Michael Crick: Bitter battles in Portsmouth

The shenanigans of Portsmouth politics never cease to delight.  This is a loyalty oath which was proposed by Gerald Vernon-Jackson, the leader of the Lib Dems on Portsmouth Council, to all lib Dem council candidates, making them declare that they’d be backing him for the Westminister election in Portsmouth South.  In reality, it was directed at just one person – Jacqui Hancock, wife of Mike Hancock, the former Liberal Democrat MP, who is standing as an Independent.

It’s getting very bitter.  On a BBC South hustings programme broadcast this morning, Mike Hancock explained he was only standing against Vernon-Jackson because “I hate him”

A real dilemma for Mrs Hancock, who is hoping to get re-elected in the wonderfully named Charles Dickens ward.  No, it seems.  Gerald Vernon-Jackson tells me that Jacqui Hancock has assured him that she’ll be supporting him for the Westminster seat and not her own husband.  “That’s what she told me,” Vernon-Jackson has told me.

Having had that oral assurance from Jacqui Hancock and similar commitments from all the other Lib Dem council candidates, Vernon-Jackson has now withdrawn the loyalty oath.

Update: Mike Hancock has just told me:

“I seen nothing so absurd in all my 40 years in politics.  He must be really rattled.  I’ve not spoken to Gerald for more than a year.  I don’t owe Gerald one iota, and he knows why.  My wife and I had lunch today – as it’s my birthday – and she knows, and I know,  where her loyalties lie.  She gave Gerald a right bollocking.  He’s running scared.  Some members of the (Liberal Democrat) party have even signed my nomination papers.”