Activist’s Twitter war of words continues ...

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15 November 2023

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By Graham Norwood

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Activist’s Twitter war of words continues

It appears as if Suella Braverman is not the only figure making a personal attack in writing.

Tom Darling - the campaigns manager of the Renters Reform Coalition who also describes himself as an occasional contributor to a “fast-growing network of Labour supporters working in the communications, public affairs and media industry” - has used social media to make a lengthy attack concentrating mostly on landlord leader Ben Beadle.

Beadle, the chief executive of the National Residential Landlord Association, gave evidence to the all-party committee of MPs scrutinising the Renters Reform Bill.

Details of this were picked up by Darling who made no fewer than 15 successive tweets on X - the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

Beadle’s contribution to the committee was along similar lines to points made by a representative of the Lettings Council and a representative from Propertymark - however, Darling mentions only Beadle.

The tweets, which kick off with a a supportive reference to a Labour MP on the committee, quickly names Beadle as “one of the chief landlord lobbyists” before later making a sarcastic reference to “our friend Mr Beadle” and repeatedly criticising his comments about landlords leaving the private rental sector as a result of higher taxes, interest payments and growing red tape.

Darling also makes a reference to “parts of the right wing press” which he says is “very happy to buy what the NRLA says.”

The tweets were sent from Darling’s personal X account but were retweeted by the Renters Reform Coalition.

Last week Beadle wrote to several of the leaders of the individual ginger groups that make up the Renters Reform Coalition, asking if they supported previous tweets written by Darling.

The letter from Beadle says in one part: “In a thread on X, Tom Darling from the Renters Reform Coalition implied that all grounds for repossession should be discretionary. This is not a stance the NRLA agrees with, but we would appreciate the opportunity to understand your respective organisations’ position on [it].” Beadle then asks a series of detailed questions about the organisations’ views on repossession.

In another part of his letter Beadle says: “We note again however that Tom Darling, speaking on behalf of the Renters Reform Coalition, has said that if tenants want ‘a pack of Great Danes’, living in their properties, ‘that should be their right.’ Given this comment, we would welcome your proposals as to when a property might be unsuitable for a certain type or number of pets. For example, would a large dog in a small flat without a garden be suitable?”

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