Veteran Labour politician and former government minister Tony McNulty has launched his campaign for nomination as Labour candidate for the Brent Central seat.
McNulty was Minister for London and Minister of State for Employment and Welfare Reform before having to resign over an expenses claim. He was asked to apologise to the House of Commons and repay £13,837. The press drew attention to his perceived hypocrisy over his attack on benefit 'cheats' when he had said:
He is married to Christine Gilbert, Acting Chief Executive of Brent Council, who was herself embroiled in controversy when it was revealed that her Council salary was paid to her own private company. The Council recently extended her position until after the 2014 local election.
McNulty has been out regularly on the 'Labour doorstep' with other Brent Labour Party activists and has now sent this message to Labour Party members:
Meanwhile Lembit Öpik has just confirmed to the Kilburn Times LINK that he intends to seek the Liberal Democrat nomination for Brent Central. Öpik versus McNulty - does this cheer or chill you?
McNulty was Minister for London and Minister of State for Employment and Welfare Reform before having to resign over an expenses claim. He was asked to apologise to the House of Commons and repay £13,837. The press drew attention to his perceived hypocrisy over his attack on benefit 'cheats' when he had said:
Benefit thieves have to understand that they will not get away with it. Working together with local authorities and the police we have a range of powers to investigate and with the support of the public we bring benefit thieves to justice.He lost his Harrow East seat to Bob Blackman at the 2010 General Election.
He is married to Christine Gilbert, Acting Chief Executive of Brent Council, who was herself embroiled in controversy when it was revealed that her Council salary was paid to her own private company. The Council recently extended her position until after the 2014 local election.
McNulty has been out regularly on the 'Labour doorstep' with other Brent Labour Party activists and has now sent this message to Labour Party members:
Dear
Member,
Brent Central is about to embark on its selection of a parliamentary candidate and I have already written to you explaining why I am seeking the privilege of representing you in 2015. You should receive my leaflet in the next day or so. This is a hugely important selection in a seat that is crucial to the return of a Labour government. Brent Central deserves so much more than another Liberal Democrat MP propping up another disastrous Tory-led coalition.
Brent Central is about to embark on its selection of a parliamentary candidate and I have already written to you explaining why I am seeking the privilege of representing you in 2015. You should receive my leaflet in the next day or so. This is a hugely important selection in a seat that is crucial to the return of a Labour government. Brent Central deserves so much more than another Liberal Democrat MP propping up another disastrous Tory-led coalition.
My
passion for the Labour Party is supported by my passion for Brent. I
know Brent well with roots in the area that go back many years. Brent
Central needs a candidate with the knowledge, experience and skill to
be both a local champion and a national voice for our communities. I
believe I have this knowledge, experience and skill. I know I have
the passion, drive and commitment to build a strong and united
constituency team that will defeat the Liberal Democrats. United we
can win and make Brent Central the safe Labour seat it should be.
To
find out more about me and my ideas, please visit
www.tonymcnulty.com.
If you want to read more about my promises to you, then go to
www.tonymcnulty.com/my-pledges.
I
will be in touch soon to find out more about the issues that matter
most to you and the kind of MP needed to ensure a better future for
Brent Central.
My
leaflet should be with you by tomorrow or Wednesday and I would be
delighted if you would respond by contacting me for a personal chat
either by phone or in person. In the meantime, please feel free to
email me at tonyjmcnulty@gmail.com
or call me at any time on (number withheld for privacy by Wembley Matters).
I
look forward to speaking to you over the next few weeks.
With
thanks and best wishes
Meanwhile Lembit Öpik has just confirmed to the Kilburn Times LINK that he intends to seek the Liberal Democrat nomination for Brent Central. Öpik versus McNulty - does this cheer or chill you?
Great report. No criticism of the chancer, just let the facts speak for themselves.
ReplyDeletePassion is great in people. People who TALK about being 'passionate' or 'having a passion' for things, however, should be sent straight back to the audition rooms for 'The Apprentice'.
Given the quality of the prospective candidates so far, I suspect that this is the first stage of an orchestrated 'Bring Back Teather' campaign.
.
Other than saying he's learnt his lesson and will be open and transparent in his future dealings there seems to be no mention of responsibility for helping himself to a large sum of money which he wasn't entitled to. Between him and Dawn Butler the Labour party are hardly a shining light of fiscal probity in this neck of the woods. Anyone know if the £13 was paid back? That might make me feel slightly more willing to forgive.
ReplyDeleteOh how wonderful! I'm so glad he's decided to stand. This is exactly the the type of chap we need more of in Parliament.
ReplyDeleteHe did pay back the £13k
ReplyDeleteCould he have a word with Sir Alan Davies then, please?
DeleteÖpik versus McNulty?
ReplyDeleteThe Cheeky Boys!
I feel moved to refer to the eighth episode of the eighth series of South Park. Anyone else see the analogy?
ReplyDeleteYou get best results from reformed - let give him a chance
ReplyDeleteI agree Anon
DeleteSince Few Of us Have walked the Straight Line from start to finish...However since He was found guilty of cheating, it's a rather delicate issue to focus on
as People will inevitably recall his tainted past and therefore More likely to Accuse him of hypocrisy to say the least?
also the fact that he broke the law and yet avoided a prison sentence screams in justice
since many people have cheated the benefits system for example and were sent to prison.
so That gives the impression of there being one rule for us and another for politicians
which of course would be Totally unjust as that goes against the meaning of democracy.
people don't vote for politicians that Deliberately misuse their privileges as a democratically elected member of parliament.
They vote for them expecting them to Take care of business and Strive to Obey the same Laws They are expected by Law to Obey.
However in the case of Mr Mcnulty it showed that the consequences that come after one has broken the law can be avoided by simply paying back the money and then resigning from the government.
but if it was a member of the public you can be sure that he or she would be looking @ serving time behind bars.
Consider for example the headline news in a well known newspaper this morning, about a couple who have over 10 children and are claiming benefit.
now as far as I know it is not against the law to claim benefit regardless of the amount of children one has.
and yet a big issue is being made in the case of this couple simply cause of the amount of children they have and the amount of money they receive in benefits.
again as far as I know that is not against the Law, but what many MP's and ex MP's did by cheating the expenses system was against the Law and as Far as I know none of them were jailed?
To me that is what should make headline News even though it has long passed
because the people that were democratically elected to serve us
deliberately misused the expenses system to their own advantage even though they know they were not elected to cheat and take advantage when possible.
and yet what wrong has the couple with many children done?
OK it cost tax payers much money to keep that couple but the business that uses tobacco to make a living from causes £6,000,000 preventable deaths every year!
to me that along with the crooked MP'S is what should be printed on every newspaper in Britain.
the pot calling the kettle black comes to my mind for some reason?
ReplyDelete