Today's most viewed
Former Lib-Dem in Euro seat bid
 |
| BRUSSELS AIM: Sajjad Karim |
THE future of a north west MEP, who controversially switched from the Liberal Democrats to theConservatives, is under the spotlight.
Blackburn-born Sajjad Karim is bidding to become one of the Tory group's candidates in Brussels, as the party's Euro MP selection procedure begins.
In November, the former Pendle councillor defected from the Lib-Dems to the Conservatives claiming that the latter had made 'huge progress' under leader David Cameron.
Mr Karim, 37, a former lawyer with two specialist practices in the North West, once had his constituency office in Manchester Road, Nelson.
Now he is based in Chorlton, south Manchester, following his defection.
Party members in the north west have been issued with ballot papers and must return them over the next few weeks.
Veteran Tory MEPs Den Dover, the party's regional development spokesman, Sir Robert Atkins and David Sumberg, a member of the foreign affairs committee, are also in the running.
An announcement on the successful candidates is expected in early April.
Mr Karim was first elected to Pendle Council in 1994 and held a number of posts at Nelson Town Hall during his eight-year tenure.
He joined the European Parliament as a north-west MEP in June 2004 and served on the parliament's international trade committee.
11:34am Monday 17th March 2008
Print 
Email this 
CommentPosted by: Lancastrian, Lancashire on 2:05pm Mon 17 Mar 08
The article states that he is a former lawyer when in fact he has opened another law firm in Manchester under his own name SajjadKarim Solicitors...wonder how he plans on carrying out constituency work & running his law firm simultaneously in a fully committed manner.
The guy is not even worth commenting on and whilst he is lapping it up in South Chorlton...his former lib dem colleagues are knocking on doors in pendle for the forthcoming elections without his support.
The article states that he is a former lawyer when in fact he has opened another law firm in Manchester under his own name SajjadKarim Solicitors...wonder how he plans on carrying out constituency work & running his law firm simultaneously in a fully committed manner.
The guy is not even worth commenting on and whilst he is lapping it up in South Chorlton...his former lib dem colleagues are knocking on doors in pendle for the forthcoming elections without his support.
Posted by: Lucy on 4:51pm Mon 17 Mar 08
Well I like him!
I get the impression LibDems are very bitter about him leaving even today...
Well I like him!
I get the impression LibDems are very bitter about him leaving even today...
Posted by: Nelsoner, Nelson on 6:46pm Mon 17 Mar 08
His old office in Nelson Town centre, which is an old shop. Is sat empty will loads of rubbish inside. Who is paying the council tax for this building. It is a complete eyesore, it still has his name along with the lib dems across the front.
His old office in Nelson Town centre, which is an old shop. Is sat empty will loads of rubbish inside. Who is paying the council tax for this building. It is a complete eyesore, it still has his name along with the lib dems across the front.
Posted by: vikingpower, blackburn on 7:59am Tue 18 Mar 08
Do any of our local councillors actually have faith in their convictions anymore?.How can a liberal suddenly decide hes a conservative?its because of opportunists like this that the electorate are turning their backs on mainstream politics in droves
Do any of our local councillors actually have faith in their convictions anymore?.How can a liberal suddenly decide hes a conservative?its because of opportunists like this that the electorate are turning their backs on mainstream politics in droves
Posted by: nelsoner, nelson on 8:38am Tue 18 Mar 08
Lucy you may like him,but I bet you wouldn't be saying that if you were one of his former employees at the lib dem office,some of whom he sacked by text message I hear. This guy has no back bone and is a pure opportunist...if he had any backbone he would have remained with the Lib-Dems who helped establish him, not jump ship just cos they wouldnt give him the first ticket for the forthcoming MEP elections even though he knows that Chris Davies is ticket holder number 1 who has been in the job a lot longer.
Lucy you may like him,but I bet you wouldn't be saying that if you were one of his former employees at the lib dem office,some of whom he sacked by text message I hear. This guy has no back bone and is a pure opportunist...if he had any backbone he would have remained with the Lib-Dems who helped establish him, not jump ship just cos they wouldnt give him the first ticket for the forthcoming MEP elections even though he knows that Chris Davies is ticket holder number 1 who has been in the job a lot longer.
Posted by: lucy on 3:28pm Tue 18 Mar 08
That's politics for you!
It's the same with all jobs in politics...
Saj is not a bad guy even if he did jump ship.
That's politics for you!
It's the same with all jobs in politics...
Saj is not a bad guy even if he did jump ship.
Posted by: nelsoner, Nelson on 10:08am Wed 19 Mar 08
I think Lucy is Saj karim's girlfriend
I think Lucy is Saj karim's girlfriend
Posted by: Ahmed, Nelson on 1:13pm Wed 19 Mar 08
[quote][bold]nelsoner[/bold] wrote:
I think Lucy is Saj karim's girlfriend[/quote] I think Saj Karim has tried the Asian persuation on Lucy and seems to have worked :-)
nelsoner wrote:
I think Lucy is Saj karim's girlfriend
I think Saj Karim has tried the Asian persuation on Lucy and seems to have worked :-)
Posted by: Ahmad, NELSON on 2:22pm Wed 19 Mar 08
[bold]This so called councillor, so called Member of European Parliament needs to be banned from all Government involvement.His deception is not just to his former party but to the whole of the Community, he has made a mockery of the people who voted for him. There was no justification to the people who backed him and supported him through his ups and downs for votes. I attended many events with Sajjad Karim and cannot recall a moment where he physically made efforts to approach people/residents (made sure his seat kept warm) for local issues/concerns. This reflected on his previous party too, i can recall many councillors that he nominated, who once elected took a back seat. MR KARIM You're not wanted and neither your ex parties councillors !! A very Irrate Voice from a broken community[/bold]
This so called councillor, so called Member of European Parliament needs to be banned from all Government involvement.His deception is not just to his former party but to the whole of the Community, he has made a mockery of the people who voted for him. There was no justification to the people who backed him and supported him through his ups and downs for votes. I attended many events with Sajjad Karim and cannot recall a moment where he physically made efforts to approach people/residents (made sure his seat kept warm) for local issues/concerns. This reflected on his previous party too, i can recall many councillors that he nominated, who once elected took a back seat. MR KARIM You're not wanted and neither your ex parties councillors !! A very Irrate Voice from a broken community Posted by: Ahmad, Nelson on 2:25pm Wed 19 Mar 08
PS. Lucy with all due respect. not just you but many thought he was a nice and tactile person. But im afraid Many would not agree with you now !!
PS. Lucy with all due respect. not just you but many thought he was a nice and tactile person. But im afraid Many would not agree with you now !!
Posted by: Nelsoner, Nelson on 3:30pm Wed 19 Mar 08
Too true Ahmad, too true.
Too true Ahmad, too true.
Posted by: Saghir Ahmed moji on 10:33pm Thu 20 Mar 08
I am the moji who put him at the top. He is a good man because Tony Greaves did not listen to the Asian Lib Dems. We made the Lib Dems in Pendle. We will see what Tony does this time round??
I am the moji who put him at the top. He is a good man because Tony Greaves did not listen to the Asian Lib Dems. We made the Lib Dems in Pendle. We will see what Tony does this time round??
Posted by: Chris on 11:25am Thu 27 Mar 08
Wonder if Saj will join Labour if he comes second in the ballot.
Wonder if Saj will join Labour if he comes second in the ballot.
Posted by: Joe on 11:31am Thu 27 Mar 08
Tony Greaves did all he could to help Saj and other Asian Lib Dems). Saj left because he came second in the ballot to Chris Davies and feared (wrongly in my view) he would not get re-elected.
Tony Greaves did all he could to help Saj and other Asian Lib Dems). Saj left because he came second in the ballot to Chris Davies and feared (wrongly in my view) he would not get re-elected.
Posted by: brierfielder, brierfield on 11:33pm Mon 31 Mar 08
the guy (saj) has got brains. he was alwaying cunning and using people. he has no feelings-for him the only way is up.
the guy (saj) has got brains. he was alwaying cunning and using people. he has no feelings-for him the only way is up.
What are these links for?
If you liked this article and would like to share it with others on the web who might be searching for good content we've made it easy for you to do it.
At the bottom of all articles, you'll see links to six sites. These sites - commonly called 'social bookmark' or 'social news' sites - have large communities of web users who share and rate interesting, useful and fun things on the web.
Clicking the links will automatically add the address of the story you are reading to one of these sites, letting you share it with others. Each site will ask you to register to share stories. Registration is free and once a member, you can store, recommend and search for stories that interest you.
More on Digg
More on del.icio.us
More on Furl
More on reddit
More on NowPublic/
More on Yahoo!
