A message for Andrew Dismore and Matthew Offord

As the job of MP for Hendon passed from Andrew Dismore to Matthew Offord. I suppose it's a bit rich for a failed council candidate such as me to offer anyone any advice, but it is genuine and well meant.

Dear Andrew Dismore,
I have read with abject horror your comments about the election. I was at the count and heard your speech. I am quite frankly appalled. I am one of the thousands of people who worked for your election in 1997 and voted for you in all the elections which you won. I am sorry to say that the reason you lost on Thursday was because you let us all down. I acknoweldge and appreciate your hard work in the constituency and had it not been for this I would have been a far more vitriolic and constant critic. Your loss on Thursday was down to one thing. You. It was because of your ridiculous attitude to expenses. You may or may not recall that we met in 2002 when I was still a Labour member. You may recall that I advised you then to stop abusing the expenses system. I told you this as a concerned friend . My advice then - "stop it or it will come back to haunt you". I am sorry to say it has.

This is for two reasons. You have turned off many voters who otherwise would have been more than happy to vote for you. Secondly your actions have severely demotivated activist (and former activists such as myself). Had it not been for this, I would have remained a member of the Labour Party and campaigned through this blog on your behalf. You would have won handsomely. As it is, your actions forced me to re-evaluate my political allegiance. Having broken the bond with Labour, but not wishing to see a Tory victory, I am more than happy to be a Lib Dem. You have disgraced yourself. If you had stood up and apologised for the expenses scandal when you lost and behaved with grace and dignity, I would have probably felt sorry for you and guilty for not voting Labour in a general election for the first time. As it was, I felt your behaviour has completely vindicated my decision.

Thank you for your hard work on behalf of the ordinary people of Hendon. I wish you luck in future with your career and hope that in the fullness of time, when you have reflected on what happens, you realise that it is nobodies fault but your own. Please learn from this and stop looking like a bad loser. It is hard to take, believe me I know. Take it on the chin.

Regards

Roger Tichborne

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Dear Matthew Offord,

Firstly congratulations on winning Hendon. As you know, I have been one of your harshest critics. You now have the chance to prove me wrong. I urge you to not take the people of Hendon for granted and to work as hard for them as Andrew Dismore has. Given your majority, you have one of the tightest marginal seats in the country and will be under severe pressure to hold it. Once Gordon Brown goes and David Cameron calls a snap election, you will be under severe pressure to keep it. The best way to do this is hard work for the people you represent.

One bit of advice I can offer you for free. If and when you eventually lose an election, take a look at how Mr Dismore has behaved. This will be how he is remembered - as a bad loser. Whenever that day comes, behave with dignity and grace. I genuinely hope you do a good job until that day comes.

regards

Roger Tichborne