Many British political blogs (including this one) featured Brian Sedgemore's stirring speech in the House of Commons (his farewell speech as it turned out) on the subject of the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005. It can be found in the archives here.
Now, after a lifetime in the Labour Party, he has defected to the LibDems and has - on their behalf - denounced Blair's "stomach turning lies".
Mr Sedgemore is to be commended for his principles. He is also to be pitied for having to turn his back on the party in which he had a long career. It can't be easy to leave old friends behind and to acknowledge that his whole political life was working towards the authoritarian clap-trap of "New Labour".
His former leader has dismissed his comments in predictably contemptuous terms. Blair said that the voters "...aren't particularly interested in someone they have never heard of..." That's a telling remark to make in the middle of an election. Elections are all about people Blair has "never heard of" deciding his political fate. His love of celebrity has clearly gone to his head.
BBC NEWS Election 2005 Election 2005 Veteran former Labour MP defects
Tuesday, April 26, 2005
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