Tessa of North London

[Muttley]

I heard Tessa Jowell on the radio this morning talking about schools in her constituency, which reminded me that I've seen almost nothing of our invisible MP in recent years, except on TV of course. When's the last time anyone spotted her in East Dulwich? The local party office used to be in Grove Vale, but I don't recall seeing the sign there for years. Have they relocated to somewhere more convenient (i.e. Islington)?

[dulwichmum]

Dear Mr Muttley,

I must admit that I am not a keen supporter of any political party, however, I have had cause to contact Mrs Jowell in the not to distant past, and I can only aplaud her hard work, and almost instant remedy to the situation I raised with her. I think she is good at her job, and very hard working.

[all_star]

I saw her once outside the station (well it was the week before the election...) She also rang up my wife and personally tried to persuade her to vote. Its a bit unnerving when you pick up the phone and someone says "Hi, its Tessa Jowell here...)

[Michael Palaeologus]

I have no time for Ms Jowell. When I went to see her she clearly sensed that my issue was a political hot potato and literally made her excuses and left. The problem with having a Minister as a local MP is that she will NEVER fight for her constituency if that might cause some discomfort to the Government or disrupt her career. So, we have an MP as a Minister, in charge of the Olympics, yet the area will see no benefit from the Olympics, the East London Line Extension benefits North London - we get "phase 2" which wont be funded until after the Olympics and so will never get funded - because of the inevitable Olympic overspend - which is Ms Jowell's responsibility. She is actually worse than useless. Far better to have a back-bench MP with metaphorical balls who will fight for the constituency and not spend her time being pictured sprawled over a gaming table.

[Muttley]

Mikewbate I think I'm with you, TJ has always had a reputation as a hard worker, but in the end I do think there are more cons than pros in having a minister as an MP. Compare her Dulwich profile with the that of, say, backbencher Chris Bryant at www.chrisbryantmp.com . (Mind you, Chris does seem to have one, er, infamous photo conspicuously absent from his gallery.)

[Guest]

She doesn't even live here!

[Ko]

I agree that she is useless - she won't touch a political hot potato. I say this from experience. She deals with issues that are easy to deal with and she is quick to blame other parties. I don't really care which party our MP belongs to, but I would like an MP who actually lives here and genuinely cares about the community. She would never put her constituency in front of a labour policy. All she cares about is herself and earning lots of money from being a minister. She seems to spend more time on the Olympics and casinos than working with her constituency. She comes once a month to the Darrell Rd community centre, but there's no point talking to her about certain issues which she considers too political to get involved in.

[Michael Palaeologus]

Absolutely Ko.

[Guest]

ED has become the type of area I can imagine having an all singing all dancing green credential new look cameronite Tory MP, wandering up and down LL on a bike.... (and probably not doing much else)

[Domitianus]

She also has a turkey neck!

[louisiana]

Can't stand the Jowell. Casinos? What was that about?

With the new influx to the Nappy Valley (or Nappy Vale), what I can foresee is not some Cameronesque campaign, but a Green revolution. What all our yummy mummies want are organics, free ranges, biodegradables, biodynamics, recyclables, free trades etc etc. Maybe Brighton (where Greens have been elected) is the model. Is the local Green Party aware of the changing demographic tides of ED?

[buggie]

I've seen her several times when she's come and put a christmas tree up where I work and despite getting in the way of our work as she does it have never even heard a "hello" let alone her asking which part of the festive period we're working (nearly all of us work christmas or new year) - in fact christmas just gone the tree nearly vanished an hr later as it was meant to be just for apperances.

[monica]

She comes into my work place as well.Very quiet,shops and leaves,no eye contact no goodbyes or even au revoir;-)

[snorky]

tess is looking OLD

[Amelie]

She has just bought a flat in Highgate, the only time I have been aware of her being here was for some hustings prior to the last General Election. I voted Tory not realising that the second party in the constituency was actually the Lib Dems and if all the Tory voters had voted tactically Tessa Jowell would have been out on her ear.

[macroban]

Any sightings recently?

[Domitianus]

I always get TJ mixed up with a bunch of other female Blairites who came to power a number of years ago. I know it's cruel but they all seemed to be intense, faintly bitter-seeming (but, oh so carefully hidden!), turkey-necked women who gave off this sad impression of being tragically desperate to succeed. Could all be my misogynistic projections, of course, but they just all seemed to blur one into the other so much so that I can't even remember the names of the others - they are just some frightful female New-Labour gestalt in my mind. I only remember TJ by name as she is the local MP.

[fish]

With a news worthy husband.

[Domitianus]

Harman! Of course! Another perfect example. The grim desperation to prove something to the world that just simmers constantly under that woman's facade!

[fish]

Domitianus Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Harman! Of course! Another perfect example.

> The grim desperation to prove something to the

> world that just simmers constantly under that

> woman's facade!

Her ambition to be a world class racing driver, maybe?

[Domitianus]

???

[fish]

Domitianus Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> ???

Didn't she get done for speeding (again)? In her car, I mean.

[Domitianus]

Wouldn't surprise me, and I bet, when nicked, she said (mentally, at any rate) "Don't you know who I am?" To which the copper prolly replied (mentally) "Yeah, you're that jumped up political tart who was married to a crook!" Ho-ho!

[Burbage]

Ms Jowell's activites are published in advance on her website. The following link, at the time of writing, has her opening a school in just under two years' time:

http://www.tessajowell.net/working_hard_for_you

Advice session are also publicized on the site, with the next one in East Dulwich being on 26th October, where members of the public can queue up for an hour and a half for the chance to be swiftly patronized. Although Ms Jowell is no longer officially part of the Cabinet, and thereby no longer bound by the principle of collective Cabinet responsibility, her roles as Minister for the Olympics and London, and as Paymaster General (a position granted apparently without irony), would make it difficult for her to either vote against the government or display conscience.

Members of the public who subscribe to her email alerts will receive notification of when the next digest of tub-thumping tedium is published. As an added bonus, they'll get advance notice of the activities of those minions who've drawn the short straw on canvassing in the area. With a possible election not looming, this might be of more interest to some than others.

Her facebook profile lists 140 friends, mostly professional.

[Domitianus]

Opening a school in two years time???? Our kids need education NOW, goddammit!!!!!