The Rebirth of Orpington Man?

The Orpington by-election of 1962 was a political milestone. Eric Lubbock over-turned a large Conservative majority, panicking the Conservative government of Harold Macmillan, and the Liberal Party (which had almost died out a decade before) was revitalised. The term ‘Orpington Man’ was coined by the media as they tried to explain what had happened: a new breed of commuting voter who had turned against the Tories, they argued. Actually, there was another equally important factor, namely that the local Conservative association parachuted in a candidate with no local connections, whereas Eric was the local man incarnate. The electors appreciated the difference. It is amazing, therefore, that nearly 40 years later, the Conservatives have done the same thing in Orpington, parachuting in Boris Johnson’s brother, Jo, even though quite a number of qualified local councillors applied for the seat after John Horam’s retirement, as well, I understand, as the rather talented and personable James Cleverly, GLA Member for Bromley and Bexley. More fool them. And good fortune for the Liberal Democrat candidate for Orpington, David McBride, at whose adoption meeting in Orpington Liberal Club Eric Lubbock (now Lord Avebury) and I both spoke this lunchtime.

David has been a local councillor for several years, and grew up in the seat. I was pleased to see he is using the same slogan I used when I fought it in 1987: Orpington Matters! He had had the fillip last night of seeing Orpington turn yellow on the BBC’s swingometre chart following opinion polls after Nick Clegg’s sterling performance on the Leaders’ Debate earlier this week. And he will presumably be even more bucked by the poll in tmorrow’s Mail on Sunday, which puts the LibDems out in front (just!) on 32% nationally, ahead of the Conservatives on 31% and Labour on 28%.

Link: http://davidmcbride.org.uk

The Wit and Wisdom of Phil Willis

The House of Commons will be a duller place when Phil Willis MP stands down at the forthcoming general election. Not only has he been a tremendous local champion for his constituents in Harrogate and Knaresborough, but he has also entertained people up and down the country on the so-called rubber chicken circuit. Orpington Liberal Club, of course, does not do rubber chicken; its catering is renowned among LibDems throughout South East London and North West Kent. So too the quality and quantity of its wines at its periodic Wine, Wit and Wisdom evenings, at one of which Phil Willis starred last night, in support of local PPC David McBride. Even if one of Phil’s jokes was stolen from the late Russell Johnston, it was a bravura performance. One can well see how he managed to command respect at the huge comprehensive of which he used to be Headmaster in Leeds, as well as among the Harrogate ladies who take tea at Betty’s. He was a first-rate Education spokemsan for the Liberal Democrats (a role now filled with a different sort of panache by David Laws), and even if he has got himself in hot water recently in some quarters with his calls to end NHS funding for homeopathic remedies, he is much loved and will be much missed on the green benches.