S.R.M

[stokoe]

Noticed shane aint been on since august 16th has he been warned off?

but saying that it will be 3 weeks today,and tories generally have 3 week holiday stints.

[ARC86]

He assures me he will be back once something relevant is posted

[stokoe]

He assures me he will be back once something relevant is posted

that will be about as long as you post about wilcox and your cronies.

[DRiddle]

He assures me he will be back once something relevant is posted

I wonder if any of the following could be deemed worthy enough for him to chirp up with a view on?

(1) The most high profile Conservative councillor in Hartlepool eulogising about Labour's introduction of the NMW.
(2) The 'coalition' wanting to off set the 'bedroom tax' with public funds.
(3) Two tory councillors again doing nothing to try to prevent the hospital closure.
(4) His local party leaders apparent desperation to have Tunstall Court pulled down.
(5) The Conservatives tumbleweed like silence over the MRA/WCNE situation.
(6) One of his councillors falling asleep in a meeting.
(7) The Conservatives happily doing nothing as the gypsy site was dropped in a semi rural village.
(8  ) The Conservatives 'Manor House election leaflet' and the comments made relating to it by Peter Devlin.
(9) The voting record of Conservative councillors and the synergy with that of Labour.
(10) What Margaret Thatcher would make of 1-9 of the above.

Given all of that little lot, I love to hear what he deems to be "relevant"......... 

[marky]

He assures me he will be back once something relevant is posted

Well given that the Tories are pretty much irrlevant in Hartlepool I guess we're in for a long wait 

[ARC86]

Hahaha my Labour cronies eh, didnt realise they got to you all so much

quite a list that David im sure he can respond on every point

[stokoe]

Yes arc they do get to me and many others on this site,because of the corrupt way they go about.

Btw I bet the two scabs would be better up front than what you have seen play
Today.......

[ARC86]

Without a doubt Stokoe though we had no luck today.. one clearly over the line in the first half.. story of our season so far, but we will be fine come the end of the season

[stokoe]

Hope so arc.for the town my friend.

[ARC86]

They will they are only young lads they will get better as the season goes on.. Colin Cooper will turn out to be a top manager, he knows what he is doing and what he is talking about.. the town needs the football club a lot more than people realise

[SRMoore]

Mr Riddle, you have my telephone number; I'm always just a call away if you wish to ask me something.

(1) The most high profile Conservative councillor in Hartlepool eulogising about Labour's introduction of the NMW

I wrote that speech so I can't criticise it. I honestly believe that the introduction of the NMW was the greatest* achievement by Labour in government. *ONLY

(2) The 'coalition' wanting to off set the 'bedroom tax' with public funds.

I disagreed with the proposal. I believe that this was an attempt to buy the benefit vote with tax payers money. I proposed an amendment that would have seen that the additional money be allocated to the discretionary fund so that council could be assured that the money would be channeled to those who genuinely needed it the most and allocated fairly by council officers. Unfortunately this amendment was not put forward by the conservative group.

(3) Two tory councillors again doing nothing to try to prevent the hospital closure.

Absolute shame on them!

(4) His local party leaders apparent desperation to have Tunstall Court pulled down.

The vast majority of residents living close to Tunstall Court have indicated that this is their wish. A case of councillors listening to their residents.

(5) The Conservatives tumbleweed like silence over the MRA/WCNE situation.

There has been just as much noise made by activists of the conservative party as there has been from PHF. PHF councillors have rarely acted on activists; just like with the Tories.
What the conservatives realise and PHF don't is when Labour are up in arms and tearing chunks out of each other it is best to leave them to it. When you attack them they forget about ripping each other apart and focus on attacking you. Give them room to hang themselves...

(6) One of his councillors falling asleep in a meeting.

I assume you are talking about George? George often puts his head down during meetings and has often given me the worrying impression that he has fallen asleep but it is quote clear that he is fully awake and completely aware of what is going on when anybody engages with him either during or after the meeting.

(7) The Conservatives happily doing nothing as the gypsy site was dropped in a semi rural village.

Happily doing nothing? I believe we are the only party who are actually working towards having the whole policy revisited by the SoS and contacting councils + MPs to force the Department of Communities & Local Government to intervene so that NO community in Hartlepool should have to suffer a forced gypsy camp on their doorstep.

(8  ) The Conservatives 'Manor House election leaflet' and the comments made relating to it by Peter Devlin.

Technically the leaflet was correct and served to ensure that the public were aware that the conservative group were the only party to receive no additional expenses and they happily gave up their leaders allowance when requested unlike PHF who refused to give up theirs and requested it remained at double the recommendation of an independent remuneration panel.

(9) The voting record of Conservative councillors and the synergy with that of Labour.

You don't realise that the three 'irrelevant' councillors you talk about have an active role in what policies come to full council. Many of the votes they support they are doing so because they had a hand in working on them/watering down Labour motions.

(10) What Margaret Thatcher would make of 1-9 of the above.

I really wouldn't know. I'd hope she took my line of thinking and would beat at least two of our councilors with her handbag to remind them that they were elected as conservative councilors and they are elected to represent those views.

What I would also say is that if there are members of this forum who truly wish to see the conservative group retake their place as effective opposition I'd kindly request that you stop beating down the actual activists who are working tooth and nail do to so.

Keep up with your pathetic obsession with the Tories and all you will serve to do is continue to hand control to Labour year after year.

Why aren't I posting on this forum? Because I seriously can't be arsed with the c**p anymore. If I wanted to be given grief for answering loaded questions I'd spend more time with my wife.

[DRiddle]

I wrote that speech so I can't criticise it. I honestly believe that the introduction of the NMW was the greatest* achievement by Labour in government. *ONLY

So not the NHS then? Or the welfare state as it was originally intended?

The vast majority of residents living close to Tunstall Court have indicated that this is their wish. A case of councillors listening to their residents.

I'm not surprised they say that when the only choice they seem to have is keep leaving it to be set on fire and fall to bits... or... knock it down. Give them a viable better 3rd option and see what they'd like.

PHF councillors have rarely acted on activists; just like with the Tories.
What the conservatives realise and PHF don't is when Labour are up in arms and tearing chunks out of each other it is best to leave them to it. When you attack them they forget about ripping each other apart and focus on attacking you. Give them room to hang themselves...

PHF don't listen to activists? Interesting (and 100% inaccurate statement), I could show you scores of e-mails between PHF activists and party leaders which show absolute synergy between activists ideas and wishes and the behaviour of elected members. The primary reason Labour are ripping themselves apart is the pressure put on them by PHF, members and The Hartlepool Post. (that and egotism amongst their members).

Technically the leaflet was correct and served to ensure that the public were aware that the conservative group were the only party to receive no additional expenses and they happily gave up their leaders allowance when requested unlike PHF who refused to give up theirs and requested it remained at double the recommendation of an independent remuneration panel.

Correct, but labelled "inaccurate" by the monitoring officer? We've been over this anyway. You know what the leaflet was as well as I do.

You don't realise that the three 'irrelevant' councillors you talk about have an active role in what policies come to full council. Many of the votes they support they are doing so because they had a hand in working on them/watering down Labour motions.

I love to know what "watering down" was done to the Labour motion that attempted to control all contracts.

Anyway, as you say, I have your number... I certainly have your number fella. 

[beanzontoast]

I must agree with DRIddel and his list and also agree with the Torys are irrelevant in hartlepool and for my part its not for not being told or given another choice sadly having been given advance warning that the Titanic was going down and indeed he had his own misgivings as to the direction of his ship he clung to the ship, not unlike the Labour stalwarts the town who even now wont come to terms with who is going to pay the welfare bills its those like you and me on the minimum wage.

[mk1]

I think Shane is in a terrible position. The man running the local Tories is using the group's vote as a bargaining chip to  ensure he is given total control of planning applications in the town. Shane can point out this  fact and kiss goodbye to any chance of advancement in local politics or he can duck & dive and  hope the proverbial No 6 bus removes the canker from the party and he can help remould it.
I think we are seeing the result of a decision made 'for the good of the party' rather than  one 'for the good of the people'.

Any claim this sell-out to Labour is just a ploy to make them overconfident and help bring them down is risible.

[whatabouthisthen]

In answer to Driddle post of the 7th September.

1 As you were not present at the meeting, I am not sure where you got the idea from that RW was "eulogising"? In fact RW was quoting from Shane's introduction to an amendment to the living wage. What was written by Shane and quoted by RW was "I am in no doubt that the introduction of the National Minimum Wage was probably the Labour Party's greatest achievement in recent history." Hardly a eulogy and I detected more than a hint of irony in this and what followed.
Question: What is wrong in agreeing with the other Party should it do something you like? Far better, surely, than the present opposition Labour Party that automatically disagrees with anything that the Coalition does and then says it will not change it when they are in power e.g. the so called Bedroom Tax – basically saying that they agree but too arrogant/afraid to admit it.
Back to Shane who did present an amendment to RW re the living wage motion. The fact that RW failed to accept and propose it is no fault of Shane's.

2 By the 'coalition' I suppose you mean our local Labour and Conservative parties. Shane submitted an amendment to the so called Bedroom Tax to RW which, again, he RW failed to accept.

Thus, these two points have demonstrated, to me at least, that Shane is doing everything he can to oppose the antics of RW.

Question DR. Did you or your fellow PHF supporters on this post submit amendments to your Councillors? If not, why not? I suggest that Shane has done far more than you in trying to influence the party one supports.

The rest of your post is covering old ground that has been done to death on this forum over the last few months but all used to attack Shane. I will only say that Shane has opposed these actions just as much as I trust the above two points have demonstrated.  He can't demand RW does as he says.

I do not understand why you are attacking a decent, fellow citizen who is doing his best to change things to the betterment of us all. You should forget your inbuilt loathing of the Tory Party and look at the guy who is underneath his Tory banner and recognize that he wants more or less what you do. This also applies to SteveL and maybe others. You/we should all work together to achieve the common goal of eradicating the Labour dominance and cronyism in this town. If you do not then the town is doomed to another fifty odd years of Cllrs who look first for themselves and not the Town.

Finally, if your vilification of Shane causes him to leave politics you will have done a great disservice to this Town. If you guys truly put the Town first you should work with him and other like minded people. Let us rid this Town of outdated political prejudices and all work together for the benefit of the Town. Perhaps a Coalition of all the political parties and independents is needed.   

Just for you David. I notice that on a later post you criticise Shane's statement about Labour's achievements. As the quote above shows he was referring to Labour's recent  achievements which hardly includes the NHS or the Welfare State.