enough to personally know him.
A Brexiteer in a constituency that voted 71% remain. If this election is all about Brexit, as the May would have us believe, then surely it’s time Borwick, and all other MPs like her, were beaten.
2015 general election results
Con Victoria Borwick 18,199
Labour Rodwan Abouharb 10,838
LibDem Robin McGhee 1,962
Labour seems to be the best option for beating Borwick ?
Completely agree with Matthew. I voted Tory at the last election but will vote for Annabel Mullin and the Liberal Democrats at the next. Theresa May has hijacked the party and the country and is out of her depth. Only opposition which makes sense are the Liberals
There is also Peter Marshall, the anti-Brexit independent candidate standing in K&C. He is pretty interesting. And not crazy like so many independents.
According to writetothem.com Lady Borwick responded to only 18% of the letters written to her. How can she therefore be seen as a responsive constituency MP is beyond me. The fact that her son was involved in allegedly hijacking the EU referendum* and that she is pro-Brexit demonstrates that she is clearly out of touch with her voters. Her failure to speak out for the huge population of Kensington who are EU nationals including those family members of UK citizens living here is shocking and inhumane. Yes, she might have lived her all her life but it seems that all she cares about are people like her – white, moneyed and old. I have seen no evidence to the contrary and if anyone could produce that, I will gladly retract this statement.
*see details here: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/may/07/the-great-british-brexit-robbery-hijacked-democracy
I contacted Lady Borwick re Brexit. Her tangential response implied she had either not bothered to read my fairly simple question or had failed to understand it. I’m sure she has many qualities but as a backer of Brexit, is utterly unrepresentative of her constituents and the thousands of EU citizens legally here who had no vote on a matter that directly concerns them; an issue that her party has shamefully allowed to drag on. I will now not vote Conservative in June.
As a matter of principle, no one sane… …could vote for Labour or Conservative representatives in this post-Brexit election.
They are not the only options, no need to vote for one of the two evils.
A representative who votes against 69% of her constituency – on such a important issue is utterly ridiculous in itself. Annabel Mullin seems decent, and has her priorities right – she is getting my vote.
You stupid, stupid people. You have destroyed Victoria Borwick’s majority and you should realise the impact that will have on the area. We do not suit Labour representing us and as someone who has worked with Victoria and knows her well I will tell you this: Shame on you Matthew Steeples. I am disgusted by your vendetta and demand you apologise.
Daniel: I can assure you, whatever happens, that I have simply reported on the facts of the campaign. My “impact” is non-existent, I assure you and I have nothing to apologise for. I twice gave Lady Borwick and her supporters space to advocate her cause and thus your accusation is, as Boris Johnson once said, “a pyramid of piffle” sir.
I’m afraid you destroyed yourselves. No MP is better than a bad MP. On this site and others there have been constant posts blindly defending #LazyBorwicks appalling record.
Kensington is a hard working place full of EU Nationals and its Conservative voters were disgusted with her voting record…particularly when party apostates reslected her in complete denial of how lazy or arrogant she was.
Before you blame others Daniel, look in the mirror. And next time find the sort of candidate of the quality of previous incumbents or yoi can be sure we’ll vote them out too.