Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Local councillors and Terrapin Communications
I wasn't going to say this as I'm loathe to criticise someone's choice of employer for their first job. I did however think it was a bit off that Adam Jogee was working as a researcher for Terrapin Communications. Why did I think this was off? Well, their list of clients included the three firms currently bidding to run a large part of the council'sour land in a 20 year "partnership" deal. I asked around and was told that he was a good boy and was being responsible about it. He's now the Majority Chief Whip.
So then I come across THIS POST on OpinioN8 which is Crouch End's version of HoL. There it states that
Councillor Kober has dined six times at Terrapin's expense, once in Cannes. Detail on the lunches decreases over time.
Councillor Strickland was also at this dinner in Cannes and has dined at Terrapin's expense another four times.
Councillor Jason Arthur - twice, recently, with Peter Bingle and again with another partner, Christian Klapp.
Go see the post on OpinioN8, click on the links. See for yourself. Adam was a just graduated student when he became a Labour councillor, now he's a researcher for perhaps the country's best known Tory lobbyist.
Martin Ball pointed some of this out to us about 18 months ago and we were all a bit meh. Presumably we consider it slightly off to worry about who pays for someone else's lunch. However, Terrapin's client list should give us cause for concern given what is also happening with Hornsey Town Hall. Have we been duped here?
Tags for Forum Posts: corruption, haringey, haringey development vehicle, hornsey town hall, opinion8, terrapin
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on
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Within the hour Dave Wightman has added another tweet on OpinioN8.
http://opinion8.ning.com/xn/detail/6311863:Comment:77827
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Permalink Reply by StephenBln on
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You shouldn't be quoting other blogs here, just like it's not good to quote the Daily Mail when writing in the Daily Mirror.
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Permalink Reply by Liz on
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It's totally fine to link to true and relevant information... which you won't find in the Daily Mail.
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I don't think you delete Liz.. but it happens, as does being removed from the current postings (front page) without actually being deleted.
As an example, I once was deleted because I made clear my republican position as far as the royal family goes. After questioning why, was told it was rude.
When it comes to rudeness, I'd say the ex-councillor is doing fine.
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We try to maintain a tone of discussion and level of debate that people may or may not agree with but after years of managing the site we feel we have it about right. Indeed it is a feature of our site that (unlike many parts of the internet) has been remarked upon by many looking in on the site and we are asked how we do it. Many neighbourhood sites are not as successful at doing this.
So sometimes people must accept that they crossed a line. If one convo dominates, being removed from the latest activity is just a way of letting other voices and convos on the site to be noticed. Nothing personal. I've often removed myself.
Incidentally, if someone self-deletes, all replies to their post go to sometimes resulting in odd convos. And occasionally, Ning just goes kaput and loses posts. Generally, if a post is deleted by admin, you'll be told why.
And people should always consider that even writing a line or two is still publishing and subject to the laws of the land regarding libel and abuse. Editing is there for a reason.
Let's not forget where allowing wild accusations and unsubstantiated "news' has got the world to right now. We *all* need to take time to fact check and have a healthy scepticism.
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Permalink Reply by John McMullan on
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When I point out to people selling things on here that Crouch End Buy and Sell Facebook group is a better home for their posts, I get deleted. I am exasperated that the consuming classes who have flocked to HoL over the years to discuss lack of diversity in restaurants, horrific road closures and missing cats or just to sell something, find discussion of politics "boring" and don't engage. I am suffering from living in a place that's not as nice as it could be because of these "turned off" people, not just the corruption of the council leadership. Attempts to sort this out myself are met with derision/deletion.
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Permalink Reply by Michael Anderson on
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John, surely the strength of a site like this is that it's broad enough to allow people to post and follow what interests them? If what is wanted is a site that only discusses local politics there is absolutely nothing to stop anyone from setting one up.
PS. There have been almost 4,000 views of this particular post. I don't think that bears out your claim that there is a lack of interest -
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I agree Michael, but John does have a point.
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Permalink Reply by john higson on
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You make some good points there which I agree with. I'm quite a well known commenter on the Guardian website and sometimes get my comments deleted almost at random, it seems, with no explanation or right to complain. This said, I've sympathy with John McMullan, as I say below
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Tris, the monitoring officer has already been alerted to this conflict by one of the Lib Dem councillors. As for this:
"councillors having lunch with businessmen is old news and doesn't represent proof of a conspiracy no matter how many times it is repeated. As usual, it's descended into a situation where the usual suspects have resorted to generic attacks on the council, the forum moderators and anybody who challenges their views"
I addressed that, I said it was bad but not bad enough. None of these single issues on it's own is bad enough but in totality they're nothing short of corruption of their public roles. Our most senior councillors are now best buddies and even employees of a lobbying firm that represents property developers desperate to get their hands on Tottenham's very cheap public assets. Where did the council even get the idea to even look at a partnership vehicle like they are proposing? I think given what we now know, we can answer that.
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And what pray has been deleted lately that causes you to make such comments? It's been so long since I have removed something I couldn't tell you what it was.
In general, comments are removed when we are alerted to a breach in terms and conditions (usually ad hominem remarks or discussions that have degenerated into abuse) or (very rarely) when there is a threat of legal action (and then not always).
It could be could it not that the N8 site is being used simply because the Hornsey Town Hall campaign has got more traction in Crouch End? That the main opponents live there? That Adrian is posting a spirited attack on this whole unsavoury business and his supporters are rallying to that?
So please post this information that needs to be in the public domain and is not. Provided it is true and relevant it won't be removed.
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Yes, of course deletions happen. I have no problem with that.
The difference to The Guardian is that the comment itself isn't deleted, only the 'offending' remarks with a notice 'this comment has been deleted due to blah, blah..'
On HOL comments just disappear without trace.