In today's Telegraph Norman Tebbit challenges David Cameron to allow locals to have a say on who represents them in the Commons. Click below to read CAMERON IS HOLDING PARTY TOO TIGHT
Tebbit on the ball and tells Cameron to get on his bike. Quite right too. It is an abomination that Cameron and Central Office can dictate to Kensington who we must have as our MP. What a cheek.
Kensington is about to be shafted by Central Office. Again.
Why do we continue to elect wimps to serve on the Conservative Association? No wonder the big issues like Sutton Housing get ignored by Ward Councillors and the MP. No one is prepared to hold elected feet to the fire when it becomes necessary.
Everyone is uptight about Jihadi John. But only a few days ago I enjoyed Wolf Hall immensely. A Queen of England had her head chopped off in front of a cheering crowd and a wretched priest was burned at the stake. Also to a cheering crowd. And in London too.
Kensington is one of the strongest Conservative constituencies. The Association should take a stand and tell Central Office to sod off. If a list is shoved down our throats by Central Office we should turn down all the names and prepare our own list. We can have an open selection with our own list - drawn if necessary from the Central Office list. There are 50 people on the list who live in Kensington and who want to be MPs.
The idea of having speech writers from Cameron's team and a celebrity footballer and Olympic rowers offered to us is worse than an insult. We want a constituency MP to represent residents - not some party stooge!
Norman Tebbit has picked up a hot topic. There is anger up and down the country about the centralised tendencies of Conservative HQ and the wish of local Associations to be local. No more so than Kensington.
It was slightly surprising that more than 400 members of the Kensington, Chelsea and Fulham Association sat quietly and made no protest at their AGM last week when the Chairman told the meeting that Central Office will prepare a short list of 6 candidates to replace Sir Malcolm Rifkin and the Association will not be allowed to play any part in the process. But they will be allowed to reduce the list to 3 candidates who will go forward to an open selection. This is tokenism at its worst. Lets hope that we are not given a turkey, a duck, a hamster and a canary to choose from. This would be in the great tradition of the past four Members of Parliament who have served us with shortcomings.
Members were seething after the meeting. When will the Brits learn to throw stones?
Applications for the Kensington seat are required by Central Office tomorrow (Tuesday). Watch out for leaks and the early signs of who David Cameron is pushing.
"Sources close to the PM" suggest that ............
Whatever next? Tebbit taking aim at Conservative central office? It's rather like a superannuated cardinal publicly engaging in Vatican bashing!
Well done Sir. It's high time the charade that passes for democracy in RB Kensington & Chelsea, was brought to public attention. It will doubtless be a shock to "King Dave," to be reminded that parliamentary seats are in the gift of residents - wealthy or poverty stricken, not him nor his courtiers. For all our sakes, the association should have none of it.
Kenisngton & Chelsea has two MPs. Sir Malcolm Rifkin (Independent) is MP for Kensington and Greg Hands (Conservative) is MP for Chelsea. Last week at the Conservative Association AGM Sir Malcolm "resigned" as a Conservative MP in order to do the Conservatives "a favour". "Controversy over the cash for influence affair would cause distress at the time of a General Election" he said. Both MPs were at the AGM. Greg Hands made a speech praising his ex colleague. But the day before Greg Hands (Tory Chief Whip) had fired Rifkin on the instructions of Cameron. The faithful stood and gave Sir Malc a standing ovation while grinding their teeth. And today those hoping to replace Malc are writing to David Cameron to beg the favour.
Is it any wonder that the public despise our political system for its sheer hypocrisy?
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Tebbit on the ball and tells Cameron to get on his bike. Quite right too. It is an abomination that Cameron and Central Office can dictate to Kensington who we must have as our MP. What a cheek.
ReplyDeleteKensington is about to be shafted by Central Office. Again.
DeleteWhy do we continue to elect wimps to serve on the Conservative Association? No wonder the big issues like Sutton Housing get ignored by Ward Councillors and the MP. No one is prepared to hold elected feet to the fire when it becomes necessary.
Feet to the fire!
DeleteEveryone is uptight about Jihadi John. But only a few days ago I enjoyed Wolf Hall immensely. A Queen of England had her head chopped off in front of a cheering crowd and a wretched priest was burned at the stake. Also to a cheering crowd. And in London too.
Alan Bennett has been telling us all about British hypocrisy
DeleteKensington is one of the strongest Conservative constituencies. The Association should take a stand and tell Central Office to sod off. If a list is shoved down our throats by Central Office we should turn down all the names and prepare our own list. We can have an open selection with our own list - drawn if necessary from the Central Office list. There are 50 people on the list who live in Kensington and who want to be MPs.
ReplyDeleteThe idea of having speech writers from Cameron's team and a celebrity footballer and Olympic rowers offered to us is worse than an insult. We want a constituency MP to represent residents - not some party stooge!
Norman Tebbit has picked up a hot topic. There is anger up and down the country about the centralised tendencies of Conservative HQ and the wish of local Associations to be local. No more so than Kensington.
ReplyDeleteIt was slightly surprising that more than 400 members of the Kensington, Chelsea and Fulham Association sat quietly and made no protest at their AGM last week when the Chairman told the meeting that Central Office will prepare a short list of 6 candidates to replace Sir Malcolm Rifkin and the Association will not be allowed to play any part in the process. But they will be allowed to reduce the list to 3 candidates who will go forward to an open selection. This is tokenism at its worst. Lets hope that we are not given a turkey, a duck, a hamster and a canary to choose from. This would be in the great tradition of the past four Members of Parliament who have served us with shortcomings.
Members were seething after the meeting. When will the Brits learn to throw stones?
You Tories deserve everything that you get. A million times over
DeleteApplications for the Kensington seat are required by Central Office tomorrow (Tuesday). Watch out for leaks and the early signs of who David Cameron is pushing.
ReplyDelete"Sources close to the PM" suggest that ............
Cameron's favourite for Croydon was told where to go. Not all Conservative Associations are a push over.
DeleteWhatever next? Tebbit taking aim at Conservative central office? It's rather like a superannuated cardinal publicly engaging in Vatican bashing!
ReplyDeleteWell done Sir. It's high time the charade that passes for democracy in RB Kensington & Chelsea, was brought to public attention. It will doubtless be a shock to "King Dave," to be reminded that parliamentary seats are in the gift of residents - wealthy or poverty stricken, not him nor his courtiers. For all our sakes, the association should have none of it.
Sir Norman invariably hits the nail on the head
DeleteLORD TEBBIT
DeleteI had not heard. Congratulations to the chap
DeleteThe Dame is planning a witty comment competition....yours 22:31 is well up there. Very funny!
ReplyDeleteToday is the day. All the hopefuls pitch in their applications to Central Office. Not to Kensington. What a joke.
ReplyDeleteKenisngton & Chelsea has two MPs. Sir Malcolm Rifkin (Independent) is MP for Kensington and Greg Hands (Conservative) is MP for Chelsea. Last week at the Conservative Association AGM Sir Malcolm "resigned" as a Conservative MP in order to do the Conservatives "a favour". "Controversy over the cash for influence affair would cause distress at the time of a General Election" he said. Both MPs were at the AGM. Greg Hands made a speech praising his ex colleague. But the day before Greg Hands (Tory Chief Whip) had fired Rifkin on the instructions of Cameron. The faithful stood and gave Sir Malc a standing ovation while grinding their teeth. And today those hoping to replace Malc are writing to David Cameron to beg the favour.
ReplyDeleteIs it any wonder that the public despise our political system for its sheer hypocrisy?