Taxing times for Steve McCabe

PUTTING THE BOOT IN TO THE WORKING MAN'S FRIEND

An Open Letter to The Prime Minister's Guardian Angel,
Tamsin Dunwoody Prospective MP for Crewe and Nantwich.

Dear Tammy,

Firstly, I congratulate you for your bravery and generosity, not to mention affection, in standing in for our solitary and morose Prime Minister as well as standing for yourself in representing Old Labour in the by-election taking place later today. We must not forget that he has much on his plate at the moment, like survival and compiling lists of his achievements of the past, and strategic visions for the future.

Forgive me if I am barking up the wrong tree, but it seems likely your name may be connected with the hit song "Tammy" sung by Debbie Reynolds, which later became her signature tune. It appeared in the US music charts in July 1957, some five months before you were born, later reaching #1; and was the title song of the film of the same name.

It tells the tale of a backwoods tomboy (Tammy) who falls for a stranded flyer (Gordon).

As Debbie put it:
"The ole hooty-owl hooty-hoos to the dove,
Tammy…Tammy…Tammy's in love"

The film has been described as a whimsical romance for middle America, which started Hollywood's last series of proletarian family appeal before the family was forsaken'. In fact, this theme is just like New Labour forsaking their traditional grass roots since New Labour came to power..

But I digress. Back to the Crewe and Nantwich by-election.

Now it's all very well embracing the old model of inverted snobbery. But you have to bear in mind the nature of the particular constituency. Crewe is not fertile land suitable for stirring up the soil in this way. The working people here have both good judgment and understanding of the need for cooperation between town and country; between organisations and individuals; the importance of life and work balance; and mutual dependency. Not for nothing is there a 'Nantwich Conservative WorkingMen's Club'.

The breaking news only yesterday of the public disclosure by Conservative supporters of canvassed personal polling data is a serious breach of peoples' privacy. Mr Cameron should disown the culprits, in the same way that he withrew the whip from the MP who employed members of his family and paid them out of his expenses allowance, in effect bringing his political career to an eventual end.

The Labour stunt mocking 'toffs' was a big mistake, which may backfire and concede an own goal. It is not Campaign Manager Steve McCabe's way of doing things. Gordian Knot must be really squirming to authorise these tactics. Others have pointed out that you have 'inherited' the constituency from your mother; and live in a large house with ample land. On this definition you resemble a 'toff'.

To be seen on television laughing at the mockery of your political opponents is unlikely to win you many marks as a sympathetic and empathetic person.

Which brings me to your nearest opponent, historically, in terms of votes.

Edward Timpson is, of course, a descendant of William, the founder of Timpson and Son Limited, which runs a chain of shoe repairers, and was originally set up 143 years ago. It provides employment to 1,600 people. The family has a record of charitable work, most notably in fostering over the years some 80 children, for which his mother was awarded an MBE, presented to her by Prince Charles.

Shoe repairing is a trade which has two particular characteristics.

It is a skilled trade and in consequence the workers are justifiably proud of their talent. This makes for an independence of spirit and a developed sense of fairness.
The business of shoe repairing expanded rapidly a century or so ago, with the growth of employment in manufacturing extractive industries and the need for stout working boots. Typically, workers could afford just one pair of boots, and would visit the boot repairer and wait whilst his boots were repaired. The boot repairer's workshop was, like the hairdressers today, the source of news and gossip in the surrounding villages. The tales often provided a rich source of material for writers and poets, and an informal education in the richness of the English language. Hans Christian Anderson was the son of a boot repairer, albeit not an English speaker.

The skills and communication ability of the people of Crewe and Nantwich mean that they are predisposed to take an independent and informed view of their politics. They regard the shoe repairer as the Working Man's Friend.

They do not take kindly to being treated unfairly and having their longstanding political philosophy meddled with.

Gordon Brown has turned some Old Labour principles on their head; adding 10p to the tax rate of the poor and then giving bigger tax refunds to the better off. And even when it is obvious that his supporters are furious, he digs his heels in, and hangs on to the money in his vaults. He is more like 'The Clenching Fist' than 'The Clunking Fist'!

You are in danger of losing the election because, by not criticising him, you are seen to be supporting Gordon Brown. Your dilemma seems to be whether you want to have a better chance of winning or to be seen to be loyal to Gordon Brown. Of course, if you think you are going to lose anyway, you might as well stay loyal. But if you think you could swing it by being more outspoken (in the Dunwoody tradition), you could become a heroine.

In the bars of Crewe and Nantwich, the people are furious with Labour for the £2.7 billion bribe (a petty £2.50p per head per week one-off bribe); and friendly and polite to the other parties.

What makes it all worse is that Clenching Fist is still guarding his coffers minutely; continues to disguise his true intentions; and, worse, continues to grab more from the pockets of taxpayers.

He keeps on putting the boot in to the working man and woman.

Your mother would not have kept her mouth shut.

A Critical Friend
Transparency