Saturday, March 13, 2010

Not the Local Choice!



I don't know what it is about LibDem candidates in Kent, but following on from Anna Arrowsmith's revelations yesterday, we now find that the LibDems have selected a new candidate for Chatham & Aylesford, John McLintock. LibDems always make a big deal of the importance of picking local candidates. We heard this yesterday with Nick Clegg proclaiming Anna Arrowsmith's love of her local area, conveniently forgetting that Tunbridge Wells is her home, and not Gravesham. And believe me, Tunbridge Wells is about as different as you can get from Gravesend.

Anyway, if you go onto the LibDems' website, we find that John McLintock isn't exactly the Local Choice for Chatham & Aylesford. He asks his potential future constituents to contact him ... in Brussels. You couldn't make it up.
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12 comments:

  1. Wat Tighler's ReturnMarch 13, 2010 1:03 pm

    Does he pay any taxes at all in this country I wonder?

    SO much for the Lib-dems disapproval of non-doms...

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  2. UnsworthMarch 13, 2010 1:22 pm

    Yes indeed, Tunbridge Wells and Gravesend are at diametrically opposed points on the astral plane.

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  3. richard.bloggerMarch 13, 2010 2:23 pm

    Didn't David Steele once stand as an MEP in Italy?

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  4. Mr EugenidesMarch 13, 2010 2:40 pm

    All due respect, Iain, but surely not all of the constituencies you yourself have applied for are your childhood stamping grounds?...

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  5. Iain DaleMarch 13, 2010 2:47 pm

    Indeed, but I have never proclaimed that a local choice is always best, which is what the LibDems invariably do, especially when they have a local candidate and their opponents do not.

    I've never applied for a seat 300 miles from where I live though!

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  6. BrianMarch 13, 2010 4:40 pm

    How sensible for a prospective MP for the Westminster assembly to live where the real government of this country is based. Will he remind voters that 75% of UK legislation is gold-plating and rubber-stamping EU diktats?

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  7. John M WardMarch 13, 2010 8:00 pm

    I've recently moved into Chatham and Aylesford, so can state with absolute certainty that I shall not be voting for him!

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  8. James ChardMarch 13, 2010 9:02 pm

    "but I have never proclaimed that a local choice is always best"

    Balls, Iain. You did precisely that in North Norfolk when you moved to the constituency while Norman Lamb remained in Norwich.

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  9. Iain DaleMarch 13, 2010 9:05 pm

    I didn't say ALWAYS. I said in that particular case :).

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  10. James ChardMarch 13, 2010 11:55 pm

    ;-) Fair play!

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  11. Martin SMarch 14, 2010 11:56 am

    And Anna is not the first sex industry worker to stand for election. There have been others.

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  12. Owen MeredithMarch 14, 2010 6:37 pm

    Even his phone number is international! I wonder how many would-be constituents will be voting for him after they get the phone bill!

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