Support Helen Michael - Campaign website now set up

Helen Michael is being investigated by the Special Investigations Unit at Scotland Yard. Her crime? Opposing the parking policies of Barnet Council. On Tuesday she was grilled for two hours at Barnet Police Station by officers working for a unit which apparently normally investigates terrorism. The complaint against Helen Michael was initiated by the CEO of Barnet Council, Nick Walkley. In January, Mr Walkley commented at a meeting with business owners that he was "pissed off" at his "rough treatment" by local traders, when they gave him their opinion of the parking changes he'd implemented.

A campaign to support Helen Michael has been set up and the Barnet Eye urges everyone who cares about democracy to support Helen by visiting this website and clicking on the relevant button.

http://www.digitaldemocracy.org.uk/debate/debate.php?id=4009

As an aside, I've now spoken to seven different Conservative Councillors privately. Not a single one is anything other than disgusted with the fact that Barnet Council are wasting police time in persuing this matter. I call on the Conservative group on Barnet Council to use whatever influence they have to restore a degree of sanity at the top of Barnet Council.

The Barnet Eye does not believe in wasting the time of the Police on trivial matters or using them to harass people we don't agree with. We don't believe in tit for tat retaliation in response to stupidity and bullying. That is why we haven't reported the Barnet Conservative party to the Police for issuing a leaflet during the Brunswick Park By-Election, which breached election law and was widely delivered. The response from Barnet Council clearly shows that a double standard is being operated, whereby the local Tories were given a mild ticking off for a far more serious breach of electoral law, whilst Helen was immediately reported to the Police by Nick Walkley.

After a long discussion with local people yesterday, after the BAPS conference, I am coming around to the viewpoint that it would be in the public interest to report the Local Conservative party to the police, as their seems to be no degree of acceptance at the top of Barnet Council that their actions are in any way wrong.

I have not 100% made my mind up on this matter yet. I don't believe such actions should be undertaken lightly.