Do you remember the TV quiz programme Shooting Stars with Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer? And the Matt Lucas character dressed in a huge baby romper suit playing the drums and keeping the scores: “What’s the scores on the doors, George Dawes?” was the cry at the end of each round.
Well, standing in Moulsecoomb and Bevendean is George Dore. Sorry not THE George Dawes but Georgina Dore who likes to be known as George. You must watch the election campaign clips on YouTube of her and Maria Caulfield. Never in the field of human politics have two candidates felt so uncomfortable for so long in front of so few cameras. But fair play to them. They have produced four videos explaining why they want to be councillors and what improvements they hope to bring to the area.
Matt Lucas is a school teacher, having been brought up in rural Oxfordshire, she stresses her humble origins before rather ruining it by saying she went to Oxford University. it was a “hard process” she says. Matt says she is committed to education since it “opens doors”. After all she is a teacher working in the City. Hang on a moment? If she is a teacher working in the city she can’t stand for the Council unless she ….. doesn’t work in a state school. A Google search reveals she works at that school favoured and much chosen for their children by parents in Moulsecoomb and Bevendean ….. Brighton College.
Her write up on the Brighton College website reads: “Miss Georgina Dore MA (Oxon) joined Brighton College in September 2009. She previously taught for three years at Uppingham School. She is a boarding house tutor and also teaches Politics. Her special interests include British Decolonisation. She shares in the teaching of the Oxbridge programme as well.”
(While on the Brighton College website, have a look at the biography of the wild-eyed Mr Christopher Canning MA (Oxon) “Joined Brighton College in September 2010. His specialist interests include Anti-Semitism. He also teaches Politics.” I swear, it says his interests includes anti-semitism. I’m sure he doesn’t mean how it reads. It reminds me of the US politician who reassured his constituents that he was “anti-racist, anti-fascist, and anti-Semitic”. And that reminds me of the woman, again in the USA who said “I’m not a Republican or Democrat. I’m …. what do you call it? ….. I’m bi-sexual.”)
Back to Maria Caulfield and Matt Lucas, they are the Tory candidates in Moulsecoomb and Bevendean. I’ve mentioned that already, haven’t I? But hang on, there are three seats in M&B. Are the Tories fielding just two candidates? Of course not. Ayas Fallon-Khan is the candidate that Maria and Matt dare not speak his name. Why does he not appear in any of the videos?
I actually I have a lot of time and respect for both Maria and Ayas. Both are hard-working councillors. Neither are traditional Tories. As for George Lucas … didn’t he produce Star Wars? I’m really confused now ….
Filed under: Council Elections 2011 | Tagged: Ayas Fallon-Khan, Bevendean, Bob Mortimer, Brighton College, Christopher Canning, George Dawes, George Dore, George Lucas, Georgina Dore, Maria Caulfield, Matt Lucas, Moulsecoomb, Oxford University, Shooting Stars, Star Wars, Vic Reeves, YouTube |
Brighton Politics Blog 
Well played.
When she said she trained as a teacher but didn’t mention working as one I assumed she was one of Brightons many unemployed teachers!.
I must be more suspicious.
It has shades of the last General Election, when the candidates’ biographies on the Tories’ official website notoriously omitted the educational details of anyone who was privately educated (which, of course, was quite a lot of them). Fear of the Bullingdon Factor runs deep in the Tory party …
I admire Georgina (absolutely no resemblance to Matt Lucas- why did you think there was a similarity?) for having gone to Oxford from a local Comprehensive. She must have exceptional ability to have gained a place and I’m sure it was a hard process…good for her.
As for Brighton College (and independent schools in general), many parents from modest backgrounds work hard to send their children to these, foregoing holidays and certain essentials. I admire their selflessness and determination to do the best for their kids.
Georgina’s dad was a carpenter, not a banker!
I realise you are a ‘left of centre’ blog, but the ‘chippiness’ of the Left against aspiration really does let you down.
There are comprehensives and there are comprehensives – if someone is going to cite their school for ‘credibility’ I think they should name it.
Carpenters are ‘chippies’ aren’t they? They work with ‘sparks’ for the electrics, ‘brickies’ for the walls and the such? Tradesmen – is that what her farther did?
Didn’t George Osborns family do wallpaper and curtains?
Not in a judgemental way – just to clarify what has been volunteered….
Scraping the barrel of justification here a bit Paul.
@Linda F
Not barrel scraping at all – she advanced it for credibility, so there shouldn’t be a problem supporting it – should there?
@ Paul Perrin
I went to a school called King Alfred’s Sports and Community College in Wantage and my father was a Chippie building bridges and lock gates on the Thames for over forty years before his retirement.
@George Dore
Cheers.
If anyone does question private education, you need only point out that the taxpayer are financing state education at over £10,000 per pupil per year – which would cover the fees for many independent schools (not Brighton Collage admittedly). So If state pupils aren’t getting the same quality of education it is the LEAs that need to be answering the question – why aren’t taxpayers getting the same value delivered by the private sector?
St. Christopher’s in Hove is a part of Brighton College. It describes itself as belonging to the “family” of Brighton College just as the BBC refers to its “family” of stations. Appalling language.
Meanwhile the Grade ll* listing of Saltdean Lido could be an interesting factor in Rottingdean Coastal.
I continue to think that the Green vote in Moulescoomb will be notable.
So you ARE standing in Central Hove, Mr Hawtree……..
St Christopher’s is in Westbourne, not Central.
Westbourne could be very interesting, with the Green vote overtaking Labour’s.
As the guy lucky enough to keep his toothbrush next to George’s, I have to say that this cheap pun isn’t funny. Why would any normal person want to satirize such a beautiful and talented young lady in this way?
The premise of some of the comments here seems to be that you can’t possibly be clever and have a normal background. I assure readers that George is one of the smartest, articulate and most lovely people you will ever meet with an obvious weight of intellect that soon explains her Oxford education. Until recently retiring her dad was a carpenter and mum was working in Tescos. You can’t get more normal. (I’ve even visited her old school and believe me it is a properly awful state comprehensive!)
I can’t think of anyone better placed to help young people and families in M&B to ‘open doors’ for themselves and for their children.
Hi Mike (and George), apologies if I have caused any offence. None was intended. This blog (apart from being left of centre) is usually light-hearted in tone. My army of regular readers (Dan Wilson, Christopher Hawtree, Paul Perrin and Momma Grizzly) will know that I have tipped the Tories in Moulsecoomb and Bevendean to do well in May. however, when standing for election you do open yourself up to some scrutiny. And if you hope to represent M&B you must expect some comment regarding Oxford and Brighton College. I am yet to meet George, but look forward to doing so.
I can’t help but feel that by perpetuating the myth that attending Oxford is synonymous with being privately educated and /or privileged compounds the access issues that face pupils from state school backgrounds.
Hi Mike
I think many would question whether a person employed in the exclusive education sector would be best placed to enjoy influence over the ways in which the children of us hoi polloi will be educated. I’m sure she’s a great person, but private schools aren’t much of a breeding ground for insight into the lives of the majority.
It’s amazing to see how quickly the left are to come out and denounce private education. As Linda says many parents make great sacrifices to give their children the best possible start in life. As for using the fact that George teaches at Brighton College against her, I don’t see how it is at all relevant to her ability to be a councillor. It seems a classic tactic to slur all Conservatives as “privileged” even when they have no evidence to back themselves up. Surely it should be appplauded rather than sneered at that George went to Oxford from a comprehensive.
I don’t see any sneering about George going to Oxford from a comprehensive – you are blurring the lines here, Rob.
The point is that she was being coy about where she taught, by not mentioning it, at the same time as playing up her ordinary background.
The blogger has shone a light where you would rather it had not been shone, that’s all.
This bright young lady is the Conservatives best kept secret both locally and nationally. Expect great things from her!
M&B is a ward which under normal circumstances should be Labour, and in 2007 even after the stock transfer ballot, national issues and with the waters muddied by a Respect candidate, Maria Caulfield only won by a handful of votes last time. On a national swing alone this should go back to Labour.
Worth noting that M&B is one of around 14/15 wards that Labour and the Conservatives are actively contesting (ie not regarded as failry “safe” for another party). The Greens are looking to hold or win seats in just 8 out of the 21. Hardly the basis for a citywide mandate?
I cannot follow the gist of this comment.
“Fear of the Bullingdon Factor runs deep in the Tory party”
Good old bit of class hatred that. Let’s all remember that Saint Caroline Lucas of Brussels was educated privately and her children also are educated privately. In Belgium! Presumably it’s ok for Caroline and the Greens but not the Tories.
BPB. Your comments about George Dore are really quite childish aren’t they? Please try a bit harder to get out of the playground.
Here, here. Labour dinosaur language.
Not Labour, no class hatred or dinosaur language from me. For the record, my own background is scholarships at private schools and PPE at Oxford. But I’m merely commenting about the fact that the Tories were seriously spooked by the possibility that all those Bullingdon Club pictures would get trotted out at the General Election, and it’s a simple fact that they tried to hide the educational background of their candidates.
why would warren morgan question the city wide mandate of the greens if he wasn’t worried that they might be in a position to claim it? I thought he was predicting 26 seats for labour? and anyway not even the greens predicts the greens will win a majority do they?
i predict that greens, labour and tories will get 54 seats combined and that tories will have less than half of that.