"yeah but.. moderate and conservative mudcatters can counter that with "ultra-left-wing Steve"..."

Yeah, they could, but I live in a half-million quid country house that I own outright, with a half-acre garden in one of the most beautiful coastal locations in these islands, and I'm most decidedly not hard up... Let me assure you that my leftie credentials, which are still exceptionally the real McCoy (Blair Peach was my best mate...look him up...), are still sound. Damn any bastard who would characterise me otherwise. And I bloody mean it. Try me.