If you live in Barnet and you are inclined towards the right rather than the left, you may well want to consider whether you would prefer to vote for the Conservatives or UKIP. Now as regular readers will know, the Barnet Eye is not a right leaning blog. We do however admire honesty and integrity across the political spectrum. In Barnet, the local UKIP candidate is Adrian Murray Leonard. Prior to 2010, I'd never heard of Mr Murray Leonard. He was chairman of the West Hendon Conservative Association. Long time readers of this blog will recall that when local Tory Council bigwigs awarded themselves a payrise, Mr Murray Leonard went public with his disgust. This story in the Hendon Times was our first encounter with Mr Murray Leonard
http://www.times-series.co.uk/news/8297992.Conservative_association_member_brands_party_colleagues__greedy_vultures__over_allowance_hike/
Given that Mr Murray Leonard was one of the few Barnet Conservatives to display any integrity over this matter, we kept a watchful eye on his career.
He next cropped up in 2011, after a public fallout with local Tory MP Matthew Offord. Mr Murray Leonard took Mr Offord to task for being a bit lazy and not serving his constituents. Mr Murray Leonard described himself as a "true Tory" and a Thatcherite. He described Mr Offord as like the Scarlett Pimpernell.
http://www.times-series.co.uk/news/8800651.MP_criticised_by_Tory_defector/
It was clear from this report that Mr Murray Leonard was not keen on people who get jobs at the taxpayers expense and then give nothing back.
Mr Offord hit back, using parliamentary priviledge to accuse Mr Murray Leonard of Anti Semitism
http://www.times-series.co.uk/news/8808912.Tory_defector__shocked__by_anti_Semitism_accusations_by_MP/
Mr Offord made the accusations from the floor of the House of Commons, where libel laws do not apply. Mr Offord, rather bizarrely stated "However, this individual started making anti-Semitic comments. Once I was elected, I would have no truck with any such individuals."
The statement made it quite clear that he was prepared to work with Mr Murray Leonard to get elected, but once he got the job, he was happy to dispense with his services. Mr Murray Leonard has always denied the charges and countered by saying that Offord simply didn't like Mr Murray Leonard asking him to do some work for his constituents. At the time of the accusations, the Barnet Eye spoke to friendly Hendon based Tory Councillors who stated that they were totally unaware of any whiff of Anti Semitism from Mr Murray Leonard and would have not worked with them, had their been any substance to such rumours.
Mr Offord has positioned himself to the right of the Tory Party. He has been very critical of the more Liberal parts of David Camerons agenda, such as Gay marriage. To my mind, the only difference between Offord and Murray Leonard is the issue of integrity, not political policies (although I am not aware of Mr Murray Leonards views on Gay Marriage. I will leave you to guess which one I think has more of it. When you cast your vote, it is something you may wish to consider.
33 comments:
The old anti Semitic card being played yet again in Barnet. A few years ago whilst leading the campaign to demolish the Springwood Estate in Edgware where human beings were living like animals and suffering rent increases rather than fully justifiable rent reductions. I was shocked to read In the local press I had been accused of being anti Semitic . That insipid accusation was found to have no foundation in fact it was simply an attempt to discredit me with gutter politics. It would appear the politics of the gutter are still active in Barnet, and having had exchanges with both parties. I would be more inclined to believe the UKIP man whose policies I abhorr and detest as much as I do those of Mr Offord. The UKIP man has at the very least displayed a level of humility and integrity when the policies of his party are concerned, whilst at the same time having received nothing but contempt from Mr Offord.
Roger, I stand to be corrected but in relation to what you say was his brave stance on allowances didn't Mr Murray Leonard offer Ms Hillan a full and complete apology for his remarks and has never since repeated any of them?
Maybe you could check with him and adjust your article accordingly if my information is correct.
Mr Hope,
If Mr Murray wants to add a clarification he is more than welcome. I cannot find any story verifying your claim, however I am sure that Mr Murray Leonard will want to ensure that only accurate information is printed.
Yes Daniel you are being corrected,because i apologised for my heat of the moment expletives to a lady of which i took back,unlike you my friend,Gentlemen still exist in this world !!
Daniel, go and play your pathetic spiel on Labour because you to me is just like water off a ducks back.
So you didn't make an 'unreserved apology' in writing to the Hendon Conservatives for all the 'inappropriate comments' made over a series of weeks about the allowances rise? Not just to Ms Hillan for your 'heat of the moment expletives'?
Please correct me if I am wrong on this, Adrian.
I correct you again Daniel,i sent a personal email to Ms Hillan expressing my regrets and it was left at that.Are there any more old stories you would like to drag up?
In fact i`m wondering why i should explain myself to the likes of you,why should i,you give me a good reason !
We still haven't got to the bottom of this. It will not be a surprise to anyone that Ms Hillan wasn't in the habit of sharing her emails with me!
I am referring to an email apparently sent quite widely to Hendon Conservative folk where a broad apology was made to them for 'recent comments' which can only refer to the newspaper article. which went on to talk about the importance of you all not falling out and needing to protect Matthew's slender majority.
You were right to apologise to Ms Hillan if, as you say, you used expletives to her but that is a wholly different matter.
It's just a bit more puzzling, unless you are suggesting I am wrong and what I have seen is untrue, that you apologised for criticising the Council for the monstrous increase in allowances they voted through,
It's not 'old news', I'm only raising it as Roger has written it up as in his blog today and didn't think you stood by what you said then.
Do you stand by the original article and what you said? Would you say it again now?
Adrian, can see why you and Roger get on so well. You both seem to resort to personal abuse at the touch of a button.
Go off and play your silly games with someone else,game over !!
No games here. Too important to play around with.
Guess the email I've seen is 100% spot on. Understand how it's so embarrassing that you'd turn to abuse rather than answer my question.
I have no time for your stupid rhetoric Daniel,i have more important things to get on with rather than deal with the likes of you..Show me where 1v`e been abusive by-the-way !
lol you don't even know when you are doing it. You and Roger are true soulmates! He'll be a great asset in your joint campaign to see Ed Miliband in Downing Street!
Have you finished,is that the best you can do?,nuff said then,night,night little Daniel xxx
Adrian, there's no point trying to match your temper or outbursts. Was just trying to get you to correctly recall what had happened rather than the rosy version Roger writes up.
I'll leave you two pals to carry on. Clearly and maybe understandably, you don't want to confirm what went on back then.
So is Roger formally your campaign manager now? Has he joined UKIP?
Mr Hope, rather than simply deal in innuendo, surely you should put up or shut up.
As to your comments about me being associated with UKIP, is this how desperate you are?
It may be beyond the wit of you to understand, but I don't judge people by their political affiliations. I judge them by their behaviour. In all parties, there are honest decent people who have genuine views, some of which I agree with and some of which I disagree with. The reason I have friends in all of the main parties is because, unlike you, I don't use every opportunity to twist and distort their every utterance.
I think this is well demonstrated by the fact that you are such a marginal figure in the Barnet Conservative Party.
Will leave you to your usual tactics of bullying and teasing anyone who questions your version of events.
Maybe Mr H Rayner or any of the many who I am lead to understand received Mr Murray Leonard's fulsome apology and the equally fulsome and enthusiastic acceptance from the then Leader of the Council will send you a copy of the email and you can update your blog?
Why don't you give him a buzz Roger? Or invite him over for a cup of tea as you are such a stickler for accuracy?
Dear Mr Hope,
Lets get this straight. You've posted a whole bunch of posts, slagging off a man and accusing him of all manner of things, based on an email you've not actually seen? Which implies that you don't actually really have any idea what Mr Murray Leonard said, except from third hand hearsay.
There is a word for that sort of behaviour. Are all your tweets and blogs equally as accurate or did you make an exception for Mr Murray Leonard?
Mr Hope, if you`re so interested in my life story why don`t we meet up in my favourite restaurant...You`ve spent the last four years trying to find out,you may get a good education!
Roger runs a Hello! style celebrity gossip blog. I am sure he would be delighted to do a lifestyle interview with you and explore your life. Am sure he can do some nice softly lit photos on a comfy sofa to add to the feel.
I report on politics. No more and no less. I've only had one political question to ask you.
I've now been contacted by two people from Hendon Conservatives offering to send me the copy of your email to them and the reply from the former Leader if you give them permission to do so and for it to be published.
I have only previously been made aware of its contents.
What is your response?
If the answer is yes, when i receive the email I can post its contents as a comment here.
You just need to give the OK.
Mr Hope. Do I detect a whiff of homophobia in the tone of this comment? You really are a nasty piece of work
Dan,tell me,when was the last time you were laid? because i think you should leave your darkened room and meet a few people,they are out there !
What's this now bully boy Tichborne? Another made up smear to try and take people off the main point here?
The only thing you should be able to sniff is the bile oozing from spiteful being.
Adrian, are UKIP seriously running you as a parliamentary candidate when you make disgusting personal comments about members of the public like that?
What's it to be? Publish the email or not. Say no and people will draw their own conclusions.
Mr Hope
You know what you are. End of the conversation
People can see your character when I ask a simple question. You turn on people and attack them rather than just answer or correct your blog.
You do it again and again.
So, will Adrian authorise the publication of the email? Yes or no?
Mr Titchborne has no allegiance to UK Independence party what-so-ever.
Night Little Daniel,way past your bed time,kiss,kiss.
Mr Hope,
Today you called me a c**t on twitter. You asked me to change my blog on the basis of an email you had, by your own admission, not seen. You have made a comment with homophobic overtones on this blog. You are out of control. Please learn to behave. If any of your alleged councillor friends sends me the email I will publish it.Now i will turn moderation on to protect you from yourself
No, Adrian, but he wants to see Mr Dismore elected which is the same thing? (even though Mr Offord is a staunch euro sceptic!)
Have you got a response about that email yet?
Is Tichborne going to explain the 'homophobic' remark? To whom am I meant to have been 'homophobic' and by what words? Else please withdraw and apologise.
Mr Tichborne, If you are unable to support your wierd and ridiculous comment that I have made a 'homophobic' remark - something that noone else who has read this thread can possible begin to fathom - how about you apologise and withdraw it so I need not take further action against you.
Mr Hope,
There is no need to explain. Your comment is there in black and white. Take whatever action you see fit. Its your cash so you can spend it as you choose.
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