The Waltham Forest Guardian leads with this story as follows:
WALTHAM FOREST: Loakes admits he is "paper candidate"
Cllr Loakes stood down as council leader in May to concentrate his efforts on the midlands seat.
But he has now admitted he is unlikely to win the seat, which is currently held by the Conservatives with a 4,419 majority.
He said:
“It is no longer classed as a marginal seat.
“I am doing this for the experience.”
The Guardian understands relations between Cllr Loakes and Northampton South constituency party activists have broken down amid anger at the amount of time Cllr Loakes has spent away from the area.
Cllr Loakes admitted there are "complex issues” with the constituency party.
NO LONGER A MARGINAL SEAT!!!
It has a notional Labour majority of just under 2000 after the boundary changes, and with all the issues surrounding the sitting MP's did he didn't? MPS expenses record, then you would expect Clyde and the Labour Party to go at the seat with vigour?
But they won't because they know that the only candidate that can challenge Brian for his Parliamentary seat is writing this blog!
Labour members in frustration have told me that he won't be around until after the election is a called and then only paying fleeting visits, as he needs to fight to maintain his Council seat in Waltham Forest which is also been elected to on May 6th.
I wonder if he feels that is marginal?
And as for him gaining experience, the first lesson he has learnt is not to blow your cover before the campaign has begun!!
No doubt, Northampton South Labour Party will continue to resolve it local "Complex issues" but the electorate can't wait for them to do so and now they need an alternative to the Tory candidate, who is willing to fight for the seat and fight to win, not just go through the motions as a paper candidate expecting to lose and gaining "experience"
So Clyde Loakes may have thrown the towel in but if he hasn't got the stomach for the fight then I will work even harder to give the non Tory voters of Northampton South a chance of taking the seat from Brian Binley.
Indeed it would be better for all concerned if he just stood aside, but then again the Labour Party would simply parachute in another photo fit candidate.
But that won’t happen, but at least voters now know where they stand when they cast their votes later in the Spring.
Now Clyde tells the people of Northampton that he's "fully committed to the General election campaign" - Oh dear, not the first time he's been caught out trying to tell the people of Waltham Forest one thing and the people of Northampton something else.
ReplyDeleteWhen he stepped down as Chair of the Local Strategic Partnership in Waltham Forest following a furore over missing money he tried to claim he'd not been forced out. He told the people of waltham Forest it was his new responsibilities as Chair of the North London Waste Authority that had made him decide it was a good time to step down.
Deciding that extra work in London wouldn't be that popular in Northampton he told a different story to the Chron; "The reason that I stepped down was that the Council shouldn't be seen to dominate the LSP"
Clyde has said he's standing as MP in Northampton for the experience.
One of the first lessons he needs to learn is to keep his story straight.
Sounds like it's a two-horse race and this guy isn't riding on either of them. Go for it Tony.
ReplyDeleteOooo what a surprise - blog of independent(ish) former MP who left Labour because ... they selected him to fight a council seat but not his friend or something like that .... attacks Labour PPC for something written in local press. Former MP (elected under the new Labour banner), who once said that he didn't believe that any Cllr should serve on both County and Borough, gets agreement from his friends on his blog. Fun to read if not slightly predictable. What next ... its the fault of the regional party bods I imagine.
ReplyDeleteJust picked up this thread from Waltham Guardian. Tony Clarke says in his intro that 'Northampton deserves the truth' - I'm all for that but I can't find any record of this guy being the Chair of the Northern Ireland Select Committee?
ReplyDeleteOuch!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteHow the arrows of Labours archers sting from the anonymous hordes!!!!!!!!!!
Anoymous I left the Labour Party because the lied..........cheated...............broke their own party rules..........and insulted gay and black members of the party who dared to support me.......
The full story is on this blog and I have offered to go into court with evidence to back up every line.
Fields of Athen Rye.
During the suspension of the NI Assembly the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee was split into two. Michael Mates chaired the standing committee and I chaired the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee (devolved powers)
This committee continued until the 2005 election and is recorded in hansard with myself as the chair.
And is recorded as follows
Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
The Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee is appointed by the House and has a maximum of
13 Members with a quorum of 4. The Committee is empowered to examine the expenditure,
administration and policy of the Northern Ireland Office and the administration of the CrownSolicitor’s Office.
The Committee can take evidence in Northern Ireland and, in recent years, has done so in Belfast and Londonderry.
A sub-committee of the Northern Ireland Select Committee has also been established, with the
following terms of reference:
In order to undertake more scrutiny of previously devolved issues the Committee has set
up a sub-committee mainly to undertake inquiries into matters that previously fell withinthe remit of the Northern Assembly.
It is chaired by Tony Clarke and all members of the Committee are eligible to participate. The
Committee website indicates its current areas of activity
ends
Sorry guys, the truth always outs............
Looks like Loakes has popped up to try and distract from the embarassment he has created for himself. Labour supporters in Waltham Forest wish you all the best in defeating him and getting back into Parliament.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous...............unlike you I am proud to identify myself.
ReplyDeleteI was "the friend" you mentioned, but you got it wrong.
Imagine if you were the sitting Councillor, reselected by your ward, the group whip and chair of the election campaign and were phoned up by the regional office at 11pm the night before your endorsed nomination was to be submitted and told that "You are no longer a candidate" because someone had heard at a meeting that I may not be standing at the election!!!!!!!!"
Imagine as a gay man being told that I only supported Tony Clarke's position because he was Male!!!!!!!!!!
Imagine a regional Party which lied, twisted and turned at every step to undermine local party members!
If you do, then you will understand why most if not all former or existing Labour Party members will still vote for Tony Clarke over the regionaly imposed stooge Clyde Loakes anyday!!
I have always been a "people first" politician and when the Labour Party have a paper candidate who I understand will only pop into the seat on Fridays during the election (told to me by a p*ssed off local Labour campaigner)then you will understand why so many people are supporting Tony's stand and his campaign.
The responses to my posting say more about all of this than I ever could. (convenient) answers to only some of my points. On a serious point, if there has been issues of racism and homophobia, Tony Clarke should not wait to go to the court, he should take action now. I don't know who this 'Fields' guy is but I am sure he/she will find the 'committee website indicates it current areas of activity ...end' as ironic as I do. Anyway - the personal attacks never get us anywhere. I looked at the NIV website and am keen to see what policies you have if you get elected, and under our democratic collectivist system who else would support them in Parliament?
ReplyDeleteAnon, which points do you need answers to? i will gladly oblige.
ReplyDeleteWas it about being a County Councillor? If so I will say to you what i said at my election, and that is I think the County Council should be abolished, and that we should have just one Council not two.
In the past I have rightly critized those who sit on both and vote differently on both, but my loyalty is to the Borough and to achieving a unitary Council for Northampton.
Anything else you want to know please ask.
On the racist and homophobic comments from region, these are just the tip of the iceburg but it is for the people offended to decide what they wish to do about it, I of course would back them all the way.
on Policy ask away? happy to oblige, but Independent means just that, no whip, no collective agreement how to vote just cooperation for the wider good.
How's about we drop the anon and have an adult debate, person to person, I am game, how about you?
can we only have a debate if you know my name?
ReplyDeleteyou think the county council should be abolished, you want a unitary and believe in the borough, but give the county the authority it craves by sitting on it? It's UKIP time all over again.
We'll have to disagree over your hand wringing on homophobia and racism - it's not and never should be the oppressed who have to do something about it first before we get involved.
Are you serious in that we have to ask for your policies? Don't they come up front?
How about .... child trust funds? Labour Government implement them, Tories to take them away from any family with earnings over c£16k, Lib Dems to abolish totally.
How would Tony Clarke, Northampton Independent Voice Member of Parliament vote on this one?
Oh dear!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteDon't want to start a huge debate with a ghost, but happy to try an help you, if I can.
County Council/UKIP I guess so but there is a big difference between being an MEP on an institution you want to disrupt and being a Councillor serving people within the only system that exists, unlike UKIP I only want the Authority abolished not all its functions.
On Homophobia and Racism, you now know as much as I do, so I guess you will be true to your word and that you willreport the regional party for their actions. Peter Evans has already identified himself as one of those affected, I will ask the other person if he wishes to be involved.
My "beliefs" rather than policies (I am a person singular not a party) are clear and we will have a good debate on all issues on this site over the coming weeks,
I shall also be issueing a list of beliefs on this site shortly, so you will get your wish
On Child Trust Funds, I supported their inception and still feel they are a relevant tool in encouraging parents to save for their childrens futures so yes I am supportive.
I would also though involve local credit unions in the arrangements.
i hope this helps Mr/Mrs Anon, it would be good to talk on at least first name terms?
Now you have got me foxed Tony. If you are standing as a person, not a party where does the Northampton Independent Voice bit come in? The site asks us to 'join' but join what - NIV the 'party' or Tony Clarke the 'person' (how do we do the latter?) Can I be a 'member' and hold a different position than you on Child Trust Funds?
ReplyDeleteI hate to insult you but your answer to my question sounded like a politicians answer. How would you vote if an incoming Tory government proposed in parliament that the threshold was reduced to £16k? Would you back the current rules (Labour supported), or back the new threshold (Tory). If its neither, how and who would you get to support your position in the lobbies? There is another 'independent' MP Dr Richard Taylor and he supports current government policy so he's not budging. I think the people of Northampton South deserve more than ayes to right 365, noes to the left 243, NIVs 1.(my house of commons numbers don't add up!)
Why the obsession with names? Isn't politics about what we do rather then who we are?
How about immigration? What are your beliefs on this important policy?
Current Labour system, Tory proposals to cap the limit coming in (please no) or Lib Dem....who knows that they think.
If none of them, can we have some substance to the poli ... I mean beliefs?
First of all let me agree in part with you.
ReplyDeletePolitics is about what you do rather than who you are...........but who you are also has a bearing, as does your willingness to back the community you serve over any political master.
I thought I answered the question you raised on Child Trust funds? but for the avoidance of doubt I would vote to protect the system as is without any threshold.
NIV as it says on the website is not a political party, it is merely a collective, people "Join" us in giving their support to independent candidates who sign up to our priciples of fainess, honesty and equality, therfore if elected I would be Tony Clarke Independent, not Tony Clarke NIV
The main parties have got to get away from the imposition of national policy, in my view it is stifling local democracy and making all of the parties photofits of each other.
What if the Labour/Tory/Lib Party had a policy that removed Northampton from the West Coast Mainline? should their candidates/MP just go along with it because of the national party ruling? Of course not. Our country needs Independent and Independently minded MP's elected both outside and inside the party system. Our politicians should be able to act without fear of ridiculous sanction by their party whips.
History shows us that many a great leader of the Labour PArty in particular had at some point voted against their party, but in todays LP any vote against is the end of a career.
Imigration is a huge issue and I will try and cover it properly in the online debates I will be posting, but to give you an indication of my view I believe that succesive governments have failed to organise or resource the proccessing systems within the home office which has led to an unfair and also at times abused procees.
The rules need to be clearer, better managed and we should be seeking to encourage inwards migration where it matches skill gaps in the economy as well as closing loopholes which only boost the black economy and lead to exploitation.
Caps or abitary rules or lists are not the answer, our economy is stronger in part from the hard work of hundreds of thousands of legal migrant workers who daily serve our economy pay their tax and in doing so provide for those in society not able to work.
And yes these are beliefs, not policies, I own them, they do not belong to or are controlled by any third party.
I hope this helps, so I have been fair to you so how about we now dispose of the cloak?
You alright mate?
ReplyDeleteI will never understand just why "Anonymous" have to be Anonymous....
Maybe he/she is a BNP member and doesn't want anyone to know?
Maybe he/she is a wanted man/woman?
God help us if she/he is "one of my lot!!!"
Well argued by the way.
Count me in ~ you're my favourite; just don't tell the others!!!
"the only candidate that can challenge Brian for his Parliamentary seat is writing this blog!"
ReplyDelete'Challenging' from fourth place?