Bob Piper has been a Labour Councillor for the Abbey
Ward in Sandwell, West Midlands, for nine years. He is a lifelong supporter of Aston Villa Football Club and a follower of Yorkshire County Cricket Club.
The views expressed here are mine in a personal capacity, not those of the Labour Party, Sandwell MBC, Aston Villa or Yorkshire County Cricket Club. Get it! Mine... just mine!
Of course, we wouldn't want to accuse David Cameron of dithering now, would we folks. As I caught the train to London this morning, as the brown stuff was really hitting the media, Cameron was Dale-like in his resolve to support his man Conway. By the time I boarded the train back this afternoon he had flopped back again and he's distancing himself from Dekka at a rate of knots. At least, man, if you're going to dither, have the bloody decency to draw breath before you change your mind.
One quite big difference 'twixt Tory and Labour reactions to sleaze - Conway has lost the Whip while all the Labour suspects have been allowed to keep it.
Could I suggest one other (rather bigger) difference. Conway has been found guilty of 'misusing' or 'diverting' tens of thousands of pounds of public money into the pockets of his own family.
Try doing that at work and see if you get away with a 10-day suspension and the whip and a tap on the wrist from the boss.
If you could point me in the direction of the Labour MPs doing that, I would quite happily call for a far more severe penalty.
Bob, Bob, Bob,
Abuse of office, false mortgage declarations, use of public funds to transport the mistress hither and you, Blair, Blunkett, Mandelson, Jowell, Robinson, Byers and doubtless more who I can't remember....need I go on?
Bob Piper said:
January 30, 2008 3:45 PM | permalink
Yes, sadly, you'll have to go on, and on, because none of those are comparable. You have listed names... not offences.
Not much gets past you, Bob. You are of course quite right - none of my examples can be compared to Conway.
Although you dont say so, I guess you mean that those I quoted were all Cabinet Ministers (and one Prime Minister) They all either lied, broke the law, had slightly dubious financial arrangements or abused their office. Despite this, they all retained the whip and some of them made come-backs.
Conway, on the other hand has lost the whip and been forced to resign (Justifiably) Career over!!
So there you have it, one rule for the Labour front bench and another for a Tory backbencher.
Bob, you wee rascal - you're teasing me aren't you?
I do not believe that your fine mind is incapable of fitting the names to the offences.
And now to add to the list, we have the noble Lord Hoyle taking cash for access.
To bring closure, I don't agree with your stance that law breaking is a matter of degree and I would support ANY Leader who acted to clean out the Westminster stable.
January 30, 2008 10:49 AM | permalink
One quite big difference 'twixt Tory and Labour reactions to sleaze - Conway has lost the Whip while all the Labour suspects have been allowed to keep it.