If you want to get a sense of the desperation and panic in the Lynne Hillan camp in the Barnet Leadership battle, consider this. The Chipping Barnet Conservative association have organised a trip for their members to Strasbourg to see Marina Yannakoudakis MEP (see this link and look at September 5th by clicking here). The trip was part of their regular fundraising activities. The trip was meant to be lead by Councillors Richard and Alison Cornelius. They are both fluent French speakers. Many of the travellers are elderly and were looking forward to a nice time.
Sadly for these party stalwarts, Richard Cornelius has been told he's not going. Barnet Council Leader Lynne Hillan can't spare his vote, so the party faithful can get stuffed. Keeping her in a job is more important. When Mark Shooter announced his intention to stand, Hillan said that a Councillor who had only been in office since May was not a credible candidate. If she cannot spare one single paid up cabinet members vote, she is not a credible leader. If it is so tight that Richard Cornelius cannot be spared, she has lost the party. Win or lose, she's lost. It's not like the situation in December when she beat Fiona Bulmer, this is a vote of confidence in her leadership and if she is this desperate, that's it chum.
I urge her cabinet colleagues to spare her the humiliation and put her out of her misery - have a private word and tell her to bow out with dignity. Lynne Hillan has made the Barnet Conservative party a joke. Even the Brent Labour party is laughing at Barnet and saying that the Tories have no credibility left -
http://barnhill-newdawn.blogspot.com/2010/08/public-pressure-imagine-results.html#comments
Of course, I suppose it's possible that the Barnet Tory ruling elite like being a joke and a laughing stock. Let's face it, it's the only thing they seem to be good at.
the Chipping Barnet CA website is one of my favourites: I love to look at the photo gallery if I'm feeling a bit glum, it always give me a good laugh, peering at their Hyancinth Bucket style social life ... on the other hand, if any nice gentleman would care to escort Mrs Angry to the Cornelius' BBQ on Sunday, or the political supper on the 17th .... (anyone except you, Dan Hope, you've blown it, mate.) Perhaps a more fitting date though would be to the 4th Olwen Evans Lecture and jacket potato evening? Olwen, I seem to remember, was on the relevant committee at the last serious attempt to get rid of a load of libraries. It seems history is repeating itself.
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