Selection is childs play for Lib Dems

Rockin’ Rene Kinzett today proves his well-developed sense of political timing by revealing how bizarre Lib Dem voting rules saw him pipped as Lib Dem candidate in Swansea West. Apparently votes cast by the four year old and none year old kids of fellow contender Peter May helped clinch it for their dad.

Martin Shipton in the Western Mail, who seems to have had a run of Swansea-based of late, reports that Rene cited this constitutional oddity as one of several reasons that prompted him to defect to the Conservatives.

The loophole exploited by his opponent in 2007 has since been closed but the situation remains confused. Lib Dem AM Eleanor Burnham is quoting as saying that she has never relied on childrens votes in selection contests but seemed unaware that the opportunity to do so had been removed.

Peter Black did his usual act of playing dumb, as he does whenever confronted by speculation that the dealings within the party are anything less than pristine, and would only say “I don’t know the details of what went on at the Swansea West selection meeting.” Yeah, right.

As you would expect, the word is that Kinzett has a ready fund of similar stories to hand designed to show his Lib Dem opponent is a less than positive light. Given his extensive PR background, such an exercise should be child play.