The Labour Party Candidate In The Earls Court By Election Responds To The Blog's Questions Posed To Candidates
The blog is delighted to inform our readers that we have received a response to the questions sent to all the candidates of the main parties in the Earls Court by election, from the Labour Party candidate, Joel Bishop. We are very grateful to Joel Bishop for taking the time to respond to the these important questions. With nearly 22,000 hits since this blog appeared on the eve of the Phelps and Daley resignations, these issues are also of considerable interest to our readers, many of whom reside in
Earls Court and are eligible to vote in the by election on September 16. It is much appreciated that the Labour Party candidate, Joel Bishop, and the Liberal Democrat candidate, Linda Wade, have had the courtesy to respond to the blog's inquiries about their position on these important questions. This is more than can be said for the Conservative party candidate, Malcolm Spalding, and the sitting Conservative Councillors, Cllr Buxton and Cllr Read, all of whom have failed to respond or acknowledge the blog's requests to them on this matter. To not even want to go on the record for condemning Barry Phelps is an absolute disgrace. This blog encourages the voters in Earls Court who believe that the Conservative Party should clearly condemn the pervert Barry Phelps, to consider this silence from the Conservative candidate, alone among all the other candidates from the main parties who have no problem in condemning Phelps, as any decent person would do. After considering Malcolm Spalding's silence on this issue, and the failure of the Conservatives to provide increased accountability and open and transparent administration in the Town Hall, this blog is strongly of the view that the Conservative candidate is completely underserving of being elected to serve as Councillor.
The blog has wondered where the Labour Party has been campaigning, as the Party has had a very low profile in the by election. Compared to the massive campaign conducted by the Liberal Democrats, and even the Conservatives, who have managed to get out some leaflets, this blog has yet to see a single election leaflet from the Labour Party. This is regrettable as the voters in Earls Court need to be provided with a choice of candidates and there may be many Labour voters and potential Labour voters who just might not be aware that Labour is running a candidate in this by election and what he stands for. This makes it all the more important that this blog provides as much information on the Labour candidate's position as possible to help voters in their decision. We reproduce Joel Bishop's response below.
1) Do you condemn former Conservative Councillor Barry Phelps for sexualising children by circulating images of young boys with smutty captions?
Yes
2) Do you further condemn this because this was also done using the Council's email system?
Yes
3) What position do you hold concerning the claiming of expenses by the Leader of the Council and the Deputy Leader of the Council, where the expenses involved cannot be clearly and directly connected with Council business?
I am not aware of any claims from the Deputy Leader. so far as the Leader is concerned, this went to the Borough Standards Committee, as a result of which the loophole that permitted such claims was closed. As Cllr. Cockell is no longer Chair of London Councils, such claims will anyway no longer be submitted.
4) Do you agree that Cllr Cockell should pay back entertainment expenses ($185) claimed to entertain an "unknown person" to dinner in New York? The entertainment was at an upmarket restaurant in New York, "The Four Seasons", fashionable with celebrities and political notables in America. (The evidence of this claim is supported from information obtained from an FOI request.)
This is a matter for Cllr. Cockell and his conscience. if I were in his position, I would repay the money.
5) How do you propose to increase transparency and accountability from our elected representatives and leadership on the Council, including facilitating the providing of information to residents of how their Council Tax money is spent?
I understand that the requirement for local authorities to publish all expenditure above £500 on their websites is to be implemented. Residents will then be able to monitor this expenditure.
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