Winston Churchill once said that an empty taxi cab pulled up outside 10 Downing Street and the Prime Minister (Clem Atlee) got out. Churchill specialised in putting down his Labout opponent. When someone said to Churchill that Atlee was a humble man, Churchill replied, “He’s got a lot to be humble about”.
‘Humble’ and ’empty’ could be used to describe the inconsequential, frankly irrelevant, Brighton Politics Blogger’s Political Awards 2010. Last year the Awards failed to ignite any interest, so this year I am setting my sights somewhat lower.
Amongst the awards this year will be ‘Betrayal of the Year’ (no prizes for guessing the winner of this one, Norman); ‘Bust-up in a Telephone Box’ award; ‘Councillor of the Year’; and ‘Politician of the Year’, one for each party, and then the overall winner to be announced on New Year’s eve (a bit like those receiving OBE’s and MBE’s).
But first, it is the ‘Here Today, Gone Tomorrow’ award. Last year it went to someone called Seaman Scott Digby, or Scott Seaman Digby, or Digby Seaman Scott, something like that, anyway. He was the front-runner who was pipped at the post by Charlotte ‘Chuck’ Vere in the Open Primary to select the Conservative candidate for Brighton Pavilion.
This year Chuck herself is in the running, having stopped making her regular run from Richmond down the M23 in her Mercedes. She never did make a commitment to Brighton Pavilion. It could have been a useful stepping stone in her Wonderful Career. Chuck did made a big impression and I miss her. I think she probably would have made an impressive Member of Parliament, even though she would have made a loyal hardliner in the Cameron/Clegg Tory Administration. I am not sure whether she has been seen in Brighton since the General Election, but will no doubt return if she fails to secure a more winnable seat elsewhere. Here today, gone tomorrow, back the week after next, perhaps?
Another contender is Chuck’s Labour opposite number, Nancy Platts who, having made a great thing about her local credentials having moved to Brighton when selected to fight Brighton Pavilion, proved to be as committed to the city as Chuck Vere by moving back to London following her defeat. Talking to Labour Party members, it has been suggested that should she be selected to challenge Caroline Lucas next time she will once again become the committed local candidate by moving back.
Other than the inconsistent nature of this blog, Chuck and Nancy are the only two nominees for this award. And I am pleased to announce that the winner is … or the winner are …. Charlotte Vere and Nancy Platts. Congratulations to you both.
Filed under: Politics | Tagged: Brighton Pavilion, Brighton Politics Blogger, Caroline Lucas, Charlotte Vere, Digby Seaman-Scott, Nancy Platts, Political Awards 2010 |
Brighton Politics Blog 
…and at what point did St Caroline finally move to Brighton?
As you probably know, Caroline Lucas has a flat locally, spends time here every week, has a definite presence here. Personally, I’ve spent time in her company twice in recent weeks. I had doubts, articulated in this blog, that she would not be a sufficiently local MP. I was wrong. Caroline is proving to be a first rate constituency MP.
I can only think you are having a really sad time at Christmas to write this sort of stuff
But you are reading it…
Herbert Atlee?
What little credibility this blog ever had, ebbed away with that error.
When Dr Lucas makes her family home in our city (our country?), I’ll think about her as a local politician. She remains a carpetbagger to me.
Bap: It a bit shabby to change “Herbert Atlee” to “Clem Atlee” without noting your previous mistake. Who is Herbert Atlee?
But I’m still here to help. Attlee has two Ts and I have taken the rpecaution of taking screengrabs.
Best.
You are a fine man, Dan. But give this poor Blogger a break. I confess, I made an error with Herbert Atlee. It should have been Clem Attlee. I feel a failure, my credibility in ruins. But to have taken a screenshot to ‘prove’ my errors is a bit sad, don’t you think, Dan?
Not at all. It’s standard practice.
Plenty of bloggers just try and change stuff after the fact and hope noone notices. I’ve beeing doing this stuff for more than a decade. I take screengrabs everyday.
You changed it thinking noone would notice, after all. Point proven.
WHO is Herbert Atlee?
Moreover, time to come out as a Green party supporter, isn’t it?
I’m also sorry about your rather uncharitable comments regarding Nancy Platts.
From selection in 2007, until after the General Election in May, Nancy and her partner lived in Brighton. Three years. their only home. She lived here in this city. In her only home. Not “has a flat…” She doesn’t have a town house in Brussels, a crash pad in London and “a flat” in this city. Or even a place in Oxford?
Unfortunately, a defeated candidate doesn’t have the massive resources of the victor. A move back to London for Nancy was an unfortunate necessity.
For Green supporters, such as yourself, to make that jibe is to draw Dr Lucas’s own living arrangements to the fore.
It’s an easy selection of questions that you raise with this post:
1) Is Dr Lucas’s main home in Brighton?
2) Does she have a home in London too?
3) Where is her family home?
Again, I must say, by (rather naffly) attacking Nancy and Vere on this, you upped the stakes. Will your new friend be willing to answer these questions honestly? I await more obfuscation without any expectation of honesty from the peripatetic Dr Lucas.
But it’s time for a straight answer. How many homes? How many nights a week? Where’s home? Brighton Pavilion needs a bit of honesty.
I agree with Dan … CL should fess up. Where does she live and how much time does she spend in each house/flat/bedsit?
Oh and Baps, I live in Kingston, not Richmond, and am working in Westminster on the NO to AV campaign.
Hi Chuck, lovely to hear from you. Kingston, Richmond, wherever, they are just the same. It’s hardly Hollingdean. (For information, Hollingdean is an estate between Ditchling Road and the Lewes railway line. There is a bus from Churchill Square – the number 50 – with HOLLINGDEAN in big letters on the front). Baps x
I will let you have that snide dig at my place of residence if you find out the answer to my question. Where does CL live and how long does she spend in each abode? I note on her blog that she refers to herself as a ‘resident’ of Brighton … really?
Where does Dan Wilson, the Labour candidate for Regency ward, spend most of his free campaign activity? It is in Portslade, of course. Will you be telling Regency voters of this, Dan?
Dan Wilson is savvy enough to realise that Labour has a good chance of getting back the two Portslade seats lost last time. That brings down the Tory majority, as will a Labour push in Hangleton. I can’t see much prospect for Labour in Regency.
Luke, what on earth has that got to do with how many nights a week CL is to be found in Brighton Pav? Nothing has changed I see….
Whilst on this point, doesn’t Ben Duncan, the not so local Green Cllr for Queens Park live an work in Barnet?