Friday, April 30, 2010
The long journey of John Marek
Nobody can ever accuse Eleanor Burnham of keeping a low profile but she has exceeded herself this week by persuading former left wing Independent Deputy Presiding Officer and defector to the Tories, John Marek to put a Liberal Democrat banner on his building in the centre of Wrexham.
The Western Mail says that when a complaint was made to the Assembly authorities suggesting that Eleanor could be breaching rules that forbid the display of party political material in office space paid for out of public funds, Dr Marek confirmed that the wall had nothing to do with her but was entirely his responsibility:
Yesterday Dr Marek said: “The complaint was made by Labour, which is a nasty party. I was approached by them [the Lib Dems] some time ago and agreed to let them display the banner.
“Later, the Conservatives asked me if they could put up posters on the wall, but I told them I had already promised the space to the Liberal Democrats.
“The Conservatives could put up a poster on the chimney, but it’s 120ft high and they would need a steeplejack.”
Asked about rumours that he had considered joining the Lib Dems himself, he said: “The Conservatives asked me to join and I did.< “I don’t know what I would have done if the Lib Dems had asked me. “I agree with a lot of their policies like proportional representation and getting out of Iraq.”
Looks like we missed a trick in not asking John Marek to join us. Maybe there is still time.
The Western Mail says that when a complaint was made to the Assembly authorities suggesting that Eleanor could be breaching rules that forbid the display of party political material in office space paid for out of public funds, Dr Marek confirmed that the wall had nothing to do with her but was entirely his responsibility:
Yesterday Dr Marek said: “The complaint was made by Labour, which is a nasty party. I was approached by them [the Lib Dems] some time ago and agreed to let them display the banner.
“Later, the Conservatives asked me if they could put up posters on the wall, but I told them I had already promised the space to the Liberal Democrats.
“The Conservatives could put up a poster on the chimney, but it’s 120ft high and they would need a steeplejack.”
Asked about rumours that he had considered joining the Lib Dems himself, he said: “The Conservatives asked me to join and I did.< “I don’t know what I would have done if the Lib Dems had asked me. “I agree with a lot of their policies like proportional representation and getting out of Iraq.”
Looks like we missed a trick in not asking John Marek to join us. Maybe there is still time.
