As some cynics thought our Sarah has taken up the first opportunity to spend less time worrying about constituency matters by becoming Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to a guy called Tarquin or is it Tristram? After all why get down and dirty with the Rotherham Labour Group more than one must.
Oh that’s right, it’s Tristram Hunt; Shadow Education Secretary. Tristram’s recent appointment is part of Ed Miliband’s policy to win over the South by showing that the Labour Party too can place public schoolboys with posh name in ministerial posts.
Sarah, it is alleged has friends in high places to smooth her Parliamentary way, with names such as David Blunkett being among those cited. Certainly her progress has been fast and smooth for someone with no known political history or even experience.
In fact she’s short of any kind of history, despite questions from her Labour Party chums what we know about her remains very thin.
Theories abound, one is that she is to the manor born and of good elitist Labour heritage or friendship
Another is she has Jewish forbears – the names “Sarah Deborah” are the giveaway – to have one Jewish surname could be an accident to have two is careless, unless of course one is Jewish
For the majority of us of no consequence, but given the pro-Palestinian views of many younger Muslims and the backdrop of her defeating a Muslim candidate there is a chance that she has been advised to keep stumm.
Oh, just had a horrible thought, oh please don’t let Akhtar be holding that one over her. He would make her pay.
However back to the main item.
Being a PPS is essentially an upmarket dogsbody post that while unpaid is traditionally the starting point for those ambitious for a Ministerial appointment. It involves brown nosing ones way around parliament saying how good their Minster is & getting information about said minsters popularity.
Demanding in time and charm, but not exactly focused on the needs of one’s constituents.
It is interesting that given her self description as “not at all a career politician” in a very short time she haszero’s in to tick two of the boxes essential for career progress – many old Parliamentary hacks will be jealous.
Her good fortune lies in having a constituency with no social problems, run away financial success, unemployment too low to mention, brilliant health and education services, a super green cityscape, tolerant people and no crime. A place where the sun always shines.
Otherwise how could she possibly find the time to be a Parliamentarian, an unpaid PPS, sit on several committees with little relevance to Rotherham and commute the hour each way from her nice home in a leafy and rich part of Derbyshire on constituency days.
Oh yes, nearly forgot looks like she doesn’t intend having a permanent place to rest her head in Rotherham. Can’t blame her really, don’t think I’d like Akhtar knowing where I spent the night.
Wil
Rotherham Politics 
Wil
“Another is she has Jewish forebears – the names “Sarah Deborah” are the giveaway “.
… and there was me thinking she was just a part-Chinese Essex girl! If she is part Jewish as well, that must make her close to being multi-culturalism personified.
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I dont understand one thing will.
why is she a private secretary that is really making me sick, people are unhappy as she spending taxman money in employing a private secretary for this bloke, this is pathetic she should never do such a thing, it is wrong, why is people supporting such a person, also I have never seen her in Rotherham since she has been elected, does this lady represent the people of Rotherham as a constituency, her face has been in hiding since been elected as an MP for Rotherham.
she has not motioned any lobbying in parliament, does this lady every represent the people of Rotherham, She has not done any work in Rotherham since been elected.
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My experience of Sarah is that she has been very responsive to all the issues that I have raised with her.
The fact that she isn’t tied into the Rotherham Labour Party isn’t a bad thing for Rotherham; although I can imagine that it doesn’t go down too well with those who control the selection of local Labour candidates.
Rotherham Local Lad – as for the role of Parliamentary Private Secretary that she has taken on – she doesn’t get paid for this. It is an unpaid role supporting Ed Milliband’s front bench team. This role might divert some of Sarah’s time away from Rotherham, but it will give her more influence over the Labour Party’s policies on education, which can be bad for Rotherham. As for not seeing Sarah in Rotherham, me thinks you need to get out more 🙂
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Andrew, as I said.
“Her good fortune lies in having a constituency with no social problems, run away financial success, unemployment too low to mention, brilliant health and education services, a super green cityscape, tolerant people and no crime. A place where the sun always shines”.
Or don’t you get the sarcasm?
I know Parliament very well, and if you think that shadow PPS have influence then you are either misinformed or disingenuous; even full PPs are still dogsbodies, never mind shadows.
Being PPS is solely about personal progress and my fear is that when Rotherham is facing some fairly stiff challenges our MP had decided to reduce her commitment to us.
In a few years time then great. go for the glittering awards. But doing so so soon, while so inexperienced and when the town is so needy is a betrayal of what she said when first elected. You must remember that we have already paid the price for ambition outstripping integrity in the form of Denis MacShane. We’ve paid out tithe to the LP greasy pole.
When elected she said “I am proud and grateful to be the MP for Rotherham. I will always work extremely hard to put Rotherham first.”
It is bull.
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Will,
Your sarcasm was well and truly noted.
The point of my post was to reply to Rotherham Local Lad’s comments about tax payers money – PPSs aren’t paid extra.
I also have a some experience of the workings of the House of Commons, and am fully aware that the PPS role is mainly a bag carrying role, running around after their Minister or shadow, getting other MPs to put down ‘inspired questions’. They also sit in on strategic meetings, and have some influence over policy. It also shows that they are part of the inner circle, which can lead to influence. However, this is double-edged, as they are expected to follow the Whip at all times, and this makes them less likely to rock the boat.
On the general role of MPs and climbing the greasy role, this is what most of them want to do. There are honourable exceptions, such as John Mann in Bassetlaw, who is an exceptional constituency MP. But most fancy their chances as Ministers, or even PM. Sarah’s first step up the pole has been rapid, and I suspect her background as a non-professional politician might have helped her with this. There are far too many on the front bench of all the main parties who are Oxbridge PPE graduates, who then went straight into non-jobs as lobbyist, MP researchers (Cameron and Milliband come to mind). It is good that someone who has experience of managing a hospice, and dealing with people in the most difficult of circumstances, is making their way towards the Labour front bench.
Sarah’s predecessor’s main interest was Euro and foreign affairs – this kept him away from Rotherham and his various jaunts. Looking at the issues that Sarah has raised in Parliament, these have been domestic issues, so I’ve no doubt that she is far more grounded in the issues that affect Rotherham people than Mr MacShane ever was.
By the way, I’m not a Labour Party member.
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“she is far more grounded in the issues that affect Rotherham people than Mr MacShane ever was.”
This does not include involvement in making any attempts to answer mine and other people’s queries as to why RMBC is run as a fiefdom for the benefit of corrupt councillors.
Or why she has not made any public announcements concerning the roles of Wright, Kimber, Stone and Thacker in the CSE scandal. Forget parliamentary privilege, it is time she made her position clear; She either supports RMBC or justice.
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Quote: “Another is she has Jewish forbears – the names “Sarah Deborah” are the giveaway – to have one Jewish surname could be an accident to have two is careless, unless of course one is Jewish.”
And the point is? So have I, And er ermm I have Jewish family roots too. Why is it careless or unfortunate for Sarah Champion (or me) to have names that have Hebrew origins? I expect this from Akhtar and his motley crew and other Anti Semitic factions like the the RMBC senior management, Respect, the EDL and BNP – but not RothPol? Totally unnecessary to point this out; in fact bordering Acktaresque .
Please look at my name – Sally derived from Sarah – Hebrew. The name Sarah is a Hebrew baby name meaning Princess. In the Bible, Sarah was the wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac. Taylor – first mentioned in Scottish records to circa 1276.
This particular a Caledonian Jewess is quite offended by this statement. I am shocked – as to date a well managed and worthwhile site as sunk to this. Must do better.
SKT
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
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Well said SKT.
I echo your sentiments.
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Rothpol accepts your admonishment for publishing Wil Ewart’s opinion piece.
As you have yourself discovered, Rothpol does not censor genuine opinions, even if critical, or not quite PC.
Rothpol still believes it was right to publish Wil’s piece, although, I do take your point seriously. On the rare occasion that editing is necessary it is usually for legal reasons only.
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My apologies & I hope you accept there was ot intended ant-semitism, merely a play on a phrase spoken by Lady Bracknell in a play by Oscar Wilde “To lose one parent, Mr Worthing, may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness.”
Whatever the good intention, please again accept my apolgies for some clumsy language in what was intended as light hearted; most definitely no anti-semitism is felt or intended.
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Wil
“given the pro-Palestinian views of many younger Muslims and the backdrop of her defeating a Muslim candidate there is a chance that she has been advised to keep stumm.”
In fact and reality the person she defeated was this lady: http://www.sophy4gloucester.co.uk/about-sophy/
Ms Sophy Gardner really does have a track record that would appeal to “younger Muslims”.
Btw – as I am sure you are aware, you don’t have to be “younger Muslim” to be “pro-Palestinian”. This elderly English-white atheist is, as are many of my Israeli-jewish friends and acquaintances.
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Elvira mistress of darkness n prince disaster lol great combo of doom !
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Just realised that the “greasy pole” isn’t Denis MacShane…
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“The Greasy Pole” is the eleventh episode of the BBC comedy series Yes Minister and was first broadcast 16 March 1981. In this episode, the final ‘ Yes Minister ‘ is uttered by Bernard Woolley.
The episode’s title is an allusion to a famous quotation by Benjamin Disraeli: “I have climbed to the top of the greasy pole”.
In Disraeli’s case, it referred to achieving high political office while being of Jewish parentage.”
Benjamin Disraeli was the first (and to date, only) British Prime Minister of Jewish birth.
Wikipedia
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apologies accepted all xxxxxxxx
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