Sunday 9 May 2010

some good news from Thursday

George Galloway, pictured here with his former best friend the genocidal dictator (deceased) lost by miles in Poplar and Limehouse.  And in Bethnal Green and Bow the first Bangladeshi-born female MP was elected, Rushanara Ali.  Good, hein?  It seems to me that although people say that some election results are "strange" such as Gisela Stuart being re-elected in Edgbaston when others supposedly less marginal lost their seats, these results are not strange at all.  I think people took a hard look at the MPs they had and decided they would continue with them if they were good people who would do the best for their constituency.  Which Gisela is and will.

It is less good news that Reading Borough Council remains in no overall control with Labour the largest party.  The corrupt little clique which has been pretending it has a democratic mandate is still there, with Salter apparently sitting in on its meetings.  When Salter's best friend Howarth (prop. Public Impact Ltd, remember "Your better off with Labour"?) left the council he was rewarded with contracts for PR for the council's transport agenda, for whiich he had been lead councillor, and for other parts of the council's work.  The council taxpayer of Reading is funding Howarth's business and lifestyle (gas-guzzling 4x4 cars, golfing holidays in Spain and so on) and Salter would like some of that.  The current chief executive of Reading Borough Council, unlike the last one, the shamed Trish Haines, is neither corrupt nor the stooge of the Labour Group, but Salter is none the less never out of the Civic Offices, a place where he has, or should have, no business.

I was pleased to see Rob White elected in Park, if only because Basher has not been allowed back to punch the faces of those who disagree with him.  But Rob, the Labour Group will turn on you.  Do not let any soft words that are said to you lower your defences.  Get your council mail posted to you, not left in the Civic Offices, or it will be opened and your constituency casework subverted.  Be aware that your correspondence with council officers will be read by Lovelock and leaked to whoever she thinks needs to see it.  If Labour retains the leadership of the council they will manufacture stories against you as they have done with others.  Speak softly and carry a big stick.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I understand that he did not even have the good manners to attend his own count.

Was said...

The local Labour Party don't have to steam open letters. It is RBC policy to copy lead councillors in on correspondance - a policy which the Tories also back presumably because they'd like that benefit for themselves at some point.

I also lost count of the times Richard Stainthorp was 'accidentally' added into the cc line of emails he had no right or reason to see and often in clear breach of the Data Protection Act. Anneliese always seemed to be remarkably well informed about certain ward business, sometimes before the councillors knew themselves.

It is Lib Dem Group policy to not use the @reading.gov.uk email addresses allocated to us if at all possible. It is also official policy that emails no longer exist the moment that they have beeen deleted from a users in box.

Just because you are paranoid does not mean that they are not out to get you.

janestheone said...

of course Was, but opening letters from constituents which have been sent to the Civic Offices and then Salter and Howarth going round there for photocalls before the intended recipient had even seen the letter is a different matter, hein?

Was said...

Small correction, should read:

It is also official RBC policy that emails no longer exist the moment that they have beeen deleted from a users in box.

Anonymous said...

Well thank you Was, it really clarifies for me so much re: Dickie Stainthorp. Much obliged for the info! Would you say it's going on in other wards? Silly me, think I can answer my own question.And of course there is the bcc...