I got an excited phonecall from one of my friends in the Conservative group on Barnet Council last night. "Did you hear what happened at the meeting last night?" No actually, I'd been playing five a side football and drinking beer. "Coleman nearly got chased out of the Town Hall". My ears perked up. I'm pretty neutral on Saracens. I would much rather see Barnet FC move there and believe it would be an affront to natural justice if they don't and Saracens do. But on the other hand, I don't believe that Saracens proposal should not receive a fair hearing and it has many merits for the wider Barnet community. I am uncomfortable about the implications of any overdevelopment on the Green Belt as well. The trouble is that if we want 1st class sports facilities in a Borough like Barnet, someone somewhere will have to have a bit of disruption. I've not really got much sympathy for NIMBY's generally. I have the M1 motorway and the Midland Mainline railway at the bottom of my garden. So at the end of the day, I guess I'm agnostic on Saracens.
At the meeting to discuss the proposal, it seems Brian Coleman wasn't agnostic. He came out as soundly opposed to the Saracens. This did not play well. It got even worse when he gave his reason "it will cause parking issues". Uproar ensued. If Coleman was in any doubt as to what the general opinion of his various bonkers parking scheme. The place erupted. Not only that, but his colleagues present sat stoney faced. It is clear that the penny has finally dropped that Coleman could destroy them.
Apparently Mill Hill Tory John Hart made a fine intervention, in a bold attempt to show that not every Barnet Conservative is completely bonkers and out to shaft anyone who has ever supported the party. John Hart is one of a few Tories who realise the stupidity of much of what goes on. He has a simple plan. As he's 137 years old and counting, he just waits for all of his colleagues to die. He's already outlived six generations of preceding Tories (only joking he's not quite that old). John is one of the few Barnet Tories who is quite entertaining in private. He likes a good joke, but sadly has found himself in an administration which is rapidly becoming the laughing stock of London. He is astute enough to realise that now is a good time to divorce himself from Brian Colemans policies.
My informant in the Tory ranks tells me that rebellion is in the air. There are now a majority of Tory Councillors who privately realise Coleman is a liability. I asked if they had the bottle for a public "et tu Brutus" style knifing in the council chamber. The response was rather interesting "I think things will become rather interesting".
My advice to all Tory voters in Barnet, who are disgusted at the Parking charges is as follows :-
Go to this page on the Council website :-
http://committeepapers.barnet.gov.uk/democracy/council/wardmap.asp?intSubSectionID=-1&intSectionID=9
This is a map of Barnet. Click on your ward. This will tell you when your councillors have their surgery. Go along and tell them what you think of Barnet Council and their parking policies. Once you've done that, if you don't like what they said, email me via the link in the sidebar and tell me, and I'll share it with the whole of Barnet.
I have been inundated with guest blogs, comments and emails recently. The message I am getting loud and clear is that people across the whole spectrum are completely fed up. Oh and the Saracens bid was approved. In my Mystic Rog role, I make 2 predictions.
1) Saracens will move to Copthall and it will be a major asset for Rugby fans
2) Barnet FC will move out of The London Borough of Barnet and football fans across the Borough will never forgive the local Tories.
This seems to be the Tory mantra. Divide and rule.
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