You Said It, Jack

As luck would have it, the Fab Collective chose this quote to display outside their "Up To Something" exhibition at St Luke's in the city centre. One Scouser who certainly is up to something is Michael Shields' father, Michael senior (http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2009/08/21/father-of-michael-shields-considering-running-against-jack-straw-as-mp-in-blackburn-100252-24494734/ ).

Clearly, the intention is to embarrass Straw over his disdainful handling of the campaign & I wish Michael snr all the best in that regard. If he does decide to stand, loyalties will be torn for one or two individuals. As David Bartlett noted on Friday, Joe Anderson, Labour group leader on the city council, has been a vocal supporter of the campaign & has even gone so far as to say that he considered resigning from the party when Straw rejected Michael's appeal a couple of months back (http://blogs.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/dalestreetblues/2009/08/michael-shields-dad-considers.html ).

Some eagle-eyed readers may note that Cllr Anderson considered resigning, but didn't.

Greg O'Keefe's Echo article also stated that Maria Shields, Michael's mother, "could stand against a junior minister in Liverpool at the elections next May."

For some strange reason, the "junior minister" referred to in O'Keefe's piece wasn't named. However, it could only be Maria Eagle, Labour MP for Liverpool Garston, &, yes, a junior minister at the Home Office.

An indication of the unease felt about Straw's dismissive treatment of Michael & his family at fairly high levels is apparently reflected in a call by Brendan Barber, General Secretary of the TUC, for Michael to be pardoned (http://www.tuc.org.uk/newsroom/tuc-16884-f0.cfm ).

[Michael Shields' campaign: http://www.michaelshields.uwclub.net/ .]