tokenism - that's a long word, isn't it, children?

here, in His Master's Voice (so it must be true) is the story that Labour in Reading has selected an Asian woman for the first time. Yep, looks like it. They won't select anyone of that persuasion in a marginal (I remember the outrage when Redlands ward went its own way and selected Rajinder Sohpal, when it was a Labour marginal - Rajinder went on to serve several terms as a successful Labour councillor - now of course Redlands is LibDem following Mr Singleton-White's triumph with the fraud, but that is another story) but Bobbie has been selected in Caversham, which of course is not marginal, it is a Tory seat and she is effectively a paper candidate. Caversham has lost the Labour councillors it had when Reading East had a Labour MP, and will not have them back, pity most of the ones it had then were idle (take a bow, S. Waite), duplicitous (step forward, Kathryn Peak) or spineless (we thank you, Susan Stainthorp, who followed hubby when he sold his vote). So, Bobbie, sorry and all that, but you are joining Anneliese in being required to do what Mr Salter tells you to do, and make sure you stand at the back in photocalls. From what I know about you (not that much, but I remember you) you deserve a lot better.