Tuesday, October 27, 2009

My role in Sir Michael Lord's downfall?

Meanwhile, in Central Suffolk and North Ipswich (or CSI: Mendlesham as I like to think of it), we'll be getting a new MP at the next election, following Sir Michael Lord's announcement that he will be retiring. Given that he ran to be Speaker earlier this year, one presumes that, at that time, he felt capable of seeing out another term, so the announcement came as a bit of a surprise.

Or not, as the case may be...

A few weeks ago, a colleague who shall remain nameless indicated that a Conservative councillor had told him that Michael Lord would be gone shortly, the expenses scandal providing the motive, and that Tim Passmore, Conservative leader of Mid Suffolk District Council, wanted to be selected. What they wanted to know was, how do you deselect a sitting MP? Luckily, I know how we do this, provided the information, and thought no more about it. And then, suddenly, he was gone.

It seems unlikely, but have I inadvertently played a small part in getting a new MP for the constituency? If it's any consolation, Creeting St Peter was moved from Central Suffolk and North Ipswich to Bury St Edmunds in the last boundary changes, so whilst Sir Michael is my MP now, he wouldn't have been after the next election regardless...

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