Lesley-Ann Jones

Lesley-Ann Jones supports James Cleverly’s criticism of Basildon Borough Council for using hundreds of thousands of pounds of taxpayer money on diversity and inclusion training about menopause. The training reportedly renamed Snow White’s Seven Dwarfs after menopause symptoms, which Jones condemns as inappropriate, unscientific and derivative of earlier online jokes. She argues that councils should focus on responsible spending, practical work and value for taxpayers rather than what she portrays as ideological and frivolous initiatives.

The column argues that social media, particularly its role in spreading misinformation and intensifying political division, is the greatest threat facing the modern world. It links online misinformation and trafficking propaganda to a mass migrant surge in Ceuta and warns that similar events could encourage further Channel crossings. The writer urges Andy Burnham and the UK Government to prioritize immigration, asylum-system reform and border control over domestic policy issues, while noting legal duties to rescue migrants at sea and the costs of the UK-France border agreement.