Norman Baker Watch

Naughty Norman

2007-12-19T11:11:00.000Z

After many years of crowing about the behaviour of other MPs, Norman Baker has come under fire from the Parliamentary commissioner for wrongly using taxpayers' money to promote his own party.

You can read all about it in the Argus or go through the ins and outs in the official report into his misuse of public money.

Has to be said Norman's defence that his misuse of public funds was an attempt to save taxpayers money is laughable.

But at least he didn't claim it was all part of an MI5 conspiracy. Makes a change...

Gordon Calling!

2007-11-23T11:20:00.000Z

As Gordon Brown enters his Winter Of Disc-content, a fresh government line is emerging.

Apparently ministers are complaining that there is a “conspiracy” against Brown.

Sounds like a job for Lewes's own Miss Marple!

The Strange Death Of Norman Baker's Credibility

2007-11-23T11:16:00.000Z

Great to see Our Norm all over the TV stations on Sunday.

While the Daily Mail fawn over him, Baker came across as decidedly odd on the Andrew Marr Show and Sky News

Spooked

2007-10-31T12:03:00.000Z

Having fleeced the Daily Mail by getting them to serialise his book on the conspiracy to cover up the murder of David Kelly, Norman Baker is now helping other scammers.

As the Argus reports Norman Baker has helped promote a email scam. No doubt Norman Baker thinks it must be MI5 setting him up and definitely not his own stupidity.

By the way how much has Norman Baker earned from serialising his trashy novel?

Mack The Knife

2007-10-16T09:32:00.000Z

As news broke of another pensioner assassinated in a knife frenzy, Westminster pundits were left asking if Norman Baker's fingerprints were on the blade that finished off Sir Menzies?

Always quick off the mark, Norman was on Sky News faster than The Mingster could sprint an Olympic 100m to heap praise the fallen one.

Norman Baker Watch remembers that Norman was similarly all over the TV like a rash, after signing the letter of no confidence that finished off their previous leader, Charles Kennedy.

When asked by Sky if he'll be throwing his hat into the leadership ring, Norman commented that it was a "job without long term prospects"...With friends like these.

Should Norman should run for the Lib Dem leadship?

Norman Baker Watch is back

2007-10-16T09:20:00.000Z

Norman Baker Watch has returned from the summer break, and what a busy week it's already been for Our Norman!

Norman Baker Watch was pleased to see that Norman had his own page 4 special in the Evening Standard, Police could not find any fingerprints on Dr Kelly suicide knife

Interestingly, this flurry of press interest comes just prior to the publication of his book on Dr Kelly's death.

Fuming over Falmer?

2007-07-27T12:21:00.000Z

Baker must be depressed this weekend having lost his nimbyish fight to stop the Falmer Stadium (something he can add to his list of failures like getting flood defences for Lewes or stopping the Newhaven Incinerator).

No doubt he'll need something to lift his mood - but what would be Norman's chosen pick me up be? Given his past as a wannabe rock 'n' roller, Norman Baker Watch wonders if he ever followed the toking example of the home secretary?

It would explain those wild theories about Robin Cook, 9/11, etc. that Norman's so fond of.

Hangin' on the telephone...

2007-06-27T09:01:00.000Z

Norman Baker Watch wonders if Norman is waiting expectantly by the phone for that call from Gordon?

What position should Norman take in Brown's 'government of all the talents'?

Westminster blues

2007-06-04T23:43:00.000Z

Seems the pressure's getting to Norman Baker.

In the latest issue of Viva Lewes, he bemoans the difficulty of trying to be in Westminster and in his constituency at the same time.

"I invariably get it in the neck from someone if there's a key vote in Westminster and an important event locally on at the same time," he wails before revealing that his view is "that MPs are spending more and more time in their constituencies and correspondingly less in Westminster".

That no doubt explains Norman Baker's below average voting record in Parliament.

Hanging out in Canterbury

2007-05-05T18:41:00.000Z

This week's local elections proved bad news for Norman Baker. While his Lib Dem pals kept control of Lewes District Council they took a beating, losing several seats.

Maybe Norman Baker should have spent more time helping his pals in Lewes than helping out Lib Dems in Canterbury. But given the Lib Dems forgettable performance in Canterbury maybe it was best Baker wasn't around.

Fib and then fib some more

2007-05-02T19:19:00.000Z

With election day looming Norman Baker's not-so-glorious leader Ming Campbell was talking up his party earlier this week.

In a speech in Watford Ming boasted how his party is one of principle, not fashion. "The other parties may favour fashion over principle. But we won't," he claimed.

Unfortunately Ming's message about principle hasn't got through to Norman Baker and his Lib Dem pals in Lewes. As today's Argus reports Jim Daly, Baker's chosen candidate for the Lewes Bridge seat in the local elections, has been busy telling locals that his party were all for letting Brighton and Hove Albion build a stadium in Falmer.

Strangely the candidate in question seems to have forgotten that local Lib Dems fought tooth-and-nail against the stadium (with Norman Baker's support) and even prompted the formation of the pro-Falmer Seagulls Party.

A lapse of memory or a further example of the Lib Dems sticking to the only principle they know - say anything to win votes?

Quote no more

2007-04-29T16:30:00.000Z

Norman Baker Watch has previously reported on Norman Baker's use of selective quotations, but the EU may soon be putting a stop to Baker's misleading quoting.

The EU's Unfair Commercial Practices Directive is set to become law in the UK next April and, reports The Times, will ban "practices that impair appreciably the consumer's ability to make an informed decision".

This will, say lawyers, include editing quotes to make them sound supportive when the original quote is not as is often the case in movie ads.

So looks like Norman Baker will have to take those iffy Matthew Parris quotes off his website.

Norman and Gordon

2007-04-24T22:44:00.000Z

As Norman Baker Watch fans will be well aware Norman Baker has two overriding traits - an obsession with conspiracy theories and a loathing of almost anything enjoyable.

And it's a point not lost on blogger Tom Milner whose essay on the factions within the Liberal Democrats is well worth a read, not least for the mention of how Norman's wing of the party would be more than happy to cuddle up with Gordon Brown.

But, more importantly, could Labour really put up with Norman?

Blood money

2007-04-14T23:43:00.000Z

As Norman Baker Watch noted a few days back Norman Baker was plugging his theories about the death of Dr David Kelly in his hometown of Lewes the other day.

Unsuprisingly Baker trotted out the same old theories and still can't seem to find any real evidence to support his claims.

However Baker used to event to reveal that he has endorsed another theory from the internet's lunatic fringe - that former foreign secretary Robin Cook was also murdered. The "facts" supporting this latest conspiracy theory is the claim that Cook died on Ministry of Defence land and that he opposed the war. A case of one plus one equals a million then.

But it also has now emerged that Norman Baker has signed a book deal to publish a book about his Dr David Kelly theory. So Baker's theory may have no connection to reality, but at least now he can line his pockets off the back of David Kelly's death.

Doublethink Vicky Pollard style

2007-04-13T21:16:00.000Z

A contact has kindly sent Norman Baker Watch a copy of the latest leaflet for Lewes from Norman Baker and his fellow Lib Dems, which features a quite amazing piece of doublethink.

The Lib Dems have clearly been hurt by recent criticism of how much Lewes District Council has been recycling (not much it seems). So their leaflet poo-poos the idea that recycling rates matter, insisting that people should look at how little rubbish is thrown away in the area to see how green they are (although surely it's easier to recycle more if you have less rubbish to deal with?).

Confusingly the Fib Dems then accuse the county council of stopping them recycling more than 27% of their waste, even though they say recycling doesn't matter just a couple of paragraphs earlier and would need a minor miracle to recycle 27% of waste in the Lewes district council area at the rate their going.

Norman Baker Watch reckons Little Britain's Vicky Pollard would put their argument something like this:

"Yeah I did no recycling ever yeah, but don't go giving me evils 'cos I'm like so well green, yeah? But yeah, but no, but yeah, but it don't matter if I do recycling or nuthin' 'cos them in da county council they like so ungreen. But I don't care right 'cos I weren't gonna do any recycling anyway 'cos there ain't no rubbish 'round here. And anyway it were all Norman Baker's fault 'cos he just sat there giving me evils 'cos he thinks MI5 are out to get him."

More nutters join the Norman Baker fan club

2007-04-06T13:33:00.000Z

Norman Baker will be peddling his conspiracy theories about Dr David Kelly once again this coming Wednesday at a meeting in the town of Lewes.

The talk has been arranged by Changing Times, a conspiracy theory group that describes itself as "dedicated to the stimulation of new thinking" on topics such as "metaphysical investigation".

Another bunch of conspiracy obsessives with a rather weak grip on reality, in other words. So Baker will feel very much at home.

In fact Baker's last involvement with this group saw him welcoming a Changing Times talk about how 9/11 was all a Jewish/CIA plot.

Baker's keeness on 9/11 conspiracy theories has also won him fans at The British 9/11 Truth Campaign, who now want to use Norman Baker's name to promote their silly conspiracies and to help them "show how Stop The War cannot deny 9/11 truth".

Good to know Baker's used his time in office to help give weight to make believe and anti-Jewish conspiracy theories.

No doubt Baker and his new pals will be telling us that an MI5 plot is the reason he has failed to get Lewes the money for the flood defences it needs.

New day, new law, usual spin

2007-04-04T22:29:00.000Z

We need new firework safety laws, Norman Baker informed The Argus the other day.

His call for new laws was a reaction to calls by the Fire Brigades Union for an inquiry into the fatal explosion at Festival Fireworks near Lewes back in December. The blast killed two firefighters and left 12 other people injured.

The police inquiry into the explosion is still underway and so no one knows what, if any, legal changes they will recommend. But rather than see what the outcome of that inquiry is, Norman Baker is already demanding a new law.

And what would this new law do, you might ask? Well it seems Norman Baker doesn't know himself since all he could tell The Argus was that there might be "lessons to learn".

Clearly Norman Baker's following that long parliamentary tradition of demanding a new law without having the slightest clue about what should be in that law.

Another triumph of spin over substance from Baker.

Do as I say, not as I do

2007-03-31T08:12:00.000Z

Norman Baker’s been doing his bit for the environment this week by distributing a glossy 8-page report to every home in his constituency (oddly piggybacking on the Tory county council’s own self-serving magazine).

Given this Norman Baker Watch thought it should remind Mr Baker of his campaign against junk mail due to the amount of waste that results. A case of do as Baker says not as he does?

By the way Baker’s report was partially paid for by advertising, so if you would rather the money you spend didn’t end up supporting Lib Dem leaflets you might want to give the following businesses a miss:

The Boathouse farm shop in Barcombe
Lewes chocolate makers Bonne Bouche
Seaford Italian restaurant Diella’s
Boship Farm Hotel & Cromwell’s Restaurant in Lower Dicker
The White Hart Hotel in Lewes
South Downs Nurseries and Garden Centre in Hassocks
Paradise Park Garden Centre in Newhaven

A song for Norman

2007-03-29T23:01:00.000Z

Given the ongoing trend of music lists on blogs, Norman Baker Watch thought it was high time we had a song for Norman competition.

And with Baker being a bit of a Beatles fanatic, Norman Baker Watch thinks the fab four's Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey should be the song for Norman "Ringo" Baker. You couldn't dream up a more fitting title for our favourite conspiracy theorist MP.

Bet Lib Dem leader Ming Campbell wishes he knew about Baker's favourite band before he made that silly comment about the Arctic Monkeys selling more records than the Beatles. That'll teach Ming to, ahem, let Baker resign.

Anyone else got a song for Norman?

I want to believe

2007-03-24T13:46:00.000Z

The Ministry of Defence better watch out, Norman "Fox Mulder" Baker is on the case again.

After buying into conspiracy theories about Dr David Kelly and 9/11, Norman Baker is now searching for answers on UFOs.

Baker has posed a host of questions in Parliament on little green men, which the Paranormal & Ghost Society reveals were written with the help of David Clarke, a writer for the Fortean Times.

Another daring investigation from the Lewes MP or further evidence of Baker's increasing obsession with conspiracy theories?

The truth is out there...

A not so sparkling report

2007-03-18T14:29:00.000Z

One of our sources today emailed Norman Baker Watch a copy of the latest leaflet from Norman Baker and his Fib Dem pals.

The Lib Dems' South Downs Observer amusingly boasts about how it has been delivered to you for free as if anyone would pay for this dismal collection of party propaganda. But Norman Baker Watch was more interested by the story boasting about how great the Audit Commission thinks the Lib Dems are at running Lewes District Council.

According to the article the commission reckons the Lib Dem council got a "sparkling report". But unsurprisingly the Lib Dems decided to turn a blind eye to some parts of the report including criticisms about:

The lack of a child protection strategy
The council's lack of any idea of how to deliver its aims
The failure to address the high turnover of staff at the council
The council's failure to consult users of its services on how to improve services
And, the failure to improve recycling to meet national targets

In short Norman Baker and his pals are failing children, taxpayers, council staff, users of council services and the environment.

Just about everyone then (apart from child abusers).

BNP back Baker

2007-03-15T22:49:00.000Z

Norman Baker Watch last week reported on the selective quoting of Times columnist Matthew Parris on Norman Baker's web site.

But today Norman Baker Watch found a 100% genuine quote endorsing Norman.

It reads: "Refreshingly Mr Baker is one of the few MPs who recognises that the vast sums claimed by MPs in expenses and allowances is taxpayers’ money, and that taxpayers have every right to know what it is being claimed for."

The source of the quote goes on to call Norman "public spirited".

Even though Baker regularly uses quotes from others to promote himself, Norman Baker Watch understands why this quote won't find its way onto his web site since the source of this glowing praise is an article by the despicable British National Party.

Hail to Xenu

2007-03-11T00:36:00.000Z

Norman Baker Watch today came across an Evening Standard article from January where Norman Baker rallies against Labour and the Tories for allowing a charity linked to the cult of Scientology to buy exhibition space at their annual conferences.

"Scientology is a dubious cult at best and it's worrying that it seems to have inflitrated both Labour and the Tories," says Baker.

But strangely Baker forgot to mention that his party has led the way on Scientology in politics.

Way back in 1996, the Lib Dems gave Britain its first Scientologist politician in the form of Lord McNair, who told Parliament: "My Lords, in asking this question I have to tell the House that I have an interest in it. I am a member of the Church of Scientology."

You can find out more about the work of the Lib Dem Scientologist peer here.

Surely the state of Baker's own party should be warning enough of the dangers of Scientology to both the Labour and Conservative parties.

Crikey!

2007-03-07T22:33:00.000Z

Seems Norman Baker Watch's hopes for a joint investigation by Norman Baker and David Icke may be more realistic than originally thought.

As the Liberal England blog reminds us, David Icke was at one time being lined up as a Liberal candidate.

Lucky to have him?

2007-03-07T22:10:00.000Z

Norman Baker fans will doubtless be aware of how he uses a 10-year-old quote from Times columnist Matthew Parris on the frontpage of his website, which says: "You underestimate him at your peril... He has a habit of being right. He sticks to his guns and I think his constituents are very lucky to have him."

But shame Baker left out the comments Parris made just before that quote. Thankfully the BBC didn't forget to include them: "He bores for Britain. He is a super-bore. You sit up in the middle of what he is talking about, stunned and amazed that anybody could be so boring."

Given the comments in that BBC report, Norman Baker Watch can't help but laugh at the irony of some of this blog's contributors calling this blog boring.

But does Parris's claim that Baker's "constituents are very lucky to have him" still stand up a decade on? What with his failure to get Lewes the flood defences it needs and his attempts to stop Brighton and Hove Albion from having a football ground (and those two are just for starters), Norman Baker Watch thinks not.