BNP: riven by feuds, caught up in law suits, employment tribunals and drowning in debt! Are we seeing the death throes of this obnoxious group of nazis?

Not content with sowing division and manipulation of working class dissent and frustrations built up over the last 13 years, fuelled in part by a labour government that did little to prevent what for many in their everyday experiences has been the unmitigated disaster of unrestricted immigration, they are now turning against each other as the party slides into chaotic feuding after their disastrous showing in this years local and General Elections.

Just a reminder of the scale of their defeat, they lost 26 of their 28 local government seats and Nick Griffin failed miserably in his attempt to unseat the damaged, Margaret Hodge, in the East London seat of Barking! We should remember also the attempt to take control of the Council of Barking ended in ignominious defeat losing every seat!

Now it has been reported that they are in serious financial meltdown with current debts said to exceed £500,000 with no reasonable prospect of meeting their commitments to the banks, functionally bankrupt then!

Spectacularly on the eve of poll in May the BNP Webmaster took down their website, facebook and Twitter feeds and replaced them with an attack on the person of Nick Griffin calling him, “pathetic, desperate and incompetent”, true no doubt but on election day! All was obviously not well in the party before a single vote was cast!

Since then internecine warfare between the various factions with plans for a breakaway at an advanced stage and at least 30 sackings of staff or expulsion of formerly loyal members, has riven the party from top to bottom. Nick Griffin himself only survived a palace coup by pulling the ‘Blair trick that he pulled on Brown’ and promising to stand down later!

I am surprised that their local apologist, Marlene Guest, aka ‘Gob on legs’ has failed to mention this catastrophe to have befallen her pernicious and poisonous party! What will she do next I wonder?

The BNP’s death throes should make a rather amusing spectacle for us to observe over the next few months, if It’s got that long that is.

Denis loses it big style then apologises with box of chocolates (On expenses no doubt)

Just five days after the General Election the Rotherham MP Denis MacShane made an idiot of himself during an induction session run by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority on the 11th May. It can now be reported, after a response to a freedom of information request submitted by the London Evening Standard Newspaper.

He has outed himself for being the cause of the Incident reported as Incident Five on radio 4. Read the BBC report, MPs ‘abused staff over expenses changes’  here and listen to his defence on radio.

“Incident Five

Denis MacShane MP

Date Tuesday 11th May 2010.

Very difficult and disruptive; angry, with anger directed towards volunteer (not identified) to a degree. It appeared that the volunteer had difficulties going through the induction with him. At the ten minute mark the volunteer burst into tears and a staff member (not identified) attempted to intervene. When the staff member offered to help the MP dismissed him as ‘condescending’, at which point another staff member (not identified) pulled the volunteer (still in tears) out of the session. At this stage the MP immediately became contrite and apologised and the remainder of the session conducted by a staff member (not identified). The MP continued to be difficult, claiming that the system reduced him to a cypher, and that it “made him not want to represent his country as an MP”. He later returned with a box of chocolates and a note addressed to the volunteer. Witnessed by (not identified),(not identified) and other trainers.”

Read the report yourself here.

‘MPs’ four-letter tirade against expenses regime’

Comment

This is the most illuminating episode yet, from this arrogant, self important, self aggrandising, egotistical, shameless, greedy, ignorant  and frankly embarrassing Labour MP.

He has always been rather less than open and honest about his previous uses of our money, with the many legitimate questions asked by his constituents, arrogantly ignored.

He deserves nothing but our utter contempt for his latest outrageous behaviour, I certainly would have been considerably more contrite if I had been shown to have acted in this way, his pathetic attempts to divert the interviewer failed and he, I am afraid, was left looking rather foolish, droning on about secret files, as if anyone cared.

This most obnoxious and odious politician now is on record as saying, “the system reduced him to a cypher, and that it “made him not want to represent his country as an MP”.

Denis I have news for you, Rotherham’s people never wanted you in the first place and still don’t! If it were not for the Labour NEC excluding more popular and able opponents than you at the time of your selection, you would never have become the Member for Rotherham.

No one in Rotherham wanted this professional Pole (Real name Denis Matyjaszek) to represent them and had rejected him previously in favour of Jimmy Boyce but after Jimmy died and with a manipulated short list Denis was eventually selected amid much discontent at the time from Labour members and the public who greatly resented his imposition by the Labour NEC. Few labour members were prepared to work for him at the resulting by-election and he was returned with a greatly reduced majority that has never properly recovered.

Your constituents did not give you a ringing endorsement in 2010, rather they unenthusiastically re-elected you, in spite of your many obvious faults because you wore a Labour rosette and have confirmed the old adage ‘that you could get a donkey elected in Rotherham with a red rosette on them!’ You certainly have turned out to be that donkey, if your performances during and since the election are anything to go by.

You obviously still don’t get it do you, you are supposed to be accountable to us the people who put you there and you definitely are not there to “represent your country as an MP”, but us the people. You seem to have fallen into the same mindset as your fellow Rotherham MP, Kevin Barron thinking that you are entitled to live the high life at our expense without properly accounting for it, at least to your constituents.

John Healey, the MP for Wentworth and Dearne, has had no problem at all accounting to his constituents for years now on his website for his use of public money, so why can’t you? What have you to hide? Why did you run away from your own constituents when you had the opportunity to set the record straight? Your constituents are rather amused by your assertion that you were exhausted after a gruelling campaign because your presence on the campaign trail in Rotherham was certainly not evident to them!

See also:

MPs who abused expenses staff should be named, former watchdog claims

Swearing MPs abuse expenses staff ‘monkeys’

House of Commons chiefs ‘failing to stop sex pest MPs’

Expenses chiefs urged to name MPs who called them ‘monkeys’

Denis MacShane working hard for Rotherham?

Denis’s Rant! – now the analysis, what was really on his mind?

What planet is MacShane on?

Disgraceful Denis, disgraces himself again! This time for being drunk and not fully in charge of his mouth!

Pakistan Flood Appeal

The Disasters Emergency Committee is the best route for turning cash into practical aid where it is needed most, on the ground in Pakistan and elsewhere affected by this years monsoon flooding emergency.

Our brothers and sisters are in desperate and urgent need. Please consider a donation to this appeal, for your convenience, just click on the picture below to make an on-line donation to the DEC appeal. Or by phone on 0370 60 60 900.

Latest Pakistan Floods Appeal

Tory Lord Taylor in Court!

Lord Taylor of Warwick has appeared today before the City of Westminster magistrates court to be formally charged with six counts of making fraudulent claims.

Disgraced Tory Peer Lord Taylor of Warwick

The first charge alleges that, on or about March 31st 2006, Lord Taylor dishonestly submitted claims for overnight subsistence and car mileage stating that his main place of residence was outside London when he did not reside at the address he had given but actually resided in the capital.

The five other charges allege that similar claims were made on July 3rd 2006, October 31st 2006, April 5th 2007, July 2nd 2007 and October 31st 2007.

Lord Taylor of Warwick is alleged to have dishonestly claimed more than £24,300 in overnight subsistence and mileage claims.

His case will be heard later at Southwark Crown Court.

New Chairman of Parliamentary Standards & Privileges Committee – Kevin Barron!

The man who “Submitted bills that took me up to the limit for what I could get” and who has been far less than open about his use of our money, is revealed as the new Chairman of the Standards and Privileges Committee.

Definitely looks as though ‘business as usual’ attitudes will be returning to parliament and the ‘gravy train’ will be pulling out of the station as soon as we stop watching them, if this is anything to go by.

Have Parliamentarians lost their minds with this spectacularly ill judged appointment?

Kevin Barron

Kevin Barron is an arch exponent of secrecy and opaqueness in his claims, he has always treated his constituents with contempt, refusing to answer the most straightforward of questions put, such as why he needed a printer that cost in excess of £8000 and it’s whereabouts never having been clarified due to his arrogantly high handed attitude to his constituents enquiries.

Probably not surprising from a man who uttered the following revelatory statement in addition to the one I have quoted above:

“we should not be frightened of taking decisions on behalf of our constituents, because that is to the general good”

Also when responding to a constituent included this less than thinly veiled threat:

“I should also say to you that the content of blogs are not immune from the law. I would not hesitate to take appropriate action if the law is breached.”

Need I say any more?

For further information visit Politics in the Rother Valley

And for information on the defence of ‘fair comment‘ on Wikipedia.

Kevin Barron’s Wikipedia entry.

Kevin Barron’s own website.

RIP Rotherham News

My copy of Rotherham News, the ‘free’ council rag, dropped through my letterbox yesterday. Upon opening it, on page 2 without a headline was the following notice:

“The August edition of Rotherham News is the last issue – at least for the time being. Along with all the services provided by the public sector in the current economic climate, the publication is under review. The Local Strategic Partnership will continue to look for cost-effective ways of sharing information, consulting with local people, helping them to access services and to celebrate successes and achievements in the borough.”

The death of this completely superfluous council news sheet will not be greeted with regret by any of Rotherham’s long suffering citizens.

The Sitwell By-Election What it Reveals!

A by-election was held on August 5th 2010 in the Sitwell Ward of Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, the results reveal much about the rapidly changing fortunes of the main political parties and the overall political climate nationally when recent by-elections held in July in Walsall (15th) and Wolverhampton (29th) are factored in.

Here are the Sitwell Ward Results:

Rotherham MBC Sitwell Ward August 5th 2010
	2008 Result	2008 % Vote	2010 May Result	2010 May % Vote	2010 By-Election Result	2010 By-Election % Vote	% Change since 2008	% Change since May
Party
Tory	2300	58.5	2684	41.5	1213	45.5	-13	4.5
Lab	768	19.5	2238	34.6	864	32.4	12.9	-2.2
R Ind			751	11.6	252	9.5		-2.1
UKIP			793	12.3	241	8.9		-3.4
Lib	867	22			98	3.7	-18.3
Totals	3935	100	6466	100	2668	100

The picture painted by these results is very mixed, with Labour failing to increase vote share from May. Actually losing 2.2% of their share of the vote in 4 months, they must be beginning to feel they are still losing ground in Rotherham and local opinion polling continues to bear this out with the most disaffected being their own core supporters. Trust, it would appear, is at breaking point amongst Labour’s formerly loyal supporters and as more revelations of their cynicism pre election are made clear this is set to get steadily worse as the Labour Council is also obliged to cut essential services against increasing local opposition and their continued personal greed in these times of austerity sickens all but the most tribal of voters.

Liberals must be in despair, not only in Rotherham have the voters deserted them but as can be seen from the results below of recent by-elections in Walsall and Wolverhampton there too. This catastrophic loss of votes for the junior Coalition Government partner must be shaking Liberals across the whole country to their foundations. This pattern of voting in areas formerly having significant Liberal votes is not going to change any time soon.

UKIP also suffered a reverse losing vote share for the first time in Rotherham in an election battle with an extraordinarily poor candidate, John Wilkinson the local Party Secretary, who seems to be intent on proving his own ignorance in the letter columns of the Rotherham Advertiser almost every week, it seems, for many months! His views on global warming would be amusing if they were not so seriously wrong in terms of  the scientific ‘facts’ he insists on repeating mantra like as if something becomes true simply by endless repetition.

Dave Ridgway standing for the Rotherham Independents improved their position coming in third place as opposed to last in May, a creditable result in the circumstances.

Two other by-elections for local council seats have taken place since the General Election on May 6th, here are the results:

Walsall Bloxwich West Ward 15th July 2010
	2008	2008 Vote %	2010 May	2010 May Vote %	2010 By-election	2010 By-election Vote %	% Change since 2008	% Change since May
Party
Tory	1436	53.1	2329	40.7	800	37.5	-15.6	-3.2
Lab	465	17.2	2008	35.1	1142	53.6	36.4	1.3
Dem Lab	365	13.5
UKIP	286	10.6			91	4.3	-6.3
Lib	102	3.7	563	9.8	71	3.3	-0.4	-10.2
Green			97	1.7	28	1.3		-0.04
BNP			722	12.6
Totals	2704		5719		2132	100

There will be another by-election later in Walsall after the death of a second councillor was announced this week.

Wolverhampton Bilston North Ward 29th July 2010
	2008	2008 Vote %	2010 May	2010 May Vote %	2010 By-election	2010 By-election Vote %	% Change since 2008	% Change since May
Party
Tory	1272	44.6	1481	29.6	460	23.1	-21.5	-6.5
Lab	1180	41.4	2262	45.3	1292	64.9	23.5	19.6
UKIP					55	2.7
BNP			589	11.8	131	4.4		-7.4
Lib	209	7.3	663	13.3	52	2.6	-4.7	-10.7
Green	189	6.6
Totals	2850		4995		1990

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Mahroof Hussain – Prejudices Shine Through! Time For Him To Go?

Mahroof Hussain

Cllr Mahroof Hussain, Rotherham Cabinet Member for Community Cohesion, has sensationally claimed in the Rotherham Advertiser of 23rd July 2010, that a ban on the burka or other face covering garments such as the niqab would be “sensationalist islamaphobia” and be ‘totally against British values of freedom’.

Mahroof Hussain is seriously out of sympathy with Rotherham folk, 80% at last glance, find face covering unacceptable in public according to the Advertisers own online opinion survey.

To use arguments based on freedoms British citizens enjoy, hard won with much blood and many lives, to argue in favour of oppression of women really takes the biscuit!

To have been uttered by the Cabinet Member for Community Cohesion for a Town with many communities in addition to his own, simply incredible!

His partisanship is totally unacceptable in one tasked with this fundamentally important role. Integration should be his goal, it clearly seems to be absent from his own world view which does not extend beyond his own community, it would appear!

His role as Cabinet Member, is not and should never be seen as simply the Cabinet Member for, a part only of, the Asian Communities that are a feature of today’s Rotherham.

He has completely lost the confidence of Rotherham’s people from all communities and must now pay the ultimate price and stand down for this rather unedifying insight into the divisive and biased thought process of this man.

Our Human Rights are not negotiable, they apply to each and every one of us, male, female, black, white, gay or straight, observant or atheist! His role is to give effect to these principles, based on mutual respect and tolerance, not to display his own rather narrow minded prejudices.

Mahroof Hussain’s prejudices shine through in the article and in view of this renders him incapable of performing his Council duties without being influenced by his own biased opinions based on a single viewpoint. The logical conclusion to Mahroof Hussain’s approach to multiculturalism seems an awful lot like ‘separate development’, to me.

Apartheid would therefore seem to be the long term consequence of views such as his! Anathema to me and no doubt most of Rotherham’s citizens, that vision is nothing like the integrated future based on a truly cooperative approach between and within the communities that I would favour.

Time to review his position and he should then resign his post as he is clearly not up to the task he has been set!

Rik

Mahroof Hussain on proposals to ban the burka in the UK. Click on image to enlarge. Reprinted from the Rotherham Advertiser 23rd July 2010

The 'Great Firewall of Rotherham'?

We have learned that Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council have followed the Chinese in implementing censorship of the internet by preventing connection to certain sites with their firewall. Dubbed the ‘Great Firewall of China’ it restricts the Chinese access to independent information. It appears that the control freaks in Rotherham have one of their own to play with.

They have paid us the compliment of banning this site, but surprisingly www.rotherhamindependents.org.uk has not yet been blocked by the ‘Politburo’ using the ‘Great Firewall of Rotherham’.