Beaten to it by our spotter, to whom Rothpol is grateful, Private Eye has carried this in today’s edition. Required reading for local politicos:
.
Rotherham Politics
Robust scrutiny of all things political around Rotherham and beyond. Speaking truth to power since 2008
Rotherham Politics 
Good article, only correction I have is closer to 80% of members walked out of the Sarah Champion selection process. Then she had a little luck in that her opponent was equally unknown and with a recent military background including time in Afganistan. A small number of Kashmiri stayed on for the vote and it was their anti military vote rather than a pro Sarah vote whot won it!
Also it is not clear that everyone walking out was doing so because they supported Mahroof. Many did so because Labour’s NEC had broken their own rules re short listing as all women short lists (AWS) only apply for general elections.
Even then, had the NEC announced an AWS at commencement of the process most would have accepted it and many women candidates from the area would have applied. Most local women knew that Mahroof was way ahead in likely voting and therefore hadn’t applied
The decision to declare an AWS was made in the selection meeting after the candidate interviews had taken place, as a device to stop Mahroof without him being able to claim racial discrimination, as other men albeit no hopers were also excluded.
Will
LikeLike
Would the good people of Rotherham have a better M.P. in Moofy than they do in Chumps though? Both of ’em are Common Purpose “graduates”, both of ’em love photo opportunities, neither of them like answering awkward questions. Seems to me that Rotherham was going to be poorly served either way.
LikeLike
Mahroof the one rejected by LABOUR PARTY in 2012.
Mahroof the one who got 2 votes out of 50 for deputy leader post recently.
Mahroof the one who is and was supporting Respect party for the downfall of the thug Janghir Akhtar.
Mahroof the gandis supporter.
Mahroof the duck and dive opportunity.
No thanks we have no confidence.
LikeLike
Maroof does not know when to give up does he. After so much abuse and turning himself against labour to kick out Janghir undercover….does this guy have no Shame. Really these MP’s have no value for themselves whatsoever. Where are the core beliefs, their own beliefs and ideas to change the party. Instead Moofy just goes with the flow…..Rotheham will never change, nor the labour party. Lets just hope they dont get in at the next election. That would be the end of Britain and British values.then it will be time to get on the benefits, cos surely it works out much better under labour…..
LikeLike
Comments so far seem to be fixating on MH rather than the more disturbing revelation that
a key adviser of the Rotherham MP is married to the editor of the leading local paper. When interests intersect so blatantly then there is a threat to accountability and true democracy. Both need the oxygen of openness, free flow of information and truly independent scrutiny or they die.
LikeLike
Links between politicians and journalists are an only too common phenomenon. Think M. Gove MP (ex-Times) and the Mail’s Sarah Vine.
In any case is any journalist politically neutral? Should we expect them to be?
Try this: http://www.irishpost.co.uk/news/british-journalist-roy-greenslade-stands-surety-ira-man .
LikeLike
Barron’s successor has already been chosen in a backroom deal
Sshhhh do not tell the Labour party members that
You know. Democracy and all that jazz.
LikeLike
Well I believe taht private Eye a fine truth sayer to boot -does not always get it right. You can harly try and make the point that because you are married or dating someone -that they would not do their job correctly/ Do all military wives believe in killing? Do all teachers -transmit the knowledge of their partner or the curriculum. Just because they have two different jobs goes not mean their is collusion and that he the editor is taking a softer stance towards the political landscape than if he wasn’[t attached to a politico from the Fra Right. As far as I am concerned the opposite seems to be true as he seems to be bending over to give UKIP a right good airing of their-views. So please Private Eye your good at what you do but 2=2 does not always make 5.
LikeLike
Newly appointed cabinet member Dominic Beck
Greedy boy that he is
morally promiscuous as well
Was meant to stand down from his job at Rotherham & Barnsley Chamber of Commerce
But the money tastes too good
Now he keeps his job
As well as the role of cabinet member
Not just any role
Cabinet member for Business Growth & Regeneration
The Earth shall crumble
Beneath the feet of the material obsessed
Be careful little boy
Someone may just go and question the validity of your interests.
It does not stop there
Greed appears to know no boundaries with Beck of Wales
We appear to have our very own Robert Catesby and Guy Fawkes
Not the gunpowder plot but the Rotherham leader plot
Beck and Lakin have met every single day whilst Roger is away
Roger tans his derriere in France
Whilst Lakin and Beck map out devious plots
Whilst they have been developing their plan
They wipe their daggers up and down with a silk cloth
For soon they shall be implanted in Rogers back
LikeLike
“be careful little boy”
“someone may just go and question the validity of your interests”
I will be one who is watching very carefully, this guy thought he was clever and made up false allegations against me in order to gag me and prevent me from representing those who elected me to office. That was May 2013, this year May 2014, he, Cllr Dalton and the other Labour Cllrs at Anston Parish Council again banned me from attending Committee meetings in order to gag me a further year. All in all I will have been gaged for two years by this “little boy”. Despite making complaints to the Monitoring Officer at RMBC the guy still evades “justice”.
Just to let his friends in the Cabinet know, Cllr Beck is being chased by my Solicitor, and his down fall will bring you all with him.
The beady eye is upon him (but don’t hold your breath for the monitoring Officer to take any action)
The old army saying comes to mind, “Watch and shoot, watch and shoot” “targets will fall when hit”
The Independent Cllrs at Anston will not be gagged, and we aim to take the Labour seats at Anston next year.
LikeLike
You do have to hand it to the Labour Group they do stick to their guns even after a drubbing by UKIP, appointing Cllr Beck to the Cabinet role reflects their total lack of appreciation of the scale of the hit they took from UKIP and the reasons why so many voters turned away from the party.
UKIP are to the right of the Conservatives in so many ways, their stance on cutting the NHS, cutting the public sector and some very odd tax arrangements that would see the very rich paying the same as the very poor.
And yet in a traditional Labour heartland voters turned to the right.
For the Labour Group to dismiss the result as a one off is typical of the we know best attitude prevalent within the group, appointing Cllr Beck to the Cabinet reinforces this perception of a group out of touch with reality.
The average person in the street (need to be PC, we are in Rotherham) would expect that the individual appointed to this role would have a least a background in regeneration and I do not mean some non-job in an equally out of touch organisation the Barnsley and Rotherham Chamber.
So what skills and real life experience does Cllr Beck have, has he run his own company, has he ever been accountable for a company’s P&L account, has he project managed a large scale regeneration scheme?
No, no experience what so ever!
His performance and track record in his Chamber role is at best questionable and if I was a fee paying member of the Chamber I would be asking why my companies hard earned cash was being spent on this individuals salary package?
Cllr Becks appointment to the Cabinet is two fingers up to the electorate and an open door for UKIP to gain further support.
And as for the plot for Cllr Lakin to become Leader with Cllr Beck as his Deputy, watch this space; however before they start to look how to spend their increased allowances come 2015 they both need to factor in the potential of losing their respective seats to UKIP.
Happy days.
LikeLike
@Anonymous.
I agree, Beck’s credentials for advising businesses and businessmen/women are non existent. You cannot learn management skills if you’ve never been a manager/head of dept. or a team leader in the real world of business and commerce.
With his new appointment as Business Supremo On High there is a very strong possibility he will have to surrender his parish council seat as the member for Wales.
After all he will be too busy. He should be, his new role demands he must give 100% attention and efforts to the job.
Can he succeed? Then put him under the same scrutiny and pressure other contributors are demanding of UKIP councillors.
Fairs fair, Is’nt it?
LikeLike
A few words on comments so far:
To “I don’t believe it” I can assure you that my article is correct regarding the NEC breaking party rules to keep Maroof out and and help Sarah get in. if, as I suspect, you are an LP member you should ask about the CLP motion that led to a formal complaint and request for review to the Gen Sec of the Labour Party. Just don’ ask Dazza, he’s up so many bums to achieve a paid political post that he can’t be trusted.
With regard to Sarah being a better MP than Mahroof…maybe so, and Maroofs failings with regards to such as the Wellgate Riots show him still to be a politician protecting the Asian community rights, above those of the wider citizenry.
However many ask what are our MP going to do regarding the awful goings on in the Labour Group? My personal view is that if you got in as result of rule breaking it is hard to claim the moral high ground.
Wil
LikeLike
I have said it before and I will say it again. I have approached Sarah Champion with some very serious and major issue concerning RMBC and CSE and she acted impartially and professionally.No party politics – she just dealt with the issues presented – advocated brilliantly.- and resolved the complaints from our and the affected individual’s point of view. That may upset a few with vested party interests on here (I have never been a member of any party) but credit where credit is due..
As for selection processes – the selection processes of all parties have faults. and will lead to complaints. Party politics is such a dirty business. That’s why I keep away from that particular avenue of protest.
Here are examples:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-24074756
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/ukip-civil-war-flares-again-in-row-over-euro-candidate.23269468
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-24667386
http://m.yorkpress.co.uk/news/10984545.Probe_likely_into_deselection_of__MP_Anne_McIntosh/
etc etc etc
As for declaring interests concerning connections. There’s nothing wrong with that and I’m all for it. Indeed I encourage it for all – including Rothpol – so here I go – I am not related to – or friends with – or have ever dated a counciller, MP, MEP or official / member of any party. I haven’t been the Agent for a previous ‘Independent’ General Election candidate either. I am Trade Unionist and was an elected steward for many years. I am also opposed to violence of any sorts and frown on fist fights of any kind..
I have however been a freelance journalist from time to time (inbetween my career in Social Work) and sort of fancied Rik Mayell ‘in a way’ when he was in ‘The New Statesman’ – though it did not sway my political opinion / stance and my various articles did not swing to the right (as if i could ever do so) but stayed truly independent. Although I once got called a communists scum for pointing out way back then in an article that the privatization of British Gas would lead to cartels fixing prices and customers paying the price for listening to ‘SID’ I also have a keen interest in football and like bluebells and wine.(The latter in moderation and very rarely)
SKT xxxx
LikeLike
SKT, Still thinking how best to respond to your point re interests. Are you suggesting all contributors and commenters, should declare their interests there does not appear to be a way forward, did you have something in mind. Rothpol Rik.
LikeLike
It looks to me as if whatever you try to do you will be accused of being biased one way or another, my view is keep publishing the way you see it, well done Rothpol, the Tiser and Private Eye, the very different voices of a true democracy.
Published and be dammed.
Duke of Wellington, 1824.
By the way, I am not the Duke of Wellington.
LikeLike
Everyone Rik, including all and me, who has direct political connections or personal interest with an issue or person they raise as a THREAD – not comments – but THREADS and articles. I was picking up on the theme of some comments and thought ‘hey if there’s one rule for one it should be for all’. Like I said I don’t mean it has to be done by people simply commenting – but if it’s a THREAD they raised it should be.
Of course there are exceptions. The recent letter published about Mr Akhtar (although it is news we’ve seen before) is rightly anon. But let’s be honest, although needs dictated, that is rare. But basically if a THREAD is raised all but those that have to remain anon for safety reasons or they are a whistle blower should declare personal interest. You never know it may set a good example for RMBC – not that they will follow it – but we can hope,
To give . an example personally if I was posting a THREAD on issues regarding my family / ex colleagues – neighbours / friends I would state my connections for clarity. (As I do) I would state what I had done to support them in the past and how I was connected to them. (I have done this is the past) . Of course I would then state my views (as all have the right to) but at least people could see that I was being open.
Another example is if I was raising A THREAD about my work with RMBC / SCC / RMBC / BMBC etc in the last 35 years and more I would state my connections to those involved. It’s what I expect politicians to do – so I do too. Indeed its what I have always done and always will when first raising formally..
Another example, since you have also asked in a vague way about yourself (I think – correct me if I am wrong) is the way you have in the past declared your official connections with Mr Thirlwell. That was the right thing to do and gave me an insight in to your relationship with him whilst at the same time allowing me not to judge each issue connected with him with suspicion.It’s simple good practice, clarity and transparency and I suspect it gives Rothpol an advantage over distractors at RMBC who spread rumours of conspiracy. (Although how they think individuals such as I with my lefty views could conspire with UKIP (no offence Caven / Colin etc you know what I mean hopefully) I will never know)
Maybe I am old fashioned. Maybe it’s just me. But I feel if a THREAD is raised I should know the connections to the person or issues involved. (ANON safety issues apart).
SKT xxxx
LikeLike
PS I just read the ANON comment about bias. Everyone is in their own way though most try to put it to one side – but that’s not what I was saying.
And to Anon – I do believe you are not the Duke of Wellington. I just hope you don’t – it was a rubbish pub and the wine was appalling.. ..
LikeLike
One of Akhtar’s tweets: jahangir Akhtar @Jahangirakhtar · Jun 12
For heavens sake somebody send @SalmaYaqoob a Labour Party membership form. We need people with honour, integrity and compassion
If that’s what’s needed what the hell is he doing in the Labour party? Oh I forgot the ownership of six houses that this taxi driver has managed to acquire since joining the party and being on RMBC might be some thing to do with it!
LikeLike
How times change Asbo Jahngir Akhtar was slatting respect party and Salma Yaqoob not long ago and now that his lost as councillor his supporting Salma?
Its amazing his been following Midlands MP khalid Mahmood and was campaining with his daughter MP Shabana Mahmood in Rotherham recently and as soon as his lost election hiS started to go against his Labour Party. Where he has made millions of pounds and left Rotherham in debt.
His got 20+ houses and his even put properties on his brother shabir Akhtar and his sons Azizeem Akhtar and Tanveer Akhtar. He should be drving around in his BMW with private plate number B19 CON not J41 AKH,
LikeLike
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Champion_(politician)
LikeLike