Saturday, September 25, 2004

Cheers Charles!

It's not often I open the Eastern Daily Press and am left open-mouthed. But today it happened. Their political editor Chris Fisher interviewed Charles Clarke (Labour MP for Norwich South and Secretary of State for Education) in advance of the Labour conference. This is what he said in response to a question about Norman Lamb's boasting about the LibDems winning Norwich South at the next election...

"Norman Lamb should concentrate on trying to keep his own seat. There is a very good Tory candidate standing against him"

Chris Fisher continued... "Not for the first time I concluded that there will be no tears from Mr Clarke if Iain Dale regains North Norfolk for the Conservatives."

I always liked Charles Clarke!

4 comments:

Westbury-on-Trym Lib Dems said...

Hang on, Iain, isn't the point of Chris Fisher's comment that Charles Clarke thinks Norman Lamb is more of a thorn in Labour's side than you would be? He appears to be implying that the Lib Dems are seen by Labour as the effective opposition.

I do not think the point is supposed to be that the big man (Clarke, not the svelte Mr Fisher) prefers the cut of your jib!

Iain Dale said...

James, you do put up a good show. Take it from me, Charles Clarke knows what he meant and so do I - and it isn't what you allege! There's not a lot of love lost between Messers Clarke and Lamb.

Westbury-on-Trym Lib Dems said...

I am sure you are right that there is not a lot of love lost between the two men - that was exactly my point. Clarke sees Lamb as a threat, and does not see you in the same light. I cannot see how Chris Fisher's observation can be read in any other way.

Iain Dale said...

Oh James, you do make me smile sometimes.