And so the saga of Consett's Red Velvet abomination draws to its close, in a case which is likely to have national ramifications.
Surrounded by churches and by educational institutions, this establishment is of course out of keeping with its surroundings. But then, with which surroundings would it be in keeping, and why?
No one would go to a pub where they could only look at the beer, or to a restaurant where they could only look at the food. We all know what a place like this really is.
This time next year, Consett will not only still have the superb Pat Glass MP who has done so much work in this cause, but it will be about to double its number of my political mentors at County Hall (where there are also several others from elsewhere) by sending Alex Watson to join Clive Robson there.
Great days. Great days, indeed.
Hardline Catholic Clive Robson who you knew through SPUC long before you were a Labour member.
ReplyDeleteAlex Watson who ran Derwentside by doing deals with the Independents, "paleocons" as you would call them, against half of his own Labour councillors who were the real functioning opposition.
Your mentors, there is no denying that unfortunately.
"the superb Pat Glass MP who has done so much work in this cause"
ReplyDeleteWhat a hypocrite you are, Mr Lindsay. Back in March 2010 you sneered at her, on this very blog, because you thought you could beat her in the election. Now that your dreams of political glory have fizzled out, you're shamelessly brown-nosing her because you want her to do you a favour.
What a hypocrite you are.
There is no "favour" that she can do me. She has grown into the job and is very, very good, both at Westminster and in the constituency.
ReplyDeleteWhat, pray, is a 'hardline' Catholic? Is this someone who accepts the teaching of the Church and Magisterium? In other words - a Catholic, plain and simple. Why does one never hear about 'hardline' Anglicans, or 'hardline' Methodists, or even, for balance, 'hardline' Atheists?
ReplyDeleteConversely, why do people never speak about 'softline' Catholics?
Just curious.
My God, you've got it sewn up, haven't you? Your mates are just all over the place, Labour and non-Labour alike, with you, your book and this blog as a kind of conscience.
ReplyDeleteI suppose that counts as "Run, Alex, Run" and I second that emotion. Alex will top the poll if he runs, everyone knows that. Everyone also knows he would be expelled from Labour, if only in the nominal David Lindsay sense of staying more influential locally than many people technically still in the party. If he then offered to be your agent in 2015, with a ready-made machine in the largest town left over from his council campaign, would you say yes?
ReplyDeletePat do you a favour? The party had to break its own unwritten rule and allow a local candidate for a safe seat outside London, and break its own written rule and allow a Catholic on a women only shortlist. To keep you from splitting the vote enough to hand this seat to Owen Temple.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Pat is good. But to many of us, especially veterans of Derwentside Labour Group and DLP, you will always be the rightful MP for this seat.
Watson is off the panel. So if he does get to DCC, it won't be as a Labour candidate.
ReplyDelete"If"?
ReplyDelete