Local News Roundup 14/11/2019

With the election looming, I've split this article into local Election news and other news. So if you are not interest in one or other, then you can skip one!

Local Election Round Up.

With the general election looming, there has been quite  lot of things happening locally on the political front. It is that time of the political cycle when MP's who haven't been seen for months or years are seemingly everywhere and claiming credit from everything that has happened for the good of the Borough and blaming their opponents for everything that is bad. This morning we had the Tory, Labour and Lib Dem candidates for Finchley and Golders Green on the Vanessa Feltz show  - you can listen here - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p07r3c1b

I was intrigued by Mike Freers comments, stating that Islamaphobia was being dealt with in the Tories in a way that anti semitism isn't for Labour. Is he seriously saying that tweets such as these from Barnet Tory Councillor Linda Freeman are OK? She was suspended for a couple of weeks and then reinstated with no fuss. I have many Muslim friends, including the chair of a Mosque, none are happy.

Great to hear @lucianaberger on @BBCRadioLondon @VanessaOnAir show. Interesting to hear Mike Freer earlier saying @BarnetTories have no Islamaphobia problem. What about this from a local Tory Councillor pic.twitter.com/eWKu6V9RuZ

— Roger Tichborne/RogT #CTID 🏴‍☠️🇬🇧 (@Barneteye) November 14, 2019

Mr Freer's friends have also been being a bit naughty this week, bursting into Lib Dem candidate Luciana Berger's office and generally behaving like a thug. This report in the Jewish Chronicle explains what happened.

As for the Hendon Tory Candidate, he's awaken from his slumbers to indulge in a frenzy of local activity. Last week he opened a new telescope facility at The University of London facility in Mill Hill - https://www.matthewofford.co.uk/news/matthew-attends-launch-powerful-new-telescope-mill-hill - I was amused to note that the telescope was named the "Perrin" telescope, making it most appropriate that Mr Offord opened it. Readers of my age will remember the iconic 1970's series "The Rise and Fall of Reginald Perrin". Perrin faked his own death, disappearing completely. Those familiar with Mr Offord will know that he does the same thing when there are not elections, or photo opportunities to claim credit for other peoples work, as noted by locals in Mill Hill, who spent months campaigning for a huge flytipping site to be cleared, only for Mr Offord to claim the credit when the Mayor finally cleared it. 

We have received information that following the rather strange decision by the Brexit party to deny people who believe in a no deal Brexit the opportunity to deny people who support their point of view a chance to vote, and given their trust to Boris and his deal, that there will be an Independent no deal Brexit candidate in Barnet. The candidate will be James Towell, who is well known in Brexiteer circles, having been involved in UKIP for several years. If you are interested, you can follow him on Twitter https://twitter.com/JtTowell

We will follow James campaign with interest.

As for the Lib Dems, Clareine Enderby has submitted her nomination papers. Clareine is an excellent candidate and will give Matthew Offord a real run for his money. Clareine is a passionate anti Brexit candidate, who is in tune with the constituency, unlike Offord who is a hard Brexiteer

Our @EnderbyClareine is the official candidate for @hendonlibdems in the General Election. Remember, Vote Liberal Democrats - to Stop Brexit. #voteliberaldemocratstostopbrexit pic.twitter.com/zlA67jDTqK

— Hendon Lib Dems 🔶 (@hendonlibdems) November 13, 2019

She is also a fierce campaigner for social justice.

As for Labour, they seem intent on running the same campaign that didn't work in 2010, 2015 and 2017. Lots of heavy canvassing in staunch Labour areas, lots of appeals to the grassroots, lots of pictures on Twitter of blokes holding up Labour leaflets. It last worked in 2005, mainly because Tony Blair was trusted by local middle class voters. What I don't understand at all is that Labour make no effort to connect with the thousands of these voters who have realised that the local Tories have done nothing for them and they are no better off than when the Tories were elected in 2010. Many know they will be much worse off in the event of a Boris Brexit. There is also the small matter of Labour not slinging out people who have a track record of anti semitism.

Other local news. 

Fake Ten Pound notes circulating. There are reports of fake ten pound notes doing the rounds. Please keep an eye out.

Stabbing in Burnt Oak. Tragic news of a stabbing in Burnt Oak. We really need a proper strategy to address this. The Barnet Eye supports all efforts to give young people a different path.

Drug raid at Haberdashers. The Caretaker of Haberdashers school has been a naughty boy! Caught with £200,000 worth of class A drugs at the school.

Flats at Woodside Park - Decision day
. Plans for 86 flats at Woodside Park station has been deferred to give the applicant  time to provide the Council with more information

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Please join us on Friday 13th December at 8pm at The Midland Hotel, Hendon, for the Barnet Eye Community awards and annual Xmas party. We are also looking for nominations for our community awards, click here for details. Free admission

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