Ealing Southall Betting: Two-Horse Tie for Second?

Ealing Southall Watch has posted some Betfair odds (near midnight last night, above). Fair enough. But an analysis of these that suggests Labour are anything other than way ahead in the betting seems a bit off.

Also worth remembering that the markets are relatively small and there is a multi-millionaire on the patch, clearly capable of backing himself in from 20s without breaking the bank.

Mike Smithson at Political Betting is clearly a real sportsman with one absolute banker and a couple of whacko bets so far.

Picture Quiz: Who is the Man in a Muddle With?

Tony Lit - whose multi millionaire father has been an independent candidate and a Labour supporter in respective General and European elections - got the nod to be the Tory candidate in Ealing Southall from Dave-id Cameron himself.

What family flexibility! But Lit is it seems the greater Chameleon of the two. Who is he with here? What party are they fundraising for? Unity is photo-chopper, quiz master and linker to campaign meister.

CLUE: The bulkiness of the mystery man may reflect Teflon® bullet proofness rather than champion pie eating.

Gross Functional Overlay: Tory Hissy Writ in Court?

G.F.O. is a small piece of the Medical Profession's internal argot. Scribbled on notes it tells other medics that the patient may be laying it on very thick indeed. Hardly intelligible even when the words are given in full.

Well, when the sainted nay tainted Tory campaign manager Grant '1234' Schweppes threatens to sue a party he claims are well beaten that's also the thick end of G.F.O. politics. Especially since Mr Schweppes seems to have been caught playing a few tricks on them himself.

The Lib Dem sin is apparently reproducing a photo of Tony Lit. It would be laughed out of court. Finding out who Nigel Bakhai actually is or why he's virtually the only person on the planet with his job title would be more useful.

Ming and his friends should tell him to G.T.F. with his G.F.O.

There will clearly be no court case. This is just a pathetic attempt to interfere with the LD campaign.

Also worth noting that the Tories have brilliantly come up with the idea of apeing Focus. Very novel.

The Polls, that Iain sadly is no longer reporting on his blog, are great for Gordon and desperate for Dave-id.

Sock Puppets and Trolls: Doncha Just Love Them?

Yesterday (with an hour's grace either end), and despite a busy day's work, LOL blogged :

COCOA TIME EXCLUSIVE: Dale and Times Wrong on Defectives
EXCLUSIVE: Lib Dems Sedgefield Agent in Coma
COMMENT: Lord Black Going Down
ENTERTAINMENT: Big Brother banter
EXCLUSIVE TRAIL: Signposting more to come on Times/Dale mistakes
EXCLUSIVE: "Defectives" via National Front "Total Democracy" spin off
COCOA TIME: Karen Taylor and Catherine Tate

The occasional - seven posts this month - right wing mindless froth blogger and long time troll/sock puppet making mischief with idle hands Diablo, commented on the cocoa froth:

So, that's the point of Chris Paul? "The unbearable lightness of being."
Just about sums it up, I think.
Thanks Chris

No, thank YOU Diablo. You have a fair point, well made.

Karen Taylor: Comes Over Catherine Tate Lite, But

Am I bovvered? Seems at first KT is CT-lite. But wait. The Global warming item was "Didn't LOL" never mind "ROFL" but very very very funny. And Mrs Pritchard took a deserved beating. Overall ... better than Tate actually. CT made the market. KT brings home the bacon. The You Tube embedding is mostly disabled, being as the BBC are a bit anal, but above slipped through. Here's the search for KT.

The Defective Times and Dale: Cameron's Latest Recruits Stood For a Party Founded by a Former NF Activist and Jailbird

Strangely enough the humungous triumph of Dave-id Cameron in scooping up two ex-Labour councillors with a rather scrappy track record, a defection while in office to a local community "party", absolutely no status - not even as voters in Ealing Southall - has not bothered the Hounslow Guardian. Instead, unlike The Times and the Tory Boy Blogger in chief, they focus on proper stories.

There is for example a local shortage of black and asian sperm. And, strangely enough, a Tory has resigned from Hounslow Council causing a by-election. Which incidentally Labour could win:

The full list of candidates for the Hanworth Park byelection has been revealed, with former council leader Colin Ellar hoping the election will get him back in the council.

He is standing for Labour in the by- election caused by the resignation of Councillor Harley Buckner, who is leaving due to differences with the Conservative administration Mr Ellar, who is 56, has lived in the borough since 1996 with his partner, Yvonne, and teenage son.

He lost his seat after a shock defeat in last year's borough election, ending 35 year's of Labour dominance.

Obviously, LOL was quick to condemn the crappy story overnight. Comments there, and Unity here and here expose some fo the details of just how silly this story was and is.

The two supposed Labour Councillors were (a) ex-Labour and (b) ex-Councillors and (c) opportunist members of a marvellously bizarre local pressure group come party or some such. This afternoon the Guardian also gave the Tories a bit of a twatting on this.

Here is their charge sheet for the 2006 Hounslow "all out":

Cranford Ward results sheet in the London Borough of Hounslow Council Elections.
Date of election: 4th May 2006
Turnout: 40.8%
Name PARTY Votes Elected (Y/N)
AUSTIN, JACK HERBERT CONSERVATIVE 491 N
CHAUDHARY, MOHAMMED HUSSAIN LABOUR 1275 Y
DARLEY, ANDREW SIMON LIB DEM 417 N
DHILLON, POONAM LABOUR 1346 Y
GILL, SARBJIT SINGH INDEP ALLIANCE 971 N
HAMEED, SAIMA LIB DEM 431 N
KAD, PARMOD KUMAR INDEP ALLIANCE 922 N
MARAS, SUKHDEV SINGH INDEP ALLIANCE 815 N
PRACHAR, WARWICK WILLIAM IND 61 N
SANGHA, SOHAN SINGH LABOUR 1254 Y

They were 4th and 5th in a three member seat.

With Labour their 2002 results had been rather better.

This is their then new party's own description of itself:

THE Independent Community Group (ICG) is a non-party political residents' action group which seeks to empower our local community by giving it as great a say as possible in the local decision-making process. We work to build an inclusive community in which all local citizens are treated equally and with respect, and have an equal right to participate in local community affairs.

We welcome members and supporters from across the political spectrum who share this objective with us. We are not from the political "left", "right" or "centre", we are simply local residents who want to put people before politics.

Our present policy is to try to achieve our objectives through fighting local elections, although we stress that under different circumstances the ICG could operate as a pressure group outside of the electoral arena.

Here are a few "bullet points" outlining some of the changes which we hope to make in the event of Community councillors playing a part in any new administration:

Community councillors will
Actively encourage community participation in the local decision-making process.
Prioritise front-line services.
Improve "quality of life" by means of a proactive initiative targeting graffiti, repairing and maintaining footpaths and highways, cleaning up our parks and open spaces making them more user-friendly, and improving waste collection. We will reintroduce free rubbish bags for those who use them responsibly.
Keep Council Tax down to a more acceptable level by trimming unnecessary bureaucracy and eliminating spending on political propaganda rather than attacking essential services.
Stop the imposition of unjustifiable "penalties" on leaseholders on our estates. Everybody should pay their fair share, but current policy amounts to outright theft.
Encourage and assist the creation and development of resident-led interest groups within the community.
Total and unconditional support for the Mogden Residents' Action Group (MRAG) and the residents' campaign against odour and mosquito nuisance from Mogden STW.
End the exclusion of the majority of tenants from active participation on our estates by means of a radical overhaul and depoliticsation of Hounslow Homes. We will do whatever it takes to ensure that our housing operation is transformed into a service to our tenants rather than the vehicle for political and social control which it currently is.
Use our Area Committees to their full potential for the devolution of policy-making to local communities, including the encouragement of public participation.
Improve customer complaint procedures at the council wherever possible and enforce existing requirements which are at present routinely ignored.
Recognise the value of Brentford Football Club to the local community and assist it where possible in its efforts to relocate within the borough.
Hold regular surgeries with dates and times widely advertised, as opposed to the absurd "telephone trail" cynically employed by our MP as a means of discouraging constituents.
A fairer traffic and parking policy which is centered around the needs of residents rather than the maximisation of revenue.
Support regeneration of our local area but only where it is sympathetic to the existing character of the area and conducive to the interests of the existing community.
Instigate positive action for a clean and sustainable local environment.

A manifesto on a side of A4. There's a thought.

But THIS "scamwatch" section is fascinating. In many ways the group's whole raison d'etre is chipping away at local "his and hers" MPs Alan & Ann Keen.

But they also reveal within this link that their founder:

A. Has a very considerable record indeed as a fascist member, activist and organiser of the National Front;
B. Has a conviction and jail time for bricking a crowd of policemen from a moving train causing ABH;
C. Believes in what he calls "total democracy": and
D. Has a bit of a running battle going on with Andrew Gilligan over various exposes.

Parmod Kad, by the way, has an MBE. As well as being in a pair of ex-Labour, ex-fellow-traveller-with-NF-convict, and now - in their third party in about 15 months, I reckon - Cameron's Conservative Party members. But they have no agency in Ealing Southall. They do not even appear to be voters there.

Dale's good friend Anne Widdecombe should surely tell him to pull his socks up?

Ealing Southall: Defectives Follow Up Soon Come

Boy oh boy oh boy! Lots more information on Cameron's latest catches. If he is trying to make himself, The Times, and Iain Dale look like indiscriminate idiots he is doing a grand job. Presumably as Lit is a Cameron Conservative this will all reflect badly on his campaign? With Naughty Nigel surging back?

Big Brother Falsies: Will Charley Lose Her Rag?

This has been "Fake" week on Big Brother. They are about to chuck out Charley, give her the usual exit interview, showing her what others have said about her etc, let her have a rant, let the housemates watch it all, then stick her back in. Marvellous.

The housemates have been quite warm and guessing that something is going to be "Fake" about the eviction, but they've not nailed it. Or have they? SWP Carole is closest. Will Charley lose it? Strangely enough I think she might be magnanimous even without knowing she's being watched or headed back in.


The tightest thing will be that the crowd have been sworn to greet her with silence. Weird stuff. An excellent Big Brother this time. The new taboo N word by the way is ... Nomination. Not the one Emily (left) addressed Charley (right) with.

UPDATE: By her standards she did keep her temper. Now she's back in. I predict the expected fireworks will disappoint.

Lord Konrad Black: Going Down for 35 Years?

Wargamer LKB is certainly going to be doing some time. What a damned shame! Tory Toffs have it seems removed the whip from this dirty criminal. They should apply the whip more.

He says he is appealling. But I really don't think so.

C4 News has wheeled out some idiot apparently pleading for clemency. But I realise that that "idiot" is in fact not one at all. Just seems to have a bit of a soft spot for his victims. It's Tom Bower, an author who has done Brown, Fayed, the FA, as well as the Black/Amiel complex at least twice ... so far. This is a good spot, but only come true recently:
"In America unlike in England if you perpetrate fraud you get caught and convicted."*

And this linking Black to Maxwell (two cheeks of the same arse as the conspicuous non-arse George Galloway might say) is not bad:
"They get rich because they break all the rules."

Clearly, despite his taste in fancy dress, Mr Black must not be confused with the often heroic Cardinal Sin. Known for his ready wit, he once said of the corruption which persisted after Ferdinand Marcos was ousted:

"We got rid of Ali Baba
but the 40 thieves remained."

Well, Lord Black at least is now banished from those Tory benches ...

* Can we expect a Blair/Levy book from this other TB?

MUSIC TRIVIA: Haven't ever met Black. Don't move in those circles. But the bloated plutocrat and soon-suicide Lord Maxwell is another matter. He was the warm up act on a Jonathan Ross Radio Show from Ronnie Scott's for my band Distant Cousins. Bobby, Jonny and Ronnie all liked them.

It was at another sold out gig at the place that the NME dubbed them "Jazz Folk", iD or the like called it "Flick Knife Meccano Funk" or similar. And despite Doreen's beautiful brown eyes, beautiful brown face and beautiful brown everything "Blue Eyed Soul" wasn't unknown. What idiots we have writing our music papers!

Sedgefield By-election: Friday Caption Competition

W Menzies Campbell is due to visit. All enquiries and requests for interviews to Dave Hennigan on 07*** ******. MPs confirmed to visit over the next few days include Charles Kennedy MP, Nick Clegg MP, Chris Huhne MP, Alan Beith MP and winner of the Dunfermline By-election Willie Rennie MP amongst others.
Sadly, Ming was yesterday's man. LOL Archive.

The Times: Strange Non Story on Defective Tories

I'm not sure that Iain Dale has read this properly. He claims excitedly in his headline that there are "More Defections in Ealing" but it turns out it concerns two swing voters. Who were once councillors somewhere else. In Hounslow as it goes. Gulp!?!

Vince Cable: Knit One, Pearl One, Cast Off One

There are some bold claims from LibDem Voice about Vince Cable's latest Tax proposals.

But goodness me. Over the last five years these Lib Dems have been just about everywhere on tax. All over the place. Frozen tax. Lowered tax. LIT. Super-tax. Tax cuts. More cuts. And, lest we forget, an unseemly ditching of most of the proposals immediately after the 2005 general election.

I suppose it doesn’t really matter that much. Mr Cable will never really get to make a budget. Unless he crosses the floor one way or the other. His knitting will never get to unravel.

Naturally, the sums won’t add up. They never ever do. And on the face of it while this lot may play quite well in places the Lib Dems want to break through. It could scupper some sitters at both ends of the spectral 'politics' that are Libdemology. If expertly flayed and exposed it will certainly help nail Cllr John Leech MP.

Very strange. But remembering 2005 is it actually a policy for one week only? Or for a week and a year? That will slip away quietly once these by-elections or the next locals are over?

Bloggerheads: Intimidating Hobby Horse Bloggers

Bloggerheads is on the war path. He has been intimidating the publishers of Lit Con Watch and Lib Fibs into outing themselves. Under a series of threats they buckle and admit they are Labour supporters, but independent minded. And strangely they don't like Tories and Lib Dems much.

Bit of a storm in a teacup isn't it? Some enthusiasts doing their bit. Naturally LOL gave anonymous enquirers a bit of a run around. But where's the pain?

Incidentally, their claim (on Lit Con Watch) that Mr Lit has an address in Chelsea seems to be the source of some distress among the mature, serious bloggers. Not sure why? If the multi-millionaire impressario doesn't have a second, third and fourth address what is he playing at? Conspicuous consumption is what we want. He is standing for Cameron's Tories after all. Not the other lot. Get to it Mr Lit!

JOKE: "What was it about the multimillionaire Tony Lit that attracted you Mr Cameron?" With apologies to Debbie McGhee and that magic bloke.

Question: What's the Point of the Conservatives?

The Stirrer poses an excellent question. Rather similar to the other one Simon Jenkins likes to ask. Hat Tip: Bob Piper.

UPDATE: Jailhouse has the Tories as the Light Cavalry. Cameron's forebear William IV was gone by then but some of his illegitimates may have been in action. Imagine if they'd been born right. Victoria, William's niece (it says here), wouldn't have got the gig and Cameron would have been more in line. Yes, he really and truly is a toff.

Ealing Southall: Glimpse at LD Headquarters, Wow!

Not much happening over at LDV today. But the latest video in the sidebar here is unintendedly hilarious. Also embedded above. I am the third YouTube viewer! It's that good.

Points to watch and listen for:

- Sarah Teather MP having her brain and brass neck changed using the ancient Reiki martial art;
- Lib Dems first and only Black and Ethnic Minority parliamentarian (an MEP, as 62 MPs 63 MPs, including Will-lie Rennie, is hardly enough to reflect Britain's diversity now is it?) bored with Nearby Nigel;
- 95% whiteness of the volunteers for Nearby Nigel's campaign;
- Lord Chris Rennard ... running;
- 'Phone bank running up thousands of pounds skillfully kept off camera;
- Naughty Nigel's powerful oratory;
- Surging coming-third-in-by-elections music.

Dizzy: Abandoned Cars Must Not Be Scrapped?

Dizzy paints a lovely word picture of his reader tending their pride and joy - in Dizzy's case an old school vintage penis extension in the garage - for 15 long years. And then having it appropriated for lack of attention!

Doesn't make sense? I thought not.

A real parable for the proposal to give money in lost bank accounts to good causes if the owners cannot be traced would be a car completely abandoned for 15 years being finally cubed and recycled.

Lovely picture of cubed vehicles, for recycling, using a car crusher loaned by the DVLA at Ystrad Quarry, Trefil in the Brecon Beacons. Collected by soldiers from 101 Bn REME (V) part of Exercise Brecon Blackhawk to remove approx 150 vehicles that have been stolen or burned out to avoid paying scrapping fee. Courtesy of Guardian wizard Jeff Morgan.

Guido Fawkes: Fart, Snot, Wank, Sith, Snot, Fair

What is it with Mr GuF and his obsession with other people's bodily functions? Apparently the "long-awaited" 'phone virus of a man scratching his nose. Is now available. If like Mr GuF, and Dick and Dom in da bungalow, you are obsessed with bogeys and four letter words you can pick the snot FOC here.

I surmise from this obsession that the reason why Mr GuF appeared in the shadows on Newsnight is that he can't keep his hands off his own nose and other bits and is very ashamed of that.

According to BBC insiders The Staines got shown up quite clearly.

E-Southall: Bloomin' 'Eckers, Lit Lives in Chelsea?

So the presumably Libdemologist site Lit Con Watch is claiming. Not only doesn't Mr Twit live in the constituency ... but wherever he may be registered to vote - under some other name entirely - these Lit Con Watchers are saying he lives (as his fortune allows) in Chelsea.

If we believe them the millionaire Phoney Lit DOES NOT live in Ealing Southall constituency. NOT on the new boundaries. NOT on the old. And he does not EVEN live just next door as the fibber Dave-id Cameron claims.

Meanwhile Nige' is still struggling with his plain speaking. "FIRST moved to the seat" (NB not the constituency) "in 1994". But when did he LAST move to "the seat"?

Clearly one might ask why the man is hardly known in the area.

Has he really been in "the seat" for "13 years"? Why has he never made it as a councillor if he is so concerned about litter, tagging and drains? He should have stormed in if he's any good at campaigning for local people on local issues.

Nige' may be Nice. But is he even remotely capable of being a councillor let alone an MP?

Is he really asking to be a £60,000 per year litter and dog poo fixer?

Even Tony Lit - the son of a £75M-fortune dodgy old scrote - sorry dad, that is what they are saying in Sunrise land - seems to have more about him.

Sheesh, I forgot to say: Without doubt Virendra Sharma is the only candidate who can unite and truly represent all the communities in Ealing Southall. Vote Sharma X.

Ealing Southall meets Longsight: More Tory Twisting

Once again Lib Dem Voice seems to have caught the Tories "at it for Lit". Possibly Grant Schweppes MP (Shhh, you know who) who is a dab hand at e-communication, according to his moonlighting activity roster. Above pictured in yellow suit with Welwyn and Hatfield Alzheimers campaign.

Here's the LDV post in full:

>>>>>

The Lib Dem Voice posting on Monday, ‘Five Labour councillors switch to the Tories in Ealing’, provoked a large response - 54 comments at the last count.
Four of these comments (Nos 16, 20, 23 and 24) purported to be from Cllr Abid Latif Chohan, a Lib Dem city councillor in Manchester, claiming he would be supporting the Tory candidate in the Ealing by-election: “I have many friends in Southall, mainly muslim, who plan to vote for Mr Lit. I really hate Labour. Could we withdraw at this stage to give Lit a free run? We could devide the anti-Labour vote and let them back in. I don’t normally endorse tactical voting, but this time its right to do it. Have looked at the 2006 results and its clear that we’re not going to take it. As a liberal democrat councillor, I wish Mr Lit well.”
This was picked up by a couple of Tory blogs, and given wider circulation.

But all this has come as news to Cllr Chohan himself, who has written a letter to Simon Ashley (a fellow Manchester Lib Dem councillor) - which he has given permission to LDV to publish - categorically denying that he made the comments posted in his name:

Dear Simon,
Thanks for your E-mail regarding the Ealing Southall By-election.
I was disgusted to read these postings, which clearly were not done by me. I’ve never met this Tory, and would not urge Liberal Democrats to vote tactically for the Tories.
We were in second place at the General Election and have the best chance of beating Labour in the By-election.
Please forward this letter to our campaign team in Ealing, and let them know that they can use it to rebut these Tory dirty tricks in any literature they like.
I am proud to be a Liberal Democrat, and will be actively supporting Nigel Bakhai in Ealing Southall.
Yours sincerely,
Cllr Abid Latif Chohan

Longsight Liberal Democrat councillor

Manchester City Council

So, once again, someone has decided to impersonate a Lib Dem in an attempt to belittle the party’s chances in the Ealing by-election, and big-up the Tories’. This is now the third occasion on which LDV has reported what appear to be dirty tricks, and follows Mark Pack’s exclusive yesterday, Grant Shapps says “realistically we’re not going to win” in Ealing, which was picked-up by today’s Times and Guardian.

However, this one is more serious, as it was not simply a question of impersonating an anonymous activist - this was an attempt to suggest a named Lib Dem councillor was openly backing a Tory opponent, with all the potential embarrassment that could cause Cllr Chohan (left). It’s high time some folks just grew up.

I’ve edited Cllr Chohan’s comments to make clear that he has denied being the author. They will remain up for a couple more days to help put this article in context, and then they will be removed.

<<<<< end of LDV quote

Longsight, Manchester is of course a rather amusing council ward with plenty of intrigue.

But if there were "Longsight-Gate" impacting on the Ealing Southall contest my money would be on the famous Liaqat Ali (left) rather than Brother Chohan.

(If you don't know Liaqat or his activities then this will sail over your head. Sorry.)

Newsnight: Manchester Casino, Brown Field Homes

EM is coincidentally presenting Newsnight. Pickles and Laws are a bit of a handful. Cooper is good as gold.

On the Manchester Casino today's happenings look like a bit of a hiccup. My instinct however is that despite the appearance it's not all over.

All bets are not off. My 'Nap' is that Manchester will answer every problem with a sensible answer. Pickles in particular was speaking up for Manchester and Plan A.

On the Brown Fields Homes there is a lot of talk of concensus from Pickles and Laws, accompanied by a lot of sniping and misinformation. Cooper stayed cool.

Most Crying Wolf: New Blogging Award for Iain Dale

Utterly wrong again Iain. Mr Dale claims that Ms Emily Maitlis has been banned from writing for The Spectator. This is happily utterly wrong. But that hasn't stopped the Tory Boy Bloggers attacking the BBC, the licence fee, the whole world. It's all so unfair! Ten more years for Labour. That sort of thing. Prospect of a 90 year Labour Dynasty (cf Sweden). Tories disintegrate as dinosaurs who forgot to mutate. The BBC cheer!

Anyway. The truth is that rather than being banned from writing EM must not accept the title of "Contributing Editor". This is a totally different story, and not much of one at that.

Emily Maitlis is a canny writer. And she'll be back! Whatever Iain says. He's described his gaffe as a BBC U-Turn!

PICTURE: Illustrates EM's linked Spectator Diary. Yet another Award Ceremony. As Host.

Tories: A Snooze Party, Not a News Party

Conservative Home is calling the Lib Dems heartless for not being in attendance while they blethered about alleviating poverty - a life long priority of most Tories, particularly the serial Non-Exec and Banker Oliver Letwin, in the Chair. Perhaps they could produce a picture of the heaving Tory benches during a recent Lib Dem debate to show this isn't just a slow news day. Perhaps Phoney Lit is lost in his manor?

Ealing Southall: Ireland on Schweppes Bitter Lemon

The Tory e-communications expert Grant Schweppes e-viscerated.

Ealing Southall: Labour Loyalist Lambasts Lit's Louts

Makes the Battle of Sedgefield Moor look like child's play. Recess Monkey.

Idiots For Labour: Back on the LOL Blogroll

Good stuff, almost always. It's satirical. Don't fuss.

Plans For Nearby Nige: Too Much Already Says ESW

Ealing Southall Watch has done a good job of damning Local or shall we say Nearby Nige with faint praise.

I haven't a clue how to start on Nige's Health Survey. I know nothing whatsoever of his health. Or anything much about him. Apart from the strange syntax on how long he's lived in "the seat" or not. And his strange job title too.

Meanwhile don't you think it is a bit of a dishonest trick to get someone to do a councillor's work on litter, flyposting and drains on an MP's pay and with an office in Westminster instead of at the Town Hall?

But then again they could hardly get elected* to the Town Hall if they were the only candidates, so perhaps it's fair enough.

The picture of LD volunteers is from the Pink Dogster Lib Dem Blog which gives us a clue on how fluffy they are without the nasty boys who have descended on Co Durham like a marauding horde. Hat tip: ESW.

* Actually they have three whole councillors in Ealing Borough, one in Ealing Southall. The Blue Tories rather than the Yellow Tories have been doing the job of whining and moaning. With a bit of luck they are also doing the job of imploding within one term of office. Taking on Gurch the Lurch should assist with that.

Dave-id Cameron: On Marriage and Commitment

Here's a thought. Every time one of Cameron's Policy Commissions comes up with anything - generally woolly, cuddly, progressive, costly and uncosted but occasionally most of the above plus plain stupid - Mr Dale defends his boss, saying "Ah Yes but, No but, Dave-id has not accepted these findings, we have no policy on that".

So what's all this about commitment? It won't wash. Dave-id and Iain won't even commit to a policy. How can they urge the nation, particularly the feckless poor, to marry ... or else they'll hit us hard in the pocket?

John Leech's Horrible Hoaxes: Not Forgotten

Dear Reader

Please do not think I have forgotten Cllr John Leech MP's "Horrible Hoaxes". Clearly I am very interested in an uber-anoraky kind of way in the tooing and froing in Ealing Southall. But I have not taken my eye off the balderdash.

A third Marie Louise Gardens site visit is on the cards this very day. Worry not.

Yours aye

Chris P

PS New "horrible Hoaxes" leads always welcome.

Ealing Southall Communalism: Some Clarification

My posts about the non-selection of Cllr Gurcharan Singh have attracted considerable attention, some sinister, from communalists of several stripes. So here is a brief clarification of my position on the subject:

1. I don't know Cllr Gurcharan Singh personally from adam. But as soon as this by-election was called I did begin to collect information on the likely proponents. Gulcharan's history is and was extensively documented for the post-Google years, and is old in song and story from back in the day;
2. My belief was that Cllr Singh could win selection but that his baggage could make him a rotten candidate and a rotten MP if he survived the storm. So I was pretty pleased that he was carved out of the selection. As pleased about that as Gurch' himself was pleased that none of the women candidates made the cut. That was his consolation. And this was mine.
3. After Cllr Singh's defection, and presumably before the local government by-election that follows as he gives the people a chance to back him or sack him as a Tory, I gave a run down of these issues as a generous gift to his new masters, or slaves as may be.
4. This exposition attracted attackage from Sikh hotheads, and also unwanted supportage from other hotheads, Hindu hotheads I'll be bound, pointing out various robust Sikh interest websites and making unsupported generalised, dare I say racist?, assertions about both Sikhs and Muslims.
6. For the record I am dead set against the communalism of the Sikh Federation and its dire threats of electoral retribution if a visible Sikh (that is a man from Uncle) were not selected. I am also dead set against the communalism of all other sectarian ultras. I am set dead against the communalism of Nick Griffin and the BNP too. Not so different.
7. When our local Lib Dems kicked out their sitting candidate Yasmin Zalzala in favour of the weak and wilful John Leech I was among those protesting the loudest and the longest at the rationale in some quarters that as a black, asian, muslim, woman she could never be elected. What rotten bad eggs they all are in the Lib Dems.
8. And when it comes to the mayoral chain thing? Yes, indeed, my Sikh sock puppets, why should not Gurcharan Singh support Sikh brethren in Paris in protesting against French Secularism? That is not the issue. The issue is whether the Mayor of a London Borough has any mandate to wear his chain of office in such a protest. Ditto a Jewish Mayor, or a Muslim Mayor, or a Hindu Mayor, or a Christian Mayor, or even a Secular Humanist Mayor getting communalist with their chain of office.

Communalism. I'm agin it.

Meanwhile a blog friend has fingered the likely source of some of the interference:

Your anonymous spammer has an IP that traces to Dulles VA, which puts them as most likely an employee of the Washington DC-based Khalistan Affairs Committee. Professional lobbyist/propagandist a la GIYUS.

So there you go. Sectarian spooks in Washington, DC and Dulles, VA are taking an interest. We are indeed blessed.

Ealing Southall: Introducing Tony Lit Con Watch

Tony Lit Con Watch Ealing is now upon us.

Iain Dale: Sadly, Used by his Own Side?

All signs are that reports of Cllr Zahida Abbas Noori's defection were somethingly overstated. Iain Dale however is insisting she has defected once in each direction.

Obviously Old Tom is leading the charge against the Tory disinformation. On the face of it it looks like Mr Dale has been gulled by his own side.

Iain has also been used as an ever so tardy rebuttal route for the Lib Dem Voice story about Grant Schweppes trying to pass himself off as a despondent Lib Dem. Iain reports:

It appears that he had a very easily guessable password on his Youtube account (it was 1234 !!!) and someone hacked into it.
A CCHQ spokesman said...

We have absolutely no idea how this post appeared, however it does appear someone has been accessing his account. The short password has now been changed to something more secure. In past two days he has removed a number of posts from his own YouTube videos which had appeared without authorisation. We will be monitoring the account carefully and can't rule out the activities of our opponents.

And it took them SEVEN hours to come up with that? 1234? And this man is a valued part of Cameroons' shadow government?

Ealing Southall: Still Making Plans for Nigel

Still Nothing on Nigel. Sorry, but he hasn't even tried a proper fib yet as far as I know. Just promising to get the litter picked up where YOU live. Not very inspiring really is it? More like a pitch to be a councillor - they already have THREE of those, assuming no defections.

Nigel FIRST moved into the area in 1994. That's a strange way to say you've lived somewhere for 13 years? Perhaps he hasn't? And he has in fact already managed a beneath the radar porky? On his only (non unique) selling point.

He has a JOB TITLE shared by no-one else in the world. And his leaflets are being pilfered from letter boxes by gobby Tory idiot boys.

All DULL on the Lib Dem front then.

The Daily Show: Dick Cheney Nailed, like a Nail

A cavalier flourish rather than a simple hat tip to Parbury, the Blogfather.

Ealing Southall: More Turncoat Webbery, and Charts

Luke now has the screen grabs for Lurch-to-the-right-aran Singh's selection website.

While Unity at the Ministry of Truth has redrawn a bar chart and decided Nigel is tedious and out of his depth.


Unity has even speculated that both Tories and Lib Dems are chucking money on their candidates at the bookies in a hilarious reworking of the Cameron/Lamont vs Georg Soros excitement of Black Wednesday.

PICTURE: Courtesy of Conservative Home.

Dizzy Thinks: Bloopers Bloomers Bifurcate

Dizzy has spotted an error from The Times this "momring" (sic). Fortunately Dizzy is completely immune from errors hisself, innit?

Once when we were producing City Life magazine in its early irreverent days we received a compelling legal threat between pasting up the last news pages and making the plates. The printers also got served with the letter before action. They bottled it. We left the headlines, the pictures and the captions and left white space where the story had been.

White space sells they say. Did The Times have a story they pulled late?

No blogging for the next few hours. I'm now off to a funeral.

Ealing Southall: Opposition Odds Converge at 5-1

I've already linked to this post from Iain Dale. He now has the name of the sixth defective. Possibly a Punjabi Muslim. Certainly a second woman. Anyway, this is by the by.

I'm linking again because Iain has now put up two hilarious graphs. They are drawn to complete different scales. One shows the odds on the Lib Dem winning charging out from about 2.25-1 against to 5s. The other shows the Tory odds tumbling in ... also to 5s.



Don't need to refer to Tufte to spot the coarse art of visual distortion in play.

What does it all mean?

Punters place the Lib Dems and Tories close for second place - and as they finished about 1,000 apart this is not a bad guess - with Labour streets ahead. Both parties might as well hit the M1 and try to save their deposits in Sedgefield.

Ealing Southall: Yet More Tory Cheating

The Liberati have also caught Tories boasting about leaflet removal. 150 Lib Dem and just 20 Labour fished out of letter boxes.

This reminds me of the anecdote from the Tory Lord Young. He not only admitted to nicking other parties' literature but also to blundering over some wet concrete in the dark. He then used a stolen leaflet to frame an opponent. Hurrah for the Tory japesters!! Why do people hate them so?

UPDATE: Unity has got some pictures of the Tory Perp.

Lib Dem Voice: Catch Grant Schapps 'At It' for Lit

Genuine hats off to Lib Dem Voice if this story stacks up. Grant Schapps - Tory MP and campaign meister in Ealing Southall - has been caught "At It" for 'Phoney Lit. He has apparently conceded on behalf of Naughty Nigel in comments on a YouTube video. The scrap for second hots up.

Ealing Southall: Another Day Another Defection?

Dale claims another councillor has crossed the floor. Great to have a chance of a cabinet post comrade! If you're not good enough to win one then collect one as a prize for treachery! They all count on the CV, and at the bank too. Just ask Gurch the Lurch.

Gurcharan Singh: What a Difference a Day Makes

Luke Akehurst has spotted that the Gurch' Lurch to the Right has impacted on his web presence.

Posts welcoming Brown and bigging up Blair have been removed. Even the man's appreciation of Piara Khabra is no more. But through the wonders of modern science LOL can reproduce them all here:

This Link Sadly May Not Work!
USHERING IN CHANGE UNDER GORDON BROWN
Wed, 27 Jun 2007 19:40:44

Gordon Brown today stepped in to fill the shoes of Tony Blair as the new Labour Party Leader and Prime Minister of Great Britain. Interestingly enough, there seems to be a prevalent feeling that the metaphorical shoes themselves are a completely new pair!

I am full of hope for the future as this to me signals the beginning of an era where the Labour party can consolidate its leanings over the last few years and move forward with a new outlook based upon positive change. We progress.

On behalf of myself and those who are kind enough to consider me their representative, I would like to wish PM Gordon Brown all the best.

Gurcharan

"I am full of hope for the future" - Indeed young man. The future's bright! The future's all LIT up!!!

Perhaps there are some comments here? Onwards and upwards.

Sadly this link too is a busted flush
FAREWELL TO TONY BLAIR
Wed, 27 Jun 2007 17:52:38

Earlier today, Tony Blair took part in what was to be his final appearance as the key protagonist within Prime Minister's Question Time. It was an event that proved emotional not only for those present but undoubtedly millions across the country. Reactions to which I believe will manifest across the entire human emotional spectrum from negative to positive.
However, I would like to believe that the majority of people will like me, have a genuine appreciation for the fact that up until the last moment, he remained dignified, astute, forever able to deliver a suitable response to a unique situation and of course, a pleasure to observe.

I have met Mr Blair in person on numerous occasions over the last few years. From those interactions the impression I took away was that he was a man committed to doing what he believed to be right at the time. Unwaveringly.

Despite all the spin, internal innuendos within the party and of course Iraq, he remained staunchly dedicated to the people of Great Britain and for this he has my firm admiration.

I do not want to use this space to write Tony Blair's political obituary or provide comment and analysis on each of his many political milestones nonetheless, I would be hard pushed not to draw attention to his following achievements:

Peace in Northern Ireland;
Minimum Wage; and
Work time regulations.
The very fact that he was given a standing ovation from most quarters within the House of Commons, friend and foe, was testament to the impact he made during his tenure as Prime Minister. If I were to call upon my limited vocabulary to sum up his feats in one word it would be remarkable.

Cllr Gurcharan Singh meets with Prime Minister Tony Blair 26/06/2007

Comments perhaps?

IN MEMORY OF PIARA KHABRA
Wed, 20 Jun 2007 08:41:07

I first met Piara in 1972, the year I arrived in the UK from India. In my first interaction with him, I was impressed by his burning desire to help create a fair and just society coupled with his steely determination to fight discrimination. Piara was a role model to many, and considered a general force for good amongst the majority of our community.
He will be remembered for the many achievements listed to his credit such as becoming the first Asian Sikh MP. Also the countless efforts he made for the betterment of his constituents. His presence will be greatly missed not only by his peers but also by those whom he served so well and tirelessly.

I pray for his soul and my thoughts are with Beaula and other members of the family in these trying and difficult times.

With respect,

Cllr Gurcharan Singh

Comments?

This was his first post:
INTRODUCTION FROM THE WEBMASTER
Fri, 15 Jun 2007 13:12:13

Hello and welcome to Gurcharan Singh Online. This blog has been created to provide the general public with access to the Ealing Southall Councillor.
Over the next weeks, we will be developing additional sections to this site. These include:

A contact form;
Details of future advice surgeries;
An online resume;
A multimedia section containing previousley released press material; and
Links to relevant websites.
We are always happy to hear any suggestions that you may have regarding the site design and features. Please forward these to

webmaster@gurcharansingh.co.uk

Kind Regards,

Webmaster

Gurch' the Lurch has replaced them all with a convoluted, CCHQ-assisted, attempt at self justification. Fisked very expertly by young Luke Akehurst. Under the suitable title - and a concept Luke knows something about himself! - Self Serving Drivel. (Sorry Comrade, I just couldn't resist).

UPDATE: Shortened by removing the repetition.

Political Betting: Would AV Kill the Cameroon Tories?

Political Betting fly an aeronautically suspect kite on the Alternate Vote (AV) System killing the Tory Party. Here's the ever so easy to follow chart:

















My view is that their kite is aeronautically suspect for several reasons.

First, people would vote differently, or Apple say Vote Different, under an AV system even if they fully accepted its introduction. Often in fact in the way Apple meant. People may consider this a licence to dabble with a minority 'Different' vote or two before the main event.

This could have unintended consequences where their main preference did not stay the course. For example anyone voting anything other than Hazel Blears 1 in the LP DL selection was too late to help her cause.

Second, people might consider introduction of a new voting system a red rag to a bull, particularly if it were seen to favour the incumbent doing the introducing. Protest voting could ensue.

Third, people would not use all or even more than one of their preferences.

From the point of view of political betters this is important as AV would reduce the risk of a hung parliament. From the point of view of non-Tories this is very interesting as it could precipitate the old/new Tory split.

Making Plans for Nigel: Who is Nigel Bakhai?

Not finding much out about this guy. The Fib Dem candidate in Ealing Southall. Can any reader assist?

Nadine Pitstop: "He-yelp! He-yelp!"

We know that Nadine Pitstop MP cannot stop wittering on her blog. But behind the wheels of a miniature tractor Nadine could not stop, full stop. Lembit and Cheeky Opik were there also. Hilarious. "He-yelp! He-yelp!" Just like her name sake Penelope.

Emiola Fadeyi: South Manchester Reporter WWW

South Manchester Reporter's website has caught up with the story of Emiola Fadeyi.

I'm planning to post some more background information on the situation in Nigeria and other African countries for disabled women.

In the meantime give the SMR story and the comment(s) to it a read.

Emiola was delighted with the Reporter coverage. Anything but miserable.

Richard Littlejohn: Open Season on the Jews?

It's started. The latest in Channel 4's Faith and Belief Series. Debate here. Clearly my Uni contemporary John Mann MP is a major witness at the start. And Manchester has seen the largest rise in anti-semitic incidents.

Michael Todd is an impressive Chief Constable. When I met him I gave him a gift of a Manchester Against Racism pin badge and the suggestion that he roll something out into his Force. Even recently they've been caught out a few times. Being racist.

Littlejohn goes and looks at King David HS and sees the security measures, and hears about the evacuation practices. He visits the Jewish Cemetary which has seen nine serious attacks in the last ten years. There is a phenomenal generalisation from a few Asian hotheads to a supposed "widely held anti-semitism" in the community at large.

Littlejohn's "professionalism" has started to unravel.

Cable Street is next. Then Littlejohn is shown a Nick Griffin pamphlet from 1999 which closely echoes an old fascist pamphlet from 1939. And also a BNP writers' guide cautioning against blatant anti-semitism.

Littlejohn suggests the BNP don't need to do "anti-semitism" as their worst enemies, the Islamicists, are doing it for them.

Blood libels, Protocols, and Arabic translations of Mein Kampf at news kiosks in London.

He's on to MPAUK now. I've been over to their website today. Lorna Fitzsimons is up next. MPAUK activists produced leaflets against her saying, incorrectly, she was Jewish. Littlejohn repeats MPAUK claims that LS lost - because of this (withdrawn) attack - by a few hundred votes. Sloppy. Very sloppy.

Now he's going on to an attack, again generalised, on "the Left". And we get Nick Cohen characterising lefties as "Waddling through the streets ... we are all Hezbollah now ... supporting an organisation which despises everything they stand for."

I would certainly never carry such a placard. And I certainly understand why people don't wish to be in the same march or at the same rally as this stuff and so they stay home. The greatest mistake of StWC and Respect lies in hollowing out a broad anti-war movement with the extreme lunacies of their extremist elements.

Speaking of which Galloway talks of apartheid in Israel. Littlejohn jeers at the NUJ for calling for a boycott of the only state in the Middle East with a "free press". And quickly we're on to the UCU and their boycott.

Littlejohn wanders the high street finding door after door closed to the most thorough adherents to the boycott credo.

Rather like those that always claimed a bit of smoke would inevitably lead to being a smack addict Littlejohn's latest witness suggests an inevitability of escalation from criticising Israel to becoming anti-semitic.

Peter Wilby's New Statesman cover is up for grabs. John Mann is back briefly. And Peter Wilby again. Now Islington. And now he calls on Nick Cohen "of the left" who tells of a torrent of anti-semitism when he first cautioned in favour of the War.

Ken Livingstone MP. Some half arsed coverage of the Finegold situation.

Littlejohn and Cohen are of course right to point out that the We Are All Hezbollah Now line is damned stupid.

But that's not to say that Israel was in the clear to strafe (which translates as punish) Lebanese civilians is it?

NIck Ferrari invited Littlejohn onto his show on LBC. Various anecdotes which Littlejohn bizarely takes as proving his own anecdotes.Next Jeremy, a young student, calls for an Exodus from the UK.

The idea that leading British Jews speaking out against the actions of the State of Israel would help things is advanced. But I'm not holding my breath on that one.

Tony Greenstein is on. He says in no uncertain terms that he expects that the British Jewish establishment should be prepared to slam or at least criticise Israel.

Littlejohn claims to now understand Anti-semitism. He finds it is a new stick to beat lefties (and immigrants, particularly muslims) with more like. This programme was no doubt well-intended. But is has added nothing to the sum of our knowledge.

All Littlejohn's current prejudices are on display.

And it has been guilty of the most appalling generalisations and of the old "anecdotal evidence" meme. And it didn't really hang together as a programme either. All over the place.

This has been a live commentary. May come back with a more considered analysis later. Then again I'm not sure Littlejohn's little-minded effort is worth it? Shobna Gulati - not a journalist - on next is going to be far more interesting, I know it.

Ealing Southall: Down, Down, Deeper and Down

The body language from Gurcharan Singh in proximity to Tony Lit is amusing. Their lack of any sort of statements in this "meet the Dave-id" session is hilarious. The Tories don't realise what they are getting. Caveat Emptor! as Southall Trading Standards might opine.

Armando Iannucci: Cameron is a "bum-faced southern ponce with a tiny washer for a mouth"

Cllr Bob Piper is right. There is nothing much to disagree with here.

Ealing Southall Blogs: MPACUK and ES-Watch

MPACUK are having trouble distinguishing which of the 11 non-Labour candidates to back to punish Labour over Iraq. Perhaps not the greatest issue to be honest for Ealing Southall these days. Blair has gone. Bush has all but gone. And there are anti-war voters in the Brown government, even at the cabinet table.

I've pointed out how proud I am of the 139 anti-war Labour MPs. I've also recounted how Lib Dem Lord Tim Garden condemned the attack on Iraq at the get-go when he was plain old Sir Tim. But very much a Libdemologist.

Why did I do that? More to the point why did Tim? Because as a military man, a military studies academic and a conscious Libdemologist he thought we should be attacking Syria and Iran first!

As he said in early 2003 when debating against first strike at Cambridge Union here (but see Clarification and Comments):
"Why, with so many other troubles are we fretting about a clapped out regime that has been successfully contained for more than a decade?"

Also usefully hoving into view is Ealing Southall Watch which answers my question posed to Iain Dale at 9pm last night - who's advertising in Pardes Weekly? - with this illustration (click to enlarge).


This blog also has a positive review of both Lib Dem (find it yourself) and Labour campaigns in contrast to the Cameroonies lack of substance.

We also learn that the Christian Party evangelist candidate is a work colleague of Phoney Tony. All 12 candidates: PDF download.


Oh, and best of all we can see the Tory (top) and Lib Dem (bottom) Barmy Bar Charts". Glorious example of horizontal scale issues with the latter. 1,000 being represented by almost twice as far on paper as 10,000. Can't believe a word they say, the fibbing twisters.

CLARIFICATION: As GA has pointed out in comments the Cambridge speech was not where Sir Tim Garden ranked Iran and Syria as more important targets. Can't find that link right now. Deleted? Anyway, more clarification in comments.

Gurcharan Singh: Musical Chairs to a Bhangra Beat! Patriarch to Tories, Just Too Late

Luke Akehurst carries a post this morning saying Gurcharan Singh, a 30-year Labour member, 25-year Councillor, and former Labour Mayor has defected to the Conservatives. Above GS bigs up British accountability.

That chain of his has also I'm told travelled to Paris to represent (?) the people of Ealing in interfereing with French secularisation. I'm told he is also at the sharp end of the British Sikh ex-pat pro-Khalistan (see below) campaign, already lost 10 years ago in the Punjab.


[Piara Khabra told The Sikh Times no less that this 'Khalistan' homeland was 'ridiculous' and 'illogical'.]

The chain wasn't round Gurcharan's neck when he (allegedly, so I'm told, back in the pre-Google day) famously celebrated the assassination of an Indian Prime Minister. "A great day for India!" he is alleged to have said joyously. There was an interesting 2005 discussion strand on events in 1984 (when Indira Gandhi effigies were burnt and hotheads revolted) at the Tapobahn Phorum. Related to a Sikhs in the Square commemoration event on Sunday 6 November 2005.

[Historical note: Following the assassination of Mrs Indira Gandhi in October 1984 there was a reign of terror in Delhi which is reckoned to have taken 3,000 Sikh lives.]


Back to 2007. The combative, secessionist, maverick, visible, controversial, partying, turbaned Sikh who, like another ante post favourite Sonika Nirwal, did not earn a place in the final shortlist has thrown his toys from the pram. And taken four of his buddies across the floor with him. This is a terrible advertisement for the accountability and loyalty of his tendancy.

Luke's source at Pickled Politics was taken down for 30 minutes or so, but it's now back with a vengeance. The enthusiastic message is "Rejoice! Rejoice! Five Trouble Makers sent to Cameroon". Quite a different reaction than that of Iain Dale who is cock-a-hoop. Which is a grave mistake. Perhaps one of the five is any sort of loss at all. Clues available by request. Meanwhile the Tories have famously lost swathes of Sikh and Conservative Association support themselves. Musical Chairs to a Bhangra Beat!

With Phoney JIT* some might have thought there were already one too many careerist carpet baggers in the Ealing Southall Conservatives. But hey ho, hell no. Iain is rarely wrong.

Pickled Politics also pick out one of the Independent Candidates Jasdev Rai as being uncomfortably close, one degree removed, to the Khalistani terrorist org ISYF. Khalistan being the independent Sikh state which forms the third strand in the visible-Sikh-at-all-costs-irrespective-of-political-masters-tendancy which dubs Labour communalist for NOT picking a Sikh. What delicious irony!

The late Piara Khabra MP stood above all else for a secular social democratic politics for the whole of the community in Ealing Southall. Shame on those who would undo his good work. Virendra Sharma is the best qualified candidate to continue Khabra's work in and for the constituency. Let's hope that people of goodwill and good sense from all communities will realise that.

* JIT = Just In Time. As well as being an infectious guitar pop from Zimbabwe.