Labour Leadership and Guardian Sophistry: Tell Me Nominations are Secret Please

There is a classic episode of Regency Blackadder called Dish and Dishonesty involving manipulation of a very rotten borough to save the Prince and spite Pitt the Younger, his tormentor. Baldrick MP is too stupid to vote for the Prince. In a desperate last throw of the dice, Baldrick is sent to the House of Lords and Blackadder is left with nothing but a catskin windcheater and a broken turnip.

Today's Guardian has been briefed that Gordon Brown is applying his great clunking fist to his own party.

Word is that GB has 217, firm refusals from 35, and 93 are yet to decide. Brown's people are starting to name names of the recalcitrant. 35+93 = almost enough for three more candidates but not quite.

Meacher is rated to have THREE and McDonnell FORTY. This last figure doesn't quite tally with the arithmetic. But anyway, contrary to his assurances that he wants a contest, Brown's people are hoping to claw back TEN of those.

Meanwhile elsewhere in the paper Blairite Martin Kettle bollocks Miliband for wimping out and claims New Labour is dead because of this wimpery.

LOL view of that twaddle:

Really New Labour was mortally wounded long ago. In March 2003 in fact. Possibly even died then. But like a headless chicken has been continuing to rattle round the kitchen cabinet, no longer squawking perhaps, but covering lots of ground and frightening the horses. I'd say with this and Michael White's blog-for-Brown the Guardian's credibility as a judge of Labour politics is also in intensive care. Let's pray for some double-effect medication to make the end swift and painless.

Still elsewhere Blair thinks Tories are unelectable and a wall is being built. This is the length of Pi and presumably has a diameter of one mile: Baghdad's Sunni Ghetto is built.

Susan seems surprised by all this. My comment there:

Just a thought ... why are the nominations of PLP members NOT a secret ballot. If they are then the 217 is slightly meaningless. If they aren't then please tell me why the Leadership Vote is actually the least democratic of any selection process in our party - and goodness knows there is plenty of competition for that accolade.

Most important decision. Least democratic protection and by the sounds of it the most opportunity for intimidation. Please tell me that nominations are secret.

GRAPHIC: Brownadder and Ballsdrick from Tory pornster Theo Spark.

BNP Media Statement: Simon Says "White Working Class Scum" are History

Sandwell BNP councillor, Simon Smith said:

“Oh, I’m no apologist for white working class scum” continuing that they would all be swept away by a BNP government.

Best to have these things out in the open don't you think?

Hat tip: Tom Watson MP. Simon looks like such a nice man and all, don't he? Well don't he?

But it looks like a case of:

Simple Simon met a Newsman going to a Fair
Said Simple Simon to the Newsman
No White Working Class Scum Here

UPDATE: Absolutely no Lib Dems have currently been discovered among signatories for Simple Simon's campaign. Not that they wouldn't have obliged if asked. COMMENT: SS also said "Immigration and crime are same thing".

Chorlton : Paul Ankers' Scandal, Eavesdropper's Bus Stop Located

We've got it. Photo love story style split screen telephone call cliche may follow. Hollicker now finding further (worse) comments falling into place. Four letter words. Five with the 's'. Seven with the 'ing'.

Chorlton : Paul Ankers' Scandal, Meanwhile in Islington the Lib Dems're Projecting at Tories

Mark Cack at Lib Dem Voice has spotted some loose Tory talk on a blog comment. But I tend to think he's barking up the wrong damn tree, not to mention guilty of psychological (perhaps psychotic) projection.

I have commented at the Islington rag concerned:

This seems like a storm in a tea cup. Remember Lib Dem Jody Dunn and her "drunk, flanked by an angry dog, or undressed" jibe at the people of Hartlepool? Well here in Manchester Chorlton we've had a local candidate caught calling the local people "bastards" as in "none of the bastards will open the door to me" talking on his mobile, probably to the local LD MP John Leech.

The Tories are forever bitching about their local organisations. Iain Dale and others have attacked their Scottish colleagues for example. I am a Labour member and blogger and from my point of view Lib Dems are by far and away the ones with the LEAST POLITICS and the LOWEST OPINION of the voters.
Here's the persuasive godfather reference from a Lib Dem drunk of our acquaintance!

Really Mr Cack! You Lib Dems are excellent at these foot in mouth moments and insulting the intelligence of the voters. Just get a grip and stop drawing attention to it.

Political Betting: Tory Pundit Townhall Predictions

For Scotland Tory pundit Sean Fear is predicting a 150 rather than the 100 seat loss, which results from basic switch to PR, almost all going to the SNP. Also that Labour will control only three Councils - Glasgow, North Lanarkshire and Midlothian - with ALL the rest on No Overall Control.

For Wales he makes no predictions whatsoever.

And for England he is predicting 750 gains for Tories matched by 850 losses for Labour with the 100 balance mostly going Green or to the fascist BNP. He says Lib Dems level pegging. No change.

I'm thinking all these numbers are high sided. Try 450, 480 and 80. With 50 seats lost by the Lib Dems. Clearly, if I'm right the carnage in control (or lack of) of Town Halls will be nowhere near Sean's Armageddon.

Worth a look. Comments over there are going mental. There's money in them thar polls! Remember though that many of these bloggers are themselves punters ... beware!

Newsman's Holiday: None for Years ... Then, Surprise! Relaxing Pressure Drop in Baghdad

Miles Barter has this strange-but-true story at Action Without Theory.

Comment is Free: Michael White is Wrong, Again

Guido Slayer Michael White has Blogged-for-Gordon HERE. Fortunately he does not control the process as a contest is clearly desired.

My reply:

Clearly the situation after John Smith's death was quite different. But some weeks before that would you, Michael have listed Tony Blair as an ambitious and credible candidate for the highest office? Who *would* you have listed?

When exactly did you cotton on to Dave-id Cameron as being the one for the Bullingdon Tories?

Seems to me the Labour left and mid-left (can't say centre-left as New Labour claim that) could have brought ourselves to having a primary process among those members of the PLP significantly to the left of GB and TB - which John McDonnell might even have won - we would have had a *programme* very similar to John's and a built in group of nominations to back the chosen candidate onto the ballot and onwards in a serious challenge to the right.

Unfortunately we have not had that. It will not happen now. But the programme should not frighten the horses too much. It is in many ways populist and what people might have really wanted in 1997. And John McDonnell is an impressive man with far more experience - as Ken's left-hand-man at the GLC and i/c money - than people give him credit for.

John has been exceedingly rebellious of course, and rather critical of those who have chosen to spend their votes and arguments to achieve step changes and useful nuances in government bills. But he promises to be inclusive.

It does not have to be Gordon through dearth of talent. And if it is to be Gordon I think it is very important for the Labour Party, the labour movement and the country that he makes his peace with the anti-war and socialist elements of the party as well as bringing the right to heel.

Having a contest is very obviously the best way to achieve that. PLP members will do well to ensure there are at least three shades of red on the ballot. They have enough nominations to see six or seven if six or seven are willing.

Blair has been a class act. Far, far better than Cameron will ever be. If only he'd driven us towards the social democracy of Sweden or Finland as Neal Lawson suggested yesterday we'd have been in great shape just now. Instead he has always seemed to look to the USA for home policy ideas (a strange choice), and held her coat as she bullies the world.

I never bought the three myths of Blairism:

1. It had to be Blair to win
2. It had to be that programme to win
3. It had to continue to be Blair and that programme to keep winning

No, no and no! There were, and still are other opportunities.

There is no dearth of talent. There is plenty. Needing a chance to shine.

There is still time for the Okey Kokey Koronation Karaoke.

More on the blog soon. Fawkes and Dale BOTH missed Yates handing in his dossier. Amateurs!

3:15 Yates of the Yard: Hands in his Dossier

The Guardian has published this story as Yates of the Yard hands in his dodgy dossier to CPS. And poor Guido was out on the piss.

David Lindsay and Jeff Smith: Academies For All

On Tuesday LOL-list blogger David Lindsay came up with a cunning plan. Academies being a rather unpopular concept - to take the Academy model and rattle it around a bit so that sponsors were socially engaged organisations like Trade Unions, which Mr Lindsay thinks might have spare cash swilling about. Whether that is quite true or not we have some news for our Blog-mate.

Manchester City Council has adapted Andrew Adonis' Complex in just this kind of way. Going public 12 months ago. PDF Download. Keeping flat-earthers, creationists, arms dealers and purveyors of fast food OUT. Keeping accountability and shared purpose and indeed proactive clustering with our other schools IN.

Hats off to Councillor Jeff Smith (standing in Old Moat) for being well ahead of both Lord Adonis and David Lindsay. I'm loving Manchester Labour.

In January 2007 the boat was
well and truly pushed out in The Guardian and in Public Service.

PHOTOS: The existing Manchester Academy including BBC Newsnight's successful £40 into £600 business of Cathay Craftz (top) with Yahui Zhang and Marcelle Tompkins (pictured) working with Yidan Liu and Jamie Barker. Starting from a low base the school has doubled and now tripled achievements and is well on the way to being an excellent school. The school was opened by David Miliband, way back in 2003.

Facebook: Maggie For Deputy

Maggie Oakley (right) is doggedly trying to overtake other contenders and take Facebook lead in DL race. You can help by joining her group. She is lying fifth but may soon overtake John Cruddas. Join other groups to keep the spaniel at bay.

Chorlton : Paul Ankers' Scandal, Bus Stop Details Emergent, Crimewatch Recreation Being Scoped

Iain Dale: Merciless Mayoral Micky Taking in Comments, Peggy Mitchell for Mayor

Iain Dale's Tory Mayor Runners and Riders - But who cares?

Gweirdo: Biggy Bully Dave-id Cameron Emcee

Did I say this was from Gweirdo? I've seen two versions. One without that annoying guest rap from DPM Prezza ...

Chorlton : Paul Ankers' Godfather Writes ...

Oh, alright then. The incoming email was from Dave Hennigan who has been blogged about here before:

Chris,

As Paul's daughter's godfather - I don't believe this at all. Paul is a man of integrity who lives in Chorlton. Good Lad - I laugh at most of the stuff you do but Paul would never do this. I've known him for 10 years and he simply wouldn't do this.

As far as Chorlton is concerned - I'll be going from Rochdale where we are walking it here. Labour are crap here and I said six months ago that when I was confident of success here we would close it down and go to Chorlton.

Regards,

Dave

Apart from the fact that Dave would be better off going to any number of other places to defend weak and failing Lib Dem councillors who are struggling than coming and joining in where John Leech is trying to get his own back on his £23,000 benefactor Angela Gallagher. Let's see:

He could defend Simon Ashley, their Group Leader, who is struggling to even carry his own party with him in Gorton South. Julie Reid could scupper him. Perhaps that's what Lib Dem managers want?

He could defend Faraz Bhatti, the do-nothing overnight sensation of a PPC, who is losing to former councillor Kath Fry who is a tireless worker and will surely see him off in Whalley Range.

He could try stopping another 900-vote landslide in Longsight! Or a mullering in Gorton North! Or being beaten by both Tories and Labour with a stay-away councillor in the City Centre. Or perhaps stopping the man accused of Nazi Saluting in the Council Chamber losing his seat over his inaction in Burnage.

For goodness sake Dave ... the Lib Dems don't have the troops to defend those seats never mind attack ours. I don't actually think Labour are crap in Rochdale. But I do know the Lib Dems are crap in Manchester. You are a born-again propagandist but you are taking the Michael here.

Chorlton : Paul Ankers' Overnight Endorsement

Overnight an endorsement for Paul as a "good bloke" arrived from a most unexpected, and some would say rather untrustworthy, source. What to do with it? Some would say that if I posted that it would be the final nail in the boy wonder's coffin. Particularly if I publish the pictures ... and the anecdotes ... about this referee! Oh, what to do??

Chorlton : Lib Dem Paul Ankers' Jody Dunn Moment

First Published 15:31 today

John Hollicker, an avowed Labour AND Lib Dem hater, is a regular at Thomas Graham's mighty John Leech Watch SLOG (contraction of Slanging and Blog).

In my opinion Thomas needs to weed out the Lib Dem imposters pretending to be local people but blogging from Lib Dem desks financed by the tax payer. But the questions are a useful account of the problems with Cllr John Leech MP.

Although there is an open invitation no-one has yet published anything much complimentary about the Christie Hoaxer but the payroll trolls keep up a spirited defence.

Anyway, back to Green giant John Hollicker:

I was at the bus stop on Tuesday night when the Lib Dem contender for Chorlton was working the street...his mobile pressed to ear ... and he (genuinely) came out with the following:
" None of the bastards will open the door to me."
Priceless.

Paul Ankers was next to post - claiming very unconvincingly that he was on a different street. He also said that he rarely swears. But to his eternal credit (for a Lib Dem) he was honest and did not deny he uttered the words.

This is what disinterested witness Hollicker calls a John Leech clone having his Jody Dunn Moment.

"Bastards" is so much more economical than "drunk, flanked by an angry dog, or undressed". Good job Paul. I believe you said this based on a witness who hates Labour just as much as Lib Dems. But my readers will need to decide for themselves.

Chorlton people don't want to open the door to you because they have read your dire fibs, because they love Chorlton and Manchester and hate the way you run our city down, because they like Angela Gallagher and were appalled at the treatment she received from your party, and because they know that Angela is right about John Leech's appalling Christie Hoax.

MYSTERY: Is Wayne Ankers at the Manchester Evening News any relation? And this "local man" Paul Ankers in Brooklands is he related?

Mirror: Another Endorsement for John McDonnell

Comrade Susan has been busy and brings glad tidings that The Mirror star Kevin Maguire has followed Paul Routledge in backing John McDonnell to get onto the Leadership ballot. He has also joined the ranks of the sane Labour left by requesting, with respect, that Michael Meacher bow out and give John a clear run.

WONKY EXCLUSIVE: Dale says Tories Want Dyke to Fight as a Joint LibDem/Tory Candidate

Iain Dale says Greg Dyke is all over the place as he updates and re-updates and re-re-updates his story. Good for the Lib Dems. Did I just tap that? For telling Cameron and Dyke where to get off to with this undemocratic idea.
THE REAL DEAL: Greg speaks with BBC here.

Lord Lie-Low Laid-law Offshore: Representation Without Taxation

Robert Peston has a good story on his BBC Blog today. Tasty morsels:

"In the spring of 2004, the Lords Appointments Commission insisted that the wealthy businessman should not become a lord unless he agreed to start paying most of his taxes in Britain. In April of 2004, Lord Laidlaw - who has been a substantial donor to the Tory Party - agreed to do just that."


But three years on Lord Laidlaw is still not resident in the UK. Escaping tax on £700M plus:

"Laidlaw wrote to the Commission three weeks ago explaining why he had not yet given up his tax-exile status. The letter ... cites a variety of personal reasons (and) says that (he) still intends to become a UK resident for tax purposes."

"In 2005, Lord Laidlaw sold his conferences business, the Institute of International Research, for £768m. He picked up £714m for his stake in the Bermuda-based business."

"There was plenty of controversy when Irvine Laidlaw became a lord because he has been a generous Tory donor. He is believed to have given the Tories more than £1m in the past. The Conservative Party currently owes Lord Laidlaw £2.5m."

The Lords Appointments Commission has now shut the stable door.

UPDATE: Conservative Home quote the Torygraph saying Dave-id Cameron has put his foot down and demanded a home-coming, "and don't forget your cheque book!"

Dyke Does a Mili: Not the London Tory Candidate

Greg Dyke has rung Andrew Neill and denied he will be the Tory candidate. But Neill insists he was asked. Suggests he will be on the card. And apologises for ending a sentence with a preposition. Strange man. If he wants to apologise there are worse things he's done to apologise for.

PMQs: Cameron an Utterly Mullered "Amateur"

Cameron was appalling today. Wrong questions. Own goals. Punch and Judy. Tony Blair, like Michael Meacher (joke), was a Class Act.
BLOG EXCLUSIVE: Greg Dyke up for Tory Mayoral Candidate?
Immediate rebuttal: Iain Dale says not true, Dyke's not a Tory.

John McDonnell: Chairman John's Little Black Book

Comrade Susan has a short story on Comrade John's new pocket sized guide to socialism in the 21st Century.

Order from John at just £2:50 inc.
Wherever you stand on the Leadership this one is going to be must-read and collector's item.

Burnage: Weak Councillor Like Arsonist Back to Scene of Crimes

Did promise this gurning misery of a Lib Dem councillor returning to the scene of his crimes after three years "in the job". Here he can be seen near where a bus was set on fire. Possibly by a delinquent kid or kids.

Elsewhere in his leaflet he persistently moans about the area, about standards in schools - although he is a Governor and he could easily praise improvements, welcome massive investments, congratulate scholars - and he goes on and on ad nauseum with his miserable mantra.

Providing the kind of backdrop in which communities can sometimes lose their pride and ambition. Led into misery by miserable Lib Dems. Obviously they support anti-social behaviour and the extension of this through laxer drink, drugs and porn laws and weaker sentencing. This is what sees kids setting fire to buses.

On his action file we find still more evidence of neglect and inactivity. A list of things he has reported. But no action to feed back. He's had three years to report stuff but instead he reports a few sample cases as his re-election time comes. (Click to enlarge)

As well as being the councillor at the centre of the "Nazi Salute in the Council Chamber" allegation Iain Donaldson is the antithesis of the "hard-working" adjectival gerund (it'll be a fluke if that's right) they try to link to his bad name.

Naturally, if Iain is found guilty by Standards, he will be following a well-trodden path with other Lib Dems flirting with Nazi salutes, "coon jokes" and voting for BNP preferment to boot. Some links along these lines here. Hilarious coon jokes (not) here.

Jailhouse Lawyer: On Dare to Get "Paedophile" in More Headlines?

Another strange headline from Mr Hirst, and he a lawyer and all. The story really being that the powers that be are tracking suspected Islamic terrorists in the community using methods used for e.g. sex offenders.

You'd think the powers that be could use the fairly successful methods employed to keep tabs on Irish revolutionary republicans, members of Militant, and Russian spies rather than the wholly unsuccessful methods used with sex offenders and other probationers.

Can we now also expect a return of "bog police" in the roofs of the ablutions at our mosques, not to mention BNP covens?

CAPTION: Sir Paul Condon blends in with Sikh suspects. Tribune of India.

Bartley Willcock: Luncheon Club on Adjoining Tables at Chorlton Cafe

Always great to see Bartley on UAF and Anti-War duty and out and about in Whalley Range and Chorlton and much farther afield. This lunch time we put the world to rights over Liver and Bacon with Boiled (Me) and Special Breakfast with No Fried Slice (He) at Rupert's greasy spoon cafe just off the railway bridge.

Today we finally and completely sorted out the Middle East; Socialist Action, Respect and MAB; Homophobia and Equality; Pensions and Pensioners; the Empty Opportunism of Lib Dems; Hazel Blears and Hope Hospital; the Hateful Tories; his personal friend but political foe Tommy Walsh (Old/New Labour); and everything but the price of fish.

Well actually we didn't sort much out but we had a very enjoyable chat. And Bartley told me a not very impressive story about Labour tactics to undermine Respect's councillor in Preston. Last five paras. Is this true? Sounds like a smear. Are these revolutionaries cut out for electoral activity?

Sticks and stones and all that ... never ever ever heard any porkies from Respectees fortunately!

Bartley is looking forward to a Pensioners' Parliament in Blackpool on May 8th. It seems that while Tories and Fib Dems are sending top notch specialists on pensions the Labour juniors have chickened out and had a whip round to send Hazel Blears instead. They'll surely not heckle Hazel? They'd have to be Nuts to do that.

Scotland the Brave: When Two Polls Clash

Luke Akehurst: Rejoices at a 3% Lead in the Herald HERE. While Iain Dale's Diary: Bad Labour Poll? "Discredited MRUK poll" may be more accurate, NOT appearing in the Glasgow Herald.

Though Tories (lying a very sad and flat 4th) have been happy to grab figures from both these pollsters when they swing in SNP's favour. Did you forget? The SNP are now the Tories' friends!

Elsewhere Mr Dale has a mis-analysis of Some Party Political Broadcasts, some mis-analysis of Pound Breaks $2 Barrier story and more interesting but still strange coverage of BNP Lists UKIP Council Candidates on Official BNP Website.

It's the BNP doing it to UKIP. To be honest the biggest potential beneficiaries are TORIES not either of the other two right wing groupings.

New Miliblog: New Plaything for Fawkes as Third Way Miliblog Hits the Road

There is an Alternative who are bigging up David Miliband have strenuously denied the three words of thirty in the Daily Telegraph story which says they're his friends.

At 3pm in the Guardian he ruled himself out. Only 12 hours or so after Alan Johnson's advice to "leave it for now, sonny" appeared in the same paper.

So will our story about the X Factor stylee Children-in-Need-ification of the leadership contest have legs?

David's constituency site and Fawkes' plaything at DEFRA breathed a collective sigh of relief as the third Miliblog will surely now be redundant? Or will it?

Trigger Ballots: Campaigner Abbott Sails Hackney Marshes, Wareing Finds Mersey Rock

Media Star Diane Abbott is through despite Luke's voting against her. Bob Wareing is demanding a recount over "irregularities". But how irregular can a count of a dozen or so branches and unions be?

He may yet win through as he is well loved by local people and the careerist rats who planned this could yet be divided and ruled. But our rebellious hero, loved precisely FOR being rebellious, is 76 and could be 79 and 84 respectively at the start and finish of his, er, second but last term. He has already been TWICE more than he said in 1997.

Seems to LOL that while Diane did the business on Andrew Neill's couch Bob has been derelict in neither nurturing an heir/ess for his prime real estates nor organising and protecting his own reselection.

Confusing Times for Tory Unionists: Trimble Jumps

Even as the Tories ready to cast their Scottish clans into the darkness for much grinding and gnashing of third rate teeth Lord Trimble has announced that he has joined McCameron.

Back in November 06 David began advising the new leader on what he should do. Labour has been organising at a laid back pace in the North for about three years, relaxing the ruling that no memberships are accepted.

The SDLP has been a sister party for some time. My uncle Hugh was a Derry cornerboy with that handsome young scamp John Hume. And apart from some dim and distant gun-running, a gunned down second cousin Hugh, and a few baton rounds here and there the family were and are strict Social Democrats.

There are also comradely links with Irish Labour and a thriving Labour Irish Society. Sinn Fein tend to have a do at conference. Though I can't say I've yet noticed socialist fractions of any Unionist party on the fringe. Rev Dr Ian Paisley's controversial 2006 visit was I seem to recall much reduced.

For my money The Co-op Party, which has an electoral agreement with British Labour, could be an ideal focus for re-engineering the party politics of the North for the 21st Century and I suggested this to party organisers at a GMB-lubricated meeting in a Brighton Hotel in September 2005.

Hat tip: Iain Dale

Bethnal Green and Bow Selector: Getting Exciting

Details make all the difference. Rupa Huq (with calling card) speaks 'Meeja' as well as Bangla.
The shortlist(s) is/are:
Rushanara Ali - Associate Director of the Young Foundation
Dr Rupa Huq - Westminster and Euro campaigns, PhD on BG&B
Shiria Khatun - Tower Hamlets Councillor
Helal Abbas - former leader of Tower Hamlets Labour Group
John Biggs - London Assembly Member
Lutfur Rahman - Tower Hamlets Councillor

David Osler's post wondering about the final shortlist of six - from a field of about 65 - at Bethnal Green and Bow drew this comment:

Telling it like it is. I suppose that if I told this lot to their faces they would stop bugging me for support but then I would only get half the bitchy comments about the other contenders.

There are several problems with Rushanara.
Never had a proper non political job
Never been a candidate anywhere
Lives in Newham
Up herself - She may have gone to poxbridge put she needs to realise that people who haven't aren't so thick that they need reminding of the fact every 5 mins.
Oona's candidate - while it pains me to say it she did take a safe labour seat and lose it to a Scottish tosser in a catsuit.
The list goes on and on....

BGB must be the seat in the country most ill suited to a middle aged white pro politico. That of course wont stop Biggsy being near the top of the leader board. Access to the membership list for years. Dull as ditchwater. May well clinch it.

Lutfur Rahman and Helal Abbas. Rahman is the sharper of the two but the Bangladeshi blokes treat being an MP as a great honour so come across as arrogant puff balls. There is also a tendency to view ethnic links as stronger than party poilitical ones. Apparently there is a tape circulating of LR thanking people from the Respect Coalition for help in the selection. One for Ted no doubt. Expect copious amounts of shit to hit fans all over the consituency.

Which leaves Rupa and Shiria. Let's start with Shiria, the asian Ruth Kelly as she plops them out at a rate of knots which may explain why she has been around for all of about five minutes politically. Pissed off more than a few people with vote for the Bangladeshis line at the elections. This is actually a Labour Party kicking out offence but it would be typical BGB politics to select someone like that. Fits the right demographic.

It must be a strain for Rupa comming here from Ealing all the time. Has the double edged sword of being an outsider. Smart, good politics, experienced, right demographic, not a Bangali village idiot. Therefore no chance as this is BGB and we elect Scottish egomanic tossers to parliament and select pro war Labour candidates.

Posted by BGB Bitch | 13:06, 16 April 2007

Naturally Rupa has confirmed she would move to the constituency on day one if selected.

Her book on "youth" has been shortlisted for the British Sociological Association’s Philip Abrams memorial prize.

And she has been campaigning against sweatshop procurement by ASDA and Primark.

The big hustings is on 26th and then a polling day on Saturday 28th.


UPDATE: Labour and Unison Blogger John Gray has switched his support from Ayub Ali, who's out, to Rupa who's in. HERE he explains something about one of the disappointed women candidates. This one has switched to Respect and wants to their candidate.

German Army: Shoot the Black American Scum

After my railing at Dirty Dorries aka Nadine the ex-German BIGOT and TORY MP yesterday Dizzy has found this You Tube gem in his early hours caravan of love, hate and whimsy. Makes the idiot Col Patrick "Blimp" Mercer MP look like Malcolm X.

UPDATE: Have bumped this up the day and embedded the video. Dizzy has put up Iain Dale's Doughty Street interview with Col Patrick Mercer HERE.

Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves: Political Censorship

This morning I spent about half an hour or so over at Iain Dale's posting some comments, each mentioning my post about Nadine Dorries MP's nasty attack on Gypsies and travellers.

After reading a couple of them Iain kindly sent me a rather cryptic and headmasterly email suggesting in impenetrable jargon they were not fully on topic and that I should not send another like that. Three strikes and you're out it said.

By the time I had got back from Iain's, read that and asked for clarification, he had already laid waste to my beautifully crafted comments, including one about gay footballers - similar to THIS. Though without the useful wildlife trivia section which is a LOL exclusive.

Completely on topic. I have challenged Iain to replace it and see if anyone else thinks it was NOT on topic with some valid and useful points.

My reading of this is that Iain simply does not like his support for a bigoted rant to be questioned. Certainly, if he didn't realise his email hadn't found me "in time" he should have done.

I'm very disappointed, particularly as he is moaning today about how illiberal the Lib Dems are.

Never mind the Lib Dems! What about Iain Dale's Diary?

Virginia Shooting: Is a Student the Shooter?

VAPD spokesman is evading question about gunman "entering building".

Liam Fox: Makes A Smelly Arse of Himself

Liam says he thinks letting sailors talk to the press (zero dead, zero wounded) is a resigning matter same as allowing the Falklands War (907 dead, 1865 wounded) through complacency. But of course Liam has unusually admitted on camera that he is a liar. So that's that then.

Having voted for the Iraq War himself and still supporting it he can't call for a resignation on that. But letting a couple of people say nothing to the press? Time to do a Carrington Des? Er, perhaps not.

Dogs and Drakes: Why Does Prejudice Dog Pro Sport?

What a big Cup Sir Alex has! Anyway, Iain Dale has blogged about David James' piece in The Observer.

But he's just skimming the surface. Why on earth was there not at least a nod to the triumphant John Amaechi and his belated coming out?

John is the force behind the nearest professional sports club to my home. The Manchester Magic.

John no doubt knows a number of gay footballers as well as gay hoopsters.

But he can also teach footballers a thing or two with his manly outsize basket-balls.

David James' old club Man City (Great Name, trumps Boystown FC) would also have been worth a mention I'd have thought?

Going after the pink pound, a genuinely representative staff group, and yes, an atmosphere at the club - in one of the most progressive cities on the planet - where gay players can come out.

WILDLIFE TRIVIA: Dogs and Drakes. Interesting to see James admitting doing a drive-by at a Devon gay dogging site. Trafford residents wondering why there is a plague of geese and ducks on their turf at weekends can be re-assured that this is caused by a rash of dogging at their local water park habitats.

Which will get right up the noses of the Tory burghers, particularly when the smelly fowl use the facilities on their well-manicured lawns. You read it here first.

Thinking Blogger Award: Aw Shucks, Thanks John

Over the weekend I've been awarded a Thinking Blogger's Award courtesy of Prisoners' Voice, John Hirst. Thanks for thinking of me! Picture, right, shows LOL accepting the award at a glittering ceremony.

There was a mention-in-dispatches near miss a couple of weeks' ago from Dave's Part who did add me to his links. In this case I am Super-Sub for Councillor Bob Piper who is in good company as the already garlanded Iain Dale also declined a repeat honour.

It is now my solemn duty to tag five other bloggers with a TBA, aiming to avoid duplication of previous awards, and to finger only genuinely original and thought-provoking thinkers.

The meme was started on 11 February 2007 by Ilker Yoldas. The fact that much-longer-established Labour blogger K Cross Clan has also been tagged in the last few days (by one of his bessie's) shows what a wild, fast-changing and nepotistic world we bloggers live in.

Socialists? Lights-under-Bushels? Mancs? Old faves? New raves? Quality? Width? Quality-with-Width? Watch this space.

MEMETAG: this viral peer-reviewed Award was invented by the original Thinking Blogger Ilker Yoldas

Perverse Des Browne: She's Clever Enough to Organise a Petition So She Can Escape the Gangsters

There is an anecdote of mine about Des amidst this reply to a Comment Is Free piece HERE. As lawyers go, and like the Goon Hoon, he has been a perverse "thinker" for some time now.

Guido Fawkes: Gordon Brown Tracker Map

Guido has posted a link to a little something he or his 9-year-old web designer has cooked up to track Gordon Brown's movements.

One of his co-conspirators suggests that for days when Gordo is "missing" he be listed as in Brownland or Greenland.

Interestingly "Brownland" aka "Greenland" used to be Green and Brown before the big thaw set in. But now alas it is all white and covered with ice and snow. Thanks to the runaway gassing of people with science degrees which have nothing much to do with risk or climatology.

Poor old Greenland. Thanks to Global Warming it's now colder than it was in Viking Times. Perhaps it will be rocky Iceland's turn next?

Iain Dale's Diary: Nadine Dorries MP on Gypsies

The Old Hag gives Little Dorries the mind-Poisoning Apple

Iain Dale has rightly taken some heat from posting, and defending a nasty piece of work by Nadine Dorries, a Tory MP who at this rate needs de-selection or at very least her wings clipping a la Patrick Mercer. On Friday 13th which was unlucky.

That post is excreable it really is. And excrementous to boot.

Nothing racist AT ALL says Iain when even his right wing clientele find their eyebrows rising? You're having a laugh ain't ya, well ain't ya?

The only thing that might have made it less than full on racist (but it doesn't) is the clever way the mid-Bedfordshire bigot has conflated Irish travellers, Gypsies (er, Tramps and Thieves too, lest we forget), and anyone who travels into some poorly remembered (but uniformly not genial and not loveable) mass of caravaners.

Is this a side swipe at Margaret Beckett? Or do Nadine and Iain really believe that taking responsibility away from local authorities for providing sites was a progressive and justifiable thing to do? Would Dave/id Cameroonie, the nu-age cuddly Tory gentle-man, and ex Bully Bullingdon Bullshitter, take the responsibility back off them?

Goodness knows travellers of all stripes can be one side of some local friction when they pitch up at non-sites with no waste disposal, plumbing or access. But that's the point. Sites with waste handling, plumbing and power and proper access make sense and Nadine Dorries MP is sadly a gibbering bigot.

Travellers cannot even buy land and create their own properly managed static sites because of rampant NIMBYISM. I covered some of this as a cub-reporter circa 1985 and in that case the "problem" was Showmen who travel with Fairs for six months of the year - enterprising, mobile, flexible, licensed and respectable businesses - and need a settled site for the other six months.

The objectors - including stalwart socialists and Labourists I'll have you know - wished the site to be transferred from some very suitable land in Collyhurst to some very unsuitable land in Rusholme (now regenerated as the heart of the curry mile). Why? Because the Cllr responsible - one Arnold Spencer - lived there.

Pathetic. It's difficult. But, sorry Iain, Nadine is ga-ga. And you are showing signs of this by linking to her excreable views. Makes me spit.

Whatever next? The way we do things in England does not include the smell of curry cooking, the extravaganza of carnival, the mounting of chavi satellite dishes, or alas the frummy curls (and hot girls allegedly at this link) of those orthodox jews over there?

Just in case you're thinking what I'm thinking ... the family name Dörries is apparently from the German: from a reduced pet form of the medieval personal name Isidor(i)us (Greek Isidoros, from Isis, the name of an originally Egyptian goddess + doron ‘gift’). These days the "overseas" Dorries clan are mainly settled in Lancashire, UK and Illinois, USA. It is not certain whether they reached the latter c 1860-1890 in a Caravan or on a new-fangled railroad. Five family members fought for the Union side in the civil war. The Bedfordshire crew might have been for the racist rednecks I fear.

COINCIDENCE: Interesting feature on the top-500 British Family Names in The Observer.