Labour doesn't like dealing with real democracy

MORE column inches in the Northern Echo this morning as Labour politicians and trade unions leaders heap praise on the Bishop of Durham for attacking the British National Party. The story provided another opportunity for my old friend Ken Booth to score some political points.

He said: "I support what the Bishop has said to an extent, the main parties have failed the British people.
"It's the Government's failure that's created the BNP.
"The churches are failing people and the Government is failing people and they're trying to blame the BNP."

The BNP advert in the Hampstead & Highgate Express continues to create a fall out. Today, the Ham & High carries letters from 3 Labour MPs, 47 Labour councillors and trade union leaders attacking the newspaper for carrying the advert. As Corporal Jones might say, "They don't like dealing with real democracy Captain Mainwaring." Interestingly enough the only two contributions from members of the public were in support of the editor's decision.

Of course, one Margaret Dickinson (name & address supplied) who attacked the decision might claim to be just an ordinary member of the public, but the fact that her letter also appears in the Islington Express casts doubt on this.

As I write this blog my sections of my office are disappearing from around me as preparation for our move on Friday gathers momentum. I'm disappointed to be leaving Silloth, the town and the house suit me. Living in this West Cumbria seaside resort has been like taking a step back in time and I've enjoyed every minute of my 4 years here.

Reds lost 0-1 against Burscough last night in a game serving up typical end of season fare. But it was a clear and fine night and amongst our small group on the Popular Side, the craic was good. As always there were little bits of political news floating around and more than one source took great pleasure in telling me about the Labour Party candidate at last May's elections in West Cumbria who was arrested in Workington on Saturday for being drunk and disorderly. The chap was the Times & Star's 'darling' during the weeks in the run-up to polling day with not a critical word ever being written about him. I wonder whether the newspaper will now have the courage to finally come clean about this shocking error of judgement.