Rawmarsh By-Election 2013 – points to ponder before voting today!

Don’t you think that PCC Shaun Wright & his ‘wannabe’ replacement Councillor wife are the greediest couple in Rotherham? Apparently not content with his £85,000 annual salary plus expenses, he decided he could remain as a Rotherham Councillor as well – has the man no shame! Then we learn that he is resigning from Rotherham Council to create a by-election – but what do the Wrights do next? – his wife, Lisa, is adopted as the Labour Party candidate for her husband’s ‘still warm’ Rawmarsh seat! Almost overnight, as a result of the imposition of an All Women Shortlist, other Local Labour Party members, with far more political experience, merit and long-standing work within the local Ward, were cast aside to facilitate the former Mayoress – what a ‘kick in the teeth’ for those aspiring to become Rawmarsh Ward’s next Councillor!

Is this what ‘democracy’ looks like or is it simply the creation of a next generation ‘dynasty’ of Lisa continuing in the family tradition and following in the footsteps of her mother, Lindsay Johnston, a current Rotherham Councillor, her late grandmother and her great grandfather to keep a Council seat within the family? Aren’t they doing well!

Ah well, by this time tomorrow, Lisa will be the new Labour Rawmarsh Councillor, which brings me back to where I started – Rawmarsh will have the greediest couple in Rotherham and PCC Wright will still have influence on Rotherham Council, albeit through his wife, who will then be adding her Councillors’ allowance and expenses, not to mention Special Responsibility allowances no doubt in the near future, to the family coffers!

As the former US President, John F Kennedy once said, “ask not what your Party can do for you, but rather, what you can do for your Party” – perhaps the Wrights should ponder upon this?

Miners Daughter