Over the next 12 weeks I will be highlighting Labour's Dirty Dozen - the twelve Labour MPs I'd most like to see kicked out of Parliament at the next election. Only 12, I hear you ask? Well, I'm going to concentrate on those who have majorities in excess of 5,000 and encourage my readers to help the Conservative candidates in that seat to win - either by making a small campaign donation or helping their campaigns in other ways.
I'm starting off the Dirty Dozen with Labour's self styled Twitter Czar, Kerry McCarthy.
This is Kerry's opponent Adeela Shafi. She needs your help. She is seeking to oust Kerry McCarthy, from her Bristol East seat. It's a seat which, with a lot of hard work could be won at the election.
Kerry McCarthy has demonstrated that she isn't fit to be an MP. All you have to do is follow her online acitivites, especially on Twitter, to see why.
Adeela isn't just after your money, although she's quite like some of it (I have already donated), she would like help with her campaign, especially telephone canvassing.
She has set up a page at MyConservatives.com where you can find out more.
I really would encourage you to make a donation to her campaign to oust Kerry. And tell if you live in the Bristol area, go and give her a hand on one of her campaign days.
If you are on Twitter, tweet a link to this page and use the hashtag #kerryout - encourage your followers to donate!
Next week: Feel free to nominate the Labour MP you would most like to see lose their seat at the next election.
47 comments:
I'd like to see Kevan Jones removed for the way the forces have been left down, and the Dannatt affair you reported on yourself.
Things to be annoyed for :
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6832363.ece
http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/features/letters/4508116.Kevan_Jones/?action=complain&cid=7859136
http://http//www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/sep/24/jailed-veteran-servicemen-outnumber-troops
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/aug/20/kevan-jones-sir-richard-dannatt
And there's other local issues that can be sourced.
I'd like to see Margaret Hodge lose her seat and Simon Marcus get in.
"Kerry has demonstrated that she isn't fit to be an MP"
Heck Iain, if that's the case then you can scrub at least 90% of the current members. I presume you're in agreement that Nadine Dorries is no more fit to be an MP than Kerry. Or perhaps your just being blatantly partisan and personal? Because I can see no reason why Kerry is unfit to be an MP and yet Nadine could be considered suitable.
If anyone knows her twitting, seeing as she blocks people.
Maybe we need an indirect proxy repeater so we can "listen in" to her (the?) self-serving cant.
"Kerry McCarthy has demonstrated that she isn't fit to be an MP. All you have to do is follow her online acitivites, especially on Twitter, so (sic) see why."
I am not familiar with her, so I have just spent some time reading her twitters, which seem fairly routine Tory-bashing stuff.
What has attracted this opprobrium from Iain Dale I wonder? Might it be something to do with her attacking Zac Goldsmith? She seems a fairly run of the mill Labour MP as far as one can tell.
I'm all for getting a bloggers' battlebus together to campaign in Brizzle next year. Someone else has already suggested that. Could be fun - and productive.
She doesn't even merit the usual criticism section on her Wikipedia entry.
Do tell what this is really about please Iain!
She blocked Iain on Twitter. Is that not reason enough?
btw is part-time poly lecturer the sort of real life experience you were talking about earlier?
I know you support the Conservative party, but would it not be better to have them gone by what ever means even if it was the the lib dems.
At least she appears in parliament above average. Its obvious the only reason for this pretty lamatable campaign is the fact she blocked you on twitter. Dont be so pathetic and stop throwing your toys out the pram Iain. i.e Get over it. You appear petchulant and childish.
Why not focus on Labour MPs such as Fabian Hamilton who have failed to appear in parliament for the last year? Or Ed Balls? Or Jacqui Smith? People with actual records of poor service to their constituency and department.
Im disappointed in you.
At least she appears in parliament above average. Its obvious the only reason for this pretty lamatable campaign is the fact she blocked you on twitter. Dont be so pathetic and stop throwing your toys out the pram Iain. i.e Get over it. You appear petchulant and childish.
Why not focus on Labour MPs such as Fabian Hamilton who have failed to appear in parliament for the last year? Or Ed Balls? Or Jacqui Smith? People with actual records of poor service to their constituency and department.
Im disappointed in you.
Iain - Labour MPs that need to find new careers should start with Sion Simon, then Ed Balls - I'll save my others to next week.
Get rid of James Purnell. That man is hated not just by the Tories but by his own local party.
Rob Adlard was selected last night as the Conservative PPC for Stalybridge and Hyde.
Labour MPs to get rid of? How about Mr John Bercow?
;-)
Balls. Cooper. Smith. Straw. Browne. How long have you got?
Doesn't she usually preface the "twitter tsar" moniker with "that's not my official title"? So it's hardly 'self-styled'.
What's more, you've not actually given a single instance of incompetence...
Do try harder...
the uber-odious Dan Norris in Mendip. Total, total creep and a nasty piece of work
Get rid of Nigel Griffiths in Edinburgh South! Griffiths is the sleazy slimeball that took pornographic pictures of his mistress in Westminster and then denied it!
The Holyrood equivalent seat is held by a tory (David McLetchie) and it seems to be a Tory/LibDem battle for this seat.
"Kerry McCarthy has demonstrated that she isn't fit to be an MP"
ARE YOU SERIOUS!?! For a person who is trying to be a PPC shouldn't you remember the Tory duck house and moats?? They're not fit to be MPs..
Iain, if you're going to do this you ought to at least get your facts right: Kerry McCarthy MP is the Social Media Spokesperson for the Labour Party, and the press called her "twitter tsar". As far as I know she does not like the term.
First Labour MP to be voted out? David Cameron of course.
Nigel, not true. I have been at events where she has used the term. She seems to revel in it for reasons I have never quite understood.
Of course the irony is there is nothing Kerry would like more than for the Tory vote in Bristol East to hold up. They were third last time out.
I hope she thanks Iain by unblocking him
It has to be Sion Simon. As Guido keeps reminding us -
http://order-order.com/2009/12/17/sion-simon-spoils-telegraph-expenses-exposure/
http://order-order.com/2009/08/06/meet-the-man-in-charge-of-digital-britain/
http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/conference/2007/09/labour-majority-increase
I'd still like to know what are Iain's grounds for claiming she specifically isn't fit to be an MP.
I mean sure, if Iain wants to slag someone off simply for personal reasons, then that's his prerogative. But please be honest about his reasons. Many people have suspicions that Iain can be petty and spiteful, and this post, coming as it does on the back of the Twitter spat (well publicised by Iain) just reinforces those feelings.
So come on Iain, if you're going to run this sort of campaign, at least justify your selections.
Clive, tell you what, you run your blog your way and I'll run mine my way.
I want her out because she's a Labour MP, and I want most, if not all, Labour MPs to be beaten by Conservatives.
Her recent online behaviour has, in my view, not shown her in the best of lights. And that is putting it mildly.
I have to agree with Dual Citizen's choice of Sion Simon. Not only is he a very bad MP but his Conservative opponent (Bobby Alden) has done a lot for Erdington since he became a councillor there and really does deserve that seat.
Charles Clake of course...
Barry Sheerman MP for Huddersfield!
Apparently according to a Daily Mail Black Dog piece he approached Gordon Brown for a Peerage but was turned down!
The thing is Iain, unlike yourself, she serves her constituents and represents her party offline, in real life, not merely online and in the 'commentariat'. You might want to consider the work she actually does that is over and above what you do, rather than just the small area of her work you two have in common - something she does for fun, and which is pretty much your career! I think she has the claim to the tougher job and the broader experience, frankly.
I'm guessing a nomination of Hazel Blears wouldn't be accepted?
Iain, if your gripe against Kerry is merely that she's Labour why pick out a dozen?
Most of the time this is a conservative blog, but not overtly party-political. You do have a lot of non-Tory regular readers. Is this a sign of a sharper partisan bent?
"Clive, tell you what, you run your blog your way and I'll run mine my way."
Wouldn't dream of it Iain. But there is a serious point I'm trying to make here, so please bear with me.
"I want her out because she's a Labour MP, and I want most, if not all, Labour MPs to be beaten by Conservatives."
Excellent. That wasn't to difficult was it?
"Her recent online behaviour has, in my view, not shown her in the best of lights. And that is putting it mildly."
Bravo! So a partisan angle and a twist on a personal spat. No problem with that whatsoever. Just think it's good to be open about these matters. Especially when raising campaign funds either directly or via an online link.
It is very dangerous to use phrases such as "not fit" without providing justification. It conveys the impression that she is guilty of some major transgressions when in fact it is basically down to her being a Labour MP who has upset/annoyed/irritated (delete as appropriate) you recently.
Any vote is better than Labour, and I`m B.N.P., at least the conservatives are business minded and more likely to get the country back on track. You Left office last time with a healthy balance sheet, which is more than I can say for Labour.....everybody will pay for their failures for years to come.
This is a great idea for a feature which can run and run.
But it would be more useful - and more persuasive - if the faults/weaknesses/sins of the MP were listed
and maybe the strengths of the wannabe candidate
@clive
well put i agree with everything you said
iain does get in a fluster at times and somtimes his inner bitch comes out he's admitted to this in the past.
talking as a gay man we all have it but you shouldn't let it become a vendetta which sadly this has become.
Adeela Shafi for me,please.
As an aside, is that fund being operated in accordance with PPERA Part IV? Perhaps you could asked Donal to keep an eye on things, he seems very keen on making sure that fund raising is run strictly according to the rules.
Clive, having been vaguely sensible in your previous comments you now ruin it.
The fundraising is hosted in MyConservatives.com. You seriously believe they wouldn't be running these candidate fundraising ventures in accordance with the law? If that's the best you can do...
I would
"Vaguely sensible" Oooh, how condescending you can be when you want to.
It's pretty obvious you've either had an irony bypass this evening Iain or the cold weather doesn't agree with you. It was a gentle dig at Donal, but hey don't let that spoil your fun.
And your comment hardly progresses the debate though. Or was that your intention anyway? Still, given you let trevorsden's pointless and insulting post through on another thread, I'll assume the desire for discussion is dead here tonight and leave you to your usual crowd of acolytes and wannabes.
Bristol be damned. Greg Pope is stepping down so Accrington is there for the taking. And though I have never voted for either of the main parties in my life call me shallow if you like but Adeela would get my vote
How about Mrs Expenses, Ann Keen ?
(2005 majority 4411 over a very feeble Tory-boy apparatchik)
The story of the Keens should get some more publicity with Tim Piggot-Smith playing Alan Keen in the New Year :
http://www.bbc.co.uk/tv/comingup/the-heather-brooke-story/
"Research and development has begun on the hour-long film, with shooting scheduled for December for transmission in early 2010. "
"Kerry McCarthy has demonstrated that she isn't fit to be an MP. All you have to do is follow her online acitivites, especially on Twitter, to see why."
Once again, the more he speaks, the less he says.
Ann & Alan Keen - can we get rid of them both please. They are soooo embarrassing. The equivalent of the Wintertons in the Conservative party.
Lowering yourself to "red rag" levels Ian.
Your web site is a step above "smear campaign" in my opinion.
Kerry's very popular in Bristol. Along with Roger Berry.
All this will do is give the tories the "nasty party" image that they have been trying so hard to ditch.
It's rather pathetic. Her expenses were miles better than most. Her only crime appears to be blocking you on twitter
'Kerry McCarthy has demonstrated that she isn't fit to be an MP. All you have to do is follow her online acitivites, especially on Twitter, to see why'
Ermmmm.....
Is that it?
Maybve condescend to particulars
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