As usual this posting is a matter of rumour, allegations, observations, anecdote, historical memory and in one instance even filmed evidence.
Pretty pathetic bunch this lot, in our opinion not even bothering to raise a serious challenge to the BNP which is criminal when you consider that this is Richard Barnbrooks ward, where you would have expected North Street to put in its strongest team, its most ambitious team, to knock him out, what a victory that would have been in the local elections, but no, it is almost as if they have accepted, or perhaps done a deal with the BNP to put up a very weak front.
Jim Clee - nice old boy, ok for putting leaflets through letter boxes but thats it.
Louise Couling - foul mouthed and pushy, will not even have the stamina to deliver leaflets to one road in the ward.
Graham Letchford - this is the man to watch, it is said that he is one of the very strong links into the BNP. Residents in the area report that he is regularly seen deep in conversation with Barnbrook at the shops in Gale Street.
We are reliably informed and at least one of us has seen a film on youtube that was made by the BNP back in 05/06 in the run up to the local elections where Letchford can be clearly seen walking the streets with Barnbrook.
Up until quite recently Letchford held the position of Chair of the local residents association, and although he is a member of the Labour party and should be very much aware of the partys policy of NO Platform where the BNP is concerned he continued to invite Barnbrook to the meetings, where we are told he allowed Barnbrook to take over and grandstand. Letchford it seems encouraged this, after being informed by the Labour Councillor for the ward that he would not share a platform with Barnbrook and would not attend the meetings. Letchford was then able to use this against the Labour Councillor, so much for comradeship.
But, it wasnt just at these meetings that Letchford took to criticising Labour Councillors, you only have to go back through local and national press clippings, this includes the BBC where Letchford in partnership with his "buddy" Rodwell appear to make a habit of condeming and criticising the work of a Labour council and its Labour councillors. Perhaps someone needs to draw Letchford and Rodwells attention to the Labour party rule book, we are pretty confident they have broken a number of those all ready.
Still Letchford needs to be watched, just which party will you get if you vote for him?
As always this post is a matter of rumour, allegation, anecdotes, observations and historical memory.
I see that your rumour mill did not do their homework properly.I was the first person to oppose the BNP,WHEN DAN KELLY WAS ELECTED,at that time we had no help from anyone,I was the first person to ban the BNP from my meetings,our Cllr at the time did nothing to assist us when Richard Barnbrook was elected,even refusing to attend meetings, even though he was given the option of atteding alternate meetings, until in the end I anned ALL Cllrs from our TRA meeings. Everyone,including Cllr Barnbrook know exacly how I feel about the BNP and their politics, but as he s now a resident in the ward he has the same rights as all other residents to attend our meetings Yes I have been sen talking to Cllr Barnbrook but this is purely regardng issues we have in he ward as he is the only active Cllr in our ward that we can turn to. We have not had any offers of aasistance in how we can overturn this situation hence the reason why I am standing as a prospective Cllr in 2010 as no-one seemed remotely bothered as to our situation in the ward. PLEASE GET YOU FACTS STRAIGH AND IF YOU HAVE A ROBLEM WITH ME HAVE THE GUTS TO PUT A NAME TO YOUR COMENTS OR SPEAK TO ME DIRECT. I'VEGOT NOTHING TO HIDE. HAVE YOU?
ReplyDeleteI could be missing something here, but my understanding is that in the Labour Party each Ward chooses the candidates they want in a vote. If you are upset that members haven't chosen you and your mates because they prefer others, then you are not the 'true voice' of anything but embittered losers. Move on - this is a pathetic and unedifying sight. For goodness sake, you can't even spell 'Barking's' in the title of your blog.
ReplyDeleteYou have missed something Tony, particularly since you died in 1977 (or thereabouts).The basic problem is that the political process has been abused, ballots have been rigged and the panel of candidates fiddled.Thats not democracy its fraud !.
ReplyDeleteOh Tony
ReplyDeleteYou have certainly missed the point. The furoure is about the selection process being rigged, dubious candidates put forward, and a personal vendetta used rather than selecting candidates who will benefit the community.
The whole thing stinks. It wasn't a case of mates rates, more a case of 'we want our own puppets and not those who will oppose us'. The whole process was performed illegally against the selection rules.
That is what people are so riled about.
You should really read it all again and properly this time.
You have not read my comment properly - if members choose the candidates, then those candidates are the true representatives of the Labour Party. So anyone who loses a selection meeting can have no complaint - if they don't like you, they don't like you.
ReplyDeleteTo address your second point - if a candidate cannot even get onto a panel they must be unsuitable for public office. If the London Regional party manage the process than their word is law.
I think at route the problem here is that those who have lost out were unable to understand the rule book and the processes sufficiently. It's naive to pin this on the local MP. If you can't understand the rule book, you aren't fit to be a councillor.
PS - it was under the watch of the old guard that the BNP were allowed to thrive, so it is ridiculous to argue that they should all be retained, and by getting rid of them the BNP get a better chance. The opposite is true. So profound was one of the rejects loyatly to Labour he is now talking about standing as an independent, thus splitting the vote and letting the BNP in. Luckily he will probably either get the form in late or fill it in wrong, so there shouldn't be a problem.
ReplyDeleteWe do appear to have provoked a poisonous little bunch here this morning. Lets see if we can respond in a more measured tone shall we.
ReplyDeleteThank you Mr Letchford for corresponding with us, there really is no need to shout you know (that is what you are doing when you post in capitals by the way)
By your own admission you have probably ensured that there will be a move to have you de selected as a candidate in 2010, why? well let us explain, you have stated in print that you as a LABOUR PARTY MEMBER have been taking issues raised at your tenants and residents meetings to a BNP Councillor because in your view, your view mind you, he was the only person to do the job. No lets get it straight, he is the only councillor active in the ward that you could turn to.....I am sure that this will have all sitting Councillors refusing to work with you, or even be in the same room as you, and if anyone in London Region is reading this we would strongly call for Mr Letchford to be struck off the list of candidates for the Labour Party in the local elections in 2010.
The one very interesting point in our posting you failed to address Mr Letchford is the film on youtube, are you going to deny your very visible role in that as well?
But still that doesnt matter now does it, you are one dead duck as far as the Labour Party is concerned, or you should be!!!!!
As for Tony Crosland - we believe the correct spelling is Crossland, and lets face it his diaries made for far more informative and interesting reading than the drivel you have put on here.
Others far wiser have put you straight on just why so many True Labour Party members, and residents are protesting at the corrupt way the selection process has been handled in Barking that we will not bother to repeat on that, but just to reassure you if and it is a big if the Labour Party nationally does not recognise and deal with the corruption here, then if any sitting Councillors do decide to stand as Independent councillors, they will not as you suggest split the vote and allow the BNP in, they will in fact wipe out the awful stooge candidates that North Street have decided will stand under the Labour banner.
Further re assurance can be offered that any sitting councillors who decide to stand as indepents do have far more intelligence than you give them credit for, and their forms will be ok and in on time.
No, it is Tony Crosland - you are confusing the surname with Dick Crossman, who published the diaries. I hope that clears it up for you. Your clear grasp of Labour history is an inspiration to me and I am sure the rest of the Labour movement.
ReplyDeleteIf you stand as independents and split the vote then you will have exposed yourselves as being out for number one, not the Labour Party.
Thank you for the correction on the spelling of your "surname".
ReplyDeleteWill you therefore please accept our correction? you state that "if you stand as independents" just to clarify for you, you are making the mistaken assumption that we are all either sitting councillors, or party members. This is a grave error on your part. Also you again refer to splitting the vote, we ask what vote will there be there to split if the voters were to back the councillors that they wanted?
The selection process on the 18th of June WAS rigged. The vote was 6/6 because the member who was refused admission would have made it 7/6 in favour of Fred Barnes. This member HAD renewed their membership, but had not received their card. The Chair used this as an excuse to refuse them entry to the selections, because he knew which direction their vote would take, and took the casting vote in favour of his own preference, and also because he had a personal vendetta against Mr Barnes.
ReplyDeleteAs I understand it the Chair is not allowed the casting vote under party rules. ALso, why were other candidates from North Street outside, when they are not supposed to attend the selection?
THAT is what has got people so angry about the whole process. It should be declared null and void and repeated again without any bending of the rules.
I can not deny or confirm the accusation about you tube, as I am unaware of it,as for anyhing else , I was not a party member at the time . where were you when we needed you in the ward,no one wanted to know at the time,the only cllr at the time who helped us was bill dale,he was a tower of strengh and help during a very volatile situation involving the BNP ,sorry but the old guard did not do enough to prevent the BNP coming to the borou
ReplyDeletegh at the time,if you had cared maybe we would not be in the sitution we are now in,if I get into trouble for speaking out, then that is my problem,and Iwas not having a go at the party, only the people who
deserted us when we needed them.why dont you ask the residents who know me,where my loyalties lie,and I was asked by the residents in my communty to represent them,and it will be for them and labour, that I will do my best,so go and pick on someone else,I do not need to justify myself to you,whoever you are. By the way the youtube film,was taken in 2006,Iwas not a party member then, But a TRA chair and had to stay neutral,as we are not allowed to take any political stance, regardless of my personal,. political view.If you have dealt with any tra,s you would know this.we had to work with
whoever we could,we had little choice in the matter, with a little more back up at the beginning things could have been a lot different now
We are so please that you have now come clean about the youtube video.
ReplyDeleteWe are also somewhat surprised that you honestly believe you do not have to justify to any one else why you are working so closely with the BNP, and you cannot now say you were not working with Barnbrook while you were a Labour Party member, as within the party rules we understand you would have had to be a member for 12 months prior to the 31st January.
So all of this time where you claim to have been a true labour member on the one hand, a TRA chair who had to stay neutral, but banned the councillors,one of whom is a member of the same party as yourself, not a very comradely action that, but then by your own admission allowed Barnbrook to attend and grandstand at your meetings, you as a Labour party member had every choice, and you made the wrong choice, you chose to work with the BNP which is in direct contravention of Labour Party rules.
We would strongly suggest that to save yourself a great deal of embarresment you withdraw now, before you get kicked out.
lets get one thng clear,barnbrook has never been allowed to grandstand at any of the meetings,asyou claim,Its obvious that you no nothing about tra,s or the way they work or their constitutions, actually I was praised by a lot of people in the coucil for taking a stance against the bnp,more than I can say for any of you,who have not been put in that position,as it is obvious you are very brave hiding behind words,and threats and personal attacks,but too scared to face people,you want respect,you wont get it from me, I fight my battles in the open,not cowering behind blog sites,and dont forget the people of this borough voted for the bnp because they felt let down,and now we have got to win them back
ReplyDeleteregardless of whom gets elected next year,I can see that you wont be much use
in the fight as you are too busy hiding .
Another comment. have any of you ever tried to get Warren Northover to do anything but listen, not a chance. as a person i have a great deal of respect for Warren and have constantly urged him to come to the forefront of meeting, but each time he has graciously refused. he statesw,and i have no intention of contradicting him, that he does more behind the scenes. great, but the people who elected him need to see that he is acting on their behalf, something, like it or loathe it,Richard Barnbrook excels at. if you want something done you obviously go to the person most likely to do it. that makes Graham Letchford no different to any of us, does it. isn't it time a little logic was applied to some of these comments?
ReplyDelete