Tuesday, February 05, 2008

Bad Form: Cllr John Leech MP Pontificates


There is a local interest angle on this expenses sleaze. Manchester Withington residents will have been ever so pleased to see Cllr John Leech MP on regional TV as the Con-way row broke pontificating, as only a Minister's son or a Pope could, and confirming his own high standards on expenses and the like.

Some might argue that by helping himself to three years of Councillor allowances, almost £50,000, less tax at 40% presumably - rather like Derek Conway who took four years' worth out of Gateshead I believe while representing a Midlands seat - and using his 2006 and 2007 Parliamentary Reports to play politics ... he was not qualified to cast the first stone on probity.

And that making his inaccessible office into a Lib Dem hoarding, and employing political hacks, and printing political leaflets in the back room, and taking paid adverts in those political leaflets, and refusing to be civil to anyone involved with any other party wanting advice, information or support were not the behaviours of the pure as the driven snow.

Then there's the less clear-cut matter of refusing to pay back campaign support that was allegedly supposed to be loans, and his over-spending so transparently in the 2005 campaign, and all that ... once again the biblical instance is apt. Why cast the first stone on probity and risk being hoist by his own petard?

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

very sad, no comments.
and your background colour looks like poo, are you colourblind?
google dunblane dnotice operation ore. new labour blackmailed into war. you're not one aswell are you?

Chris Paul said...

No comments that make sense anyway ... what a pile of drivel!! And that "Dr" Gillian McKeith would have a field day with your vile excrement.

Whether you're a sad fascist, a grumpy Lib Dem or a money grubbing Tory you need to learn to express yourself more clearly.

Chris Paul said...

PS Googling as suggested is a great advert for the unreliability of much internet content. Fascist sites (under cover) from the now shattered BNP at the head of the search.

Anonymous said...

Mr Leech is clearly riding for a fall. He's kidding no one here with his carrying on.

Anonymous said...

if i lived in withington i would consider voting for leech just to wind you up.oh and to keep another marks and spencer middle class women out of parliament.
shame on the party of dunwoody and hoey for picking a middle cl;ass minx

Anonymous said...

No ifs no buts councillor ...

Chris Paul said...

Benchill person: It does not surprise me that you would say you'd vote for Leech. Hospital hoax, cemetary hoax, row of shops hoax. But as Withington was a Tory seat for a very long time - and only not one for 20 years - I think you'd actually prefer to back "your own" this time as part of the long road back.

There is actually a young Tory council candidate with a website in the area ... so there might be a serious effort this time. Not like that disastrous Karen Bradley who lost 000s of votes to Leech and still got promoted.

And I don't think you know much about the public school girl and hunting afficianado Kate Hoey.

PS: If Cash-in-hand man would care to send information to me by email that would be very welcome indeed.