Yesterday was a bad day for democracy and a bad day for Salford City Council taxpayers. Both the called-in decisions – on the pink rink and LIFE in Salford magazine – were rammed through on the Labour whip. Dissent was not tolerated.
The net result is that when the Council budget is tight and residents are tightening their belts, our Labour leadership is blowing £150000 of taxpayers money on the ice rink and another six-figure sum on increasing the Council’s propaganda output.
Councillor Jane Murphy, the sole remaining Labour representative for Eccles Ward, went even further. She stood up and said that she would like to see LIFE in Salford published every week, before launching an outspoken attack on the Advertiser. She’s not the first Labour Councillor to do so.
I do wonder how much Cllr Murphy’s proposal would cost, and whether the good people of Eccles, Monton and Ellesmere Park would agree with her. I suspect not.
I am so surprised that Little Bo Peep has made the statement in relation to the Salford rag and her desire to se “Life In ” published weekly.
No doubt she needs as much publicity as she can as can, for her name is on the 2010 list
Little Bo Peep she might be however we Salfordian’s wont have the wool pulled over our eyes, for Little Bo Peep will lose her seat!!!
One point struck me yesterday and it seems to be a hallmark of the way Labour handles policy.
They ask for alternatives to their plans, they then hold anyone who questions their policies to the extreme of the argument. Those who question the TiF bid, oh they dont wont ‘growth, jobs….etc, those against the ‘Life In’ magazine, they are against communicating with residents, those against the Pink Rink, they want to cancel Christmas!.
How can you debate against that type of logic. I objected to the above because I want to promote independent media, I want Christmas festivities that give to their community,not leave us cleaning up after it into the next year and I want a thriving economy where we are equal partners with those in the rest of Greater Manchester not a Tif scheme that is full of promises, re hash of old schemes and a financial plan that verges on Xmas fairy tale.
Lets hope for change.
Yes Iain you are correct it was a bad day for democracy on Wednesday.
The thought that all Salfords residents are busy reading the Life In Salford magazine is pure fantasy.
Poor old Little Bo Peep is off with the fairies.
Iain, this might be of interest to you and your readers…
http://www.richardcarvath.blogspot.com/2008/12/merrys-christmas.html
The Salford Labour leader John Merry has made it into Private Eye again (over the Life in Salford propaganda magazine).
Scrapeing the barrel a bit Richard I have never recieved a letter from Private Eye asking for the details of my survey. If this statement is untrue I invite Private Eye to sue me for libel!
Maybe Private Eye will sue us both at the same time!