I got a curious email yesterday from my friend James Evans, who runs Hustings.com: “Why don’t you stand as an independent at the general election? Never will be a better time for independents, you know the media and even with any new rules cld probably earn enough as an MP.”
I’m not sure I’m the man to do it, but as sure as eggs are eggs someone will emerge as the Martin Bell of this crisis. My first thought was: Paul Staines, aka Guido Fawkes. I immediately dispatched an email: “Why don’t you change your name to Guy Fawkes by deed poll and stand as an independent at the next General Election? Ideally, in the constituency of some prominent trougher with a very slim majority. You might even get elected …”
His response was: “Good idea. Why don’t you?”
My reason for not leaping at this chance is that I wouldn’t relish the prospect of the press going through my finances with a fine-toothed comb — though I will point out that I was the subject of an inquiry by the Inland Revenue last year (selected at random) and passed that test.
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