A Rightwing Royal Scandal - Parburypolitica Exclusive
After the local elections there is one thing that we can say for sure, namely that the next general election will be a very closely fought contest. There is a significant possibility of a hung parliament. In such a situation that the Monarch should be seen to be politically neutral is of paramount importance. That goes to the heart of both the constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy.
Edward Young (pictured) is a former Vice Chairman, Reading East Conservative Association and a Reading Borough Councillor. He was elected in 1994 and became group leader, it is not clear yeat when he stood down but he was a conservative parliamentary candidate for Leigh in the 1997 general election. He then in 1999 went on to become an advisor to the Shadow Chancellor and subsequently The Leader of the Opposition William Hague up until 2001.
He then joined Grenada as Head of Corporate Communications, working primarily on the merger with Carlton Communications to form ITV plc. Prior to his election to Parliament David Cameron was Director of Corporate Affairs for Carlton and after 2001 he was retained as a consultant. It would be very interesting to find out what links they had with each other during this time.
So after his time as a tory candidate and tory spinner, add a couple of years of working in the private sector for non party political cover though don't let that stop you working in the same mileu as the future leader of the opposition,then become a member of the Royal Household as assistant Private Secretary to the Sovereign. As of September 2007 he will be promoted to Deputy Private Secretary. This puts him in line to be the next Principle Private Secretary the highest advisor to Her Majesty in time for the next election.
Did he declare his past as an active conservative when applying to the Royal Household?If he did what on earth are they playing at by putting the political impartiality of the Queen at risk. We can accept them being social conservatives but actively employing party political ones is a step to far.
We could be in a position where Her Majesty's most important advisor is not seen to be politically neutral and an ex advisor to the shadow foreign secreatary William Hague, he may even be a friend of David Cameron.
If after the next election there is a hung parliament and the Queen asked Mr Young his advice on the way forward for the country can he honestly say that his advice to the Sovereign would not at all be clouded by his political past. I think he can't say that with any certainty especially because of his personal links to the main protagonists of the Conservative parliamentary party. He should go now before his position becomes untenable in a constitutional crisis.