Saturday 5 September 2009

reading west, what next

whispers come my way that the LibDems are profiting from the resignation of Patrick Murray as PPC for Reading West to "do a Martin Bell". Not, you understand, recruiting the great man in the white suit (Irony is prohibited when it is galumphing. Ed.) but not standing a candidate at all, as was done by both Labour and the LibDems in Tatton in 1997, giving rise to the hugely entertaining Battle of Knutsford Heath, a career in pantomime for the Hamiltons, Neil and Christine, and Hutch, without Starsky, active in British politics (Now I've heard everything. Ed.). This would give an independent candidate, should one be inclined to stand (whatever can she mean? Ed.) a real opportunity to take the seat. Otherwise such a candidate could perhaps legitimately be accused of simply ensuring a more comfortable victory for the Tory Alok Sharma than would otherwise be the case. Anyway, there is nothing on the LibDems' website to hint at anything of the sort, though I suppose that is the last place you would find it if it were true. Still, makes you think, dunnit? From what I know of the Reading West LibDems they hate the Reading Labour boys in general, and Martin Salter in particular, with a very great passion. So you wouldn't catch them voting Labour, eh Ricky? But...

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Off Theme. I wonder what Westminster Watchers will make of the allegations that an unpleasant Labour Minister has been continuing to bad mouth members of the Armed Forces, forcing one of his colleagues to quit.

WV. mingling

howard thomas said...

I can't see the point of trying to organise a 'straight fight'-------who with for a start?
In the case of Martin Bell and Hamilton it was a case of removing a sleaze ridden MP who refused to quit-----what would be the point in Reading West?

Was said...

And there was me thinking that the idea of not standing a candidate was exactly what the Labour party was doing.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous - by unpleasant Labour Minister I assume you mean Kevan Jones who masquerades as Westminster Watch. Kevan? Really either his father was so drunk when he went to register him he spelt the name wrong or it's some lamentable attempt at Celtic posturing, either way it's laughable.

Anonymous said...

As long as whoever it is doesn't feel obligated to wear a white suit.
Despite the fact that he had about sixteen of them, M Bell's white suit got remarkably grubby from 1997-2001.
it might be as well to remember that being an 'Independent ' is not guaranteed to ensure holiness/brilliance etc - if it were then whatever do we do with Esther Rantzen?!