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Thank you Gerry,though I'm still none the wiser in my quest to find out what an actual Champagne Socialist is, from your list it seems that almost any socialist who has more than a subsitence amount of cash may "should" be called one,that seems a bit odd to me but hey ho if doing so makes the would be Tories feel better about themselves then so be it. I say "would be" Tories because I personaly believe it more or less impossible to become one (a Tory) from any other starting point than being born one,yes you can join the party,you can pay the subs,go out leafleting etc. but you wont break into their inner sanctum,just quite useful soldier ants really.    You mentioned Polly Toynbee in your list,she recently wrote in the Guardian ....  "Some themes deep in the heart of Toryism just never go away. Up they pop, over and over. Control the lower orders, stop them breeding, check their spending, castigate their lifestyles. Poking, sneering, moralising and despising is hardwired within Tory DNA." I wonder if that resonates with any members of this Forum,probably not but they'll feel nice and cosy going to Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve...jolly good for them!  Russell Brand....When he first appeared on the scene I struggled to like him but now that he's matured a bit I'm warming slightly towards him,I like his stand on the absolutely diabolical treatment of the residents of the New Era estate at the hands of the investment company Westbrooks,but suspect his call for a revolution (I must read his book) will fall on deaf ears (at the moment).Tony Blair...Well he was a classic case of a would be Tory in all respects except for not being born one,which I'm sure frustrated him no end,it was a classic case of fame and wealth at any price,even being a socialist for a short while,an advocat Tory...the less said the better in my view.PS Gerry I just read you last "They're all flawed imo." They are indeed!

Tony Wood ● 4121d

According to Bell as quoted in the article" ‘Over a number of years, I have had to make a number of decisions regarding my family’s housing situation to enable my wife and I to care for frail and elderly relatives with complex care needs, "Given which, as soon as this story broke Bell could have sat himself down with a sheet of A4 paper and a pen , and spent 10 minutes listing the names and agesof these elederly relatives along with his assuranceon pain or resignation that they'll all be found onthe electoral registers for the said adressesat some point or other.O.K to be fair give him 15 minutes.On second thoughts don't give him any. Any reasonablyintelligent person might have expected the press to get hold of this story sooner or later, and would have had their defence ready prepared.Although the fact that he thought that his "council colleagues" knowing all about it, even if nobody elsedid, made it o.k. speaks for itself.Bell simply shows himself to be as arrogant and naive (as to how they appear) as the Labour Party in general. Who send out Election Addresses from the prospective Labour candidate in the upcoming general election Rupa Huq in envelopes clearly marked on the outside from Labour Central Newcastle.Even the hopeless Lib Dems know better thanthat, when it comes to "local politics".  The least that anyone can reasonably expect of anypolitician is that they can lie or dissimulateconvincingly, if such is necessary, either on behalf of their country, their party, or themselves.Otherwise they're simply seen to be holding thevoters in contempt michael adams   

Michael Adams ● 4126d