DAVID VAN DAY'S AMBITION TO BE AN MP

So David Van Day fancies himself as an MP and two of my readers think it is a good idea, although one says he "is not whiter than white" - great credentials for an anti sleaze candidate! Another one thinks David would make a good MP.

On checking a few websites I discover that David is a C List celebrity who was a contestant in "I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!" David was born plain David Day in 1957, is a failed actor and singer married to a Page 3 model, once ran a burger bar and has recently had a facelift. In 2007 he tried and failed to reinvent himself as a local politician in Brighton. During his election campaign David made an offensive remark about gay men, reported in the local press and as a result he came bottom of the poll in the election.

According to press reports, David spent £100,000 on cocaine in his pop star era, cheated on his girlfriend Tereza Bazar, and dumped his journalist girlfriend on live TV earlier this year. Just the sort of person we do not need in Mid Bedfordshire!!

If David attempted to stand for election as an MP, especially on an anti sleaze ticket the national media would crawl all over his past and make his life a misery. If David chooses to stand against Nadine Dorries in Mid Bedfordshire, he must first do lots of research (he knows nothing about this area) and even more walking as it is a very rural constituency.

Any prospective MP or local councillor needs a few more skills than just self promotion, singing and jungle experience! In the past 3 weeks, I have knocked on 2,000 doors, coped with lots of personal abuse about MP expenses, and written and delivered thousands of leaflets. During 20 years of experience as a Councillor on 4 different Councils, I have dealt with hundreds of personal resident problems, campaigned energetically on all sorts of issues, sat through endless committee meetings and read huge volumes of local government documents, to say nothing of coping with a hostile local press and sometimes aggressive constituents.

May I suggest that any TV "celebrity" tempted to stand as an MP first undertakes an intensive training programme in speed reading, walking long distances, public speaking, writing, negotiating and dealing with difficult people and a hostile press. Also if they want to stand as "anti sleaze" candidates their private lives must be beyond reproach and squeaky clean!

GORDON BROWN SUFFERS A SHOCK DEFEAT IN HOUSE OF COMMONS GHURKHA MOTION

Joanna Lumley campaigning for the Ghurkha Justice Campaign

Today the Ghurkha Justice Campaign, led by actress Joanna Lumley, has won its battle for citizenship rights to be granted to all the Ghurkhas who have fought in the British Army. Gordon Brown's Labour Government was defeated in a Commons Motion proposed by the Liberal Democrats and supported by David Cameron and MPs of all parties. The voting was 267 votes to 246. Phil Woolas the Immigration Minister then effectively admitted defeat by announcing that new proposals would be published before the Parliamentary summer recess, respecting the will of the House of Commons.

Britain has no greater friends than the Ghurkas who have served across the world in the defence of Britian for 200 years. Over 45,000 died in the two World Wars serving in the British Army and they are still fighting in the British Army today.

Gordon Brown decided on 25 April to discriminate against Ghurkhas with less than 20 years' service in the Army, a target impossible for lower ranks to achieve as they can only serve for 15 years. 36,000 Ghurkas would be denied UK residency because they served in the British Army before 1997 and do not meet new qualifications in respect of service, medals received and injuries - a poor reward for years of loyal service to Britian by these brave soldiers.

Meanwhile Gordon Brown has just returned from yet another overseas jaunt to persuade world leaders of his 'global economic expertise'. His first visit was to Poland. There at a joint press conference the Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk extolled the virtues of avoiding debt. Mr Task said that Poland has gained from 12 years of consecutive economic growth, due to efficient supervision of banks and a refusal to live on credit. Last month the Chilean President Michelle Bachelet embarrassed Mr. Brown before the G20 Summit when she said that the Chilean economy had performed so well because they saved during the good times as a cushion for the economic recession.

It is about time Gordon Brown stopped preaching to world leaders, listened to their greater wisdom in managing their own economies and come home to sort out the huge economic mess he has created in the UK over the last 12 years.