Monday, December 9, 2013

The Labour Party selects former MSP Karen Whitefield to be the Candidate for the Falkirk seat at Westminster, Labour thinks her experience will rebuild party base in Falkirk, I don’t think so but it’s their nickel in the jukebox, she will rely on the Labour brand to get elected
















Dear All

The Labour Party has decided to pick former MSP Karen Whitefield as its candidate to become MP.

She served served three terms at Holyrood representing Airdrie and Shotts before losing her seat to the SNP's Alex Neil in 2011.

As part of her platform, she talks about the battle to win back trust.

If you can’t be trusted to uphold the Data Protection Act 1998, then you have a long road to travel.


Ms. Whitefield has blotted her copy book in public office.

Ms Whitefield after winning selection said:

"I am delighted that Labour members in Falkirk have put their faith in me to fight this vital election. We have a hard battle ahead in winning back the trust of the people of Falkirk and it is an opportunity we do not take for granted. I am determined that we will do it by fighting on the issues that matter to these communities."

She added:

"We have a Tory Government that is doing nothing about the cost of living crisis and an SNP Government that wants to use damaging decisions like the bedroom tax to make an argument for independence rather than protecting people. If people put their faith in me, I will always put Falkirk first."

The seat became up for grabs when former Labour MP Eric Joyce got into a spot of bother with alcohol and then fighting with people and then the Police.

Joyce could have been a Minister if he had sailed an even course; however that is all gone now.
  
Johann Lamont, Scottish Labour Leader, said:

"Karen will be a fantastic candidate and a strong voice for the people of these communities. I look forward to campaigning with Karen."

The battle for Falkirk wasn’t a pleasant affair, with allegations of vote rigging flying about the place.

It led to a national scandal.
The Unite union was signing up new party members in an effort to secure preferred candidate Karie Murphy's selection.

Then it all went pear shaped.

Labour's National Executive Council imposed an all-women list of three for the local party to select from, Linda Gow, a Labour Councillor who made the original complaint against Unite, was devastated to find herself frozen out of the process.

Labour hopes the selection of Ms Whitefield will help to close the book on a period of civil war within the local party in Falkirk, I am struggling to see how she fits the bill.

Ms Whitefield added:

"I'll be campaigning for a fairer and more just Scotland. I don't think it is right that we have got a Government that would rather reward millionaires than hard-working families. I don't think it is right that we have got a Government that is more interested in protecting payday loan companies than regulating them. Those are the issues that I will be campaigning on, and I'm sure that the Labour Party will be campaigning with me too. If we campaign on those issues Labour will, and can, win the next general election."

Are there people standing who don’t use the traditional; "I'll be campaigning for a fairer and more just Scotland”?

It is almost a cliché now; then they get into public office and follow the party whip.

Well, she should get elected based on the Labour Party brand rather than her personal qualities.

However the people have the right to choose someone else, and in her case perhaps that would be better with the exception of the SNP drone.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

1 comment:

Grendel said...

I'm informed that Ms Whitefield worked for Unite in the past, and if that is correct, it's a pretty dumb move from the Falkirk labour party.

As my former MSP, I took a keen interest in Bingo Whitefield. She ALWAYS backed the party over the constituency, and was meticulous is her expenses claims, with no amount too small to leave out. I'm sure it will be a relief for her to have the taxpayer paying her newspapers, petrol and electricity again.
The Westminster gravy train is going to need a bigger buffet car if she is elected.