Well someone definately standing for the seat but not for selection is little old me, as an Independent.

It's a great pity though that since all the trouble last year that the party has wasted the opportunity of time to unite the local Party and deal with it's internal issues.

One of the expelled members a friend of mine Geoff Howes was let back into the party after managing to get a hearing with the NEC. The fact that he was let back in just days before the hearing on the basis of it not taking place speaks volumes. To Geoffs credit he is still asking questions regarding Sally Keebles involvement in the whole miserable affair, and the regional party and the NEC are still refusing to answer them.

Meanwhile two ex Labour Councillors Paul Concannon and John Rawlings who both defected to the Lib Dems have been welcomed back with open arms.

John Rawlings like me stood against the party at the last election in May 2007. I was expelled for 5 years and John's punishment was to be given back his party card and made secretary of his local branch. (I suppose in the current climate however that his punishment may seem far more severe than mine)

The local Labour Group on the Council are quite frankly an embarrasment and have failed to make even first base in their attempts to be an effective opposition. Their biggest issue so far (and their only press coverage) in 18 months was to  organise a stand in at a full council meeting because they wanted my seat in the chamber for one of their members. Having made great play of saying they would not sit in the empty seat next to me, they then brought the whole council into disrepute.

I gave them the seat in the end, but I don't feel any inkling to do the same at the General Election

Northampton South should not be a Tory seat and yet the party seem to be going down the same route at the general election as we did in the locals.

The latest intereference it seems is my old running mate Sally Keeble alledgedly running into the whips office at Westminster to plead with them to ban Micheal Meacher from visiting the constituency and having dinner at a local restuarant owned by a party member. It seems that SK thought that the restuarant was the local "hotbed" of independent resistance. Which was news to me.

I look forward to seeing who comes through the selection, it is of course a poisoned chalise but it will be interesting to see who the regional party impose on the local members through their "usual" methods

Regarding the selection of a PPC for Northampton South there can be no better candidate for this seat than Anjona Roy. She was born and bred in Northampton and has a depth of local knowledge that I defy anyone to better. She has worked tirelessly for equality throughout her political career and as someone who has been her friend and colleague for over a quarter of a century (as her daughter Eshna insists on continually reminding us!) I do not believe that the Party Members and constituents of Northampton South will find anyone more committed to take on the seat. As well as her commitment to her constituents, which she ably demonstrated during her term as a Borough Councillor, she also has the ability to inspire people to work together coherently, a talent that I feel Northampton South is in desperate need of if we are to regain the seat fron the Tories (which despite those that think otherwise is highly achievable with the right candidate).

Critics of Anjona (all of whom seem to hide behind anonimity) should take a closer look at her achievements and maybe question their own motives, it is very easy for the inactive to criticise a highly successful activist from the safety of their own front room!

So as far as I am concerned, the sooner Northampton South selects, and preferably selects Anjona, the nearer we are to regaining the seat. A competent committed candidate, running a coherent specific andf relevant campaign is what is needed and Anjona Roy seems to me to be the only person in the running who can deliver. And I fully admit I am 100% biased.

What strange views and posts? Westminsterwatcher, I am certainly not bitter, I just find it frustrating that after the pain that the regional party put Northampton Souths members through that little effort has been made to move the party forward. Oh and it's born and bred, as opposed to "bread"

As for Anjona, she is a good friend of mine and I wish her well too, and I hope she is succesful. I would rather a friendly campaign against her than an "unknown" candidate. During the whole fiasco last year Anjona was honest and trueful and her agents report which the regional party have buried is well worthy of a read. Like me she also knows that the regional party interefered and broke party rules to get their way, but thats old news now, but for the good of the party (yes even I voted Labour at last years election in the ward I live even though they expelled me, well one Labour and one green anyhow) I just wished their was a bit more fight in them locally

Eastmidsvoice, what on earth are you rattling on about regarding  shameful activety since 2005? explain yourself. I dont deal in gutter snipes or inuendo just plain facts, and as for believing I have a right to represent Northampton South? No one has a right to believe anything of the sort.

I do though have a right to stand at the general election if I wish and I will be doing so as an Independent for the very reason that I have moved one, I also have the right to say that I believe that people who post behind hidden identities are internet cowards and have something to hide, so how about losing the eastmidsvoice tag and having the courage to speak for yourself?