Perhaps the meanest and most spiteful action I've ever seen at a Council meeting happened on Wednesday night. Over 200 protestors had gathered outside to protest about the proposed Pinkham Way incinerator. Now surely it doesn't matter what side of the Political divide you are or whether you agree with their case, surely anyone could understand that they have a valid point. I'm not a scientist so I can't say too much other than that I wouldn't want to raise children next to a potentially risky incinerator.
Many of these protesters (infamously described as a rabble by Councillor Brian Gordon - what is it with Barnet Brians?) had children. Some were in the public gallery and had come for the debate. Labour Councillor Barry Rawlings tabled a motion to debate this first, so the kids could see the debate and get home at a reasonable time (it was the last item scheduled for 10pm). The Tories (apart from Kate Salinger) to a man voted to keep it last. Why? It didn't matter to them? So they could inflict Andrew Harper droning on about his mate Col Gaddafy for ever as punishment. Tories talk of big society, but they deliberately stick their fingers up at the voters at every opportunity.
A woman was sitting next to me with two young children. She announced that she couldn't keep them up that late. She was really upset and left. She was replaced by Linda Edwards, Residents Party Candidate for Edgware. Linda is a campaigner for disabled rights. She said to me "It's a shame we didn't get a few candidates elected to sort this lot out". I couldn't agree more. They are a bunch of self serving creeps.
Many of these protesters (infamously described as a rabble by Councillor Brian Gordon - what is it with Barnet Brians?) had children. Some were in the public gallery and had come for the debate. Labour Councillor Barry Rawlings tabled a motion to debate this first, so the kids could see the debate and get home at a reasonable time (it was the last item scheduled for 10pm). The Tories (apart from Kate Salinger) to a man voted to keep it last. Why? It didn't matter to them? So they could inflict Andrew Harper droning on about his mate Col Gaddafy for ever as punishment. Tories talk of big society, but they deliberately stick their fingers up at the voters at every opportunity.
A woman was sitting next to me with two young children. She announced that she couldn't keep them up that late. She was really upset and left. She was replaced by Linda Edwards, Residents Party Candidate for Edgware. Linda is a campaigner for disabled rights. She said to me "It's a shame we didn't get a few candidates elected to sort this lot out". I couldn't agree more. They are a bunch of self serving creeps.
Yup. A tactical blunder. Another group of voters ( residents) who won't forget but then local government really ought to be about managing local services economically & efficaciously and not about politics or am I being naive ?
ReplyDeleteA good time for the dis-affected to write to your local Councillors and tell them never to darken your door again and then put a copy on the door at canvassing time.
I have argued previously that it is time to do away with party politics at council level. The Barnet Conservatives do not bear any resemblance to the Conservatives nationally and have demonstrated many times recently that they will not take any notice of Conservative Government ministers.
ReplyDeleteIf localism is to mean anything, then every candidate should be independent. Can you imagine that? In order to get elected you would have to demonstrate that you wish to serve the people. Whipping should be outlawed (calm down Mrs A).
DCMD you are absolutely right. However, the people of Barnet were offered independent candidates at the last election via the Residents Association of Barnet and sadly they chose to stick with national party loyalties. RAB flagged up many of the issues that are coming to pass now but people seemed disinterested at the time. At a national level we will always have the party machines but at a local level independent candidiates could offer so much more; things like common sense, a passion about the area in which we live, a desire to see the right thing done irrespective of what national party supports it. I just hope that in three years time the electorate of Barnet will not forget the contempt they have been shown by councillors and will think again about voting for independent candidates.
ReplyDeleteWell said Rog!!
ReplyDeleteMaybe Harper could invite Col Gaddafy should live next to Brian Gordon as his "friendly" next door neighbour.
ReplyDeleteDCMD that expert on extreme Right of Centre politics being a Liberal Conservative these days, (he'd vote this Conservative lot again) fails to see the socio-political demography of Barnet and so the fact remains as Mr Reasonable says, Conservatives would be voted back in power.
People don't like 'independent' as they know there is no such thing. Everyone is partial and the first thing that would happen if, by some chance, 63 'independent' Councillors were elected to Barnet Council is they would form themselves into 2 or 3 groups and you'd be right back where you started from.
ReplyDeleteThe only difference is that you wouldn't have a clue what they would do with your money. This is the same that often happens to LibDem Councils...
I am not sure what is worse - being called a Liberal or a Conservative. To suggest that I am on the “extreme right” demonstrates yet again Moaneybat’s propensity to talk bollocks. How typical of the bleeding heart liberals who think that the world owes them a living.
ReplyDeleteMr Reasonable, the problem with RAB was that you left it far too late last time to get your message across. My own view is that forming a collective of independents would lead to the problem that Daniel Hope identifies above. Either you are independent or you are part of a group. It is unlikely that 63 independents could get elected in one fail swoop, but there is no reason why sufficient number could not get elected and hold the balance of power. I suspect that Conservative Central Office would secretly be quite happy about losing control of Barnet as it would allow them to clear out the rubbish and start again. As Brian Coleman once told me: “In order to rebuild, you must first destroy.”
I think that nothing would improve councils more than a group of independents holding the balance of power. Nothing could be worse than what we've had. Given that they don't have a power base as such, they'd get slung out if they were useless, unlike main party candidates who can do what they like.
ReplyDeleteAs I watched the whole charade unfold, I wondered what I would have done, had I been elected and been on the other side of the glass.
I happen to think that it's time the opposition stops going along with this bollocks and starts making life difficult for the Tories. I'd call divisions on everything and drag it all out so they got home at three in the morning. The only way the Tories will ever start to listen is when Labour start to be effective.
I'm afraid DCMD maybe being a bit too optimistic in the probity and or effect of 'Independents' holding power. Would they not just be like the Unionists were in this situation? Pork-barrelling deals for their voters, getting a job or two, maybe Mayor...
ReplyDeleteThose few, inexperienced, Councillors far from wearing white suits would take the goodies and go back to their voters boasting how they got the new playground from the Council...
I wouldn't expect an establishment figure like Mr Hope to understand!
ReplyDeleteDaniel, I am afraid to say that rather cynical statement says more about the way you think than what would necessarily happen. When I stood at the election last year I knew that if I was elected I would lose out financially but I did it because I care about the community I live in. In Epsom & Ewell the Residents Association has controlled the council for 70 years. They sit in a completely Tory heartland yet conservatives have only 4 councillors. Sometimes it is good to have councillors who are there because they want to represent their community rather than because they want to climb the greasy pole to a safe parliamentary seat.
ReplyDeleteDCMD
ReplyDeleteYes I do owe you an apology as I did not mean to imply you'd carry the BNP flag rather than sometimes sounding a bit more to the right than, right of centre and there's nothing wrong with that. It was wrong of me to say that about a good man.
Moaneybat
ReplyDeleteThat is very decent of you to apologise. I suppose that when compared to the left wing government we have at the moment, my views do come across as strongly right wing - but hopefully never as far right as the BNP. There are some Conservatives who think my views on wardens are decidedly left wing!