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Manchester City Council: Yes, We Now Have a "Tory"!
Above is the brand new poster boy for Conservatism in the City of Manchester. Faraz Bhatti. On page 19 of today's South Manchester Reporter FB stars in a Lib Dem press release story about some park floodlighting. But alas on page 5 he was already to be seen shaking Dave-id "What Have I Done?" Cameron's hand as FB follows his friend Sajjad Karim MEP across from Lib Dems to the Tories. 
Neither Faraz nor Sajjad have been made particularly welcome by the regulars at Conservative Home. And I think we can now look forward to a campaign of personal villification from his erstwhile leader Simple Simon Ashley who begins thusly:"He seems upset that I don't consider him the most important person in the world*. He has shafted his ward colleagues and shafted the party."
Most of all of course, though this is of no concern to Simon who leads a Lib Dem group whose politics are too slight to even be noticed, Faraz has stolen nearly three and a half more years supping at the council trough from the people of Whalley Range. They re-elected him last May despite his renowned workrate, his renowned political idealism, and his renowned personal qualities and those of his famous dad, another Lib Dem candidate. He would have had not the slightest chance of winning the seat as a Conservative.
This is a tremendous gift to Manchester Labour and one which will keep giving until 2011 when Faraz's term ends.
* That's Simon Ashley of course!
9 comments:
Presumably, Chris, you also consider that Angela Gallagher stole a year "supping at the council trough from the electorate" in Chorlton... funny don't remember you saying that!
Mmmm, funny that isn't it?
Anyway, I would say that Faraz has been a much less committed elected member for Whalley Range than Angela was for Chorlton. AND I would say that Angela could have just as well been elected as Labour - of which she had been a lifelong supporter - with a margin of a handful of votes and a definite personal vote.
She was picked by the Lib Dems as a "filler" candidate. Very much their third choice behind Charles Glover and Faraz's dad. And a substitute for another proposed candidate who had fallen pregnant.
But because Angela got out and about meeting people and taking up their concerns she was the one who got elected. She had a personal vote.
They then pushed here to donate a four-figure sum immediately to clear their overdraft. A donation incidentally that was not registered.
In contrast Faraz would not have had the slightest chance of being elected in Whalley Range as a Tory. About 1400 less votes they got.
He was very lucky to win for the Lib Dems to be honest. Both times. A great dollop of communalism weighed in in the final analysis.
Angela crossed the floor on a matter of principle (Christie's Hospital Hoax), because of the way she was being treated by Lib Dems including Leech who she had backed to the tune of £23,000, and because they were plotting to de-select her.
No such rationale(s) exists in this case. And whereas Angela left between scheduled elections and contested the next one for the Labour party Faraz will pass two scheduled elections and a fallow year before he is next before the electorate. Unless that is he is prepared to justify his choice to his electorate.
I'm looking forward to the mud starting to fly. It surely will.
As I say this is a gift to Labour that will just keep giving.
So you are saying that had Angela defected with 2 years left of her term, she would have resigned and stood in the subsequent by-election? Clearly that is not true.
I'm not saying that. And it wasn't what happened anyway. Angela resigned less than a year before she was up again. Faraz has 3.4 years to go.
But I've not even called for your man to resign and get a new mandate have I? I leave that to be the mantra at Conservative Home etc when anyone leaves the Tories, but never when anyone joins. You should direct your point at them.
My comments are as much about Faraz's reputation as a slacker as anything. His Dad's rep is worse. But perhaps too subtle for some readers?
I remember turning up at a police meeting FB organised - without telling the MP or the council of the local LAP or anyone like that, not even the adjacent streets - but well attended by his invitees. Brought the MP with me too which rained on his parade a bit!
Anyway, FB greeted me and said that "despite our political differences" it was good to see me.
I can't imagine my face looked anything other than blank as I have absolutely no idea what his politics are - ditto many of the rest of the LD crew.
A gift to LP that keeps giving! Simon Ashley will not be able to contain himself.
It's such a pity that Ashley has been let down again by his underlings. If one of them defects to the greens they will have the full hattrick set. Probably good for labour as it splits the opposition but Manchester no longer a tory free zone.The shame, the shame.
Ta for the link btw
Cllr John Grant is a ferkin' Tory too. Where does Faraz live now? Have Gorton Lib Dems selected their PPC at all?
He may turn out to be as insignificant as the defecting Southall Tories who are now unlikely to ever get safe Tory seats and helped Tony Litt lose the by-election
Are any of those up next May Rupa? Have any got spokesperson roles? Seems the sneaky wotsit booked the room for his crossing the floor press conference with Cameron way back on 21st December.
my my how bitter you stalinists get.this is good news and hopefully the start of a tory revival.
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