Charles Clarke

Charles Clarke: I won’t stand for election in Norwich again

Thursday, September 22, 2011
7:35 AM

Former home secretary Charles Clarke has decided not to try to regain the Norwich constituency he lost in the last general election.

He issued a statement to the EDP last night saying that he will not be putting his name forward for the Labour candidacy for Norwich South in the general election scheduled for 2015, and that “it is now time to pass the Labour baton to another candidate”.

His announcement, which brings down the curtain on his Commons career, was prompted by the opening of Labour’s selection processes for a candidate for Norwich South.

Mr Clarke, who was 61 yesterday, served in cabinet under Tony Blair for five years - first as minister without portfolio and Labour chairman (2001-02), and then education secretary (2002-04) and home secretary 2004-06. As education secretary he drove controversial university top-up fees legislation through the Commons. After becoming home secretary he was heavily engaged in changes to counter-terrorism law.

He was effectively dismissed from that post in 2006 after it emerged that over 1000 foreign prisoners had been freed without consideration being given to deportation. Having turned down offers of another cabinet post, he returned to the backbenches. And following Labour’s change of leadership in 2007, he became arguably the leading critic in his party of Gordon Brown.

A son of civil service permanent secretary Sir Richard Clarke, the former Norwich MP became the president of the National Union of Students in 1975-77 and then served as chief of staff to Neil Kinnock throughout his leadership of the Labour Party.

He first won Norwich South in the Blair landslide of 1997, securing a majority of over 14,000 votes. But that was steadily cut as the Labour administrations became less popular, and in last year’s general election he lost the seat to the Liberal Democrats’ Simon Wright by 310 votes.

Mr Clarke said yesterday that “I have no intention of standing again for parliament”, but added that he will retain an active interest and involvement in politics both in his academic work and through a range of other contributions. He is a visiting professor at the University of East Anglia, and is engaged in a range of policy studies in Britain and internationally.

“I am confident that Labour will regain Norwich South at the general election”, he said. He will continue to live in the city.

18 comments

@d.harold: I was among many at UEA who tried to pressure Simon Wright into voting against trebling tuition fees. For the longest time he refused to be drawn on which way he would vote. Meanwhile the party whips did the arithmatic and calculated exactly how many Lib Dems could fake a rebellion to still win the vote. They let the Lib Dems with the lowest majorities rebel. So not only was Simon Wright a hypocrit on the issue, he was deceitful too. It shouldn't have been difficult for him to campaign against an the fees increase from the start (that was what he had promised). As for Charle Clarke- there is a big difference between introducing TOP-UP fees to enable more people to go to university and trebling fees to enable 80% cuts to higher education.

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Sam Rushworth

Saturday, September 24, 2011
@JONO. what has the tuition fees got to do with the sacking of charles clarke . Read the story properly

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running bear

Thursday, September 22, 2011
Charles Clarke spent so much time on TV & Radio undermining the Govt that even a number of Labour supporters wouldn't vote for him. If Labour come up with good local candidates in the North and South of Norwich then they would probably win back those seats quite easily. When it comes to voting next time, remember that Conservative MP's Chloe Smith (Norwich North) and Keith Simpson (Broadland) and Lib Dem MP Simon Wright (Norwich South) all voted for the NHS reforms so that hundreds of local people working in the NHS are going to be made redundant. These NHS redundancies will not just have a devastating impact on all those families, but local businesses will suffer a loss of trade, and unemployment will rise in the Norwich area.

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I LoveNorfolk

Thursday, September 22, 2011
The only big hitting done by old luggy was done at the dinner table. The only thing I recall after being booted out as Home Secretary, was complaining about the fry up service removed from the inter city line, whilst hundreds were losing their jobs to the nuLabour built recession....As iI stated earlier don't expect any difference from the two newbies, my own luggys replacement seems far more interested in how City do on the football pitch than what's happening locally or in the bigger picture of world events, I'm on his case!!!!

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nrg

Thursday, September 22, 2011
Good riddance to bad rubbish.

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Disgusted of Norwich South

Thursday, September 22, 2011
In terms of tuition fees, you will find that the new system is far from perfect. Middle classes will rack up a debt for longer while the richest continue to leave with the least because they can afford it pay it off. Anyway, as for running bear, I'm bemused by your suggestion that I've commented on any "mistake" of Charles Clarke.

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Jono

Thursday, September 22, 2011
why dont jono read and others google the events leading up to the sacking of charles clarke. The edp have only put part of the story above. This blunder by charles clarke cost millions of pounds and hours in police time chasing these foreign criminals. Jono read put it down as a small mistake . This was a major blunder and people should refresh their memories by looking back at the events on google

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running bear

Thursday, September 22, 2011
Charles Clarke made an enormous contribution to British politics and was an excellent Member of Parliament. We need more big hitters like Charles. I hope he continues to make thoughtful contributions to public policy and wish him well.

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David Wilson

Thursday, September 22, 2011
I for one am glad to have seen the back of Charles Clarke and have a local MP who doesn't have several other paid jobs in the private sector. Charles Clarke gave us Top Up fees. Simon Wright voted against increasing fees. That said under the new system part time students now don't have to find up front fees and the monthly repayments for most gradutes are less than we face at the moment.

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d.harold

Thursday, September 22, 2011
I don't suppose he will be missed. The successors to Clarke and Gibson are no better. Claiming 40 pence for car parking, 80 pence for mileage "from home to constituency" etc. No doubt this is "in the rules" but shows how far detached from ordinary people the political classes are. No idea at all of the realities facing most people these days. Shocking people.

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kiwidog

Thursday, September 22, 2011
He may have still been in parliament if Simon Wright and the Liberal Democrats had not made a false promise on tuition fees. (PS Good to see Running Bear still on fine form... Give me strength!)

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Jono

Thursday, September 22, 2011
the post says it all . Thousands of foreign criminals who should have been deported were let loose causing mayhem and a massive police search began to trace them as many were dangerous. He was sacked because he put the british public at huge risk because of his incompetence and the next home secretary had to try and clean up his mess. Another disgraced labour mp

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running bear

Thursday, September 22, 2011
Yes I have to agree Clarke was as much use as a chocolate teapot and both him and Gibson were both pretty much responsible for their own downfall. But as bad as they were they were still a 100% better than this Smith and Wright we have got at the moment who are subordinate functionary party placements and only good for opening shops and getting involved in trivial matters.

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Joe Mullets Uncle

Thursday, September 22, 2011
GOOD!!! He is as much use as a Chocolate TeaPot!

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Just Me

Thursday, September 22, 2011
Yep, sit back and enjoy that hefty pension.The rest of us will have to look forward to,. is austerity {poverty} and a never ending recession. I won't even touch the other host of problems that old luggy and his nuLabour pals caused. The two newbies on the block are of the same mould and will be just as useless as the last two.

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nrg

Thursday, September 22, 2011
I'm not entirely sure how he can "quit Parliament" when he's not in it. That aside, I'm with John Norton, especially regarding Ian Gibson. The Party apparatchik Miss Smith and the vacillating Mr. Wright are not really worthy successors to either Clarke or Gibson, and neither seems to have the interests of Norwich at heart, with every utterance being some cheap party spin - especially Smith's.

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T Doff

Thursday, September 22, 2011
I was never a fan of Charles Clarke or Ian Gibson for that matter for various reasons, but when I look at their replacements I shudder with regret.

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John L Norton

Thursday, September 22, 2011
I was never a fan of Charles Clarke or Ian Gibson for that matter for various reasons, but when I look at their replacments I shudder with regret.

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John L Norton

Thursday, September 22, 2011