Ben Dover stands as a Labour big nob

Porn King short-listed for General Secretary

By Ian Kirby

THEY'VE already got Ed Balls and Alistair Darling...but the Labour party could have had porn film king Ben Dover as GENERAL SECRETARY.

For Dover—whose body of work includes The Porn Ultimatum, British Housewives' Fantasies and Hey Fatty Bum Bum—was on a shortlist of potential candidates circulated to Gordon Brown's aides last month.

Sadly he didn't get the big nob's job —despite starring in more than 90 blue movies and directing at least 100.

Dover, described on the headhunters' list as an "independent film-maker" IS known to swing to the left.

But while his films are independent he seems to be a great fan of the three-line whip himself—and not averse to the handcuffs.

Dover also toes the party line on Europe. Take his 2001 porn classic Euro Birds...the girls in that just couldn't wait to give up their veto.

It's not known exactly who decided the man whose CV describes him as "Britain's most legendary sh*gger" would be qualified to chair Labour's national executive committee and run the party's business.

But city recruiters Rockpools were hired to find a new chief after shamed general secretary Peter Watt was forced to resign over his role in the sleaze scandal about illegal loans from property magnate David Abrahams. Whether anyone at Rockpools, whose website says they offer "innovative executive recruitment", put Dover—real name Lindsay Honey—on the shortlist isn't clear.

But a government minister who saw it told the News of the World: "It's fair to say my eyes popped out.

"We asked for a list of people who were not linked with the Labour Party but were broadly sympathetic.

"We got a load of people from the City, some from the arts and media, some charity people...and a porn star!"

Glamour

Dover, 63, whose long-term partner is former glamour model and porn actress Linzi Drew, has admitted in the past that he supports some of Labour's policies.

And he says the politician he most respects is Labour MP Dennis Skinner, dubbed the Beast of Bolsover.

But the maker of Housewives' Fantasies Fulfilled, Porn Idol and the XXX Factor isn't really a political animal himself.

He was too busy filming to even vote in the past two elections.

And although he was up for the job, Dover didn't get the general secretary's post. That went to David Pitt-Watson, a former merchant banker.

Could be there's a film title in there somewhere, Mr Dover.