I would just like to thank all of those who have offered me their support this week and continue to do so – friends, colleagues and those from across the political spectrum and around the world. I thank all of you that have blogged or reposted the story, including those through facebook (or that “form of witchcraft” according to some of my fellow East Riding Tory Councillors…).
The update 2 at the end of the previous blog post shows exactly what for I have been censured for.
Having read the post I realised that I made a startling omission - When making the complaint to the Standards Committee, Mr Whitley attempted to do so under the cloak of anonymity. His request was certainly at odds with his numerous critical letters referring to me in the Goole Times, the Goole Courier and the East Riding Mail, as well as his own Lib Dem site (closed since he deserted the Lib Dems for Labour) - clearly not the actions of a man looking to keep his name out of the public domain. Attempting to anonymously place a complaint to the Standards Committee in the run up to an election, where he was planning to stand against me, is in my opinion nothing short of cynical.
I am at least grateful that this request was not granted by the Standards Committee.
Some of those blogs/sites are carrying this story are:
Conservativehome blog
Taxpayers Alliance website
Carl Minns Blog - A View from Hull
HU12Online - The Hedon blog
John in Gilberdyke blog
and the great reporting by the East Riding Mail at here and especially here
2 comments:
If I might add my voice of support. Your blog is an excellent source of local news and a readily accessible means by which to engage in the local democratic process.
The verdict reached by the standards council is one that stifles that democractic voice and seeks to exclude those who would participate. I simply cannot understand how that is compatible with any of the aims of the council or the standards committee.
Although Paul is absolutely right in his technical appraisal of the rules, this is not, and never was, about rights and wrongs, standards or disrepute. Paul is guilty of one thing and one thing only – doing the job we elected him to do. He is one of the few Councillors who have the intelligence and ability to hold the Council Officers and Executive to account. All readers of this blog have seen what he does.
Just one example being that he is the only East Riding Councillor to actually fight and win a planning appeal at a public inquiry when the Council officers couldn’t and wouldn’t present any evidence – this could be seen as embarrassing for the Council.
It was notable that he was one of only a handful of ERYC tory councillors standing up for the residents of the East Riding outraged by the pension top up of senior Council Officers.
Witchcraft or Witch-hunt?
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