Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Lydia taking the leap--I'm a Tory now!
Hello Harringay,
A few weeks ago a good friend in the Conservatives asked me to run under their banner in the local elections and I didn't laugh right in his face.
My original excursion into politics was in 2001, when I joined the Conservatives because I was so angry about the Victoria Climbie thing but then I left them in 2005 because:
a) I got fed up of politics and
b) I got fed up of the Conservatives (mind you I was just as fed up of the other lot).
When, a few weeks ago, I was invited back to the treadmill, I wasn't any better disposed to the political life but there is so much sh*t going on in this borough that I decided I couldn't ignore it any more. I don't fit that well into a Party mold but seeing as the Conservatives are the only group really serious about opposition in this borough and seeing as I am an Angry Old Woman, I decided that *someone* has to do something. Don't talk to me about the LibDems. The place for nodding dogs is in the back of the car, not in the Council chamber.
*If you want to follow me on Twitter, the address is <@LoveHarringay>
*If you want to get in touch with me by phone, leave a message with Tottenham Conservatives on 020 8374 6305. I'll get back to you. Or email loveharringay@gmail.com.
*If you want to discuss political theory, ring the LSE.
And from now on, you can be as suspicious as you want about anything I say.
btw:
I and my two running-mates, Sean Rivers and Massimo Rossini (NB--Rivers, Rivlin & Rossini make The Three Rs, which all good Conservatives support) will be putting out a leaflet soon.
The local party have agreed to let us write up our own stuff, so we are actually going to be working hard on it, ourselves. At least take a look when it lands on your doormat.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Michael Anderson on
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Lydia, when I realised that your last name was Rivlin I Googled you to find out a bit more about you.
I found this
http://www.thisisull.com/articles05/hull/lydiarivlin.html
Which says someone called Lydia Rivlin stood for MP In Hull in 2005 And this
http://iznewmania.blogspot.co.uk/2006/10/lydia-rivlin-can-i-join-yo...
Which seems to be saying that a Lydia Rivlin was deputy chairman of the Tottenham Conservatives in 2006.
Are you the same Lydia Rivlin? This doesn't square with the statement in your original post that you left the Conservative Party in 2005. It also doesn't fit with the post you made about my bucket list where you said" I want to point out that I was not connected to anything political until about 4 weeks ago"
http://www.harringayonline.com/forum/topics/dear-local-election-can...
Are you the same person or have I made an error, which is perfectly possible?
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Permalink Reply by Lydia R on
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"Are you the same person or have I made an error, which is perfectly possible?"
No error Michael. I shouldn't think there is anyone else called Lydia Rivlin in the entire UK.
What I have said repeatedly in this segment (but there have been dozens of postings so perhaps you did not manage to read them all) is that I joined the Conservatives in 2001 (over the Victoria Climbie business-it is in my leaflet if you have one) and because I am a bit of a live wire, I became the Chair of Tottenham Conservatives in around 2004. I stood in Hull North in May 2005. I left the Conservatives in that same year--somewhere about October or November, I believe. I don't remember exactly when my card expired and I didn't renew it, but I had stopped attending meetings or involving myself couple of months before that.
Since then--which is 9 years ago-- until last month I had been blissfully politics-free. I did try standing in Seven Sisters on the Social Services issue after the Baby P case when there was a by-election subsequent to the death of Fred Knight, but I was standing as an independent and incurring the wrath of the Conservative party who felt betrayed by my actions since they were worried I would split the vote. I think you will agree that standing against the Conservatives at that time would be as definite a statement as is possible that I had cut my connections with them.
I regarded myself as completely out of political life until Haringey Council's sordid underbelly started to bother me again. Of course I was reading things in the local papers but ironically enough I was infuriated into doing something after hearing political gossip from a friend very active in the LibDems. In addition to that and entirely co-incidentally I was victimised online by some sort of a Socialist Worker type on another neighbourhood newsgroup, who made an internet search on my name and having discovered that I had been actively involved with the Conservatives, years previously, felt such a sense of outrage at my heretical ways he became determined to have me ejected from the newsgroup and launched a fierce campaign to that effect.
I feel it is important to stand up to bullies, and I feel it is even more important to stand up to religious bullies--whatever their religion.
There is a slightly more detailed account of this in the election leaflet, which is to be found on the website:
and I do hope this is the information you wanted.
Lydia Rivlin — so nauseated by vote rigging in the wards, venality in the Council, shenanigans in the Planning Department and disorganisation in the Social Services, that I signed up to fight it all by becoming a Conservative candidate in the May elections. One thing about the Tories—they haven’t been corrupted by power round here.
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Permalink Reply by John D on
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2006 is 8 years ago. I think it perfectly acceptable to say she wasn't connected until about 4 weeks ago.
She wasn't connected to politics in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014.
I'll; be glad when the election is past and the hair-splitting ( and hair pulling ) is over
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It's neither hair splitting nor hair pulling.
I expect openness from candidates who are asking me to vote for them. Reading Lydia's posts I got the genuine impression that she was spurred into politics by her view of Labour mismanagement of the borough. The reality is that she is someone who has been very involved in politics and has stood twice as a Conservative candidate, once as an MP and once as a GLA member. And was trying to become an MEP. I would have thought that her political experience would be something she would be proud of and want to let us know about to show her aptitude for the role of ward councillor. Also, another Google search shows that she stood as an independent candidate in Haringey for Seven Sisters ward in 2009 so it is not true that she has been unconnected to politics since 2006.
Someone who is standing should expect scrutiny and be scrupulously open about their political past. I expect the same for any of the other candidates who are asking for my vote.
By the way Lydia, the person who accused you of having an association with a fascist was not me or Seema, it was Justin Hinchcliffe of the Tottenham Conservative party. I do not think, from anything you have posted or that I have read online, that you hold views that are remotely like those this vile man holds.
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Michael,
I have written a book about disability, that doesn't make me an expert on disability. As you know, I own a horse, that doesn't make me an expert on horseriding. I have brought up three children, but no-one has asked me to expound on my theories of childhood on TV. I have been married for 40 years but that doesn't make me a marriage councillor. I used to write comedy scripts for the BBC but I do not now call myself a scriptwriter. How much are people expected to hang on to in all the experiences of their lives?
As I said, I was in party politics for 5 years and have been out of party politics for 9 years. Perhaps 9 years is not a long time for you but it is a very long time for me. I considered myself non-political, and certainly proved that by standing independently in 2009. That election bid as an Independent was not political, it was protest.
Actually, I still consider mysef non-political, in that -- as I have already stated -- I will not support the Conservatives, right or wrong and will not fail publicly to criticise immorality in any political party. If you and your colleagues in the Labour Party could say the same thing, then I would not have been obliged to put myself forward in the first place.
Lydia Rivlin — so nauseated by vote rigging in the wards, venality in the Council, shenanigans in the Planning Department and disorganisation in the Social Services, that I signed up to fight it all by becoming a Conservative candidate in the May elections. One thing about the Tories—they haven’t been corrupted by power round here.
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Also found this
BLYTHE HILL BOY
Why did Lydia Rivlin quit the Tories?
December 11th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
JUSTIN HINCHCLIFFE
She always said that you would leave if she didn’t get the GLA nomination for Enfield-Haringey. And she didn’t! Her Agent is one Mr Delderfield, a very controversial character with odious views on immigration. I think he may be ex NF? Strange bedfellows…
December 11th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/guide/seat-profiles/tottenham/comment-...
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Permalink Reply by Seema Chandwani on
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As in Dennis Delderfield? The founder of the far right wing party "New Britain"?
No way!
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Are you trying to imply I am a racist, Seema? I am Jewish. My daughter-in-law is Jamaican. What sort of a racist would I be?
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Ms Rivlin.
I find it astonishing that you responded to Michael so composed but when it comes to me, you lose the plot. I could see I was causing you distress and decided today to leave you alone, in fact I have been pretty civil to you despite the way you have launched at me personally several times in a vile and nasty manner.
Moving on to this new episode of sheer "Rivlin Rambling Rubbish" ...
Justin Hinchcliffe said:
Her Agent is one Mr Delderfield, a very controversial character with odious views on immigration. I think he may be ex NF? Strange bedfellows…
This was an accusation or insinuation about YOU
Seema Chandwani said:
As in Dennis Delderfield? The founder of the far right wing party "New Britain"?
This was a question about Mr Delderfield
Lydia Rivlin said:Are you trying to imply I am a racist, Seema?
This is just paranoid and strange deflecting fantasy and weirdness
I have no idea how you drew that conclusion. I also have no idea when Justin said it and Michael posted it, you come to me? What is that about? It is just odd...!
Sincerely, I am now worried for you, I feel embarrassed for you and the way you are coming across.
Please stop. Please.
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I am sorry to have offended your sensibilities, Seema. I was not aware that anyone in the local Labour Party was capable of embarrassment and am relieved that there is at least one.
Lydia Rivlin — so nauseated by vote rigging in the wards, venality in the Council, shenanigans in the Planning Department and disorganisation in the Social Services, that I signed up to fight it all by becoming a Conservative candidate in the May elections. One thing about the Tories—they haven’t been corrupted by power round here.
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Also, it just occurred to me that the local Labour Party must be really REALLY worried, if they have started throwing racist mud around. I note that you have not so far had much luck winning an argument, and the Party is certainly are not winning on morality. So now you are trying the 'racist' trump card.
Well, politics is a dirty business, although I do fervently hope that I am never panicked into such desperate tactics against any of my opponents.
Lydia Rivlin — so nauseated by vote rigging in the wards, venality in the Council, shenanigans in the Planning Department and disorganisation in the Social Services, that I signed up to fight it all by becoming a Conservative candidate in the May elections. One thing about the Tories—they haven’t been corrupted by power round here.
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Yes, Justin was very VERY annoyed, as you can see. I didn't see that stuff about the GLA nomination but let's just call that a little exaggeration. There would have been no chance of me getting it because the Hornsey and Wood Green branch were not overfond of me. While I was Chair of the Tottenham lot I organised a series of talks to which I invited the likes of Peter Tatchell and Frank Field. As I have frequently said, I didn't fit the Conservative mold too well. One of the members in particular loathed me--as I loathed him. He had no imagination and resented mine. So no, the GLA would have been a non-starter. As I said, I became disillusioned with the Conservatives. I think the chap with whom I was having the furious row about inviting Tatchell ended up leaving the Tories and joining UKIP so you might agree that I had probably chosen the right man to irritate.
And yes, Delderfield was around during my Baby P campaign. He delivered some leaflets for me. I discussed nothing with him but which streets he was going to post and remembered him as being quite deeply involved with the Labour Party previously and delivering leaflets for them in Fortis Green, where I used to live. I paid no attention at all to the history of anyone who was prepared to help me try to avenge that child's death by delivering literature about it. I was so steamingly furious about what happened that I would have had the Devil himself delivering leaflets if he had offered to do so. But I rather think the Devil was working for the other side at the time.
Lydia Rivlin — so nauseated by vote rigging in the wards, venality in the Council, shenanigans in the Planning Department and disorganisation in the Social Services, that I signed up to fight it all by becoming a Conservative candidate in the May elections. One thing about the Tories—they haven’t been corrupted by power round here.
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