Tory MP Steve Tuckwell launches bizarre campaign for a new fish and chip shop in his constituency to avoid a General Election battering - after previously voting against one when he was a councillor

  • Tuckwell's 'chippie' campaign has been accused of being a data harvesting ruse 

By Stewart Carr

Published: | Updated:

Tory MP Steve Tuckwell been ridiculed after launching a bizarre campaign for a new fish and chip shop in the centre of his constituency - having previously voted against one when he was a councillor.

Tuckwell, 55, released a campaign video on X, formerly Twitter, yesterday, in which he walked along Uxbridge's high street asking members of the public about the importance of a chippie.

The video was met with derision on X, with some accusing Tuckwell of peddling campaign 'fodder'.

Others suggested the video was a ruse to harvest email addresses for the Conservatives' election campaign. 

In the clip, Tuckwell says: 'Hi everyone, I'm here in Uxbridge town centre and I'm campaigning to bring a fish and chip shop here to the centre of Uxbridge and I need your support to help the campaign.

Tory MP Steve Tuckwell been ridiculed after launching a bizarre campaign for a new fish and chip shop in the centre of his constituency

Tory MP Steve Tuckwell been ridiculed after launching a bizarre campaign for a new fish and chip shop in the centre of his constituency

Tuckwell filmed himself chatting to constituents about a campaign for a new chippie
Tuckwell maintains that a new fish and chip shop will support the local economy

Tuckwell, 55, released a campaign video on X, formerly Twitter, yesterday, in which he walked along Uxbridge's high street asking members of the public about the importance of a chippie

Users on X, formerly Twitter, pointed out that Tuckwell had previously voted against a new chip shop in the town centre in 2019

Users on X, formerly Twitter, pointed out that Tuckwell had previously voted against a new chip shop in the town centre in 2019

Former Newsnight journalist Meiron Jones took a screenshot of the petition, which asked the signatory for permission to keep their email address in order to be contacted about 'other issues'

Former Newsnight journalist Meiron Jones took a screenshot of the petition, which asked the signatory for permission to keep their email address in order to be contacted about 'other issues'

The clip was met with derision and attracted over 4,000 comments online

The clip was met with derision and attracted over 4,000 comments online 

'Here's the thing, there isn't a fish and chip shop in the centre of Uxbridge. There is on the outskirts, there is in Cowley and there is in St Andrew's, but we need to bring one home here to Uxbridge town centre.

'It will support our high street, it will support business, it will help the local economy. So please join my campaign, the more people we get to support this, the more it will attract the investment and it will attract business to the centre of Uxbridge.'

The clip attracted over 4,000 comments online. 

A community note was quickly added, pointing out that while serving on the local council's planning committee in 2019, Tuckwell voted against a new fish and chip shop in Uxbridge's town centre.

Alex Richard Richards wrote: 'You’re going to get battered at the next GE.'

John Aziz tweeted: 'Is it going to be a government-run chip shop?? What is the point of this???'

Cass Blakeman described the video as 'fodder', adding: 'Populism taken to a new low in Uxbridge. What's your local hospital like? Schools riddled with RAAC? Public transport issues? Nah, we need a chippie.'

Ian Rex-Hawes posted: 'Are you kidding? The library is being closed, the hospitals are falling apart, Uxbridge police station is still closed, and you think that your time is best spent trying to get a chippy a bit nearer to your house?'

Tracy Mearns tweeted: 'Once you get enough signatures do you force one of the people who signed to open one or are you going to make the local council run it?'

Yimbychris added: 'You can open one when you lose your seat.' 

Still others accused the campaign of being a ruse to harvest email addresses to send out Tory campaign literature. 

Former Newsnight journalist Meiron Jones took a screenshot of the petition, which asked the signatory for permission to keep their email address in order to be contacted about 'other issues'.

Mr Jones wrote: '[The] small print of his "petition" (it's not) shows it's part of national drive by the Tories to phish emails to target in election campaign.'

Tuckwell won Boris Johnson's old constituency in a by-election on July 20 last year, with a small majority of just 495 votes ahead of Labour rival Danny Beales. 

He had previously served five years as a Conservative councillor for South Ruislip ward on Hillingdon Borough Council.

Mr Tuckwell's office has been contacted by MailOnline. 

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