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| Stuart Bell |
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| Written by Gordon Prentice | |||
| Thursday, 08 September 2011 16:34 | |||
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We learn today that Middlesbrough’s veteran Labour MP, Stuart Bell, allegedly, hasn’t held a constituency surgery for 14 years. His home, apparently, doubles up as his office. Not long after he gave up on the tiresome business of holding constituency surgeries he was slagging off Tony Blair, his next door neighbour, for doing a disappearing act in Sedgefield. Here is what I wrote way back then, when the New Labour dawn had just broken. Wednesday 21 January 1998
….In the evening, I am in the Members Dining Room with Peter Pike, John Home Robertson and Stuart Bell. All critical of Blair - no feel for the Labour Party. Bell explains that his job as a church commissioner did not come through the Prime Minister. He had been approached by the church directly. Bell says Blair has it easy in his constituency – “no leftist lecturers” as it is largely rural with scattering of villages. He says Blair had astutely told the Party there when he was selected that he would practise on the Northern Circuit and live in the constituency. Blair bought a house and appointed an agent - then lived in London. Bell tells us he entered the House at the same time as Blair but Blair had made little impression. He never spoke at PLP meetings and was never seen in the bars, tea-room or dining room. He was genuinely surprised at how far Blair had got. 
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| Last Updated on Thursday, 08 September 2011 18:37 |