UK General Discussion

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Amazing.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/sep/26/lib-dems-speech-digested-crace

[Filuwaúrdjan]

It's just been announced that Malcolm Wicks, Labour MP for Croydon North since 1997 (and Croydon North West 1992-1997), has died aged 65. He was a Social Policy academic before he was a politician and was a minister in the Blair and Brown governments.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Wick's obit: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/sep/30/malcolm-wicks

As you can see, he's quite a loss.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

On a lighter note now...

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[Filuwaúrdjan]

The insecurity of all three leaders in this parliament is surely unprecedented.

Not at all. The perception of insecurity - because in reality all are perfectly secure unless things are going on that we don't actually know about - for multiple party leaders is pretty common. For some especially extreme cases, look at the 60s.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

So, then. Jimmy Savile. The thing is... everyone knew. Which, when you think about it, is extremely disturbing.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Lot of pink ribbons even around this way.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Interesting:

http://dpmcbride.tumblr.com/post/32931120073/5-years-on-the-election-that-never-was

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Soooooo,..., Grant Shapps no future Tory Leader after all?

Seems not. But maybe Michael Green has a shot.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

A GMB-backed North Eastern right-winger of the old school and a devoted francophile. Attracted a fair bit of negative publicity in recent years, his style of MP being very much out of fashion these days. Probably, though, he's most notable for something he did early into his time as MP: he became the spokesman for the families affected by the Cleveland child abuse scandal in the late 1980s.

Also, there can't be many people who have been Second Church Commissioner and also published a pornographic novel.

RIP

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Grauniad obit

[Filuwaúrdjan]

lolgeorgeosborne

[Filuwaúrdjan]

hahahahaha!

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Walter Harrison, Labour's legendary deputy Chief Whip in the 1970s, is reported to have died aged 91.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Walter Harrison, Labour's legendary deputy Chief Whip in the 1970s, is reported to have died aged 91.

Torygraph obit.

Highlights include:

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[Filuwaúrdjan]

There have been rumours of that sort about the former member for Bexley and the former member for North Devon for decades. Thing is, as the homophobic tendency to automatically associate homosexuality with predatory behavior and paedophilia was much more pronounced in the past than it is now, it could easily be a load of nonsense; even if the Savile nastiness demonstrates that ghastly rumours are sometimes based on truth. Caution is required.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

All the "former members for Bexley" are dead. I thought you could freely libel the dead in Britain.

Indeed you can. This was just a stylistic choice.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Walter Harrison, Labour's legendary deputy Chief Whip in the 1970s, is reported to have died aged 91.

And the Indie, and the Grauniad.

Very much worth reading if you've any interest in British politics in the 1970s.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Any idea what caused the bitterness between him and Kinnock?

Kinnock was regarded as a troublemaker in the 1970s.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Do we think it would be appropriate to set up a North Croydon by-election thread yet? The reason I ask is that I've just found out that Labour have drawn up a shortlist of 5 candidates (from a Facebook post by one of them).

Sure

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Naughty boy. Nice safe seat for anyone that wants it, ala Barnsley.

Anyways, the Chairman of the Standards and Priviliges Committee is Kevin Barron who happens to represent a constituency that borders on Rotherham (Rother Valley).

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Certain internet rumours are probably left uncommented on.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I would be surprised if we aren't.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Breaking news: MacShane has resigned as an MP.

Yet another by-election in a safe Labour seat then....

I wonder how many of the names on the Barnsley shortlist will appear on this one. Just down the road, after all.