Spinning Semantics: Call it "Smear" or "Sword of Truth"

With Iain Dale it seems everything opponents do in terms of news management is a "smear". He is over-using the word almost as much as he does "obsessed". Iain is "obsessed" with "smears".

Mr Dale doesn't explain what the Tory equivalent is? What Andy Coulson is being employed to provide. Perhaps that is the traditional "sword of truth"?

Iain is spinning/smearing/impression managing some cock and bull story that the Labour Party are spinning/smearing/impression managing that last week's donations stories were - shock horror - tipped by the Tories rather than being undirected journalistic research.

If that is all there is to it any self respecting editor or journalist would surely say: "So what?". As Iain says, the names and financial figures are there (or not there) from all the parties. This is fair game for any and all scrutiny. That's the point of the system is it not?

It doesn't really matter a jot whether the Tories tipped off the paper(s) or not. This is a good story, facts is facts, and Labour cannot get off the hook simply by saying XY or Z has tipped it. So is there more to Iain's smear spin than meets the eye? A bit of "late turn" perhaps? Some "extra bounce"? "Skidding through"? "Googly" or "flipper"? Or even his faster "pulling your leg" ball?

How about this? In the interests of Dale-esque speculation you understand. Suppose Ashcroft or CCHQ has had private investigators on to this and spent tens or hundreds of thousands on that? Or suppose there has been any entrapment? Or other assorted monkey business? That would be quite a story.

This wouldn't get Labour off the hook but it would shake things up a bit. Most punters believe that "they're all at it" and when it comes to election expenses and donations and indeed honours I don't think that is an unfounded position.

Obviously I'm not saying Ashcroft or CCHQ has had private investigators etc etc. Just speculating as Iain so often does himself on what would would make a story. Just why there's such a need for counterspin from the bloggers' blogger.

EXCLUSIVE-ish: Marie Louise Gardens Sale Blocked

This Press Release has come as a bit of a surprise. I believed that having drawn up heads of terms to sell a 20 metre by 19 metre piece of former maintenance depot and granted Full Planning Permission for a family home, partly built on that land, the Council were unlikely to change their mind.

The campaign to "Save the Gardens" was I felt deeply misleading. Opposition councillors - including the dog kicker - have been weasels.

The immediately local residents - Holme Road Residents - and the Didsbury Civic Society appear to have been over-ruled by other groups.

How will much needed refurbishment of the gardens now be financed?

And how on earth have the Council broken this news to the owner of the Lodge who has been wrestling rather heroically to make the best of a Thatcher Right-to-buy legacy with a high quality and sensitive proposal - even naming the houses after Marie Louise's two family names?

They have broken the news to him haven't they?

Manchester City Council

News Release

November 30 2007

Land in Marie Louise Gardens not to be sold

Manchester City Council has taken a decision not to sell any land in Marie Louise Gardens in Didsbury.

The owner of the lodge in Marie Louise Gardens wanted to develop another dwelling next to his existing property. However, after much consideration, Manchester City Council’s Chief Executive, Sir Howard Bernstein has ruled that the land will not be sold.

The decision was not taken lightly, but after considering the history of the gardens and the public opposition to the sale, the Chief Executive believes it is in the best interests of the community not to sell.

Manchester City Council places great importance on the views of local people. It has listened carefully to the representations made about the sale of this public asset. The Silkenstadt family originally bequeathed Marie Louise Gardens to the Council about 100 years ago.

The City Council had to sell the lodge in 1996 under the right to buy scheme and the current owner bought the property in 1998. He wished to buy the land adjacent to his property, but it was felt not to be in the public interest.

Sir Howard Bernstein said: “We have listened very carefully to the residents and other community groups, the majority of which are strongly opposed to this.

“We value our parks and open spaces and this shows in the fact that Manchester has more award-winning parks than any other authority in the country. We will ensure that this land is accessible to all users of the park.”

UPDATE: For the avoidance of doubt the exclusive/blogsclusive elements of this story are (a) revealling that the man who tells war stories about being a dog kicker (blogs passim) is a councillor (b) revealling the naming strategy for the houses (c) suggesting that the Council told the press before the owner of the Lodge and land. In fact I told him at about 5pm yesterday. No comment at this stage from that direction.

It also differs from the MSM coverage by stating the size of the piece of land in question, pointing out that the campaign was peristently disingenuous, and even in the accuracy of the description of the proposed structure which the MSM have referred to as "flats" as an "18-room house" and so on.

I didn't know at the time as Google didn't tell me but David Ottewell had the story on his blog two hours before the date stamp on the press release I've seen. As David says fur may fly on this one.

Wendy Alexander: Signed a Thank You Letter

That was to a gentleman - a Mr Paul Honey Trap (aka Staines) I think it was - in Jersey. Clearly this is not any kind of proof that Ms Alexander was aware of never mind implicated in any knowing law breaking.

She has it seems done something unlawful but the idea that a thank you letter proves she knew she had is a VERY DIM idea. VERY DIM spelt S T A I N E S.

In fact the existence of such a letter - even if it not the cobbled together Mr GuF's apparent forgery - rather proves the opposite to be the case. Imagine the scene:

Office typist: Here are some letters to sign Ma'am.
This little pile on the more personal paper are thank you notes and I suggest signing a friendly "Wendy". They've been spell checked.
This pile on official MSP paper are case work and I suggest a full signature. They've all been content checked by XXXXXX.
This third pile on CLP letterheads are to members who helped on the campaign. I could stamp those if you're pressed.
The fourth pile are a mixed bag but are more sensitive and X advises you read each one carefully.
There are just 575 letters in all today. Might be a few more at going home time.

Wendy Alexander (busily): Phew! Only 575. Brilliant. You really are so very well organised Nadine, and Dorries such a pretty name. I don't know what I'd do without you.

Lib Con Alliance: Censorship Row in Birmingham

Sadly the Lib Con Birmingham City Council have decided - in a rather hostile move industrial relations wise - to block browsing of a web wizard designed to help staff understand the ongoing pay and grading review. Tom Watson MP reminds the dears that Brum is not supposed to be neo-Maoist (not any more).

Lib Dem Voice: Man Drafted Letters to Local Paper

Goodness me. Greater Manchester Lib Dems will be wiping their hard drives furiously at the apparent news from Lib Dem Voice that politicians can be banned from office for drafting letters to papers to be submitted in other people's names.

They have a checkered history on this.

First, as super soaraway exponents of the fine art of writing and submitting letters in other people's names - with or without permission, including their own councillors, relatives of etc - some of them submitted over the names of authors totally and utterly incapable of the loquacity attributed to them.

Second, making moaning allegations about pen names being used by others. But allegations you'll be pleased to know there were not merely pompous wind-baggery but actually had some "evidence" to go with them.

Third, I rather think there are instructions on "helping" residents with letters in at least one of the hilarious campaigning manuals produced by the Lib Dems, most recently with the name Hywel Morgan on the cover as author. Though did he actually write the things? We'll never know.

Group Leader Cllr Simon Ashley himself backed up such assertions in the letters pages of the South Manchester Reporter by revealing that he had "checked the Electoral Register" and found no such persons at particular addresses.

If that were so there are a lot of innocent explanations for this. But given some of the disgusting ad hominem attacks that Simon and his Battalions of sock puppets were launching against anyone who called them to account in that paper - for their councilloring failures, for their fibs and for their misery - I would not blame any ordinary member of the public protecting themselves from such vilification.

But surely using a copy of an Electoral Register - provided by the local returning officer only for use in electoral canvassing - for this purpose is itself an election offence? With a potential fine of £5,000 and disqualification from office?

Where is special constable Chris Huhne MP when we need him?

By the way, apart from the drafting of letters on behalf of around 250 other persons the guy, a Labour guy, was caught with indecent images on his computer.

Which is probably a more important story really. And the sort of thing that Lib Dem Voice would follow up without fear or favour? Even if it were a Lib Dem councillor or candidate in the chair?

Barnes and Piper: Murray Mint and Pooh Bear

Former Campaign Group MP Harry Barnes has a great review of Craig Murray's Murder in Samarkand.

As Harry points out Craig makes rather strange hero material for the left as in many regards he is an old-school right winger. And I don't mean Labour right.

Hat tip: Bob Piper who also features the bare bear Mohammed pbuh observing that the media are helping Sudan bury bad news with this tale of a very silly woman, saved from the lash.

Clearly we would not show a picture of Mohammed bear. Too scary. But here is Benedict Bear XVI from the entertaining Deutsche World site, June 2005.

Makes Craig look like a Trot we're told.

Zion Centre: Lost on Wednesday but Still in the Game

Sadly the Zion Centre facebook group reveals that despite the happy smiling faces of the Youth Soul Choir and others, Granada TV land voted for a lick of paint on a Liverpool Cinema.

At the launch of this People's Millions initiative at Labour Party Conference in Manchester 2006 I relayed some hot off the press findings to Dick Caborn and the Lottery wallahs. I had just completed a survey with about 100 youngsters - to provide statistical back up for a £200,000 Big Lottery bid, which incidentally we won, or rather earnt.

The survey showed that while more than 80% of these High School students believed they were in households that played the lottery at least once a month only a handful could name even one single Lottery funded project in the local area, in Salford, in Greater Manchester or at all.

I suggested that in the area I lived less residents played but far more young people would not only know of a lottery funded activity but also take part.

While the lottery boss was in denial pointing at their own research - statistically suspect being based on shop locations not addresses, so including out of area trade - the Sports Minister and others accepted that this was indeed the case.

The People's Millions on ITV and Restoration on BBC can no doubt help raise awareness of lottery funding ... but it is nonetheless invidious to be having a community building X Factor and I do hope that the majority of the runners' up are also funded reasonably quickly.

The Zion Centre still has a chance of winning their £80,000 if garnering the most popular votes of the regional runners up. Fingers crossed.

Luke Akehurst: Has He Given Up Blogging?

Since that is his old mate Peter Watt walked the plank?. Perhaps Luke has been shining up his CV and associated halo as a replacement?

Number 10: Previous Applicants Need Not Reapply

Dizzy is clearly scouring the Jobs Pages at the moment.

Dizzy Thinks: Boo To IT Security For HMRC?

Dizzy has spotted some openings for IT security experts, possibly at HMRC sites.

To be fair Dizzy this is more to do with hacking than slacking isn't it?

Might be more worrying if they were continuing with the usual security practice of jiffy bags and sellotape, or Brown Paper Parcels Wrapped Up With String? Carried, as Lord Hattersley pointed out, by privateers.

Guido Fawkes: Where There's a Twit There's a Writ

Hilarious to read Guido Fawkes' analysing the futility of issuing writs and threats. With respect to the loathsome Standard's shamefully low reporting standards.

Mr GuF you see is so up himself that he issues such threats to fellow bloggers quite regularly.

Lib Dem Donations: Any Skeletons in Cupboards?

Chris Huhne has been extraordinarily sanctimonious over Labour's problems given that the Michael Brown donation of £2.4 Million was such a pig. Offshore company, principal now a convict, some say gifted from other people's money.

Obviously Huhne himself got into trouble for taking adverts with Euro money in his UK literature ahead of getting elected. A practice that John Leech appears to be repeating, albeit at sub-prime level, by taking paid adverts for his surgeries in local council campaign leaflets.

You'd think they'd stick the details in free wouldn't you? Has he no mates at all?

But scanning the returns at the Electoral Commission these last 30 months I am most perturbed at the apparently low level of donations to the NW Lib Dems.

How on earth are they making ends meet?

Harriet Harman: Dale Climaxes Prematurely

Davis Grossman has filed a first XI of questions to the Labour Party about Harriet Harman. Iain Dale has hair trigger trouble and reports as if this obvious fishing expedition (and quite a thin one at that, only a few of the questions count) brings home the bacon.

If it does Iain ye shall have a fishie on a little dishie but until then you should calm down in a darkened room, dreaming of Maidstone. Or the way the polls are any old constituency should do if we believe the Tory Boy Bloggers.

Meanwhile Nads is sorry for Gordon and Tom finds a Tory agreeing that Cam's getting above himself.

Friends of the Earth: Not On Our Front Step

They're sending Chuggers out door to door now. Lying as they go. (Good job I've recovered from the serious upset - I'm not kidding - of being called names by a Trot on a mental health demo. It did my head in it really did.)

"We don't give money on our front step" I say. They're not after money, oh no. They're not allowed to pan handle for money, oh no.

"We don't buy anything on our front step either". They're not selling anything, oh no. "And we certainly don't join things OOFS". They're not signing up new members, oh no. So what are they doing?

Going door to door. After dark. In packs. Driven from some distant township. So they don't have to lie on their own doorsteps. They are in fact trying to sell inertia subscriptions on credit.

But before that they want to do a 30-second elevator pitch. Not. On. Our. Front. Step. The guy is genial enough. Good natured. But a liar I think nonetheless.

"You're a Chugger" I say. He's still smiling. "Charity. Mugger." "Or a Churglar perhaps?" That's Charity. Burglar. "We don't want to encourage that." NOOFS!*

* Not a bad acronym. NOMDS and NOMFS were tried. Any other suggestions? Code of Practice - mine didn't even manage point one.

Sitting on the Fence?: Childish, Lazy & Unfriendly

Walking by Karen Reissmann's picket at the Chorlton HQ of the Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust (MMHT) this morning I saw my old friend Dr Colin Barker, flashed him a smile and asked after his health. "How are you?" I inquired. "Not sitting on the fence!" he responded. "Ever so clever", I thought. But "Oh dear" I said quietly as I continued on my way.

Seems that 100% support for Karen Reissmann's reinstatement is not enough for some people? 100% condemnation of the management's industrial relations clumsiness, their ridiculous semantics, their self-defeating tactics, and their leaders' "Duty Free" holiday in Dubai. That's not enough?

UPDATE: Karen Reissmann will not be sitting on the fence on local radio in Manchester this evening.

Congratulations: Kerron & Linsay Bury Good News

Councillor Kerron Cross and Ms Councillor Kerron Cross's Girlf aka Linsay Cunningham picked Tuesday to bury good news. The K Cross Clan are I believe still divided between Manchester and some dreadful dormitary town near Watford. But let's hope we get to see an official state visit from the happy couple very soon. Perhaps the upcoming Prezza "Two Jags" Prandials could be the very thing? Councillor Cross is an "out" Christian and a Watford supporter but never mind at least he has a fund of great John "Two Jobs, Two Mates, Multiple Hoaxes" Leech stories. Both of them playing on the McParliamentary Football Team. The rest generally being ringers. So that's one minger (beard wise), one whinger, and nine ringers.

Libdemologists: Feelgood Quackery via Relentless Misery

This LDV guest post by John Dixon who blogs at a radical writes says it all:

Liberals however talk of freedom, individuality, choice and tolerance. People are not numbers, happiness cannot be measured, humans cannot be made happier, better, more moral beings. It is only through them and through their own society that people can make themselves happy, make themselves better and choose their own beliefs. To a liberal there is no set way of life, no right or wrong way, there is only one way of life and that way is your own, you own your own life, and you should choose how to live it.

What John is saying here is that Lib Dems should be all things to all people and that that's the right way. This seems to me to be a devoidance of politics. The Liberal Democrats are an a-political party. Official! Aiming for feelgood quackery. With relentless misery as the means of production.

Baron Ashcroft: "Unfit" Offshore Status Home to Roost

Grrrr, bloody Blogger's just dumped a comment of mine over at Mr Dale's gloatfest. Very discerning you say Iain? Not at all, sir. I was supporting Iain's thesis in this case ... as he ripped into Lib Dems over the Michael Brown donation of £2.4 million ... to a point. Still never mind that now, Blogger has spoken and it was a sign from on high so let's leave the poor LDs alone for a moment.

At Iain's an anonymous Tory commenter/sock puppet has written: "His (Ashcroft's) only Achilles' heel is his status here"

That's hilarious. I've corrected the spelling and punctuation. But I've left the tautology. The thing about Achilles' heels is that one is enough, innit? And actually Lord Offshore has a pair of them or three and he's shown us them and they're not clean those heels of his. Perhaps he's not been watching where he's been standing?

1. Clearly Ashcroft has spent millions and millions buying a Baronetcy helping the nation's political life only to get ennobled UNDER UTTERLY FALSE PRETENCES.
Being repeatedly thought an unfit person to be a law maker here if he lived in tax aboidance land he promised to move to the UK for tax purposes. According to vague Hague he would pay many millions in personal tax here. But that does not seem to have happened, now does it? Is he even registered to vote from a UK address?

2. Clearly his agent company Bearwood Securities is it? (What's with the zoo Lord Michael? Not out of the bear woods yet mate, but do watch where you step. See first comment) is not showing much signs of doing anything else than funding Tories and I'm not really sure how that can meet the rules as a permissible donor.
If that's good enough then Michael Brown writing a cheque for the Libs here should also be enough.
But it wasn't. And clearly shouldn't be.

3. Clearly Flying Lion are taking the Michael also by misusing the "travel" loophole in PPERA.
When Dave quite unreasonably questions's Gord's integrity he needs to start with more of a self examination.
Tories have not been altogether truthful it seems in venturing the cost of their jet setting to the proper authorities.
This surely indicates a fear that the donations will be clawed back and that by pretending they cost 2/6 they will save 100s of 000s of pounds? Or else it's an attempt at massaging down the 12 month rolling campaign costs figure?

Lord Tony Greaves: Greaving Rotten About Sajjad Kareer

Lib Dem Voice is my most regular Lib Dem blog visit. Utterly on message. Yet with an open approach to gainsaying.

Sometimes I will join in the comments banter and I have every reason to believe that this is highly appreciated by the yellow hordes.

Sometimes one or two of them appreciate my wisdom. But in general they call me names, or smear me, or John Leech assumes a false identity and says I'm obsessed with him, as if, and/or they treat me as if I'm a hugely important part of the Labour machine.

Alas, that's not quite true. (There'd have been no electile dysfunction if I were.) But then again neither are many of their stories. Quite true.

But Lord Greaves is a different kettle of fish. He does not stoop to the modern Lib Dem standard of cut and thrust. He was old school when the foundation stone was laid.

He is however most definitely grieving about the defection of young Sajjad Karim. His protegé really. Someone he has recruited. From teenage Tory - son of his father, a Tory councillor - and a card-carrying Young Conservative. To shiny young Lib Dem councillor and super-fast-tracked MEP candidate.

Here's our little exchange from Lib Dem Voice:

November 28th, 2007 at 2:47 pm Comment 109: Tony Greaves Says:
Someone a long way up this thread said: “Sajjad Karim was a conviction Tory before he was a Lib Dem councillor or MEP.”
Not true. He delivered leaflets for John Lee (then Tory MP now LD peer - “we have now both seen the light” - SK) at the age of seven - his father was a Tory member. He decided he was not a Tory once he started to think about things in his teens. He was a LD councillor in his early 20s. If he is now a conviction Tory (we all wait to find out) it is a very recent conversion.

So grieving Greaves would like to think. I am not sure whether it was Tony Greaves or the ruthlessly maverick Chris Davies MEP who decided how Sajjad Karim should be used in the 2004 campaign, but we'll come to that later.

November 28th, 2007 at 3:38 pm Comment 110 Chris Paul Says:
Lord Greaves: Is it not a fact that as well as the instance of child labour - presumably for sweets as recommended in “Effective Opposition”? - Sajjad was for a time a member of the Young Conservatives?
My analysis is that he became a Lib Dem partly because as in many areas of the NW your party has become the opposition to Labour and signing up to his dad’s dying party was not a good career move.
Your squeeze “Tories can’t win here” works on Tory voters, but activists too. There has certainly been little going for political life with the Tories in Manchester until very recently and even now where they do have some activity again it is not for the faint-hearted.
If you can show us results from Pendle at this time that showed Sajjad could look forward to representation and a political career as a Tory I’d be interested. I might even change my mind.

Lord Greaves was fingered early in the thread as a guilty party who prioritised BME over gender:

November 26th, 2007 at 11:40 am Comments 36 Dafs Says:
Egg on face for Lord Greaves I fear who fast-tracked Saj through the selection process last time, to the extent that he shamefully got the rules overturned which originally had male and female occupying the first two places on a list. Greaves got the party to agree that the highest placed woman candidate could be as low as three so that his boy could get number two in the NW. Shame that he never asked him if he was a Liberal Democrat.

But this was my tiddler of a post that got Greaves' goatee:

November 26th, 2007 at 11:18 am Comment 33 Chris Paul Says:

Sajjad Karim was a conviction Tory before he was a Lib Dem councillor or MEP. The Lib Dem campaign with him was communalist in my opinion and pretty disgraceful. He’s gone home.
This is not to say that the quotes about Cameron etc are not highly amusing and useful. Presumably the LD party have the keys to his website and he cannot take down all the incrimination therein?

And they did take down his site very soon afterward. There was also a bit of a PS to link with the mother lode and that communalist campaign rap which will surely come back to haunt them, good style:

November 26th, 2007 at 11:19 am Comment 34 Chris Paul Says:

http://chrispaul-labouroflove.blogspot.com/2007/11/sajjad-karim-mep-goes-home-to-tories.html

PHOTO CAPTION: Councillor Lord Greaves presides over a load of old cobblers; here in Whitefield.

Lost and Found: Today it's an Office Safe in Old Moat

An amazing discovery today. Walking with the hounds to the top corner of Hough End Fields, near Princess Parkway and opposite St Bernadette's church we fall upon a Stolen Safe. Clearly an old one. And a bedraggled one. Wheeled from a burglary to a leafy glade. And cracked open. An eviscerated tabernacle.

Lying on top of it a fluttering passport. And around it part burnt papers. Postage stamps, property deeds, exam receipts, cremation certificates. A man's life scattered to the elements.

Scooping the remains up in a Tesco bag I head for Chorlton Police Station. Along the edge of Southern Cemetary and the Nell Lane Estate with the disused railway always a dumping ground. Past the Broughton Park Rugby ground and the Police sports club. A left fork along the brook, by Chorlton Park, the allotments, the garage in the ginnel.

And for the first time in 30 years in the area I step into this Tardis of a Police Station. Probably ten different officers and staff in this tiny outpost.

I hand over the swag and precisely report the location of the sorry safe. Now I have a receipt for a stolen, though cancelled and useless, passport and effects. A man's life handed over to the proper authorities.

People's Millions: Zion Arts 08702 433 402 To Win

Throughout the 1990s I worked with a variety of arts organisations, many of them providing training for professionals as their core business, and several using the Zion in Hulme for at least some of their activities.

Physical State International (click PSI) put on dozens of master classes and workshops in the space. Basement Video Project a workers' cooperative (click the VHS icon) often documented these. Louis Ziegler's Le Grand Jeu from Strasbourg possessed the place for a week.

This was before it was refurbished as a community arts centre. Afterwards I thought the place rather missed a trick by not having the old lags back.

But soon enough connections were back with my organisation IDEA (click the bulb) equipping various media arts projects. And with my daughter joining the Manchester Youth Soul Choir which was based there. The Video (above) shows Yvonne Shelton - who was amongst many other things a Distant Cousins backing singer - leading the new crew in rehearsals at Zion for the Magic Monkey Project.

Lines are open until Midnight. Here's their pitch:

Vote for Zion to win the £80k funding because Zion wants to:

Offer even bigger and better programme of multi-arts participatory activity sessions in summer 2008 for local young people. We know there is demand as seen by the success of recent half term activities. Help us to meet this demand, engage twice as many young people and deliver activities we could not otherwise dream of funding.

Convert Zion's studio space into a multi-functional performance and dance space to meet the demands of the community and emerging theatre and dance companies that need these facilities NOW!

Refurbish and upgrade Zion's gallery and gallery workspace into two activity spaces for their intended purpose ­ visual arts! Dancers should be able to use the upstairs studio space with mirrors as funded by People's Millions. This way the gallery can be used for arts education purposes and dancers will not have to 'make do' with gallery space window reflections as they hone their dance skills!

We want the funding because we need to meet the demands of young people and groups that already use Zion Arts Centre

Z i o n A r t s - 0 8 7 0 2 4 3 3 4 0 2 - T o W i n

Facebook Exodus: Ming Goes Quietly, Julia Pouts

(Will be adding links and illustrations on this one tomorrow)

Twelve hours after news broke of MEP Sajjad Karim's defection from the Lib Dems to the Tories one or two of Saj's Facebook friends had shipped out. About twenty or thirty of them in all in fact. He was then down to 106.

W Menzies Campbell was among the first to go and left characteristically,
without making a sound.

Treasury Mimicster Julia Goldsworthy left even more sharply and could not resist a very catty public remark:

"Very disappointed to see you defect Saj. Wonder if it had anything to do with the fact that you didn't make it to the top of the Euro list. Shame Today* didn't ask that question ..."(*i.e. the Today programme)

Goldsworthy was referring to the fact that Sajjad Karim had lost out to
the controversial Chris Davies MEP in the North West Lib Dems ranking exercise.

This has become the favoured way to spin the thing among the Lib Dems. Davies got more than 60%, Karim under 25%, and the also rans shared scarcely 15% between them.

As second in the LD list and ninth of nine last time, albeit not too far behind the Tory in eighth; and with the number of NW MEP seats dropping to eight in 2008 - Sajjad simply didn't fancy his chances. Says the Lib Dem spin.

Another Tory MEP was retiring, potentially offering a safer slot. Although the calculations may be quite different with UKIP and BNP fading - potentially in the context of a combined General and European Election in June 2009.

But naturally this whole business is not as simple as Lib Dem commentators are trying to make it. Mr Karim had been badly affected by a Lib Dem ruling that recent party
recruits could not vote whereas for the Leadership election they have been allowed to vote, and in normal selections they can often even join on the door of the selection meeting.

If the proportions I've been given (as mentioned above) are correct Sajjad would have needed two thousand new "friends and family" members to bring the ranking poll round his way. But although this would be a huge uplift in membership - converting strong supporters to card carrying members - it would be nothing compared to the recruitment of votes that Sajjad Karim had been responsible for in 2004.

What's largely, nay completely missing from the comments at Lib Dem Voice and elsewhere among the Lib Dem bloggerati is any appreciation whatsoever of the ruthless communalism with which Sajjad Karim was boosted by Chris Davies and your party machine. Absolutely transparent and absolutely unacceptable.

On the question of recruiting to assist in selection and re-selection this is of course something that goes on in all parties to some extent. "Hilariously" there were people 'phone canvassed in Bethnal Green and Bow's Labour selection - AFTER almost half the members had been removed from the list - and they scarcely understood that they were party members.

But at least Labour have generally had a qualification period of 12 or (now) six months for voting in selections. We did vary that for the Deputy Leadership contest in the hope of recruiting on the back of it. Which worked to an extent. Lib Dems have done this to an extent for their leadership contest I believe?

Anyway, despite all the protesting too much over at Lib Dem Voice and elsewhere, there was a recent example of Lib Dems doing the last minute recruitment of friends and family in Manchester.

This was in the ousting of the long term councillor Simon Wheale to make way for ex-councillor Mark Clayton who had been tonked in the eponymous Clayton Ward in the all out in 2004. He is actually on the NW list we're talking about. With about 30 first preference votes.

A very large number of people joined "on the door" or in the previous 48 hours for that particular selection and they all voted for Clayton. And although Clayton is not Asian or Muslim these recruits were it seems largely if not entirely from such communities. And we're told sponsored in joining by a friend and possibly business associate of the candidate.

Perhaps someone could describe the timetable by which the rule on length of membership was introduced in this case? Perhaps Sajjad Karim could let us know how many members he had recently recruited? And if the decision or ruling was retrospective and a change from the norm how that could possibly be justified?

*******

TRUE BLUE: Sajjad's dad was a former Pendle councillor - for the Conservatives - and Saj himself was an active Young Conservative before opportunistically turning yellow. Now he has opportunistically turned blue again.

BUT BACK to FACEBOOK: who's left among the defector's facebook friends? Other MP friends who have yet to leave include:

Leadership hopeful Chris Huhne, Lembit Opik and David Laws, Willie Rennie, Paul Rowen, Jo Swinson and Sarah Teather, lefty Steve Webb and let us not forget poor Phil Willis who only became facebook friends with Saj on Friday 23 November.

INCIDENTALLY: Sajjad is still one of more than 2000 members of the famous facebook group: Am I the only person who doesn't like David Cameron? SAJJAD'S PROFILE: is still in the public domain.

And although SAJJAD'S EPONYMOUS WEBSITE HAS BEEN CLOSED DOWN for the time being. But his blog is still there.

Ms. Magazine: Once in Two Decades Opportunity

You have just one more day to contribute $20/£10 and be immortalised in print. $20 by the end of tomorrow USA-time and you will be listed in a special "This is What a Feminist Looks Like" supplement to Ms.

Ms is the journal of the Feminist Majority Foundation - working for women's equality these 20 years.

Source of excellent information ... and merchandise. The above banner links to the Fawcett Society's Women's No Pay Day information. On average, compared to male equivalents, women work for free from 30th October every year.

Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson: A Slap Not a Punch

Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson is one of a number of celebrities declaring "this is what a feminist looks like". There is an index for this Fawcett Society initiative here. They allowed a few feminist men a look in too. Which was kind considering the overall pattern of salary and other discrimination which persists (next post).

Dame Tanni was our guest of honour at the 75th Anniversary Dinner of the XXI Club here in Manchester a couple of weeks ago, giving an entertaining and very inspiring after dinner speech. Highly recommended if you get a chance to meet her or hear her speak.

But did you know TGT originally wanted to be a paralympic basketball player? But alas she was fouled off for punching an opponent. That was within a minute of starting her first competitive game!

And this was in fact a travesty. "THAT. WAS. NOT. A. PUNCH." she told the referee "My hand was open. THAT. WAS. A. SLAP." But they would not relent.

She could not, she says, catch, pass or shoot. But basketball's loss was athletics' gain. And the rest is paralympic history.

Miranda Grell: Labour Party Withdraw £ Support?

The Independent's Pandora diary has a sex and sausages theme to it today. Not perhaps as amusing as this story from Deutsche World.

Arsenal fans may not be as forgiving of Chris Langham's criminal convictions as luvvies, Guns N' Roses louche guitar hero Slash is bored of bog standard London strippers and yearns for Brazilian professionals, Toby Jug Lib Dem MP Roger Williams has had quite enough sausage thank you, and what's this? Under the tag "Fees trapeze" Pandora has a far more serious if not out-of-place and totally incongruous report:

Having taken flak for bankrolling the legal appeal of Miranda Grell, the "rising star" black Labour councillor convicted of making false paedophilia slurs against a gay rival, party chiefs have abruptly washed their hands at the 11th hour.

With the appeal by Grell, 29, due to be heard in court today, Labour told Pandora yesterday that the party was backing her case to the tune of £30,000 – only to perform an embarrassing volte-face 41 minutes later.

"Following legal advice in the last few days, the Labour Party today withdrew its support for Miranda Grell's appeal," said a flustered spokeswoman, admitting that Grell had benefited from party dosh "up until this point".

I have absolutely no idea why this may be. Being even shorter of money than usual due to some returned cheques might be a factor. Or new evidence. Or tactical differences.

But if you know please don't hesitate to let me know in complete confidence via the email address at the top of the blog.

The item concludes:

Says Peter Tatchell: "Labour is tough on racism and weak on homophobia."

Interesting stuff from a former victim of Lib Dem homophobia - whose exponent sits towards the head of the party and who is a proven liar and hypocrite.

And this is just a couple of days after the Lib Dems carelessly lost their one and only BME parliamentarian, MEP Sajjad Karim. His supporters apparently being prevented from voting in the ranking ballot so very recently. And his success having been obtained on the back of a communalist campaign.

Councillor Grell's appeal hearing was expected to last a couple of days.

Hat tip: Comment at LDV.

Sajjad Karim MEP: Goes Home to the Tories IV

Further to yesterday's revelation that the Lib Dems had torn down Sajjad Karim's website it looks like it may have changed hands again like some Civil War Battlefield. Simple as 1-2-3. Sajjad's former webmaster Dave Smithson seems to be among those losing jobs following the treachery and mischief which has been going on in both directions.

NE Developer: Gets Planning Consent Shock

Guido is running with a delicious so-called but actually very much ripped-off "exclusive" about the Watt-gate property developer getting some planning permissions for developments. This is surely a turn up for the books. A property developer seeking and getting planning consent? You're having a laugh aren't you? Well aren't you?

Sadly for Mr GuF it is more than likely to emerge that property developers who support all parties and none have received planning permissions and departmental decisions over the last decade. And in the story he so stealthily nicked from SKY it was already clear that Durham Libdemologists and local Highways Agency Civil Servants made the decisions concerned. The picture shows their leader Cllr Fraser Reynolds posing with Fiona Hall MEP as they drive such things through without red tape.

But we will of course have to wait and see. As I said in my comment at GuF's - after several mentions in Touretty dispatches from Mr GuF's manic suck poppets - Tesco really should donate more.

Every little helps. You wouldn't want Sainsbury's to get the concession for the convenience store at Abraham's Business Parc now would you?

This by the way is a joke.

BY THE BY: SKY - who actually broke Mr GuF's "Exclusive", not him - appear to be criticising Hilary Benn MP for NOT accepting a donation from Abrahams via a third party.

Suggesting that, because he followed the correct procedure he must have known about everything else ..?.. Even for the vendetta-hounds in Mad Ad Boulton's team that is an extraordinary piece of gibberish!

At least though they factually reported that Durham City Council Lib Dems and not the Labour goverment gave the planning consent. And that the Highways Agency changed their view all by themselves. This was all about the capacity of the A1. the picture shows Alan Beith MP and Fiona Hall MEP sticking up for further A1-motorway-isation.

Of course if the Lib Dems who run that Council are also getting campaign donations from Abrahams that'd be a grand story.

Perhaps the Tories are too? Perhaps Abrahams has a pair of intermediary sock puppets of every political hue? And that's a BLOGSCLUSIVE speculation. You read it here first. And don't you forget that.

UPDATE: It emerged in the first few moments of the PM's Press Conference that his own leadership campaign was offered cash via Mrs Kidd. They refused. Hilary Benn also refused it after checking - until it was made direct. Harriet Harman meanwhile appears to have accepted £5,000 from this source ... and she's in charge of such matters.

Chorlton Tesco: Are Protestors Off their Trolleys?

The balloon is up. Stephen Newton has found Chorlton Tesco protestors' completely off their trolleys. I agree with him. If Tesco deal with the real planning issues, particularly potential traffic nuisance, they should be allowed to build and welcomed as a replacement for the evil Exxon/ESSO and as a double figures employer. Exxon/Tesco incidentally run a "24 hour" garage that isn't, and a non-union shop that is very poor indeed and with poor working conditions for lonely and penniless staff. Their saving grace is that they sell cow's milk, thick white sliced bread and Ginster's pies. Unlike their opponents. But don't worry convenience fans Tesco are also expected to stock these items.

Baroness Sylvie Krin: Is Jackie Ashley Now Spoofing Her?

Susan Press is a Councillor up Hebden way, a journalist and lecturer, and a no compromise Labour Party socialist. Despite all the harlots and traitors sneering and jeering this is of course a good thing to be.

Susan's latest post compares the Guardian's poor Jackie Ashley to the Private Eye sycophant Sylvie Krin, now of course Baroness Sylvie Krin of Toady Hall. Basically, while Jackie says we've yet to see Gordon Brown as he really is, i.e. better than he currently looks, Susan has yet to catch him doing anything right.

Susan also thinks that current woes all relate to Gordon's not, she says and she's right, having tended to the left in any meaningful way. But considering current pain the party is feeling nationally I don't see how it has the slightest thing to do with nuanced or even moderately dramatic moves to left or right.

That being my view I post a comment, and now add a couple of brackets' worth:

Dear Susan

It is incredibly hard to see how ANY of the things that are hurting Gordon at the moment are to do with recent left or right tendancies within the LP.

- Northern Rock? Probably not.
- Another Funder Fiasco? Nope.
- Electile Dysfunction? Nope.
- Data-gate? Not in the slightest.

These MANAGERIAL and TACTICAL and ACCIDENTAL (and EXTERNAL) things are putting him under pressure. (And probably we might add being his own HARSHEST CRITIC too.) Not L-R politics.

Discuss.

And that's not to say that Ashley, Toynbee and the rest of them don't chat fart half the time. At least half the time.

Best wishes
Chris P

Peter Watt: Party Secretary Takes the Rap and Goes

Don't suppose this'll be the end of it. But it may be the beginning of the end.

Mark Pack of the Liberal Democrats has posted a grab of an email (right, click to enlarge) that both he and Peter Watt were sent on 21 July 2007.

Watt's background is in nursing rather than public administration but the diagnosis is clear. He had to go.

Sajjad Karim MEP: Goes Home to the Tories III

Finally, those Libdemologists have pulled the plug on their traitor's website. Expect a long and winding dispute to now ensue over who wins the distinctive domain "Sajjadkarim.org.uk". Though since when were MEPs "orgs" exactly? It will take them a little longer to destroy the cache. Perhaps they should get free speech specialists Schillings involved for that exercise?

Meanwhile the self-appointed controversialist Chris Davies reports the poll gleefully and claims he's been hit the most in the region. Saj - who has been purged from any reference apart from the ranking result - is first in the queue to be next up at the hitting thing! (Editor notes: Google hits, it's Google hits, Davies is a self-publicist of the worst kind).

Let's hope the parliamentary staff are in a good union. And despite the teasing elsewhere I'm 100% serious about that.

UPDATE Tues 11:08 and strike through 20:37: I believe the staff at the link above are not affected but that leading Lib Dem organiser John Dave Smithson has been laid off. UPDATE: And other staff. And desks cleared stealthily. See comment. John Smithson is indeed a senior Lib Dem organiser with a facebook fan club.

Word Up: Attila for Karen at the Famous Embassy Club

Comrade Miles Barter has worded me up on a poetific happening at the North Manchester home of socialist poetry and song itself:

Attila the Stockbroker, punk rock poet and radical
songsmith plays Bernard Manning's old club in a
benefit for the Reinstate Karen Reissmann strike fund.

Sunday 2 December, doors open 7.30pm, Embassy Club,
Rochdale Road, Harpurhey, Manchester.

Admission on door £5 waged, £2 unwaged, free to strikers.
Please pass it on.

The picture is by Robina Baine and I do hope that she and Miles and Attila will forgive me for using it without permission. Oh, it's alright - a permit has come through, and for you all too.

Sunday Times Smear: Blair NOT Hayman Target

The Daily Mirror report today that the whole Sunday Times piece about Andy Hayman's expenses being probed is completely groundless and a smear. They agree with me however that Sir Ian Blair was the intended ultimate resting point for the smearage and not Mr Hayman as Iain Dale claimed excitedly. Never mind either one of his two fine upstanding Staff Officers. Dale was in effect using his post to smear Blair, again, and he should apologise. But he won't.

Naturally this means that Ian Bone's lurid so-called World Exclusive - nicked off Murdoch, though with added Tourettes - is also lying in tatters. LYING in tatters! True to form Bone has suppressed my comment on the story while leaving one poking fun at his ever so anarchistical moderating of comments. We like the Billy comment (right) and are very chuffed indeed that our witty intervention has forced the Class War freedom fighter to relax his Stalinist grip on our free speech.

Caption Competition: Karim's Notta Lotta Bottle?

Dr Rupa Huq has declared this Sajjad Karim photo this a caption contest. And what Rupa says goes. Chris is the cat that got the cream as Libdemologists change their usual rules of engagement to allow only established members to vote.

Previously babes in arms have been allowed to vote, along with a walk up crowd paying on the door of a selection meeting, and in ward selections you can even vote in a ward in which you don't live. Very liberal, but not all that democratic.

Sajjad Karim apparently had a whole load of new "friends and families" members lined up. We say what's good for the goose should be good for the gander. And we say that changing the rules AFTER the new guillotine applies but BEFORE it is announced is OUTRAGEOUS, possibly even DISCRIMINATORY.

Sajjad Karim MEP: Goes Home to the Tories II

There are some choice pieces of Cameron bashing from Karim reported over at LDV. His Lib Dem website appears to remain in Libdemologist control also. But his blogspot may be a different matter. This Ealing Southall gloating for starters:

After the Palace it was back to Ealing for some more last minute help and then to the count to witness a good result for us after only a
three week campaign but a very poor result for David Cameron and the Tories!!

And this one of which the last paragraph seems to have become and instant hot favourite with those LDV people:

The rise of, increasingly violent Homophobia in Europe -- and its neighbourhood -- is deeply worrying. It is high on the European Parliament's agenda following a crucial vote in April to condemn the rising phenomenon. Sadly, only one British Conservative MEP voted for the resolution, the rest present voting against or abstaining. This is in sharp contrast to Liberal Democrat MEPs , all of whom voted for the resolution. Sadly, that solitary Tory was not one of my North West colleagues.
With their failure to support a resolution condemning discriminatory remarks by political and religious leaders targeting homosexuals, the Tories have shown their true colours. Tory apathy in the face of rising homophobia should come as no surprise as, today, the Conservative camp is rife with contradiction.
Whilst Cameron attempts to paint a glossy image of a gay-friendly party in the UK, he is also desperately trying to get into bed, at European level, with Poland's openly homophobic 'Law and Justice' party. I just hope the British public see Chameleon Cameron for who he really is!!!

Sajjad Karim worked very hard indeed for the priority nomination from the North West Lib Dems. He threatened to walk when there was a ruling on the date of membership vs voting rights issue which he thought favoured Davies*. His supporters were out in their special livery at conference (above). He also posted an expensively produced DVD to every member ahead of the priority ballot.

* Greg Stone Says: November 26th, 2007 at 11:08 am
I understand Saj threatened to defect (to Independent, he claimed) a few months back, after the ruling on qualifying period before members can vote in selections was agreed. (Comment at LDV)

Sajjad Karim MEP: Goes Home to the Tories

Back in the good old days Sajjad Khan MEP and Chris Davies MEP enjoy a pint together. But there's no point in crying over spilt milk.

North West MEP Sajjad Karim has defected from the Lib Dems and "gone home' to the Conservatives. Sajjad's Wiki Page has already been updated to this effect, about three hours after the news broke on BBC Radio Four's Today programme (listen Again link, probably the 6:30-7 section).

Sajjad's father was a Conservative Councillor, and possibly mayor, of Pendle where his son also began his political life.

During the 2004 campaign the NW Liberal Democrats pimped Karim in a thoroughly irresponsible and communalist way. Not in so many words, in writing anyway, but:

"You're Brown, Vote Brown"
"You're Asian, Vote Asian"
"You're Muslim, Vote Muslim"

This was a despicable deflection of the targeted communities from Chris Davies MEP maverick social liberalism - on sex and drugs and booze and rock and roll - anathema to the audiences such leaflets were distributed to.

At a hustings in Manchester Town Hall I personally challenged Davies on this formulation - generally written down as "the only asian and muslim candidate who can be elected" owtte - when the BNP's Nick Griffin was a player in the contest and his line was essentially: "You're white, vote white." Some characters around UKIP were also members of or ex-members of fascist groupings.

Davies was incredibly glib and irresponsible in replying: "So what? It's true!"

It was a close run thing and essentially the targeted voters were being driven to secure Davies' own seat but just about returned Sajjad Karim in the last seat decided I believe.

I was speculating that Sajjad could get no assurance that he would be listed first by the Lib Dems but had been tempted with an offer of a top three placing by the Tories but in comments here Tim Leunig asserts that the Lib Dems have decided their priority.

In 2004 Labour and the Conservatives had rather 'constipated' lists with more protected sitting MEPs than likely seats won.

Labour had two fantastically strong Muslim candidates in our list - Dr Rupa Huq and Dr Ebrahim Adia (also here) - but alas not close to winnable positions.

Even if the allocation of seats had not dropped from ten to nine. It will drop again in 2008 - giving some urgency to Sajjad's quest for safety.

After the gloating Conservatives should consider their Equality platform versus Europe where even providing a small element of Positive Action for women created a raging row of confusion and obfuscation. They should vow to avoid the shameful Lib Dem behaviour around Sajjad - both before and after his election.

Hat Tip: Iain Dale. Update 11:07: Helen Foster-Grime, now second on LD list.

Ian and Iain and Ian: Every One of Them a Wrong 'Un

That's the Mail on Sunday. Another reliable news breaking publication has a story lightly but lightly smearing Ian Blair for being flip over his officers' expenses claims.
Iain Dale reads it and thinks Ian Blair is behind it and trying to heavily but heavily smear his protege Andy Hayman. The man in charge of the Met's anti-Terror activity including the Stockwell catastrophe.

A third Ian - anarchist Bone - says bobby Hayman is bang to rights for big drinks parties, "going over the side" as they say on The Bill, and running a big tab.

This last link probably should have a veracity health warning.

Highly amusing though that Mr Bone claims a World Exclusive rather than giving a hat tip to Murdoch's Sunday Times who published the story more than 12 hours earlier.

And there's more. Top "anarchist" Bone ... moderates blog comments.

And there's even more. The very first post on Bone's Bash the Rich Blog - another exclusive with Cameron selling a house that was falling down - was in fact nicked from the Telegraph.

Bone even seems to have disabled the comment link to my post pointing that out.

PICTURE: Back in the day Andy Hayman was a-bit-ginger fuzz and irreplaceable.

Mail on Sunday: Never Let the Story Facts Stand In The Way of a Good Headline

The Mail on Sunday headline "How big Labour backer is a jobbing builder who knows NOTHING about his £200,000 donation" does not out itself as a falsehood until the seventh and eighth paragraphs from the end of a turgid 50-para spread:

Last night – eight hours after initially saying he did not know about the donations – Mr Ruddick gave a different version of events. He said that he and Mrs Kidd had, in fact, made the most recent payments to the Labour Party.

Mr Ruddick said: "I made donations to Labour on that day which totalled £80,000. Janet also made the same size donations on the same day. These are the first payments either I or Janet have ever given to Labour."

A series of administrative errors then for all those other contributions listed in Ray Ruddick and Janet Kidd's name then? A bit of reverse identity theft? The fair-minded Mail crew suggest not that Mr Ruddick is an amnesiac and secret millionaire. Oh no. Instead they suggest that donations may in fact be from a Mr David Abrahams, a one-time PPC.

They also say Abrahams (circled) was in the "front row" at the Blair finale event pictured above.

It is the Mail on Sunday after all. So there's no relying on any aspect of the story. Clearly, the Labour Party being a stickler for the rules, the MoS will no doubt be apologising next week.

So long as there is no Lord Jobbing Builder or Baroness Loyal Secretary we shall be content.

UPDATE: BBC Radio Five Live (audio) have Abrahams claiming that he made gifts to the two donors. They then chose to donate amounts on to the Labour Party, completely of their own volition, using their own cheques. The Five link looks like it will change as the news changes so here's another BBC page, with a short video interview to boot.

Blogsclusive: Newcastle Tories Direct Mail Campaign

While the MSM op cit passed on the facebook story a couple did make it through.

One I'm prepared to own up to is the hilarious news that Jason Smith (36) Chair of the Newcastle-on-Tyne Tories wrote to all 44 Lib Dem councillors on N-o-T council asking them to come home to the Conservatives.

Why write to, 'phone or visit tens of thousands of voters and try to persuade them to switch votes when you can just pick up a majority group second-hand?

So far Jason's phone has not been ringing off the hook on this one. As in Manchester it is around 15 years since the Tories have had even one seat. In both cases it was Labour that cleared them out. Only for the Liberals, SDP and Lib Dems to beg the blues to back them in a "two horse race" with come on lines like "The Conservatives Can't Win Here".

They would even say this when lying in third. LYING in third, ha! Anyway, it is often possible to study election results over the last 10-15 years and see "Blue Flight" as tactical Tories ship out drip by drip to the nefarious "lefties" of the Lib Dems. So perhaps Jason isn't so daft after all? More Tories than Liberals vote for most of them after all.

Cllr Greg Stone (32) - the Sedgefield By-election pretender with the specs-or-no-specs dilemma and the ex-drunkard press agent - originally alerted me to the story via an off topic comment at Lib Dem Voice. Now he's got his name in the papers.