Tensions mount in the Bromsgrove constituency as we wait for our MP Ms Julie Kirkbride to announce that she has changed her mind and has decided to stand again as Conservative MP. Ms Kirkbride chose to doff her tin helmet and drop her head below the parapet following interesting revelations about her expenses. The first inkling that she may not have been sincere about stepping down was when the local Conservative Association announced that she was waiting for the results of the Legg committee before making her decision. Now that we know that the Legg committee is a bit of a whitewash then there appears to be nothing to stand in her way for re-selection.
One of the more bizarre opposition groups to front up against Ms Kirkbride is the 'Best4Bromsgrove' group led by Dr David Nicholl
http://www.bromsgrovestandard.co.uk/news85395.html
Whilst I have every respect for Dr Nicholl's work as a Neurosurgeon and Human Rights campaigner, I find some of his requirements for a suitable parliamentary candidate rather strange. His proposed manifesto for the candidate chosen by his group includes the following ( Taken from the ex 'Julie Must Go' group on facebook, now renamed -
Elect Mark Anthony France as Bromsgrove MP!
in a superb coup de main by one of the prospective candidates)
"to be honest and transparent (we could ask for candidates to provide a reference from their current employer with a list of their claims for expenses for the last 2 years
to campaign for a referendum on PR
MPs should sit for a maximum of 3 Parliamentary terms (to encourage normal people in proper jobs to go to Parliament)
to campaign for fixed term Parliaments (again more likely to get normal people to apply, eg in the US, Condolezza Rice went from academia to work for President Bush and has now returned to academia)
to campaign for Ministers who are sworn in by Parliament (this could lead to the kind of system as in the US where people actually know about the subject get to do the job rather than the crazy system we have in the UK, eg the NHS with 1.2 million employees being run by a former postman, Alan Johnson)
that if 5-10% of a given MPs electorate ask them to resign, they do and this generates a by-election."
This was written in May before former Postman Alan Johnson moved to the DWP
This manifesto would give us a Prime Minister and other senior ministers with a maximum of 10 years experience in politics, if we assume they are all picked for the last of their 3 terms.
It would give us a high ranking military man at the ministry of defence (Bang goes the budget for that then)
And instant bye-elections in every marginal seat in the country as 5 -10% of the defeated opposition ask their new MP's to resign.
I will keep you informed