It seems hard to believe that a safe Tory seat would be offered to a candidate who had built a reputation from a business that publishes pornography, but that in effect is what has happened. Karren Brady who was unveiled in September as the government’s Small Business Ambassador was once famous for her role in David Sullivans business empire, one renowned for its glossy magazines. As this news report explains, in the last few months she has been offered at least six safe Tory seats. Many observers expected Karren to be ennobled in yesterdays New Years Honours list, so it was a surprise that instead of taking her place in the Lords, that she has been appointed a CBE, a significant Honour nevertheless. The suggestion that she might be made a Baroness was contained in comments in the Telegraph on the 18th September made by Margot James MP. The idea that she might not wish to take up a safe seat, or even be well suited to the tribal nature of the House of Commons was also explored in the September article so it is perhaps a surprise that so many of these lucrative political ‘gifts’ were offered to her.

The fact that Karren Brady has chosen to remain outside of the  Lords for the moment and does not wish to enter the Commons in 2015 shows that she knows her own mind and indeed is someone who deserves our appreciation (whatever our political views). The offer of these easy political rewards for someone who has done little work for either would have reflected badly on Karren had she grasped them, and frankly shows how much moral poverty exists within the current Conservative Party. It is disturbing that Margot James feels that the Commons might not be the best place for someone like Karren Brady, simply because implicit in that perspective is the view that the Commons is not a suitable place for many of us. The Electoral Reform Society have worked hard in their attempts to challenge the existence of safe Parliamentary seats for any of the Political Parties. Sadly there are many more than 6 for the two big parties and we need people of integrity inside every political party that will campaign to end this situation. We also need a full reform of the House of Lords that means that Prime Ministers are prevented from lining our legislative bodies with people they want and who will align themselves to their agendas. Whilst I personally hold very different political views to Karren Brady (and most of her business interests) I am grateful that she has chosen not to get onto a gravy train that David Cameron and at least 6 Conservative Constituency Associations have offered her seats on. Let us hope that her influence in the party along with the work of the Electoral Reform Society outside of it will lead to a change in the shabby world of party politics. I would encourage any readers of this blog to join the ERS mailing list to show their support for many much needed reforms.