Former Tory Councillor charged with sex attacks - How can political parties expect to know who they allow to join ?

Stephen Mullins, a member of Norwich North Conservative Association and a former Tory parish councillor, has been charged with a series of sex attacks by Norfolk Police.

I report this not to throw mud at the Tories, because sadly this sort of thing can happen to any party and it says nothing about that party because sadly there are people who commit all sorts of crimes in society and politics actually does reflect what goes on in society.

No, the interesting point was the odd explanation given by a source in Norwich North Conservatives about the man's links to the Tories.

“Nobody knows him very well,” the source said. “He seemed like a respectable man who wanted to play a role in the community. But he has never been particularly outgoing and I don't think any of us knew much about him.”

Of course it is difficult to understand what someone is really like, but when I served on various Lib Dem Constituency Executive Committees, we did know virtually everyone who came forward to serve on the committee and we also knew a little bit more about them than "they wanted to play a role". We did, in North Norfolk, always have to be vigilant about opposition people "spying" on us, so it was incumbent on us to be very aware of who people were, but the Tory excuse does seem a little odd.

No doubt this person's details will be combined in to the list the BNP keep on the misdemeanours of other parties, but it should be remembered he is innocent until proven guilty and that each and every party has its fair share of odd bods and criminal types. It does though perhaps pay local parties to be vigilant about who tries to get in and not simply accept help from just anyone without finding out a little more about them.