Les Miserable

I don't like turncoats - remind me too much of the double-sided rugby tops of Grammar school - but in certain circumstances I'm willing to welcome those travelling the Damascan path. Not so Leslie T. Byrom CBE FRICS. As reported today, Cllr B has resigned from Cameron's Conservatives - ostensibly over the 42 day detention policy - and Labour (split over the issue) wants him on board HMS Habeas Corpus. This is a political free-jumper (nearly put free-loader but remembered he wasn't called Den Dover) who had 30 years in politics as a Tory. When Thatcher began to destroy Merseyside, Byrom was a member of the welcoming committee; moreover he was a member of the host party.

As his dreadful home page points out:

• Joined Sefton Council 6th June 1985, Conservative Leader 1991 to 2005


• Merseyside Fire & Rescue Authority Conservative Group Leader
  Chairman, LGA Fire Services Management Committee, LGA and Conservative spokesman for the Fire Service, Chairman of the Fire Forum, Member Safer Communities Board, DCLG Centre of Excellence and Equalities and Diversity project boards. Fire Practitioners Forum. Chairman Employers side, National Joint Council (NJC) Fire service negotiating body for the UK.


• Euro Parliamentary Candidate,
  European Elections 1999, Conservative North West 8th position
  European Elections 2004, 8th position
  Parliamentary Candidate Westminster
  Knowsley South Parliamentary By Election 29th September 1991 and General Election 1992. Wirral South Parliamentary By Election 28th February 1997 and General Election 1997.

Byrom lost the epochal Wirral South by-election with a swing to Labour in excess of 17%.

Well, one thing we do know is that whilst Les The Surveyor (Chartered) is popular in his Sefton ward, he seems to come unstuck when putting himself up for higher things. The 1997 By-election defeat in a Tory seat paved the way for the election of Comrade Blair. I didn't keep hold of Les's election addresses during that ill-fated campaign, but I don't remember it being too complimentary towards his new New Labour chums.

Many of us had high hopes in 1997, and perhaps such defections come as no surprise these days as the Labour Government, rather than being feared by its natural opponents, is actually welcomed.

Coming as it does on a day when figures suggest that the elderly and children are worse off, the fact that an establishment figure such as Byrom should feel comfortable in Labour circles. Iain Dale, whose diary long ceased to be of interest has a take on why Les has taken the trip to the dark side at this particular time here. He might say that, but I couldn't possibly comment.

The Labour Party - happy to deflect criticism of Brown - is as ever, ready to lay out the not-so-red carpet:

• Hazel Blears MP, Labour's Communities and Local Government Secretary, said:"Les Byrom is a big player in North West politics and I am pleased that he has made this decision. "Here is another top Tory who has seen through David Cameron's shallow salesmanship and said 'enough is enough'. "We look forward to welcoming Les into the Labour Party."

Les has a valid point in his resignation letter:

• No matter where Lady Thatcher stood in the polls, she always sought to do what was right rather than what was politically expedient, and this is a lesson you would be well advised to learn.

And this is the great problem. I was reminded of the above when watching Thatcher in Andrew Marr's history programme. In trying to woo Mail voters and so-called Middle England, Labour has been the architect of its own misfortune. You don't have to be Les The Surveyor to know when you've neglected your foundations.

Cliff Hanging

I was a bit worried about attracting attention from the paramilitary wing of the Cliff Richard Fan Club (Knitting Needle Section) with this post, but here goes.

The destitute man's Elvis, Sir Harold Webb, immigrant and scholar has been giving a sermon. In his interview with Q Magazine, he claims to be the ultimate pop star and that the fabs, particularly the late George Harrison (nice Christian values there: kicking the dead) were often out of tune. He cannot recall the actual song but He has spoken and as you can see from the picture above, In the Beginning........

If one cares to read the late Ian McDonald's excellent academic tome, Revolution In The Head (and I think it is a worthwhile read even though it sometimes delves into pedantry) there are references to the glitches and mistakes contained in Beatles studio recordings. This makes it all the more fascinating to hear the songs through headphones and decent hi-fi equipment.

Yes, the lads were human - not a deity like Cliff; to listen to bootlegs and the Anthology out-takes is to be there in the studio at Abbey Road.

I must confess, I do have a Cliff recording - it was sneaked into a Van Morrison CD I bought. Enjoy my royalty payment, Cliff - Xmas is almost 11 months off.

Update: Perusing Tory MP wannabee, Iain Dale's Diary, I noticed that I have a Low Musical Compatibility with him on Last.fm and that his top artist is Cliff Richard! The Prosecution case rests.

Shut That Bloody Door

Tories pledge cut number of immigrants coming into Britain

Regardless of the poor grammar, the Daily Mail must have been salivating at the thought of the Tory heir apparent, David Davis making a speech about their raison d'etre.

Again I would say that it is a risky road to travel down for the Tories. The Labour Party has positioned itself (as far as policy is concerned) in such a way as to check any major assault. This is not popular with the left but it makes sense when looking at political expediency. We have to bite the bullet, grasp the nettle and use other idioms.

So, here's Davey...

• The Shadow Home Secretary vowed to shut Labour's open door policy which is swelling the population by nearly 200,000 a year.

Notice the use of the phrase, 'open door', which has been abused to the hilt over recent years; hence the constant refrain of Mail readers of pulling up the drawbridge on Castle Albion. But Davis has compassion. Witness his desire to eradicate inequality in the armed forces:

• Then the other great failure. While they are letting in too many people who shouldn't be here, they slam the door on those we should be helping. Like the Gurkha who won a Victoria Cross fighting for Britain. Don't we have a moral duty to protect people like him?

A laudable cause and not the least bit populist. The respected lawyer Phil Shiner sums up the plight of the Gurkhas and how they have been treated by EVERY Government:

• "The Gurkhas have been discriminated against by the British for years and treated disgracefully. (It is) 'Colonial racism' "They are paid less, have much smaller pensions, less prospects of promotion and worse redundancy terms." .....Another example was that while a British soldier could have his wife and family with him when he is posted abroad, a Gurkha is allowed only three years' family leave out of 15 years of service.

Ironically, the barrister representing the interests of the Gurkhas in this particular case was one Cherie Booth QC. Wicked Witch, Mr Littlejohn? What have YOU done to help the cause? Exactly. No further questions, M'lud.

It was a Labour Government that presided over a change in law to aid their cause. On the 8th March 2007, it was announced that all Gurkhas who signed up after July 1st, 1997 would receive a pension equivalent to that of their British counterparts. Of course, this did not help those serving before the cut off date. However, did the Tories attempt this when in powe

• The Government last week admitted that net immigration is running at two-hundred thousand every year.

Of course, this figure is not acceptable to some deranged Mail readers. Exhibit A

• I think it is a gross underestimate to say that 200,000 immigrants are swelling the population - more like 2,000,000!- June O'Brien, London England
  

I'm always suspicious of anyone who needs to say they are from London, England. It is a very American trait. Just in case we mistake it with London, Ohio..........USA. She thinks it is a gross underestimate so she adds an arbitrary nought to multiply by ten. June, do me a favour and come back when your IQ reaches double figures without creative accountancy.

Another point to be made (courtesy of Wikipedia):

• The nationality status of Gurkhas and their families was also previously an area of dispute, with claims that some ex-army Nepalese families were being denied residency and forced to leave Britain. The new policy on Gurkhas (announced by the British Government on 8th March, 2007) guarantees residency rights in Britain for retired Gurkhas and their families.
  


• A considerable number of ex-Gurkhas and their families live in Hong Kong, where they are particularly well represented in the private security profession (G4S Gurkha Services Ltd, Pacific Crown Security Service, Sunkoshi Gurkha Security Limited) or labourers.
  In July 2006, British authorities granted full British citizenship to all Nepalese and their dependants serving the British army during its stays in Britain's colonial territories namely Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and among other former territories, entitling them a full privilege to stay and work in the United Kingdom. According to the press secretary approximately there are 140,000 eligible to application.

This is one of my major bugbears with the Tories. Whilst we can all understand some of the stories they relate, it is hypocrisy for them to slate the Labour Government when they did nothing. We can all be critical of the NHS, the railway system, low wages or the housing problem; we can all have a legitimate swipe at Labour for its failures. However, we should always remember which party opposed the creation of the National Health Service, told us the minimum wage would cause businesses to collapse, privatised everything that moved (on tracks or otherwise) and sold off public sector housing.

More Davisspeak:

• This is "New" New Labour. Soundbite by Brown, Policy by Prada.

I really don't understand this bit. I passed by Prada in Milan last week and am none the wiser. Does he mean Pravda? The only Brown that sprang to mind was Mel B of the Spice Girls (I'm informed they are a popular girl combo).

Another (shooting fish in a barrel) quote from Vox Mailus Populi (my O Level Latin didn't stretch to conjugating this correctly so I have visions of The Life Of Brian: 'Romanus eunt domus'.

• Not before time. They must also ensure the SUCCESSFUL closure of the illegal immigration routes.- Bill, Saint Quay Portrieux, France.

Yeh, stop all those foreigners getting in to....er......France! Just think this pillock probably has a vote in UK elections.

• At last this is the statement we whant to hear, now carry it out, nevermind the political objecters.- Naughton Dunn, Marbella

Excuse me? whant? Spain? Garlic Bread? Nevermind was a Nirvana album (popular 90s beat combo).

• About time too. To many free loaders coming in taking the houses that we are already short off. Around the world we are seen as being to easy, stop paying them benefits and you will see them start leaving in their droves!- Mark, Lincoln

As I outlined in a previous post it is a myth that we are seen as a soft touch or the place to go. Whilst we can always find anecdotal evidence to support this conjecture, it falls down in the face of the facts. We are not the top destination of choice for asylum seekers/immigrants (even allowing for this lumping together).

• Nu Labour's immigration policy is not so much a policy, as a sanctioned invasion!- Marilyn Havers, London, UK

Any relation to Nigel, or Lord Hailsham? Watch out Marilyn, they're coming for you!

Perhaps the final point should be left to blogger Iain Dale:

• I leave Blackpool more optimistic about the future than I have been for a long time. Gordon Brown will know the Tory Party is back - and back with a vengeance. Brown has a real dilemma now. If he calls an election he loses, and if he doesn't call an election he loses.

Hmmm. we shall see!