An interesting letter in the Hounslow Chronicle from one Gloria Shortt of Brentford caught my eye on Thursday. It read as follows:
"I write to you in regard to several newspaper articles published in the national press recently.
"These stories are about our MP, Ann Keen's, expenses. At first glance the stories appear to be saying that Ann Keen has been cheating, and claiming things which are not entitled to her.
"However, if you read the entire article and dig around you can finally see that she has broken no rules and has done nothing wrong.
"I see it as shameful that an MP's good name can be dragged through the mud when they have actually broken no rules.
"I know for a fact that her office deals with a huge amount of casework throughout the entire year and I can't imagine an MP being able to work harder for her constituents.
"Gloria Shortt
Ealing Road
Brentford."
This letter had a familiar ring to it, so I dug out a copy of the Hounslow & Brentford Times from May 30th, which included the following letter from Sue Sampson, herself an active Labour Party member from Isleworth:
"I write to you in regard to several newspaper articles published in the national press recently.
"These stories are about our MP, Ann Keen's, expenses. At first glance the stories appear to be saying that Ann Keen has been cheating, and claiming things which are not entitled to her.
"However, if you read the entire article and dig around you can finally see that she has broken no rules and has done nothing wrong.
"I see it as shameful that an MP's good name can be dragged through the mud when they have actually broken no rules.
"I know for a fact that her office deals with a huge amount of casework throughout the entire year and I can't imagine an MP being able to work harder for her constituents.
"Sue Sampson
Woodstock Avenue
Isleworth."
Apparently the use of activists to provide false grassroots feedback is known as "astroturfing". How appropriate is it that a discredited synthetic football pitch should lend its name to the underhand practices of such a thoroughly discredited and synthetic MP as the one who purports to represent the people of Brentford & Isleworth?
8 comments:
This is truly unbelievable. They really are in trouble, aren't they?
Regardless of its true authorship, wasn't it poorly written ?
Hard to believe anyone older than about 12 was responsible
According to a post on ChiswickW4.com a letter was written in by Labour leader Jagdish Sharma which was also very similar and "probably used the same template". Can't the Keens even trust the leader of their party to write his own letter?
The Sampson/Shortt letters are obviously the same, but I wouldn't credit Sharma's letter as originating from the same template.
His effort is remarkably similar to Lois Crooke's.
SHOCK HORROR - Labour know how to write more than one letter !
Wonderful fun & games on Vanessa Feltz's BBC London Radio show this morning.
She spoke to John Taylor to get his side of the story, but guess what ?
Her Ladyship was unavailable for comment.
The host revealed that they had been calling her office regularly since 7am and tried several times yesterday.
After getting no response whatsoever initially, a spokesman eventually issued a rather lame statement on her behalf.
Needless to say, the invitation for her to speak live on air was predictably declined.
Here we go again folks, another mix & match composite letter from the local Labour spin factory in this weeks Chronicle.
Sue 'I slashed Phil's majority' Sampson presents a piece clearly indebted to earlier works by the old master himself - the savage savant of Southall.
Same subject matters, same words and phrases the influence is unmistakable.
Furthermore as it appears that 'Slasher Sampson' could be standing for election yet again, no doubt she'll be delving into his extensive back catalogue whenever she feels her campaign needs a boost.
Quick Robin, more of your old crap needed pronto !
Mr Andrews, you mischievous imp !
Your ambiguous reference to that "good letter in the Chronicle" appeared to completely fox the master.
He seemed to assume you were praising the piece by ex-councillor Murphy and you chose not to correct him.
A shameless demonstration of cruel reticence and cold-hearted detachment, more typical of the red team rather than the ICG.
That's the spirit, you've definitely got my vote next May !
I've just looked at this weeks Chronicle and they've done it again - talk about flogging a dead horse !
Just a few weeks after Sue Sampson 'borrowed' uncle Robin's potted history of Ivybridge to regale readers of the letters page, Manria Kaur presents the same material for the same purpose.
Do you suppose Sue & Manria are two of his legendary girlfriends ?
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