Forum Topic

Darren Halford · 6/27/2012 6:38:00 PM

new.EalingToday.co.uk Communtity Forum Topic posting

New Mayor

Just received my copy of latest issue of Around Ealing. Usual boring news about Olympics and refuse. But on page 25 there's a pic of the new mayor and his 'proud family'. Nice to see all the men wearing western suits while all the women are wearing full on head coverings and modesty dresses. Good to see progressive mainstream politicians taking the reins of power in Ealing. What have we become?

Darren Halford ● 5031d33 Comments

- or rather they are fully aware of it but find it convenient to pretend otherwise - or in some cases never accepted it in the first place, believing that to be elected is to assume the right to rule rather than the durty to serve.

Chris Veasey ● 5021d

And when the Councillors with the real power, influence and propensity to wield it, from ALL THREE parties behave as perfidiously as this lot have, what do you suggest then?Yes I know what a Rotten Borough in the narrow use of the term was - I'm sure we could bombard each other and bore everybody else to death by expounding on the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 etc etc - but be assured in regard to how many of its Councillors and some officers behave this is a truly rotten borough in the broader sense.As for mayors, elected or otherwise, I don't see the point in or benefit of them, except in rare cases like the Hartlepools where a well-meaning political innocent has succeeded in making monkeys out of the deadbeat ruling local politicians whose seemingly unassailable longstanding majority had (as throughout much of the rest of Durham) instilled in them an even more ingrained assumption of a divine right to rule by birthright than in the old-style landed gentry at the other end of the political spectrum.That doesn’t apply here where all three main political parties are as odiously bad as each other and prefer to close ranks against us punters whenever it suits them.

Chris Veasey ● 5021d

Topic: Re:Re:My Lord Mayor. You must carry yourself Well. Message: Re our masters not as the public servants they're meant to be. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx quite so Christopher, there are too many in and around the Council offices who forget this fact.

Tony Price ● 5021d

Unlike members of parliament responding only to constituents, councillors are not limited to representing voters in their wards so your concerns could be taken to any councillors, in particular to those opposing the party not helping you;A rotten borough was an election borough with a very tiny population, often small enough that voters could be personally bribed. This does not sound like Ealing.What makes you think I like elected mayors? I merely pointed out there is a possible alternative to the traditional one.

Graham Weeks ● 5021d

Two points back:-First, if the other two aren't doing the job properly anyway, and take advantage of the first one's absence to do a brazen u-turn on their previous lukewarm support for us, then we are effectively disenfranchised, which is what happened in this case.Secondly, what on earth makes you imagine going for an elected dictator of a Borough mayor, ie a local equivalent of Livingstone or Johnson, would be any better?Sorry, your glib comments are no answer at all - as far as effective representation and honest diligent addressing of our legitimate concerns are concerned, we are effectively stuck in a corrupt 18th century style rotten borough.

Chris Veasey ● 5022d

Two points. First, wards have three councillors so if one is not doing their duty you have two others to lobby.Secondly, some years ago we had the opportunity to change to a directly elected executive mayor. The electorate rejected the idea

Graham Weeks ● 5022d

Unfortunately the Mayor is chosen from our elected representatives, so if you're unlucky enough to have one of your ward Councillors become Mayor you lose their services for the year - plus before and after as they are so obsessed with that 'honour' they lose all interest in serving you. That certainly happened in my ward, when the councillor concerned brazenly reneged on his longstanding promises to pursue an important local issue on our behalf, later claimed (truculently and unapologetically) to have 'forgotten' his promises even to keep us informed about key Council meetings on the matter, and said if I didn't like that I should stand as a Councillor myself.If I had my way this archaic and pointless position of Mayor would be abolished - its archaic 18th century trappings reflect and encourage the essentially 18th century attutudes of all too many of our elected local 'representatives', who repeatedly show by their demeanour and behaviour - and the indignation with which they react to any criticism or complaint - that they regard themselves as our masters not as the public servants they're meant to be.

Chris Veasey ● 5022d

The Mayor was chosen from a Lisr of Magistrates .The Mayor himself was appointed and considered as a Chief Magistrate.I am not aware how, it came about that the Councillors and only Councillors were elevated to the prestigious post of Mayor. That would be accepted if every Councillor wAS CAPABLE OF holding The post. Sadly Only some Councillors would be suitable. In drawing up a list I would favour the route:Many are called only a few are Chosen.

Os A Whittle ● 5022d

How do you work that out sunshine??? - us ordinary punters have not the slightest influence on appointment to this ludicrous archaic ceremonial post. And in any case 'blame' for exactly what is it that you have in mind?

Chris Veasey ● 5023d

at the end of the day you only have yourselves to blame

Walter Coady ● 5023d

Re Can you point us to other postings you have made. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx have now waited a goodly time to enable dear Guy to tell us re other posts he had already made but nowt has been the response, nor in fact has dear Guy seemingly made any other since?. So has dear Guy been laid to rest again, and do we wait for another incarnation. He wasn't given much of an innings this time. Most intriguing. The questions arise re:- a) WHO creates these make believe posters b) WHO has the ability to fabricate non-existing posters and c) WHAT motivates them and does the nature of their posts give the game away, in fact more than one " game" at the same time?.

Tony Price ● 5025d

Re meat of any sort on Fridays xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx I think that dictat has been rescinded but as with contraception, I don't think many Catholics take too much notice of what Papa says anyway. As to anti gay attitudes, what more can you expect from either religious fundamentalists or those who choose to adhere to the parts of their respective religions as suits them when the basis of all three Abrahamic ones record God as ordering the killing of those who engage in same sex behaviour. There are still those who prefer to do as they are told and not think for themselves, sadly. And I think you will find Italy has among the the highest rate of abortions as any other European country.

Tony Price ● 5028d

No I don't know that, and never seen any evidence of it on my frequent trips to or through that borough.Btw fyi Jews (once numerous in Tower Hamlets and still numrous in some other London boroughs) also aren't meant to eat pork or other pig meat; Roman Catholics (and I believe Anglo-Catholics) aren't meant to eat any meat of any sort on Fridays, only fish; most if not all 'nonconformist' Christians aren't meant to drink alcohol; there's a significant anti-gay element among Christians, not least Anglicans; it's not so long ago it was forbidden for pubs to open or for the public to buy alcohol in large parts of Wales and Scotland on Sundays, or outside fairly restrictive licensing hours throughout Britain any day of the week; and I understand it's still meant to be forbidden for many shops to sell goods on Sunday mornings before 11 o' clock..... etc etc

Chris Veasey ● 5028d

Re Are you seriously suggesting xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx now c'mon Christopher, you know jolly well what has happened is the self declared Islamic Borough of Tower Hamlets. Declaration and signs apparently posted everywhere declaring no alcohol, no pork , no gays etc ( probably no Jews either? )and for which the Police had to go and take down all the signs etc. And was not the Mayor or some other dignatory there banished,or disowned by the Labour Party. The fact that there remains some element of normal civilisation in that neck of the woods is only down to the actions of normal people. And how the hell you distort anything into the force feeding of pork etc to Muslims beggars belief. Gawd 'elp us.

Tony Price ● 5028d

You may be about 3 feet out there Guy,but the gist is correct. ;0)

Tony Wood ● 5028d

Are you seriously suggesting alcohol and pork can't be had anywhere in the borough of Tower Hamlets, or are hard to find? - if not, what exactly is your point? - that them that eschew them on consciencious faith grounds should be forced to consume them, by force-feeding if necessary? - or what???

Chris Veasey ● 5028d

Can you imagine anyone British dressing like that? Never! Oh wait, http://tinyurl.com/7cza9hl

M. Duley ● 5028d

"there have may have been previous office holders of the mayoralty who were sexist without being Muslim - Islam does not have the monopoly I'm afraid. Admittedly the attire chosen may not be everybody's cup of tea but I imagine it is also the case that the Mayoress dresses as she does through her own choice rather than anything more sinister" - points well made.Actually having looked at the pic in the mag, I can't see how the women's (rather attractive and nowadays pretty commonplace) togs can be described as 'full' covering - fizzogry fully visible, no burkas and/or veils or similar - in fact, mutatis mutandis they remind me of the almost universal garb worn by many women in the (then) whiter than white native 'English' city and region I grew up in in the 1950s/60s - most wouldn't have been seen dead without a full headscarf and long skirt and/or trousers in public, or turban if they were scrubbing doorsteps or auchlike. many of those with bicycles would even dismount when stopped at traffic signals, presumably to avoid risk of showing a glimpse of ankle or reinforced concrete knicker.

Chris Veasey ● 5028d

Re in order to bring you to life and out. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx your info awaited Guy, but as yet the post you made on here appears to be the one and only posting you have ever made on ANY thread and by using the phraseology you have, it means you must have been reading the Forum for years, so up to now you have remained " dead " as it were. Who has decided to breath life into a sleeping dormant body,( assuming of course it has existed up till now ) and why?.

Tony Price ● 5028d

Re other postings you have made. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx oh yes, and while you are at it, perhaps you would be so kind as to explain in detail what is so racist in my post of 19:25 29th, as I can't see anything but you can and which must be very bad in order to bring you to life and out. Educate us, please. Thanks, in advance.

Tony Price ● 5028d

Re More racist b****cks xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx dear Guy, nice guy, seems you are another of these several made-up for the purpose names, here today and gone tomorrow, and not here yesterday either. Who organises you?. Can you point us to other postings you have made.

Tony Price ● 5028d

More racist b****cks from the usual mouthpiece.

Guy Colling ● 5028d

Re first ever Muslim Mayor installed (in Tower Hamlets xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx I hope no-one is putting Tower Hamlets forward as an example of progressive Mayoralty as the place is a bastion of repressive oppressive backward faith orientated horrors, no alcohol, no pork, no gays etc. This is ENGLAND, not some outpost of backward peoples foisting their 1500 year old beliefs and practices on others. If THEY want to live that way, so be it but don't expect others to. And to suggest Ealing is backward in not hitherto having had a Muslim mayor is offensive to the citizens of this Borough, suggesting we are backward and that to be a Muslim is progressive, racism I fear stalks the corridors of power in the Borough. And did we not have an Indian mayor a few years back, more than one I feel, so how does the charge of lack of progressiveness fit in. And if womens' rights remain intact, that would be because this is ENGLAND and all it stands for. When this Borough becomes more or less totally inhabited by non-Europeans, the antics of those in Tower Hamlets will come closer to home. And I am still not aware of any Councillors, the Mayor or indeed the M P himslf for the area concerned doing or even saying anything about the disturbing revelation re the shanty town constructions in the Borough. Which raises the question, what has the new Mayor done or said about them. A good test of the choice of his being Mayor?.

Tony Price ● 5029d

My my Rupa. The comments from the Guardianistas were so very unkind to you.

Graham Weeks ● 5029d

Hi again, I'm also Muslim and don't believe in any of the stuff you've outlined there. Equally it's totally possible that there have may have been previous office holders of the mayoralty who were sexist without being Muslim - Islam does not have the monopoly I'm afraid. Admittedly the attire chosen may not be everybody's cup of tea but I imagine it is also the case that the Mayoress dresses as she does through her own choice rather than anything more sinister - that's my experience of these things anyway.

Rupa Huq ● 5029d

Rupa, for me having a mayor who is a fundamentalist and believes in maintaining his womenfolk as sexual objects to be guarded against prying eyes as part of some backwards patriarchal superstition is not to be ignored but to be derided. I believe it is an affront to progressive civic standards. We quietly sit by and say, 'it's okay, because they're Muslim' when we should as residents and voters be questioning his overtly sexist, chauvinist actions. I always thought Labour were a progressive bunch but it seems not to be the case here.

Darren Halford ● 5029d

Ealing has actually been quite backward compared to other London boroughs/ elsewhere on this one and only just had its first ever Muslim Mayor installed (in Tower Hamlets and Manchester it was long ago). I wouldn't get too worked up about this though, I cannot see women's rights in the borough being suppressed as a result. He has no political power and his wife is just effectively his plus one at ribbon-cuttings etc. I know as I performed Deputy Mayoress role to Cllr John Gallagher municipal year 2010-11 (although we weren't married). Did a whole Guardian article in it at the time which can be found here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jun/28/mayoress-ealing-local-government

Rupa Huq ● 5029d

I'm less interested in who the mayor is and more interested in knowing he doesn't represent a strain of faith which practises the covering of its womenfolk on grounds of 'modesty'. I want my elected officials to be progressive and to believe in the equality of the sexes. The new mayor obviously doesn't.

Darren Halford ● 5029d

Re well be from one of those who are now councillors, xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx am I not correct in saying the next Mayor is the Deputy now, in Ealing's case Shahbaz Ahmed?.

Tony Price ● 5029d

The Mayoral Post is filled in Turn by every councillor. It is therefore possible that the next Mayor might well be from one of those who are now councillors, and will if they put themselve's forward for consideration. If the stable is full of thoroughbreds we will get many of those.

Os A Whittle ● 5029d

You can link to the page here:http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/614912e6#/614912e6/24

Bud Richards ● 5030d

Re What have we become? xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx you please tell us what you think we have

Tony Price ● 5030d