Since 1997, doesn't that seem a long time ago, the Labour government have banged on how we were all to be treat fairly. No more privilege for the upper classes. The United Kingdom was to be a meritocracy, or so we were lead to believe. But twelve years later, we have the curious Case of Georgia Gould. For those of you not familiar with the tale of Ms Gould, we shall start at the beginning, with dear old mummy and daddy. Papa is the one and only Lord Gould, a close friend of one Tony Blair, and an apparent chief architect of the rise to power of New Labour. He is also claimed to be the instigator of focus group polling, and continues a close friendship, with amongst others, Alistair Campbell.
So far so good. But just what does a 22 year old graduate of Oxford do with oneself?
Well it just so happens that the MP for Erith & Thamesmead has decided to retire at the next election. This constituency is considered a Labour safe seat, a voting majority of 11,500 at the last election. Now Labour, as is their wont, have decreed that the next candidate for this area will come from an all female list.Screw talent, dedication or worthiness, it has been decided what is called for, at all costs, is a women. But who is this being parachuted in to run for a borough that until this seat came up she had probably never heard of, much less visited? Why it is the bright and shiny Ms Gould. And look at the list of people backing her.Alastair Campbell, the former spin doctor, Baroness McDonagh, the former general secretary of the Labour party, and McDonagh’s sister Siobhain, MP for Mitcham and Morden. Tessa Jowell has even showed to make a speech on her behalf. And if that doesn't seem to be giving the young lassie a huge leg up, the party official responsible for overseeing the nomination process, has been stripped of his duties, and they have been taken over by the good people at Labour HQ. There has even been an investigation into ballot tampering! Mr Mugabe eat your heart out! The thing that strikes me through this whole grubby episode, is just how pompous and morally corrupt this grubby little government has become. We continually here them harp on about granting opportunity for all, whilst lining the nests of their own. If I was a voter in this borough, even a life long Labour voter, I would be outraged.
But the thing that really stands out for in this case, is the candidate herself. The shenanigans mentioned above are a shocking, but hardly surprising. New Labour has been practising this kind of nonsense since the first day Tony walked through the door at number ten. No what really makes my mind boggle is the fact that somebody thinks a a 22 year old student, from a highly privileged background, is qualified to serve as a Member of Parliament. What exactly has this girl done? She is an Oxford graduate, sure, but what exactly does she know of the real world? I would hazard a guess at absolutely nothing. A crisp ten pound note says she isn't sat at home worrying about how she is going to pay of her student loan. I bet there is no shortage of offers of work waiting for her if she does fail to win this seat in Parliament. It is exactly this kind of person who is alienating the general public from politics. No life experience, or grasp of what life is like for the massive majority of people in this country. Yet another career politician, only concerned with their own career path trajectory. It is this kind of complete and utter nonsense that makes you realise just how little democracy there is left. We are being governed by a ruling class who have no interest ion representing the good folk who vote for them, only in the perks of power.
Further reading can found on the following links;
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6169159.ece
