5 Comments

• Cllr Neil Bradbury 10th Apr '08 - 10:13pm

  Jonathans article is too nice to Labour – there’s at least one more Labour candidate standing against his party – Labour councillor Bill Garrett is standing as an independent against tha labour candidate. His wife, also a Labour coucnillor, signed his papers as did a Tory councillor!

  Even funnier is the behaviour of the Tories in Northumberland. Four in the wets of teh county are standing as independents against their own party after not being selected by the Tories. One is the tory LEADER of Tynedlae District council, the only Tory controlled council in the NE!!! In the latest edition of our local paper (not yet on the net) he says he hopes he can remain as Tory leader of the district council after the elections. In addition Labour councillors who have not been selected want compensation!

  http://www.hexham-courant.co.uk/news/viewarticle.aspx?id=822996

  http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2008/04/07/independent-stance-as-party-lines-abandoned-61634-20728032/

  http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2008/04/08/outrage-at-move-for-compensation-61634-20732611/

• Cllr Neil Bradbury 10th Apr '08 - 10:14pm

  sorry seem to have lost the ability to spell!

• Tynedale Truth 15th Apr '08 - 10:25am

  Neil

  Where does it say M Walton is continuing as leader?

  The ‘wife’ did not sign Garrett’s papers.

  You ought to get your facts right!

• Cllr Neil Bradbury 15th Apr '08 - 12:09pm

  Mr Tynedale truth, whoever you are. You are right in one out of two points you make.

  It appears I was wrongly informed. Having checked the council website Independent candidate (and former labour councillor stalwart) Bill Garretts papers were not signed by his Labour councillor wife but they definitely were signed by Cllr Andy Gill, conservative councillor for Prudhoe. Sorry for the confusion! I wonder how Cllr Lorna Garrett will be voting at the election?

  However, I am right that Cllr Walton is the leader of Tynedale Council and wishes to remain so. The Hexham Courant reports that “Coun. Walton said at this stage he was hopeful of being re-elected [as leader] at the council’s annual meeting in May”.

  Hardly deflects from the point that the Tories and Labour are in a dog fight in many of their held wards against independents who are long standing former members of their own party.

• Tynedale Truth 21st Apr '08 - 12:08pm

  Cllr Bradbury

  Walton – it is also reported that he is suspended by his party, pending investigation. I assume Cllr Gill will also be undergoing the same investigation.

  You also fail to inform readers that former lib-dem councillor Bill Grigg, who you and your colleagues ousted 11 months ago, is standing in Corbridge as an independent. Furthermore, Cllr Appleby who left your group 12 months ago in the huff and stood as an independent against the official Lib-Dem candidate, was readmitted to your party straight away after the local elections and is now standing in the unitary elections in East Tynedale.

  Talk about the dog talking about dog fights.

  The truth is out there!