Thursday, July 26, 2007

Lib Dems: MCR Parliamentary Selections


In a strange new twist the Lib Dems' list of PPCs by Constituency DOES NOT include any Manchester seats. Further it includes no Leech, no Ramsbottom and no Afzal. Unless this is yet another sloppy wishy-washy Lib Dem mistake it means that Leech has been TAKEN OFF the list!

Perhaps it has finally hit home that Cllr John "Hospital Hoax" Leech MP is a no hoper? That following his resignation ahead of a financial irregularity enquiry Cllr Marc Ramsbottom is also a liability. And that if ex-Cllr and media tart Qassim Afzal cannot even hold his Cheetham Hill council seat against an untried candidate he surely cannot be a PPC again.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

"Unless this is yet another sloppy wishy-washy Lib Dem mistake it means that Leech has been TAKEN OFF the list!"

I think all sitting MPs are not included in that list

Chris Paul said...

Shhhh, don't spoil the story Andrea! I think there are some sitters on there aren't there? Bristol and Leeds perhaps. not sure. Anyway, the other two are not on. And they're not sitters. Qassim Afzal is expected to have to fight tooth and nail to retain what is their main attack target in NW = Gorton.

Anonymous said...

If they ditch Qassim Afzal won't that mean two successive GEs when they have ditched a muslim candidate in Manchester? After leech did for Dr Yasmin Zalzala even though she had one of the biggest swings in 2001?

She was black, muslim, PhD, woman and Iraqi refugee to boot. How is it that the Lib Dems gave such an appalling record on Equality?

Anonymous said...

"Qassim Afzal is expected to have to fight tooth and nail to retain what is their main attack target in NW = Gorton. "

so will Gorton be their main target in North West? I thought that maybe Oldham East could have got that honour (mind you they selected an Abderdeen councillor as their new PPC there, but then she left them to go to work in Russia)

Chris Paul said...

It is certainly their main attack target in Manchester - they said so in some kind of triumphant victory party, where Leech was terribly rude to local community representatives - but yes I suppose they'll have another try in Oldham East and Saddleworth.

Woolas will see them off whatever they send.

Seems to me they'll have their hands full trying to hold onto Rochdale and Withington vs Labour and Cheadle vs Tories.

Rowen, Leech and Hunter are quite a clump of clots and all very vulnerable.

I also noticed in their PPC list that the Lib Dem blogger boy is listed as going again in Sedgefield. I thought he was destined for great things? not there he isn't. As I said on election declaration morning he seemed like a snide and negative type.

The Libs are saying his blog was put onot "invitation only" because of all the nastiness and twisting there.

Chris Paul said...

Oldham East isn't in the selected list. In fact they're not that far through. Not much more than a quarter selected.

Anonymous said...

No chance are they gonna hold Rochdale. Dream on!!!!

Chris Paul said...

Same goes for Withington and Cheadle!

Anonymous said...

"Oldham East isn't in the selected list."

They selected Alison Smith who was an Aberdeen Counillor but had at the time just started to work for Chris Davies MEP and moved into NW. However after some months she was offered a job in Russia and she accepted. So they've to select someone else now

Chris Paul said...

Good skills Andrea. Do you know who else was shortlisted in OE&S? I've had a rather clenchy jawed Mr D Hennigan - Rowen worker and Sedgefield maestro - asking me not to use that picture of him legless again. With threats. And hoping it can be settled amicably. Man Gorton was his turf but he's be a more of a handful for Woolas than 2005's effort.

Anonymous said...

"Do you know who else was shortlisted in OE&S?"

The runner up to Smith was Stuart Bodsworth (Stockport councillor and 2005 PPC in Oldham West). Don't know the others shortlisted though

Anonymous said...

May I thank well wisher for their comment.

May I just point out that I am not black.

I am female, muslim, from an ethnic minority and ex asylum seeker/refugee.

My problems with the Liberal Democrats is that they said my race is a liability as white working class people on council estates will not vote for a non white person.

Unknown said...

Chris - the listing for me as PPC for Sedgefield appears to be a hangover from the bye election.

By the way, I enjoyed hearing all about your own negativity and snideness from a certain Mr D Hennigan during the campaign! He ascribes this to the fact that he thrashed you in Manchester....