Resigning was the best thing David Marshall ever did for Glasgow East
Fraser Nelson 2:52pmAs soon as David Marshall resigned as Glasgow East’s MP, everyone was looking for the “real” story. Unkind souls say that most MPs stay in office through invalidity so their families can receive the mammoth death-in-service payout (a lump sum of four times their pensionable salary, plus whatever their ill-health pension would have been – details here). Given there are (scandalously) zero requirements made of an MP – you can jet off to Barbados for four years after being elected if you want – it is possible for the infirm to be elected from their hospital beds. So an MP who stands down due to ill health (like Marshall) is, in effect, denying their family this huge lump sum. So should we not salute Marshall for his honest in not indulging in this scam?
Since he quit, the press has smelt a large, whiskered rat and went hunting for it. The Glasgow Herald today reports on some rumours which are about the fifth set I’ve heard. But even if Marshall has been up to no good, I hereby forgive him. In resigning, he has focused Britain’s attention on his seat for three weeks – the sort of place that is normally forgotten. It was a powerful act, and one which has done his constituents a great service by putting them, and their problems, squarely on the map. In this way, resigning was the best thing David Marshall ever did for the East End of Glasgow.
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Comments
Michael Hargrave
July 22nd, 2008 3:22pmFrazer, I can't disagree with you over the headline to your post. What amazes me is that David Marshall's resignation apparently to avoid disclosure of alleged parliamentary sins, was ever likely to bury the story coming out, even though the Labour Party is moving heaven and earth to play down any other than the stated reason for his resignation.
Aidan
July 22nd, 2008 5:12pmI wonder who Ms Curran could possibly be referring to as "sneering Tory commentators deliberately ignoring the improvements of recent years"
Fraser Nelson
July 22nd, 2008 5:48pmAidan, I wonder what she's referring to as the "improvements of recent years" - precious few that I can see. I'd love for someone to ask her how many are on benefits there, bet she has no clue.
David McEwan Hill
July 22nd, 2008 7:21pmThere have been some absolutely abyssmal Labour campaigns in my day but this one beats all. There is no sign of any measurable campaign at all. I cannot imagine how the press has missed this.
Two reasons for this spring to mind.
1)Margaret Curran has many enemies in Scottish Labour. This is true.
2)There is something in the background which has rendered the Labour machine inert.
I will add another possibility. There is no Labour machine anymore. Probably true also.
Silent Hunter
July 22nd, 2008 8:50pmFraser...I would love to know where all this investigative journalism is going on....I have checked the Daily Record site and the Scottish Sun site, both papers likely to be read in Glasgow East (that's not to say that some take the Herald or the Hootsmon, but let's be realistic shall we in an area where half have no qualifications whatsoever) and the Labour sleaze story must be buried under celebretitty pieces or the who's shagging who's girlfriend / boyfriend articles which seem to make up the majority of both 'comics'
If they vote in yet another Labour MP, do they really think she will be any differant to their last Labour MP?
Has she told them yet about their impending workhouse and benefits reforms which Labour have been keeping as a 'nice surprise' for Glasgow, who will have the dubious honour of being one of the pilots for this scheme..........A bit like the Poll Tax was.
If they do vote Labour.....then they might as well all book into the Turkey farm and wait for Christmas to arrive.
Travis Bickle
July 22nd, 2008 10:39pmFraser, be fair mate, what more improvement could there be than a 92 year old man who doesn't look a day over 60?
Tankus
July 23rd, 2008 12:48amDavid McEwan Hill...."I will add another possibility. There is no Labour machine anymore. Probably true also."
Could it be as simple as they are broke ...! not even money in the kitty for ballons ...
eric joyce
July 23rd, 2008 3:57pmOnly someone who's never been to the area would present Shettlestone in the way people have above. There's lots of lovely housing stock, nice gardens and intelligent people. The Tories should know, because they're the only parts they're truly campaigning in - except when David Cameron wants a backdrop for a statement to the nation, when they go to one of the few parts where redevelopment is still ongoing. A good illustration of why the Tories have one seat in Scotland, actually. So there.
David McEwan Hill
July 23rd, 2008 10:04pmI have to agree with Eric Joyce. If that is Eric Joyce MP it will be for the first time. But much of the metropolitan coverage of this election has been patronising at best, deeply offensive at worst. As a Glaswegian I have found it very insulting.
The reason there is no Labour campaign is not lack of money. You don't need money for a visible by election campaign. You need activists. The SNP routinely runs huge by-election campaigns on a shoestring and the generosity of its membership.
Labour activists have melted away. New Labour in Scotland is defunct but not yet declared dead. With any luck a proper Labour Party will re-emerge from the ashes.