Cllr John Leech MP: Crying Into His Glass Fully Empty

Labour's candidate for Chorlton Park John Hacking catches Cllr John Leech MP having no mates here and here and here. In reverse order for his "raucous students provide cover for rapists" gaffe, for his latest "I'm voting with the Tories" moment, and for his solo Early Day Motion about a Mail sorting office which is now only staying open for only two hours longer than all the others.

This has attracted a record level of support: John Leech - nul poins. The story was one of Lorenzo's over at the Withington Co-op Party Blog and Lorenzo got it from Graham at Greater Manchester Fabians.

Perhaps Mr Leech's lack of popularity among his fellow MPs - and John Hacking's exposure of it all on Tuesday 11 March - was what led him to seek refuge in another solo drinking session at The Sports and Social at Westminster that very evening. This being the haunt of the parliamentary underclass low life of researchers, secretaries and tea children.

LEECH HEALTH WARNING: Children, Don't Do As I Do.

Salford Oppositions: Crying Wolf Over Snouts in Troughs?

It is always interesting when oppositionists on Councils start complaining about ruling group gravy trains as Cllr Steve Cooke (Salford) does.

Four points spring to mind:

1. Presumably the Executive Support Members (ESMs) in Salford have similar demanding roles to (paid) deputy chairs/cabinet members in other authorities? Including Lib Dem and Lib Con authorities?

2. Presumably Cllr Steve Cooke knows that the basic allowance enjoyed by (often idle) back bench Libdemologists in Manchester is almost at the ESM level he derides?

3. Presumably, though he does not say anything, he knows about the big INCREASE Lib Dems brought in in Bristol on their fairly temporary accession to rule? And he must have an insight into the equivalent payments in the atrociously managed (it's official) Lib Dem Liverpool. But that goes unnoted as well. Any reason for that?

4. Presumably he also knows about the Hospital Hoaxer Cllr John Leech MP who is trousering his £60,000 from HoP, £22,000 John Lewis List, £10,000 Communications - which he is using for hybrid political leaflets, PLUS payments to Lib Dem activists, PLUS his councillor wages of £15,000+. Similar to Paul Rowen in Rochdale and John Hemmings in Brum and others for all I know.

Leech promised to donate these "council expenses" - after tax presumably - to local Lib Dem constituency funds. Yet last time I looked of c £45,000 only £3,500 has darkened the door of the Electoral Commission register.

In fact now we're on the subject there is a great mystery with Manchester Lib Dem funds in that they appear to have a professional campaign worker and fairly deep pockets in general but scarcely any donations are recorded. How does that work?

I applaud Cllr Steve Cooke's intention of giving transparency. All things considered he seems to be worth more than half a dozen of the Manchester Lib Dem half-arses put together, even though he feels hard done by with 34% less in allowances.

But perhaps he would also try for fairness and shine the light of righteousness on Lib Dem authorities showing how things should be done? Which goes for Cllr Iain Lindley who hat-tipped Cllr Cooke when it comes to Tory Councils running cities.

Meanwhile if anyone has any examples from round the country of snouts of any political hue in the public trough then please do share in comments.

Closer to Home: Tory Boy Bloggers Wrong Wrong Wrong

Closer to home the Tories are also full of it. For goodness sake Cllr Iain Lindley! There is no need to follow that buffoon Cameron even where he is clearly mistaken. The record shows that the Rt Hon man Ed Balls said “So weak!” which is one of his stock phrases actually. It is scandalous that Lindley is believing partisan spin over Hansard, the mother of all journals of record.

Councillor Lindley also seems to believe all the guff about Cem's musical tastes scam and shows disdain for a Guardian G2 article by John Harris on the very subject. This mentions one of my outdoor concert confections by name and with much fondness. A story for another day perhaps.

Guido Fawkes's GuF: Still More Schoolboy Errors

Mr Dale isn't the only one who can't manage maths. Hedgie Paul Staines aka swear blogger Guido Fawkes aka Mr GuF commits schoolboy errors in an "analysis" of MPs' expenses claims.

God he's an incompetent and illogical idiot. More deprivation, more casework. More and better staff, more stationery and post costs, more telephone calls. More distance from centre, more Labour constituencies, more travel costs. And so on.

Total Pants: Iain Dale Recommends "Join the Eurozone"

Speaking of disingenuity and malice - how's about this mischiefery? Obviously Iain Dale doesn't have the grasp of economics to see that it's arrant propaganda. Making the Eurozone look like a great prospect to boot. Is that what he intended? Total Pants, wet with a streak of Tory blogger boy widdle.

Freedom of Information: Is This More Hospital Hoaxery?

Looks like Dave Ottewell, the Manchester Evening News' numero uno snooper and blogger may have been stymied by Hospital Hoax investigation disingenuity and weaselry following a Freedom of Information investigation. I've commented. Not up yet. Perhaps the progenitors of earlier FIO searches might like to join in?

Rochdale Bully Boy: Calls Congestionists Names

David Hennigan has written a letter to the Evening News, and what's more they've printed it.

It's all over the place, like one of those rare Lib Dem policy positions, but essentially is in support of Cllr Roger Jones, Chair of the GMPTA, who has it seems been personally targeted by Tory-backed and Tory-backing pollsters who, wait for it, support congestion. These pollution champions set professional pollster attack dogs asking attack questions in Jones' Salford ward.

Implicit in this letter is harsh criticism of Cllr John Leech MP who has continued to take opportunist pro-con positions on the matter - currently seeming to support more congestion and pollution, certainly failing to provide leadership.

Friend Hennigan concludes:

This will send a clear message to self-interested companies like Peel Holdings that their bullying tactics don’t work, and neither should they. Dave Hennigan, Heaton Chapel

An interesting home address for a localist Libdemologist working in Rochdale and Oldham East and Saddleworth! But no matter. More interesting is renowned bully boy Hennigan's alleged stance against bullying.

Here he is sticking up for a vee sign councillor, and here defending racist dog whistling from another councillor and PPC, and just one more recent occasion, "standing in the middle of the road in the pouring rain having a fit, shouting abuse and generally making an utter fool of himself" embarrassing Rochdale with his own bullying tactics.

He should perhaps lie down in a darkened room and consider his position.

McTories: Ready to Jump Into Bed with Salmond?

When I just mentioned the Daleian/Tory status as ex-Unionists I had no idea of the level of blue enthusiasm for the bedding of the toothsome Salmond.

Iain Dale: Likes His Bull in a China Shop

Iain Dale mistakes Nationalism for "local democracy". The Nu-Maoist centre are of course happy for the people of Tibet to decide which pavements get resurfaced and what colour to paint the lamp posts, to control local planning, and to manage the village pump.

But accession from China is the polar opposite of "local democracy". Of course now that the Tories have become ex-Unionists Iain cannot be expected to have any empathy with any central government.

NEXT WEEK: Why Texas should leave the United States.