The things you find out on the web are just amazing: who would believe it but allegedly and this is allegedly at the moment:
‘Labour peer Lord Haskins handed £2,500 to a Liberal Democrat candidate to fight the general election, it has been claimed.
Danny Alexander, now MP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, received the money from his friend whom he had known through his work for pressure group Britain in Europe.’
Not just a small donation either but a massive £2,500 according to this article. As an ordinary citizen this blogmeister is shocked but my feelings are nothing as compared to the hurt that must be felt by the former MP David Stewart who was so cruelly (but some feel justifiably named), ‘Davie Useless’.
‘Jim Gray, agent for the defeated Labour candidate David Stewart, said he was "horrified" at the news and demanded a probe into the donation.’
Well Danny if that is how it is it will be another blow in people’s faith in democracy I’m afraid, lots of people feel that all politicians are the same and this will only help to confirm their fears. I hope this story is untrue. Why not give an exclusive to the Gurn about your friends in high places?
‘Labour peer Lord Haskins handed £2,500 to a Liberal Democrat candidate to fight the general election, it has been claimed.
Danny Alexander, now MP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, received the money from his friend whom he had known through his work for pressure group Britain in Europe.’
Not just a small donation either but a massive £2,500 according to this article. As an ordinary citizen this blogmeister is shocked but my feelings are nothing as compared to the hurt that must be felt by the former MP David Stewart who was so cruelly (but some feel justifiably named), ‘Davie Useless’.
‘Jim Gray, agent for the defeated Labour candidate David Stewart, said he was "horrified" at the news and demanded a probe into the donation.’
Well Danny if that is how it is it will be another blow in people’s faith in democracy I’m afraid, lots of people feel that all politicians are the same and this will only help to confirm their fears. I hope this story is untrue. Why not give an exclusive to the Gurn about your friends in high places?
Thanks to the ever alert iright who first heard about this on Beeb Scotland
2 comments:
It certainly seems to be a strange story. The BBC website looks as though it is changing it's availability and coverage of the story
It might be seen by some that for the Labour Peer to put friendship above his party is an unusual human act for a politician? It could lead to a new structure for democracy whereby we abolish political parties and start electing friends.
But how do you square "I'm a Lib Dem supporting Labour politician"? There coalitions within politics but usually that is post election rather than before in order to create a way for parties to work together to get policy through when their majorities are low.
I look forward to detailed excuses from all concerned, but I cannot understand why Danny didn’t say ‘thank you, but no’. This damages his integrity as a politician, and surely undermines his friendship as well. Maybe Danny could equal things up and shift some funds over to the Green party so they can afford a ladder and a sharp knife to take down their ‘vote for me’ banners at long last?
So who did what wrong here. I can see no reason why a candidate should be expected to turn down any donation (well maybe from the local pimp, drug dealer or journalist but not a lord).
I don't know if this is one of the Lordships you get when you donate £100,000 to new Labour - if so I would be willing to criticise that but it is this donation he is getting stick for.
Possibly he should have quit Labour first but he may honestly believe Labour is right UKwise but that it would be better for the constituency for their MP not to be Mr Useless's appointee.
Maybe it is just that he has £2,500 to throw about but there are a lot of people, quite ordinary people, who "donate" that much money over a few years to following a football team.
Maybe New Labour are wrong not to have immediately expelled him but since Jack now seems to think you can join the party & stand in a bye-election within a couple of days party membership seems no great honour.
Post a Comment