the Labour candidate for Reading West that is. I heard about this only last night, and being distracted by significant other's first night failed to post, but Cllr Willis has got wind of it too and done the job for me. Naturally enough he is disappointed that Nasty Naz Sarkar, Labour's candidate last time, is thus not going to be eligible, as his embarrassing ineptitude did plenty to help the Tory who actually was elected. This of course is what the Reading Labour boys wanted. Now they are wheeling out Rachel Eden, and the mayor is putting the facilities of Reading Borough Council at her full disposal. We'll see what happens. I do not know Rachel Eden. I can only be sorry that the excellent Mark Bennett will not now be eligible to compete for selection. He is well connected, energetic, hard working and politically intelligent, and his family roots are in the area. So obviously the boys had him carved out last time. Mark has made plenty of waves in Lambeth, the last place I lived in the UK, and is probably well out of the corrupt snake pit that is Reading Labour Party.
So it's Alok Sharma MP for a second term then.
Now look East...
20 comments:
I believe that Naz Sarkar said after the GE that he would not seek the nomination again so I expect that came into play at the NEC
You are spot on they aren't going to get outmanoevured a second time.
They were so busy blocking Mark Bennett they let Naz slip in and then they made sure he would lose in the actual General Election.
Being the control freaks that they are they will ensure Rachel Eden gets it this time.
Their problem is that they are sitting in their bunker less and less relevant to the world outside.
Its about time the likes of Lovelock, Page, Ruhemann and Orton retired to make way for the new generation.
Well, of course. And Rob Wilson will soon be approaching veteran status.
I heard Mark Bennett speak at a conference last year. Really impressive, articulate, passionate, human. I've lived in Reading just over a year and had no idea till looking at this that Bennett had been up for Reading W. I'd like to know more about what happened and who the damaged insaniacs are who blocked him. Naz was a ridiculous choice. What madness. Seems to me Reading could still have been very much Labour but for the bunch of cavedwellers who clearly have run the party into the ground.
I'm sure you remember May 1997. The result in both Reading seats had very little to do with the candidates.
even if true, what about in 2001?
Anyone who didn't know the Reading Labour Party would say you were mad for suggesting they wanted the Tory candidate to win. However, they tabled an amendment to the council budget and then voted against their own amendment, so I really don't understand their thought processes.
For Rachel Eden to be considered represents a remarkably quick rise.
Either she is immensely talented, or there is a dearth of local alternatives - which do you think?
Well - yes - Jane was indeed the one - the one who was regarded as a top MP by her constituents and who, against all odds - increased her majority - only to be booted out by the Reading Labour Party, assisted by National Party HQ, Region and successive Chief Whips, Loaf-Head Taylor and Mamma Grizzly Armstrong.
With 'noises off' from the Salterine herself.
This is the history. A shame it has got airbrushed by everything to do with Labour, local, national and regional.
But the Tories know the truith. Just ask Rob Wilson and Liam Fox.
Oranjepan there is a dearth of local Labour talent there is no doubt about that.
Most of the leading councillors have been around for thirty years and the number of activists has dropped dramatically.
I live in a Labour held ward but they are invisible here.
Eden sounds like the Anneliese person - quiet/biddable - do what she is told. No mind of her own.Party bigwigs say 'Write a blog - good way to 'communicate'. She says ''Yes Sir and Madam - three bags full. And could you tell em what to say please?' ( And what to think?. Likely neither to inspire loyalty from the voters or jealousy from her local Party.
Not like Jane then.
against the odds you increased your majority? whose spinning history now.
you never had a large personal vote you were an okayish MP who lucked out when her party came good and opposition turned to shit.
the non political class of reading do not remember you nor are they aware of the macho dickheads who run the local labour party.
i would very much like a okayish labour mp again and would like howarth and his mates removed forever. this is not you battle anymore. im sorry for grief. its time to move on
anonymous 22:48 What evidence do you have for your statement? In 2001 the Labour vote nationally and regionally fell whilst in Reading Eastit went up.
Have you never been to Woodley - a quarter of the constituency or talked to non-Labour voters north of the river who voted for Jane? I thought not.
Of course local non-political people do not know about Labour macho dickheads because they operated as such within the Labour Party for the previous decades. They seem to be showing more of their true colours now though.
Grief? What story are you part of putting about?
Anon 2011 yes, if you would like an okayish Labour MP then indeed it is time to move on, and I wish you well in dealing with whatever grief you have been suffering
tfb and jane
sometimes the gap between reality and perception is so big it make you look bonkers.
fyi i live in Woodley. You both live in France.
Would you find it peculiar if somebody living in Reading had a blog which was mostly dedicated to local politics in Strasbourg.
Move on both of you. The spectacle of you crowing and hectoring this poor girl is most unbecoming.
so - in the days of the interweb thingy, must we be geographically restricted? If there was a blog in English about politics in Strasbourg (there might be for all I know) I would certainly read it, whether it was written in Reading or anywhere else in the world, if it was interesting and the person knew something about what they were writing about. And who is being "hectored"? I have repeatedly said that I do not know Rachel Eden. What I do know is that she is being groomed for the Reading West candidacy. That much is obvious. She might not appreciate being called a "poor girl" as she is apparently a grown woman.
Anonymous How very 20th Century of you. So if I live in the UK and I know something about the fortifications of Sébastien le Prestre de Vauban and spot a mistake on a French website I have to move to the country to point it out?
As I live in France but have followed Australin politics closely for more than 10 years am I also forbiden from commenting on sites in Australia?
Oh how small you would have my World.
apologies for girl she is of course a woman
understand point about geog but its the obsession that concerns me. you were treated very badly but that was six years ago
and please do not say you've moved on cause the content of this site is mostly about the powerless labour party in a town in a different country from which you live.
why not offer to help. how do we get rid of these cavemen? rather than making patronising and sarcastic comments about the chances of the unyet selected candidate.
lead from the front unleash your huge personal followers in woodley. cmon im with you.
don't be ridiculous. I comment on stuff which interests me from time to time, if I play a role in Reading politics it is because people active in that sphere sometimes send me pieces of information, some of which I choose to publish on my blog, and my blog is read by the political class in Reading. Er, that's it. If you don't like Reading Labour then don't vote Labour in Reading. Me, I write this blog for fun. I spend most of my life doing other things. Did you notice I published a review of "Huckleberry Finn" yesterday?
i like the review very much and it has inspired me to revisit the book.
just the other stuff it so unseemly you need to rise above it. you can write in a way that is witty rather than being mean.
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