In 2017, Labour front-bencher Chris Williamson took back the Derby North parliamentary seat he lost to Tory Amanda Solloway in 2015 by a mere 41 votes – and immediately set about righting a wrong suffered by many of his constituents at the hands of a company to which Solloway is connected.
Compass Debt Counsellors, a firm run by Solloway’s husband, went bust in early 2016 – while she sat on the Commons Business Committee. The firm had charged people struggling with debt thousands of pounds for its debt advice, yet many cleared not a single debt.
One man went to the firm for help with a mobile phone debt of £400 and lost £12,000.
One woman who had been a client of the firm told the SKWAWKBOX:
I contacted Solloway’s company because I was in trouble. My debts had gotten out of control and I was worried I would lose my house. But instead of helping me Solloway profited from my problems. When his business folded I became ill. I lost my job, I’ve lost my house, I’m living off disability benefits. Honestly it’s embarrassing, I should of known.
Solloway paid himself and his mates millions in dividends, even when they knew the business was about to fail. Every penny of that money belongs to me and people like me. Every time I think about it I get so mad I start crying. My mental health is not good because of this.
Ms Solloway denied any involvement.
But now her replacement as MP, Chris Williamson, has jumped in by publishing a video to launch a campaign to get justice for the people ‘ripped off’, as he puts it, by Mr Solloway’s firm:
He tweeted this morning,
If you have a few quid to spare pls make a donation to kick-start a campaign against reckless private debt companies https://t.co/SW4WuiF2ZV pic.twitter.com/ZRSaOOyyRf
— Chris Williamson #GTTO (@DerbyChrisW) July 12, 2017
Williamson has made a flying (re)start to his parliamentary career after winning back Derby North with a majority of 2015 votes – already appointed by Jeremy Corbyn as Shadow Fire and Rescue Minister and breaking ground with a weekly ‘Week in Westminster’ video to give constituents and others an insight into his activities at Parliament and the key issues he and his colleagues are addressing.
The SKWAWKBOX applauds his intervention on behalf of his constituents struggling under a debt burden created by the company run by his predecessor’s husband. If you would like to donate to the campaign, you can do so here.
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Solloway should have his every single asset stripped as proceeds of crime, and repatriated to those he had over.
Instead, he’ll be knighted.
A CON-PARTY TO GET THE GULLABLE TO VOTE AND GIVE THEM THEIR MONEY TO KEEP!
THINKING, I VOTE TORY THEY WON’T RIP ME OFF!
HOW WRONG THOSE PEOPLE ARE.
A VERY HARD LESSON TO LEARN!
DON’T ASK OR DO BUSINESS WITH A TORY!
Yep.
You don’t ask the wolf for protection from the jackal.