Read all about him... (From Your Local Guardian)

Read all about him...

4:51pm Wednesday 23rd January 2008

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Anyone in Sutton or Cheam who wondered what their MP looked like is no longer in any doubt after the latest party political leaflet sent out by Paul Burstow.

The chief whip of the Liberal Democrats is said to have exhibited new levels of narcissim after featuring a slightly immodest 22 images of himself over eight pages.

“Having just read Paul Burstow’s 'Who's Talking' you'd think we were living in the London borough of Burstow."

Cheam ward councillor Graham Whitham

Rembrandt may have turned out 40 unvarnished self-portraits but at least the versatile Dutch master spread them over half a century.

Is it because Paul Burstow is worth it? Several local councillors clearly think not and have described the literature, entitled Who's Talking, as a "staggering vanity piece".

They are now re-christening the issue as the Daily Burstow amid complaints it contained all the constituency news fit to print, provided that news reflected favourably on Mr Burstow.

A particular gripe is that the leaflet apparently glosses over an epidemic of violent crime in the borough, including a recent machete attack in Cheam.

Councillor Graham Whitham, the Conservative member for Cheam, said: "Having just read Paul Burstow's 'Who's Talking' you'd think we were living in the London borough of Burstow.

"This copy of the self-serving The Daily Burstow', complete with a staggering 22 pictures of him won't help local people with sky-high council tax to pay, parents worried about the tide of violent crime, or to clean the filthy streets.

"The Lib Dem MP is so out of touch it's unreal. But this vanity piece does get one thing right when it describes 'a sopping-wet Paul' - frankly, we couldn't agree more."

This week Mr Burstow was surprisingly publicity-shy and declined the chance to comment.

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