For your enjoyment, the Barnet Eye publishes in full the exchange of emails between Mike Freer MP and the Bohemia protestors who were occupying the courtyard of his offices in protest at Freers role in making tens of thousands of people homeless, passing legislation to protect wealthy absentee landlords such as Colonel Gaddafi RIP.
Freer is well known for his charm and wit, having described the author of this blog as someone "coddled by family wealth" in a blog referring to the fact that I'd written a blog in memory of my mother who had passed away several days earlier. The reference was a reference to Freer's expactation that my Mum would be leaving me a nice little nestegg. As it happened, she'd already told the family that she'd left the cash to various charities, such as the Noah's Ark Childrens hospice, the Red Cross and the local Catholic Church. Personally I was proud of my mum for recognising that her offspring were financially secure and other people needed the money more. When challenged, Freer claimed his comments were "aimed at no one in particular". He later described the author of this blog as a "One Handed blogger" stating "you know what he's doing with his other hand whilst he's writing it". He made this comment in an interview as Leader of Barnet Council. At the time I found the comment quite amusing. Our computer is in the front room and I don't think my wife and kids would be too impressed if Freers observation was true, but I suppose it did give some insight into his own nocturnal habits on the internet maybe? I mean usually we base our views on how other people behave on what we ourselves do?
Anyway for your enjoyment, here is the exchange of emails. It appears Mr Freer replied to "The Bohemians" rather than some mysterious character, perhaps in his office team.
From: FREER, Mike
Date: Wed, Nov 27, 2013 at 7:20 AM
Subject: Re: Invitation for direct democratic
To: Bohemian
err no
email told them to phone and we would follow our usual procedures. which
they seem unable to do.
I am mightily peed off at the Police. I feel like
sending the BIll to the Commissioner saying your daft advice landed us with
this Bill.
of course this will inhibit every other demo as we will simply refuse to
allow anyone onto our property.
so tempting to say - you are all numb-nuts as i am not the owner of the
property and it is they you should be dealing with about your presence!
Mike Freer MP
Conservative Member of Parliament for Finchley & Golders Green
020 7219 7071 (Westminster)
020 8445 5875 (Finchley)
Sent from my iPad, working in the move
On 26 Nov 2013, at 23:47,
"Bohemian"
> wrote:
Dear Mike
We appreciate you taking the time to communicate with us,
thank you for the permission from you and your office to conduct our
peacefull protest on the front yard piece of land at 212 Ballards lane N12.
The protest at your constituency office is a result of us trying to engage
with the parliamentary democratic process in which we followed your
procedures,for a public consultation.
Lobbying campaigning and raising awareness,whereby 96% of the replies to
the public Consultation said do not criminalise squatting.
Including Judges, police and lawyers associations as well as homeless
charities and housing NGOs requesting the law not be enacted.
However your government chose to ignore their own public consultation and
press ahead undemocratically to criminalise sheltering (squatting) in empty
buildings.
We are further concerned greatly by Chris Grayling the justice minister
saying he may once again undemocratically criminalise non residential
squatting.Which is one of the last safety nets for many homeless and
landless people who are not helped by the housing system.
Part of serving your constituents is to represent all constituents
including rich and poor this includes some of your homeless constituents
currently evicted onto your front yard from a community centre around the
corner the Bohemia.
We have many points of importance to raise with you around the issues of
the Housing crisis,the rise in street homeless,the bedroom tax,the further
criminalisation of non residential squatting etc
.
The law you co sponsored sec 144 Laspo act is unfair, unjust, undemocratic,
unlawful, unaffordable and unworkable,and is causing great misery by
removing an ancient and basic human right to shelter.
Also leading to an increased number of people freezing to death over
winter.Many of your constituents are facing urgent housing/homeless and
medical issues,which we hope you are willing to address.
We have had numerous liaisons with the inspectors from Colindale police of
the past days (which we have filmed recorded and logged ) who are happy for
our protest to continue.
Acknowledging that we are not breaking any laws and that we have rights to
peacefully protest and assemble under ECHR articles 10 and 11.
That at all times we are endeavouring to be polite, courteous,co-operative
with police requests through regular Liason.
We are keeping the area clean and tidy and are aiming to install some
plants and window boxes to make the area more beautifull and attractive.
We are keeping the main access way very clear to your doorstep all times.
We have trained health and safety managers who are monitoring the situation.
We politely ask you to meet with us to discuss matters of great national
importance such as the housing crisis which we feel your sec144 is
exacerbating.
We would like to invite you to spend a few nights camped out with some of
your homeless constituents to discuss these and many other issues,over a
cup of tea, in an atmosphere of co-operative democratic discussion.
Having been ignored by your so called democratic public consultation, we
have taken this act of peacefull protest to facilitate direct discussion
and to stimulate the debate in the national media.
We are, having met with you and shared our views with each other,and some
of our conditions met, happy to discuss an end date to our protest in a
reasonable and proportionate manner without recourse to the law.
We hope to avoid unnecessary court time and expense.
We shall be advised in all the matters by our good friends Bindmans
solicitors.
Looking forward to a discussion of solutions to the housing crisis that we
can all work towards together.
Yours sincerely
Phoenix
Daniel
Mordecai
Petra
Peter
Graham
Dom
Mark
Bohemia Caretakers
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