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Article: why we need mavericks at westminister.
- Article from:
- The Mail on Sunday (London, England)
- Article date:
- February 3, 2002
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2002 Solo Syndication Limited. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: GEORGE GALLOWAY
MAVERICK: (n) An unbranded beast (Oxford English Dictionary) .
Although I hate the word, meaning pejoratively as it does in the human form 'unpredictable and reckless', it is the preface most often applied to me in the Scottish Press.
I don't mind being called 'independent-minded' or 'offmessage' (I'm the last man at Westminster who doesn't have a pager) because that's what I am and what a Member of Parliament should be.
Once an MP would have been ashamed to be seen as one of a flock shepherded electronically into this lobby or that - even if they used to be more often found voting with the opposition - told ...