Khunanup
Lib Dem
Portsmouth Liberal Democrats
Posts: 11,516
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Post by Khunanup on Mar 21, 2021 12:48:11 GMT
It's a bit difficult to take too seriously someone who managed to turn one of our longest standing seats into a defeat in 2010 from which we've not been able to recover. I make it that there were only three worse results in 2010 (Hartlepool which was by election unwind presumably, Orpington and Edinburgh West). Given his regular appearances in the press etc, it seems difficult to avoid the conclusion that the people of Montgomery had just got fed up with being represented by Lembit Opik Used to know him a bit. Another of those oversized egos that politics tends to attract. "No publicity is bad publicity" might have been a phrase tattooed somewhere. But also quite personable with some good intentions (my main contact was through a charity). I would sense that he's been looking for some attention - his life since 2010 has been bitty with episodes of media exposure. I've said on this site before that when he was an MP I found I almost always aligned with his positions & values. Opik is however an enormous tool, and having met him on a number of occasions it was clear that while our values might align for him, when it came down to it, he would put himself first before any values he had (and bring a nobody would never do). He's nowhere near as far out from the core of the party as he thinks he is, indeed it clearly shows how utterly divorced from the membership he is if he thinks he is. Oh, and as for those who regard Liberalism as a pick & mix rather than an all encompassing political philosophy on this thread you'll forgive me for regarding you trying to define what Liberalism is and how it relates to my party as blind men scrabbling around in the dark.
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Post by casualobserver on Mar 21, 2021 16:50:39 GMT
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Post by owainsutton on Mar 21, 2021 18:37:59 GMT
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Post by tonygreaves on Mar 21, 2021 22:53:37 GMT
"was once touted as a Lib Dem leadership contender." Well, by Lembit Opik - and if I remember rightly by Mark Oaten. They deserved each other then and they would deserve each other now. Anyway if Opik has finally abandoned the party all I say is "good riddance to bad rubbish".
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Post by curiousliberal on Mar 22, 2021 22:48:53 GMT
More likely because he's a grifter and the whole Asgardian Parliament thing wasn't generating enough attention anymore.
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ColinJ
Labour
Living in the Past
Posts: 1,961
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Post by ColinJ on Mar 23, 2021 23:08:30 GMT
Keith Crout, Stanborough ward, Watford BC, Lib Dem to Independent.
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Post by Pete Whitehead on Mar 24, 2021 7:03:52 GMT
Keith Crout, Stanborough ward, Watford BC, Lib Dem to Independent. Any reason known? His seat is not up this May so I guess it is not the usual deselection induced defection
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ColinJ
Labour
Living in the Past
Posts: 1,961
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Post by ColinJ on Mar 24, 2021 7:42:35 GMT
Keith Crout, Stanborough ward, Watford BC, Lib Dem to Independent. Any reason known? His seat is not up this May so I guess it is not the usual deselection induced defection Sorry, no idea. I just saw it on Watford's councillor web page. Perhaps a story will appear in the Watford Observer in due course; if so, I'll provide a link.
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ColinJ
Labour
Living in the Past
Posts: 1,961
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Post by ColinJ on Mar 24, 2021 9:06:02 GMT
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Post by Davıd Boothroyd on Mar 24, 2021 17:43:44 GMT
Tosh McDonald (Town ward, Doncaster) leaving Labour. Not a huge surprise.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Mar 24, 2021 19:15:53 GMT
Tosh McDonald (Town ward, Doncaster) leaving Labour. Not a huge surprise. That's good news !! Edit: maybe not so much - he's just not standing in May, but staying in the party
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Post by syorkssocialist on Mar 24, 2021 19:19:49 GMT
Tosh McDonald (Town ward, Doncaster) leaving Labour. Not a huge surprise. That's good news !! Edit: maybe not so much - he's just not standing in May, but staying in the party He announced that he would not be standing again way back in December, and we have had new Labour candidates in place for the Town ward for some months now.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Mar 24, 2021 19:21:20 GMT
That's good news !! Edit: maybe not so much - he's just not standing in May, but staying in the party He announced that he would not be standing again way back in December, and we have had new Labour candidates in place for the Town ward for some months now. Cheers, not sure why this has hit the headlines now ?
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ColinJ
Labour
Living in the Past
Posts: 1,961
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Post by ColinJ on Mar 24, 2021 20:19:21 GMT
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Post by Davıd Boothroyd on Mar 24, 2021 20:20:54 GMT
And just like the last time I expect he will retain the Labour whip so shouldn't be in this thread.
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Post by finsobruce on Mar 24, 2021 20:24:41 GMT
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Post by Merseymike on Mar 24, 2021 20:30:39 GMT
Really don't know why some want to stay in the Labour party anyway
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timmullen1
Labour
Closing account as BossMan declines to respond to messages seeking support.
Posts: 11,823
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Post by timmullen1 on Mar 24, 2021 20:39:24 GMT
And just like the last time I expect he will retain the Labour whip so shouldn't be in this thread. Seems he’s not retaining the Whip; the article says he will serve as an Independent whilst the investigation is carried out. I don’t know if London has different rules but this retaining the Whip whilst under administrative suspension has never been the case here.
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Post by Davıd Boothroyd on Mar 25, 2021 13:17:46 GMT
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Post by syorkssocialist on Mar 25, 2021 19:09:30 GMT
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