A Nightingdale Sings in Barclay's Head

[not4me]

'friendly chat', that sounds a bit too much like the 'friendly' knock on the door in the middle of the night. I'd say that Barclay is simply too thick to appreciate the adage that when you're in a hole the first and best thing to do is to stop digging.

[DRiddle]

Hi, David Riddle here. At least three times now I have been accused in print of "Making allegations that were not true" or words to that effect. I was hoping either Mr Barclay (who seems fixated by my questions), Mr Hall, or perhaps someone else who was at the meet could clarify specifically what I am supposed to have alleged which wasn't true?

It's a shame a verbaitim (that means 'word for word' Allan) transcript of exactly what was said by all parties doesn't exist. Im sure that would clear things up.

[Lucy Lass-Tick]

It's a shame a verbaitim (that means 'word for word' Allan) transcript of exactly what was said by all parties doesn't exist. Im sure that would clear things up.

Clear things up?  Far easier for Barclay et al to mutter, splutter and act affronted ... saves having to answer questions.

[whatabouthisthen]

Barclay must be buttering up the mob for a safe seat in2014 - hopefully by then there will not be a safe Labour seat anywhere in our town.

[steveL]

One of the more notable aspects of this whole business is that it all started with Hall being determined to answer a question which wasn't actually asked. I suspect if anyone had instead asked if Councillor Hall thought Pools would escape relegation, he would still have answered that 'he had no connection whatsoever to Who Care's (NE)'

What I find so interesting is why he is so desperately keen to try and distance himself from Who Cares(NE)?

Well OK, I know the answer really 

[fred c]

Hi David.... There is obvious confusion over the Question you actually asked, & the Question "The Mob" thought you asked, consequently they are now attempting to bluster their way out of the predicament they now find themselves in.

Having had a similar experience to yourself with regards to having a full & recorded set of minutes being unavailable ( Although no one rang my Employer ), I along with other members of the public have at various times asked for council meetings to be recorded on Video, or at the very least a Voice recording to be taken & for the minutes to be transcribed for the following meeting.

These requests were always denied & i was informed in my case, that it would be impractical to have a member of HBC staff available to actualy take the minutes verbatim & it was the norm to have a free hand copy of the minutes of the meeting, because the number of people there would between them, be able to remember what was said.

Considering you & I weren`t the only people present at the meeting who distinctly heard the question you asked & that "The Mob" are still under the impression that they heard something else, it requires one of two things.......

A) Meetings to be the subject of Video & Voice Recording

                                     OR

B)http://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Your-Ears

You will need to copy & paste the above Link

[mk1]

  In full:





DAVID Riddle complains bitterly (Mail, March eight-stupid smilies!)) about the treatment dished out to him by Councillor Ged Hall for daring to retaliate against him for making untrue allegations. - What was Coun Hall's heinous crime? He was naive enough to think that having a friendly word about it with the head teacher would help placate  the situation. Unfortunately this thoughtful action has made matters worse. Coun Hall at the Hartlepool Borough Council meeting of March 6 said that it was wrong for members of the public to make damaging allegations about councillors, especially when it crosses the line and affects their livelihood. I am sure every right-think- ing person would agree with him on that. Mr Riddle, however, fervently believes that it is "perfectly legitimate" and his "constitutional right" to Jnake claims against councillors across the council chamber under the guise of supple mentary questions. I may hasten to add that at the particular council meeting in question, where Mr Riddle's "constitutional right" was being imposed upon the members (February 14), Mr Riddle had to be stopped from this line of questioning on the advice of the council solicitor!
Mr Riddle's behaviour just substantiates the argument for dropping supplementary questions-which I made in my letter (Mail, March 11) and about which the vast majority of councillors voted in favour of on March 6. Mr Riddle may think that he has had a victory by this story being published in the Mail, by the support he has drummed up with some anti-socialist politicians and because his complaint alleging a breach of the code of conduct against Coun Hall has been taken seriously. But these victories are hollow and, when the investigation is over, he will be the only one with egg on his face. I speak from experience when a similar complaint under similar circumstances   was made against me. The complainant was made to look very foolish at the end of it when I was completely exonerated. He should heed his own advice and "not try and intimidate others, to treat them with respect and not to bully anyone". Mr Riddle challenges Coun Hall to resign  and stand against him in a byelection. Coun Hall quite rightly rejects these schoolboy poli- tics out of hand because, as he rightly states, he has done nothing wrong. But I'm guessing he cannot wait until 2015 when he can take Mr Riddle up on his challenge and prove he is still the same honest, kind, hard- working and much-respected person that the people of Burn Valley ward have voted for as their elected representative for the past nine years.
Allan Barclay, Leybum Street, Hartlepool.


I dread to think of how he feels now the story has hit Private Eye.
Someone should warn Hislop about the incoming mail..................

[steveL]

I don't think there is any point in responding to Barclay directly.

Tonight's letter of his in The Mail is aimed, not at David, but at the general public and is an attempt to limit the considerable damage Hall has already done to his party. If that requires a concoction of lies, half-truths and misinformation then so be it - all three now fall well within the remit of the current Labour group.

Even so, this particular genie won't be going back in the bottle any time soon. Private Eye, for example, will probably have a copy sitting in the majority of Westminster offices and there will be a lot of people now wondering 'what the hell is going on in Hartlepool?'

This will include a number of 'big wigs' in the Labour Party who won't be at all bothered about the details but will be very bothered about the adverse publicity. Add on to that the log-jam of revelations that HTH is currently sitting on and I don't think it would be wise for Hall or anyone else in the Labour group to be caught downstream when the dam finally bursts.

It's too late Comrades - and there's worse news to come - Cranney ordered the Life-Jackets.

[fred c]

Oh dear, this fella really needs to give his napper a shake.... some of his comments are laughable in the extreme........

mr barclay............ like your comrade Cllr Hall, you didn`t listen to the Question, as asked by Mr Riddle...

Cllr Hall.... Naive....Noooooo he just didn`t take the time to listen to the Question being asked, but he persisted in getting his Y Fronts in a Twist by answering the Question that was not asked.

As for making a phone call to placate "The Situation"

I would suggest that when mr barclay was serving in the forces.... if a member of his platoon went to the commnding officer to placate a situation..... he would have been taken round the back of the Latrines & given a good talking to by the rest of the squad.

Mr Riddle has drummed up support from some "Anti Social Politicans"..... Hardly, if mr barclay considers the half or dozen or so members of the public sitting in the cheap seats as "Anti Social Politicians" then ok we were anti social politicians..... But i ask myself..... does he really mean Anti  Social Politicians..... or politicians that go around smashing phone boxes & ripping wing mirrors off cars in the street ?

I suggest he looks up the definition of Anti Social....... Never mind i will save him the bother.

http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/antisocial

As for him mentioning "Victories" what is he on about ? he must be having flashbacks to when he wore Khaki.

If mr barclay really thinks any members of the public who attend full council meetings has any faith in the HBC Standards Process, he is kidding himself...... The Peer Group Report mentioned issues within the HBC Standards Procedures, & with good reason.

"They don`t like it up em Mr Mainwaring They don`t like it up em"............. & i don`t mean the Fuzzy Wuzzies.

[steveL]

"DAVID Riddle complains bitterly (Mail, March eight-stupid smilies!)) about the treatment dished out to him by Councillor Ged Hall for daring to retaliate against him for making untrue allegations."

ooo....an unfortunate choice of words... effectively admitting that Hall's action was retaliation.

[mk1]

Just to be clear I put the 'eight' in letters and added the 'stupid smilies' remark

(Mail, March eight-stupid smilies!)

[marky]

I wish someone would tell me what these 'untrue allegations' are. I thought all that happened was that Riddle asked Drummond oif he thought there had been a conflict of interest.

[fred c]

I wish someone would tell me what these 'untrue allegations' are. I thought all that happened was that Riddle asked Drummond oif he thought there had been a conflict of interest.

Thats about it............. where the rest of it came from is down to memebers of "The Mob" & one in particular.............

In a proper debate.

The chairman allows the questioner to open the debate with a clear & concise Question.

The other side "Should" listen attentively to that Question & formulate their response to it.

The chairman then controls the tone of the debate.

The only correct thing that happened that evening was Mr D Riddle asked a "Clear & Concise Question".

The rest is History according to "The Mob"

[Stig of the Seaton Dump]

I assume the Labour party are holding onto Ged Hall in the way a drowning man finds comfort holding onto a brick.

[Lucy Lass-Tick]

Today's Mail carries an article about a rat being spotted scampering around Middleton Grange; with it being just opposite the Civic Centre, I wonder if they've started leaving a sinking ship ...