I remember Keith House messing up a TV interview when, as leader of Eastleigh Council, he was trying to become the MP in a by-election, which I just looked up as the by-election was in 1994.
So he's been running that council for at least 30 years, which I think makes him the longest-serving leader of a council in the country. It's remarkable how long someone can hold such a powerful position and yet a serious observer of politics has no idea who they are.
Don't get me wrong, I only know of him because I remember being amused by him cocking-up an interview 30 years ago. I couldn't name the leaders of more than maybe five councils, yet I could likely name a couple of hundred MPs, and a backbench MP has less power than the leader of a council.
I remember Keith House messing up a TV interview when, as leader of Eastleigh Council, he was trying to become the MP in a by-election, which I just looked up as the by-election was in 1994.
So he's been running that council for at least 30 years, which I think makes him the longest-serving leader of a council in the country. It's remarkable how long someone can hold such a powerful position and yet a serious observer of politics has no idea who they are.
Don't get me wrong, I only know of him because I remember being amused by him cocking-up an interview 30 years ago. I couldn't name the leaders of more than maybe five councils, yet I could likely name a couple of hundred MPs, and a backbench MP has less power than the leader of a council.
Perhaps this anonymity is the secret of his house building success?!
I don't think he's all that anonymous in Eastleigh. The one council leader I could name is Bev Craig, the leader of Manchester Council where I live.