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Fighting talk from big-hitting Tory trio
Reporter: JANICE BARKER
Date online: 19 February 2010
A former Labour councillor has defected to the Conservatives to fight the local elections in May.
Basit Shah, from Coppice, made up a trio of defectors who have switched allegiances when he was welcomed to the party by North-West Tory Euro-MP Sajjad Karim yesterday.
Mr Karim opened the new Conservative campaign office at Broseley House in Union Street, which will also be headquarters for the prospective Tory candidate in Oldham West and Royton, Kamran Ghafoor.
Mr Karim was first elected as a North-West Liberal Democrat Euro-MP in 2004, but turned Tory in 2008 and successfully retained his seat last year.
Mr Ghafoor, a former St Augustine’s RC School pupil, was a Labour councillor in Werneth for a year in 2003.
And Mr Shah, from Coppice, was a Labour councillor for two years in St Mary’s ward in 2002-04.
Both local men have promised to be big-hitters in the political fights they face this year. Mr Ghafoor (31) will challenge veteran Labour MP and former minister Michael Meacher at the General Election.
Mr Shah (49) will try and unseat Oldham Councillor, former Mayor, and deputy Labour leader Shoab Akhtar.
Mr Ghafoor, a businessman with a property and petrol station portfolio, said: “There is a lack of interest and a lack of concern about what is going on in Oldham.
“Mr Meacher is very detached — we call him the absentee MP. People like Mr Meacher think they can walk into Oldham and win the election. Now they will really have a fight on their hands.”
Mr Shah, whose business is also in Werneth, added: “I haven’t renewed my membership to Labour since July and to be honest you come to a point where you need something better.
“I think people want change.
“We have two main political parties in Oldham — Labour and Liberal Democrat.
“I’m not saying we will take control but I think we will become more important. It will be a big fight.”
Comments
This is timed to embarrass the Labour Party, obviously, but Labour activists will tell you that this was not unanticipated and both Ghafoor and Shah are regarded as people more interested in the status of being an MP or Councillor than actually doing the job. The Tories loss is Labour's gain.
i gotta agree viv JMTS all the way! 100% what u said but overall it will be their own loss in the end haha!
The funny thing is that it is Labour who have almost rebuilt parts of Oldham and the residents in those areas have had to pay nothing towards any of it.They have also built fabulous schools and provided everything that the residents have asked for.Now i am no Labour supporter but i am left wondering what carrots the Conservatives have been dangling to get these councillors to swap allegiance.??? It must be something really big to outdo Labour. !!!
By switching to Conservative it's obvious they no longer wish to be councillors anymore.
Smacks of personal ambition not concern for their constituents
flake - we know what that principal is dont we!!
personally I wouldn't vote for them either but my reasons are political.
I think that JMTS is probably correct. The only way to change your political beliefs is by never having any principles in the beginning; except for self interest.
Sacked and rejected by Labour for being hopeless in office, but good enough for the Tories! Yet another example of political opportunism.
There is too much of this swapping parties in the hope of getting elected. The Labour Party is better off without people who behave in this disgusting and selfish manner.
It is always funny how some want to be the self important captains of a losing team than a team member for a class win ning side. Milton described this as; seeking a command in hell over serving in heaven. Politics needs leaders with intergrety and "turncoats" have little or none. Ghafoor and Shah have what they deserve and their "command in hell" I am sure will be very hot and short!!!
Looks like the Conservatives are trying to bag the Muslim vote somehow on this one.
DO NOT VOTE FOT THESE 2 PATHETIC EXCUSES OF WANNABE COUNCILLOR AND MP
Have Your Say
Why would someone wait until this time to switch sides? Couldn't have anything to do with the election chances of Labour candidates could it? This just seems a cynical move to increase their chances of re election, but I'm sure that their core beliefs and values haven't changed that much.
If they were my ward I wouldn't vote for them on principle.
By Flake @ 19/02/2010 14:43:33