While I realise that some people find my pursuit of Lord Kinnock entirely reprehensible, I find it hard to give a stuff. Many observers applaud his Lordship’s commitment to democracy, but democracy is both qualitative and quantitative in nature.
One quantity the Prime Minister is quite correctly trying to reduce is the number of expenses-abusing hangers-on Members of Parliament. His target from the outset of this ersatz ‘reform’ saga has been a reduction by 50 constituencies.
But it seems that peers led by the veteran trougher Kinnock have been trying to act as the saviours of these constituencies. Lord Windbag’s henchmen in this high endeavour are that paragon of bulimic obesity John Prescott, and the man successfully fingered by The Slog in 2009 as the author of the phrase “Just pat at all orn expinses”, former Deputy Labour Chief Whip Tommy ‘Fingers’ McAvoy.
Lord Prescott of Jag-Shags and Lord McMafia of Glazzgi have fought a lengthy rearguard battle in the Lords. Prescott is acting out of pure gerrymandering desire to save safe Labour seats, while McAvoy is perhaps more swayed by envelopes – we cannot tell for sure.
But when it comes to the motives of pink-windbag player Lord Ginger, tongues are wagging to the effect that 50 constituencies lost mean at least 50 fewer vote-counting machine sales.Hence his opposition.
This seems to me a wholly unjustified slight at Lord Bedwellmade’s expense, and should be scotched by all those of good heart. Rather, it seems to me, one should judge a man by the company he keeps – and leave it at that.
The Slog 