Sunday 19 November 2006

UK Muslims have so much to learn from the US

I've just returned from the United States where I learnt more about Muslims in the US. The challenges for the UK Muslim community is to be more committed to Homeland secuirty and protecting the United Kingdom from potential extremists and terrorists.

We have to take pride in our nation and the values of freedom and equality. But the Government has to invest in education, this is the biggest tool to defeat the terrorists and extremists.

This is what i will be campaigning for in our community and in the UK

Sunday 5 November 2006

Veil row: MP is urged to back-track or resign Rochdale Observer

Veil row: MP is urged to back-track or resign

CONTROVERSY ... MP Phil WoolasA MUSLIM youth organisation has called on MP Phil Woolas to withdraw his words or resign over his comments that a classroom assistant should be sacked for wearing a face-concealing niqab veil.

Local government minister Mr Woolas, whose brief includes race relations, stepped into the row surrounding Aishah Azmi who is facing an industrial tribunal after refusing to remove her veil in front of male colleagues.

The move followed complaints that children at Headfield Church of England School, Dewsbury, found her difficult to understand because they could not see her lips move.

AdvertisementMr Woolas – whose Oldham East and Saddleworth constituency includes Milnrow, Newhey and Shaw – caused a stir after telling the Sunday Mirror that the 23-year-old had ‘put herself in a position where she can’t find a job’ and warned that she could be breaking sex discrimination rules.

Mohammed Shafiq, spokesman for the Rochdale-based Ramadhan Foundation, which describes itself as a youth organisation working for peaceful co-existence and dialogue for all communities, is calling for a climb-down from Mr Woolas.

He said: “We are deeply worried at the constant media frenzy against Islam and Muslims in the UK. There is a debate to have on integration and increasing respect for all people in a free society, but this must not be done in this current climate of fear and demonisation.

“It is absurd the government, via Phil Woolas, is passing judgement on individual cases even before the employment tribunal has had the opportunity to pass judgement.

“Ministers must never interfere in the due process of law. For the racial equality minister to make these comments is deeply worrying and patronising. He should withdraw his remarks or he should resign from the government.

“Contrary to belief Muslims are ready for debate, but we cannot allow this obsession with attacking Islam and the way we practise Islam.”

But Mr Woolas remains unrepentant, saying that he was merely exercising his democratic right as a government minister to speak out.

He said: “This was a judgement for the headteacher and she has made it. The woman was offered a compromise of being able to wear the veil in the staff room, but she refused that offer.

“While I have no problem with people wearing what they want, the children’s education is the most important issue at stake.

“Muslim teachers in that school also do not support the wearing of the veil and it’s a big mistake for some people to assume that the Muslim community has a homogenous view.”

Monday 9 October 2006

For once John Prescott is right to defend freedom of choice 10/10/2006



Mr Mohammed Shafiq responds to John Prescott's appearance on BBC Sunday AM where he discussed the wearing of the veil, he is absolutely right that Muslim women should be free to choose how they should dress. This is a major part of a free society if you take this away you are left on the path to a nanny state.

I welcome the Government's reassurance that they do not intend to introduce any legislation to ban the veil in the United Kingdom. I praise those Ministers like Ruth Kelly, Patricia Hewitt, Alan Johnson and Tessa Jowell who have taken the extraordinarily step to speak against a Fellow Cabinet Minister.

Mohammed Shafiq comments:

" Who could believe that John Prescott would stand up for common sense and freedom of choice!! Despite his past problems and the disagreements I have with Government on other issues I am pleased to praise him in his defence of freedom.

Jack Straw and Phil Woolas should be more careful in the future and I suspect they will have a very hard time in the next election. "

Saturday 7 October 2006

This is me on Sky News on 15/09/2006

Jack Straw is wrong on the veil


Jack Straw MP, the UK Cabinet Minister has attacked Muslim women who wear the veil, he says they should remove it permanently, this is article and some comments on the BBC website
Jack Straw's column
IT’S really nice to meet you face-to-face, Mr Straw,’ said this pleasant lady, in a broad Lancashire accent.She had come to my constituency advice bureau with a problem. I smiled back. ‘The chance would be a fine thing,’ I thought to myself but did not say out loud. The lady was wearing the full veil. Her eyes were uncovered but the rest of her face was in cloth.Her husband, a professional man whom I vaguely knew, was with her. She did most of the talking. I got down the detail of the problem, told the lady and her husband that I thought I could sort it out, and we parted amicably.All this was about a year ago. It was not the first time I had conducted an interview with someone in a full veil, but this particular encounter, though very polite and respectful on both sides, got me thinking. In part, this was because of the apparent incongruity between the signals which indicate common bonds – the entirely English accent, the couples’ education (wholly in the UK) – and the fact of the veil. Above all, it was because I felt uncomfortable about talking to someone “face-to-face” who I could not see.So I decided that I wouldn’t just sit there the next time a lady turned up to see me in a full veil, and I haven’t.Now, I always ensure that a female member of my staff is with me. I explain that this is a country built on freedoms. I defend absolutely the right of any woman to wear a headscarf. As for the full veil, wearing it breaks no laws.I go on to say that I think, however, that the conversation would be of greater value if the lady took the covering from her face. Indeed, the value of a meeting, as opposed to a letter or ‘phone call, is so that you can – almost literally – see what the other person means, and not just hear what they say.I thought it may be hard going when I made my request for face-to-face interviews in these circumstances. However, I can’t recall a single occasion when a lady has refused to lift her veil; most seem relieved I have asked.Last Friday was a case in point. The veil came off almost as soon as I opened my mouth. I dealt with the problems the lady had brought to me. We then had an interesting debate about veil wearing. This contained some surprises. It became absolutely clear to me that the husband had played no part in her decision. She had read books and thought about the issue. She felt more comfortable wearing the veil when out. People bothered her less.OK, I said, but did she think that veil wearing was required by the Koran? I was no expert, but many Muslim scholars said that the full veil was not obligatory at all. And women as well as men went head uncovered the whole time when in their Hajj – pilgrimage – in Mecca. The husband chipped in to say that this matter was ‘more cultural than religious’. I said I would reflect on what the lady had said to me. Would she, however, think hard about what I said – in particular about my concern that wearing the full veil was bound to make better, positive relations between the two communities more difficult. It was such a visible statement of separation and of difference.I thought a lot before raising this matter a year ago, and still more before writing this. But if not me, who? My concerns could be misplaced. But I think there is an issue here.
Comments from the BBC News website

Straw comments stir controversy

Debate is going on with the Muslim communitySome Muslim groups have attacked Jack Straw over comments on the veil, although one of the main bodies has expressed understanding.
The Islamic Human Rights Commission said he was selectively discriminating. But the Muslim Council of Britain said Mr Straw's views were understandable.
One Muslim human rights campaigner praised Mr Straw's stance, but a local mosque said it was "insensitive".
Islamic Human Rights Commission chairman Massoud Shadjareh said: "It is astonishing that someone as experienced and senior as Jack Straw does not realise that the job of an elected representative is to represent the interests of the constituency, not to selectively discriminate on the basis of religion."
Mr Shadjareh compared Mr Straw's stance to asking an Orthodox Jew to remove their religious clothing.
At the moment covering the face is a threat because I don't know who is underneath that veil or underneath the whole thing
But Dr Daud Abdullah, of the Muslim Council of Britain, said Mr Straw's views were understandable.

"This veil does cause some discomfort to non-Muslims. One can understand this.
"Even within the Muslim community the scholars have different views on this. There are those who believe it is obligatory for the Muslim woman to cover her face.
"Others say she is not obliged to cover up. It's up to the woman to make the choice.
"Our view is that if it is going to cause discomfort and that can be avoided, then it can be done. The veil over the hair is obligatory."
Oppression symbol
Muslim Labour peer Baroness Uddin said she defended Mr Straw's right to speak on the issue but said his choice to do so had been a mistake.
"He's walked into the latest onslaught on Muslim communities and by citing Muslim women into this arena without doing all the groundwork to make sure that Muslim women are a full part of society.
"The greater British public will support him and I support his right to speak but I think that Muslim women have become the symbol of oppression and of fear."
Muslim human rights campaigner Ahlam Akram said Mr Straw had "hit the nail on the head".
"I stick to the argument that in this insecure world we are living today, I would rather prefer women coming to the UK - or even living in the UK - to respect the culture as well here.
"At the moment covering the face is a threat because I don't know who is underneath that veil or underneath the whole thing."
'Misconceived' comments
The Lancashire Council of Mosques said Mr Straw had "misunderstood" the issue and it was "deeply concerned".
"For such a seasoned and astute politician to make such a comment that has shocked his Muslim constituents seems ill-judged and misconceived.
"We fully support the right of Muslim women to choose to follow this precept of their faith in adopting the full veil, which causes no harm to anyone."
By requesting the removal of veils which cover the face, Mr Straw was denying Muslim constituents proper access to their MP.
Mr Straw has not suggested he would not talk to Muslims who choose to continue wearing the veil through the conversation.

Monday 11 September 2006

Labour in turmoil


The Labour party is in total turmoil, Tony Blair is forced to annouce that he is standing down as leader of the Labour party, the one thing he refused to do.

He is a lame duck Prime Minister, i think he should go now.

Below a report from Nick Robinson, BBC Political Editor, from his blog:

What, said some, was the point of Tony Blair staying in office now that he's said he's going. On this trip to the Middle East he's tried to come up with one answer. He's presented himself, and seems to be accepted, as an envoy promoting Middle East peace. To those who say that's impossible given his support for America and for Israel, Tony Blair replies that's precisely why it is possible. He's offering to use his influence to secure American backing, and an Israeli signature, on any future peace deal. First in the Palestinian territories, then in Lebanon, he was accepted on those terms, despite angry public protests at Britain's role in the war on Lebanon. Cynics will say they remember the prime minister, soon after 9/11, claiming that the kaleidoscope had been shaken, that the world could be remade, starting, he said, with bringing justice to the people of Gaza. His reply is a simple one: You can only keep trying.

Saturday 2 September 2006

David Cameron and the environment

Today the Friends of Earth and the Conservatives called for the Government to introduce a bill in the Queens speech tackling pollution and carbon emissions, this Government has failed to deal with this issue effectively in the past nine years.
What is surprising is that the Conservatives have been silent on this issue for so long and now Dave is in favour, well about time too!!!
The Liberal Democrats look forward to the Conservatives actually announcing some policies on the environment, we are the only party to have consistent policies and records on the environment.
I have been watching David Cameron he is just a new Blair, very big on PR and Spin, no substance, I think since being leader he only has three policies.
In my eyes they still the most bigoted and racist party and that will never change, remember eighteen years of misrule.
However on a positive note I welcome the support from Dave Cameron and hope the Government also be forthcoming with support on this issue, this should be cross party.

Tuesday 29 August 2006

My thoughts on Sir Menzies Campbell visit

This is me with Sir Menzies Campbell MP, the leader of the British Liberal Demcrats at Rochdale Town Hall.

You can watch what my thoughts are by

http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=-5696801154383659990

Monday 28 August 2006

me on BBc news 24




This is me on BBC News 24

Saturday 26 August 2006

Sir Menzies Campbell QC MP in Rochdale (my car!!!)


This is me with Sir Menzies Campbell QC MP, the leader of the Liberal Democrats on his first visit to Rochdale on Friday 25th August 2006.

This was taken at the Town Hall where we celebrated the 100 days of Lib Dem power in Rochdale.

I spent some time with him, drove him this morning to the station for his station.

I've started to change my view of him, he's not that bad.

Tuesday 15 August 2006

Drug campaign on radio


A ROCHDALE community organisation tackling drug problems was the subject of a radio documentary.Ramadhan Foundation were followed by BBC Five Live for six months documenting their 'United Against Drugs' campaign.The Foundation, which also teamed up with Deen4All and Wardleworth for All, have been tackling drugs abuse by talking to drug dealers about the dangers of their activities in the community.They also waged a campaign against prostitution, reducing the number of street workers in the Deeplish area of the town.

Said spokesperson Mohammed Shafiq: "The Radio Five showed the world the other side of Muslims - the community focused people who want to clean the area of drugs and prostitution."Despite receiving death threats from certain people, we feel our campaign has had a big impact in the community."Prostitutes know they are not welcome and will be driven out and therefore we see less of them as well as the drug dealers."

Chairman of Ramadhan Foundation, Muhammad Umar added: "We thank the BBC for giving us the opportunity to show the listeners the work we are doing."

First published by the Asian News

Mohammed Shafiq in the Sunday Times



The ‘hearts and minds’ battle for British Muslims that failed

The government pinned its sights on reform but the taskforce it set up says it has been let down, writes Jon Ungoed-Thomas
In an Oldham mosque Mohammed Shafiq, a worker for an educational foundation, recently stood before the devotees and made a heartfelt plea. Young Muslims, he said, should confront violent extremism in the heart of their community.

This battle, according to Shafiq, starts with an acknowledgment. “We have to recognise that within the Muslim community there is a small number of people who are hellbent on committing mass murder,” he said. “9/11 was not a Jewish conspiracy and Tony Blair was not behind the July 7 attacks. There are people in our community who want to kill innocent people.”

It is a stark message and Shafiq, who works for the Ramadhan Foundation, which aims to improve the education of young Muslims, admits that genuine change in the Muslim community could take a long time.

Saturday 12 August 2006

Just been on BBC News 24!!!



This is me today being interviewed on BBC News 24 about UK foreign policy, I attacked Tony Blair on his double standards when it comes to Muslim lives and countries.

He has brought dishonour to the position of UK Prime Minister, he should go now as Prime Minister.

He has Muslim bloods on his hands.

Friday 11 August 2006

Appearing in the media



This is me appearing on The Agenda programme on the Islam Channel, We had a great discussion about Israel, Lebanon, BLair and Bush's war on Islam and the double standards in UK foreign policy.

My views were very honest about how the Zionists are trying to put this aggression in terms on defending themselves.

How can the people of southern Lebanon and Beirut be held responsible for the actions of the rockets.

We mourn all the Lebanese who have become Martyrs in this conflict, send me your response

Friday 30 June 2006

Shock waves through Labour and the Conservatives


Last night the By election results sent shockwaves through the Labour and Conservatives parties, Labour failed to re gain the Blaenau Gwent seat in south Wales and mainwhile the Conservatives held Bromley and Chislehurst with a reduced majority from 13,342 votes to 633 by the Lib Dems.

Bromley was one of the safest seats in the country for the Tories, if David Cameron can not sustain the results in Bromley he is in serious trouble.

The Lib Dems have ran a positive campaign based on the principles of protecting civil liberties and devolving power to local people. You all know I have no confidence in Ming Campbell leadership, but this result certainly covers over the problems we face at this difficult time. Ming Campbell can honestly say that the council election results are not a test of his leadership he is seriously mistaken.

I am considering the possibility of attacking Ming at this years Party conference, watch this space.

Well done to the By Election team in both Wales and London for such a good campaign, you did us proud!!!!

Monday 22 May 2006

Home Office cocks up again

Theres been a reshuffel in the home office, Tony Mcnulty is replaced by a two week hold minister Liam Byrne, he just arrived two weeks ago.

Foreign criminals are on the lose, we dont know how many, the CRB are giving false record checks to innocent people and the IND officials are offering visas for sex, how worse can it get?

Tony Blair talked about being tough on crime and the causes of crime, in this he has failed, crime has gone up, rape, murder and criminal damage on the rise.

A blind process towards drug dealers, prostitutes in the communities in the UK

Time for New LAbour to admit they got it wrong and replace the home office with anew department, manageble and a fresh start.

Wednesday 17 May 2006

Ming Campbell is on notice


The election results were very bad for the lib Dems, we should have made serious gains against Labour in their heartlands, Ming Campbell has said this was not a test of his leadership well I think it is, he is failing to take the party forward and is struggling against the youthful Blair and Cameron.

In Prime Ministers Questions he is failing to make an impact, I think he has until the Autumn Conference to improve things - if he fails to do this then there is sadly no option but for him to resign, the Liberal Democrats cannot be on a sliding scale down, it is only up we need to go.

Wednesday 10 May 2006

Is this the end of Tony Blair??


The Labour party lost over 300 seats in the recent local elections, Blair sacked the home secretary, Prescott is playing away and its time for an end to the Blair premiership, let me have your thoughts

Saturday 6 May 2006

elections 2006


Last night there was council elections in England, the Liberal Democrats did excellent in Rochdale, we took seats from Labour and held two seats against the Tories. We did however lose Shah Wazir, our Deputy Leader in Central and Falinge.

Can I just pay tribute to him for all the work he did and I know he will be back.

I hope that this is the beginning for the Councillor election myself in 2007, watch this space.

The lib dems did horrendus in this election, consolidation is not the goal, we should be making gains against Labour, God help us!!!!!!!!!!

Is Ming Campbell nearly over before he has began?

Saturday 8 April 2006

Speaking up for the truth

On Tuesday I appeared on the Islam Channel's Week in Parliament programme, I attacked the lack of record of Ming Campbell on Diversity, many of you have said i was very good and honest, I hope people understand why i am doing this!!!!

Ming has to change his view and also understand why we need this change.

Saturday 18 March 2006

Milosevic cheats justice

The burial of Slobodan Milosevic today is puts to rest the most evil man Europe has seen since Hitler at the time of the second world war.

He has cheated justice for the hundreds of thousands of people he has killed in the nineties.

He is rotting in hell and gets what he deserves from God

Thursday 2 March 2006

Ming is Leader!!!!!

It has just been announced that Sir Menzies Campbell has been elected as leader of the Liberal Democrats. Chris Huhne was second and Simon Hughes came third. Whilst you are all aware that I supported Simon Hughes I still believe that the leadership election has put us in a very strong position to challenge for the next election.

I will not deny that I am disappointed that Simon Hughes did not win, I believe that he is one of those people who was the best leader that the party never had. I am glad that Ming has been elected and I look to working with Ming and the team to reach for the sky.

Ming will have to show that he is serious about making the party representative of the community we aspire to lead. I believe it is sick and shameful that we do not have a single Ethnic Minority Member of Parliament, we need action on this now.

But that debate is for the future, today we congratulate Ming and his team especially Maxine!!! And I offer my support to Simon and Chris, you both have great talent and the party is stronger as a result of your work.

Wednesday 1 March 2006

Tonight on DM digital SKY Channel 817

I will be appearing on the Week in Review programme on the Ethnic Minority Sky Channel DM Digital tonight, I will commenting on issues in the news and offering my own blend of comments on the issues in the public eye.

You can find DM Digital on the Sky Satelite TV on Channel 817, all watch and let me have your views on this issue.

Secondly I think it is very worrying about the issues out of the Tessa Jowell saga, we should await until Sir Gus O'Donnell the British Cabinet Secretary reports on the inquiry he has launched.

Monday 27 February 2006

Me on BBC Radio 4 PM

You can listen to me on BBC Radio 4 PM programme by clicking on the link below, I appear on 24 minutes toward the end of the programme.

I appeared and spoke on the recent media coverage on the girls guide reaching out to Ethnic Minority girls.

Let me have your comments

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/noscript.shtml?/radio/aod/radio4_aod.shtml?radio4/pm

Simon Hughes is still best choice

In three days time we will have a new leader for the libdems, I hope it is Simon Hughes as he has the strength and commitment to liberal values to put the party in a stronger position to face the challenges ahead.

Over the six week campaign Simon has shown his amazing knowledge of all areas and strong belief in taking the party forward.

However who ever is elected will have my support and commitment, bring it on David Cameron!!!

Friday 17 February 2006

My views on the week!!!

Tomorrow over 500 000 people will gather in London for a peaceful demonstration the cartoons that were published. This was pure hatred for Islam and Muslims, we must fight these people intellectually and in peaceful ways.

Let there be no defence of this despicable crime and let those people who carried out apologies for the sake of inter community relations.

The second issue I want to touch on is the current allegations against the Rochdale Committee for Islamic Affairs, this was set up recently and claims to be representative and also independent of party politics. This surprises me as the three main figures are active in the Labour Party, they have no Lib Dems or Conservatives on the group and also very selective in the work they carry out and people they have on the committee.

We the real Muslim representatives will shortly gather to begin the process to set up a new Group called Rochdale Muslim Council, it will have representatives from Mosques, community groups, voluntary organisations and individual Muslims in Rochdale. We will intend to show then how it is done. I abhor those that attack me and my party but on my face they are all nice, lets see an end to this.

Watch this space for further news.

Friday 27 January 2006

Lib Dem in disarray!!!!

Having watched in frustation at the way the party is being shredded down to positions that are no longer registering on the political scale. I have honestly stated my views on Simon Hughes on many occasions, I worked with him for some time and felt I knew him well enough, his announcement yesterday came as a shock to me, I was not aware of this and nor do I have a position on his private life. I do however believe that the party seriously needs to get its act together, we have been stuffed by the parliamentary party and they have destroyed any chance of the lib dems getting into Government.

In May thousands of lib dem activists that are the strength and soul of the party will try to salvage something out of this mess, I think it will take us years to do this, I have along with various colleagues considered my position in the party and have reached the conclusion that the fight for the heart of the party is best fought within it, My future is within the party, people have to recongnise that the party and what it stands for is bigger than any one individual.

I will be in Brussels next week and will meet Lib Dem Parliamentarians to discuss how we move forward, there is a lot of work to do and I intend to play my role in that. I will use the Party Conference in Spring to make my views known on the crisis very clear, the party has been hugely damaged on this issue and it will take a lot of action to rectify.

I hope this is the end of the matter and we can get on in debating the real issues, policy and what the party can offer Britain, to build a society that is tolerant and respectful of human rights and diversity, this is what we can achieve together if only we can try.

Next blog will be in one week, I'm off to Brussels now!!!!!!!

Sunday 22 January 2006

Lib Dem in Crisis

Todays news about Mark Oaten is really sad and challenging for the party, he accepts he has done wrong and has resigned as Home Affairs Spokesman, I hope this is the end of it. He needs privacy to deal with it with his family. I hope the media will leave him to it. Politics in the UK is a brutal game and today more people will be turned off coming into politics.

However we now need to have a strong leader, who can bring the party together and look to the future. Simon Hughes has the talent, strength, principles to lead the party towards the challenges ahead, I sincerely hope that the party will make the right choice so we can build for the future.

With Cameron's arrival on the scene, I think we will lose seats to the Tories at the next election, at the last election we achieved over 100 second places where next time we can win, these were all in Labour seats, we do not need to move to the right I think the best direction is to the left of New Labour, this is where we will win seats at the next election.

To that effect it is Simon Hughes who should be best for the leadership.

Wednesday 18 January 2006

Simon Hughes takes the lead

Since launching his leadership campaign last week, Simon Hughes has taken the lead according to various newspaper headlines, here is a selection:

The Mail on Sunday - “Simon Hughes last night appeared unstoppable in the fight for the Lib Dem leadership” “Mr Hughes won rousing applause from the 400 activists”
“Hughes was fluent and at ease”

The Observer “Hughes, the 54 year old party president, has leapfrogged the early frontrunner, Campbell, over the past week”

“Hughes stressed he was not abandoning his commitment to ‘a fairer society’ and to narrowing the gap between rich and poor, which had grown under both Tory and Labour governments.”
“… he remained committed to state-provided health and education for all”

“The test of delivery, he said, had to be what was best for local communities – to whom health, education and other services must ultimately be accountable. ‘There has been a proper appreciation that the public service was too stagnant not responsive enough – too monolitihic said Hughes’”

“Hughes was also keen to address criticism from some of his fellow MPs that while he is popular with grassroots activists, he lacks the organisational and managerial discipline to lead the 21st century Lib Dem party. ‘I know what the weaknesses are’, he retorted, smiling, ‘But cometh the hour, cometh the discipline required.”

“Though recent opinion polls suggested that the next general election could produce a hung parliament, he said that he would not bring the Lib Dems into a coalition government – until they won some form of ‘fairer’, proportional representation. But he would be determined to use ‘our ever-growing influence to ensure our party’s values are reflected in the kind of legislation passed by Parliament’.”

“Mr Hughes is not to be underestimated. He has a great talent for enthusing his party and he’s popular with its members. He is energetic. At party conferences, he seems to speak at more fringe meetings than everyone else put together.
“…he won seven out of 10 of the votes when he was elected as his party’s president”

Monday 16 January

The Guardian“Sir Menzies Campbell… face[s] a strong challenge from the party’s president, Simon Hughes.”
“Many of Sir Menzies’ supporters initially hoped that he could take the leadership unchallenged, and predicted that he would ‘walk it’ in the event of an election.
“But they have been surprised by the efficiency of the campaign run by his main rival, Mr Hughes”
“ ‘It needs to look competent and be competent, and I will only deserve to win if I can show I can be competent in policy – both domestic and foreign – and organisationally, ’Mr Hughes said yesterday.”

The Independent“Mr Hughes is seen by most observers as the only candidate with enough support to be a serious challenge to the party’s acting leader, Sir Menzies Campbell.
“Mr Hughes is thought to be more popular [than Menzies Campbell] among the party members.”

Friday 13 January
The Guardian
“…bookies made Mr Hughes the favourite yesterday thanks to his… slick campaign launch.”
“In a smoothly run event that belied Mr Hughes's disorganised reputation, he set out his ambition to draw on talent from across the party.”

I hope this convinces members to vote for him nowm, speak soon

Monday 9 January 2006

Charles resignation

I just want to wish Charles Kennedy all the best for the future as he goes into the backbenchers, the way he has been treated by his colleagues is disgraceful and those like Ming Campbell, Sarah Teather, David Laws, Vince Cable etc should be ashamed of themselves.

It is time for Simon Hughes to be elected, more soon,

Off the interent at home so will be back soon.