Nicholas Barrett

On the 5th of November the shadow immigration minister, Phil Woolas was stripped of his status as an MP.  The constituency he won the right to represent (Oldham East and Saddleworth) in the election will now go back to the polls.  Why?  Because Phil Woolas released publications lying about another candidate. In doing so he broke section 106 of the Representation of the People act 1983. 

That’s interesting, so its illegal to publish documents lying about political candidates.  Well what about if the candidate you are lying about is yourself?  Back in April and May Nick Clegg toured the universities of England posing with this deceptive document. 

It says “I pledge to vote against any increase in (university tuition) fees.”  He is now planning to perform a u-turn visable from space by increasing fees to £9000 a year.

Phil Woolas has now been thrown out of the labour party and will probably never grace the green benches of parliament ever again.  Why is it unforgivable to lie about your opponent but OK to lie about yourself.  Surely if we extend the moral precedent of Oldham East and Saddleworth to the rest of the country then Nick Clegg should have to seek re-election in his (heavily student populated) seat in Sheffield.