A Burntwood councillor has criticised a Conservative General Election candidate for tweeting in mock-biblical language.

Michael Fabricant posted on social media following the hustings event at Wade Street Church in Lichfield after he was pictured stood in front of a cross.

Cllr Sue Woodward
Cllr Sue Woodward

But his post was criticised by Burntwood Town Council leader Cllr Sue Woodward, who branded it “offensive”:

“Mr Fabricant’s latest appalling tweet in mock-biblical language shows his appalling lack of judgement and is offensive to Christians like me, his electors and the hosts for the hustings.

“Nothing appears to be off limits for his rudeness. ‘Daft, rude, a caricature‘? No. He’s far worse than that.

“He’s contemptuous and contemptible.”

Cllr Sue Woodward, leader of Burntwood Town Council

Founder of Lichfield Live and editor of the site.

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Darryl Godden
4 years ago

“Heathens from Birmingham did clamour and yell for they knew not the gentile ways of Lichfield”

Well, firstly, you’re from Brighton.

Secondly, your conduct continues to raise eyebrows.

Burntwood Bloke
4 years ago

When did we get to a point, as a country, when literally anyone – anyone at all – could wear a blue rosette and get voted in as the Lichfield MP?

Mr Blobby could sit there on stage, bouncing around, throwing custard pies and shouting, “Oooo blobby blobby blob blob” and he’d STILL get the Tories a massive majority..

AnnS
4 years ago

At the bottom of the story it states ‘Leave a comment’ but frankly, words fail me.

Jon O'Hagan
4 years ago

Sue, you really are a most humourless of harridans. I’m a Christian too. I wasn’t offended. Michael’s tweet was clearly meant to amuse, not offend.

Mike
4 years ago

It was offensive to Christians you must have a strange sense of humour or be one of the Lichfield blues that would vote for a Wheely bin with a blue rosette

Asellus aquaticus
4 years ago

Was he trying to say “Genteel”? A Gentile is somebody who is not Jewish. Oh the irony. Oh what an idiot.

Nodge
4 years ago

@Jon – I would say to Fabbo, ‘don’t give up your day job’ in his effort to become a comedian, but I would actually quite like him to lose his day job, so….

Heather Harry
4 years ago

I am not a Christian but a retired teacher of Religious Education and I think the mocking by Mr Fabricant is shocking – at a time when we are being urged to show respect.
He is thoughtless arrogant and unkind.

John Griffin
4 years ago

I was the one of the two heckling him as he lied and blustered in a condescending manner. The other chap was from Lichfield, I’m from Burntwood. Shows what he thinks of Brummies too.

AnnS
4 years ago

If you were a good Christian Mr O’Hagan then you would not be throwing personal insults, which you wrote to offend not amuse and that makes you just as rude as he is.

Colin Ball
4 years ago

Unbelievable, Sue, if it wasn’t coming from a man who languishes in the bottom 10% of MPs, according to Change.org! What is even more unbelievable is that people will still vote for him. Dave Robertson did really well at the hustings, with even Tories saying that to us afterwards! I suspect that Michael Fabricant thought that people in the audieance weren’t from round here because he is never around here to meet or see anyone!

Hugh Ashton
4 years ago

Not only is it mock-Biblical language, it is inaccurate. As Asellus aquaticus points out, “gentile” is probably not the word he meant to use. Also, “Deliverest Brexit, for it shall be done” – completely wrong grammatically. “Let us deliver Brexit, foir it shall be so,” perhaps. And yes, tasteless, given the setting of the hustings, and quite possibly offensive to many – I personally felt it to be in very poor taste, and of a piece with some of his other mistimed “humour”.
And that’s before we’ve even looked at the fact-free accusation of bussed-in protesters from Birmingham. I think Mr Fabricant got a rude awakening to find out last night as it became clear that not all Lichfeldians worship the false idol of “Get Brexit done”, and find his antics to be embarrassing rather than amusing.

Dr Kim Rochelle
4 years ago

I admit, I was “bussed in” to Lichfield from Birmingham……in 2000 AD and have lived here ever since! I sat at the back of the hustings last night and was one of the last to be seated, so I saw most people arrive. I recognised many Lichfield and Burntwood Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green party members, as well as Independent councillors and many other Lichfield people because we’d all worked together over the summer, irrespective of party, to save Friary Grange LC. From what I could see, the majority in attendance were equally unimpressed with Mr Fabricant’s “prancing” around the stage to illustrate his view on HS2 and his flippant dismissal of some of the serious concerns raised by his constituents, such as the potential threat to the Northern Ireland Peace Agreement posed by the current Brexit “agreement”. It was actually quite hard to resist calling out whenever he spoke! This is the second time in a month that this middle aged, mobility challenged, professional has been labelled a “bussed in Momentum activist” for taking an interest in politics and attending events. The last time was by the Daily Express! So much for democracy.

Burntwood Bloke
4 years ago

Here’s another part of the brainwashing. Our supposedly respected MP retweeting propaganda …

https://twitter.com/Mike_Fabricant/status/1204289965338906624?s=19

The whole “fake image” is a lie, but Michael is happy to give it prominence because he’s eager to hold onto his £80K a year pay packet.

Megan
4 years ago

John Griffin, I agree, it does show what he thinks about Brummies.

Megan
4 years ago

I guess Mr Fabricant was upset that Dave Robertson made such a good impression. He was true to himself and the Party he is a candidate for. A man of integrity! What more could one ask of him.

Megan
4 years ago

Super comment by Dr Kim Rochelle raising very important points. More of the same please. Get the Truth out there. And what was with the Waitrose bag Mr Fabricant made a public showing of I wonder? Not very professional. Advertising by any chance.? Perhaps all election candidates should be made to bring their favourite environmentally chosen plastic bag and put them on show too. Make it part of the campaign. Why not? Showman Politics by any other name.

Mike
4 years ago

Waitrose is where he does his shopping and canvasing round the blue rinse brigade thus not an Aldi bag

Megan
4 years ago

Of course Mike, me agreeing with you, although being an ‘older person’ I definitely am not a blue rinser hahaha Get with it oldies 💃

Dr Kim Rochelle
4 years ago

Surely it’s time for an MP with local knowledge, understanding of our concerns and empathy for the day to day struggles we face in Lichfield and Burntwood. As a minimum, we need an MP who can at least recognise his own constituents and not dismiss those who express their disappointment in him as bussed in activists.