The sins of voters

Beverley seems to attract a certain kind of MP (i.e. Tories). Clinging on at the moment is Graham Stuart (clinging on = 124 majority last time round).  Of course, just because you’re a Tory doesn’t necessarily mean you are a bad person, although it can point in that direction. But this isn’t about the rumbustious incumbent, but a  predecessor, James Cran, whom I fought in the 1992 general election. I have only just heard that Cran popped his clogs a couple of years ago. I never met him—he wasn’t interested in silly things like hustings meetings—nor even sharing a platform at the count. An invisible. arrogant man. It is only now that I have been pointed to his Wikipedia entry:
 
‘Following his death, James Cran's daughter, Dr Alexandra Walker, alleged sustained emotional (and occasionally physical) abuse at his hands, beginning in her childhood and carrying on up until she broke off contact with him shortly before he died. Dr Walker described Cran as "terrifying", a "Jekyll and Hyde character" prone to mood swings and sudden fits of rage exacerbated by  alcohol. She recounted that he once locked her in a car for "what felt like hours" for accidentally hitting him with a  skimming stone, and tied her arms down at a restaurant as a toddler for throwing a  salt shaker, among various other incidents. Walker also felt that Cran consistently belittled her as an adult, and  emotionally blackmailed her in the aftermath of her mother's death.’ (originally reported in the i.)
 
Had this been known in his term of office he may have been forced out on his ear. It makes me wonder what else MPs got away with in the day. Only in the last few weeks an MP has been forced to resign for the innocent act of physically attacking somebody.
 
I am reminded of another encounter, this with former MP for Normanton, Albert Roberts in 2000 when I was chasing the parliamentary selection in Morley and Rothwell. Albert, then 91 years old lived in his architect designed house in Rothwell. I nice old chap he seemed genuinely interested in what I had to say. I have to confess that at the time I hadn’t realised that he was one of corrupt architect John Poulson’s consiglieres, and also acted on behalf of a character named Francisco Franco. Albert seems to have avoided much of the bad Poulson publicity and his Wikipedia entry is surprisingly brief. It’s all distant history now, I suppose. He retired 50 years ago. Anyway, I’m sure I would have got his vote, but neither I nor any of the other candidates did: he died not that long after I visited him. Had I known his history at the time I called, would I have said ‘Albert, I don’t want your vote?’ I doubt it. The sins of the voters shouldn’t be visited on aspirants.