TUVITIS
Saturday, November 7, 2009 at 09:22PM 
Well then, been away earlier today at the Traditional Unionist Voice Party conference. I had been invited there as a guest.
Packed venue in Belfast with several hundred people there.
I thought it was a very professionally run event and had several highlights.
My one-time political eminence grise, Robert McCartney QC was the guest speaker.
His topic was the Educational chaos caused by the IRA/Sinn Fein Education Minister Caitriona Ruane aka The Ruanator. Bob gave an interesting and lengthy analysis of the folly of the deconstruction of selective education.
As some may know, Bob came from a very humble background, one of eight kids, and through hard work and study he got himself a place in a Grammar School, then to University, and then into the Law. As some may know, he became one of Northern Ireland's leading lawyers and it was nice to see him again.
Bob, like the TUV, believes that the retention of academic based selection is in the best interests of all children and disdains the malignant policies of IRA/Sinn Fein/Labour in this regard.
First time he and I have been in the same room in a few years now but we did not talk. Some things do not change.
The highlight however, was TUV Leader Jim Allister's speech. Jim gave a sweeping and incisive analysis of the current and future political scene. He exposed the unspeakable hypocrisy of the DUP, he outlined the difference the TUV can make within not just Unionism but the very future of Northern Ireland politics. Jim is a powerful orator, with a sense of humour, and the audience really responded to his comments. In a local political world of minnows, Jim is a shark.
There was a good line in his speech concerning our current First Minister Peter Robinson visiting the doctor to establish what was wrong with the DUP. Could it be Swine Flu, perhaps, given how noses have been stuck in the trough? Nope. It is in fact TUVITIS - a condition that is lethal to terrorists in government.
Unionism is alive and well and the TUV keeps the flag flying in my view. There is a sense of righteous indignation which drives these people and it is one that has driven me for years. They despise the failure of the main Unionist Parties to stand up to terrorists in government. The DUP betrayal in 2007 is a particular sore and it is obvious that the DUP has lost a significant number of core supporters because of their duplicity under Chuckle Brother Number One and now Robbo.
If I were an incumbent DUP MP or MLA, I would start looking for fresh career opportunities.
The TUV are already a force in local politics and they are not going away. They offer a fresh alternative to the roll-over rancid greed of the DUP. They have some great young and upcoming talent. They also have an energy that I have not encountered for many years and those who write them off will eat their words.
All in all - a great day out. Their day is coming.....principled unionism has a voice.
Northern Ireland., TUV 
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Reader Comments (47)
David
Did you have a chat with Jim? If not, will you?
Peter
Yes, I did.
David, I was able to share your kind words of encouragement with one of the soldiers wounded in the attack, and he grinned from ear to ear. Glad you had a good day.
Charles - That is GREAT news and it has made my day. God bless them all.
And yes, I did have a good day.
"As some may know, Bob came from a very humble background"
Anyone who's familiar with Bob McCartney will know that fact David. Bob pushes the 'working class Shankill kid done good and transformed into the world's most intelligent man' line more than wee Jeff lashes out the three magic letters.
"First time he and I have been in the same room in a few years now but we did not talk"
Honestly was'nt aware that the relationship was frosty.
"The TUV are already a force in local politics and they are not going away"
How many of their councillors have legitimately won their seat on a TUV ticket?
"Jim is a powerful orator, with a sense of humour"
LOL, good one. Please David, now I know you're pulling our legs!!
Hi David
Great to see you today (well I guess it was yesterday now :) ). Thanks for saying hello and for attending. Glad you enjoyed it.
But I guess pulling legs is better than kneecapping them, which is what Sinn Fein/IRA were so proficient at, eh?
Paul
I agree re Bob and the working class line but I think US readers may not know that.
If you knew Jim better, you might revise your view on humour.
If you knew Jim better, you might revise your view on humour.
We don't need to know Jim better though, do we? Thats up to Jim to make himself and his humour known to the people. Thats his fault not ours if we 'fail to understand' his humour, or see the funny side of it. If he can't put himself out there now, he won't ever do it, and so far all we know is that he is carping at the DUP more recently due to losing his seat to Dodds. My god if she could take it from him, what chance did he ever have.
The next election won't be a replay of the last American election, where God threw Obama a soft ball and said here kid catch this, thats not going to happen for Jim or his cronies. The next election will be a tough one for unionism, with their vote split three ways, and Jim is one of those ways. If SF top the poll, the TUV will be partly to blame, then the brown stuff will really hit the fan for them, it may even obliterate them altogether - if we're lucky. Obnoxious bunch of bigoted parasites that they are.
G,
I take it you will be voting TUV then?
The "cronies" are the DUP appeasers who have betrayed the electorate and will suffer as a result; the "bigoted parasites" are the gangsters in IRA/Sinn Fein who are unfit to be in government.
The day of reckoning is coming. The fall of the house of Trimble was one thing - the fall of the house of Paisley quite another.
If the IRA top the poll, McGuinness will become First Minister. Why? Because of a change to the Belfast Agreement negotiated into being at St Andrew's by Mr Robinson. So the person that would carry the can for such an event would be the man who brought about a situation were vermin like McGuinness can get to such a position - leaving aside the not so inconsequential matter of the dysfunctional that vote for the IRA.
What a load of nonsense David. Did they feed that stuff to you yesterday? A pep talk for any folk from unionism who may be needed to put their shoulder to the TUV wheel? The house of Paisley has already fallen and is almost gone, or hadn't you noticed? The DUP as far as I can see have done their best to rid themselves from the Paisleys and while not yet completely rid, I wouldn't go dancing about for joy thinking the Paisley house is about to fall,since there isn't much left to fall, or the men in white coats will surely come a calling at your front door, dragging you kicking and screaming into their little white van.
The DUP haven't 'betrayed' their electorate, only the diehards, and that is NOT the reason the shinners will top the poll. If McGuinness gets to be FM, thats due to a split vote, of which Jim is a party. The changes to the agreement at ST Andrews will be the catalyst to push SF into first position? Nay, thats down to a split vote, pure and simple. Jim knows it, you know it, and so does Bob McCartney, who tried six times to get into the very assembly the TUV are supposedly against.
The TUV are no threat to the DUPers dominance in any case, not in an election in which there could be a pissing competition between the two sides rather than bread and butter issues, which is so characteristic of this place. Pity, unionists could really do some good at the elections if they voted for the new link up with the UUP, which after all is your 'natural home', according to your book.
I take it you will be voting TUV then?
Doubt it ;-) I'll vote for a party that I see engaging in 'realpolitics' not sectarian pissing competitions, if I can find one that is.
A great day! Good review David, glad you could attend.
I see that you're getting a wee bit of a badgering over at Slugger re the conference David.
True enough, if I knew Jolly Jimbo better I might change may views on his humor and if I knew Pete Robbo or Nigel 'Homer Simpson' Dodds better I may also think that they were quare craic but I don't. I didn’t know Hitler either but according to those that did apparently he loved children and dogs.
The fact of the matter is that Jolly Jimbo's public image has something of an undead creature of the night appearance about it, devoid of humor or personality.
G is also correct, if what you say regarding the TUV's growing support is true it will fragment the unionist vote in the next Assembly elections ensuring SF are the largest party in the N.I. state.
Now to my question: How many of the TUV’s seventeen councilors won their seat on a TUV ticket?
Andrew McCann: If you wish use your boorishly trite comments to engage in debate with me on ATW then at least have the balls to extend the same opportunity to others and open up the comments when you howl at the moon on your own threads Until that happens you can piss off back to your self imposed echo chamber safe in the knowledge that no one can criticize you abusive diatribes.
Until then please don’t waste your time responding to my comments. This is my last comment on the matter.
"'howl at the moon'
Bogsiders in Londonderry have been doing that every January since 1972. I am not interested in debating with republicans. I want republicanism defeated, not engaged verbally.
Think of my posts as a form of antibiotic. They keep out republican bacteria. I hope this 'non-response' reaches its intended target."
Andrew McCann
Joel
Thanks - and you spoke very well.
G,
I trust Mr Robinson takes your advice, it will help him lose even more seats. I am indeed conservative minded - however Mr Cameron is not and so I see no contradiction in suggesting that "traditional" unionism is indeed much more conservative than plastic spineless Cameronism. I would happily argue the case for Conservatism and if any local UUP/Con would care to take me on they know how to find me.
PS I'm going put you down as "undecided" when it comes to TUV fortunes :-)
I really enjoyed Bob Mc Cartney's pieces in the BT on the academic selection issue ( apart from his sectarian ranting). He has good ideas on education.
I find it absolutely hysterical though that he has faced the electorate time and time again, and time and time again, been rejected.
I wonder, had Bob and others succeeded in getting elected, and inserting their snouts in the trough, how vocal they would be now?
As a vocal opponent of SF, I must say, they are playing a blinder here. The longer and more ferocious the P&J debate continues, the more Unionism will fracture, thanks in the most part to the TUV. ( Divide and Conquer is the lesson).
David, will you be re-entering the political arena and contesting elections again, this time with the TUV?
LOL you are fun to debate with but I'm far from undecided when it comes to the TUV. I simply love those guys. They bring comic theatre to an otherwise dull local politics, even repeat shows like Bob have their value. I wish it had been an open event yesterday, instead of an 'invited' audience, are they afraid of the public? They remind me of a secret society, a sort of local BNP, suspicious of outsiders and distrusting of everybody. They give nationalism everything they ask for, something to bait the DUPers with, a split unionist vote, and the deliverance of Martin as first minister, and by the time the election rolls around policing and justice will have been devolved, and Jim will be howling at the moon. The TUV are not conservatives, just a few local lads with the odd lass, meeting with like minded idiots.
I am indeed conservative minded
Then remember the advice given to Ophelia, to thine own self be true. It isn't Cameron that is rotten in the state of Denmark.
No amount of DUP - Dundela spin or bullying of the electorate by their double,triple or quadruple jobbing politicians will convince the unionist community to give them another chance to fool them with empty promises. The UU are also dead in the water for they too operate the impotent Assembly system and have handed over control to the Conservatives for thirty pieces of silver. The TUV simply need to attract more civic society unionists to the ranks and get shod of the extremist caricature represented by reactionaries and hangers-on within the ranks. Yesterday's conference delivered, albeit through Robert McCartney, a policy framework on education. It is more than can be said of the DUP,UU/Conservatives and the PUP. The relative lack of media coverage is a reliable measure of the TUV's impending threat to the mandatory coalition model.
Jim Allister admitted that McCartney was correct in his warnings. Can you David? If anti-agreement unionists are to make progress commensurate with their grass-root support they must unite in purpose.
Pinky,
Where is this so called sectarian attack in Bob McCartney's Belfast Telegraph articles? Are you unable to comprehend that in pointing out the Catholic Church's agenda to remove academic selection it is they who are sectarian since they ignore the pluralist option and seek to impose their world view upon everyone. If the Catholic community and parents support the Church they can have comprehensive education but it both sectarian and fascist to impose it upon the entire state.
"I find it absolutely hysterical though that he has faced the electorate time and time again, and time and time again, been rejected"
I found it halarious when he lost his Assembly seat and gave a speech thanking the electorate of north Down for "releasing him from the responsibilities and pressures of representing them"
In terms of the TUV conference the Newsletter reports the JJ was expecting 200 delegates. Where was it held?
Een though JJ lost his seat to Dozy Diane and AFAIR only one of their seventeen councillors took the seat on a TUV ticket the TUV do indeed have their value in politics - thanks to them Coco the Clown will be The Assembly's next FM.
Are there any plans afoot for you to engage with the TUV in a more official capacity David?
Paul
I reckon 250 ish - the room was so packed I had to sit in the little middle aisle. Park Avenue.
Pinky,
But is good on Education. He and I split for the reasons I detail in the book and I don't regret separating from him. But I respect his stance.
G,
Good quote from Shakespeare and good advice for anyone. Here's another;
“Mine honor is my life; both grow in one; Take honor from me, and my life is done.”
Stephen E,
Absolutely, Bob is spot on. Indeed I have argued the same myself for years - the objective of radical egalitarians (Labour) and Sinn Fein/IRA ideologues is the same - destroy our education system by removing selection. Bob and I may no longer speak to each other but we speak the same language. All of us who oppose the wicked BA must unite, simple as that. We need to learn from the lesson about a house divided and this time round, I think we will.
Park Avenue Hotel?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1TtnLthWSo
Is that you clapping and shouting DV:-)
If only...
If what you say is true re the DUP Stephen how come the TUV leader lost his Euro seat to a lightweight like dodds?
"The UU are also dead in the water for they too operate the impotent Assembly system and have handed over control to the Conservatives for thirty pieces of silver"
And not operating the Assembly and triggering Direct Rule, [or, shock horror!!, Joint Soveriegnity], won't be handing over power to the Conservatives?
"The TUV simply need to attract more civic society unionists to the ranks and get shod of the extremist caricature represented by reactionaries and hangers-on within the ranks"
The sole reason for the existence of the TUV is to give those extremist reactionaries somewhere to go.
"The relative lack of media coverage is a reliable measure of the TUV's impending threat to the mandatory coalition model"
Rubbish! both the Newsletter and BBC covered the conference. Not too bad regarding media coverage of a fringe party with a membership equivalent to that of the Workers Party
Regarding the Transfer Test. Why would unionists, if they are UK integrtionists, want an academic selection test retained in the N.I. state when it does'nt exist in Britain?
Paul.
Permit me to address the issues you raise, though I trust Stephen will also respond;
Jim Allister lost his seat to the DUP - the party with the full media weight and financial might of being the largest political party in the Assembly and the largest unionist party at Stormont. Miss Doods won by coming in under quota care of TUV transfers. Do you think the DUP were happy about this "victory" for the lovely Diane? Really? Suggest you have a chat with some Dupes to set you straight on that one.
Not operating mandatory power enforcement is not necessarily the route to Direct Rule, it is the route to good government through voluntarily power sharing- just like on every other country in the western world, including the Irish Republic. Joint Sovereignty is a tiresome and busted flush, means nothing, just a straw-man Republican like to use under the delusion it frightens us unionists.
What was the size of the Worker's Party vote?
I thought media coverage seemed ok, btw.
Academic selection does exist in the rest of the UK. Comprehensive edcuation does too - and it is a failure. So we choose the successful model, not the failed model.
Here's the deal - the DUP are going to humbled, again. And in the place of that rotten corrupted assembly of fools, something new will rise up.
Paul Mc Mahon
If you had listened to Bob Mccartney's speech you would have picked up the fact that the 164 grammar schools in England (yes Paul they use the 11-plus to select pupils) account for the equivalent number of A and B grades at A Level as produced by 1500 comprehensives. It is the Cameron/Gove Conservatives that don't want academic selection or grammar schools. They purged the party of support for this policy in Blackpool two years ago in favour of city academies. The academies results are in some instances worse than the comps they replaced. Yet another example of political parties that cannot connect with the grassroot opinion. Demand for grammar school places in England has grown rapidly recently no doubt fuelled by the recession.
I believe that the TUV represents an Anti-Belfast Agreement/Mandatory Coalition viewpoint. Many unionists DUPed in the past will not repeat the same mistake. As Jim said yesterday, "Roll on the elections".
Who am I supposed to blame for Sinn Fein's Martin McGuiness becoming First Minister:
(a) The Party who negotiated change to allow such an event
(b) A party that opposes it, and has the tenacity to stand against the party referred to in a.
Mmmm hard one
(a) The Party who negotiated change to allow such an event
At St Andrew's do you mean, when Jim was still a member of the DUP...this was the guy who was widely tipped for the leadership of the DUP, are you telling us 3cheers, that he had no input or knowledge of what was going on in Scotland...????
“Jim Allister lost his seat to the DUP - the party with the full media weight and financial might of being the largest political party in the Assembly and the largest unionist party at Stormont”
Come on David, speculation about JJ and DD going against each other in the Euro elections was the biggest political story for weeks prior to the election. Both parties equally capitalised from the media coverage.
“Miss Dodds won by coming in under quota care of TUV transfers”
If neither candidate had sufficient quota to win the seat on their own steam it only reinforces my point about the TUV fractioning the unionist vote and the connotations for this on the next Assembly elections.
“Not operating mandatory power enforcement is not necessarily the route to Direct Rule, it is the route to good government through voluntarily power sharing”
So, likely scenario that SF become largest party in N.I. state in next elections and TUV receive sufficient votes to win a few seats from the DUP but refuse to participate. Who takes the blame for non-functioning Assembly?
“Joint Sovereignty is a tiresome and busted flush, means nothing”
What basis do you have to make this assumption?
“What was the size of the Worker's Party vote?”
Not comparable as the WP no longer field candidates for elections however it’s a moot point as I was speaking about the size of the Party membership as opposed to it’s share of the vote.
Stephen
My point re the Transfer Test was based on the comments made by Brian Wills Pope, Chairman of the Grammar Schools' Association, when he said:
“A recent poll showed that 70 per cent of the population wanted a return to academic selection”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1551687/Tories-turn-against-grammar-schools.html
This suggests to me that academic selection no longer exists in England. If I’ve got the wrong end of the stick I apologise.
"Roll on the elections"
Absolutely!!
“Who am I supposed to blame for Sinn Fein's Martin McGuiness becoming First Minister:
(a) The Party who negotiated change to allow such an event
(b) A party that opposes it, and has the tenacity to stand against the party referred to in a”
Or
(c) The Party that will split the unionst vote and ensure SF become the largest Party?
Oh that's right. You see Jim over-ruled St Peter and insisted that clauses be inserted to annext the BA and ensure that the largest PARTY gained the position of First Minister. That sounds like it.
The fact is that Robinson carries precise responsibility for what he ensured was it it. The again, if it is all sp awful, he could just walk away from it, right?
But he l-o-v-e-s the power....just l-o-v-e-s- it. And the people know all about how he just l-o-v-es his expenses. And the people know how he just l-o-v-e-s to keep it in the family.
Paul
Let's see = the full financial might and resources of the all powerful DUP against one man? Equivalent?
The DUP fractured the Unionist vote by going back on their word to the electorate, Never, never, never?
A "few" seats? Do the maths - even McGuinness knows it will be much more than "a few". How many more seats than the IRA has the DUP? Politicians faced with prospect of voluntary power sharing or nothing. What do they choose?
Assumption based on the views of most unionists and history.
David, is that 7.09p.m. to me? So your conclusions are that Jim was indeed in the party at that time, and was in the higher echlons of it, therefore you agree he must have known what was to be discussed at St Andrews, and pretty sure he was kept abreast of things as they developed there, while the discussions were going on. He was in hte DUP when devoloution came, and he had no trouble with that. As for mandatory coalition, sure even Robbo has spoken of it of late, which brought him into conflict with SF. Mandatory coalition will not be there for ever, even the useless Alliance have spoken out against it. Jim isn't alone there.
His problem is going in to government with Sinn Fein, thats his true bone of contention. Well they're there, he may live with it or keep howling. Did you see the coverage on utv?
I mean check out the crowd will you
http://u.tv/News/TUV-throws-down-gauntlet-at-conference/b7c2ba85-fe42-4253-9006-d0f631789cbb
What do you reckon the average is there? Around 50?
G,
Thanks for that link - just checked it out. There were around 10 rows each side. And around 12 deep. I arrived late to the party conference couldn't get a seat and had to have seats brought in!!! I estimate 200-250, I can compare it to UKUP conferences that I organised - massive difference.
Never, never, never?
Like not a bullet not an ounce?
Both sides had to compromise.
But he l-o-v-e-s the power....just l-o-v-e-s- it. And the people know all about how he just l-o-v-es his expenses. And the people know how he just l-o-v-e-s to keep it in the family.
Thats true about Robbo, but the double jobbing will have to end. Look at the change this has brought to the SDLP,. We shall have to see if the changes proposed are implemented, as the man brought in to implement them has said he may not implement them all. They're going to have to sack family members.
So it's now jumped from the "full media weight and financial might" to " full financial might and resources of the all powerful DUP against one man?"
Were the TUV not a Political Party at the time of the '09 Euro elections?
I don't particularly care who fracture(s)d the unionist vote. It's not the electoral problem of Republicans.
Few is a non-descriptive adjective David. SF have eight seats less than the DUP, the SDLP have two less than the UUP. Speculate away as to how many seats the TUV may win - it will still prove ineffectual.
"Assumption based on the views of most unionists and history"
Assumption is right, historical trends have changed over the years and the ruminations of 'most unionists' is not a solid basis on which to formulate such a fundamental thesis.
Good link G, I make it eight rows of eight seats x two plus those standing. Around the 200 mark?
Paul
The more the TUV are dismissed by those who slavishly support the idea of terrorists in government and therefore dysfunctional government the better.
I said between 200-250 people and stand by that! Not that I spent my time counting people.
Who brought the rattle snake?
Every rhetorical gurn from the big A is met with ill-timed applause.
Very embarassing outing.
That crowd would be great craic at a wedding.
:-)
Ahh David, terrorists have reached the very pinnacle of gov in both Israel and the N.I.state but please don't make me rehash those old arguments again.
I dismissed the TUV's chance of keeping JJ's Euro seat and was proved correct. I predict that the TUV will make marginal gains in the Assembly elections but their influence will prove ineffectual.
I did spend my time studying the UTV link David as G asked the question regarding the average age of the attendees. If the conference numbers is used as a barometer my comments regarding comparison with WP membership still stand
Pinky
Maybe not at a wedding but at a funeral for the DUP's arrogance.
Paul,
I was there for around five hours and beg to differ with you. There were young, middle aged and senior. Most speakers were young as in less than 30, I reckon! Mind you, I still like to think I am young (at heart)!
"Regarding the Transfer Test. Why would unionists, if they are UK integrtionists, want an academic selection test retained in the N.I. state when it does'nt exist in Britain?"
Similarly, I would ask, "Why are Sinn Fein so adamant about ending an education process that has worked extremely well for the Nationalist community? "
let's not forget Paul, that in the good old days of Unionist Sectarian Rule, the Unionists opposed fair academic selection, because they knew what would happen. And it did!!!!!
SF, slicing off their nose to spite their faces, for purely ideological reasons does not serve our community well.
Dumbing down education makes us all dumb.
"Maybe not at a wedding but at a funeral for the DUP's arrogance"
David, :-)
Far be it from me to worry about Unionism collapsing on itself. As I said before, I hadn't given the Shinners nearly enough credit for political masterstokes.
They learned the lessons of colonialism well. Divide and Conquer, and Unionists will deliver a United Ireland.
G- great points throughout.
'howl at the moon'
Bogsiders in Londonderry have been doing that every January since 1972. I am not interested in debating with republicans. I want republicanism defeated, not engaged verbally.
Think of my posts as a form of antibiotic. They keep out republican bacteria. I hope this 'non-response' reaches its intended target.
"(c) The Party that will split the unionst vote and ensure SF become the largest Party?"
Oh so the party that opposes the agreement should step aside to let the party which negociated it ridge the gravy train?
If that was such a big dean why don't the DUP just step aside, in order to prevent vote splitting?
David,
Perhaps you can clear up a comment you made at the beginning of this thread. You refer to Robert McCartney as "My one-time political eminence grise"
Unless my understanding of history or your understanding of French is incorrect the relationship between the two men is inverted in your assertion. François Leclerc du Tremblay was the right-hand man of Cardinal Richelieu, not vice versa. I recall that Aldous Huxley wrote an English biography of Leclerc, not Richelieu, entitled Grey (Grise) Eminence,
To avoid any misunderstanding please indicate in what capacity Bob McCartney acted as your right-hand man, politically or otherwise. I'm quite sure he would talk to you about old history.
Stephen
I remain fond of my time with Bob - he is a man misunderstood by many. Then again, so am I.
As for the use of the term, set aside your wikipedia reference and try this.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/eminence+grise
Bob exercised great influence over me as he was very experienced and wise. I learned a lot from him, some good things - some not so wonderful.
I do not claim he was my right-hand man!
I would like to talk to him sometime - not all our moments were rancourous and I think I am fair to him in my book. He knows my number.
David,
Your citation of Wikipedia reminds me of a meeting on education held with Will Haire, Permanent Secretary and his deputy David Woods in the Department of Education. When confronted with published peer-reviewed scientific evidence on the DENI's numeracy and literacy teaching approaches by Bob McCartney, the Permanent Secretary sought to defend the enriched curriculum project by citing a Wikipedia reference. The Permanent Secretary and his eminence grise were both derided with laughter by all present. The citation was essentially self-promotion. Perhaps a more conventional and acceptable dictionary citation would aid. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eminence%20grise
I note that Bob's number is in the BT Phone Book. Let your fingers do the walking. Remember David the aim here is to bring together Anti-agreement unionists not engage in some X-Factor popularity contest. Do make the first move.
Stephen
I think it was you, not me, who used Wikipedia! No shame in that.
I am all in favour of principled unionists uniting and indeed it was this that brought Bob and I together all those years ago now, as he will recall. I am not into any sort of popularity contest, X-Factor or otherwise.
I would think that since Bob has, by his own admission, withdrawn from politics, he has the spare time to contact me. I await his call - it will be met positively..