Romantic lot, Croydon Tories…

It says “Where Croydon Counts” on the back-drop at the 2010 General Election declaration, yet these two couldn’t count when it came to submitting correct election expenses accounts: agent Ian Parker with Gavin Barwell
Inside Croydon has reported on Ian Parker in the past. The local councillor for Coulsdon West doubles up as a Conservative party election agent – he was the fall-guy with a High Court judge when both Richard Ottaway and Gavin Barwell failed to file proper election expenses accounts in 2010.
Tory MPs and questionable expenses? Shurely shome mishtake? It was all Parker’s fault, apparently, who was “horrified” to discover he had made the mistake…
Parker must be a useful “secret” agent, though, because Croydon’s Conservatives can’t find anyone suitable to replace or work alongside him – one willing volunteer, who was sent off on courses to become a party agent, was found to be singularly unsuitable. And the local Tories don’t usually set the bar very high, either.
Otherwise, Parker’s a pretty low-profile figure. But to judge from a posting tonight on the local party’s website, he may also have leanings towards being an old-fashioned Tory party misogynist. Or just exceptionally poor judgement:
“I was in trouble on Thursday for not taking my wife out for Valentine’s Day. Made up for it today. We delivered newsletters around Coulsdon. I tried to make it as romantic as possible but my wife wasn’t over impressed. I fail to understand women. That’s the last time I’ll work so hard at trying to please her.”
Classy.
- 1.85%: Croydon in a Pickles over Council Tax hike
- You couldn’t make it up: Ottaway’s latest exes claim
- Inside Croydon: Zero increase in our subscription charges since 2010.
- Post your comments on this article below. If you have a news story about life in or around Croydon, a residents’ or business association or local event, please email us with full details at inside.croydon@btinternet.com
Related articles
- Getting trollied: Croydon’s uncharitable councillors (insidecroydon.com)
- Tory Twitter ‘lemmings’ backfire with Eastleigh byelection message (guardian.co.uk)
- Bust-up in Commons Tea Room between Tory MPs as gay marriage rift threatens to tear party apart (dailymail.co.uk)
Lighten up. Don’t you recognise humour?
If it is meant to be humour, then why isn’t it funny?
It is 2013. Bernard Manning died in 2007.
This is quite obviously irony.
You know perfectly well that this comment was intended as irony. Stop being disingenuous. I subscribed to this blog for an independent journalistic voice on local issues, not tabloid muck-slinging. You just lost a reader.
You need to go and find the true meaning of irony.
The posting on the official Croydon Conservatives website was neither ironic nor was it funny.
It was an example of profound misjudgement. Just another example of what the people of Croydon have had to endure since they elected this latest mob.
And besides, it gave us another opportunity to remind our loyal reader of Parker’s involvement in Ottaway and Barwell’s expenses “error”.
And when you say “subscribe”, Andy, do please remind us: exactly how much have you paid for your subscription?
If it wasnt for incidents like this one might forget that writing jokes and telling them involves skill.
Why do all our politicians want to be comedians anyway?
If they want to try maybe they should learn their trade.
Would Mr Parker like an open spot?
Pingback: Two female leaders do not make the Conservatives feminist – leftgreen70