Is Clive's answer to Mark too smooth to be true or an honest public reply?

Since writing this last night I have seen that Clive has replied on this blog and everyone seems to be noting that he is offering to hand in his job over all this. I want to make it clear that the very last thing I want to see is a good politician (not that we have many) be lost because of the heat as the utter evil b****ds can take as much as can be dished up without blinking. I've tried to look beyond Clive's offer to resign and see what it all means. I am still lost as to what I should trust though as the actual evidence is in short supply. Maybe it is six of one half a dozen of the other?

Since I started to plan to write this post I have flip-flopped back and forth as to my reaction to Cllr Clive Hart's offer to stand down as leader of the Labour Party in reply to Mark Nottingham's comments.

My problem is that I don't trust politicians at all and have an even lower opinion of Thanet's lot. On the other hand I liked Clive on the few times that I met him. Clive has come the closest anyone has to getting me to sign up to a party and stand as a candidate. Sadly, however, I am still not a candidate nor a party member.

At first I think Bravo Clive (most honourable) and then I think that's not good Thanet might need you. Then I find myself wondering if this proves Clive is not in it for the money and should stay and then my cynical nature has me wonder if Clive is escaping after being called out by Mark. Then I wonder if Mark is just a nut case that Clive could well live without...

So I wonder if I should think that maybe this resignation is the action of a cowered and then I think maybe it is a brave action. Only later to find myself I thinking that it is the reaction of a man stretched by life just a little too far and with too much on his plate. Only to go full circle and wonder the whole lot again.

Maybe it is a little of some or all of those things?

I see a strong well written and clearly thought out rebuttal telling "Clive's side of the story" and then I wonder why he fails to address some of the accusations. Is it that Mark's post is too silly to talk about or has Mark hit a nerve?

Was there a little truth bending that could be embarrassing while Mark is over reacting? I know that candidates try to puff up their own importance and this might have caused a misfire in Marks passion for the job?

I can't tell if this is a genuine reply or extra smooth with a side helping of smooth and sprinklings of extra smooth smoothness on top. Both sides treating this whole thing as a public Freedom Of Information Request for all available facts and documents would help but I suspect that Clive is looking to make this a case of who-do-you-trust and who-has-the-best-history which does not help me see the truth.

Is Clive changing the subject or has Mark "lost it"?

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» Continue Reading: Thanet Labour: Smooth spin or honest response?

Thanet Labour have been accused of corrupt lack of transparency and bias in the selection of candidates scoring a spectacular own goal on the eve of the Thanet Council Election

Indeed Clive Hart the leader of the Labour party has been directly accused by a member of the Labour Party of being complicit in biased, unconstitutional selection which would be an act of gross hypocrisy in light of his strong statements in council.

Three goes the £1 I had riding on Labour for a clean win.

At the very least Labours leadership stands accused (here)of being less than transparent and not ensuring that due process as followed and that the truth was misplaced (or suppressed). In short the leadership has been called out for cheating. All at a level of slime and disgrace that we have had to endure from the Conservatives for so long.

Thanet Star put it to Clive Hart and a number of Labour members that being exposed may have brought the party's good name into disrepute and indeed undermined democracy in Thanet. There was no reply.

Therefore Clive and Co Thanet Star would like to challenge you to answer our question in public. Thanet does not need leadership that seeks to take advantage of others or to abuse the system for personal gain. We've had that for far too long. The Thanet Star is here let us see your evidence.

With both party's determined to show themselves up maybe this is the year that the Liberal Democrats take back some ground? After all in the Dane Valley by election Labour enjoyed a 1% up swing and took it more by default than anything else while Lib-Dem came from no-where to a close second. The message from the people of Thanet to the Political Parties is that we have had enough of this shit.

According tot he trolls of late I am located somewhere between the far right and the far left. It all depends who you ask and when you ask them.

To help readers through this quagmire of opinions I have created a nice little chart.



I hope that clears things up for everyone.

On the whole not many people were able to describe themselves as "happy with Thanet District Council". In our straw poll a lot of people chose descriptions which were unprintable or anatomically impossible when describing their feelings towards Thanet District Council. Poor old TDC is not doing to well in the approval ratings.



The man on the street does seem to think that Thanet District Council (TDC) are generally a liability and at best should be associated with reproductive departure.




Thanet, China and Good Leadership as demonstrated by this Venn Diagram. While it can be said that China has some moments of reasonable leadership at least to the point that the current administration is still leading the same can not be said for the local authority that went on holiday to China at the expense of developers whose plans they later gave an almost unanimous vote of yes on a certain planning permission application they were pushing. That a yes vote was the only way the the aforementioned council would stand to earn a pile of cash on is considered a footnote.




It's not hard to see why the council is treated to such scorn. They might just be the only authority in the UK to get a 100% yes vote from a consultation and then pass a no resolution. Likely captions history might give this moment are: The council: it's their way or the high way or maybe Enacting the will of the people: You're doing it wrong - I'm sure you can come up with a few of your own.

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» Continue Reading: 2010 Review