The man who hopes to unseat Harman
Peter Hoskin 4:56pm
The papers have been stuffed with articles recently about the current crop of Tory party candidates – but few have been as readable, or as encouraging, as Rachel Williams' profile of Andy Stranack in today's Guardian. Stranack is the Tory PPC in Camberwell and Peckham – Harriet Harman's seat – and his background is really quite remarkable:
"In 2001, Stranack ignored the concerns of his family ('They thought I was mad'), gave up his £30,000 a year council policy officer job in Croydon, south London, sold his maisonette, and moved to the borough's deprived Monks Hill estate. He stayed there, living on the poverty line and doing church-backed community work, for six years. He only moved – just down the road – because of a threatening call from a local drug dealer.Stranack, 39, is now preparing to do the same on an estate in Peckham. And the hoodie-wearing church worker, who earns just £4,600 a year and relies on disability living allowance to enable him to run a car, is standing in next year's general election as an unlikely Tory prospective parliamentary candidate – up against the leader of the House of Commons, Harriet Harman, in Labour's safest seat in London...
...'Until you've seen [severe poverty], you don't know it,' Stranack says. 'I remember early on going into someone's home and there was a baby crawling round. There were animal faeces on the floor, and no curtains, no carpet. It was a real vivid picture for me. Having come from a fairly middle-class background, I just did not know that this deprivation was going on. I was thinking, "These things don't marry up very well: I'm writing policy and I think things are getting better, but actually it's not having much impact on these people's lives."'
Stranack was happy in his career in local government and says he would have probably become a director of leisure services by now. But he felt there was something more that needed to be done. So he took his 'step of faith' and moved on to the estate, while also undergoing theology training, and set about working out what residents wanted him to provide."
Stranack has been working with Iain Duncan Smith and the Centre for Social Justice for the past few years. His presence as a candidate gives you even more hope that the Tory leadership is taking their "compassionate conservatism" agenda seriously.
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Forlornehope
November 25th, 2009 5:05pm Report this commentThe Tory leadership may well be taking compassionate Conservatism seriously. Reading the comments on Tory blogs, it seems to stick in the throats of most of their members.
Andre
November 25th, 2009 5:11pm Report this commentThe interesting thing here is that Stranack is a Christian. How compatible is that with modern conservative thinking and Cameron's wishy washy thoughts on the subject?
Michael Booth
November 25th, 2009 5:17pm Report this commentSounds like an interesting fella to put against the aristocratic Hatty...all power to his elbow I say. Must say I am impressed to read about a man who consciously decides to 'live the life.'
TrevorsDen
November 25th, 2009 5:21pm Report this commentNo forlorn - it sticks in the throats of the prospective UKIP voters and other assorted loony tunes.
You have no evidence to say they are 'members' - any more than I have. They are voters plain and simple.
Fergus Pickering
November 25th, 2009 5:23pm Report this commentDon't be an arsehole, Andre. Cameron is also a Christian, maybe not your type of Christian, but he is one. Stranack sounds like a splendid man. I'm sure he could be a splendid MP. I doubt he could lead the Conservative party. Cameron is doing that and needs your support otherwise we can lok forward to five more years of Broon & Co. You want that? No, I thought you didn't. As Attlee said (well, more or less) to somebody or other, a period of silence would be appreciated from the likes of you.
Victor Southern
November 25th, 2009 5:40pm Report this commentI didn't know that one had to be of a particular religious persuasion to be a Conservative. That disqualifies me, as I am agnostic, and also many of my friends who are similar irreligious or profess other religions altogether. Is my party still the Church of England at prayer? I don't think so, Andre.
Chuck Unsworth
November 25th, 2009 5:53pm Report this comment@ Andre
Define 'Christian'.
Holly ......
November 25th, 2009 6:26pm Report this commentThou shalt not kill
Thou shalt not steal
Thou shalt not lie
Thou shalt not cheat
Thou shalt not arson
Thou shalt not shirk
Thou shalt not greed
Thou shalt not cheek
Hysteria
November 25th, 2009 6:43pm Report this commentthis guy seems like a wonderful chap - and consistent with a "increased localism/reduce the state" agenda - let's hope for more and more people getting engaged at a local level
emil
November 25th, 2009 6:48pm Report this commentWhat delicious irony if he were to play the "Labour toff" card..........
Draft Crunt
November 25th, 2009 6:55pm Report this commentThis man seems to have experienced the lowest levels of life. That is something that not a single one of the Champagne Socialists in this current Govt have done.
I hope he wins because of his beliefs not because Harpie Hardnose loses because of her attitude.
Alex
November 25th, 2009 7:11pm Report this commentSeems like an ideal MP.
Unfortunately it's a safe Lab seat, and I'm sure some postal votes will ensure this chap doesnt win it.
Andre; don't be a knob.
Andre
November 25th, 2009 7:28pm Report this commentFergus Pickering - such intemperate language, learn a few manners before posting. And sad to say I won't be voting for Cameron. Chuck - my definition would be someone who puts Christ first in their life. Wandering into a church and vaguely thinking it's a nice idea won't do - Christ says as much in the new testament. By no stretch of the imagination can you laud Cameron as a Christian. Brown Cameron, Blair - I see little difference between any of them. The expenses scandal has hit all parties equally. The only way to make a difference is to keep making waves and shouting from the rooftops until we have real choice in British politics. People on these boards say how about UKIP and BNP? That is just odious. There is a whole wealth of judeo-christian morality that needs to be opened up and re-introduced into British politics. So no chance of me shutting up, Ferg - tough world innit?
TGF UKIP
November 25th, 2009 8:43pm Report this commentI just hope that this guy has nothing in his past life he wishes to keep hidden and that someone has put him wise to the smearing and black propaganda that's going to be coming his way. Let's not forget that The Spectator's Parliamentarian of the Year is a truly vicious piece of work.
Chuck Unsworth
November 25th, 2009 9:04pm Report this comment@ Andre
Well, that's a point of view.
bernerlap
November 25th, 2009 10:16pm Report this comment'There was a baby crawling on the floor with animal faeces'. That was not a result of deprivation but sheer idleness.
Being clean costs very little but requires hard work.
I believe that Cameron is right to focus on the broken society but many people live in squalor because they are squalid and draw the rest of the neighbour hood down to their level.
Bringing back old fashioned ideas like responsibility and shame will do more to combat the broken society than believing that because people are deprived because they are too idle to clean up dog s***.
wrinkled weasel
November 25th, 2009 10:24pm Report this commentWell said Andre.
I too had the opportunity, many years ago to visit the invisible people; the miserable estates where the houses were wrecked, re-furbished and wrecked again, where the only functioning thing in the room was a dog and a television and where those with next to nothing had even that taken from them by the local thugs. There, the law does not operate, at least the law we know.
It's a world where, thankfully, most of us don't live and it takes a very special person to choose to live in it.
Harriet Harman went to one of the most expensive public schools in the country. It does not mean she cannot understand, but it does mean she probably suffers from a disproportionate and perverted sense of guilt. And whilst that may mean she gives her name to masochistic and vengeful legislation, it also means she is immune from its consequences. Consequently we are at the mercy of her own "issues", which are not those of recognition, empathy and compassion, but sentimentality, cynicism and revenge against her own class.
Hysteria
November 26th, 2009 1:47am Report this commentbernelap 'There was a baby crawling on the floor with animal faeces'. That was not a result of deprivation but sheer idleness.'
good point
Stewart
November 26th, 2009 4:58am Report this commentHe sounds like a reasonable chap. Let's hope he gets the necessary support from the party to defeat Harriet "you can't spell my last name without 'man' Harman".
Charles
November 26th, 2009 7:18am Report this commentAndre,
I think it is fairly presumptous of you to define what is and is not a Christian. And to define what it is or is not that Cameron does or believes.
Anglicanism - especially the social Anglicanism to which I suspect (but do not know) that Cameron subscribes - is a very quiet, moderate and subtle religion. It's more of a general set of assumptions about the world rather than the need to wear faith on your sleeve in the way that many Evangelicals (or the HTB-Alpha wing of the Anglican Church) do.
Christian faith can be quiet - and complete compatible with Conservatism.
Lady Amelia
November 26th, 2009 7:47am Report this commentcleanliness takes effort and diligence (ok, and cleaning materials). there is no excuse ever for animal waste in a living area. that's not deprivation its sloth.
There are many, many people in the world in desperately poor circumstances who have clean houses, clean children and chean clothes. don't insult anyone's intelligence by confusing sloth with poverty.
Keith
November 26th, 2009 9:10am Report this commentI can never understand stories,like this. If a dog shat on the floor in my house, I'd bloody well clear it up and if I didn't people would think I was a disgusting layabout. Yet when it happens in a council house everyone goes on about "deprivation." I'm sorry but if people want to live in filth that's their own choice and I refuse to feel guilty about it.
Keith
Jen Cook
November 26th, 2009 9:15am Report this commentMichael Booth raises and interesting point. Harperson, prone to playing the Tory Toff card, will be verbally scuppered by this candidate.
I await the results with baited breath!
Andre
November 26th, 2009 9:49am Report this commentCharles, Chuck et al - These are not my definitions of Christianity but those given by the New Testament and for 2,000 years by the historic teachings of the Church. I'm not making this up simply drawing attention to Christianity and urging people to check it out for themselves. It is certainly my opinion that you should do this but the actual truth of the faith is something historic and vibrant and is above my opinion or presumption. My objection to Cameron and indeed Blair and Brown is that when the truths of Christianity conflict with political expediency the faith looses out every time. Don't accept my point of view or clumsy definitions go and check it out yourself. I read to day David Suchet saw the light by reading St Paul's epistle to the Romans - that's a good place to start, Romans and then John's gospel. Again this might be construed as an opinion but God doesn't have to use middle men - and is perfectly capable of communicating with us direct. The texts I've mentioned are free and in modern translation on the internet. Read them. 'Know the truth and the truth shall set you free' God bless you - Fergus too.
2trueblue
November 26th, 2009 12:47pm Report this commentAndre, it does not give anyone the right to judge another persons commitment to any particular belief.
On the Harman issue, it would be great if the challenge proves successful, and playing the Labour Toff card...fantastic. Our present government have little experience of poverty and themselves comes from fairly comfortable backgrounds. They have spent the past 12yrs failing to make people responsible for themselves. They have not simplified the benefit system to enable people to get back to work, whihc is where effort and money over the short term would make it better for all. They have also tried to secularise this country.
I like to see how people behave rather than their words.
spent the years trying to secularise this country. Ou
Tiberius
November 26th, 2009 12:47pm Report this comment"Christ says as much in the new testament".
Andre, can you give book, chapter and verse where this is referred to?
I do agree with those who seek to differentiate bone-idleness from social injustice.
Andy Carpark
November 26th, 2009 1:42pm Report this commentA plastic dogturd can be very useful when parked on a chair to speed tedious and long-winded house guests on their way. Should they require extra encouragement, get one of your old retainers to totter ceremonially over to them with one on a silver plate.
David Ossitt
November 26th, 2009 4:19pm Report this commentHe sounds like a very good man and a worthy candidate.
I hope with all of my heart that he unseats the horrible Harriet Harman.
By the bye; who is this chap 'Andre'? seems to be a bit of a prat.
Andy
November 26th, 2009 4:29pm Report this commentI agree with those posters who say that leaving faeces, animal or not, on the floor is not deprivation but idleness. It doesn't cost anything other than effort to clean it up and wash the area, although detergent and disinfectant would be a good idea. I doubt whoever it was was short of the money for cleaning materials. Rather s/he spent it on other things.
Andre
November 26th, 2009 4:35pm Report this commentTiberius - see Revelation 3 vs 15-18 - in fact the first six chapters of Rev are dealing with the fledgling church - and much of what is discussed is relevant to us today. See also James 1 vs 6-8. Most important for the half hearted is Luke 13 vs 22-27 - perhaps the most spine chilling utterance of God in the New Testament
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