"I will not defect," says Labour peer
The Labour peer Lord Ahmed strenuously denied to me tonight rumours which have been circulating at Westminster for several weeks that he is about to defect to the Conservatives.
"I'm not going anywhere," he told me. "I would never leave the Labour Party. I've been a member of the Labour Party for 32 years, and may this continue for another 32."
Lord Ahmed says the rumours have been fuelled "over the last three years" by a Labour minister whom he describes as a "sad loser".
Lord Ahmed would be a significant catch for David Cameron, who has been notably unsuccessful in attracting high-level recruits from the Labour Party.
It is being suggested at Westminster that Lord Ahmed may be enticed into joining the Conservatives by his friend Baroness (Sayeeda) Warsi, who was appointed to David Cameron's Shadow Cabinet last summer as the party spokesman on communities, and given a peerage.
Ahmed and Warsi, who are both Muslims, went on a joint mission to Sudan last September to bring back the teacher Gillian Gibbons who had been imprisoned for allowing her class to call a teddy-bear Mohammed.
"It is complete nonsense," Ahmed insists. "I have known Sayeeda Warsi and her father and mother for a long time. There is no way Sayeeda Warsi or David Cameron could get me to join the Conservative Party."
Lord Ahmed says, however, that he does intend to join the Conservatives in the Lords in opposing the government's legislation to allow terrorist suspects to be detained for up to 42 days.
I'm Michael Crick, and I'm Newsnight's political editor. My guiding rule is that in any story there's usually something the politicians would prefer the world not to know. My job is to find that out. Follow me on
Comment number 1.
At 21st Jun 2008, Brian Tomkinson wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 2.
At 21st Jun 2008, brossen99 wrote:Malcolm Wicks latest " green energy push " would appear to have " Corporate Nazi " written right through it like a stick of Blackpool Rock. Apparently it involves forcing people to take out a loan to fit solar panels, a windmill ore something else likely to run in to thousands. Its just a shot at promoting false economic growth like all the other schemes based on the eco-fascist quasi-religion. As usual the only beneficiaries are the stock market parasites.
I suspect that Tory plans differ little, except that they may expect fools to use a rigged market.
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At 24th Jun 2008, Brian Tomkinson wrote:How long do I have to wait for the e-mail explaining why my earlier e-mail was not posted, as stated in the ´óÏó´«Ã½ moderation rules? If I don't receive one, I shall have to assume that you sensor e-mails which include even polite criticism of the way Mr Crick performs as political editor of Newsnight.
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