Lynne Hillan assurred all of her councillors that the business of the allowance rise would "blow over in a couple of days". That was on the 13th July. For the third week running the local press have carried stories of their greed. The editorial comment this week is the most vitriolic I've ever seen. The letters page is full of anger and there is no sign of respite. Local Tory workers are up in arms, the national party is up in arms, it seems that everyone is up in arms. The credibility of the local Barnet Conservatives is in tatters. Hillan is still telling everyone it will blow over and be forgotten by the time we next have a council election, but every cut she makes, every employee she sacks and every mistake she makes will be another excuse to remind everyone of the sorry mess. The only way this will be forgotten is if she gets the sack and takes Coleman with her. A new team can then reverse the rise and wipe the slate clean.
That way they will get huge (if in my opinion completely undeserved) merit with the voters for listening.
7 comments:
Wikipedia says:
"A triumvirate is a political regime dominated by three powerful individuals, each a triumvir."
We have Triumvir Hillan, Triumvir Harper, and Triumvir Coleman (as well as the backup group in the Cabinet, the Triumvirettes).
"The arrangement can be formal or informal," it goes on to say, "and though the three are usually equal on paper, in reality this is rarely the case. The term can also be used to describe a state with three different military leaders who all claim to be the sole leader."
Maybe the triumvirate all has to sink together.
I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw the papers this morning: to read the editorial in the normally conservative Barnet Press calling for a revolution was something else. If this isn't a wake up call for the central party leadership, I don't know what is.
Even if we see the departure of the gang of three - Hillan, Coleman + Harper, voters will not forget the way the rest of the cowardly councillors behaved. Because this issue has upset all local Tory supporters, the long term damage caused is significant and very serious: we are not talking about the floating vote but the hard-core life long supporter who has been sickened not only by the display of greed but also by the vindictive treatment of Kate Salinger.
Mrs Angry
My sources tell me that Central Office won’t get their hands dirty. Grant Shapps and Eric Pickles are stating publicly that they don’t agree with the decision, but they are not going to step in and sort it out. This is exactly what Hillan and Coleman were banking on, figuratively and literally.
It’s down to we, the people, to sort out.
What is your take on the Chairman of Hendon Conservatives criticising the regime so strongly?
Will he end up on the outside, angry but knowing he is right, and motivated enough to set up a blog?
OR
Will the measures against him fail because the existing power structure is crumbling?
(Writing that, it sounded a bit like "Soap", for those who remember that programme.)
DCMD,
There I rest my case. As for Schapps Pickle entirely predictable unpalatable taste. It goes beyond personal moral bankruptcy of Conservatives and all politicians nationally and locally.
At the next elections even fewer people will be going to the polls.
Surely it is time for a cross party MARCH of the PEOPLE OF BARNET against the TROUGHERS ! Not being a political person I have no idea how these things are done. If the March was instigated by the Hendon Times and Barnet Press then it would be supported by everyone from the full political spectrum.
It would probably the biggest MARCH against a Council policy ever seen - and if everyone who is losing their job is invited along from around the UK then it could become a CRUSADE !!!
Dear Broadway Blogger (and other readers), the trades council had a meeting this Thursday just gone.
We are setting up a 'Barnet Public Services Alliance', to campaign against the cuts and the easyCouncil idea, and FOR a more accountable council.
We are planning a march in the autumn, but the more people that get involved in doing that the more successful it will be.
If anyone is interested in finding out more you can email me at info@barnettuc.org.uk.
Sorry for hijacking your blog, Roger.
Vicki
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