Yet Another Labour MP Steps Aside

James Purnell a former aide to Tony Blair and a former Work and Pensions Secretary is the latest on the lengthening list of Labour MPs to step aside from Westminster. With the time getting shorter and shorter to a General Election it most be disturbing some Constituency Labour Parties if their MP is next to have a sudden change of heart.

It is somehow hard to work out how the MP for Stalybridge and Hyde can be tired of the Westminster machine, he is only 39 and only been an MP since 2001. Although as he says he has spent all his working life in and around Westminster which maybe does mean that career politicians from University to election are facing premature born out.

Although your Tam Dalyells, Tony Benns or Dennis Skinners all seem to have survived quite long and meaningful careers within politics even with a younger start than some of these young whipper snappers. Maybe the fact is that too many of those who are coming through the political career path see is a stepping stone for themselves and not as a means to help those in the constituency that they end up representing. Maybe that is the difference between those who want to work for a constituency and those that want merely to work for the party.