Maria Caulfield faces calls to refer herself to ethics adviser over false ‘15-minute city’ claims

7 comments

1. Another national level political figure indulging in wingnut nonsense.

   “The proliferation of conspiracy theories across the UK is deeply disturbing. They are deliberate campaigns to spread disinformation and fear. If they go unchallenged we risk the public being conned and their wellbeing potentially damaged. These campaigns are also a threat to the health of our democracy,” said Mordaunt, Caulfield’s Conservative colleague.

2. >Caulfield’s leaflets were sent out during campaigning for elections to Lewes district council last year. The health minister defended her claims during an appearance on BBC Politics South-East on 5 May.

   >**She said the proposal was included in the council’s draft local plan.** That document proposes making amenities more easily accessible as part of a “10- or 20-minute neighbourhood” scheme, but **there is no suggestion of charging people for driving further away from their homes – nor has there ever been, the council’s leader, Zoe Nicholson, said.**

   >**When that was put to her during the BBC appearance, Caulfield said: “Well, that’s what’s in their document.” Pressed on whether she believed road charges were part of the council’s plan, she said: “It talks about 15-minute cities … Part of 15-minute cities is if you go outside of your 15-minute area, you will have to pay a road tax.”**

   >**Caulfield denied she was propagating a conspiracy theory and cited the example of Oxford, which has introduced a congestion charge scheme**, as evidence of her claim. **Responding to the assertion that the Oxford scheme does not include a charge for driving more than 15 minutes from home, Caulfield told the BBC: “That is the policy, though … that is the model of 15-minute cities.** [The Lewes document] talks about 20-minute communities, which is what that theory is about.”

   Well people of Lewes, over to you to bin off this idiot later this year.

3. This is somewhat complicated by the truth of the matter: The council really is considering putting toll cameras in town, it’s a fairly safe assumption that they’ll be thinking about a similar system of limited use exceptions for locals as in Oxfords’ filter.

   Caulfield’s specified the 15 minute city thing, but to call her claims ‘false’ is an exaggeration. Much like the 15 minute city conspiracy theory in general…it’s mixed up with conspiracy theory, but parts of it are true…

   Edit to try to clarify the situation for downvoters: The council has denied that people will be charged specifically for being ’15 minutes’ away from home, but they are considering a plan involving toll cameras that will inevitably not charge people who live close to those cameras. To call her claims ‘false’ because (if it happens) the camera on X or Y road ends up charging people who live ‘7 minutes’, or ’27 minutes’ away, instead of _exactly_ 15, is misleading.

4. Tories = liars. It’s the basic entry qualificaiton into the party.

5. The mindset of someone who looks at an urban planning idea that essentially says “hey, how about you have all services within a 15 minute walk of your house” and decides that this is an example of the Davos Liberal Wokerati coming for their freedom astounds me. The pandemic truly broke the brains of about 20-30% of the population.

6. I always find it funny sad how the people who push the 15 minute city conspiracy theory (of the fines/not allowed beyond 15min from your home stuff) usually also demand that no new housing be built and that a focus should be made on…. having schools, shopping, healthcare etc expanded first so you dont have to travel to reach them.

   Its really, really sad when you think about it.

7. Can we not use the words lie anymore.

   Lets call a kettle a kettle. She’s a liar, she lied, she lies.

   Lying deserves to be called out.