As usual this posting is a matter of rumour, allegations, observations, anecdote and historical memory/fact.
When we first started writing about George Shaw we honestly thought we would get everything done and dusted in 2 parts, but as you can see we are now on part 4 and still information is coming in on a daily basis. Not only from party members but more importantly from residents who tell us that knowing how vindictive George Shaw could be they have kept quiet for so long, but it now appears that they feel liberated, and angry enough to speak up.
So just to start this off lets put some election results up firstly for G. Shaw - 1990 - 1714; 1994 - 1517; 1997 - 941. As you can see George Shaw's vote is dropping off, not so popular anymore.
Early 2002 George Shaw made the announcement that he was not going to stand for re-election in the May. Along with several of the older councillors, of course what George and some of the others were hoping was that senior members of the Labour Group would talk them round and persuade them to stay on, it has happened before, and George and some others were sure it would happen again, well this time they were out of luck, senior members made sure they avoided them, did not enter into conversation with them, and then the announcements mysteriously turned up in the local press, there was no way back then George and the others were out.
Fred Barns was elected in 2002 - 980, Dave Miles - 940; Joan Rawlinson - 947. So already Fred has upped his vote where George's vote was on a downward spiral.
But George was not going to go away, he believed he could be the puppet master, there had been for many years a very strong Tenants and Residents Association on the estate which was chaired by a very good and popular man George Atkinson, a few weeks before the elections in 2002 George Shaw took George Atkinson to one side and did what only George could do, he leaned on him, George Shaw wanted the Chair and he was determined to get it.
Following the elections we understand the newly elected Councillors turned up for their first meeting of the TRA, George Atkinson announced he was standing down as Chairman and that George Shaw would now take his place. Which duly happened, but what happened next set the pattern for what would happen a few years in the future, George Shaw announced that George Atkinson would now take the place of Vice Chairman, of course this came as a big shock to the person who was vice chair at the time and we are told he stormed out of the room, this person was Barry Poulton, more to come later.
So we now have George Shaw in control of the largest TRA in the ward, he then made himself very busy, he thought he had his puppets well under control, so what, that he wasn't a Councillor anymore, he still had the power and didn't have to move off of the estate to use it.
As with anything becoming a councillor for the first time there is an awful lot to learn we are told, Joan had the experience of course but Dave Miles and Fred Barns were not slow to learn, but there was a difference between them, Fred recognised the need at the time to keep George on side for a while, Dave was his own man, he had strong trade union links and also good friends in the labour group. This did not go down well with George he could see his control was slipping, so he started looking round for another puppet, and he found one, Barry Poulton, so when it came round to the selection interviews for the 2006 elections Dave Miles knew, he had seen what was going to happen so did not even attend for interview.
So the 2006 slate for Thames ward were Fred Barns, Barry Poulton and Joan Rawlinson. When the votes were counted Fred Barns - 1264; Barry Poulton - 1127; Joan Rawlinson - 1157. On the face of it a winning team with Fred once again increasing his numbers over George, but, the peace did not last long, only a couple of weeks, and then the real nastiness started.
As usual this posting is a matter of allegation, rumour, anecdote, observations and historical memory/fact.
Caught up tonight with the new postings and the comments, sounds like a very accurate portrayal of George Shaw.
ReplyDeleteIts surprising though that none of the North Street mafia have come on to defend him and try to convince none of this happened.
There have been the usual comments about heresay etc but no robust defence of George. Seems to me they know there is no defence and everything you have written is true.
keep it up
nightshift worker
OMG this is better than Eastenders! I wonder what will be in the next STORYline?
ReplyDeleteyou git right there then, story, line
ReplyDeleteInteresting piece in todays Dagenham Post covering the trial of Harry Day from Norfolk accused of sexually abusing young boys from our borough.
ReplyDeleteOne of the young men giving evidence was asked why he had not said anything about the abuse at the time. The young man said Harry Day had influential friends.
Is George Shaw one of the influential friends the young man is referring to? we all know George made regular visits to the centre Harry Day ran in Norfolk, and in fact George usually takes his annual holidays in Norfolk.
Wonder if George is considering standing as a Character Witness for Harry Day.
Thames View resident.
It is disgusting to read that you are implying that George Shaw has had anything to do with this alleged pedophiles activities or would come to his defence. I have been reading your blog which is full of rumors, and gossip as you say but I think you are taking things a bit far now. Don’t you know what happens to people that are accused of such activities? George is 84 years old and if you think that he was involved in someway you should be saying this to the police not posting on a site like this. God forbid if anything does happen to this 84 year old man because of your venom then I hope you can live with yourself. I am not part of the north street mafia or even the labour party but a concerned resident of the borough.
ReplyDeleteWould suggest that anon @1.27 goes back to other postings both on here and tribune where it was confirmed that George Shaw was the chair of the Trustees at the Young Citizens Guild run by Harry Day. So of course George would know Harry very well, in fact he and other trustees from the borough would regularly visit Harry and Norfolk.
ReplyDeleteNo where in the comment @ 14.16 does it allege that George Shaw was anything other than possibly one of the influential people the young man mentioned in evidence.
And it seems to me to be a perfectly legitimate question to ask the Chair of Trustees whether he would be giving a Character reference for Harry Day at his trial. Seems to me anon you have read something in to it that was not there.
Thames view resident
So George Shaw is 84, does that mean he is not responsible for his own actions. Let’s not forget that two months ago he chaired Thames Ward Selection meeting where Fred Barns was deselected as a Ward councillor. A meeting where many who were present felt that the rules were broken. I understand that they have put their complaints in writing albeit that no one it seems is prepared to look at them. The principal duty for any chair is that they be seen to be unbiased. To use his casting vote to deselect Fred Barns when there were three people on the short list who wanted other seats in the borough and, in fact, withdrew from the selection in Thames Ward, is not the action of an unbiased chair. Fred Barns is a hard working councillor who had already won his appeal against deselection by the London Region. He wants to remain working for the benefit of the residents of Thames Ward and most importantly has the confidence of his constituents. Why on earth would you deselect someone with the support he has. In the end we are all judged by our actions whatever our age and George Shaw is not an exception. You may not like it but it’s as simple as that. As for the “one liners” on this website – you are wasting your time. Unless you have something constructive to say please be quiet.
ReplyDeletefact george shaw did not cast a vote,get your facts right,so you really cant solely blame him,its not his fault that there was poor attendance at the shortlisting,regardless of who you wish to support,you could of done somthing then,rather than cry about it now,complacency will get you no where,nothing is guaranteed,if so called supporters are too lazy to attend and back their choice, they cant complain if things did not go their way
ReplyDeleteAh but that is where you are wrong anon @ 12.50 supporters did turn up to cast their vote, but, they were not allowed in, even though they had proof positive that they had paid there membership.
ReplyDeleteJust goes to show how far the corruption has gone within Barking CLP, even to the extent of the so called East London organiser from the London Regional Office.
And the fact of the matter is George Shaw did cast a vote, which on reading the rules we have since found was totally illegal, as the Chairman he should not have done so. We were there where were you, skulking around in the hall when as a potential candidate you should not have been???
George Shaw is to blame, but he had an awful lot of help from the North street mafia, which I assume you are one.
We can complain and we will continue to complain about your corrupt practices, and this blog is helping us to do that.
Thames ward member
to Anon @ 01:27
ReplyDeleteI refer you back to this blog in July "George Shaw Part 4"
Please read that part of the blog and you will have your answer.
Lazy you say? Not his fault there was poor attendance! I think you'll find the reason for non attendance was the very presence of George Shaw, he's spent years destroying the membership in Thames Ward, getting rid those who didn't fall in line with what he wanted and one by one we walked away sick of him and sick of his bullying. Many just weren't prepared to sit there any longer while he dragged along his family and friends to do his bidding. Life really is to short to be pushed around by such a nasty old man. Feel free to come back at me and with some vile little insult if you wish i really do not care what you think.
ReplyDeleteTo Anon @ 12:50
ReplyDeleteYOU ARE TALKING NONSENSE
I WAS THERE AND GEORGE SHAW DID GIVE THE CASTING VOTE.
He made sure that the vote that would have selected Fred Barnes was disqualified and not allowed to attend the meeting, which left him with the casting vote.
I was unaware that this was against the rules or I would have spoken out.
There were two voters who had never been seen at a ward meeting, to give George Shaw their support. One of them had to be told how to fill in a form.
If this is not corruption I would like to know what is.
So George Shaw is an 84 year old man.
ReplyDeleteSo What?
This business with Harry Day goes back 20 or so years. He wasn't so old then was he. If he was involved in ANY way, why doesn't he come forward and defend himself. If he was the chair of the trustees, he SHOULD have known what was going on.
After all he is full of enough poison to harass and bully people, at his age, so if he was involved he should take the consequences.
We don't know yet if Harry Day will be found guilty, and until then we should give the benefit of the doubt, but only George Shaw will be have to deal with his own conscience.
I have been reading these blogs from the outset, and what seems to be happening is that, you four or five ringleaders, come up with little items of information, or as you say yourselves, rumours, anecdotes, hearsay etc, and we know what that means, don't we? Well the educated among us do, and what happens is that the sheep of Thames Ward think they should add their two bobs worth, just to feel part of it. And, if anyone comes back with an honest an open response, you try to make light of their remarks, knowing that the sheep will come back again with even more innuendo, hearsay etc. etc. You mention the deselected councillors, and what they have done. Fine. What have they done? What great changes did they actualy bring about. that affects my life for the better? And even if everything was done all over again, I wouldn't bet on the result being any different.
ReplyDeleteBut never mind that, let's all have wheelie bins I say.
Bring on the wheelie bins
I would think at this moment that George Shaw is desperately wishing he had never heard of Harry Day let alone been the Chair of the Trustees.
ReplyDeleteRef Posted by Editor - George Shaw part 4
ReplyDeleteI am compelled to put the records straight by informing you that our late Chairman George Atkinson declined being re-selected as Chair of the Tenants & Residents Association due to ill health
George Atkinson was a lovely man who was not open to coercion nor to being leaned upon
I can assure you that under no circumstances whatsoever would George allow anyone including George Shaw to bully him into submission
George Atkinson was a fair and honest man who insisted that our TRA was run according to the correct procedure
When George Shaw was elected as Chair of the TRA this was done in accordance with our Constitution at an AGM with Officers from the Council's Tenant Participation Team present who presided over the election
In the twenty years we have been established we have always adhered to our Constitution thereby all of our elections have been overseen by independant adjudicators
The above comments are Historical FACT supported by recorded minutes
Apart from the references to our TRA you have our full support
Lyn Shepherd Present Chair of Tenants & Residents Association based on Thames View Estate
Have decided not to remain anonymous -----
It's really great to know what Hodge's foot soldiers really think of the residents of Thames Ward. Sheep! Of course we couldn't be considered as educated, have our own opinions or thoughts in fact you must marvel at how some of us even manage to get dressed in the mornings. How wonderful life must be to feel so supremely superior, although not a quality i would align with a member of the Labour Party who's principles are that of equality and nonjudgement of it's members.
ReplyDeleteas for anon 14:44, I see no answers from the for or five of you yet. What did the de-selected councillors do. What did they do that has changed my life for the better, etc?
ReplyDeleteIn response to anon @ 13.22 as we dont know who you are how can you possibly be told what has changed your life for the better.
ReplyDeleteI mean it could be something totally personal to you like additional treatment services in your area by the DAAT, it could be ensuring that the councils Housing benefits service works well across the borough and at different venues so that you dont loose your home, it could be standards in schools the list is endless. So bit of a foolish question that one mate.
Dagenham member
Anon @ 14.44 all I can say is that if you have to wait for someone else to do something to make your life better then you are either bloody lazy or suicidal, in which case a bottle of paracetamol and a large bottle of scotch might do the trick.
ReplyDeletesam