IT'S ALL AS PURE AS THE DRIVEN SLUSH!

We're off and running then and already trouble has broken out within Oldham East And Saddleworth Tories. Ex-councillor Chris Shyne has been dropped as candidate for Waterhead in the local elections. He criticised full-time party officials for obstructing a local selection process, and imposing a short-list of candidates. In October, Mr Shyne also criticised the man eventually chosen to be the general election candidate, Manchester barrister Kashif Ali, of acting as candidate before there had been a selection procedure. Whilst not flying any flags for ex-councillors (on the grounds that if they were any good they would have shown it first time around), BB must agree that the constant interference in and  imposition of short-lists by party officials, must stop. This is supposed to be a democratic process by and for the people, not a cabal of  party hacks dividing up the spoils. I wonder how many seats are lost, in a backlash by voters, by candidates who have been imposed on the electorate. From all the reports in the local press, the selection of Kashif Ali is surrounded in a cloud of mystery. The whole election process from selection, through the ballot to the final outcome, must be open and transparent. The situation in Oldham East and Saddleworth seems to fall short of this. Waterhead will now be fought by Edna Wolstenhulme, of Greenfield, a retired business woman formerly involved with the Oldham Victims’ Support Group.  A powerful addition to the massed ranks of numbskull nonentities we are infested with in the running of the town. Chris Shyne wants to  form an independent Tory group.  LET'S FORM THE INDEPENDENT PIGSTICKER PARTY!  RUN THE CHARLATANS OUT OF TOWN!