There's an old story about a London based long haul airline captain, who, before embarking on a three week trip to the Far East, told his long time, live in girlfriend that he was breaking up with her, and he wanted her out by the time he got back.
Upon his return the flat was immaculate and all her clothes and belongings were gone. The only unusual thing was that his phone was off the hook (it is an old story) and when he picked it up he heard the New York speaking clock – his phone bill ran into thousands !
There are several variations to this story, one where the girlfriend scatters grass seed all over his carpets, waters them and leaves the heating up high, so his apartment looked like a meadow when he returned. The story I particularly like is about the young man who bought a one year old Aston Martin Vantage for £20.00 from an attractive lady of a certain age. When he asked why the car was so cheap, she told him that her husband had run off with the Au Pair, and had told her to sell the car and send him the money.
Hold this thought......
Recently several Labour Councillors have been told that they are no longer required on the good ship SS Labour.
However, even though they know they are destined to walk the plank at the next election, for the next ten months the deselected candidates will still be expected to swab the decks, stoke the Captain's ego and clean up Captain CAB's mess.
Alternatively, they could decide to take charge of their own destiny, scuttle the ship, jump in the lifeboats and get as much distance away as possible to avoid getting sucked down when the whole outfit slips below the waves, and of course their recently increased allowance will have no bearing on their decision – yeah right.
The question that needs answering - is this a coordinated attack on the SCAB rear guard (every pun intended)?
Could it be that there is some invisible hand behind the attack? "Momentum", is being whispered in the corridors of power, but whether this is to do with the growing unease about the council leadership, or another political ploy, only time will tell.
One thing's for the sure, for the next 10 months the remaining crew members will have to look out for - phones left off the hook, grass sprouting in unlikely places (other than Hartlepool Pavements) and, who knows, perhaps we'll see a BMW up for sale for £20.00.
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
In my opinion Carl will already have a foot in both camps.
Its a dirty business politics and he has stabbed more in the back than either 'Calamity Chris' or 'the Boy in a man's body'.
Everyone knows were the Bournemouth story came from.
Sinking ship? This crew put the 'Tit' in Titanic!
The ship has been heading at full revs for the Realityberg and this Skipper and his officers left the bridge unattended while sitting in their lounge discussing what colour to paint the the cabins. Concentrating on fripperies while ignoring the important task of actually steering the bleedin ship!
Quote from: Lord Elpus on July 26, 2018, 09: PM
Everyone knows were the Bournemouth story came from.
You mean the completely baseless claim that a few years back when the SCABs were in Bournemouth clubbing SAB managed to evade CAB and 'go missing' with a new friend and did not come back to his room until the next morning?
That CAB went bat-sh*it berserk when he came home and in the resulting tussle the hotel room sustained damage that had to be paid for promptly or the Police would be involved.
Is that the Bournemouth story you claim Carl leaked in order to embarrass the SCABs
Quote from: mk1 on July 26, 2018, 09: PM
Quote from: Lord Elpus on July 26, 2018, 09: PM
Everyone knows were the Bournemouth story came from.
You mean the completely baseless claim that a few years back when the SCABs were in Bournemouth clubbing SAB managed to evade CAB and 'go missing' with a new friend and did not come back to his room until the next morning?
That CAB went bat-sh*it berserk when he came home and in the resulting tussle the hotel room sustained damage that had to be paid for promptly or the Police would be involved.
Is that the Bournemouth story you claim Carl leaked in order to embarrass the SCABs
Yes, an ex Leader of Hartlepool Labour Group told me that's where it came from.
I'm hearing it'll break out in to absolute all out war tonight WHEN mammy belcher gets her P45.
I have also heard Tom & Anth have placed Doc Pothole on the 'not one of us' list but they think he is too well connected for them to be able to oust him. They are undermining him with a whispering campaign and if he decides to stay and fight them who knows they might be forced deselect Hill and give The Doc his job just to get him off the Council!
The 'Doc' ain't here because he likes Grand Central. Hill is the night watchman banging the distraction drum and being agreeable. When the time comes he'll step back into the shadows.
I'm told the SCABS are frantically going through the Labour Party membership in mammy belchers ward to try and see if they can find enough people willing to vote for her to fend off the coup.
Quote from: DRiddle on July 27, 2018, 05: PM
I'm told the SCABS are frantically going through the Labour Party membership in mammy belchers ward to try and see if they can find enough people willing to vote for her to fend off the coup.
No doubt the instigators of the coup will be doing exactly the same ... ;)
So when will the SCABs get deselected? Can't be far off, I reckon!
Quote from: DRiddle on July 27, 2018, 03: PM
I'm hearing it'll break out in to absolute all out war tonight WHEN mammy belcher gets her P45.
Are the police ready in their riot gear? Or the RSPCA with a muzzle?
Its like watching two lions fight knowing the winner is going to eat you...................
Trouble is, even if the Young Pretenders depose the Lounge Lizards, that's one hell of a toxic legacy to cope with. Wilderness years are a possibility.
When the dust finally settles and one group of followers is replaced by another, they still won't twig on we need the roads maintaining etc, etc, etc, basically practical management of the town.
Not slogans, vapid promises or political posturing, because till that registers, we're moving no further forward.
Quote from: Inspector Knacker on July 27, 2018, 07: PM
Trouble is, even if the Young Pretenders depose the Lounge Lizards, that's one hell of a toxic legacy to cope with. Wilderness years are a possibility.
When the dust finally settles and one group of followers is replaced by another, they still won't twig on we need the roads maintaining etc, etc, etc, basically practical management of the town.
Not slogans, vapid promises or political posturing, because till that registers, we're moving no further forward.
With all of this there is a real possibility of the Labour Group losing control - the Hart seat could easily go Independent (it remained Independent in May) and with Lindridge and Doc Pothole on borrowed time and they go Independent that's Labour needing Tory support - has the new Tory leader got the balls?
I'm told mammy belcher has been given her cards and the Labour group is basically at war with itself. Happy days. Oh and the Headland and Harbour selection is on August 1st. Does Dr Pothole go back to Tooting?
Quote from: DRiddle on July 27, 2018, 08: PM
I'm told mammy belcher has been given her cards and the Labour group is basically at war with itself. Happy days. Oh and the Headland and Harbour selection is on August 1st. Does Dr Pothole go back to Tooting?
you are enjoying this far too much ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Quite appropriate that there has just been one hell of a thunderstorm and lightning like I've never seen before! It must have set the scene wonderfully.....like one of those Hammer Horror films! 3 down (Becks, Belcher and Trueman, 4 if you count RMW) and how many more before the year's out? Anyhow, when and where's the party? Anywhere BUT the Rifty!!!!
I wouldn't get too excited about the current round of defenestrations. This Forum was started when Brash & Co ruled the roost and there was plenty of corruption in those years. For example the disgraceful way the Freeman Of The Borough system was manipulated to silence those who did not want to give it to Mandelson.
As his then agent said:
Councillor Steve Wallace, who supported the proposal to make him a freeman, said: ''The fact that a middle class, Oxford educated, carpetbagging, Londoner - and those are his good points - became accepted as an honorary Hartlepudlian has astonished many opponents.
I would say he 'outmanoeuvred' rather than 'astonished' Mandelsons many opponents.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/7424929/Lord-Mandelson-and-Jeff-Stelling-made-honorary-freemen.html
Quote from: Johnny Bongo on July 27, 2018, 09: PM
Quite appropriate that there has just been one hell of a thunderstorm and lightning like I've never seen before! It must have set the scene wonderfully.....like one of those Hammer Horror films! 3 down (Becks, Belcher and Trueman, 4 if you count RMW) and how many more before the year's out? Anyhow, when and where's the party? Anywhere BUT the Rifty!!!!
;D ;D
Posted an hour ago on Sandra's Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=202955540400484&id=169345223761516
I am disappointed to notify everyone that the Jesmond Branch Labour Party de-selected me tonight. This means that I cannot stand for election in May 2019 as a Labour Councillor. I was informed by a resident 4 months ago that this was going to happen simply because I have a disability. I am sad to say even a fellow Labour Councillor stated I shouldn't be standing again because of my disability. This goes against the Equality Act 2010. Rest assured I am still here for all the Jesmond Ward residents and I shall continue to do all I can as a good community Councillor until I serve out my term to May 2019. Thank you for your continued support everyone.
Perhaps she should take a leaf of of her sons book and claim she was 'sacked' because she tried to expose corruption within the system?
Note she is laying the grounds for some sort of claim by saying it is discrimination against the disabled.
I guess Daddy Belcher can kiss goodbye to the dream of a Council seat for life and all the allowances that come with. He was so looking forward to ordering his old boss around!
I didn't know that following the sheep (or lemmings, hopefully!) was counted as a disability by the Labourites! Maybe the fact that she couldn't think for herself and was told what to vote for, counted against her...........no, that's wrong, sorry. Could it be that she's related to certain others on the Council and there's a witch hunt happening? Mmmm ::)
One thing's a certainty......sure as eggs is eggs.....there'll be lots of twitchy sphincters tonight and at any future meetings of the Labour groups! Priceless ;D ;D ;D ;D
Tom Cook straight on to Sandra's claims of victimisation on her page. No doubt which way he would have voted on her deselection!
Sounds potentially serious. Probably something you should have brought to the attention of the CLP and HBC, rather than posting about online after you were deselected.
He's got a point
Quote from: BresslawoffoftheBunker on July 27, 2018, 11: PM
He's got a point
I think you are getting too close to your food!
I think you're trying to be too clever and not making any sense
Quote from: BresslawoffoftheBunker on July 27, 2018, 11: PM
I think you're trying to be too clever and not making any sense
I would never have a good word for any member of a group that subjected me to months of vile personal abuse or parked up to watch my house.
Why didn't you say that in the first place !
You're making far more of the door thing then I ever made
So who are you saying was sat outside my house. I never knew but you seem to. Who was it ?
Quote from: BresslawoffoftheBunker on July 27, 2018, 11: PM
You're making far more of the door thing then I ever made
Point made and end of discussion on that issue.
Please do a 'cut and paste' to the previous sentence and insert into any post where you want to know my reply to any follow-up queries on the subject. Let the buggers fight and offer no succour or support to either side. There is little to chose between the motives of both the named individuals as they are only interested in advancing the aims o
f their group and no one else. One is a bit simple and fails to cover her tracks whilst the other delegates the dirty work and then disowns his underlings when they are no longer of any use to him . Two cheeks of the same ar*se.
Don't end it until you tell me who was sat outside my door
Quote from: BresslawoffoftheBunker on July 27, 2018, 11: PM
I think you're trying to be too clever and not making any sense
Surely not. I thought you had the copyright, franchise and concession?
So with some of the non-runners already declared who's next?
The Labour councillors up for re-election in 2019 are -
De Bruce - Cook
Fens & Rossmere - Lindridge
Foggy Furze - Cranney
Hart - Beck - resigned
Headland & Harbour - McLoughlan
Jesmond - S Belcher - deselected
Manor House - Barclay - deselected
Victoria - Trueman - deselected
I know that McLoughlan is up on August 1st but have there been any confirmations for 2019, or are Lindridge, Cook & Cranney sweating it out?
I bet Carl Richardson's a relieved man
Is the vote secret or show of hands?
Cranney won his comfortably but I'm told there's an internal plan to deal with him. Cook also won his but I'm not sure whether it was close or not.
As much as the coup is a great start, until it removes Cranney, Mad dog and both SCABS I'll reserve judgement. This series of developments should ultimately be enough to remove CAB as leader, but as long as he and the others have seats on the council they'll make trouble. Labour could still get turned over in the all out with those toxic names attached to the party.
Toxicity isn't restricted to the Scabal, anyone who was subjected to the sustained and vicious FB abuse and anyone who read it can testify to that...
The Scabal agenda was one of self servers, we have yet to see what the Corbyn Pixies have to offer apart from something 'momentous'
Are tickets available to attend these local Labour Party Meetings? Theatre goers may enjoy the performances which seem to cover the categories of comedy, farce, drama with an element of Who Dunnit? I wonder which genre the next performance will be.
All of these wonderful people - dedicated councillors, stalwarts of the community, dedicated to the success of the town and it residents - being deselected by the activists as candidates for their party in the upcoming elections. It prompts me to ask - how many of them will show the strength of their convictions, their determination to continue to make this town thrive again, by standing as independent candidates at the next elections ?
My guess would be 0. The only thing they are dedicated too is milking the town for all they can get. They do not even care for the Labour ideals that led to the forming of the party; merely pay it lip service to further their own advancement (as they see it). Roll on the revolution !
And in case there is any doubt, I have similar views about the Conservatives too.
Blackmail is an act, often criminal, involving unjustified threats to make a gain—most commonly money or property—or cause loss to another unless a demand is met. ... Blackmail may also be considered a form of extortion.
Interesting times. ::)
It is pathetic. People with an IQ of a cabbage have defied all efforts of the supposed 'very clever' people who are going to transform British Politics. If Cranney and Special Needs SAB can outsmart you why should we believe claims you can run the council better than they can?
Surely that depends on the IQ of those selecting you.
Sent to me by an acquaintance who doesn't want to be named due to his connections within HBC. Made me laugh.
When it comes to knowing when to bow out while still on top, some people get it spot on. In football German Captain Philipp Lahm lifted the World Cup on July 13th 2014. Just 5 days later and still only 30 years of age, Lahm retired from international football.
Also, historically, it's a little known fact that across the pond Benjamin Franklin retired from his very successful printing business aged just 42. Granted, having done so he founded the University of Pennsylvania, invented both the lightening rod and bifocal glasses and the created the United States of America, but the point remains that he knew when to get out of his day job.
Alas, for every Lahm and Frankin, there are many who fail the spot when the writing is well and truly on the wall. Boxing is littered with examples, most notably Muhammed Ali, who still tried to mix it with Trevor Berbick aged 39, already a shadow of the man who knocked out Sonny Liston 17 years earlier.
Politically, one could also point to Muammar 'Colonel' Gaddafi as an example of a person who just did not know when to quit. Having declined the opportunity to seek political exile and live out his days in the lap of luxury, Gaddafi ended up being stabbed in the anus and was beaten to death while cowering in a sewer.
And so we arrive at Christoper Akers-Belcher and the recent goings on within the Hartlepool Labour group.
The next few weeks will determine how history will remember the political 'contribution' of the current leader of Hartlepool Borough Council.
The days ahead will also define him as a man.
One option is to gracefully pass the chalice as Philipp Lahm did after lifting the World Cup. The alternative is to continue to throw punches like the veteran Ali, in the vain hope he'll somehow land a knockout blow against younger, hungrier opponents.
Regular readers of The Hartlepool Post and observers of the Hartlepool political scene already know which of those two eventualities is the more likely.
Christoper Akers-Belcher does not do graceful.
Any man in his late 50's who reportedly indulges in Botox and drives a white BMW is hardly the type to drift off quietly into the sunset.
Backed up by his marital partner Stephen, the most notable member of Thornhill School's alumni, the Akers-Belchi seem far more likely to go the way of Gadhafi, than they are to follow in the footsteps of Benjamin Franklin.
In many ways there are some who might actually applaud the Akers-Belcher's. It's a long road from benefits clerk and simpleton respectively, to find yourselves essentially in charge of a town and its budget of upwards of £50 million. In many respects Stephen is a genuine feather in the cap for special education within Hartlepool in the 1990s.
However, this is not a time for a tale of triumph over adversity.
The Labour group are at war and frustrated followers of the local political scene in Hartlepool are gleefully stocking up on the popcorn.
If one were to liken it to a fairy tale it's probably most similar to The Golden Goose. Not satisfied with a regular egg in the form of at least £3,000 per month, a goose by the name of Dave Hunter was sliced open as they grasped for even more immediate riches.
Reportedly, the decision to remove Hunter from his committee chair and replace him with the afore mentioned simpleton Stephen, was just one step too far for certain members of the local Labour Party.
The plot to oust them was brought forward and within a week or so it looks like the numbers are there to remove Christopher Akers-Belcher from power within a year. Labour North are reportedly finally on board with the coup having eventually realised that losing a council they've held for the thick end of 60 years is probably not good for the parties profile nationally.
All that remains is for people to sit back, watch the fireworks and for any current wavering Labour councillors to make sure they're on the right side of history.
However, a quick re-brand won't be enough to satisfy the doubters. The boil needs to be well and truly lanced if Labour are to survive the forthcoming all out elections. Jim "I don't need the money but I'll vote myself a 31% rise anyway" Lindridge needs to be next in the firing line. Stephen "The eunuch" Thomas, who accepted the health watch dollar, also doesn't deserve to survive the current bloodshed. Likewise, Labour cannot surely tolerate a local council that still consists of the Akers-Belchers, Marjorie James and Kevin Cranney?
And then of course there's Doctor Pothole. The Tooting Tornado who arrived expecting a seat in Westminster, yet may well find himself with a one way ticket on the grand central to Kings Cross.
His re-selection hearing is just 3 days away and represents the acid test in the middle of the apparent coup.
If Labour HAVE genuinely re-branded locally then they cannot afford another pound shop Mandelson being given a free ride on the Westminster Gravy Train.
August 1st will determine whether this coup d' etat is real. Anything other than the deselection of Councillor Mike McLaughlin will constitute 'business as usual' for the local Labour Party in Hartlepool.
It'll also hand control of the council to the independents come the all outs.
We'll be watching the Labour Labour Party Headland and Harbour selection vote with interest.
Hopefully we won't be disappointed.
Time's up boys.
"The Akers-Belchi seem far more likely to go the way of Gadhafi, Gaddafi ended up being stabbed in the anus".....I'll just leave this here
Quote from: DRiddle on July 28, 2018, 09: PM
And so we arrive at Christoper Akers-Belcher and the recent goings on within the Hartlepool Labour group.
The next few weeks will determine how history will remember the political 'contribution' of the current leader of Hartlepool Borough Council.
The days ahead will also define him as a man.
One option is to gracefully pass the chalice as Philipp Lahm did after lifting the World Cup
Lahm actually achieved something, there's the difference.
I hope these purges aren't just for effect, a distraction, getting rid of the high profile sacrificial lambs?
Quote from: Grumblstiltskin on July 28, 2018, 10: PM
"The Akers-Belchi seem far more likely to go the way of Gadhafi, Gaddafi ended up being stabbed in the anus".....I'll just leave this here
Do you know if it was a knife, bayonet or some other pointy weapon ?
Quote from: fred c on July 29, 2018, 09: AM
Quote from: Grumblstiltskin on July 28, 2018, 10: PM
"The Akers-Belchi seem far more likely to go the way of Gadhafi, Gaddafi ended up being stabbed in the anus".....I'll just leave this here
Do you know if it was a knife, bayonet or some other pointy weapon ?
Whatever it was, I do hope (to paraphrase a thread of distasteful tweets or facebook posts highlighted on here a while back) it was a big one. :D
Let's keep things tasteful, chaps - this is The Hartlepool Post, not Viz