Friday, November 07, 2008
The Most Unacceptable Side of Politics.
I said just a few weeks ago that I was going to keep residents informed through my blog of the political game-playing, both the funny and unsavoury sides, and some of the consequences of political point-scoring.
I didn't think then that an example of the ugly side of politics would come so soon. However, recently I witnessed what I feel is an example of why so many people have no respect for politicians. At County Hall on Friday evening (07.11.08) several elected members threw principle and integrity out through the window in an effort to frustrate one particular Councillor.
Let’s provide a little background. As some people will be aware from recent articles in the South Wales Echo, the Independent Councillor for Rhiwbina - Jayne Cowan has for some time been fighting for the right to lay a wreath on Remembrance Sunday. Her request was made in a quiet and dignified way but was deliberately ignored. Time went on, Remembrance Sunday was approaching and she was still being blocked. You may quite rightly ask the question, why on earth would laying a wreath be a problem?
Jayne Cowan and one of the other Independent Councillors for Rhiwbina used to be Conservative Councillors, who left the Party following some bitter disputes. Jayne also spends a great deal of time questioning what Cardiff's Liberal Democrat/ Plaid Cymru Council is doing with public money. Scarcely a meeting goes by without her asking several sometimes embarrassing questions which are often highlighted in the press. In short she is a good opposition Cllr doing what she was elected to do – checking that the ruling groups are doing the job they were elected to do. This upsets many other members, in particular the executive members of the Liberal Democrat/Plaid Cymru Group who wish she would just shut up.
I shall not comment on whether I agree with Jayne's politics, the fact is Remembrance Sunday is a time for all politicians to put aside their differences to honour the millions who died fighting for our democratic right to practise politics on every other day of the year – the leaders of all political groups should be seen together at the cenotaph, each paying respect to the fallen by the simple act of laying a wreath.
The group of Independent Councillors is too small to force a debate on an issue such as this so the Labour Group stepped in and called a special meeting of the Council to debate the question before the date of the next Remembrance Day Service. The meeting was arranged for Friday 7th November and most Councillors took their place in the Council chamber. I sat in the public area waiting to hear the debate, but what happened next was an absolute disgrace, and every member of Cardiff Council who played a part in the fiasco should be ashamed.
The Lord Mayor announced the start of the meeting, and before any debate could begin the leader of the Tory Group Dave Walker (Cllr. for Lisvane) announced that the Tory Group did not feel it appropriate so close to Remembrance Sunday for this debate to take place, so they would leave the meeting. Next, the leader of Cardiff Council, Liberal Democrat Rodney Berman (Cllr. for Plasnewydd) said exactly the same thing. He was followed by Neil McAvoy, leader of Plaid Cymru (Cllr for Fairwater), with the same reason for stifling the debate.
Collusion? If so it would have meant hours of behind-the-scenes manoeuvring to stop one Councillor from carrying out the simple act of laying a wreath. – Is that what we pay them for? Where was the individual member’s sense of honour (or indeed their sense of shame) as like sheep they followed their leaders out of the chamber, grinning and posturing as though they had scored a big hit?
It is difficult to explain how offensive I find such behaviour, I once had respect for several of these Elected Members. However, I had travelled down to County Hall to watch that debate because I had been under the impression it was being seen as a genuine, serious debate in which I would be able to hear the differing views and understand the reason behind their decision to oppose the request. They on the other hand were not looking for serious debate, they were looking for political point-scoring. I was left feeling sullied by their dirty politics.
When everyone except the Labour and Independent members had gone the Lord Mayor simply announced that the meeting was no longer quorate and therefore the meeting was closed.
For a moment I thought all was not lost as Russell Goodway, (Cllr. for Ely) approached the Council’s Legal Officer who was still present. I was not able to hear what was taking place, but Cllr. Goodway was quite clearly steering the Legal Officer through a considerable wedge of paper. Then, without any more ado it was announced that Cllr. Cowan would after all be able to join the other Group Leaders and lay a wreath at the cenotaph on Sunday.
At the event Cllr. Cowan was not able to lay a wreath, despite all that had happened the answer was still no. It would appear that the information provided by Cllr. Goodway to the legal Officer on Friday evening in the Council Chamber stated that among the list of representatives who would be able to lay wreaths at the annual Remembrance Day Service were ‘…..Leaders of bona fide opposition groups on the council ……’ Cllr. Cowan fits that criteria, and so the question is who is playing politics with the Remembrance Day Service? My argument would be that it is certainly not the Labour Party, and it’s not the Independents. It is in my opinion the Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Plaid Cymru Parties who should all be ashamed of their appalling behaviour.
I didn't think then that an example of the ugly side of politics would come so soon. However, recently I witnessed what I feel is an example of why so many people have no respect for politicians. At County Hall on Friday evening (07.11.08) several elected members threw principle and integrity out through the window in an effort to frustrate one particular Councillor.
Let’s provide a little background. As some people will be aware from recent articles in the South Wales Echo, the Independent Councillor for Rhiwbina - Jayne Cowan has for some time been fighting for the right to lay a wreath on Remembrance Sunday. Her request was made in a quiet and dignified way but was deliberately ignored. Time went on, Remembrance Sunday was approaching and she was still being blocked. You may quite rightly ask the question, why on earth would laying a wreath be a problem?
Jayne Cowan and one of the other Independent Councillors for Rhiwbina used to be Conservative Councillors, who left the Party following some bitter disputes. Jayne also spends a great deal of time questioning what Cardiff's Liberal Democrat/ Plaid Cymru Council is doing with public money. Scarcely a meeting goes by without her asking several sometimes embarrassing questions which are often highlighted in the press. In short she is a good opposition Cllr doing what she was elected to do – checking that the ruling groups are doing the job they were elected to do. This upsets many other members, in particular the executive members of the Liberal Democrat/Plaid Cymru Group who wish she would just shut up.
I shall not comment on whether I agree with Jayne's politics, the fact is Remembrance Sunday is a time for all politicians to put aside their differences to honour the millions who died fighting for our democratic right to practise politics on every other day of the year – the leaders of all political groups should be seen together at the cenotaph, each paying respect to the fallen by the simple act of laying a wreath.
The group of Independent Councillors is too small to force a debate on an issue such as this so the Labour Group stepped in and called a special meeting of the Council to debate the question before the date of the next Remembrance Day Service. The meeting was arranged for Friday 7th November and most Councillors took their place in the Council chamber. I sat in the public area waiting to hear the debate, but what happened next was an absolute disgrace, and every member of Cardiff Council who played a part in the fiasco should be ashamed.
The Lord Mayor announced the start of the meeting, and before any debate could begin the leader of the Tory Group Dave Walker (Cllr. for Lisvane) announced that the Tory Group did not feel it appropriate so close to Remembrance Sunday for this debate to take place, so they would leave the meeting. Next, the leader of Cardiff Council, Liberal Democrat Rodney Berman (Cllr. for Plasnewydd) said exactly the same thing. He was followed by Neil McAvoy, leader of Plaid Cymru (Cllr for Fairwater), with the same reason for stifling the debate.
Collusion? If so it would have meant hours of behind-the-scenes manoeuvring to stop one Councillor from carrying out the simple act of laying a wreath. – Is that what we pay them for? Where was the individual member’s sense of honour (or indeed their sense of shame) as like sheep they followed their leaders out of the chamber, grinning and posturing as though they had scored a big hit?
It is difficult to explain how offensive I find such behaviour, I once had respect for several of these Elected Members. However, I had travelled down to County Hall to watch that debate because I had been under the impression it was being seen as a genuine, serious debate in which I would be able to hear the differing views and understand the reason behind their decision to oppose the request. They on the other hand were not looking for serious debate, they were looking for political point-scoring. I was left feeling sullied by their dirty politics.
When everyone except the Labour and Independent members had gone the Lord Mayor simply announced that the meeting was no longer quorate and therefore the meeting was closed.
For a moment I thought all was not lost as Russell Goodway, (Cllr. for Ely) approached the Council’s Legal Officer who was still present. I was not able to hear what was taking place, but Cllr. Goodway was quite clearly steering the Legal Officer through a considerable wedge of paper. Then, without any more ado it was announced that Cllr. Cowan would after all be able to join the other Group Leaders and lay a wreath at the cenotaph on Sunday.
At the event Cllr. Cowan was not able to lay a wreath, despite all that had happened the answer was still no. It would appear that the information provided by Cllr. Goodway to the legal Officer on Friday evening in the Council Chamber stated that among the list of representatives who would be able to lay wreaths at the annual Remembrance Day Service were ‘…..Leaders of bona fide opposition groups on the council ……’ Cllr. Cowan fits that criteria, and so the question is who is playing politics with the Remembrance Day Service? My argument would be that it is certainly not the Labour Party, and it’s not the Independents. It is in my opinion the Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Plaid Cymru Parties who should all be ashamed of their appalling behaviour.
