Been searching the BBC site for the news of Mark Hooper's resignation. Not a trace of it anywhere - and nothing on the 10.25 news bulletin on BBC Wales tonight either. I wonder why. I heard it reported on ITV Wales earlier on, and thought it a serious story. Surely it must be somewhere on the Beeb. Iain Dale reports that the story is in the South Wales Echo as well. If anyone knows why there seems to be a blackout on this story, please tell me. Perhaps the Lib Dems just don't count enough any more.
Mark Harper was the Liberal Democrat candidate in the Vale of Glamorgan constituency and is reported to have informed his party that he had received a £2000 donation in October, 2006, which should have been declared. He says that the Lib Dems refused to declare it because it "could have political consequences for the party and may potentially be seen as a disciplinary offence." Mr Hooper has resigned from the Liberal Democrats so that he could report this matter to the Electoral Commission. He is quoted as saying that he has asked the party to register this donation on several occasions. It wouldn't be so bad, but its the Lib Dems who make most fuss about this sort of thing.
4 comments:
Glyn, I believe the really big issue here is the alleged cover up - which Mark Hooper alludes to in the cited Echo article. I have challenged Peter (Lib-Dem AM, Peter Black) on this matter on his blog where today he spews forth about sleaze in a Scottish Party. Got a flippant reply. But Peter is a good guy, I'm sure he will spew forth if Mike German's private parts are thrust into the nutcracker.
Is he Hooper or Harper?
anon - I don't know. I think it was Hooper in the Echo. I don't want to make a huge song and dance about this - because you never know where else its happened. But I really cannot understand why the Lib Dems tried to keep it quiet (if they did) or why the BBC decided not to report the story. I can just imagine the hoo-hah if it had been the Tories!!
According to the South Wales Echo (Dec., 15), “A LIBERAL Democrat member has quit the party in Wales within days of joining – in support of former Vale of Glamorgan parliamentary candidate Mark Hooper.”
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