Memo from Phil Woolas to Labour MPs

MEMO

From: Phil Woolas
To: Labour Party MPs

Dear colleague,

Thanks for speaking up about how outrageous it is for the courts to oust someone elected by the public with a surprise ruling that sets an awful legal precedent for what was a spur of the moment decision people made during the election.

As the media are building up a welcome interest in the number of MPs who share your views and mine, I have prepared the following brief notes to help you avoid any snarky questions from journalists on this topic.

DON’T say it’s awful for someone the public elected to be ousted from office – else the journo may bring up the number of times you and I voted for standards boards rules that allow councillors to be ousted from office for a wide range of offences.

DON’T say it’s awful for the courts to oust an MP – or some hack who thinks they are smarter than they really are may bring up the number of times you and I voted for new elections and finances offences which you can be convicted of and so booted out from office.

DON’T say that it’s a surprise ruling – it’d be just your bad luck for the journalist to know about the Miranda Grell case a couple of years back (she was only a mere councillor – as if what happens to them should matter to MPs – but bet the journo pretends otherwise!).

DON’T say the ruling sets an awful precedent – or some smart alec reporter may notice there’s no new interpretation of the law in the ruling and that the precedents cited have been around for decades. Ming Campbell’s old enough to get away with saying a law from 1895 is new – but probably not you or I!!

DON’T say the ruling was about a spur of the moment decision in case a Michael Crick wannabe asks how long it took for the diary to be forged or how many times I and my campaign team emailed each other.

FINALLY remember, if you were an MP elected in 1983 or earlier you voted for this bloody legislation in the first place. So you owe me a drink – but don’t let the media interview you!

Hope you find those tips useful. Otherwise keep up the good work how showing how outrageous it is for the courts to oust someone elected by the public with a surprise ruling that sets an awful legal precedent for what was a spur of the moment decision people made during the election.

Best wishes,

Phil