Here is proof that Pob and Gove are the same person. In fact I would suggest that a period as a children's television star has turned Gove against children so much he is keen to wreck their education:
Monday, July 19, 2010
Friday, July 16, 2010
Brian Coleman: The Unacceptable Face of Tory-ism
Following on from my previous blog, which discussed the hypocrisy of Barnet's Conservative Councillors I'd like to say a few words about Brian Coleman who seems to have become the poster boy for the whacking increases given to himself and his fellow Councillors.
Brian Coleman is not just a Councillor but also serves as London Assembly Member for Barnet and Camden.* He's also been helping Boris Johnson gerrymander the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority, serving as its Chair. I don't have the time or the space to detail what a confrontational job he's been doing as Chair. A quick glance at the London Fire Brigade Union's Webesite News Section can do that better than I: http://www.london.fbu.org.uk/news/index.php
He's also been keen to avoid transparency regarding his expenses: http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23716430-mayor-blasts-senior-tory-for-not-publishing-his-expenses.do
So it would appear he doesn't give a flying toss about upsetting the leadership of his own party both in London and nationally.
Grant Shapps, Con-Dem Local Government Minister was not impressed with Barnet:
"At a time when there's a public sector pay freeze councillors should think twice about rewarding themselves with bumper pay rises. Whether it's a Labour council in Newham or a Conservative one in Barnet, increasing pay when others are losing their jobs both looks and feels wrong. I think councils will struggle to justify such a casual approach to spending taxpayers' money and I urge them to think again."**
But Councillor Coleman isn't bothered. He's quoted by Paul Waugh of the Evening Standard as saying, in response to Mr Shapps:
"My response to Grant Shapps is this: localism, localism, localism We are delivering efficient services and should be trusted with devolved decisions."***
I look forward to Mr Coleman's words being used by Council staff who are clearly doing an excellent job "...delivering efficient services". Mr Coleman will of course only be taking "...the money I am entitled to, no more and no less."***
What a fine attitude to have. He won't take any more than he's ENTITLED to. That would be greedy but he's not going to take any LESS than he's ENTITLED to. Does anyone see what's wrong with that whole sentence? The pathetic nose in the trough stench of it.
Mr Coleman clearly thinks he and his Barnet comrades deserve a bigger share of the pot even as the government cuts services to the bone. They are doing such a great job they DESERVE to be rewarded. I suspect that attitude wouldn't cut much ice coming from the public sector employees expected to actually deliver those services.
However as Mr Coleman is a 'here today and gone tomorrow' politician with a potentially short career he might feel, like a Premier League footballer, that he should earn as much cash as he can before it all goes pear-shaped. After all no one knows what might upset the voters of Barnet.
As a counterpoint to Mr Coleman's huge sense of entitlement I should credit Conservative Councillor Kate Sallinger who voted against the rise saying:
"It was a policy she disagreed with and could not in conscience vote for. Councils should be leading by example. I don't think our example is very good."****
Ms Sallinger's reward for this stance? She was removed from the Committees she served on as a punishment for voting with her conscience. She talks about the vote here: http://www.times-series.co.uk/news/topstories/8272018.I_voted_with_my_conscience__claims_shunned_Tory_councillor/
How lovely these Barnet Tories are and how nice to see the 'contraversial' Brian Coleman leading the way.
*http://www.conservatives.com/People/London_Assembly_Members/Coleman_Brian.aspx
**http://conservativehome.blogs.com/localgovernment/2010/07/grant-shapps-hits-out-at-councillors-in-torycontrolled-barnet-and-labourrun-newham-for-giving-themse.html
***http://waugh.standard.co.uk/2010/07/the-limits-of-localism.html
****http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-10635391
Brian Coleman is not just a Councillor but also serves as London Assembly Member for Barnet and Camden.* He's also been helping Boris Johnson gerrymander the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority, serving as its Chair. I don't have the time or the space to detail what a confrontational job he's been doing as Chair. A quick glance at the London Fire Brigade Union's Webesite News Section can do that better than I: http://www.london.fbu.org.uk/news/index.php
He's also been keen to avoid transparency regarding his expenses: http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23716430-mayor-blasts-senior-tory-for-not-publishing-his-expenses.do
So it would appear he doesn't give a flying toss about upsetting the leadership of his own party both in London and nationally.
Grant Shapps, Con-Dem Local Government Minister was not impressed with Barnet:
"At a time when there's a public sector pay freeze councillors should think twice about rewarding themselves with bumper pay rises. Whether it's a Labour council in Newham or a Conservative one in Barnet, increasing pay when others are losing their jobs both looks and feels wrong. I think councils will struggle to justify such a casual approach to spending taxpayers' money and I urge them to think again."**
But Councillor Coleman isn't bothered. He's quoted by Paul Waugh of the Evening Standard as saying, in response to Mr Shapps:
"My response to Grant Shapps is this: localism, localism, localism We are delivering efficient services and should be trusted with devolved decisions."***
I look forward to Mr Coleman's words being used by Council staff who are clearly doing an excellent job "...delivering efficient services". Mr Coleman will of course only be taking "...the money I am entitled to, no more and no less."***
What a fine attitude to have. He won't take any more than he's ENTITLED to. That would be greedy but he's not going to take any LESS than he's ENTITLED to. Does anyone see what's wrong with that whole sentence? The pathetic nose in the trough stench of it.
Mr Coleman clearly thinks he and his Barnet comrades deserve a bigger share of the pot even as the government cuts services to the bone. They are doing such a great job they DESERVE to be rewarded. I suspect that attitude wouldn't cut much ice coming from the public sector employees expected to actually deliver those services.
However as Mr Coleman is a 'here today and gone tomorrow' politician with a potentially short career he might feel, like a Premier League footballer, that he should earn as much cash as he can before it all goes pear-shaped. After all no one knows what might upset the voters of Barnet.
As a counterpoint to Mr Coleman's huge sense of entitlement I should credit Conservative Councillor Kate Sallinger who voted against the rise saying:
"It was a policy she disagreed with and could not in conscience vote for. Councils should be leading by example. I don't think our example is very good."****
Ms Sallinger's reward for this stance? She was removed from the Committees she served on as a punishment for voting with her conscience. She talks about the vote here: http://www.times-series.co.uk/news/topstories/8272018.I_voted_with_my_conscience__claims_shunned_Tory_councillor/
How lovely these Barnet Tories are and how nice to see the 'contraversial' Brian Coleman leading the way.
*http://www.conservatives.com/People/London_Assembly_Members/Coleman_Brian.aspx
**http://conservativehome.blogs.com/localgovernment/2010/07/grant-shapps-hits-out-at-councillors-in-torycontrolled-barnet-and-labourrun-newham-for-giving-themse.html
***http://waugh.standard.co.uk/2010/07/the-limits-of-localism.html
****http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-10635391
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
We Are All In This Together But Some Of Us Are More In It Than Others
Conservative politicians, don't you just love 'em. In the process of organising society changing cuts they have claimed 'We are all in this together'. It's a nice sentiment coming from a cabinet of 29 people of whom 26 are millionaires. However I suspect George Osborne might have to have a word with some of his Conservative comrades.
Firstly Boris Johnson's Mayoral term has seen an increase in the number of senior staff at City Hall earning more than £100,000 from 15 to 21 (once the two currently advertised posts are filled). Ironically (or perhaps the word should be insultingly)one of those paid over £100,000 is Nicholas Griffin (no, not that one) who is responsible for cutting costs at City Hall. For this tough, 29 hour a week job, he gets paid £102,750.* Nice work if you can get it.
I'm going to be generous to Boris who claims that the reason for this 6 job jump is the restructing of the GLA. I'll ignore, for the moment, his claim that he was: "...elected on a promise to provide Londoners with better value for money from their taxes."**
But even so it doesn't make a good case for us all being in it together does it?
However the Tories I'm not prepared to be generous to are the fine councillors of Barnet. Barnet has tried to make itself a 'flagship council' for the Tories. As Mike Freer, then leader of Barnet Council and now - unfortunately - MP for Finchley and Golders Green said "Some things will be cheap and cheerful and in other areas we will provide complete services"
You'd think these bastions of the 'cheap and cheerful' would be loathed to increase costs to the taxpayer. But you'd be wrong.
Last night they voted themselves a whacking great pay rise. This rise means that Councillor Lynn Hillan, who leads Barnet Council, could see her allowance increased from £34,909 to £54,227, which is a nice increase in these difficult economic times.
These increases were justified by ignoring - although I believe the official phrase is 'dispensing with' - the local, independent renumeration panel and accepting the London Council's reports recommendations, which were condemned by, er, Con-Dem Local Government Minister Grant Shapps.
Minister Shapp's condemnation was ignored by Barnet Council who have now impressively feathered their nests. In some cases - i.e. Cabinet members - the increases are potentially almost 50%.
Nice work if you can get it Part II.
Remember that Tory watchword WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. It appears to have an Animal Farm style BUT SOME OF US ARE MORE IN IT THAN OTHERS addendum.
Fat cat Counciller Brian Coleman is quoted as saying: "I think residents will be delighted at a sensible scheme within Barnet. The London Councils scheme recognises the work councillors of all parties do."***
Perhaps Brian might want to recognise the work that - oh let's pick Firefighters at random - when talking about pay rises.
I'll leave the last word to John Burgess, UNISON's Barnet branch Chairman as quoted in Hendon+Finchley Times***: “It's disgusting. We were lectured last night about how we have to help cut council services. I've sat in here and listened to how they just voted themselves a massive pay increase and I think council workers are going to go mental. I can't believe what I've just heard.”
* Figure courtesy of Evening Standard who, since Lebedev has taken over have become much more even handed in their handling of Boris.
**Daily Telegraph, 8th May 2008: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1938171/Boris-Johnson-vows-to-end-corruption.html
***http://www.times-series.co.uk/news/8270489.Coleman_defends_new_council_allowance_pay_packets/
Firstly Boris Johnson's Mayoral term has seen an increase in the number of senior staff at City Hall earning more than £100,000 from 15 to 21 (once the two currently advertised posts are filled). Ironically (or perhaps the word should be insultingly)one of those paid over £100,000 is Nicholas Griffin (no, not that one) who is responsible for cutting costs at City Hall. For this tough, 29 hour a week job, he gets paid £102,750.* Nice work if you can get it.
I'm going to be generous to Boris who claims that the reason for this 6 job jump is the restructing of the GLA. I'll ignore, for the moment, his claim that he was: "...elected on a promise to provide Londoners with better value for money from their taxes."**
But even so it doesn't make a good case for us all being in it together does it?
However the Tories I'm not prepared to be generous to are the fine councillors of Barnet. Barnet has tried to make itself a 'flagship council' for the Tories. As Mike Freer, then leader of Barnet Council and now - unfortunately - MP for Finchley and Golders Green said "Some things will be cheap and cheerful and in other areas we will provide complete services"
You'd think these bastions of the 'cheap and cheerful' would be loathed to increase costs to the taxpayer. But you'd be wrong.
Last night they voted themselves a whacking great pay rise. This rise means that Councillor Lynn Hillan, who leads Barnet Council, could see her allowance increased from £34,909 to £54,227, which is a nice increase in these difficult economic times.
These increases were justified by ignoring - although I believe the official phrase is 'dispensing with' - the local, independent renumeration panel and accepting the London Council's reports recommendations, which were condemned by, er, Con-Dem Local Government Minister Grant Shapps.
Minister Shapp's condemnation was ignored by Barnet Council who have now impressively feathered their nests. In some cases - i.e. Cabinet members - the increases are potentially almost 50%.
Nice work if you can get it Part II.
Remember that Tory watchword WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. It appears to have an Animal Farm style BUT SOME OF US ARE MORE IN IT THAN OTHERS addendum.
Fat cat Counciller Brian Coleman is quoted as saying: "I think residents will be delighted at a sensible scheme within Barnet. The London Councils scheme recognises the work councillors of all parties do."***
Perhaps Brian might want to recognise the work that - oh let's pick Firefighters at random - when talking about pay rises.
I'll leave the last word to John Burgess, UNISON's Barnet branch Chairman as quoted in Hendon+Finchley Times***: “It's disgusting. We were lectured last night about how we have to help cut council services. I've sat in here and listened to how they just voted themselves a massive pay increase and I think council workers are going to go mental. I can't believe what I've just heard.”
* Figure courtesy of Evening Standard who, since Lebedev has taken over have become much more even handed in their handling of Boris.
**Daily Telegraph, 8th May 2008: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1938171/Boris-Johnson-vows-to-end-corruption.html
***http://www.times-series.co.uk/news/8270489.Coleman_defends_new_council_allowance_pay_packets/
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