THE current Parliament is dying in disgrace as the expenses scandal rumbles on. The public are demanding fresh faces and a fresh approach when the election comes.
Therefore, members of the current Parliament like Walton’s Peter Kilfoyle should be very careful before dismissing his party’s choice in Wavertree as a “student politician”.
Luciana Berger is 28, not 18, and has already worked for the Commission for Racial Equality, the NHS Confederation and a leading firm of management consultants.
If she wins, and it is a big if after Mr Kilfoyle’s damaging criticism, she will be part of one of the biggest turnovers of MPs Parliament has seen. How comfortable the “old guard” will be in the new House of Commons alongside the new members remains to be seen. It won’t be the old boys’ club any more, that’s for sure.
I found Phil Redmond’s comments in the LDP on this selection more interesting than the chunterings of Peter Kilfoyle. Referring to the choice of Shaun Woodward of Witney in St Helens and Stephen Twigg (the former Enfield MP) in West Derby, Phil asks how would the voters down south react to Scousers being selected as their MPs?
Well, it does happen, Phil! This small selection may lack a little street cred in Toxteth, but they are all Liverpool-born. Nadine Dorries, whose dad was a bus driver, represents Mid-Bedfordshire and Edwina Curry sat for South Derbyshire.
We must not forget the most famous Scouse politician of all, William Ewart Gladstone. At various times the people of Newark, Greenwich, South Lancashire and Midlothian all benefited from the excellent representation only a Liverpool-born politician can bring.
Another point is that some of our leading local politicians show a reluctance to enter the Parliamentary fray. For instance, the current Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Mike Storey, believes that he can best serve local people here, rather than at Westminster.
I AM pleased to see the Tories are at least reviewing their plan to scrap the Northwest Development Agency. The organisation’s good work extends far beyond economic regeneration.
On Friday, along with Merseyside businesswoman Esther McVey, I had the pleasure of hosting the NW Women in Business Awards, backed by the NWDA.
It was a good night for Merseyside female entrepreneurs. A cattery with a difference won runner-up slot in the Business Start-up category. The Bowring Park Cattery and Small Animal Hotel has 14 chalets and five VIC (Very Important Cat) suites located in landscaped gardens. Proprietor Victoria Corcoran told us she gets 94% repeat business. I should think some people will be skipping the holiday and staying with the cats!
Merseyside took both prizes in the Young Entrepreneur category, with Lucy Byrne as runner-up. Her Dot-Art company makes local art available to people at affordable prices. The winner was Anna Heyes, of the emerging Liverpool-based Marketing and PR agency, Profile.
Both these ladies were under 30, like Luciana Berger!
