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Suspensions 'hurt' town - Lib Dems (From Warrington Guardian)
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Suspensions 'hurt' town - Lib Dems
9:00am Thursday 18th October 2012 in News
THE suspension of two Labour councillors has wider implications for the reputation of Warrington according to the leader of the town’s Liberal Democrats.
The Warrington Guardian exclusively revealed online last week that Clr Chris Vobe had been suspended by Labour over a police investigation into possible hacking.
His followed that of executive member Clr Hitesh Patel who was suspended last month on suspicion of leaking e-mails to the media.
Clr Ian Marks, Lib Dem leader, said the accustions were damaging to the town.
He added: “Someone perhaps wanting to invest here might see this and think, ‘is this the right place to go?’ “At the moment we are about to start long listing for the chief executive role, it is possible someone might withdraw because they think this is not a town they should be coming to.
“I find it extraordinary that the Labour party continues to be beset by infighting. I do not understand the mentality of it.”
He added that he would be ‘very concerned’ that any allegations of hacking could extend to other members of the council - and not just Labour ones.
Comments(11)
Nick Tessla
says...
11:40am Thu 18 Oct 12
As for smearing other politicians, and other parties, I interpret his remarks as suggesting any investigation should encompass ALL parties. If so,this should be applauded.
As I have said before, if the accusations against Chris Vobe are found to be true, then any investigation also needs to include his mother - Helen Jones MP- and Councillor Vobe's father - who I believe is a Labour parish councillor, in order to clear them of suspicion in the minds of the electorate.
grey_man
says...
11:45am Thu 18 Oct 12
Gorsedd
says...
11:50am Thu 18 Oct 12
grey_man wrote:Especially as most of those officials are still around practicing their dark arts, secure in the knowledge the worst they might have to face is an Earle Exit. Two familiar sights are problems with the town's reputation: politicians who smear each other and those who say they will root out corruption but don’t and it's not because their busy smearing.
Perhaps Mr Marks could have made similar comments about the corruption in the planning department that emerged on his watch?
I'd have thought corrupt officials are more of a problem for the town's reputation than the now routine sight of politicians trying to smear each other.
Cleopatra
says...
2:23pm Thu 18 Oct 12
It's the whole **** council (of whatever party) and the fiasco with the planning dept. that is damaging the town!
Nick Tessla
says...
3:25pm Thu 18 Oct 12
Cleopatra wrote:What drivel - he is not deflecting blame to or from anyone - just commenting on an issue seperate from planning- in this case alleged criminal behaviour by a Labour councillor who is also the son of the local MP - and the suspension, by his party, of another councillor, elected on a Labour ticket. A suspension that appears to have followed a falling out with the same MP's son.
Good old Clr Ian Marks doing what good old Clr Ian Marks does best, deflecting blame from where blame should lie. It's the whole **** council (of whatever party) and the fiasco with the planning dept. that is damaging the town!
I am just wondering if some of those who appear to want to change the subject are looking to deflect people from discussing that.
Gorsedd
says...
2:34pm Fri 19 Oct 12
Nick Tessla wrote:There is so much wrong with this Council and in many departments. It needs a cross party consensus of elected members to put aside their political squabbling and to work together to make people have more faith and trust Warrington as a town and as a Borough Council. Is it too much to ask?
Cleopatra wrote:What drivel - he is not deflecting blame to or from anyone - just commenting on an issue seperate from planning- in this case alleged criminal behaviour by a Labour councillor who is also the son of the local MP - and the suspension, by his party, of another councillor, elected on a Labour ticket. A suspension that appears to have followed a falling out with the same MP's son.
Good old Clr Ian Marks doing what good old Clr Ian Marks does best, deflecting blame from where blame should lie. It's the whole **** council (of whatever party) and the fiasco with the planning dept. that is damaging the town!
I am just wondering if some of those who appear to want to change the subject are looking to deflect people from discussing that.
Cleopatra
says...
11:27pm Fri 19 Oct 12
Nick Tessla wrote:Complete and utter nonsense and you know it. A couple of suspended clrs will not do all that much damage to the town, well not as much as the country wide publicity re the corrupt planning dept.
Cleopatra wrote: Good old Clr Ian Marks doing what good old Clr Ian Marks does best, deflecting blame from where blame should lie. It's the whole **** council (of whatever party) and the fiasco with the planning dept. that is damaging the town!What drivel - he is not deflecting blame to or from anyone - just commenting on an issue seperate from planning- in this case alleged criminal behaviour by a Labour councillor who is also the son of the local MP - and the suspension, by his party, of another councillor, elected on a Labour ticket. A suspension that appears to have followed a falling out with the same MP's son. I am just wondering if some of those who appear to want to change the subject are looking to deflect people from discussing that.
FFS admit it because it's so obvious from this and your previous posting that you have a deep seated dislike for Helen Jones and her family. No matter what you might say, you cannot disguise that fact.
Dustin
says...
12:48pm Sat 20 Oct 12
Cleopatra wrote:The false rumour group and dirty tricks campaign is not just confined to the political parties. Others have just as much interest in throwing stones to muddy the waters.
Nick Tessla wrote:Complete and utter nonsense and you know it. A couple of suspended clrs will not do all that much damage to the town, well not as much as the country wide publicity re the corrupt planning dept.
Cleopatra wrote: Good old Clr Ian Marks doing what good old Clr Ian Marks does best, deflecting blame from where blame should lie. It's the whole **** council (of whatever party) and the fiasco with the planning dept. that is damaging the town!What drivel - he is not deflecting blame to or from anyone - just commenting on an issue seperate from planning- in this case alleged criminal behaviour by a Labour councillor who is also the son of the local MP - and the suspension, by his party, of another councillor, elected on a Labour ticket. A suspension that appears to have followed a falling out with the same MP's son. I am just wondering if some of those who appear to want to change the subject are looking to deflect people from discussing that.
FFS admit it because it's so obvious from this and your previous posting that you have a deep seated dislike for Helen Jones and her family. No matter what you might say, you cannot disguise that fact.
Nick Tessla
says...
9:30am Mon 22 Oct 12
Dustin wrote:It certainly appears that there are some who want to muddy the waters by turning the discussion to the planning department while ignoring the actual issue connected to this story - alleged criminal offences committed by an individual who is a borough councillor and the son of a Warrington MP. Routing out corrupt officers is vital but the same applies to the investigation of alleged corrupt activity by elected members.
Cleopatra wrote:The false rumour group and dirty tricks campaign is not just confined to the political parties. Others have just as much interest in throwing stones to muddy the waters.Nick Tessla wrote:Complete and utter nonsense and you know it. A couple of suspended clrs will not do all that much damage to the town, well not as much as the country wide publicity re the corrupt planning dept. FFS admit it because it's so obvious from this and your previous posting that you have a deep seated dislike for Helen Jones and her family. No matter what you might say, you cannot disguise that fact.Cleopatra wrote: Good old Clr Ian Marks doing what good old Clr Ian Marks does best, deflecting blame from where blame should lie. It's the whole **** council (of whatever party) and the fiasco with the planning dept. that is damaging the town!What drivel - he is not deflecting blame to or from anyone - just commenting on an issue seperate from planning- in this case alleged criminal behaviour by a Labour councillor who is also the son of the local MP - and the suspension, by his party, of another councillor, elected on a Labour ticket. A suspension that appears to have followed a falling out with the same MP's son. I am just wondering if some of those who appear to want to change the subject are looking to deflect people from discussing that.
By the way, Cleopatra, you are, deliberately or otherwise, misrepresenting my previous postings on this issue and the haram it may do Helen Jones' reputation if a comprehensive investigation is not carried out, should her son be found to be guilty of these allegations. As an obvious supporter of Ms Jones, you should welcome this clearing of her name.
Dustin
says...
9:26pm Mon 22 Oct 12
'By the way, Cleopatra, you are, deliberately or otherwise, misrepresenting my previous postings on this issue and the haram it may do Helen Jones' reputation if a comprehensive investigation is not carried out, should her son be found to be guilty of these allegations. As an obvious supporter of Ms Jones, you should welcome this clearing of her name.”
We know:
the planners denied their prior meetings with the developer on Peel Hall;
Helen Jones MP had to submit a FoI request to uncover these meetings;
planners and their advisers misled Members and the public;
planners and their advisers knew documents were destroyed but covered it up;
no one has been disciplined for this;
there is a reluctance to find out who else knew as it might embarrass others who may have been a party to these corrupt actions.
This is all fact which has nothing to do with alleged and so far unfounded claims of criminal acts by a Councillor and an MP. The case for which is based on the nudge, nudge, wink, wink form of evidence. As you say Nick “Routing out corrupt officers is vital but the same applies to the investigation of alleged corrupt activity by elected members.” But despite the facts there is no routing out going on they are avoiding the obvious and not facing facts.
grey_man says...
9:17am Thu 18 Oct 12
I'd have thought corrupt officials are more of a problem for the town's reputation than the now routine sight of politicians trying to smear each other.