As the selection process nears it's climax to decide who will replace veteran MP Martin Salter as Labour's next candidate in Reading West, calls are mounting for him to reconsider.
Local commentators suggest a hint of desperation is in the air as none of the list of possible alternatives appear likely to be able mount a challenge to hold the seat Mr Salter won last time round with a 4,500 majority - as readers can see for yourselves, frontrunners were already resorting to self-defence in the press rather than promoting any principles they stand for before the shortlist was announced.
Former Labour colleague, Jane Griffiths, finds such a development highly dubious and points out the likelihood that it is a manufactured ruse to get Mr Salter reinstated - a high probablilty considering the close links between the prominent local politician and the media outlet it appeared in.
LibDem opponents are even more scathing. Cllr Warren Swaine suggests such a ploy is a final attempt to save the Labour party's skin and avoid complete meltdown. Quoting a long-time Salter ally who holds a key position in the local party, he argues "It could be the first time a rat has joined a sinking ship!"
Update: Jane takes aim again, explaining that it would indeed be an exceptional circumstance for Mr Salter to be added to the ballot at this late stage. Cllr Swaine suggests Salter is merely keeping his career options open. Mr Salter himself says he is looking forward to offering the benefit of his experience to charity.
Wendy suggests these problems may all just be a simple mix-up of language! Okay, then.
Oranjepan says:
It is interesting to note the unsigned REP article no longer describes Mr Salter as having an unblemished expenses record - it has softened it's support of his 'angelic' behaviour and now only states he claimed no extravagant expenses during the past 4 years - which clearly indicates evidence exists that Mr Salter did make claims against the spirit of the rules from 1997 onwards.
Thursday 4 June 2009
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
-
▼
2009
(449)
-
▼
June
(39)
- Reading Joins Runaway Opposition to 3rd Runway
- Getting The Railways Back On Track
- The Different Sides Of The Prostitution Debate
- Representation Of The People In Action
- Housing Opposed All Along The Kennet Valley
- Pub Giant Accused of Anti-Enterprise Attitude
- Environmental Education
- Childcare Changes Starting To Take Effect - Part3
- Childcare Changes Starting To Take Effect - Part2
- Childcare Changes Starting To Take Effect - Part1
- Marketing Or Medicine?
- Expenses Redaction Causes Offense
- Berkshire MPs Expenses Exposed
- Shock At Jolly Angler Closure
- Going Nuclear, Or Not
- 'Cull-A-Councillor'
- Top Marks For Triple-H
- Election Special: Round-Up From the Blogosphere
- Tagged For Exhibit
- Two Wheels Are Better
- Labour Select Candidate For Reading West
- Recommended Reading List #28
- Residents Win Rebate On Tenant Tax
- A Shave Or A Spending Cut?
- Is It Even A Debate?
- Recommended Reading List #27
- Election Special: European Elections Local Results
- Election Special: Reading Bus Driver Shows Drive
- Election Special: European Elections SE England Re...
- Election Special: European Elections General Analysis
- Election Special: European Election General Results
- The State Of The Berkshire Blogosphere
- Top Of The Berkshire Blogs
- Expenses Scandal Hits Berkshire Councillors
- Election Special: Local By-Election Results
- It's Always Stay, Stay, Stay
- Recommended Reading List #26
- Parallels In Parking
- Housing Policy Politics
-
▼
June
(39)
- On The Eclectica Trail
- On The Election Trail
- Who Is Your Hardest Working Local Politician?
- The Expenses Scandal
- Berkshire Council Taxes
- Reading Budget 2010/11
- Reading Budget 2009/10
- Reading Civic Status
- Reading Festival
- Reading University in Transition
- Reading Buses
- Transport Matters
- Local Crime Issues
- Sport & Leisure Stories
- Children's Services in Reading
- Housing in Reading
- Local Media & Communications
- Weather Issues
- King's Meadow Campaign
- Bath Rd Reservoir
- Pincent's Hill & White Hart Meadow Campaigns
- Save Our Pubs!
- Heathrow Expansion
- AWE Aldermaston
- Berkshire Jobs
- BBC Berkshire
- ITV Local - Meridian
- Teletext Thames Valley
- BBC Radio Berkshire
- Heart Berkshire Radio
- Reading4u 87.9fm
- Reading 107fm
- Radio Bracknell Forest
- Asian Star 101.6fm
- Local Berkshire
- City Local - Reading
- Berkshire Life
- Reading Post
- Newbury.net
- NDS - South East
- Google News - Reading, Berkshire
- Topix News - Reading
- About My Area - Reading News
- Spark
- Reading Forum
Berkshire Campaign Links
- Action For Market Towns
- Amnesty Reading
- Berkshire Nature Conservation Forum
- Bring It Back
- Campaign Against Living Miserably
- Campaign Alliance For Lifelong Learning
- Campaign For The Reform Of Council Tax
- Econet Berkshire
- Greenham & Cookham Commons Commission
- Gurkha Justice
- Jubilee Debt Campaign
- Keep Trade Local
- Kennet Valley Ark
- Living With Fibromyalgia
- Loddon Valley Action Group
- National Playing Fields Association
- NO2ID
- RACE
- Re-Open The Jolly Anglers
- Reading Area Charities Together
- Reading CAMRA
- Reading Civic Society
- Reading Cycle Campaign
- Reading Friends of the Earth
- Reading Pride
- Reading Refugee Support Group
- Reading Single Homeless Project
- Reading Trade Justice Group
- Reading Voluntary Action Directory
- RISC
- Rising Tide
- Save Calcot Fields
- Save King's Meadow Baths
- Save Pincent's Hill
- Save Slough Town Hall
- Save The Bath Road Reservoir
- Save Windsor Fire Station
- SkyScreamers
- SOS Reading
- Stop Heathrow Expansion
- UK Missing Kids
- White Hart Meadow - Have Your Say
- Whiteknights Studio Trail
Reading List Politics
Political Information
- - Public Resources - -
- AboutMyVote - register to vote
- votewise.co.uk - compare the candidates
- TheyWorkForYou
- The Public Whip - MP voting records
- HearFromYourMP
- WriteToThem
- r8yourpolitician
- WhatDoTheyKnow - Freedom of Information requests
- iPetitions
- E-Petitions - No10 Downing St
- parliament.uk
- The Electoral Commission
- The Stationary Office
- The Hansard Society
- Political Studies Association
- Do Politics
- Get Elected
- The Straight Choice
- Democracy Club
- Be A Councillor
- I'm A Councillor
- Contact your councillor
- RBC Complaints Department
- Planning Portal
- Planning Alerts
- Report A Crime - Thames Valley Police
- Report Empty Homes
- FixMyStreet
- FillThatHole
- ClearThatTrail
- Scenic Or Not?
- The Best Of... Reading
- Touch Local - Reading
- info4local
- OnePlace - South East England
- UpMyStreet
- AboutYourArea
- GroupsNearYou
- ONS - Reading Statistics
- DirectGov
- NHS Direct
- NHS Choices
- Consumer Direct
- Connexions Direct
- jobcentre plus
- Tax Credits Helpline
- RecyclingNearYou
Help, Advice & Support
- Age Concern Berkshire
- Alcohol Help
- Berkshire Disability Information Network
- Berkshire Family Mediation
- Berkshire Lowland Search & Rescue
- Berkshire MS Therapy
- Berkshire NHS Drug & Alcohol Specialist Services
- Berkshire SAR Dogs
- Berkshire Women's Aid
- beYou
- Child Support Agency
- Childline
- Children's Information Centre
- Communicare
- Connexions Berkshire
- Daisy's Dream
- Divorce Aid
- Fatherhood Institute
- FRANK
- Gingerbread - single parents
- Heartbeats
- Help the Aged
- learndirect
- Life Story Theapeutic Centre - Psychological and Therapeutic Care
- links
- Living Reading
- National Debtline
- No5 - Youth Counselling & Info
- Parent Partnership Reading
- Princess Trust Carers Service (Berkshire)
- Readibus
- Reading & District Hospital Charity
- Reading Citizen's Advice Bureau
- Reading Community Welfare Rights Unit
- Reading Credit Union
- Reading Refugee Support Group
- Reading Samaritans
- Thames Valley Crimestoppers
- The Edge
- The Pension Service
- There4U - Berkshire
- Tilehurst Poor's
- Victim Support
- West Berkshire Buddies
"Reading List... is fantastic, it could help revolutinise politics in Reading"
Matt Blackall
"Prolific"
Matt Brady
"Irrelevant"
Adrian Windisch
"Bizarre"
Reading Geek Night
"A bloggers digest of the Berkshire blogosphere"
DMOZ
"An easily accessible collection of Berkshire's excellent blogs"
The Cookham Blogger
"An excellent digest of the thoughts of local bloggers"
Reading Guide
Matt Blackall
"Prolific"
Matt Brady
"Irrelevant"
Adrian Windisch
"Bizarre"
Reading Geek Night
"A bloggers digest of the Berkshire blogosphere"
DMOZ
"An easily accessible collection of Berkshire's excellent blogs"
The Cookham Blogger
"An excellent digest of the thoughts of local bloggers"
Reading Guide
You've been 'outed' on http://jane-griffiths-my-book.blogspot.com/ as 'little ginger bloke John Wood'.
ReplyDelete...and apparently questions are being asked in the letters pages of the press.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately commenters have already had their allotted three guesses as to any true identity hiding in the shadows behind the pseudonym 'Oranjepan', so the decision of the editorial board here at Reading List feels it is not in any way incumbent to either confirm or deny more idle speculation.
If any readers feel they wish to do so, that is completely their choice.
I don't think it matters who you are - you write intelligently, you link to the best blogs around and you're clearly not a Labour arsehole - I rate you.
ReplyDeleteWhy thanks Gideon!
ReplyDeleteWhen I grew up it was a three party system - reds, blues and orange. The worst thing to happen in British politics of late is the landslide victory the Labour Party scored creating an unhealthy majority following the collapse of the Tory Government.
ReplyDeleteBritain needs three mainstream parties and the Liberal Democrats (in my opinion) are the best hope we have to get back to a balanced political system - please don't get me wrong - I'm not a LibDem but appreciate your value.