Labour's suicide mission knows no bounds. Their National Executive Committee have just suspended 5 Durham County Councillors from the Easington area apparently in some spat over women candidates (Labour in Easington only put up 4 women candidates for 24 seats). But what has been missed by the BBC in reporting this is that the suspensions have now stripped Labour of their majority on Durham County. Previously with a lead of 8 over the opposition, they are now in a minority of 2.
Make a note of this everyone - for Labour had held Durham County Council since 1919.
Adding to their self-inflicted woes is the position of one of the suspended councillors, Alan Napier. He is Leader of Easington District Council. By the looks of it, not for much longer. As a suspendee (is there such a word?) he is no longer eligible to serve in a Labour administration, never mind as Leader. Mind you, his successor as Leader of Easington will be the equivalent of a new captain being appointed to the Titanic after the ship had struck the iceberg but before she finally went down - Easington Council has one year left before it is abolished. Councillor Napier was also thought of as a likely deputy leader of the new unitary Durham County. Not any more.
And then there is the case of Albert Nugent, leader of the County Council until yesterday. He is one of the suspended Gang of Five. The suspension of this Old Labour party boss was perfectly timed for his New Labour opponents. University lecturer Simon Henig, who my spies tell me is New Labour to the core, is now the new Leader - the election by the Labour group was yesterday and dear old Albert was, alas, no longer entitled to stand or even attend the group meeting.
So interesting times ahead in the former Labour fortress of Durham County. The outer walls of the defences have been breached (mainly by the Lib Dems) and the defending Labour guards have turned their weapons on each other. Thanks guys.
4 comments:
Henig used to get himself on the BBC quite a lot commenting on local politics prior to his election to Chester-le-Street (I think) District Council.
I wonder if the broadcasters knew of his political affiliations back then?
He also wrote a well-plugged book prior to the last general election discussing the complexities of each constituency.
Simon Henig is the son of Stan Henig (ex MP for Lancaster and leader of the City Council for a while) and Ruth (Ex Labour PPC & County Councillor for Lancaster) so I doubt his political affiliations were a closely guarded secret.
Albert Nugent was a complete total waste of time anyway, so no great loss(personal or political)to the so called electorate.
My ex son in law, who is a LD councillor in the NE, wrote to Durham CC and Councillor Nugent on the traffic management of the stretch of road on the A690 between the traffic lights on the entrance to the East Park and Ride Scheme and the A1. The council's/councillor's response on the road lay out was in accordanece with official government procedures / nil prospectively.
This stretch of road remains a death trap. So his despise and hopefully permanent suspension will "teach him" to listen to the people and acknowledge correspondence in the future.
Ken Williams
West Rainton
County Durham
What about the producer at the BBC who asked Henig to comment ad nauseaum: are his political affiliations "a closely guarded secret"?
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