Friday, December 15, 2006
Fibs in Gaol (South of Hadrian's Wall)
While Squealer tries in vain to limit his comments to Scottish Fibbers, this one from England was just too good to pass up. A softball from the Labour back benches to Jack Straw during biz questions flagged up this howler:
Kitty Ussher (Burnley) (Lab): May we have a debate on the standards expected of local councillors who have been convicted of electoral fraud? My constituents would welcome the opportunity that such a debate would provide to hear the views of all Opposition Front-Bench spokespeople, especially those of the Liberal Democrats given that it is councillors from their party in my constituency, Mozaquir Ali and Manzoor Hussein, who have not yet resigned their seats, despite the basis on which they were elected having been proved in court to be fraudulent.
Mr. Straw: I accept my hon. Friend’s concern. Because we share local newspapers, I am aware of the case. It is shameful for the Liberal Democrat party not to have required the resignation of those people.
How we missed this one for so long I do not know. Vote rigging, charges, jail…and they won't resign their seats? Well at least children were not involved this time.
The Fibdem response is very principled as usual: A spokeswoman for the Liberal Democrats said because the councillors were planning an appeal against their convictions the party was unable to expel them.
Kitty Ussher (Burnley) (Lab): May we have a debate on the standards expected of local councillors who have been convicted of electoral fraud? My constituents would welcome the opportunity that such a debate would provide to hear the views of all Opposition Front-Bench spokespeople, especially those of the Liberal Democrats given that it is councillors from their party in my constituency, Mozaquir Ali and Manzoor Hussein, who have not yet resigned their seats, despite the basis on which they were elected having been proved in court to be fraudulent.
Mr. Straw: I accept my hon. Friend’s concern. Because we share local newspapers, I am aware of the case. It is shameful for the Liberal Democrat party not to have required the resignation of those people.
How we missed this one for so long I do not know. Vote rigging, charges, jail…and they won't resign their seats? Well at least children were not involved this time.
The Fibdem response is very principled as usual: A spokeswoman for the Liberal Democrats said because the councillors were planning an appeal against their convictions the party was unable to expel them.
