The BBC website reveals a picture of Mr Salter, reading a copy of the New Statesman with the cover line "Meet the Next Prime Minister". The text includes the following, fisking in red as always mine.
Mr Salter rose from the ranks of being a labourer in the 1970s to becoming a Reading borough councillor in 1984. there are many who think that being a labourer is as worthy an activity as being a councillor - and there are some who do both at the same time
From 1997 until 2010 he was the Labour MP for Reading West, known among the local press for supporting so many community campaigns. that's one way of putting it, his self-confessed political strategy was "buy the reporters a pint"
One of Mr Salter's most publicised notice they don't say "effective" or "good"campaigns was his call for a ban on violent internet pornography so obviously violent porn has now completely disappeared from cyberspace following the murder of teacher Jane Longhurst in Brighton at the hands of Graham Coutts. this was a piece of ambulance-chasing of the most cynical kind - Jane Longhurst's mother lived in Reading East and was relentlessly pursued by Salter until she agreed to do media with him which was then used with female members of Reading East Labour Party to convince them that their MP was not interested in "women's issues". Mrs Longhurst saw through this but went along with it anyway because, she told people, she found it therapeuticMr Salter caused controversy after openly criticising "Sarah's Law", which allows parents to check whether someone living nearby is a sex offender. He didn't, he was one of about 10 MPs who were stupid enough to attack the late News of the World and who got their pictures in that paper looking like child molesters as a result.
Despite having an obvious passion for politics, he knew when it was time to call it a day. except that having announced he was standing down he tried to change his mind and un-resign, without success
"I was not going to rattle around the House of Commons in my 60s - I wanted to retire when I did at 56 to have enough energy to do things that were always on my bucket list.
He said that public life involved a lot of "pressure". No shit, Sherlock
Now that he is back in England he is involved with a campaign to clean up the River Thames and chairs a local schools charity that organises summer camps for disadvantaged children. According to the Reading Chronicle, so it must be true, that charity is electing its chair tomorrow evening, 21st September, wtf?
The rest of his week is taken up with gaining a teaching qualification with the aim of educating children in citizenship. Problematic, this one. There is no local provider, and a PGCE in any case is full time. Correspondence course? Do tell. You'd think the BBC would have asked.
And finally, as they say, what inspired the BBC to do this piece? How did they even know Mr Salter was in the UK and available for interviews? What was the point of this one? And why is Mr Salter pimping himself to the media now that he is not in public life any more?
You tell me.
9 comments:
Because he wants to be a paid Mayor of Reading - if there is one -- or maybe he is even contemplating a return to the House, Not incredible.
And as for his 'community campaigns' - I know of only one that was successful. The 'campaign' to remove JG from the community as a popular and effective MP for Reading East. Over and out.
he won't be going back into the House. The constituency boundary review did not answer his prayers and deliver "one MP for Reading" that he always pretended was the case anyway. The two Reading seats are staying Tory now. Paid mayor of Reading, certainly. Process not started yet, and there will be several candidates. Buying the media does not buy the job, these days.
Well, no - but buying the Party sometimes does........
He should be delighted!! The entire course of his political 'career' was devoted to ensuring that the Reading seats returned to their usual berth -- safe haven for TORY MPs. He certainly did nothing to enhance Labour in Reading - either West or East.And especially not East.
He told GC last week that he was not qualified to do a PGCE. Thought you'd have already known that?
I knew he hadn't graduated from university, but sometimes older students who haven't graduated can be accepted on to a PGCE. When I did one in 2006-7 there was one such. So what course is he doing?
Last Anonymous - why should Jane be expected to know chapter and verse on this no mark ex MP? She has better things to do with her time.....
I suspect she only includes the (occasional) items about him when there is nothing better to put in..
You would not believe how many different teacher education courses exist currently in the UK but, in brief, it is possible to study for a PGCE part time and without holding an undergraduate degree. The TDA have more information if anyone is interested http://www.tda.gov.uk/get-into-teaching/teacher-training-options/pgce.aspx
well I say good luck if he can be a teacher. I found teacher training gruelling but also it taught me a lot - even though as things turned out I never taught in a UK state school beyond teaching practice.
Too many poeple think 'anyone can teach'. No. They can't. Also, to be any good, you have to have some brains and soem talent at your chosen subject -- and, I would say, from experience -- decent academic qualifications. Salter is disqualified on all fronts. And I expect now a stream of angry posts saying I am being unfai to those who want to teach and who haven't got qualifications. Well, too bad. Not evrybody can teach. Not everybody is good enough. Face it.
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