| INDEX | Sleeping in the Chamber |
During council meetings there was a fairly long break (half an hour?) during which you could have free tea and sandwiches. Some of us used to abstain from these and go down to the Council Club, a sort of drinking club in a very large wooden shed, to have a pint or two of real ale. At one meeting I returned from drinking a couple of pints and said to Bill Dennis, who sat next to me, wake me up for the first vote (usually half an hour after we came back). Bill failed to do this saying that he thought I was joking. This was the result. It was not the only time I got in trouble for allegedly sleeping in public. See what I wrote about it at the time.
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Councillor slept through vital vote | Waltham Forest Guardian April 21, 1989 |
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Councillors couldn't close their eyes to Sleepy Jo's snooze | Yellow Advertiser, April 21, 1989 |
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SNOOZE CLAIM SPARKS STORM | Waltham Forest Express April 22, 1989 |
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Huffing doesn't disguise the facts | Waltham Forest Yellow Advertiser April 28, 1989 |
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Sleepy councillor is 'rumbled' on vote | Waltham Forest Guardian May 12, 1989 |
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Kips in the council chamber are just not on | Waltham Forest Yellow Advertiser May 12, 1989 |
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Electronic wink-catcher | Waltham Forest Yellow Advertiser, May 12 1989 |
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Apology sought from Editor | Waltham Forest Guardian May 19, 1989 |
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LIBERALS ACTED IN BAD TASTE! | Waltham Forest Express May 20, 1989 |
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Plain wrong | Waltham Forest Yellow Advertiser May 26, 1989 |
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Splitting political hairs | Waltham Forest Guardian June 2, 1989 |
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Here's to a long, hot summer | Waltham Forest Guardian June 9, 1989 |
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Always two sides to any argument | Waltham Forest Guardian June 16, 1989 |
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Getting away from 'mocking left' | Waltham Forest Guardian June 16, 1989 |
| Electronic wink-catcher
ELECTRONIC vote recorders should be installed in the council chamber-- to end arguments about who is caught napping during decision making, claim Liberal Democrats. Party leader Councillor Chris Millington has written to Waltham Forest Mayor John Walsh about the idea following the uproar caused by the slumbers of Labour Councillor 'sleepy' Jo Brind. Mr Brind was caught taking forty winks just as the last full council decided whether or not to appoint a new tenant liaison officer. The Liberal Democrats claimed victory in their attempt to block the new job because Mr Brind was asleep. But he subsequently woke up and the vote was retaken, with Labour winning instead on the mayor's casting vote. Mr Brind later denied he had been asleep and claimed the mayor was quite entitled to call the second vote. He said no council rules were broken. However, Mr Millington claims Waltham Forest should follow the lead of other councils and install the vote recorders which would make the votes instant and final. He added: "I believe the arguments over the vote at the last council meeting showed something is seriously wrong. It is by no means the first time that there has been uncertainty." |
| Waltham Forest Yellow Advertiser, May 12 1989 |
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| Letterbox |
| Plain wrong
T. A. Bell attacks me in Letterbox(Issue May 12) and the leader of the council's Liberal group attacks me in the news column,all in one issue of the Yellow Advertiser. My political opponents must think I'm doing something right. But let's put the record straight. T. A.Bell is just plain wrong. Far from doing their duty, the Liberals went home early. They deserted their duty in the council chamber and neglected the people who had voted for them. Incidentally, I didn't and would never insult people who voted Liberal (not SLD by the way,it didn't exist in 1986 when the election took place). It was the Liberals who insulted the people by refusing to accept the majority the electors gave to Labour councillors. I am accused of missing a vote. It is not true. I did not miss any vote. But if it were true,it would be pure hypocrisy for the Liberals to complain about me missing one vote when they boasted in a press release that they had all walked out and missed vote after vote. Finally, the leader of the Liberal group wants to have electronic voting recorders in the council chamber. I don't object, not one result would ever be different. But if the Liberals want to play with electronic toys they must expect to pay for them themselves. COUNCILLOR JO BRIND, St Helier's Road, Leyton. |
| Apology sought from Editor
IT is very distressing to be attacked by an anonymous person through the Points from the Post page. It is not the attack which hurts, but the fact that my assailant has decided he or she needs to remain anonymous. The implication must be that the individual fears some consequence if his or her name is published.There is no truth in this implication and I would like an apology from the Editor of the Guardian for printing this anonymous attack. The Editor knows me well enough to know that I am a champion of free speech and would defend the right of anyone to make criticisms,without fear or favour, even if they are criticisms of me. However, what makes things worse is that in another newspaper a person who signs himself or herself as T A Bell attacks me in almost the same words. Am I being attacked by an incompetent or a liar (perhaps the name T A Bell is a false one)? In either case, I have failed to live up to the precept of Oscar Wilde who said that one should choose enemies more carefully than friends, since they say more about the person you are. I certainly didn't -- and never would -- insult people who voted Liberal (not SLD by the way, it didn't exist in 1986 when the election took place). It was the Liberals who insulted the people by refusing to accept the majority the electors gave to Labour councillors. I am accused of missing a vote. It is not true. I did not miss any vote. But if it was true, it would be pure hypocrisy for the Liberals to complain about me missing one vote when they boasted in a press release that they had walked out and missed vote after vote. JO BRIND (Cllr), London Borough Waltham Forest. |
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See all stories on the subject of the snooze. Editor's footnote: There was no suggestion on the part of the correspondent suggesting Councillor Brind would physically attack her. The writer wished to remain anonymous because of her council job. We have no control over the ethics of other so-called newspapers. My note: John James (who I think was editor at the time) got this wrong too! |
| Waltham Forest Guardian May 19, 1989 |
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Walkout after councillor is accused of sleeping |
| SNOOZE CLAIM SPARKS STORM
ANGRY Liberal Democrats stormed out of a council meeting last week after claiming that voting was rigged to include an opposition councillor who had been 'asleep'. During a relatively unimportant debate on whether to appoint another tenant liaison officer, the Liberal Democrats joined with Tory rivals to defeat Labour 26-25. But then the Mayor, Cllr John Walsh, decided the vote should be retaken after being advised that one of his own members, Cllr Jo Brind, had failed to vote due to inattention. Liberal Democrat, Cllr David Worsfold, claimed Cllr Brind was not inattentive -- he was asleep during the whole debate. They were so angry they stormed out of the council chamber after being defeated 27-26 when Cllr Brind's vote and the Mayor's were taken into account. "Cllr Brind could not have heard any of the debate beforehand and that's why members walked out," said Cllr Worsfold. "True Cllr Brind did say he would have voted with Labour anyway when he woke up, but it is disgusting and illegal to accept the vote of someone who was not only snoozing, but who didn't cast his vote anyway. "Labour have rigged the outcome of this vote and we are disgusted." Cllr Walsh said: "The Chief Executive advised me that, the purpose of voting,whether by show of hands or by recorded vote, is to ascertain the members wishes. "As there was some doubt as to what those wishes were saw no reason why the vote could not be retaken. Cllr Brind said he was paying attention although he wasn't quite bright and bushy tailed. "I had been subject to the most boring load of Liberal speeches," he said. |
| Waltham Forest Express April 22, 1989 |
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| Cost to us of a councillor
IN your issue of November 18, 1988 you were kind enough to publish my personal views of our councillors in all parties under the heading "Councillors work hard and long for a pittance". Nothing I have seen or heard since has changed my views expressed then,but, as those who foot the bill, I feel your appropriate readers might be interested in seeing the following list of Members' allowances (1987/88) dictating payments to all our councillors.
No doubt your readers will draw their own conclusion from the above before criticising any of the payments made. I must remind them that these payments are for attendance at council/committee meetings (too many of course); and in no way recompenses them for the work in their wards, often late at night/weekends and so on. In fact, I still regard the above payments as a pittance and feel a case could be made for an increased level of payments, without detracting from the social conscience element involved with most of our councillors who; let's face it, volunteer to stand for election. In a lighter vein, however, dare I suggest the increases, if any should be paid, go to our councillors' "partners", where applicable, for deprivation of their company and inevitable disruption of family/social life. NORMAN CORK, Goldsmith Road, Walthamstow. Editor's footnote: There is a Government White Paper proposing to give councillor's a £4,000 flat rate payment. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sleepy councillor is 'rumbled' on vote
THE rather silly infantile outburst by Councillor Jo Brind as portrayed in these columns on April 28 with regard to the walk-out by the Social and Liberal Democrat group, not the Liberals as was erroneously stated by him, is indicative of the calibre of the type of person we have representing us in the Labour group in the council chamber. The facts of the matter are that he had been rumbled having a quiet kip during a council meeting while a vote was being taken, and consequently a certain amount of confusion arose after it was assumed that everyone had cast their vote -- that is, with the exception of Rip Van Brind,who was deep in the arms of Morpheus, and this was brought to the attention of the Mayor by the SLD group, quite rightly in my opinion as we do not elect councillors to drop off in council meetings, however boring the proceedings maybe. His letter was nothing more than a fit of pique. The somewhat insane remarks he makes concerning the Democrat councillors are hardly worth comment However, I do take great exception to the slur that was cast on the integrity of those members of the electorate who voted for Democrat candidates at the last council election, and indeed subsequent by-elections. If my arithmetic is correct the Labour group is hanging on to office with the slender majority of one, so I would suggest that Councillor Brind accepts that important fact and gives him food for thought before crowing '"about a Labour majority. Name and address supplied My note: see correspondence about this. |
| Waltham Forest Guardian May 12, 1989 |
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| Kips in the council chamber are just not on
THE rather infantile outburst by Councillor Brind as portrayed in these columns (Issue April 28) with regard to the walkout by the Social and Liberal Democrat group, not the Liberals as was erroneously stated by him, is indicative of the calibre of person that is being selected by the Labour Party to seek office at election after election as far as local politics is concerned. In point of fact the SLD group were merely doing their duty in highlighting the fact that Cllr Brind had dropped off during a committee meeting whilst a vote was being taken, and had this fact passed without notice there would have been the possibility of a result arising which may not have reflected the views of the majority present. So injured was his pride in being rumbled that he had a sudden attack of pique. After all's said and done we do not elect councillors to have a quiet kip in the council chamber, however boring or long winded the meeting maybe. The somewhat inane remarks he made concerning the Democrat councillors are hardly worth comment. However,I do take great exception to the slur that was cast on the integrity of those who voted for Democrat candidates at the last council election,as well as subsequent elections. If my arithmetic is correct I think that he will notice that the Labour group is hanging on to office by the slender majority of one,a fact that will no doubt give him food for thought before crowing about a Labour majority. As far as his remarks are concerned with regard to "the will of the people" he may wish to take into account the fact that quite a few Democrat councillors now represent wards that were once considered as safe Labour seats, and they are making a better job of things than when Labour councillors were entrenched there. It does afford a crumb of comfort to some of us that Cllr Brind and certain of his colleagues will be contesting relatively safe Conservative seats at next year's council elections. Then, no doubt, he could possibly finish up as Mr Brind rather than Cllr Brind. T. A.BELL, Fulbourne Road, Walthamstow. |
| Councillor slept through vital vote
A "SLEEPING" councillors parked a walkout and claims that a council meeting was "fixed." Liberal Democrat Chris Millington stormed out of last Thursday's full council meeting after Mayor John Walsh's decision to re-take a vote Labour Councillor Jo Brind apparently slept through. The vote resulted in a tie-break of 26 votes to 26,giving the Mayor the casting vote for Labour. "Councillor Brind did not vote, he was asleep," said Liberal Democrat Phillip Arnold. Tempers flared as Mr Brind denied sleeping, saying: "Mr Mayor, I think you could have easily ascertained the way I would have voted." Mr Arnold demanded the vote be discounted, but the Mayor decided to re-take it amid shouts of protest But Mr Millington said angrily: "The whole thing stinks. When you take a vote, if a person does not vote, that person is abstaining." He left, followed by party colleagues. Mr Brind slammed the Liberal Democrats' action as "typically childish". Conservative Leader Mike Lewis said the Tories considered joining the walkout, but decided against it. |
| My note: I think the exchange between John and myself amounted to basically me suggesting that the vote be taken again. There was even a procedure of having named votes (councillors had to say how they were voting when their name was called out-- a poll vote I think they called it.). |
| Waltham Forest Guardian April 21, 1989 |
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| Electronic wink-catcher
ELECTRONIC vote recorders should be installed in the council chamber-- to end arguments about who is caught napping during decision making, claim Liberal Democrats. Party leader Councillor Chris Millington has written to Waltham Forest Mayor John Walsh about the idea following the uproar caused by the slumbers of Labour Councillor 'sleepy' Jo Brind. Mr Brind was caught taking forty winks just as the last full council decided whether or not to appoint a new tenant liaison officer. The Liberal Democrats claimed victory in their attempt to block the new job because Mr Brind was asleep. But he subsequently woke up and the vote was retaken, with Labour winning instead on the mayor's casting vote. Mr Brind later denied he had been asleep and claimed the mayor was quite entitled to call the second vote. He said no council rules were broken. However, Mr Millington claims Waltham Forest should follow the lead of other councils and install the vote recorders which would make the votes instant and final. He added: "I believe the arguments over the vote at the last council meeting showed something is seriously wrong. It is by no means the first time that there has been uncertainty." |
| Waltham Forest Yellow Advertiser, May 12 1989 |
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| Letterbox |
| Plain wrong
T. A. Bell attacks me in Letterbox(Issue May 12) and the leader of the council's Liberal group attacks me in the news column,all in one issue of the Yellow Advertiser. My political opponents must think I'm doing something right. But let's put the record straight. T. A.Bell is just plain wrong. Far from doing their duty, the Liberals went home early. They deserted their duty in the council chamber and neglected the people who had voted for them. Incidentally, I didn't and would never insult people who voted Liberal(not SLD by the way,it didn't exist in 1986 when the election took place). It was the Liberals who insulted the people by refusing to accept the majority the electors gave to Labour councillors. I am accused of missing a vote. It is not true. I did not miss any vote. But if it were true,it would be pure hypocrisy for the Liberals to complain about me missing one vote when they boasted in a press release that they had all walked out and missed vote after vote. Finally, the leader of the Liberal group wants to have electronic voting recorders in the council chamber. I don't object, not one result would ever be different. But if the Liberals want to play with electronic toys they must expect to pay for them themselves. COUNCILLOR JO BRIND, St Helier's Road, Leyton. |
| Councillors couldn't close their eyes to Sleepy Jo's snooze
By wide-awake Andy Comber SLEEPING on the job can lead to some nasty and unexpected incidents. And when Waltham Forest Labour councillor, Jo Brind, woke up in the council chamber he discovered that his slumbers had caused a minor political crisis. When politicians make their beds, they should lie in them. But Mr Brind made the mistake of making his during last Thursday's council meeting. Not to put too fine a point on it, the red-eyed councillor had dozed off while his colleagues had been voting on a proposal to employ a second tenant liaison officer in the housing department. Liberal Democrat and Conservative councillors opposed the plan. But when the vote was taken, there was no proper count of hands. The Labour mayor, John Walsh, assumed that all the Labour councillors had voted for the proposal and the rest against. That would have made a tie. So he used his casting vote and declared the proposal carried. That is when Mr Brind woke up to howls from the sharp-eyed Liberal Democrats that he hadn't voted. How could he? He was in the land of nod. So, the Liberal Democrats claimed. Labour had in fact lost by one vote. Mr Brind avoided saying the obvious "Where am I?." and instead suggested taking the vote again. The mayor agreed. Wide-awake Mr Brind voted with the Labour group, which made it the tie that the mayor had anticipated. So again he used his casting vote --and again the proposal was carried. The Liberal Democrats were outraged, and a few minutes later walked out of the meeting. It seems that they were also ready for an early night. The Tories stuck tight, however, and the meeting continued. Liberal Democrat councillor David Worsfold said later that they were seeking legal advice. "We believe that vote was a sham," he said. "We even believe it was illegal. The Labour group is trampling on democratic procedures." Conservative group leader Michael Lewis said: "Maybe the Labour group should have accepted the vote with grace and allowed the decision to be deferred." But that would have delayed an appointment for weeks. And Mr Brind was unrepentant. He claimed no council rules had been broken He would not admit to having been 100 per cent asleep. "Maybe I had been sent into a dreamlike state by the Liberal Democrats' boring speeches," he said, with not so much as a yawn. |
| Yellow AdvertiserApril 21, 1989 |
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| Letterbox |
| Huffing doesn't disguise the facts
THE walkout by the Liberal Group was childish theatrical nonsense (issue April21). The truth is that the Liberals have nothing to say but are intent on making the biggest fuss they can so it looks as if they have something to say. Huffing and puffing and shouting cannot disguise the facts. And the facts are that the Liberals refuse to accept the verdict of the ballot box, they will not accept the will of the people. Thanks to the intelligence of the electors of Waltham Forest, the Labour Party has more councillors than both the Liberal and Tory group combined. The Labour Party is in control of Waltham Forest Council. The Liberals will not accept this fact and when their cheap tricks fail all they can do is sulk. I have a great deal of sympathy for all those innocent members of the public who voted for the Liberal Party believing that they would get a councillor who would represent them. Now we all know that when it comes to the crunch the Liberals may storm out of the council chamber and be sulking in the bar over a stiff lemonade. CLLR JO BRIND, 3 St Helier's Road. Leyton |
| Waltham Forest Yellow Advertiser April 28, 1989 |
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| LIBERALS ACTED IN BAD TASTE!
I WAS shocked to hear a Liberal councillor use the ceremonial annual council meeting to make a political attack. Councillor Philip Arnoldattacked former Mayor JohnWalsh for the way he hadsupervised a council meeting. What annoyed PhilipArnold and the Liberals was that the Mayor had ensuredthat a vote went the way themajority of councillorswanted it to go. An attack like this on aceremonial occasion is simple, political posturing. This latest incident followshard on the heels of thedisgraceful walkout from acouncil meeting by Liberal councillors (as reported in the Waltham Forest Express). The reason the Liberalswalked out was they they willnot accept that the Labour Party has a majority of councillors in Waltham Forest. For thanks to the goodsense of the electors of Waltham Forest, the Labour party has more councillorsthan both the Tories and the Liberals put together. When the Liberals challenge this fact what they arereally doing is challengingthe democratic system. I was appalled by the Liberals' willingness to storm outof the chamber. They missedmany important votes because they were sulking thatnight. But having heard the latestoutrage from Councillor Philip Arnold I am beginning to feel differently. Perhaps everyone in theborough would be better offif the Liberals spent all theirtime sulking in the bar over astiff lemonade. Cllr. Jo Brind, St. Heliers Road, Leyton |
| Waltham Forest Express May 20, 1989 |
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| Splitting political hairs
It is absolutely hilarious for Councillor Brind (May 19 issue) to intimate that my name may be a pseudonym, sorry to disappoint you councillor, but I can assure you that it is the one that I was born with, and indeed anyone with a grain of sense would not have had much difficulty in discovering the authenticity of my identity. With regard to hisremarks concerning the SLD, it is of no consequence what they werecalled in 1986. It is whatthe correct name of theirparty is called now thatmatters, and, indeed, it hasto be remembered thatprior to the merger of the Liberal Party with the Social Democrat Party, theyhad fought the last councilelection under the bannerof an alliance with eachother, as Councillor Brindvery well knows. You therefore have former SDP as well as formerLiberal councillors nowsitting as SLD councillors,and those who voted forthe old Alliance knewwhat they were voting for.He really is splitting hairson this issue. Incidentally, I did notaccuse the good councillorof missing a vote in committee. It was apparentthat he was present. Hewas simply having 40winks at the time. As for his comments onthe SLD press releasewhich stated that they hadmissed vote after votethemselves, I should thinkthat they had jolly goodreason for doing so at thetime, but I will leave anyreply on that issue to anymember of the SLD groupon the council who caresto clarify that situation. In conclusion, I wouldwish to remind CouncillorBrind of the veiled slurwhich he cast on the integrity of those who voted forAlliance candidates (nowSLD) at the last councilelection, as he appears tohave had a lapse of memory. I quote: "I have a greatdeal of sympathy for allthose innocent members of the public who voted forthe Liberal Party believing that they would get acouncillor who would represent them." If that's not casting aslur, then I don't knowwhat is. The truth is that ifanyone let the good peopleof Waltham Forest down,it was the ruling Labourgroup when they were firstelected in 1986 and imposed a 62 per cent rateincrease on them, rich andpoor alike, not the SLDwhom many of themturned to as the only credible alternative to Conservatism. Since Councillor Brindis fond of quoting OscarWilde, I would wish to reciprocate by drawing hisattention to a few words ofwisdom made in a speechby former American President Harry S. Truman: "Ifyou can't stand the heat,get out of the kitchen." T. A.BELL, Fulbourne Road, Walthamstow. |
| Waltham Forest Guardian June 2, 1989 |
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| Here's to a long, hot summer
I AM pleased that T. A.Bell has recovered herconfidence sufficiently toemerge from the blushingveil of "name and addresssupplied" which she formerly used when writingto "Points from the Post". Her letters are improving, too.... she got something right this time. It istrue that the Liberals usedto have an alliance with DrOwen's SDP. However, Iwould have thought that Iwas being kind by glossingover the total shambles the Liberals made of that particular venture. I thank T. A. Bell for quoting the sympathy I expressed for voters who had been sufficiently misled to believe that Liberal councillors would representthem. Now everyone knows that when it comes to the crunch the Liberals may well storm out and sulk, as they did at a recent council meeting. Incidentally, they did it again at the recent planning committee. Not one Liberal was in attendance. I don't know if they were sulking or just suffering a collective fit of depression as a result of their abysmal showing in recent opinion polls. But I do know that they were not representing the poor, unfortunate, long suffering electors who made the mistake of voting for them. Yes T. A. Bell, I am full of sympathy for these voters, but sympathy is not a slur. To slur is to concealor minimise a position.The current position inWaltham Forest is that the electorate has given the Labour Party an absolutemajority in the council chamber. The Liberal answer tothe clearly expressed willof the people is histrionicsand cheap tricks, school style politics and a walkout. On the face of it they doappear to be attempting tominimise the resultachieved in the ballot box,and to conceal the fact that they have less thanhalf the number of councillors the electors gavethe Labour Party. Looking forward to along hot summer. JO BRIND (Cllr), |
| Waltham Forest Guardian June 9, 1989 |
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| Always two sides to any argument
IT never ceases to amazeme that whenever Councillor Brind puts pen 1987aper through these columns, he, for all the world,appears to get deeper intothe mire with each letterhe writes. In the first instance, hadmy letter in the June 2 edition of the Guardian beenpublished in its entirety, hewould have seen that Imost certainly did not request anonymity. Unfortunately that was left toothers to implement (anerror on our part!-Editor). The good councillor,having accused me of hiding behind a cloak ofanonymity which was notof my making, and in anycase my letter was signed"name and address supplied", albeit erroneously,so my particulars couldhave been obtained on application to the Guardian,then accuses me of hidingbehind a pseudonymwhich proved to be myvery own name, and to addinsult to injury he has evenhad the temerity to changemy sex for me. No councillor, I have not had theoperation. What a poor unfortunate mixed up fellow hemust be, and the chap's acouncillor, too. No wonderthe 62 per cent rate increase was imposed on uswhen Labour took controlin 1986. I am surprised that as anactivist in local politics,Councillor Brind displayssuch ignorance of the relatively recent history of the Social and Liberal Democratic Party, and continuesto prattle on about the Liberal Party, which isnow extinct, and Dr DavidOwen, who has no connection whatsoever withthe party, as he very wellknows. As for suggesting that Ihave "got something rightthis time", I can most categorically state that I wasquite correct in the first instance, and he should looka little closer to home tosee who has been wrongall along, as well as beingin a state of confusion. As far as these walkoutsare concerned with regard to the SLD group on the council, I am afraid that Iam not privy to the machinations of the party groupin committee. However, I do believethat there are two sides toevery question, and therefore I do not accept Councillor Brind's version ofevents in isolation, but willreserve my opinion until Ihear the opposing point ofview from SLD councillors who were present. Nodoubt they will conflictsharply with CouncillorBrind's. As far as his assertionsare concerned with regard to the Labour majority, hehas only taken the SLD group into account andforgotten the poor oldTories. When combined, itgives the Labour group amajority of one if I am notmistaken -- so, over toyou councillor. Hardly ahuge majority is it? However, come nextSpring, it seems more thanlikely that there will be achange of political colourin the council chamber,that is if the electoratehave not had a lapse ofmemory, which I think isunlikely, when theirpocket is hit, and, incidentally, it has not escaped myattention how CouncillorBrind conveniently madeno mention of that whopping great 62 per cent rateincrease. Could he bethinking of May next year,perhaps! I, for the love of me,simply cannot see the relevance of his reference to along hot summer. A pleasant Spring of next year,perhaps, but a long hotsummer, why? T. A. BELL, Fulbourne Road, Walthamstow. |
| Waltham Forest Guardian June 16, 1989 |
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| Getting away from 'mocking left' |
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IN his letter to the Guardian (June 9), CouncillorBrind refers to "the poor,unfortunate, long sufferingelectors" and goes on to say "that the electoratehas given the Labour Partyan absolute majority in the council chamber" -- inwhich case the Labour Party must be the cause of the long suffering that hasvisited itself on the electors as, by definition, anabsolute majorityprecludes any other partyfrom exercising this dubious art of inducing suffering. His castigation of the SLD councillors for absenting themselves fromthe council chamber following a manifestation ofsomnolence must applyequally well to a faction ofhis own party who withdrew their support a shortwhile ago in relation tosome candidates who innocently applied for ateaching post in the district -- though perhaps hewas asleep on that occasion and missed it all. He ends his letter with"Looking forward to along dry summer", whichif not a conscious effort onhis part is, perhaps, amocking Freudian innuendo directed to thelong suffering electoratewho, for the second summer in succession, are deprived of the pleasure of the Larkswood open-airswimming pool. A younger generationprobably does not realisehow the pre-war councillaboured so long and sohard to acquireLarkswood for the people,and to conform with theirexpressed wishes by building the beautiful pool that was enjoyed by so many. A similar hate policyseems to be at work overDrysdale Avenue where,in what appears to bederisive mockery, the council proposes to deprive the people of theplaying fields because "themoney was needed fromthe sale to balance the council's capital budget"(Guardian, June 9). Finally, in relation tothe forthcoming boundarychange, council leader Neil Gerrard is quoted assaying it is "a bit of a stupidity" that his authorityowns property within thearea to be transferred toRedbridge (Guardian,June 9). Assuming he has beencorrectly quoted, I agreewith him; in fact, it is a bitof a stupidity that his authority owns any propertyconnected with the people. For the electorate involved in the transfer toRedbridge it might seemanalogous with a successful escape to the west fromthe oppression of the left. A. B. SIDLE, Monkhams Drive, Woodford Green. |
| Waltham Forest Guardian June 16, 1989 |
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