Video also available on YouTube.
Nick Clegg visited Bob Russell visited Colchester last week, to celebrate Bob Russell MP’s 40th anniversary as an elected politician, and the pair found time for a quick game of pool at the local YMCA.
Despite Bob’s reputation as a critical friend of the Coalition Government, Nick told the BBC:
He’s an institution, he’s totally unique. When he was first elected I was only four years old. He’s now one of the best-loved politicians in Westminster.
I think life would be much less interesting if Bob Russell always toed the party line. He’s not a yes man – he says what he feels and I think people really respect that. They don’t want cardboard cut-out politicians and in Bob they’ve got someone who speaks his mind.
Bob Russell was first elected aged 25 as a councillor for New Town ward in 1971. He then served as mayor and later leader of Colchester Council, before becoming the town’s MP in 1997.
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5 Comments
Poor pool skills there Bob – best stick to the day job!
It looks a little cramped in there, but sadly I believe Colchester council closed the Townhouse youth club a few years back.
Robson – the Townhouse is still running, and remains the responsibility of Conservative run Essex County Council. Colchester YMCA is not really a youth club – they do amazing work with disadvantaged young adults, helping them into employment and education.
On message as ever, Christophe!
Still a bit too much red on the table for my liking, but looking good.
Congratulations to Bob Russell, keep fighting!
On an altogether different topic – and there is no recent thread, so please forgive me – I watched Newsnight tonight and listened to Mary Bousted of the ATL present a strong and persuasive case for why the government is getting something seriously wrong regarding teachers pensions. Look, I support most of what the government is trying to do, and I certainly have no love for bolshie trade unions flexing their muscles, and when Unison and the rest go on strike for entirely political reasons, I will be happy to see the government giving them a good hiding. However, when a trade union which has never gone on strike in over a century suddenly says that it is calling its staff out, then I would suggest that a rethink is in order, or at least a damn good explanation should be given. [Oh and by the way, can someone tell the London Underground that they making Bob Crow seem reasonable, which is an extraordinary feat of stupidity.]
Same black suits around the pool table., I see.