Helloooo Frank Dobson ... can you hear me?

So, in this brave new world of honest politics, MPs can finally be held to account by the voter - that's me! Why, if I'm really unhappy with their work, my MP can even be "recalled", that's 'getting the sack' in Westminster speak.

Let's see how we're is doing so far in my neck of the woods. During the election campaign my Labour MP Frank Dobson's party piece consisted of trumpeting how he was one of the good guys - he voted against the Iraq war. That's an issue very close to my heart, as I left the Labour party over the Iraq War. Now, it just so happens that I've discovered that Frank did not vote against the Iraq war at all so he's got some cheek to be perpetuating the lie a full seven years after the event. In the new spirit of openness I wrote Frank and asked for an explanation. I got a standard acknowledgment but no reply, so I repeated the exercise - only this time I received a big fat zero. That's not good Frank. I don't think that's how this new system of openness is supposed to work.

I guess it's the old story isn't it? You lie about something long enough and you start to believe your own propaganda. Frank's main propaganda item for the last seven years has been that he voted against the Iraq war. But he didn't. In fact, he didn't vote at all. Frank Dobson chose to leave the building just before the crucial vote, the declaration of war. Was this the sly action of a seasoned politician using the system for his own gain or merely an act of sheer cowardice? You decide. Frank seems quite a nice man, so why is he lying? More to the point, if that's his style, what else might he be less than honest about? I did put the question to Frank during the election campaign but he claimed that he couldn't remember how he voted. Do you buy that? No, neither do I.

But let's be kind. Frank's no youngster and he probably has his share of 'senior moments'. However, luckily he can now get help to remember by looking at the relevant documentation readily available to us all:

http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/division.php?date=2003-03-18&number=118&display=allpossible

This is what he will find:

Iraq — Declaration of War — 18 Mar 2003 at 22:00
Mr Frank Dobson - Holborn & St Pancras - Absent

So I'm waiting for Frank. Honest and open politics - remember? Now let's see if this House of Commons Santa look-alike can hack it. Frank's my MP, he represents my interests, I want to know that I'm dealing with an honest man.

I've put Frank's 2nd July surgery at Camden Town Hall in the diary. I'll be there and I hope Frank is too. I shall report back in due course.