Regular visitors to this blog know I would like to be elected Member of Parliament for Montgomeryshire. While not dismissing the chances of Nick Colborne, Bruce Lawson, or the selected but as yet un-named Plaid Cymru candidate, my main opponent is likely to be Lembit Opik, the incumbent Liberal Democrat MP. I've always got along pretty well with him, and in general, don't criticise the way he chooses to represent my home area - despite plenty of encouragement to do so. And anyway, I'm fairly 'libertarian' in outlook. But I found his decision to become the political columnist for the Daily Sport as 'crossing the line'. As a resident of Montgomeryshire, I felt ashamed that my MP should be working for what I consider to be a extremely down market pornographic publication.
Now I don't suppose my opinion matters much. And it won't have much impact on Montgomeryshire voters - because very few of them will ever know about this. This sort of thing is not reported locally. And the Daily Sport does not sell that many copies. But the opinion of Nick Clegg, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Party does matter. In today's Telegraph, Mr Clegg has gone as far as he can, short of outright condemnation of Lembit. I don't think I can recall a case where a Party leader has been so openly disdainful of a colleague. Here are some quotes from the article;
'Mr Clegg speaks candidly of his frustration at the lack of judgement shown by......(Brian Paddick and)........Lembit Opik who failed to become party president'
As a father of young children, Mr Clegg says he would not allow a copy of the Daily Sport in his house - yet Mr Opik, the Liberal Democrat MP for Montgomeryshire writes a column for the publication....'
And Mr Clegg is then quoted as saying "Do I think Lembit's walking a tightrope? Yes I do." .... I think people are full of common sense. They can distinguish between one or two individuals doing their own thing and what we as a team as doing as a whole" Wow - Its obvious who is not part of any team!
I just thought you ought to know.
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12 comments:
Well said regarding the Daily Sport.
Very public spirited of you Glyn.
anon - Actually, I do think this is an important issue. Why don't you express an opinion on it?
Is Nick Colbourne an ex-copper from Wrexham? If so, you're laughing. Nasty bit of work, who couldn't even hold the Ruabon seat on Wrexham council. They're obviously just going through the motions if they're putting him up against you!
Is sacked Welsh blogger Christopher Glamorganshire's tribunal next week?
Brian - I think you are correct - though I know little about him. I have no reason to share your obviously negative opinion - at this stage anyway. Only met him once, and then only briefly.
anon - Don't know. Perhaps someone can tell us.
I see from Vaughan Roderick's blog that the Sport has just gone bust (no pun intended). The curse of Lembit strikes again!
Rumour has it Opik has been courting other political parties of late.
Has anyone else heard this?
Well, I didn't see Opik in DC this afternoon. Not in the Smithsonian's Museum of American History on the National Mall.
The National Mall will be heaving pretty soon (re: historical Inauguration of President-elect Obama).
Anon - In my opinion, the loss of the Daily Sport would not be bad news at all - or better still, it being taken into new ownership with a different ethos - so that the jobs could be saved.
R C Scott - Yes, I'd heard the rumour, following his failure to win much support in the presidential election - but don't believe there is anything at all in it.
I think LO is much more likely to leave poitics altogether and just concentrate on being the media whore he so desires to be. After all, he's no credibility left in the political field and would be regarded as a liability to any party, except for the Monster Raving Loonies. Clegg's comments are very significant and frankly the party would be glad to get rid of him. Also, LO probably knows exactly what's out there on him. What would he do on losing the election? Better to stand down beforehand, rather than run the risk of deselection or losing to you. I think he'll walk before he's pushed. He lost interest in politics a long time ago.
I really do feel rather sorry for Lembit now. He's shot himself in the foot so many times that he is permanently crippled! He started with such promise. Now it seems Nick Clegg is disowning him. So the start of 2009 isn't much better for him than 2008 - although it has to be said, his troubles are pretty much of his own making. Writing for the Daily Sport was for me the last straw.
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