Jack Straw: 'I'm going to stand at the next General Election' (From Chorley Citizen)
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Jack Straw: 'I'm going to stand at the next General Election'
10:00am Saturday 2nd March 2013 in East Lancashire
Exclusive By Bill Jacobs, Local government reporter
Jack Straw MP
TOMORROW Jack Straw equals his famous predecessor Barbara Castle’s 33 years, 9 months and 27 days as Blackburn MP. Bill Jacobs speaks to him and assesses both of their careers as constituency MP and senior Westminster politicians.
JACK Straw paused before saying: “I think I am going to stand at the next General Election in 2015.
“Provided I am fit and healthy in mind and body.”
He seems stunned not at the question but the full realisation that tomorrow he will have been MP longer than his mentor Barbara Castle - one of the great figures of 20th Century politics.
He’s cooking his chicken at his modest flat in Blackburn between constituency surgeries and collecting wife Alice off the London train at Preston as the impact dawns.
He said: “Goodness, I never thought I would last longer than Barbara. She was an immense political figure both in Blackburn and nationally. She would have made a great first woman Prime Minister.
“She came to Blackburn in 1945 and got the money needed to rebuild the town’s economy. It was in a dire state after the war, starved of investment with the cotton industry collapsing. She helped rebuild local industry, create jobs and build new the houses needed at the time.
“She changed the town for the better.”
Mr Straw was not surprised she quit Parliament after being sacked from the cabinet but he was surprised when told that she wanted him to take over.
He had tried for several winnable seats after fighting a hopeless campaign in Kent but, has no regrets about being MP for Blackburn: “I love being an MP and I love being MP for Blackburn.
“When I first thought of politics as a career aged 13, I thought I would end as MP in the South. Being MP for Blackburn has kept my feet on the ground even when in cabinet.
“In 1983 under Michael Foot, I really thought I would lose, and took to my soap box in the town centre so the election was about me and not about Labour.
“After that I kept it and grew to enjoy it although I get collywobbles before getting on it and a fair amount of abuse when I am.
“Most people think my big mistake was supporting the Iraq war, but while I regret the loss of life involved, I don’t regret the fall of Saddam. Had he still been there, Iraq would have been a killing field and the Middle East an even more unstable place.
“I am unreasonably in favour of anyone who lives in Blackburn. If I just favoured our South Asian community, as some suggest, I would not have backed the war or made my comments about the veil.”
His own biggest achievements? Bringing the M65 finally after a ten year delay to Blackburn in 1990 and making anti-social behaviour a political and police priority, an idea conceived with the town’s Superintendent Eddie Walsh because of problem families in the constituency.
Another pause, before he adds: “I am proud to have followed Barbara and exceeded her time as MP. I have tried to be a worthy successor to her.”
She has Barbara Castle Way named after her, what does he fancy: “I’ve no idea. It would be nice to be remembered but they normally do that after you’re dead, so I’ll leave it to others.”
JACK STRAW
Born: August 3 1946 in Buckhurst Hill, Essex.
Educated: Brentwood School; Leeds University.
Personal life: Married twice. Two children, William and Charlotte, by second marriage to Alice in 1978.
Occupation: barrister, political researcher.
Blackburn MP: May 3 1979 to now.
Elections won: Eight.
Cabinet jobs: Four - Home Secretary, Foreign Secretary, Leader of the Commons, Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary.
Achievement as MP: Bringing the M65 to Blackburn in 1990 and linking the town and East Lancashire to the motorway network.
Achievement at Cabinet Minister: Putting anti-social behaviour on the political and policing agenda as Home Secretary in 1997.
Worst moments: The 1983 Labour ‘suicide note’ and 2005 post-Iraq invasion elections when he expected to lose his seat.
Books: Autobiography: Last Man Standing.
BARBARA CASTLE
Born: October 6th 1910 in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. Died: May 3 2002.
Educated: Bradford Girls Grammar School; St Hugh’s College Oxford.
Personal life: Married to Ted from 1944 to 1979. No children.
Occupation: Daily Mirror journalist.
Blackburn MP: July 5 1945 to April 7 1979 Elections won: 10: Cabinet jobs: Four - Overseas Development Secretary; Transport Secretary; Employment Secretary and First Secretary of State; Social Services Secretary.
Achievement as MP: Winning the investment to rebuild Blackburn’s industry and housing after World War Two as the cotton industry collapsed.
Achievement at Cabinet Minister: Introducing the breathalyser as Transport Secretary in October 1967, launching the campaign against drink driving.
Worst moment: Being unexpectedly sacked from the cabinet by new Prime Minister Jim Callaghan in April 1976.
Books: The Castle Diaries.
Comments(35)
tiojo
says...
10:49am Sat 2 Mar 13
burner
says...
11:04am Sat 2 Mar 13
hasslem hasslem
says...
11:41am Sat 2 Mar 13
i must have misunderstood - i thought it was to uncover and destroy those invisible weapons of mass destruction.
great how the likes of straw like to try and rewrite history.
shytalk
says...
11:50am Sat 2 Mar 13
dreamerbfc
says...
11:53am Sat 2 Mar 13
A ) Together with Tony Blair and Alistair Campbell, being part of the Labour heirarchy / Government, which officially "doctored" the Iraq WMD Dossier ( and which indirectly led to the suicide of Dr David Kelly), thereby lying to the British public and to Parliament and together with George Bush launching an illegal invasion of Iraq totally unsupported by the United Nations. And in contravention of every international law.
B) Inviting at great financial cost to the residents of Blackburn and Lancashire , the US Politician Condoleeza Rice, to Blackburn. This visit served no useful purpose whatsoever, made no noticeable difference , achieved no obvious objective .. except it enabled "Our Jack" to show off on the national and international stage and to curry favour with the Bush administration.
In my opinion this is the true and lasting political legacy of "Our Jack".
ford10
says...
12:13pm Sat 2 Mar 13
Jarrod Schulz Bearded Wonder
says...
12:32pm Sat 2 Mar 13
Blinding
woolywords
says...
1:14pm Sat 2 Mar 13
Is the Labour Party that hard up for candidates that we have to suffer Jack again?
Trust me, this is not going to end well...
Someone once said, I forget who, that if the Labour Party put a monkey up for election, the party faithful would vote for it. Given Jack's track record, this can no longer be the case.
Retire with grace Jack, rather than face the ignominy of deselection. Ask Kate Hollern to stand, as she is bit famous on the internet.
Type Kate Hol into google, see what I mean.
I was actually thinking of promoting her to Europe but, needs must, she'll have to do for Blackburn. I could really see her, no nonsense approach to politics, being a force to be reckoned with in Parliament.
If ever we had someone capable of throwing a shoe at the LibDem leader, my money is on her.
Go on Kate, clog that Clegg, you know you want to..
district01
says...
3:27pm Sat 2 Mar 13
. . . without a news headline or television programme proving the world has gone totally mad. One day last week I caught just by chance an interview with Tony Blair. Sun tanned, looking extremely wealthy, smiling broadly as normally is the case while doing his back street salesman routine yet again. Admitting that all the wars that he had helped start abroad had not succeeded. But decisions were difficult and it takes time to bring about success he went on to say.
If there was a case for testing supposed leaders for insanity then what more proof would you ever need!
Now we have his Iraq war helper Jack Straw: “I think I am going to stand at the next General Election in 2015. “Provided I am fit and healthy in mind and body.”
Provided he is fit and healthy in mind and body? The insane stick together like glue. Their singular self centred confidence in themselves against all that they have done does nor fare well for their sanity. But after what these two supposed leaders and others have done what more would you ever need for making supposed leaders take insanity tests!
A donkey could have become an MP in Blackburn provided it was waving a red flag as those years after Barbara Castle has proven. Just take a walk around Blackburn to see what he has done!
Wishingwell
says...
4:42pm Sat 2 Mar 13
Lancs - pensioner
says...
5:32pm Sat 2 Mar 13
Blackburn my home town of sixty years is a dump and its mainly down to our local MP and the Labour Party.
Lets hope UKIP do get in and give the voters what they actually want.
Good call
says...
6:01pm Sat 2 Mar 13
mavrick
says...
6:21pm Sat 2 Mar 13
Noiticer
says...
6:57pm Sat 2 Mar 13
BIG BOSS
says...
8:39pm Sat 2 Mar 13
I hope UKIP have a good candidate for Blackburn.
I just hope that UKIP, have candidates in every town and city in the UK.
If anyone out there, wishes to get this Country back on track and you are political minded, then put yourself in the running. become a UKIP, candidate today.!!! It could well be, our last chance.
King Fabulous
says...
8:52pm Sat 2 Mar 13
Oh marvelous, As if life isn't hard enough!
Graham Hartley
says...
9:41pm Sat 2 Mar 13
ToffeeGuy
says...
10:52pm Sat 2 Mar 13
Hurrah, he realises job in politics isn't done until those weapons of mass destruction are finally found. You keep looking, Jack, you keep looking.
ToffeeGuy
says...
11:00pm Sat 2 Mar 13
Have you got any researchers at your paper?
The M65 was connected to the national motorway network in 1997. The rest of it was gradually built during the 1980s.
burnleyglentoran
says...
12:40am Sun 3 Mar 13
UKIP
UKIP
jack daniels
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7:18am Sun 3 Mar 13
The town has slipped into the top ten most deprived places in England under your watch.
Not a good legacy is it straw?
frank
says...
9:30am Sun 3 Mar 13
thermio
says...
9:56am Sun 3 Mar 13
frank wrote:Unfortunately one thing he can rely on is votes. However, I feel that his voters may soon start up their own party as there are many towns and cities where they will be able to win seats. Jacks imported voters may actually be the downfall of the Labour party.
he can stand all he likes, doesn't mean he'll get any votes!
ste.g
says...
10:06am Sun 3 Mar 13
Izanears
says...
11:11am Sun 3 Mar 13
hasslem hasslem wrote:Even John Prescott now says invading Iraq was a mistake!!!!!!
so jack - just so i understand the invasion of iraq was to make the middle east a more stable place????
i must have misunderstood - i thought it was to uncover and destroy those invisible weapons of mass destruction.
great how the likes of straw like to try and rewrite history.
Phil Heaton
says...
12:24pm Sun 3 Mar 13
Iraq will forever remain a killing field due to the amount of Depleted Uranium expended there and mixed with the sand becoming airborne and affecting areas beyond the Iraq borders. The same applies to Afghanistan and the purpose is to lay down enough DU to permanently destabilise and reduce the populations there as well.
Type "depleted uranium iraq ongoing deaths" into your Search engine to see the full extent of Messrs. Bush/Blair/Straw/Cam
pbell et al legacy
Jarrod Schulz Bearded Wonder
says...
12:49pm Sun 3 Mar 13
burnleyglentoran wrote:UKIP is the political equivilant of horsemeat. Its in your lasagne but it shouldn't be. Pretending its something it isn't
UKIP
UKIP
UKIP
UKIP is full of dole monkeys who will say anything to get your vote. The shapeshifters lack any real beef content. You are far better off with Jack who is 100% real beefcake. If a job needs doing, and decisions need making, then he's not afraid to make them. Iraq was neccessary otherwise Sadam would have continued genocide against his own people. Can't wait till Jack is leader we would have already been in Syria to oust another set of surrender monkeys who like to kill their own.
I don't know, sometimes some of you **** lack spine and hide behind legislation, turning a blind eye to genocide to score political points. The little people in the world arena need someone with big boots to stand up for their rights. That person is Jack Strawdog.
Jack for PM, he's like Arnie and Rambo rolled into one. Lets kick some more arse. WMD? does anybody really care? its keeping the economy afloat shooting all these bullets. We've never had such a sustained period of World peace. Jack would bring even more peace with him.
Jack Strawdog World Peacemaker.
M Foster
says...
11:29pm Sun 3 Mar 13
Noiticer wrote:Worked hard at wrecking a once-great country, along with his Marxist Labour cronies, which he has succeeded at - for now.
Sorry, Jack, but at almost seventy by the time of the General Election it is really time to ask yourself - 'For the good of the party, constituency and young people who are more than willing to take my place, isn't it time I retired gracefully?' You have worked hard and there comes a time when it's time to go.
As people wake up to the fact that democracy in the UK is an illusion and the treasonous LibLabCon organisations represent just one political party with 3 heads, they will turn to UKIP. If UKIP gain power (which I doubt the totalitarian Establishment will ever allow via the ballot box) people will then quickly realise they are not the answer to Britain's ills. They will then have to take things into their own hands.
M Foster
says...
11:31pm Sun 3 Mar 13
thermio wrote:Downfall of the whole country more like.
frank wrote:Unfortunately one thing he can rely on is votes. However, I feel that his voters may soon start up their own party as there are many towns and cities where they will be able to win seats. Jacks imported voters may actually be the downfall of the Labour party.
he can stand all he likes, doesn't mean he'll get any votes!
jack daniels
says...
12:18pm Mon 4 Mar 13
M Foster wrote:Surely the sale of our nationalised industry; such as our water, gas, electric, trains, telephone system, Royal Ordnance Factories, British Steel ect by Maggie Thatcher was the real start of our down fall.
Noiticer wrote: Sorry, Jack, but at almost seventy by the time of the General Election it is really time to ask yourself - 'For the good of the party, constituency and young people who are more than willing to take my place, isn't it time I retired gracefully?' You have worked hard and there comes a time when it's time to go.Worked hard at wrecking a once-great country, along with his Marxist Labour cronies, which he has succeeded at - for now. As people wake up to the fact that democracy in the UK is an illusion and the treasonous LibLabCon organisations represent just one political party with 3 heads, they will turn to UKIP. If UKIP gain power (which I doubt the totalitarian Establishment will ever allow via the ballot box) people will then quickly realise they are not the answer to Britain's ills. They will then have to take things into their own hands.
The capitalists (including new liebour) sold us out and it's the capitalists who are blaming everybody else but themselves.
Jack Herer
says...
1:32pm Mon 4 Mar 13
jack daniels wrote:Very true.
M Foster wrote:Surely the sale of our nationalised industry; such as our water, gas, electric, trains, telephone system, Royal Ordnance Factories, British Steel ect by Maggie Thatcher was the real start of our down fall.
Noiticer wrote: Sorry, Jack, but at almost seventy by the time of the General Election it is really time to ask yourself - 'For the good of the party, constituency and young people who are more than willing to take my place, isn't it time I retired gracefully?' You have worked hard and there comes a time when it's time to go.Worked hard at wrecking a once-great country, along with his Marxist Labour cronies, which he has succeeded at - for now. As people wake up to the fact that democracy in the UK is an illusion and the treasonous LibLabCon organisations represent just one political party with 3 heads, they will turn to UKIP. If UKIP gain power (which I doubt the totalitarian Establishment will ever allow via the ballot box) people will then quickly realise they are not the answer to Britain's ills. They will then have to take things into their own hands.
The capitalists (including new liebour) sold us out and it's the capitalists who are blaming everybody else but themselves.
We've been shafted hard by both the blues and the reds.
Capitalism works - or at least nothing else seems to - be it can't be rampant.
It was the policies under Thatcher where the vultures in the city, with zero morals, were first allowed access to normal people's finances. And it was those same vultures, encouraged and rewarded by Gordon Brown, who continued the rape of ordinary people's money. With no one protecting the common man, and no one punishing any wrong doing.
Capitalism can't be given to criminals without morals. It's probably the biggest reason the world is currently a mess.
It's probably my biggest reason for supporting the Lib Dems. They were the ones calling for something to happen. Unfortunately their cries went unheard in a sea of spin.
Jack Herer
says...
1:35pm Mon 4 Mar 13
ford10 wrote:The system's bust. No question.
UKIP is coming to oust you out of your seat the people of Britain are sick and fed up of Labour, Condems not doing what the people of this country want, less immigration, a bigger stance in Europe, it is time to go, what have you ever done for Blackburn Jack apart from confuse the public with it's one way system, people of Britain take note it is time to change!!!!!!!!
Voting for a single issue party however won't solve things. Especially when that party is solely about division.
Like it or not, UKIP are the BNP in a pin-striped suit.
jack daniels
says...
2:23pm Mon 4 Mar 13
Jack Herer wrote:I voted Lib Dem too but their desire for power at any price, getting into bed with the Tories, has left me with a taste in my mouth which will never go.
jack daniels wrote:Very true. We've been shafted hard by both the blues and the reds. Capitalism works - or at least nothing else seems to - be it can't be rampant. It was the policies under Thatcher where the vultures in the city, with zero morals, were first allowed access to normal people's finances. And it was those same vultures, encouraged and rewarded by Gordon Brown, who continued the rape of ordinary people's money. With no one protecting the common man, and no one punishing any wrong doing. Capitalism can't be given to criminals without morals. It's probably the biggest reason the world is currently a mess. It's probably my biggest reason for supporting the Lib Dems. They were the ones calling for something to happen. Unfortunately their cries went unheard in a sea of spin.M Foster wrote:Surely the sale of our nationalised industry; such as our water, gas, electric, trains, telephone system, Royal Ordnance Factories, British Steel ect by Maggie Thatcher was the real start of our down fall. The capitalists (including new liebour) sold us out and it's the capitalists who are blaming everybody else but themselves.Noiticer wrote: Sorry, Jack, but at almost seventy by the time of the General Election it is really time to ask yourself - 'For the good of the party, constituency and young people who are more than willing to take my place, isn't it time I retired gracefully?' You have worked hard and there comes a time when it's time to go.Worked hard at wrecking a once-great country, along with his Marxist Labour cronies, which he has succeeded at - for now. As people wake up to the fact that democracy in the UK is an illusion and the treasonous LibLabCon organisations represent just one political party with 3 heads, they will turn to UKIP. If UKIP gain power (which I doubt the totalitarian Establishment will ever allow via the ballot box) people will then quickly realise they are not the answer to Britain's ills. They will then have to take things into their own hands.
P.S you're bob -on about the UKip too.
district01
says...
3:13pm Mon 4 Mar 13
Jack Herer wrote:Yes, but who do you vote for these days.
ford10 wrote:The system's bust. No question.
UKIP is coming to oust you out of your seat the people of Britain are sick and fed up of Labour, Condems not doing what the people of this country want, less immigration, a bigger stance in Europe, it is time to go, what have you ever done for Blackburn Jack apart from confuse the public with it's one way system, people of Britain take note it is time to change!!!!!!!!
Voting for a single issue party however won't solve things. Especially when that party is solely about division.
Like it or not, UKIP are the BNP in a pin-striped suit.
The blue or the red Tories?
No wonder people don’t vote any more!
happycyclist says...
10:17am Sat 2 Mar 13