The news that Nigel Farage is intending to stand against John Bercow in Buckingham is the sort of political news I love. Nothing like putting a cat among the pigeons.It raises a number of interesting points, not least how John Bercow will defend the seat without the campaigning and funding of his local Tory Party, and also what will happen to Conservatives who announce they would support Farage over Bercow. They could legitimately say that there was no Conservative candidate to vote for and therefore they should have a free choice. Tim Montgomerie has already said he would be tempted to give Farage his vote, justifying himself by saying: "It would be one way of getting a Speaker who wasn't the choice of Brown's Labour MPs."
I'm glad I don't live in Buckingham...
Ladbrokes are already quoting Farage at 4-1 to beat Bercow and become UKIP's first elected MP.
Full story HERE from Andrew Porter.
71 comments:
no
incumbency is Bercow friend.
is he a good constituency MP? if so he will prob survive. There is no apetite to vote UKIP in a GE.
I said sometime ago on here that Farrage would stand against Bercow...it`s a shoein for UKIP...Bet Cameron is loving it..gets rid of a right prat without having to stab him in the back....I also have a sneaking admiration for Farrage and I think he is just what the commons needs.
There are so many anti Cameron Tories in that neck of the wood I think you would be able to weigh Farrage`s votes....
So any bets for the new speaker next year...might have a tenner on Sir George Young what....
This highlights what a ridiculous anachronym we have in our system when the main parties don't campaign against the speaker. Is that the best we can do for democracy?
I would be strongly in favour of bringing in a new system whereby a speaker has to give up being an MP upon taking the role. Seeing as he/she would never be an active MP again after being speaker I can see no logical reason why they should remain an MP on paper and put their constituents in constitutional limbo.
Simple answer is no, UKIP are too tainted by scandal. Even if Farage is untouched by this, he has still been on the EU gravy train.
No
Iain.
If you did live in Buckingham what would you do?
Between a straight choice of Farage v Bercow. What would you do?
I always have believed that the incumbent Speaker was unopposed at a GE, by all-party agreement.
Have I been deluding myself all these years?
An 18,000 majority could drop to 9,000 if no-one else stands and the electoratecoalesce around an "opposition" candidate.
A swing of 19% becomes a more manageable swing of 9%. Buckingham is very much in play. I wouldn't spend any more taxpayers money decorating just yet Mr Bercow.
I'm all for the Conservatives putting up a candidate - Bercow was another Speaker foisted on them by the Labour lobby, so conventions are out of the window, but why support UKIP?
What happened the last time that a Conservative funder and supporter recommended voting for UKIP?
Didn't you demand that he be chucked out of the party?
To answer the question in the headline, no.
Whatever you may think of Bercow, he is at least recognizable as a member of the human race.
Never mind Bercow, what about Ken Clarke and even Cameron?
I was a conservative voter through thick and thin. I live in the 'marginal' Labour constituency of Worcester. I will not be voting for Robin Walker nor would I vote for Cameron, Clarke and a host of other 'conservative' candidates.
Perhaps Farage will start a trend?
Iain, it would be highly amusing, if after Nigel is elected to represent Bercow’s Buckinghamshire seat he crosses over and joins the conservatives.
That would be icing on the cake, talking about icing I am just about to have a London Cheesecake, may I politely suggest you try one before you go on your diet.
What happens if he wins? Does this trigger another speaker vote or would it automatically pass to Farage?
With no competition then the Labour vote will go to Bercow. It will be the same even if Farage does contest. What will con voters do? After looking at Bercow's record as speaker, con MPs did not vote for him, then I would vote for Farage. With such a large con majority in Parliament then one Bercow would not be missed. Plus voting for a new speaker with a con majority will be interesting?
Pete-s
Just expose Bercow's expense claims and extreme troughing... Job done.
Go Farage!!
Pure political theatre.
love it.
4/1 sounds about right to me. He definately has a chance but I just can't see it, as there are presumably a lot of "mindless Tory voters" in these kinds of seats as there are said to be "mindless Labour voters" in other, certain types of seats. Good luck to him, though.
What do I need to do to get a vote in Buckingham? I just laughed out loud when I read this piece of news. I really admire Nigel Farage and Bercow is a complete Berc.
Backstop is, if Berc wins, then we need another speaker. Listening Dave?
I'm a Cameroon through and through, but I can't reconcile that with Bercow's philosophy. I suspect I am not alone in saying that my loyalty is to a political point of view, not a party, and I therefore wish Farage the very best of luck.
If a seat is like Conkers, Farage would get the Speakership too.
Good luck to him.
What I cannot understand is how parasites like Bercow are sustained. Somewhere, someone must feed it. WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?
Prob not. And if he does get the upper hand, expect the BBC/Graunian/Independent/Observer/Labourgraph/Daily Fail to get the smears in.
KP is nuts.With the current Tory lead there is every possibility of a Farage victory-one seat won't matter!.And what price if dave is wishy washy on Europe in the manifesto?Farage will have no difficulty raising the cash for this one.Imagine all the the people across the country being given the opportunity to express how they feel about the wee fella?Mouth watering-BRING IT ON!
Farage will let the media have a field day on this one. It will probably be the big story when it comes to individual constituencies...unless Ed Balls looks like he will fall.
I`d be tempted to go and help Mr. Farage.
the true side of the conservatives coming out with the comments
you tories can be quite a nasty bunch lol
Farage now has an opportunity to ask the questions that no Political Class figure will ever ask.
No wonder that so many New Labourites voted for John Bercow. No one ever asks him about his Hang Mandela days. Just as they never ask John Reid or Peter Mandelson about the Communist Party, in those days the paid agents of an enemy power. Just as they never ask Alistair Darling or Bob Ainsworth about the International Marxist Group, which also included Geoff Gallop, Tony Blair’s mentor at Oxford.
Just as they never ask Stephen Byers or Alan “Haze of Dope” Milburn about Trotskyism. Just as they never ask Charles Clarke about Labour’s Soviet fellow-travelling faction and its control of the NUS not only during his presidency, but also during (among other people’s) Jack Straw’s. And so on, and on, and on.
The “moderate”, “mainstream”, “Centre Left” New Labour was, and is, riddled with this sort of thing, entirely unrecanted, and with only the tactics (if anything) changed.
Likewise, the “moderate”, “mainstream”, “Centre Right” Cameroons are riddled with old cheerleaders for, and fund-takers from, the Boer Republic set up as an explicit act of anti-British revenge in a former Dominion of the Crown.
Circles in which it was also de rigueur to demand the dismantlement of the public services, the forced abortion and sterilisation of ethnic minorities and the working class, the legalisation of all drugs, and the abolition of marriage, public holidays, any minimum age of consent, and much else besides.
(Quite what would have happened to them if they had ever moved to South Africa or, say, Chile with views like that? This rather amusing question can also be asked of the enemies of uniformed, row-seated, teacher-led, rigorously examined schooling: what would have happened to you if you had ever moved to the Soviet Union?)
Once again, entirely unrecanted.
And once again, with only the tactics (if anything) changed.
I hope he wins.
Can someone explain to me just why Bercow is so hated? I've read the wiki article and can't fathom his political philosophy. Can anyone put there finger on it.
Personally, I can't claim to be ideologically pure. I'm entirely bipolar split between one nation and Thatcherism. Probably why I'm a Cameroon. But there is something about Bercow to have gone from the Monday club to not quite Labour defector. It's a long journey by any standard...is it just about power and ego?
As anon said, NO
But good points re Speaker as constituency MP ... though they do still do casework and all that of course.
I don't think any Labour vote in Buckingham - let's not kid ourselves that this is a huge number just now - would go to Bercow necessarily.
There are anti-UK people among Labour supporters and indeed representatives. UKIP appear to have got significant ex-LP votes in some places in Euro elections. Inc Lancs and Yorks helping BNP ...
Quite possibly.
Will 883, so you think giving ordinary people a chance to vote on Bercow is a 'ridiculous anachronism'?
I'm all for the old tradition of not opposing a bi-partisian choice of Speaker. Alas, Bercow is not that and nor was his predecessor. In these circumstances the people have every right to speak. Labour, or the political establishment, can't tear up half a tradition and demand that the rest of us stick to the other half.
As a Tory myself, I hope Farage stands and will have no hesitation supporting him if he does.
It would be fantastic if Farage could unseat Bercow, but I'm afraid the electorate are probably far too stupid to grasp this opportunity.
I regularly meet idiots who believe the Labour lies that UKIP are indistinguishable from the BNP. This is thanks in part to Cameron spreading the same lie in 2006 when he refused to withdraw his comment that UKIP are a racist party.
Farage is a member of a non-withdrawal group in the EU Parliament, which he joined to keep the money coming in.
He feels happier attacking Conservatives who tried to get a referendum on Lisbon, than Labour, who prevented one.
If he now succeeds in leading a UKIP assault on Cameron's GE result, he could be the one who allows Lisbon to escape a referendum in Britain, by stopping a Conservative majority.
It would be some achievement - to ensure Europe becomes an unstoppable totalitarian bureaucracy - while purporting to be the ones who are going to halt it.
Farage has no strategy other than to get noticed, get paid and do damage. He is dangerous to Britain. Buckingham might well notice once the broohaha has died down.
nought.point.zero
There may be mindless Tories, but Bercow will not be running as the Conservative Party candidate, but as "The Speaker" so will be dependent on personal name recognition and people who put the institution above all else.
No
"Could Farage Beat Bercow?"
No, but he could do well. Next year's election will not be the future but only point to it. The liblabcons will be killed at the next, or next but one, election.
poetic justice really, Bercow, one time Anti EU Monday Club runner, being hounded by anti EU Farage.
Never forget that Bercow and Harvey Proctor were very close in the Monday Club!
He might have a better chance in Totnes, where UKIP probably beat the Tories in the Euros (check for E Devon and Torbay Council Area totals for the 2009 Euro-elections) and the Tories only beat the Lib-Dems by 6% in 2005.
The Tory candidate, selected from the carefully selected short list of 3 in an "Open" Primary was careful to make Euro-sceptic noises.
Ashcroft is worried about Totnes, and wether Bercow sinks (unlikely) or swims will not trouble him or the rest of the billionaires in whose interests the Tories work.
But then neither is Farage, he just wants to grandstand in the Tory interest as he sees it. If he could get 25% of the vote he would have more influence if a Tory General Election victory led, as would be likely, to civil unrest after a year or so, and the dropping off of the Chameleon . . .
"could Farage beat Bercow?" - Hope so!
Got to say some of the comments really portray the toys-out-of-the-pram nature of some Tories.
Bercow was elected by a vote of all MPs- not just New Labour ones, and he was deemed by the majority of MPs to be the most acceptable candidate for speak- reasonable to the most MPs. If Labour had really pushed a speaker on the House it would have been...someone from Labour, they elected a Tory but one that Labour MPs felt comfortable with- what did you think, they were going to elect some hard-right Widdecombe type just to make you guys feel better?!
This is how democracy works, sometimes you get a result you personally don't agree with, its not a plot, its not sinister its just sh**ty luck for you guys. Trust me, when Cameron gets elected I will be deeply pissed off, in fact, as a LibDem my team will not (short of some finger crossing magic :-p) get in, but that is the way the world works...we try harder to convince people of our cause. You want to have a voice in the next speaker- get more MPs elected.
Also by the by the leader of UKIP standing on an anti-corruption ticket against the speaker...if you believe UKIP are not at the helm of every gravy-train they can find then I have a crate load of white salmon to sell you...
It would be wonderful if he won.
I'll start by saying I'm not a fan of Bercow. To be honest Farage is a bit of a twit too, tainted by several undesirable traits, but I prefer his views to Bercow.
However Farage has no chance of winning here. His previous performances in elections to Westminster leave a lot to be desired. At South Thanet in 2005 he took 5% of the vote, despite some UKIPpers predicting that he was actually closely challenging the sitting MP and could win. Then in 2006 in Bromley UKIP through vast sums of money to support his candidacy in the byelection, in which he took 8% of the vote. Not overly impressive.
Now, Buckingham will provide many additional issues which could make it interesting. Although there is a lot of Tory hostility to Bercow, tradition would suggest that the Lib Dems and Labour won't field a candidate. Surely these votes will be more likely to go to Bercow?
I imagine, at best, Farage will achieve the largest number of votes achieved by a UKIP candidate, and should get into double figures in percentage terms, who knows, maybe even reaching 20%. But he will not win, or indeed come close to winning. It wouldn't make any sense. UKIP are useless at Westminster elections, even when circumstances look favourable.
It has always been my understanding that, historically, the Speaker has been allowed a 'free-run' and elected unopposed. Presumably, Mr. Farage has done his homework and discovered that there is nothing constitutionally improper or illegal in allowing him to break this convention.
Supposing Mr. Farage wins? Could Mr. Bercow still continue as Speaker having been elected by the House as someone who is now an Independent and also 'above' the Party fray? This could become a constitutional nightmare. Interesting though!!
The more Farage attacks the Conservatives running blanket coverage in all UK constituencies, the happier the EU will be.
This is a stupid strategy.
If UKIP confined itself to standing against known Conservative europhiles that would make some sense. But blanket coverage aimed at stopping Cameron who wants a referendum on Lisbon, is about as counterproductive to the cause as can be imagined.
UKIP has no strategy but one of despair and failure. Getting the UK out of Europe would require a more precise campaign decapitating europhiles.
In 2005 30 more seats to the Conservatives would have cut Labour's majority to 20 or so. The Lisbon Treaty would not have made it through Westminster. UKIP are to blame.
About as dumb as you can get.
Missing the real point! It may start with the Berc but during the campaign if Cameron is as wooly on Europe as he has been in the past it could get really interesting.The Berc's head could merely be a stepping stone to the big issue.Wonder if the draft section on Europe is being looked at again tonight. Game on!
Oh my, well Farage is determined to make his mark.
I am very concerned though, that there are some weird characters masquerading as enthusiastic UKIP supporters -- Political party lines have shifted all over the place, haven't they?
This is what makes politics fun.
Never mind how good a campaign Farage runs.
The electorate will relish observing Bercow's arrogance defending his troughing-habits (& empty-promises about reforming 'MPs expenses-system').
The Socialist Labour Party gained 14.2% in Michael Martin's seat as there was no Labour presence on the ballot paper.
Given that UKIP will be an acceptable alternative for a number of traditional Tory voters who fail to find their squiggly tree Nigel might just be onto a winner!
No matter if he gets the seat or not, he will win a healthy chunk of the votes and a footnote on most front pages the day after election night.
Good luck to John Bercow - farage is a twit and Conservatives should have nothing to do with him and vote for Mr Speaker. Im a member of Buckingham Conservatives and thats what I will be doing.
Siberian Tory - the real truth is that the people who hate Bercow so much are snobs and anti-semetic. What they rally think is how dare a little Jewish upstart from Finchley rise so high. Yes, he can be bombastic and he wanted the position of speaker badly and lobbied for it quite obviously but that could describe any number of MPs. He happens to be a very good constituency MP and people always vote with self-interest with the exception of all the Euro-bores who have graced this page. Most of the Euro-bores I have come across are north of middle age and are prosperous so they have nothing else to do except whinge about Europe and how unfair council tax is to prosperpous pensioners and how they would rather pay a higher income tax. In other words - completely dotty.
@Lady Finchley.... Where did you encounter these europhobes in favour of higher income tax? Maybe with the rest of your pals on the Planet Zarg?
I dislike Bercow because he is a Tory In Name Only, and because he has been deep at the trough. I'm neither a snob nor anti-semitic. In fact until you reminded me I had quite forgotten he was Jewish.
It seems to me that Farrage has a good chance of unseating this egregious specimen of unprincipled self-advancement, and I wish him every good luck.
NIgel Farage is no Martin Bell...
This is a master stroke by Farage.
If he hammers away at Bercow's abuse of parliamentary expenses I think he will put the Speaker in serious peril. Buckingham's Labour voters are more likely if anything to vote UKIP than Tory and I would bet that many Tory voters would prefer Farrage.
And who says David Cameron wants to see a referendum on Lisbon? He is hoping that it will have been ratified before he comes to power so that he can say it is too late for a vote.
Is there nobody of similar high profile to stand against the ghastly Alan Duncan and wipe the smirk off his spivvy face?
Rush is Right - I think you are the one on Planet Zarg, dear boy. Perhaps you could list the issues on which Bercow has offended you. Was it his support of civil partnerships perhaps? Or gay adoption?
"what will happen to Conservatives who announce they would support Farage over Bercow."
I would support Farage over Bercow.
Not been struck down yet.
Supporting any idiot with a blue rosette does not help the Tory Party as a whole, demanding we surrender our own voice when enter the party is even worse.
Bercow is a corrupt odious little ****, not a model Tory.
Farage, whilst being far from perfect, is much better than bercow.
"Could Farage Beat Bercow?"
If he can't, then there's no hope for the country we used to be proud of.
By God the man gambles courageously.
To step down from the leadership so that he can put the effort into running.
An anonymous said the Labour vote will line up for Bercow but I am by no means sure of that. Labour & LibDem voters by no means share their master's enthusiasm for the EU.
I wasn't comfortable with this because I think there is justice to the principle that the Speaker should get a free run but I admire somebody willing to take that risk & have no doubt Parliament & country would be well served by somebody on the "right" not under a whip.
"I'm glad I don't live in Buckingham."
I wish I did.
(Tapestry, what are your grounds for saying that Cameron wants a referendum on Lisbon? It seems to me that that is exactly what he has carefully avoided saying.)
I hope he does bet Bercow. I never trusted his conversion (this is the guy that gets Norman Tebbit to close down his student group!).
I also don't trust him as speaker as like Michael Martin I think he is a whip's favourite.
I doubt Farage will win through as Buckingham is too safe a Tory seat.
The Tory voters may be loyal under fire from Labour & LibDems but why should that obedience stand against UKIP? It clearly didn't in the EU election.
More generally the big parties always argue that voting for a smaller party will let in the opposing big party. I don't accept the morality of that complaint from any big party that opposes electoral reform which would solve their problem. However in practical terms it seems unlikely it will apply in any safe Tory seat in the coming election. If there isn't going to be a massive swing against both Labour & LibDems then all the polls are very wrong so anybody in a safe Conservative seat can vote UKIP without such a worry.
Where I think UKIP could really hurt is in LibDem seats where the Conservatives are the contenders. As a party the LibDems are pretty socialist (most of their activists are more socialist than Labour &/or as eco-fascist as the Greens) & uber-friendly to the EU. But the people who vote for them aren't & are mainly voting for them on the basis they aren't Labour/Tory. UKIP, being an increasingly traditional liberal, even libertarian, party could hoover up a lot of LibDem votes.
Conservative Home Poll Result: When 1095 Conservative members were asked who would you vote if you lived in the Buckingham constituency; given the choice? John Bercow, Nigel Farage or Neither. 64% said Nigel Farage and only 25% said John Bercow. ( 11% said neither).
It looks like Speaker John Bercow hasn't fooled as many Conservatives has he thought. If this little poll is anything to go by. The trouble is, I don't think the Buckingham Conservatives know the 'real parlimentary John Bercow' as well as the people taking part in this poll; who are perhaps more interested in national politics than local issues. In my opinion so long as his name has the official blue Conservative party endorsement on the ballot paper or he has the backing of the Buckingham Conservative Executive Committee, they will be sure to put their cross in his box. But then they would probably do the same if Ronald Biggs the great train robber; had the 'true blue' endorsement! (The great train robbery was in the Buckingham constituency).
Unfortunately it seems the character of the person or his true politics or core beliefs doesn't matter a jot, so long as he/she is the 'true blue' candidate; he/she will be elected by a large majority. Anyone standing against John Bercow at the next election would do well to remember this; if they are to stand any chance of winning. It is also worth remembering in a public poll just before the Speaker election, asked, who do you think will be the next Speaker? Only 1% of those polled said John Bercow. So please don't count your chickens just yet Mr Farage or Mr Phillips or anyone else who decides to challenge Mr Bercow.
What Conservatives members think nationally is irrelevant to the unique conservatives voters living in the Buckingham constituency.
Conservative Home Poll Result and Debate 04.09.09
http://conservativehome.blogs.com/thetorydiary/2009/09/nearly-twothirds-of-tory-members-would-back-nigel-farage-against-john-bercow.html#comment-6a00d83451b31c69e20120a5a21c6f970c
I used to live in the village of Cheddington, part of the Buckinghamshire constituency at the time (maybe still, I don't know).
You've heard of 'best kept village' competitions. At the time of the 1979 general election it was as if there was a 'most conservative village' competition. The posters were everywhere, wherever you went.
My feeling is that Farage stands a very good chance of unseating Bercow, especially if he can convince the electors that he is the only real Tory on offer. It will be interesting to see if the other parties put up candidates. And what will the local Tory grandees do? They can hardly be pleased that their local selection has turned out to be a total dud, disliked by the entire Westminster party if Quentin Letts is to be believed.
The editor of the Bucks Herald* is going to play a big part in the eventual outcome. Expect Mr Farage to be buying him lunch in the near future!
*The Bucks Herald was a weekly when I lived there, even then it was desperate for local news. My favourite front page banner headline of the time was "Front gate stolen from Aylesbury Job Centre office".
Jonathan Isaby writes on conservative home:
'Those tories backing Nigel Farage in Buckinghamshire are being drawn into a stunt orchestrated by our political opponents'. 05.09.09.
http://conservativehome.blogs.com/thetorydiary/2009/09/those-tories-backing-nigel-farage-in-buckingham-are-being-drawn-into-a-political-stunt.html#comment-6a00d83451b31c69e20120a54bd2d3970b
Simon Icke replies to his article:
'This situation has come about because Central office didn't have the guts to 'reign in' John Bercow years ago when he first 'stabbed' IDS in the back on national radio, then he undermined Michael Howard and when David Cameron was elected, he called him a 'toff' or something very similar.
The party whip should of been withdrawn from this disloyal self seeking liberal opportunist a long time ago!
The only thing necessary for the triumph of a self seeking liberal maverick was for the Conservative party to take no action; either at central office or by the constituency executive committee.
John soon found out he could say what he liked, do what he liked and completely change his core beliefs and politics to liberal and be chummy as he liked to his new labour, and lib dem very useful friends. After all he had one of the safest Conservatives seats in the country; so he had nothing to worry about whilst he quietly hatched his long term plan to become the Speaker of the House, despite the vast majority of his own party voting against him. He was just too clever for the lot of them as he knew it was his new labour chums who had the majority not his Tory colleagues. His trendy liberal speeches and new labour overtures had paid off big time. Despite all of the above it seems some Conservatives still don't get it do they Mr Isaby! All of this could of been avoided, so now the voters are left with Hobson's Choice; unless a real independent Conservative comes forward.'
Jonathan Isaby writes on conservative home:
'Those tories backing Nigel Farage in Buckinghamshire are being drawn into a stunt orchestrated by our political opponents'. 05.09.09.
http://conservativehome.blogs.com/thetorydiary/2009/09/those-tories-backing-nigel-farage-in-buckingham-are-being-drawn-into-a-political-stunt.html#comment-6a00d83451b31c69e20120a54bd2d3970b
Simon replies to his article:
'This situation has come about because Central office didn't have the guts to 'reign in' John Bercow years ago when he first 'stabbed' IDS in the back on national radio, then he undermined Michael Howard and when David Cameron was elected, he called him a 'toff' or something very similar.
The party whip should of been withdrawn from this disloyal self seeking liberal opportunist a long time ago!
The only thing necessary for the triumph of a self seeking liberal maverick was for the Conservative party to take no action; either at central office or by the constituency executive committee.
John soon found out he could say what he liked, do what he liked and completely change his core beliefs and politics to liberal and be chummy as he liked to his new labour, and lib dem very useful friends. After all he had one of the safest Conservatives seats in the country; so he had nothing to worry about whilst he quietly hatched his long term plan to become the Speaker of the House, despite the vast majority of his own party voting against him. He was just too clever for the lot of them as he knew it was his new labour chums who had the majority not his Tory colleagues. His trendy liberal speeches and new labour overtures had paid off big time. Despite all of the above it seems some Conservatives still don't get it do they Mr Isaby! All of this could of been avoided, so now the voters are left with Hobson's Choice; unless a real independent Conservative comes forward.'
Jonathan Isaby writes on conservative home:
‘Those tories backing Nigel Farage in Buckinghamshire are being drawn into a stunt orchestrated by our political opponents’. 05.09.09.
http://conservativehome.blogs.com/thetorydiary/2009/09/those-tories-backing-nigel-farage-in-buckingham-are-being-drawn-into-a-political-stunt.html#comment-6a00d83451b31c69e20120a54bd2d3970b
Simon replies to his article:
‘This situation has come about because Central office didn’t have the guts to ‘reign in’ John Bercow years ago when he first ’stabbed’ IDS in the back on national radio, then he undermined Michael Howard and when David Cameron was elected, he called him a ‘toff’ or something very similar.
The party whip should of been withdrawn from this disloyal self seeking liberal opportunist a long time ago!
The only thing necessary for the triumph of a self seeking liberal maverick was for the Conservative party to take no action; either at central office or by the constituency executive committee.
John soon found out he could say what he liked, do what he liked and completely change his core beliefs and politics to liberal and be chummy as he liked to his new labour, and lib dem very useful friends. After all he had one of the safest Conservatives seats in the country; so he had nothing to worry about whilst he quietly hatched his long term plan to become the Speaker of the House, despite the vast majority of his own party voting against him. He was just too clever for the lot of them as he knew it was his new labour chums who had the majority not his Tory colleagues. His trendy liberal speeches and new labour overtures had paid off big time. Despite all of the above it seems some Conservatives still don’t get it do they Mr Isaby! All of this could of been avoided, so now the voters are left with Hobson’s Choice; unless a real independent Conservative comes forward.’
What a breath of fresh air to offer the good voters of Buckingham a real choice in the next election.Farage is a credible candidate and he will fight this election on issues which people really care about.The election of Bercow as speaker just shows how cynical the parties were in selecting him in the first place.
Guido Fawkes said on Conservative Home: Farage is a conservative- What does Bercow believe in?
Simon’s reply:
Himself of course! John loves John very much!
This could be John’s plea in front of the mirror:
‘Look at me! Hear me! Listen to me! Be impressed by me! Love me! I am so clever and feel so happy with myself and my superior intelligence! Please don’t hate me, instead give me constant attention because I’m John Bercow the self loving, cama, cama, chameleon; a man without conviction.’
‘I am a self seeking opportunist and disloyal I know, but please don’t hate me for it’ I can be all things to all people depending on who I am talking to or which way the most favourable wind is blowing.’ Don’t you think I have all the characteristics necessary to be Speaker of the House? ‘No!’ ‘Well my new labour and liberal friends thought I would be perfect in the chair of a future Conservative govenment. So that’s good enough for me’ I did notice one or two of them sniggering though after the election result’. But it couldn’t of been about me, could it?’
http://conservativehome.blogs.com/thetorydiary/2009/09/those-tories-backing-nigel-farage-in-buckingham-are-being-drawn-into-a-political-stunt.html#comment-6a00d83451b31c69e20120a54ea078970b
You should be aware that a third party has already declared an interest in standing for the Buckingham seat. Retired Sheriff Patrick Philips who descibes himself in the Daily Mail as a " conservatively minded independent".
Perhaps Buckingham Conservaives will choose Mr Philips as the Official Conservative candidate?
Sorry that last posting should have read Patrick Phillips with two Ls !
This is what I should have written first time:
You should be aware that a third party has already declared an interest in standing for the Buckingham seat. Retired Buckinghamshire Sheriff Patrick Phillips who describes himself in the Daily Mail as a:
"conservatively minded independent".
Perhaps Buckingham Conservatives will choose Mr Phillips as the Official Conservative candidate?
It would help if I used my reading glasses when writing!
Post a Comment