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 Lydia R on
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Ms. Chandwani,
I am, of course, sorry that you are in such a state of bafflement. May I suggest that you actually read what I have already written down? It might reduce your sense of confusion.
Try taking a look at the opening statement, with which I started this posting and which is quoted at the top of every page. In the event that you are not aware of the scroll bar, it is at the side of the window you have open right now. Point your cursor there and drag it to the top. There you will see that I am very explicit about being a candidate, and that the title of this posting (I'm a Tory now) offers a small clue which would tend to ease the reader in.
My suggestion is that you look through the various conversations in this posting to find a vast expanse of my views. Many people may disagree with my opinions but I am sure they will all admit that they can be absolutely sure what my opinions are.
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Permalink Reply by Seema Chandwani on
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Ms. Chandwani,
I am, of course, sorry that you are in such a state of bafflement. May I suggest that you actually read what I have already written down? It might reduce your sense of confusion.
Try taking a look at the opening statement, with which I started this posting and which is quoted at the top of every page. In the event that you are not aware of the scroll bar, it is at the side of the window you have open right now. Point your cursor there and drag it to the top. There you will see that I am very explicit about being a candidate, and that the title of this posting (I'm a Tory now) offers a small clue which would tend to ease the reader in.
My suggestion is that you look through the various conversations in this posting to find a vast expanse of my views. Many people may disagree with my opinions but I am sure they will all admit that they can be absolutely sure what my opinions are.
Do you think this rudeness to a resident makes you look clever?
Continue to reply to me, Lydia, I insist. It's helping people see what you are really like and they can decide on the 23rd May... Oops, I mean 22nd May, shows how much I know that I thought the election was on the wrong day!
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"Do you think this rudeness to a resident makes you look clever?"
Ms. Chandwani,
I am prepared to talk to anyone with respect--as you will see from the rest of these postings--when I am approached with a modicum of seriousness. Where my patience breaks is when I see someone who obviously should know better being deliberately obtuse and pointless without advancing any argument.
I am not on this page for the purpose of sweet-talking agents provacateurs of various sorts. I am on this page because I can see corruption and intimidation going on from the Council, as well as waste and nepotism, and I think--no, I am absolutely positive, that it is so wrong that I have to stand up and shout about it (as should everyone else). Politicianspeak and stroking your ego is not in my agenda.
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Would it help if I asked you the questions again in another or will you still use "Politicianspeak" to stroke your own ego and continue to be evasive?
Let's try...
- Why is your signature on HoL not declaring you are a candidate?
- What are the parts of your party's policy you get a bit "miffed" at?
- To break this down: What are your thoughts on Forced Academies? Abolishing of Council Tax? The Bedroom Tax? Betting Shops? Council budget cuts? Decent homes budgets?
These are local issues, I am not asking you about Foriegn Policy or Boris' police cuts.
You can brand me what you will, your personal insults/digs/comments towards me amuse me greatly. But answer the question and stop showing yourself up.
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Oh Lord, none so deaf as the perpetually poutraged.
1. It should be obvious to even the slowest that I am a candidate. I have to point out that *you* managed that one. As for the legality, since the election hasn't started yet, it is not required.
2. I’m not going into that, it would take up too much room and time and bore everyone rigid. There are some comments among my postings—you might usefully employ all the time you obviously have for irrelevancies in looking through them.
3. Academies: a Labour invention. Council tax: you put this in twice. Get a grip. Comment below on the second mention. Bedroom tax: a long and serious subject for which a quick answer is impossible. But you know that, don’t you? Betting shops (flourishing under Labour)—read the leaflet. Council budget cuts: Oh yes. Everyone is frightfully rich. We can all afford to pay more and more and more Council tax frittered away on a lot of mad schemes that go nowhere. We love it, really. I am particularly pleased to note that nearly £2m of our Council tax was spent last year on Consultants’ fees while the rubbish collections dribble away to nothing. Gives you a warm feeling when you see all those happy rats scuttling about. Decent homes budgets: ditto the previous.
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Permalink Reply by Michael Anderson on
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Lydia, you might be interested in the final point of my bucket list
http://www.harringayonline.com/forum/topics/dear-local-election-can...
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Dear Former Tory candidate for London GLA (2004), for Hull (2005) and former Deputy Chairman of the Tottenham Tories until at least 2006 aka someone who "was not connected to anything political until about 4 weeks ago" (!)
- I think it is HoL house rules for candidates to declare that they are so on every post. Hence why I am asking. I am sure you have noticed other candidates are doing so. To give Justin his dues, he is declaring his internal position too.
- Sorry you won't "go into that" question. Not sure why you are not answering but claiming not to because you are not wanting to bore people??? I guess that is a "no comment" or another form of avoidance tactic. You made the statement on a public forum Lydia, I was intrigued to know more.
3.
- Forced Academies: Not really answered. What is your position?
- Council tax: Huh? (please see below)
- Bedroom tax: Answer avoided. What is your position?
- Betting shops: David Lammy tabled an amendment which was voted out by Tories. But what is your position?
- Council Budget Cuts: You seem to have confused council budgets and council tax. I think.
- Decent Homes budget: Are you saying it was a "mad scheme"?
It is worrying that I have only asked you questions about local political policy and you have chosen to personally insult, abuse and attack me throughout this chain of discussions. I obviously seem to get you angry, very angry. I have no idea why? You seemed so nice, upbeat and open... then I came along, but I guess that was an act?
As for this claim:
Council tax: you put this in twice. Get a grip.
Erm. No I didn't:
To break this down: What are your thoughts on Forced Academies? Abolishing of Council Tax? The Bedroom Tax? Betting Shops? Council budget cuts? Decent homes budgets?
The only word said twice was "council" (!).
Maybe an apology is due? Even if Maria Miller style.
Ok now this is becoming silly, we're both adult women. So dont apologise, its not your fault, afterall you "was not connected to anything political until about 4 weeks ago" (despite being a Tory political candidate a few times in past 10 yrs) I respect the fact that basic council financial functions are not your forte, so I'll explain... :)
The council's income from council tax is about 14%. And 70% of the councils comes from Govt grants. These are two distinct income streams, hence the two distinct questions.
Hope you manage to do "get a grip" of these basic elements of local govt, it's only the finance... nothing important... !!! :)
Maybe as we progress closer to the election you can let us know about the capital budget of the council, maybe the reserves and borrowing policy you are considering? How will you meet the demands of further Govt cuts to budgets? What will you cut?
Or maybe not if it is going to upset you more.
On that note, I would like to apologise if I have upset you. I would also like to say I am glad I found you. You are fun to be around. Maybe we could become friends and you could take me shopping where you live in Muswell Hill and we can do coffee together? I hope so :)
Until then, have a fab day Ms Rivlin.
S x
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Hello Seema,
I am glad to note that you have kept an entire committee up all night composing this one.
Look, if I thought even for a micro-second that you (and your team) really wanted a discussion, I would devote some time to answering reasonable questions, but as is blindingly obvious, you don’t *really* want proper answers so I am not going to waste my time.
I do have to correct a couple of things, though. I was CHAIR, not deputy chair, of Tottenham Conservatives in 2004. I left the Party in 2005, since then I had nothing to do with any political organisation apart from my personal friendship with Justin Hinchcliffe—who is a good person and well worthy of friendship. I have never made any attempt to hide either my background or my political record so your comments would be a revelation to very few.
You cannot be all bad, though -- it was kind of you to invite me to a little social meeting in Muswell Hill, where I live. That is a splendid idea. While you are in the area perhaps we could meet up with Joe Goldberg, Claire Kober and Anne Stennett, all of whom live within five minutes’ walk of my place, in MH. Even better, twenty minutes’ walk would get me to the home of David Lammy in Crouch End, so, since we are all neighbours maybe you could arrange for us *all* to get together for a chinwag. However, I can assure you that there are nicer cafés in Green Lanes, so if possible I would prefer to meet in Harringay.I do, though, appreciate the difficulties you might face inducing your Labour colleagues to visit The Ladder, seeing as they are currently not exactly flavour of the month in this area and might feel more comfortable elsewhere.
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Permalink Reply by John D on
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" Let's not get too patronising, especially as your response is "It's all Labour's fault". "
Who else has been in power for the last 40-odd years ?
Remember, this is a local election .
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As John says, it *IS* all Labour's fault--and I *am* talking locally.
Labour have been in power in Haringey for 50 years. They have fiddled about with ward boundaries to maintain their grip on the voting patterns. They have embedded themselves in every part of the structure of local government. They have made some terrible mistakes and fallen into abuses of power some examples of which they have acknowledged only under the most concentrated of social pressures, and some of which they are even now using lawyers to stifle.
It is not rocket science to work out why. Mother Theresa herself would have been corrupted by all that power going on unchallenged for all that time.
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Dear John
Yes it is a fact that Labour have locally been in power for over 40 years and yes it is also true that this is a local election.
However, we cannot deny that for the first time in a long time, national policies are impacting with our local democracy. Some examples:
- Bedroom Tax: This is now impacting on local housing issues which the council (not govt) are in charge of but did not decide to put in place.
- Abolishing of council tax benefit: This is impacting on local govt finances which the council (not govt) are in charge of but did not decide to put in place.
- Removal of ringfences budgets: We have no Area Based Grant and funding to carry out national statutory responsibility (Child Protection for example) is not being followed with the Govt funding based on needs.
- Cut of the Decent Homes budget: Which was Govt money to local councils to bring council homes up to standard.
- Education Policy: Where the Govt are dictating to local councils that they cannot control their own education market to build schools or where they should be, instead the DfE decides and it is via a private sponsor appointed by the Govt. This should be a local council decision.
So yes, whilst I would love to have a local election based on local issues, I am not blinded by the Govt policies and the power they have on local issues.
There is an intersectionality and no matter how many times people say "its a local election", national party politics are very much at play. If you don't like that, tell Gove, Pickles et al, to reinstate local democracy back to local councillors, elected by local people, to run local services.
There are loads of spelling and grammar mistakes in this post to get your blood boiling
Sx
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"Education Policy: Where the Govt are dictating to local councils that they cannot control their own education market to build schools or where they should be, instead the DfE decides and it is via a private sponsor appointed by the Govt. This should be a local council decision."
Why should it be a local council decision? Haringey education has been in special measures for years. Well back into the last Labour government many of the schools were handed over to outside supervision.
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