Of course it is nice for any political party to be a "broad church", but are we really to believe that the Tories accepting a defector from the Socialist Workers Party is anything but expediency ?
A few months ago Saj Karrim, a Lib Dem MEP who had effectively been de-selected by the Lib Dems when he was placed second on the party list, meaning he was extremely likely to lose his seat, defected to the Tories in what was meant to be a trail of glory and publicity for the Tories. As it was it made few headlines with more coverage given to the way Mr Karrim sacked his staff by text message.
Now, the Tories have taken in a former member of George Galloway's "Respect", in Tower Hamlets, and what is somewhat shocking was that this councillor is a member of the Socialist Workers party who has a record of voting against Tory motions on the council.
I am grateful to Justin Hinchcliffe for sending me the extract below by e-mail which appears to be a from a local paper article about the defection.
A RESPECT councillor, former ally of George Galloway and member of the Socialist Workers Party has dramatically defected to the Tories in what is being seen a major milestone in Tower Hamlets politics.
Ahmed Hussain, who represents Mile End East at the Town Hall, met the Tories' shadow London minister, Bob Neill, and Tower Hamlets group leader Peter Golds to seal the move this morning (Wednesday). He becomes the local party's first ever Bengali councillor and in doing so he has made the Tories, who less than two years ago boasted just one councillor in Tower Hamlets, the authority's official opposition with eight members.
Mr Neill welcomed the defection as "momentous" and predicted that Tower Hamlets could soon become 'a Tory borough.'"It's a real step forward for the party and the area," he added.Cllr Hussain, who was also being courted by Labour recently, said he had been interested by Tory Leader David Cameron's approach.He added: "I really believe Tower Hamlets Conservatives will continue to make a difference in this borough."But political rivals will be dismayed and think Cllr Hussain's reputation will now lie in tatters.
The former Labour supporter was one of MP George Galloway's '12 Bengali tigers' elected as a Respect councillor in 2006, and has voted against Conservative motions at the Town Hall since.He was one of four councillors to split from Galloway's Respect faction in October and remained a prominent member of the MP's bitter enemies, the SWP.Soon after that split, he instigated exploratory talks with the Lib Dems about forming a coalition with the Respect rebels.But since the failure of those discussions, all four councillors have been weighing up their futures as all parties tried to tempt them to their sides.
Showing posts with label defections. Show all posts
Showing posts with label defections. Show all posts
2/13/2008
11/27/2007
Is Sajjid Karim as big a scumbag as he is being made out to be ?
I have read on Iain Dale's blog that Saj Karrim, upon his defection to the Tories, sacked his staff by text message and took property from his offices, some of which belongs to the Liberal Democrats.
Is it true that he really is that much of a scumbag ?
As one commenter to Iain Dale's blog points out " the text message sacking is absolutely true ( I met one of his former staff last night). he also arranged a van to come to his office on sunday and emptied it of literally everything - including some property of the Lib Dems and some personal property of the staff members who used to work there. So theft as well as shoddy behaviour."
Oh how proud the Tories must be ?
Is it true that he really is that much of a scumbag ?
As one commenter to Iain Dale's blog points out " the text message sacking is absolutely true ( I met one of his former staff last night). he also arranged a van to come to his office on sunday and emptied it of literally everything - including some property of the Lib Dems and some personal property of the staff members who used to work there. So theft as well as shoddy behaviour."
Oh how proud the Tories must be ?
11/26/2007
The Tory defector who says he does not like David Cameron ?
I am grateful to a commenter to my previous posting (Allan) who has pointed out that Saj Karim, the Lib Dem MEP who defected to the Tories today is, according to his Facebook entry even today a member of the group "Am I the only person who doesn't like David Cameron?"
As Allan says, "either he has had a road to Damascus experience or he is not being frank about his reason for defecting!"
Update : Steve Guy also has some interesting quotes from Mr Karim about Cameron. As I said before, we (in the Lib Dems) are better off without Mr Karim.
As Allan says, "either he has had a road to Damascus experience or he is not being frank about his reason for defecting!"
Update : Steve Guy also has some interesting quotes from Mr Karim about Cameron. As I said before, we (in the Lib Dems) are better off without Mr Karim.
Why you can rarely trust a defector
So Saj Karim, elected as a Lib Dem MEP for ther North West of England has defected. Apparently he has been, in his own words, thinking about making the decision for two years.
That all seems rather odd given that his blog has a number of comments made in recent months that are critical of the Tories and he was, until a few days ago, actively touting his Lib Dem credentials when he was attempting to be re-selected on the Lib Dem Euro list for the North West of England.
Of course, he is now a Tory. How can anyone doubt the word of someone who had, according to other blogs, let it be widely known that he would defect if he was not selected at the top of the Euro list. When, he didn't come top, he goes to another party. Boo hoo.
I'm sorry, but the sort of politicians who craves power at any cost and seems more worried about his income ahead of principles is a politicians I would care very little for. If this is his attitude, the Tories are genuinely welcome to him. People will, no doubt, claim that this is just sour grapes. But given all the facts, I have had to come to the conclusion that he really is the sort of politicans that gives all politicians a bad name.
Some people defect when there is no benefit to them. Perhaps they are no longer elected, perhaps they are standing down from office, perhaps they don't seek power at all. However, when someone steps down in the circumstances that Saj Karrim finds himself in, you'd find it very difficult to believe it is anything other than financial self interest that is the motivating factor.
That all seems rather odd given that his blog has a number of comments made in recent months that are critical of the Tories and he was, until a few days ago, actively touting his Lib Dem credentials when he was attempting to be re-selected on the Lib Dem Euro list for the North West of England.
Of course, he is now a Tory. How can anyone doubt the word of someone who had, according to other blogs, let it be widely known that he would defect if he was not selected at the top of the Euro list. When, he didn't come top, he goes to another party. Boo hoo.
I'm sorry, but the sort of politicians who craves power at any cost and seems more worried about his income ahead of principles is a politicians I would care very little for. If this is his attitude, the Tories are genuinely welcome to him. People will, no doubt, claim that this is just sour grapes. But given all the facts, I have had to come to the conclusion that he really is the sort of politicans that gives all politicians a bad name.
Some people defect when there is no benefit to them. Perhaps they are no longer elected, perhaps they are standing down from office, perhaps they don't seek power at all. However, when someone steps down in the circumstances that Saj Karrim finds himself in, you'd find it very difficult to believe it is anything other than financial self interest that is the motivating factor.
8/07/2007
Delusions of Grandeur ?
Labour made bold claims in the press about their latest defector from the Tories, a chap named David Anstee.
Labour claimed that Mr Anstee was “a member of a powerful Welsh Conservative Policy Group which wrote the party's 2007 Assembly election manifesto”.
The Conservative replied by stating that “There was a small policy group of about five people in charge of writing the manifesto and he was not involved in that."
The Conservative spokesman believed Mr Anstee had attended a policy forum in Wales, but he added that that was an event similar to a mini party conference and was open to any party member.
Poor Mr Anstee. I wonder if he went home after that conference and told his mum how important he was and how he had written the manifesto all by himself. Delusions of Grandeur ? Discuss ...
Labour claimed that Mr Anstee was “a member of a powerful Welsh Conservative Policy Group which wrote the party's 2007 Assembly election manifesto”.
The Conservative replied by stating that “There was a small policy group of about five people in charge of writing the manifesto and he was not involved in that."
The Conservative spokesman believed Mr Anstee had attended a policy forum in Wales, but he added that that was an event similar to a mini party conference and was open to any party member.
Poor Mr Anstee. I wonder if he went home after that conference and told his mum how important he was and how he had written the manifesto all by himself. Delusions of Grandeur ? Discuss ...
6/28/2007
Defective Defection Predictions
A few weeks ago the Tories were claiming a Lib Dem was set to defect to them. It didn't happen.
Then three days ago a a Tory MP defects to the Labour without any predictions at all that it was going to happen.
Yesterday it was predicted that another Tory was going to defect to Labour today. And it hasn't happened.
Shouldn't the rule be that defections happen when you least expect them and that predicting them is a pointless activity ?
Update and Correction: As has been pointed out, I meant to write "A Tory MP defects to Labour", not "A Tory MP defects to the Tories". A Freudian slip perhaps.
Then three days ago a a Tory MP defects to the Labour without any predictions at all that it was going to happen.
Yesterday it was predicted that another Tory was going to defect to Labour today. And it hasn't happened.
Shouldn't the rule be that defections happen when you least expect them and that predicting them is a pointless activity ?
Update and Correction: As has been pointed out, I meant to write "A Tory MP defects to Labour", not "A Tory MP defects to the Tories". A Freudian slip perhaps.
6/26/2007
Consistency over defections
As I blogged earlier, the Tories are furious about Quentin Davies defection to labour. However, there is a shocking level of hypocrisy from the Tories over defections.
Put simply, anyone who defects to them is fine, but everyone who defects from the Tories should resign and re-stand for elections.
In recent months the Tories have welcomed defectors to their party with open arms and have talked of Lib Dem MP's defecting. Indeed, Lib Dem MP for Yeovil, David Laws, was openly asked to defect by Tory Shadow Chancellor, Gideon Osborne MP.
Senior Tories have claimed that Quentin Davies only defection because he has been offered something in return. No doubt the offer to him was the same as the one put to David Laws (a senior role and ministerial/shadow position)
Isn't this type of Tory hypocrisy exactly one of the reasons why Quentin Davies defected ?
My own position on defections is clear. If we are in a period that is close to an election (less than 12 months) then I wouldn't expect someone who defects to seek immediate re-election. However, anything more than this and I think that the defector should resign and re-stand under their new colours.
Put simply, anyone who defects to them is fine, but everyone who defects from the Tories should resign and re-stand for elections.
In recent months the Tories have welcomed defectors to their party with open arms and have talked of Lib Dem MP's defecting. Indeed, Lib Dem MP for Yeovil, David Laws, was openly asked to defect by Tory Shadow Chancellor, Gideon Osborne MP.
Senior Tories have claimed that Quentin Davies only defection because he has been offered something in return. No doubt the offer to him was the same as the one put to David Laws (a senior role and ministerial/shadow position)
Isn't this type of Tory hypocrisy exactly one of the reasons why Quentin Davies defected ?
My own position on defections is clear. If we are in a period that is close to an election (less than 12 months) then I wouldn't expect someone who defects to seek immediate re-election. However, anything more than this and I think that the defector should resign and re-stand under their new colours.
Not the defection Iain Dale and others had been hinting at
For several months, Iain Dale had been hinting and other Tory bloggers ( The Hunter for one) claimed that on good authority, they were expecting a defection to the Tories.
I guess today's news wasn't what they were expecting.
As Nick Robinson said on BBC News earlier, if "Cameron isn't worried about this then I am a Pineapple".
It fits in also rather nicely with Ming's assessment that their is little to separate the Tories and Labour these days. Perhaps it is merely that Labour mean what they say, even if it is wrong, whilst the Tories say it to sound like they mean it.
I guess today's news wasn't what they were expecting.
As Nick Robinson said on BBC News earlier, if "Cameron isn't worried about this then I am a Pineapple".
It fits in also rather nicely with Ming's assessment that their is little to separate the Tories and Labour these days. Perhaps it is merely that Labour mean what they say, even if it is wrong, whilst the Tories say it to sound like they mean it.
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