Relax, that’s Benn, not Blair.
Yes the Grand Old Man of the Labour left has said he wants to stand for the new Kensington seat at the next general election after ‘retiring’ from his Chesterfield berth in 2001. Six years of daytime telly has clearly taken its toll.
When Benn stood down, he quipped that he was off to spend more time with his politics. He personified the “new politics” (that phrase again!) where being in Parliament was not the be all and end all to a political life.
This volte face simply reinforces the “old politics” view that all that matters in public life is parking one’s saggy old derriere on the green leather benches.
To put it bluntly, he’s in danger to countermanding his own, principled stand.
If he does end up on the ballot paper, then we will apparently see three generations of the Wedgewood-Benns standing for Labour.
Sonny Hilary continues to toil as environment secretary.
Now granddaughter, Emily, has been selected for the somewhat-less-than-a-socialist-bastion of East Worthing and Shoreham.
Only problem is that she is seventeen.
Now, I don’t particularly mind voting for a ‘mature’ candidate, but I’m buggered if I would demean the process by voting for a slip of a kid. Not WCH being po-faced you understand; it’s just a silly trivialising of public office. Also has an unfortunate dynastic pretension.
Anyway, back to the old boy...
As a fully-fledged National Institution his move to re-enter the Gentlemen’s Club is a sad change of heart, even if the seat is a no-hoper.
If need be, the members of Kensington CLP should save him from himself!
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