Check out David Greens web posting on Eastcliff Matters and his take on the famous Winter Gardens Spat involving Sandy Ezekiel and Doug Clark click here for F***ing T***er!
The thing that strikes me about this posting, is that a petty incident, has been blown out of all proportion on both sides, but even more irritating is that someone who has themselves had their freedom of speech, impinged by threats of referral to the Standards Board of England, should given any judgement by this organisation any credence at all.
The Standards Board of England was set up by Labour and is without doubt a disgrace in a democracy. To have your freedom to speak impinged on for one second corrupts democracy, to then a year or so later find that your "content to wait for the publication of the Standards Board findings before commenting on the detail" seems incredible.
The thing that strikes me about this posting, is that a petty incident, has been blown out of all proportion on both sides, but even more irritating is that someone who has themselves had their freedom of speech, impinged by threats of referral to the Standards Board of England, should given any judgement by this organisation any credence at all.
The Standards Board of England was set up by Labour and is without doubt a disgrace in a democracy. To have your freedom to speak impinged on for one second corrupts democracy, to then a year or so later find that your "content to wait for the publication of the Standards Board findings before commenting on the detail" seems incredible.
Tony every so often I read something that realigns something fundamental in my political attitudes, thank you.
ReplyDeleteTony, whilst sharing your contempt for The Standards Board of England,it has managed to deal with corruption and other serious matters apertaining to 'rougue' councillors. It's the nonsense at The Winter Gardens on 14th Apr 2007 that causes it problems. It has to investigate each breach of the Code no matter how puerile.
ReplyDeleteIf you confine your perusal of the Standards Board summaries to the incident of 14th April 2007 only and see through the smoke-screen generated by a number of Conservative Cllrs, it is quite clear that The Standards Board exonerated Cllrs Clark and Hart who were made subjects of complaints, and found that Cllr Ezekiel was in breach of the 'Code of Conduct'that evening.
I for one, wish that The Standards Board had not been involved and would hope that a fulsome apology from Cllr Ezekiel for his conduct that night could still be forthcoming.
Its quite simple bert, if an injustice has been caused by way of assualt or racial attack their are more competent agencies who should deal with them.
ReplyDeleteThe Standards Board is a malign influence on democracy end of story. David Green was caught up with nonsense from this agency, and others are prevented from speaking in debate and voting.
The idea that some unelected council employee acts as a monitoring officer, is a scandal dreamt up by some control freak in the Labour party.
Even at its least offensive level the Standards Board is used by minor politicians to score points against each other.
AN OPEN LETTER TO THE CONSERVATIVE TDC LEADER
ReplyDeleteCllr. Ezekiel
A year of high-level investigations is now over and I write to demand an apology for your aggressive and abusive behaviour at the Mayor’s Retiring Ball.
By your own evidence, you accept that you shouted vulgar abuse at me in a failed attempt to goad me into becoming involved in a fight. That was absolutely appalling behaviour, especially coming from a District Leader at a civic event.
Instead of phoning me the next day to apologise, you then deviously set about ‘slinging mud’ in each and every direction in order to cover your own shortcomings. The most serious aspect of these actions was to make spurious and malicious allegations to the Police against me, which were extensively investigated and thrown out by the Crown Prosecution Service, the Police and finally, the Standards Board for England.
You knew only too well, that due to your senior position, your bogus allegations would have to be thoroughly and exhaustively investigated by senior officers whose valuable time would be wasted.
If you still refuse to apologise to me, you certainly should, at the very least, apologise to the female staff and guests at the Winter Gardens who were forced to witness your outburst of aggressive behaviour and loud yobbish ‘gutter’ language.
As the District Leader you should also apologise profusely to all the decent residents of Thanet, especially ratepayers and taxpayers, for wasting a whole year of time, energy and resources of our local Police and other agencies with your spurious and malicious allegations.
Cllr. Clive Hart
(TDC & KCC)
AND FROM DISTRICT COUNCILLOR JOHN WATKINS
At the Mayor’s retiring ball last April, Councillor Doug Clark who had just completed a busy year of engagements representing Margate, was the victim of an unwarranted, brutish and disgusting verbal assault from a man who at the time would not have been in a fit state to tie his own shoelaces. Councillor Ezekiel, having been restrained by a number of concerned and horrified people, including his own wife and the deputy mayor, then turned his attention to another TDC member, in an attempt to goad him into a fight. This disgraceful conduct was subsequently reported to the Standards Board for England. On learning of this fact Ezekiel then made a complaint to Kent Police, concocting allegations that were clearly intended to mitigate his own culpability. These were fully investigated and found to have no foundation. The second part of the attempted damage limitation exercise, concerned spurious claims of months of racial harassment, based on a shorthand entry in the Mayor’s diary and a query regarding the Council Leader’s religion prior to a Civic service.
The claim that Cllr. Doug Clark, a senior East Kent Magistrates Court Chairman and a JP of 27 years standing is in any way racist is ludicrous. Aside from the fact that his former wife is herself of the Jewish faith, Councillor Clark has for many years provided accommodation in his house for hundreds of students from every corner of the globe. This pillar of the community, who spent last Christmas day in Cliftonville, cooking dinner for the homeless, has now had his good name besmirched on the front page of a newspaper by a man, who is so out of touch with contemporary morality that he can conduct himself at a public function, exactly like the foul mouthed yobs he has complained of at public meetings. Anti social behaviour coupled with hypocrisy was then followed by false allegations to the police, wasting hours of their time. To say that I am disgusted, would be putting it mildly. Thanet needs and deserves much better leadership, Ezekiel should resign forthwith.
Cllr. John Watkins
(Margate Central Ward TDC)
To get back to your point Tony, I've been called many things, some of them justified, but I cant see any hyprocrisy in my comments!
ReplyDeleteI reported earlier that I had been warned that things in my blog and comments by me on other blogs might result in me being reported to the Standards Board. I closed my blog whilst I checked out the situation.
I then reopened the blog and subsequently was duely reported. The Standards Board decided there was nothing in the complaint worth investigating.
It seems to me that in my case and the current more serious case, the Standards Board has done its job correctly. In the current case they investigated and have published their conclusions so we all know the facts.
You might disagree with me, but where's the hyprocasy?
the hypocrisy is with Labour take democracy to mid east remove from local government with SBOE, the remark was addressed to Labour
ReplyDeleteTony
ReplyDeleteI agree with you.
A test of the situation is this.
Has a decision been taken which can influence the status of a person.
Answer YES (after all those involved are still attempting to fight the issues in public arena)
Is there a right of trial ?
New Labour has been undermining our Magna Carta rights.
The Protection from Harassment Act is another example. If the local Gestapo (Churchill warned us Labour would make the police into a Gestapo) want to shut someone up. They can issue a warning (Note not a caution which a person can refuse and insist on trial or police shut the f-ck up)
Then the warning goes on police database. Is that challengeable at law ? Apparently not.
Another example. PCSOs. The policing function gradually being taken away from Crown and brought into the totalitarian system of govt control
(Part of a history which includes the civilianization of Coroners Officers and the Highways Agency taking over traffic duties etc and people like the late naieve Chief constable of Manchestyer taking a different form of Constable Oath)
Even decisions taken by benefits officers and tax officers can be challenged at law. And once the disciplines and rules of evidence hove into view those decisions often get reversed.
Have you ever had a new tax return sent ? I have and refused to fill it in. My first tax return is what I stand or fall on. If the Revenue think there is a fib then Magna Carta time public sector parasite. Go to Court or shut the f-ck up. And it got the result the Revenue shut up.
Now also we have terrorism laws being abused (the way the Protection from harassment law is widely abused by Police according to a solicitor I spoke to) to spy on families who live outside a school catchment area or on dog fouling fail to cleanuppees.
All thius from a govt who entered a Peace Agreement with an enemy without requiring declaration of their weapons systems (Good Friday Agreement)
So they undermine the Queen as Fount of Justice by their introduction of decision making not subject of judicial review.
They undermine the principles set any Magna Carta.
And in their prime duty of defence of the realm they make a bigger cock up than did Neville Chamberlain.
Thank God we have an Independent standing in local elections.