“There is nothing wrong with genuine political debate but the one thing that blogging does allow people to do is to say the vilest things without having the guts to put their heads above the parapet.” - Mike Freer, Leader of Barnet Council in the Evening Standard 7/9/2008
Planet Earth to Mike, Planet Earth to Mike, come in please.
Dear Michael, I can only assume you were referring to me in your comment. Do you actually ever look at anything properly? If you looked at this blog, you'd see that I put my full name & a short biog in my profile. I also put a link to my music business in the sidebar. I've also had several letters published about the marvellous job you've done in charge of Barnet in the local paper with my name and address on. I also used to write a blog for the Barnet Times (you know, the one you were always ringing Phil Crowther up to complain about) with my name and my picture on it. Your problem isn't that I haven't put my head above the parapet, I have big time. The problem is that you are too incompetent to hit it with any rotten tomatoes when I do.
Sure some bloggers say the vilest things. I'm sure you remember the blog called BARNETSTHIRDEYE.BLOGSPOT.COM which allegedly was run by one of your own councillors. You may recall that this published a picture of entire Barnet Council Labour group and described them as FREAKS.
As to saying "The vilest things". It's great to have the leader of the council describe you as "Nutters" and "One Handed Bloggers" and "armchair critics who are cossetted by family money"? I'm sure you can understand how much I appreciated them, especially the comment about inheritance, the week after my mum died. That was touchingly timed.
In my role as a music svengali, one of the things I do is I advise musicians on their careers and how to get on. Sometimes I have to suggest an alternative industry, where their talents may be better suited. I believe that you want to be an MP, but to me you seem far too touchy to survive the House of Commons bearpit. I really don't think you'd stand up to the pummelling Gordon Brown takes on a daily basis. Michael, I really really don't dislike you. This advice is genuine, from the heart and in the best interests of your long term happiness. Find another career, one where you won't have to make such crucial decisions and one where your many talents will be appreciated. Barnet is a fantastic area to start a business, I know I run several. There is one area which it is sadly lacking and I think a man with your talents really could do well. I don't know of a single decent whelk stall anywhere. Open one up !
I'm all for genuine political debate, bring it on. Follow my example and publish all your comments on LEADERLISTENS.COM - not just those you like. I always thought "genuine political debate" meant letting everyone have their say. Tell me Mike, How could I be so stupid and wrong?
Are my eyes deceiving me? Am I really seeing the Leader of the Council, in my view, so openly stepping in on Cllr Coleman's side just a few days before the Standards Sub-Committee hearing?
ReplyDeleteA hearing which is to consider a report by an independent investigator who has chosen to make a recommendation describing the offensive comments that he himself made on his podcast (together with Cllr Coleman's email) a breach of the Code of Conduct?
What will the public now think if the hearing sub-committee chooses to reject the findings of the independent investigator and find that his and Cllr Coleman's comments weren't a breach? Will they not think they have been affected by this powerful man's public comments?
I am truly stunned at this colossal misjudgement.
Let's see if Mike Freer has the guts to make leaderlistens.com a genuine open forum for debate in Barnet. Until then, keep up the good work Rog.
ReplyDeleteAnd why are Cllrs Coleman and Freer so delicate that they want to shut off local debate?