July 13: Tory MP Reckless contrite but will he face more trouble with party bosses?
Comments |
The Rochester and Strood
Conservative MP Mark Reckless has apologised but I suspect
his contrition won't be the end of an unfortunate episode which has
seen him roundly castigated for falling over inebriated at
Wetminster and missing a vote on the budget.
I imagine that the Whips have had a stern word and his card has
been marked - again. I get the feeling that there are one or two
Conservatives who feel he has got his come-uppance, especially as
he made it quite plain on being nominated for the seat that he
would have no compunction about voting against the leadership if he
felt he should. This kind of maverick spirit goes down extremely
well with party members but is generally frowned upon by the
party's managers.
There remains the issue of whether he will get referred to the
party's Standards Board, which investigates allegations that MPs
and members have acted in a way that brings the party into
disrepute.
I see that the Kent Police Authority has issued
a statement saying the matter is not relevant to his membership of
the authority "in this instance" which is an interesting
phrase.
It seems his constituency association is being rther
lily-livered about the affair and has declined to say anything
about the matter.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
There's no real surprise that the government has moved to
reassure Kent's grammar schools that they will be permitted to
maintain their selective admissions should they become
academies.
But I hear there are growing concerns over some of the plans for
the 'older' style academies that Michael Gove, the
education secretary, has placed a question mark over.
The eight in Kent over which there are doubts were all promised
new buildings but those plans have been scrubbed out. This is said
to be concerning sponsors, who committed themselves to projects on
the strength of these commitments. Might we see some walking away
if these commitments are reneged on?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Teleporters coming to County Hall? A joke but the new managing
director of KCC Katherine Kerswell is a
self-declared Star Trek aficionado. Perhaps KCC's new slogan should
be that it is the authority that boldly goes where no-one else
does.
Tuesday, July 13 2010
The KM Group does not moderate comments.
Please click here for our house rules.