I was going to give a long ponderous opinion on the de-selection of Cllr Mark Nottingham as a Labour candidate, however as I said last night Labour are digging a big hole, it seems to me to be a big ask, even from Clive Hart to suggest than Mark Nottingham has not been a hard working representative for Northwood also Cllr Clive Hart must explain why he has not followed through with his pledge to resign.
Also bewildered Labour party members must be asking what sort of strategy or thinking Clive Hart is following for the May council elections by dropping one of his teams stronger and more able members?
Still if you have any ideas?
but on the other hand mark is accused of being the invisible councillor. It can't be both!
ReplyDeleteAnon 8.31, You are right, both can't be true. This slur was used in the rigged election process to discredit Mark, resulting in his de-selection and and has been subsequently clearly shown to be untrue.
ReplyDeleteWho says it's untrue? Just you 8:41 as you seem to be his only friend?
ReplyDeleteTony, In response to your post, sadly it is difficult for anyone to post anything on this which would enable honest open discussion as Clive's gang are sitting in the wings seeking to discredit any posts with smears and insinuations rather than the facts. I'm sorry that I have to post this anonymously for fear of reprisals against myself. The local labour party needs an honest upright leader who is not puffed up with pride and afraid to admit when they have made a mistake.
ReplyDeleteIt'll be some boooooooring personality clash. Two mid-aged men with too much time on their hands trying to be show who is the big swinging dick. It is enough to make one consider opening a vain.
ReplyDeleteAs a staunch Labour supporter and voter, cllr Hart has lost all credibility not only as a Councillor but as a leader, it is interesting to note that he has not been in work for a number of years, is this the Tories fault? or is he in truth another champagne socialist, however he is able to spend most days swimming and at the Gym so it cant be all bad, why dont you do us all a favour , stop making promises you dont keep and for the good of our Party resign as Leader and preferably dont stand again in May, and while you are at it get your Deputy to do the same, you both are making our Party a laughing stock and a gift to the Tories
ReplyDeleteI am not a Labour supporter and probably, therefore, am able to take a less impassioned view of this saga.
ReplyDeleteFrom several years of local blog following I had formed a favourable impression of Cllr. Nottingham from his own comments, albeit often anti-Tory as one would expect, and things said about him. Over the same time I picked up that Cllr. Hart was on something of an ego trip.
Nottingham seemed the brighter of the two, from his postings and articles, and a lot more knowledgeable on the Labour party. Hardly surprising as it is his day job as well. Hart seemingly has no day job.
The trouble seems to have kicked off when Hart looked in his rear view mirror and saw Nottingham coming up hard on his heels. Now there is nothing an aspiring ego hates more than a potential challenger, it being much better to surround yourself with nodding, unthinking, adoring clones, so someone had to go.
I read all the comments on One End of Kent on the issue and despite 8:41's assertion of Nottingham having only one friend, most were supportive of him.
Hence I feel local Labour has a big problem with its leader and that serves no one's purpose in the longer term whether in office or opposition.
The party really needs to clear this up, answer the questions and take resultant decisions fast now with elections in May.
none of the parties are trust worthy
ReplyDeletedoes KCC stand for corrupt criminal or coverup cabal ???
09:03 and 12.23 seem to have posed a question,how is the "keep fit swimming and Gym attending leader" of the opposition able to live if he is not working, is he one of Thanets statistics on benefits?, 12:23 clearly supports 09:03 although patently not the same Political colour Cllr Hart it is decision time, there still seem to be no answers to the questions posed by Cllr Nottingham, I support my co referenced writer. It is time to clear up the outstanding issues, if you do not understand the problem, Iris will certainly explain it to you
ReplyDeleteOne person responsible is Michelle Fenner. She ran the "exoneration committee" that Nottingham put in his whistleblowing post.
ReplyDeleteMichelle Fenner, Alan Poole and Clive Hart who else is keeping secrets?
the labour party will never be any good all tne time hart is there leader??TIME FOR A CHANGE ME THINK SO DO IT NOW BEFORE THE LABOUR PARTY GOES UNDER BECAUSE IT WILL UNDER HART
ReplyDeleteAnon04:06pm
ReplyDeleteMichelle Fenner and Alan Poole now there is a "class"act of two people who dont give a "hoot" about anything except saving Hart, what a sad bunch , but no surprises those two are in the conspiracy, come on Mark give them a run for their money you will make a better leader that Hart and at least you have the courage of your convictions whereas Hart has shown himself to be weak and indicisive,clearly there are more questions coming to the fore, about Clive Hart, well done Tony,
Goodbye Hart you are now a liability to our Party, about time you did the honourable thing and resigned> Mark cometh the hour cometh the man
Don't you mean Cllr Moores 4.06?
ReplyDeleteWhat pray tell us, 6:02, has Cllr. Moore got to do with the internal affairs of the Labour party or am I missing something here.
ReplyDeleteAnother worrying aspect is how come other local Labour grandees like Harrison, Green and Ward are keeping quiet. Surely they must have a view on this or are they keeping their noses clean just in case Labour win and there might be some well paid cabinet posts up for grabs. Wouldn't want to fall foul of the LEADER would they!
Another thought/comment which ought to, if nothing else add some light or rather a touch of irony.
ReplyDeleteIts been suggested that the leadership might have felt threatened by someone in their midst with a bit of ability and experience.
My view is that any good leader usually acquires as many talented people around them to make life easier, but apparently not always.
From conversations and correspondence I've had with Mark I understand if anything about him, its this that he has no overriding ambition in Thanet Labour and has worked for the best motives, which included assisting or supporting Clive Hart in becoming leader.
10:03 I agree with most of your comment but puffed up with pride is the wrong description for Clive Hart. There is nothing wrong with pride, if related to achievement, but here we have an under achiever who is puffed up with his own self importance. Huge difference!
ReplyDeleteLike many of his ilk he is corrupted by power and the prestige that goes with it. He will not give it up lightly which is why he will not honour his pledge to resign.
Frankly, the rank and file membership should demand a meeting and kick him out, along with any of his cronies who support him. There is still time, just, to put together a new team under a good leader for May.
12:23 You are right that this matter urgently needs clearing up but not at the expense of the truth. Why is there no accountability from Hart and his followers? Its an abuse of power. If they were in the right, I'm sure they would have flaunted it all over the net long ago. The root of all this is Kay Dark. I don't know what her hold is over Hart but Thanet doesn't need lazy councillors or spineless leaders.
ReplyDelete7:32 I think you've hit the nail on the head. I'm sure Harrison will tow the local party line. Not sure about the others. But It's all cloak and daggers with the LEADing faction making sure everyone else either falls in behind or stays quiet for fear of reprisals. I hope I'm wrong but I think the outcome will be that Mark who had the guts to whistleblow will go the same way others like him have done previously. I admire his nerve but if you have the controlling power all you have to do is 'no comment' and bide your time until you can take those who are threats to you out. They'll probably use the line that he brought the local party into disrepute when they in fact did it to themselves. They should be ashamed of themselves - I don't know how they sleep at night.
A few interesting thoughts here in the last hour whilst the local labour council members are offline sitting in their Thursday meeting unable to corrupt the thread with red herrings and slurs....
ReplyDelete4.06 Jennifer Matterface and Gordon Edmonds were on the panel with Michelle Fenner to clear Kay Dark.
ReplyDeleteAlan Poole, Clive Hart, and which others are helping Kay Dark???
You are the weakest link Clive goodbye
ReplyDeleteDave Green, your party needs you, so where are you. Surely not propping up the failed Clive Hart for the Thanet Labour party and Ramsgate, where you have a strong following, deserve far better.
ReplyDeleteAnyone else noticed that Heath Woodward, who writes with such enthusiasm about Mark Nottingham in the Gazette's letters today is the same person who wrote Mary Honeyball's iphone App?
ReplyDeleteThere's a concidence for you and I bet he's a busy anonymous here too!
http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/mary-honeyball-the-buzz/id407650622?mt=8
I see by 10:53 that the snipers and slurrers are back from their meeting. So what if the same guy did write for Mary Honeyball, perhaps he can recognise talent over dross.
ReplyDeleteAnon 10.53 thanks for the advert.
ReplyDeleteYes I know Mark. He's a great guy and helped me raise money for charity. Unlike some people he doesn't go round boasting about it.
I've also met Clive Hart & thought he was a good guy too. My letter was edited here's the full text.
SHOOTING THE MESSENGER v THE ELUSIVE PIMPERNEL
As a Thanet Labour Party member I am very disappointed to see Cllr. Clive
Hart’s comments in the Gazette (11/2/11) about Cllr. Mark Nottingham’s
criticisms of him. Clive Hart could simply rebut Mark Nottingham by
publishing his report on Northwood Cllr. Kay Dark’s work. He has refused
to publish any evidence, and insists the report must remain confidential.
Labour Party members and more importantly Kay Dark’s Northwood
constituents have a right to know what she has been up to as a councillor
–it is called public accountability.
Every Labour Party member I know is unhappy with the way Clive Hart is
handling this matter. If it is true that Kay Dark has not attended any
public meetings with her constituents in the last 4 years she has no place
as a Labour councillor. If she has attended meetings, Clive Hart should
publish the minutes of those meetings to show that Mark Nottingham is
wrong. This would also demonstrate how much, or how little Kay Dark has
done to earn over £16,000 in the last 4 years.
I know that complaints were made within the local Labour Party about Kay
Dark’s refusal to attend meetings with residents in Northwood ward both 2
years ago and 3 years ago. She has had time to improve but there is no
sign that she has done so to my knowledge. Some Northwood residents refer
to her as the “elusive pimpernel.”
By trying to discipline Mark Nottingham for exposing these inconvenient
facts, Clive Hart is shooting the messenger. After the MPs expenses
scandal the public want transparency about what their representatives do
for the money they claim.
Several Labour Party members have raised their concerns with Clive Hart
about this matter, but he refuses to respond and to address correspondence
on this issue. If Clive Hart made a mistake in endorsing Kay Dark he
should say so and put things right. If he stands by her he needs to
publish his recommendation and Kay Dark’s record so the criticism of both
himself and Kay Dark can be shown to be unfounded.
Clive Hart’s current attempt to try and shoot down legitimate criticism
has more in common with ex-President Mubarak, than a Labour Leader doing
all they can to win the forthcoming elections.
Clive Hart should put up or go.
Heath Woodward
This is my first visit to this site. I don't post anonymously. Labour is crazy to be dropping Mark
If Mark has such a great record, how come even the Tories were calling him "Lord Lucan of Northwood" and "the invisible councillor" well over a year ago?
ReplyDeleteNo smoke without fire!
Anon 8.27 Lol, A year ago members of Clive's and Alan's gang would have been defending Mark, acknowledging those comments as unfounded slurs and pointing out just how hard he does work for his Ward. Funny how, even knowing they are unfounded, they now use those spurious comments against him when their own Kay Dark is the genuine 'Invisible Councillor'!
ReplyDelete08:27 You seem to know more about what the Tories call Cllr. Nottingham than I do and I am a Tory. Methinks you have just made up a porkie to suit your own slant.
ReplyDeleteFrankly I could not care less whether the labour party runs with Nottingham or Dark but as an outsider looking in, there seems to be much mud slinging and little or no leadership.
I have to post this anonymously for fear of reprisals against myself.
ReplyDeletebikes
Nearly March, how time flies...
ReplyDeleteHas Clive Hart resigned yet?
Why are we still waiting?....
So much for the 'unblemished record'. He's proved he's not a man of his word. Lots of rhetoric in his long speech but it would appear to have just been a bullying tactic to try to oust Cllr Nottingham. No doubt you're still beavering behind the scenes trying to win your way. I'd call that corruption. Shame on you.
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