I had decided not to blog this, but seeing that Tim Montgomerie has twittered it, here goes. This morning I was told by two sources that LibDem MP Norman Baker will stand down from Parliament at the next election. One was a Tory source and one was a LibDem source. I put it to a senior LibDem spokesman who checked it out with Baker himself. He described the reports as "entirely fabricated". That seemed pretty categoric to me so I didn't run it.
That's probably why I am not a journalist!
Yep, you've got to define 'fabricated'. For that matter with Baker you'd also have to define 'entirely'.
ReplyDeleteCould we use this as an excuse to force him out?
ReplyDeleteoff topic - SKY say one jaguar land rover plant is to close (in midlands) -- in the medium term future.
ReplyDeleteThanks Iain for being honest! Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for many of your fellow conservatives!
ReplyDeleteThe good people of Lewes, of which I am one, have heard the same.
ReplyDeleteBaroness to resign - no wait its another one. Vadera.
ReplyDeleteJust how many baronesses does the party of the proletariat have?
Nice to see you checking facts.
ReplyDeleteWell done.
Bit like the equivalent of a politician saying what he/she will try to get done, rather than making "promises."
And the Guardian reporting Vadera quitting. One of the nastiest of Browns toadies cashing in. As she can barely write English it must be for her 'contacts' that anybody would want to employ such a personage.
ReplyDeleteNo smoke without fire Iain , I live in Lewes and I have been told by various people who might be supposed to know that he is going to quit this time .
ReplyDeleteIt may well be the money or perhaps time with the family , he has a young daughter . My guess is a big juicy Euro-sinecure .
This is a vital question , his personal vote is considerable and without him Jason Sugarman has an extremely good chance of winning
Oi Toque did you go to the Tom Paine debate ...I had a fair bit to say
Hi Newmania, no I missed the Tom Paine debate. I was invited to speak (way back in February) but we were in France so I couldn't even attend.
ReplyDeleteLewes Tory (the only one)
ReplyDeleteYou are not the only one !!! Self and one or two others meet at the Pelham Arms on occassion to grumble about Brown ,the Labour Party and pinky Liberal posturing in general . You are most welcome to join the swelling throng ( ahem ) ...as is Toque.
I can easily be found Mr. Dale has my email address ( although I daresay he has carefully lost it )Otherwise I can be contacted via the Conservative Party..
I know as a person Baker can be rather scratchy, but his book on the death of David Kelly was absolutely outstanding - nobody reading it could but seriously doubt the version of events put forwards by the police and New Labour, not to mention the lies they continue to spin surrounding the run up to the Iraq war and the way NuLab politicians smeared Dr Kelly. Particularly the loathsome Hoon, who, amazingly, is still in some shabby office or other.
ReplyDeleteSo go on - slag off Norman Baker because he isn't from your party - but apart from Damian Green and David Davis, point to a Tory with half the moral courage that he has shown in response to the sinister and degrading way New Labour have treated the British political system since they took control of it.
but his book on the death of David Kelly was absolutely outstanding
ReplyDeleteIndeed the universally laughed at cobblers was sold to the Daily Mail for £50k and cost the Public a fortune in Parliamentary questions achieving zilch
It was an outstanding little earner for the fat pontificating anti American Scottish socialist
Oh and his judgement of floats is highly questionable .
@ Desparing Liberal
ReplyDelete"So go on - slag off Norman Baker because he isn't from your party"
Two points:
A) Critical comment is now 'slagging off' is it?
B) There are plenty of other reasons for 'slagging off' Norman Baker.
I should imagine the Tory surge in that area will knock him out either way. The South have of course seen the biggest swings against Labour/LD.
ReplyDelete"That's probably why I am not a journalist!"
ReplyDeleteAnd why you are respected by a no of individuals across the political divide
I expect The Liberal Democrat Private Polling on the Mansion Tax is now in. He could therefore be going - before being kicked out by the electorate. Mind you, the use of the word fabrication is also very interesting. In a way, it sums up his career and speeches as a long serving MP. "Something about nothing." Hee! Hee! Hee!
ReplyDelete