Jonathan Gullis faces accusations that his silence was bought after it was reported JCB could be closing a factory in his constituency at the expense of hundreds of jobs.
The MP for Stoke-on-Trent remained quiet after there were suggestions of potential job cuts at the manufacturer, but called an “urgent” meeting with the Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch over the closure of Johnson Tiles after 105 jobs were slashed.
One of Gullis’s constituents, who declined to be named, told Byline Times: “It’s gobsmacking – weeks before the election, JCB suggests up to 200 jobs could go, yet our MP is silent, having taken money from the company.
“Yet he was very prominent in his opposition to the Johnson Tiles closure which, as sad as that also is for the area, sees fewer jobs at risk.”
The constituent went on to suggest that it “feels like JCB bought his silence. What happened to standing up for us and being our ‘voice’?
“Who matters to the Tories, is it hard-working people or is it the mega-rich? This stinks and Jonathan needs to return the donation immediately and apologise to the 200 local people he’s abandoned.”
The news comes after Gullis was spotted campaigning with a convicted heroin dealer in pictures released by LBC.
Former trainee solicitor, Yasser Hussain, was jailed for eight years in 2006 after being found guilty of masterminding a drug gang in the potteries.
Police seized 4kg of heroin with an estimated street value of £400,000, with detective inspector Mark Abbotts, who led the investigation, saying at the time that Hussain was the head of the gang.
A photo of Mr Gullis sitting on a sofa beside Hussain was taken in December 2022.
Further photos show former teacher Mr Gullis, 34, who was made one of the deputy chairmen of the Tory Party after Lee Anderson defected to Reform earlier this year, celebrating a local council win with Mr Hussein in 2021, and attending events with other locals in the area.
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