Andrew George MP accuses MK of “silly politics”

The Western Morning News has today covered MK’s challenge to Cornish MPs to resign from their respective Coalition parties over the “Pasty Tax” and other policies that are damaging Cornwall.

Helpfully, the newspaper shows that only a miniscule 15 coalition backbenchers – ten Tories and five Lib Dems – voted against the “Pasty Tax.”

Liberal Democrat Andrew George, described as a member of MK “in the 80s when it was possible to also be a member of other political parties" is reported as saying: "People have moved from parties before but it is not going to happen over this issue. I would prefer to make this a cross-party issue rather than flinging around accusations – this is unhelpful, silly politics and diverts us from standing shoulder to shoulder."

He is also reported as saying local MPs would "have another crack" at reversing the tax as the Bill moved through the committee stages.

I would like to point out three things.

1. When Andrew George was a member of MK in the 1980s, you could not also be a member of another political party. MK member stopped being a pressure group in the early 1970s when it became a fully-fledged political party.

2. Last year, Cornish MPs spoke out against the creation of a Devonwall parliamentary constituency. Their party colleagues outside of Cornwall refused to support the campaign and then the majority of the Cornish MPs (five out of six) voted through the actual legislation.  Will they do the same on the “Pasty Tax”?

3. In the spirit of Andrew's commitment to this being a "cross-party issue," will he condemn the actions of Lib Dems in the Truro area for their actions in the recent Boscawen by-election?