Michael Fabricant

Michael Fabricant in 2017

Sir Michael Louis David Fabricant (born 12 June 1950) is a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he has served as a Member of Parliament (MP) since the 1992 general election originally for Mid Staffordshire, then Lichfield from 1997.

Fabricant was the vice-chairman of the Conservative Party for parliamentary campaigning, responsible for the Conservative Campaign Headquarters strategy on marginal seats at the 2015 general election, as well as UK parliamentary by-elections, but he was dismissed from this position in April 2014.

Quotes

2014

• Been asked to resign as Vice Chairman, refused, so sacked over HS2 and my views on a recent Cabinet Minister. Still available 4 speeches etc.
  • Tweet (9 April 2014), as cited in "Tory vice-chair Fabricant sacked in 'knee-jerk decision'" The Guardian (9 April 2014).
  • HS2, formally High Speed 2, is a railway project linking English cities which has raised environmental concerns. His previous comments ("about time") related to the resignation of Maria Miller, also a Conservative, as Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport from the coalition government over her expenses claims in the previous parliament.

• A friend of mine is Matthew Parris (the newspaper columnist) who breeds llamas [...] And Matt had a llama called Darren. Incidentally he names his llamas after the first person of the same sex as the llama who sees them. Darren is the local plumber.
  Unfortunately Darren took a shine when he reached puberty to his auntie Vera… Vera being a cleaning lady when she's not a llama. So there was a real concern that they would end up with a llama with two heads as a result of an incestuous relationship.
• Now, when the Sochi Games started I did a few tweets pointing out that Russia had a very crude and outdated legal system in its attitude to gays. And someone tweeted at me asking "are you gay or are you just pretending to be?"
  And I thought well, I could ignore this, but then again what the heck and I had this picture of Darren. So I tweeted: "What I can reveal is that I'm having an affair with a llama. But I won't say if it's a boy llama or a girl llama."
  • "Michael Fabricant: Llamas, incest, bestiality, and the demise of the Tories’ Deputy Chairman" The Independent (14 April 2014).

• I could never appear on a discussion prog with @y_alibhai I would either end up with a brain haemorrhage or by punching her in the throat.
  • Tweet about the journalist Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, as cited in "Tory MP Michael Fabricant apologises for tweet saying he might punch female journalist" The Guardian (20 June 2014).
  • Alibhai-Brown had participated in a discussion with Rod Liddle, another journalist, on Channel 4 News. On LBC Radio, she said "I do not call this an apology" after Fabricant attempted to retract his comments.

• Sad @SayeedaWarsi has gone. I was her whip when Party Chairman [sic] & know she has v strong views on Muslim issues. But DC [David Cameron] is right on Gaza.
  • Tweet (6 August 2014), as cited in "Baroness Warsi resigns: Twitter backlash as Tory MP Michael Fabricant accused of suggesting Gaza is 'a Muslim issue'" The Independent (6 August 2014)
  • Baroness Warsi resigned the previous day as Senior Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs over the government's policy on Israel's Operation Protective Edge. After criticism, Fabricant tweeted: "Gaza is certainly NOT a 'Muslim issue'. It is indeed a humanitarian issue."

2022–2023

• I am expecting a strong turnout of Conservative MPs at PMQs today [...] Not only to demonstrate their strong support for #Boris!! BUT also to prove they are NOT the one told by the Chief Whip to stay at home. I'll be there!
  • Tweet (18 May 2022), as cited in "Tory MP Michael Fabricant condemned over 'grotesque' tweet" BBC News (18 May 2022)
  • The arrested Conservative MP (later released on bail) was instructed by the Chief Whip to stay away from the parliamentary estate while the police investigation was in progress. The whips office spoke to Fabricant about his "inappropriate" tweet which was deleted after about two hours.

• Serious questions will need to be asked about the manner in which the investigation was conducted. These were no jurists as was apparent by the tone of the examination. The question of calibre, malice and prejudice will need to be answered now or by historians.
  • Tweet (9 June 2023), concerning the Privileges Committee investigation into Boris Johnson of the House of Commons reproduced in a privileges committee report on other parliamentarian's conduct during their investigation into Boris Johnson, cited in "The remarks that got these Johnson allies in hot water with the Partygate committee" ITV News (29 June 2023).
  • Fabricant, six other Conservative MPs and a peer were accused of placing "improper pressure" on the MPs investigating Boris Johnson.

• [After the privileges committee report on other parliamentarians conduct was published ] I stand by my statement. Some of the members of the Privileges Committee treated their witness, Boris Johnson, with contempt by gestures and other actions. Had it been in a law court, the judge would have called them to order. Respect for the committee needs to be earned.
  • Tweet (29 June 2023), cited in "The remarks that got these Johnson allies in hot water with the Partygate committee" ITV News (29 June 2023).