Thurrock Conservative MP Jackie Doyle-Price has spoken of her disappointment at South Essex College after she was accused of snubbing their student Question Time on Wednesday.

The MP was in Parliament on Wednesday performing her parliamentary duties and so was unable to attend the event. Councillor Mark Coxshall , speaking on Ms Doyle-Price’s behalf, said that the college had not told them of the type of event, and that the college knew the MP was in Westminster that day.


After the event, a picture of a Conservative empty chair was tweeted – and the college tweeted: “For balance, all five main parties were invited.”

The incident prompted a storm of criticism on Twitter which has led to Ms Doyle-Price’s office calling for South Essex College staff to be sacked.

A few of the offending tweets have since been deleted.

The office said: “I am very disappointed that the organisers of this event saw fit to arrange the empty chair.As an MP, my job is to represent Thurrock in Parliament. When the House of Commons is sitting, from Monday to Thursday, that is where I will be. That is what I am paid by the taxpayer to do. This was clearly a very political gesture.”

The office added that Mrs Doyle-Price had visited the college three times since it opened so she was clearly not snubbing the college.

A spokesperson for South Essex College said: “The chair positioned for Jackie should never have been there and we have apologised unreservedly to Jackie and her team for the confusion caused. Jackie Doyle-Price MP had already given her apologies well in advance because, as the Member of Parliament, she was busy at Westminster including Prime Minister’s Questions.”

The college is believed to be investigating the incident.