David Rowland: There's Something About Tory Treasurers

Ain't that just the truth? There is something about Tory Party treasurers. Manchester boy Stanley Fink is now left to plough a lonely furrow as "sole trader". David "Spotty" Rowland who rowed ashore after years as an exile and promptly dumped millions of arguably ill-gotten gains - vulture capitalism being a wretched calling at the best of times - on Cameron's Conservatives, has ahem withdrawn his application to share the role.

Paul Dacre's Mail are getting much of the credit although their own early report is rather matter of fact about their handiwork.

Tim Montgomerie gives them, rather than wretched Rowland the rodent himself, all the credit, or scratch that, virtually all the credit.

With the rest going to the non-existent Cameron's Conservatives Central Casting (four C? I don't think so!) "due diligence" operation which has once again been caught napping. As with other Treasurers passim. And as with Boris Johnson's ridiculously accident prone appointment merry-go-round. At one point that was: another week, another departed Deputy.

Here's Tim's catalogue of errors. David Rowland? You have mail:

First CCHQ announces that David Rowland will be the new Tory Treasurer. THEN...

The Daily Mail attacks his tax status: Former tax exile David Rowland is the new Tory treasurer

The Daily Mail highlights his role in an environmental disaster: The dirty past of the former tax exile who's the new Tory Treasurer

The Daily Mail attacks his style of capitalism: The shady City past and friendship with Air Miles Andy of new Tory treasurer

The Daily Mail attacks his private life: The new Tory Treasurer with a blonde in another snap he'd rather you (and party grandees) didn't see (above)

A leader in the paper earlier this week warned David Cameron against close association with the wrong kind of wealthy businessman.

And a few minutes ago (i.e. mid afternoon) CCHQ issues a press release saying that Mr Rowland will not, after all, become the chief party fundraiser. Mr Rowland commented:

"I was honoured to be asked to become Treasurer. Unfortunately my developing business interests mean I will not have the time to give that role the focus and attention it deserves."

Stanley Fink will now continue as the lead Tory Treasurer.

Big questions need to be asked about CCHQ failing to carry out due diligence on this appointment.

Some other cuttings that caught LOL's eye:

On 7 August 2009 the Times reported how the normally reclusive and spectacularly unsuccessful in academics Mr Rowland had become a millionaire by the age of 23. The Mail's "yet more dirty past" piece had I think suggested a fortuitous marriage at 21 had clinched this achievement.

Icelandic media reflected on his Kaupthing connection and on Dacre's crew's investigations. And back in 2005 there had been wild speculation on divorce settlement dimensions. In fact the ugly but sensationally wealthy brute appears to remain close to both his wives/baby mothers but, suggests the Mail, he plays the playboy on his travels.

Son Jonathan gets a bit of press also, as co-Vulture in The Independent and in a special Crazy Billionaire blog also.

Last but not least .. can it be right that Paul Staines aka Guido Fawkes aka Mr GuF actually suggested the man merited: “housing benefit cheat”? That was 26 August 2009 as Rowland flashed the cash - a cool million - to help Cameron "set my people free". That'll be the city boys, the Vulturists, the close-to-the-wind sailors, the gold-diggers?

There have been other Tory Treasurers legging it of course. Seems cruel to make too much of the pattern. Good luck to Stanley. Another fine mess he's been got into.


FOOTNOTE: Incidentally the Mail received some heavy mannered legalese to discourage printing of a photo including D Rowland, A York (aka Windsor) and A Statue of D Rowland. No doubt this beguiling image will be flirting out somewhere very soon? Meanwhile they're very proud of the rare early portrait of the bookish short arse pig frightener. (Enough uncalled for personal abuse already Ed.)