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Labour's Selection Process A Farce - by Mike Townend
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It seems to me that we are at a time when a disillusioned public want more openness in their politians and a greater involvement in the political process.
Imagine, therefore, my surprise (well, not surprise exactly – rather dismay) in finding that the Reading East Labour Party has undertaken such a secretive selection process in order to choose a parliamentary candidate to represent them at the next general election. Indeed, it was a contest which few in Reading knew was happening - when the names of the final two candidates appeared in the local press a few weeks ago, the chairman of the Reading East Labour Party was extremely reluctant to acknowledge them! Is there, I wonder, some discontent within the Labour ranks of having someone foisted upon them – particularly as there was so much unhappiness about their last Parliamentary selection? I expect a number of the local candidates will feel very aggrieved that they were automatically excluded due to this being an ‘all woman’ short list. It can hardly be claimed that they have chosen the best candidate available, because that hasn’t been put to the test. What a huge contrast this is to the open selection system the Conservatives employed when they originally chose Rob Wilson to contest the 2005 general election, a process in which anyone could get involved. And what a successful outcome that produced, not only for the Conservatives but also for the town itself. I expect many local people will be rather disappointed that, in choosing Dr Dodds, the Reading Labour Party could not find somebody more local to Reading. But I’m sure that our neighbouring member of parliament, Martin Salter, will be getting his map of Reading out to show Ms Dodds around. But then again, Mr Salter is to be so often found straying into in Reading East that perhaps he’s not the most reliable of guides for someone new to the town like Dr Dodds, who in recent letters to the local press has purported to already be a constituent of Reading East. I say ‘purported’ because she is not to be found on the electoral roll at her stated address, and by also not declaring in those letters her involvement in the Labour candidate selection process the voting public will surely be justified in hoping that Dr Dodds acts with greater integrity in future. I, for one, am not very impressed with her behaviour to date. By Mike Townend Chairman of Reading East Conservatives To have your say on Labour's selection process, you can visit our blog space by clicking here |
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