about this blog

2006-01-28T20:26:05+01:00

If you're reading this blog thinking it's just a random collection of stuff, seemingly without any context, it's because this is actually the underside of another blog.

You see this here is under the cheap seats, where we stash the detail and reference info, what you need is the view from the cheap seats, then maybe some of this will start making sense!

http://viewfromthecheapseats.blog.co.uk

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neither Lib nor Dem

2006-01-28T20:20:47+01:00

I emailed my Lib Dem MP, Greg Mulholland, and BC'd it to acting Lib Dem leader Menzies Campbell and Andrew Stunell, the party's Chief Whip:

info@gregmulholland.org
gradys@parliament.uk - Menzies Campbell, deputy leader,
enquiries@andrewstunell.org.uk - chief whip,

Dear Mr Mulholland,

I am writing to you to express my deep concern over the resignation of Charles Kennedy as your party's leader.

In the past I had always voted Labour in the belief that they represented the working class majority of the population. New Labour, and then Iraq, shattered this image forever in my mind and I became more and more convinced that the problem lay with politicians and political parties themselves.

How could I trust the words of a politician when I knew they'd say the exact opposite next week if it served their purpose? I could never vote Conservative and now Labour was out of the question too leaving the Lib Dems as the only option left.

Faced with such a choice I felt that opting out of the whole system was the only way I could really use my vote to accurately portray my feelings as you were just another party. Then Charles Kennedy became your leader and things changed.

It wasn't so much that I felt his leadership made the party or its policies more viable, but rather that here was someone working as a politician who I could relate to, who was saying the common sense things I said to myself.

His perpetual dismissal by the media and political insiders as, not being a good enough politician just ingratiated him even more with me. I don't like traditional politicians, they've let us down over and over again. Here was a real person, a genuine guy and so, wanting to reward and encourage such an approach to politics at the last election, you got my vote.

Mr Kennedy's recent admission about his drinking problem did nothing other than re-enforce this image of him in my mind. We all battle our own personal demons every single day and here was someone doing a politician's job who wasn't trying to pretend to be perfect.

If the man has the courage to admit an alcohol problem to the nation then telling us the truth about the basis for a war for example, would have been no problem for Mr Kennedy. He alone won my vote for your party and the disgraceful, and particularly un-liberal, un-democratic ousting of the man has lost it.

Please be assured that I have always been impressed by your own work as my MP it's just that the way in which your party has treated Mr Kennedy has changed the way I see the Liberal Democrats. I do not feel I could vote Lib Dem again and the fall of the one political leader who gave me hope for a new and better British politics has left me utterly disenfranchised with the whole system.

I wish you personally all the best in the future and would ask if you could raise my comments with the higher echelons of your party. Thankyou for continued efforts on my behalf and for taking the time to read this.

Yours in disappointment,

XXXXXXXXX

Initially I was tempted to just wipe my arse on a piece of paper and send that, but I think this reads better. Anyway, Mr Mulholland duly responded and here's how he addressed the various specific concerns I had raised:

office of Greg Mulholland MP (gregmulhollandmp@yahoo.co.uk)
Reply-To : Info@gregmulholland.org
Sent : 10 January 2006 14:55:59
To : XXXXXXXXX
Subject : Lib Dem Leadership

Thank you for your email XXX, my thoughts after a brief period of reflection are outlined below. It has been an exciting time for the Liberal Democrats and I am looking to the future and the exciting debate we will have over the coming months. It is important that we have a contest so that the party members have a say in the future direction of our party.

Charles Kennedy's speech on Saturday was proud and dignified and also showed the down to earth, warm nature that has made him regularly the most popular British party leader over the 6 years of his tenure. The success of Charles' leadership speaks for itself. He successfully fought two general elections and last year led us to the best result for a liberal party for eighty years delivering our largest ever number of MPs. He led the party from being a party of protest to being a party of power in Scotland and in Councils including York, Sheffield, Hull and Leeds and the party owes him a huge debt.

I have not yet made my mind up as to who will best lead the party into the new era, to tackle an increasingly isolated Blair and an utterly untested Cameron. It is a job that many in the party should relish for there is a huge opportunity for our new leader and for the party

We as a party must choose the right person to lead us in this exciting time, a time rich in opportunity for a liberal, modernising party of principle. The Tories have chosen someone largely it seems, because if
you squint; he looks a bit like Tony Blair did ten years ago. Our members will, I believe, make a decision based on more substance, but the essence will be the same - we are electing someone who can build on what we have achieved so far and to take us on to the next level.

Kind Regards
Greg Mulholland MP

A perfectly nice email, and he does seem like a nice guy, what pisses me off is what this email doesn't say. It tells me a whole load of stuff I already knew and then finishes off with some other stuff I didn't ask for. In this way it's just like every other reply I've ever received from an MP or other official, an empty waste of time.

Still Mr Mulholland is one just MP in the third biggest political party in the country, maybe Andrew Stunell, the Chief Whip would provide a more interesting and responsive reply, let's see:

* Message from Andrew Stunell MP *

Dear Mr XXXXXX,

Thank you for emailing me as Chief Whip a copy of your letter to Greg Mulholland Mp where you set out your support for Charles Kennedy and the work that he has done for the Liberal Democrats over the years. Charles led the Party through their two most successful General Elections ever, adding a million extra votes to our total last year.

Unfortunately his struggle against ill health meant that he has decided to step aside. If you heard his very powerful statement when he resigned, you will know that he plans to continue to be very active in the Liberal Democrats, which I very much welcome.

All the declared leadership candidates have made it clear that they would welcome him back onto the front bench, though we will of course have to see how Charles himself would like to proceed first. I have made sure that your expression of support has been passed on to his office, as I know he has always valued the support of the wider membership and the general public.

Yours sincerely,
Andrew Stunell MP

Good of him to fill me in on what I'd written to him, though I'm pretty sure it falls into the category of STUFF I ALREADY KNOW! Kennedy could stretch out for a snooze on the front bench, it wouldn't reverse the dramatic change in the way I see his party!

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one of my favourite postcards

2006-01-20T20:37:26+01:00

visit www.leedspostcards.com to see more

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History is no more @ Middlesex University

2006-01-20T20:31:55+01:00

Here's an excerpt from an email explaining why History will no longer be taught at Middlesex University:

"History at Middlesex

In light of the pattern of declining student applications over time, discussions have been taking place at University Executive, School and Academic Group levels to discuss the future of History at Middlesex University. Reluctantly it has been decided that current History programmes will be phased out and, accordingly, our intake of History students will be suspended from September 2006."

Courtesy of rithompson @ http://random-veryrandom.blog.co.uk

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ELEPHANT BOOKS

2006-01-15T00:24:27+01:00

One of the best bookshops I've ever come across and one of my favourite places to be.

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