All posts in the topic DO WE NEED ANOTHER MAYOR? (Short link)
Summary
- There are 2 posts — by 2 authors — in this topic.
- Latest post made by Mike Law at Jun 08 21:21 UTC
In the recorder there are some letters published about whether or not we should
in Newham continue with an elected Mayor. Legislation allows, after a minimum
period following a successful referendum on the issue, to allow a second
referendum to see if us "joe public" want it to continue.
I put in my thoughts on this, as well as the rationale behind one chap
complaining about it, but the root question do we really want to keep an
elected Mayor is a valid one and debate we should be engaging in.
Here is my letter that I sent to the Recorder:
David, I read you letter as it has been edited in the Recorder with interest. [The edited version - as appears in the Recorder - can be found here: http://www.newhamrecorder.co.uk/content/newham/recorder/postbag/story.aspx?brand=RECOnline&category=postbagnewham&tBrand=northlondon24&tCategory=postbagnewham&itemid=WeED05%20Jun%202008%2009%3A46%3A39%3A890 ] As you will be aware, I agree with the point you make about the lack of scrutiny on Newham Council: I've banged on about it often enough. In defence of John Whitworth, I have to say that you will be unaware of the efforts made by John (as well as John Saunders, Sarah Ruiz and myself), from within the structures of the Labour Party, to address the failings of the mayoral system that have come about in Newham. Sarah and I decided to leave the Labour Party as a result of our frustrations. Both Johns chose to stay in the party but I understand that they remain committed to trying to address the problems; as a result they were rewarded for their efforts by being de-selected - an eerie indicator of the power the mayor has over the supposedly democratic selection procedures as implemented by the Labour Party. However, it was a revelation to see that the following passage from your letter was omitted from the printed version: " Mr Whitworth is in a far better position to say why no one in Newham Labour has ever scrutinised any of the Mayors decisions, have never gone on record in council demanding answers or offering an alternative position. The only one who did was Mike Law, who resigned and joined the Tories, a man of principle." First, thanks for the kind words, but I feel a bit of a fraud as I didn't cross the floor until as late in my term as a councillor as the last nine months. Prior to the date I did leave the Labour benches, I had voiced my concerns about the administration at Labour Group meetings and at other venues within the Labour Party. The thing that I find most disturbing about the editor's choice of omission is the fact that he has taken it upon himself to remove from a letter submitted to the paper's supposedly public opinion page a message of support for someone who has opposed the current Town Hall administration. On a personal level, I'm not surprised by the fact that I've been airbrushed out of the letter; I've had my fair share of run-ins with the Recorder's editor so I expect as much. What should be of concern is the fact that, if he is that comfortable editing the words of an ordinary member of the public to prevent upsetting Wales and his chums, what confidence can we have that there is any truthful analysis in the articles reporting on the activities of the Council that appear in the Recorder? Oh, and it cannot be argued that the letter was edited because of limits of space on the page - the headings of the letters could be printed in a smaller type. And there is no issue of "space" on web pages.