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.
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- You couldn’t make it up: Ottaway’s latest exes claim
- Inside Croydon: Zero increase in our subscription charges since 2010.
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