Another Disaster Brought to You By Chairman Warsi
Jerry Hayes has another go at Sayeeda Warsi and suggests she should be replaced by Michael Fallon.
1 Jan 2012, 14:11
Roger Helmer
On the Richter scale of mind boggling incompetence, a shallowness of judgement that couldn’t drown a flea and the political emotion of a tadpole, Baroness Warsi is a high achiever. But enough of her good points. Because on the day that Team Cameron might just be able to relax over a glass of vintage Cava she has just dragged the Conservative Party unnecessarily into an almighty shit storm which is purely of her own making. As Guido has revealed, Roger Helmer, an MEP of the Mediaeval wing of the Tory party is going back on his pledge to resign as his preferred candidate, Rupert Matthews, is being blocked by her.
Now this may be seen as a fit of pique by Helmer, who is reported to be (not for the first time) frothing at the mouth. And anyway, what right has an MEP have to choose their successors? None. But the problem goes much deeper than CCHQ trying to manipulate the candidates list again, because MEPs don’t just work on another planet, but on another set of rules. For reasons beyond my comprehension, the Tories were conned by Tony Blair into allowing the pernicious list system as the way of “electing” MEPs. It means they have to suck up to their Party rather than their electorate, the worst form of political corruption and power control. And as Rupert Matthews fought the East Midlands as a Tory candidate in 2009 and as he received less votes than Helmer, should Helmer be struck by an Number 11 bus or shot by a Number 10 sniper, as the next on the list he gets the job. It is a daft and undemocratic system, but that is what we have.
If you think Roger Helmer is a controversial, he is a gifted amateur compared to young Matthews. He is a publisher of numerous books from ghosts to UFOs and aliens and teaches a university course on the paranormal. He is also “under investigation” for publishing (that’s what he does), not writing, a book where on the front cover (now sit down for this as it is truly shocking) is a picture of a Golliwog. Good heavens, a capital offence punishable by the last rites given by Harriet Harman. But his real crime is being out of step (well, actually in a parallel universe) with the leadership on Europe. Irritating, annoying and against everything I happen to believe in, but so what? We are meant to live in a democracy (don’t discuss) and love him or hate him Matthews was endorsed by his regional party as a Conservative candidate and was tested by the electorate and did rather well. But not well enough; until now.
For her New Year’s day reading I hope Warsi reads the endorsements given to Matthews in the 2009 European Elections. “Rupert is passionate and articulate about a wide range of issues” said minister, John Hayes. “A credit and an asset and would make an excellent MEP” said Patrick McLouchlin, government Chief Whip. Plus glowing endorsements from former Health Secretary Stephen Dorrell (not exactly a frothing right winger) and Mark Francois now a Whip, then Shadow Minister for Europe. It goes without saying that he had a wonderful review from Linda Knight the East Midlands. So although Matthews may be delightfully eccentric with views on Europe which make both myself and Cameron cringe, he has been clearly democratically endorsed by his party and the electorate.
I suspect that there will be a languid phone call from the PM to the ghastly Warsi politely suggesting that she let sleeping dogs lie and take her popgun off of Helmer’s lawn. If not there will be almighty row about CPHQ jack booting themselves around local Conservative associations and trampling the views of the locals. Parachuting in some well scrubbed Stepford Wife A lister is both anti democratic and politically bloody stupid. And how will our battered bruised MEPs react. The clue is in Dan Hannan’s endorsement in 2009, “Rupert is one of the best MEPs we never had and an energetic patriot.”
The sooner Warsi is despatched to some grand sounding non job the better. And the sooner she is replaced with that able old bruiser Michael Fallon even better. How strange, there appears to be a battle brewing and I will be fighting on the side of Helmer, Hannan and Matthews. Who was it who said “it’s a funny old world?”
The author
Jerry Hayes
Jerry Hayes is a former Conservative MP and leading barrister defending and prosecuting high profile cases
Full profile →
Comments (10)
Subscribe to this posts's comments feed
Don't know who is sadder writing this on New Years day, but here goes....
1) There's nothing wrong with being Euro-sceptic or Euro-realist as I would prefer them termed. Likewise eccentricity is a proud symptom of the individualist ideals this country was once made great in fostering, so I think it is slightly reflective of you to attack the personal rather than political characteristics of Roger Helmer.
2)However, you are quite right with regard the CCHQ yet again preaching one thing about decentralised power, the big society and listening to the electorate, but then ignoring all that if they are unlikely to get what they want.
In a word, all of this could be resolved by the implementation of Open Primaries as standard. The very successful election of Dr Sarah Wollaston in Totnes should have been the beginning of a new politics in this country with MPs finally answerable to the electorate instead of central office.
Perhaps the fact that the good doctor was one who stood proudly representing her constituents wishes in calling for a referendum on Europe is a reason that Cameron and Warsi are instead following the Harriet Harmann school of forced 'equality'. Either way, they are fools for doing so and the electorate will punish them for it.
01/01/2012 14:45Off post, but when I look at Roger Helmer, I'm reminded of Muriel Grey's observation that why would anyone go to the trouble of growing a moustache, when they could just take a pen and write the word 'asshole' on their top lip.
01/01/2012 16:20Actually shaft 120 I wasn't attacking Helmer personally at all. He is a very effective communicator of his brand of conservatism, which doesn't happen to be mine.i suspect this is Warsi going on a frolic of her own. she is the antithesis Thatcher's of Lord Young, she gives problems rather than solutions!
01/01/2012 18:42And now to totally contradict what I've just written, Hugh, that was very funny!!!
I can't help thinking that the position of Tory Chairman should be elected by party members.
02/01/2012 14:08Local Chairmen are elected, CF Chairmen are elected, Regional Chairmen are elected, yet with the National Chairman we have to deal with whoever the Leader appoints, and given that the decisions made by the Chairman can actually be a big deal for local associations this can cause huge hassle if they aren't any good!
Interesting point Rocco. Eric Chalker has been campaigning for this for years. However, the grass roots are always out of step with the leadership of the day, so leaders tend to try to keep the machine to themselves to stop CCHQ being the equivalent of Labour's NEC so there are no mixed messages. Sadly, it doesn't always work like that!
02/01/2012 15:41Jerry, I should have got your email address at the Christmas Speccie dinner - with you on one side and Tom Latchem on the other, it was non-stop provocation :o)
On the above matter, I've got some information which rather exonerates Baroness Warsi. It's all to do with manipulating a woman into Rupert Mathhews' top slot, and CCHQ are not bound by any rules when it comes to candidate selection (whatever the past endorsements). Somebody wants a peerage, and you'll find the necessary clues here:
02/01/2012 17:36http://conservativehome.blogs.com/parliament/2011/11/from-adrian_hilton-camerons-continuing-quest-for-female-candidates.html
Hi Adrian.Mmm personally, I can't think of anything to exonerate Warsi. Anunziatta, who is a friend, was treated despicably by CCHQ she would be a brilliant MP. Get my email off Simon and let's stay in touch. Cheers Jerry
02/01/2012 19:23I understand from a Regional Officer that Matthews was dropped from the list of Approved Conservative Candidates in 2010 and as such is not eligible to stand as a Conservative Candidate any longer.
This is the problem and it is understandable that the Party doesn't want to appoint as Helmer's successor, somebody who may well immediate defect to another party.
The person who came fourth for the Conservatives happens to be a woman.
03/01/2012 07:22John. Very interesting! If this is correct why was there no statement to the effect that Matthews can't be the next MEP as he is not a candidate? It would have put the whole thing to bed immediately.I will do some digging. Thanks for that.
04/01/2012 17:49This is all a bit of a wankfest isn't it? All these obscure people will only become even more obscure if they get elected to the EuroParl - why don't you have a go Jerry, at least that would be fun.
18/01/2012 14:18