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Forth's death as dismayed me greatly even speaking as a new Labour True Believer.
Forth was almost a background to our country's constitution. Like the Beast on the other side he waws immediately identifiable both to commons TV addicts and the public at large,
Eric Forth was a distinguisted, if not great, parliamentarian. Able to both command media attention and the minutiae of Erskine May, he was the Leader of the Tory opposition for much of Hague's first term as Leader.
The Conservative Party must not restrict the local Association's choice to this A-List of which Eric so heartily disapproved. To do so would be to invite an Uxbridge style mishap which, while nt a major disaster, would take a coat more of the 'Cameroon Gloss' off the Tories.
Not to jinx, but would you be in with a shout? Essex Boy, outspoken, but rational and presentable, gay, loyal - a bit independent, but a convincing guy who can plausibly present himself as Eric's 21st Century successor ...
welsh spin:To do so would be to invite an Uxbridge style mishap
I think you mean a Labour Uxbridge style mishap old chap!
As the Chairman of Uxbridge Conservative Association at the by-election (and the 1998 local elections), I reckon we played a blinder - absolutely caned Blair and NuLabour on their 100th day in power - and all down to half-a-dozen cunning local activists (we were written off by Hague and CCO - which is why they moved the writ for the by-election for July 31st, without even the manners to tell us before the press did!), plus a lot of foot-slogging by activists from near and far.
At the count, when it was evident that Andy Slaughter* ("we lost the election, but we won the argument", yeah, right!) had been caned, I asked one of the Millbank apparatchiks if they regretted ditching their local candidate, and his response was to the effect "Nah, this is better than having an old-Labour local activist in Parliament"!!! Maybe not a mishap for Labour after all then :-)
* We found out later that our NuLab barrister was/is into fox-hunting - oh the fun we'd have had if only we'd known about the fox-hunting at the time - Slaughter by name, slaughter by nature!)
Tremendous. I enjoyed that greatly. What a great loss he will be.
ReplyDeleteThat's really good ...
ReplyDeleteForth's death as dismayed me greatly even speaking as a new Labour True Believer.
Forth was almost a background to our country's constitution. Like the Beast on the other side he waws immediately identifiable both to commons TV addicts and the public at large,
Eric Forth was a distinguisted, if not great, parliamentarian. Able to both command media attention and the minutiae of Erskine May, he was the Leader of the Tory opposition for much of Hague's first term as Leader.
The Conservative Party must not restrict the local Association's choice to this A-List of which Eric so heartily disapproved. To do so would be to invite an Uxbridge style mishap which, while nt a major disaster, would take a coat more of the 'Cameroon Gloss' off the Tories.
Not to jinx, but would you be in with a shout? Essex Boy, outspoken, but rational and presentable, gay, loyal - a bit independent, but a convincing guy who can plausibly present himself as Eric's 21st Century successor ...
Hit the phones Iain !
welsh spin: To do so would be to invite an Uxbridge style mishap
ReplyDeleteI think you mean a Labour Uxbridge style mishap old chap!
As the Chairman of Uxbridge Conservative Association at the by-election (and the 1998 local elections), I reckon we played a blinder - absolutely caned Blair and NuLabour on their 100th day in power - and all down to half-a-dozen cunning local activists (we were written off by Hague and CCO - which is why they moved the writ for the by-election for July 31st, without even the manners to tell us before the press did!), plus a lot of foot-slogging by activists from near and far.
At the count, when it was evident that Andy Slaughter* ("we lost the election, but we won the argument", yeah, right!) had been caned, I asked one of the Millbank apparatchiks if they regretted ditching their local candidate, and his response was to the effect "Nah, this is better than having an old-Labour local activist in Parliament"!!! Maybe not a mishap for Labour after all then :-)
* We found out later that our NuLab barrister was/is into fox-hunting - oh the fun we'd have had if only we'd known about the fox-hunting at the time - Slaughter by name, slaughter by nature!)
In favour of foxhunting eh? At least he had one thing in his favour then.
ReplyDeleteThat would be to miss the point Geoff - hypocrisy.
ReplyDelete