The disgusting Tory letter in this weeks Ob

[Less]

I asked him on three separate e-mails to retract this part (the first time it was rewritten, but it still remains now):

Quote:
Originally Posted by g jones
And the third smear of many...
Last year there co-incidentally there was a Freedom of Information request from a Tory activist about all councillors expenses, and from my perspective particularly my phone bill which was very high. This was due to me being the primarily carer for the last 5 years of her life. I do not know how someone would know to ask for this as it had never been asked for before.

The FOI asked for Mobile Phone expenses but not mileage (mine is £zero) or Carers allowances (£zero again). It also asked for conference allowances for one particular year and no others, the only year I went to a conference. I am amazed how Tory activists can guess just what to ask for to try and cause the maximum damage of personal pain?

The activist concerns has stated to me at the time that this was done without any malice and out of desire for information from all Councillors.

Why would a Tory activist seek this information? It came at a time I was informed people were looking at Council affairs internally for political reasons.

As it was I paid for all personal calls, line by line and met with the Managing Director to make sure everything was satisfactory and he knew fully and clearly my difficulties. My gran had dementia and was dying and being in touch was beyond any cost. She brought me up in later life.

Clearly the headline phone figure would have been damaging information in itself and my suspicion is there was political advantage behind the FOI, possibly at the expense of my grandmother again.
It's essentially about me. All I did was use FOI legislation to request ALL councillors expenses as I was interested in it. There are a lot of supposed links and 'suspicions' in what I just quoted. There are many inaccuracies, for example I did ask for travel expenses. Graham seems to believe that I didn't ask for some things because his were £0 (and therefore no political advantage) except I requested food and it was £0. I had no knowledge of what would be revealed until after they came back, too, of course.

They basically add up to Graham accusing me of requesting the information to political advantage at the expense of his grandmother. To be honest that's a shocking smear on myself.

Neither the letter nor what I have quoted above should ever have been written or published. Graham is doing exactly what he claims he is against. What he has written about me he has only done to back up his case of 'smears by Conservatives'; except when it comes to myself, there is no smear, or malice. I was never aware of his family situation until he informed me himself after the expenses were publicised.

To be honest they're all as pathetic as each other. I couldn't imagine Greg Pope doing something like this.

and this pile of brown offerings is in a thread you started about Party Funding because....

Why didn't you have a really good sob and start a new 'I think I'll go and eat worms', thread rather than wander all over this one?

Sorry that's a question, you don't do questions do you?

Oops another question, still ignore it, you're good at that!

Plus, not everyone would have recognised the person mentioned as you until somebody let it out of the bag.

[andrewb]

Originally Posted by Less

and this pile of brown offerings is in a thread you started about Party Funding because....

Why didn't you have a really good sob and start a new 'I think I'll go and eat worms', thread rather than wander all over this one?

Sorry that's a question, you don't do questions do you?

Oops another question, still ignore it, yor good at that!

Plus, not everyone would have recognised the person mentioned as you until somebody let it out of the bag.

I was replying to Katex. She brought it up here.. if the mods want to take the posts and make a new thread then so be it.

Anyone who read the thread on Accyweb knows it's me.

[Less]

Originally Posted by andrewb

I was replying to Katex. She brought it up here.. if the mods want to take the posts and make a new thread then so be it.

Anyone who read the thread on Accyweb knows it's me.

well sorry to ask a question but where did katex bring this blog of grahams up?

I noticed her talking about a letter, but not his blog.

[andrewb]

Originally Posted by Less

well sorry to ask a question but where did katex bring this blog of grahams up?

I noticed her talking about a letter, but not his blog.

It was to do with the letter! Report it if you think it's in the wrong place. No need to bring it up in this thread.

[Less]

Originally Posted by andrewb

No need to bring it up in this thread.

Well said, sense like a long awaited bout of puberty has finally hit you.

[g jones]

Originally Posted by andrewb

I've now read the letter. I don't think it should have ever been written or published.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QKMiXWShBz...0/DSC03652.JPG

I appreciate Andrew coming out and condemning this letter and I am grateful to him for that. He is to be applauded for it.

That letter was the lowest and dirtiest smear attack I can recall.

Firstly on two homes. I do not have two homes. My gran died and the estate is selling the property (Buy The House). The letter used my grans house (by saying another Labour wannabe with two homes) to compare me with the disgraced MP's fiddling two homes and Stephen Byers for hire. It wrongly stated i owned my grans and said essentially I was disgrace for it.

Councillors Lyn Wilson, Peter Britcliffe, Susan Haworth all repeated part or all or all or made reference too this in Full Council as well. It had obviously been discussed by Conservatives and decided it was a beneficial line of attack. Those involved were clearly sick in their thinking when doing this.

Needless to say to using someone who is dead and cannot answer for themselves to twist such a disgusting story should resign.

Secondly it used the pot holes on Hodder Street to add to the smear saying "I used my influence as a Councillor to get my street done up". The Standards Board said exactly word for word: "that there was no evidence or suggestion of any malice or intention of personal gain by Cllr. Jones "

The Tories have been smearing for years and will lower themselves lower than the sewer to cover up the failings to run to run the Borough.

[garinda]

Yes, but the letter wasn't signed 'Councillor', and gave no address. So perhaps it's purely coincedantal, that the author had the misfortunate to have the same name as a councillor on Hyndburn Borough Council.



Still, if the bonnet fits, and you think there was some 'hidden' some party political agenda, we'll take your word for it.

Though I for one, and am sure many others, was taken in, and had absolutely no idea the author had any political ties.

You live and learn.

[g jones]

What has my Grans house to do with Stephen Byers, David Chayter et al?

[LYNX1]

It's ridiculous that this was printed without the Observer checking the facts, I think it's even worse that they have made it so prominent, wouldn't be surprised if PB had a hand in it

[turkishdelight]

Many people own two homes, no big deal. One of my houses has pot holes all over the front road, if i was a councillor i would use my influence to make improvements to the road,who wouldnt for the benefit of other residents too.

[LYNX1]

Originally Posted by turkishdelight

Many people own two homes, no big deal. One of my houses has pot holes all over the front road, if i was a councillor i would use my influence to make improvements to the road,who wouldnt for the benefit of other residents too.

I think most people will realise that it is a smear campaign against Graham, if these people think that this is needed it says a lot about their mentality.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by LYNX1

It's ridiculous that this was printed without the Observer checking the facts, I think it's even worse that they have made it so prominent, wouldn't be surprised if PB had a hand in it

It is almost risible, that our 'news'paper choose this as the prize winning, letter of the week, and decided to accompany it with a photograph of Cllr. Jones.

Sadly I don't think the investigative standards of journalism at the Observer are up there with the Washington Post. As was recently witnessed when they covered the 'story' of an 'innocent' photographer being hounded in the police state of Accrington. Even though a little reasearch uncovered factual evidence that he was a member of an organisation which relished conflict with those who uphold our laws.

People aren't stuipd, no matter what the papers think, or those who try to score political Brownie points, by hiding their status as a councillor, and their address.

[andrewb]

As much as I agree that the letter should not have been published.. I think you've been hypocritical.

You've used this to your political advantage and are essentially smearing me, by making things up about me at the end of your blog post regarding this letter. It makes it sound like there is some prolonged Conservative smear campaign, which weakens your argument when half of it is a false, incorrect, made up conspiracy without any shred of evidence.

Neither the letter in the Observer nor your blogpost comments regarding me should have been published. As I said at http://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/803130-post49.html they're all as pathetic as each other.

[Stanleymad]

Posts have been merged all related to letter in paper is now here that was taken from the party funding thread, please can i remind people about posting in appropiate places or start new topic if veering onto different discussions completely - saves a non political mod having a nitemare shifting em - thanks

[garinda]

Originally Posted by andrewb

It makes it sound like there is some prolonged Conservative smear campaign

I don't think they have the wit, guile, intelligence, or indeed energy, to mount a sustained smear campaign.

Much easier to settle for a short, and last minute act of desparation.