tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6371203489316363738.post8437255077888985170..comments2024-01-30T07:41:20.885+00:00Comments on Broken Barnet: The Battle for Brunswick ParkMrs Angryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00586223909475832791noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6371203489316363738.post-36074692250541333102012-06-03T10:47:21.807+01:002012-06-03T10:47:21.807+01:00Cont'd
The truth is that our council, in all...Cont'd <br /><br />The truth is that our council, in all parties, is not sufficiently representative of the widely diverse community that Barnet has now become. All three parties need to encourage more female candidates, and candidates from a wider variety of backgrounds, and cultures, to stand for election, and create a more accountable and effective administration. <br />Oh, and let's have fewer councillor jollies to Morphou, and maybe organise a visit instead to another of our twin towns - Jinja in Uganda, which as a desperately needy area of one of the twenty poorest countries in the world, probably could do with some support from us, don't you think?<br />As for you, Mr Harris: I suggest you stop worrying so much about the Barnet blogosphere, and divert your restless energies into something more useful, like helping to restore the lost credibility of your own Libdem party.<br /> <br />This correspondence is now closed.Mrs Angryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00586223909475832791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6371203489316363738.post-83373040474574335922012-06-03T10:46:36.829+01:002012-06-03T10:46:36.829+01:00As you can see, Mr Harris, in fact I do indeed pub...As you can see, Mr Harris, in fact I do indeed publish comments that I do not like: the only reason that I moderate comments is for legal reasons, as I would be responsible for any libellous remarks left on the blog, and very occasionally a comment is made which might be considered to fall under this definition. This would however be the only circumstance in which publication <br /><br />The reason for the delay in this case is that I have been away, and have not been able to access my blog comments.<br /><br />You fail to mention, incidentally, that your JC post did not allow me right of reply, and required readers to be approved for registration before any comment could be made: a process which has only just been completed.<br /><br />I really do not know why you have become so obsessed by the need to write so much about me: it might be considered flattering, if it were not verging on the obsessive. To the best of my knowledge, we have never met, and I do not have the slightest interest in you or your opinions. I can only imagine that you are envious of the attention that the Barnet bloggers receive. May I politely point out that this attention is focused on us purely because we have worked very hard to achieve the success we have had in holding our local authority to account.<br /> <br />It would appear from your comments that you are not particularly familiar with the issues that are of such current significance in Barnet: I think you have not read many of our posts, or you would be better informed. I have never seen you at any council meetings, so again I would suggest that this does not enable you to comment with much authority on what our elected representatives do or say at such events.<br /><br />You ask 'who are these people who have no one to lobby for them' - that you need to ask this reinforces the point that you are not properly informed about the issues you criticise us for raising. You use the example of Libdem Jack Cohen, and horribly twist my words to suggest that I think he would ignore the needs of non Jewish residents. Again, I have never said that any councillor would do such a thing, and your insinuation is frankly deeply offensive. <br /><br />As it happens, I feel nothing but the greatest respect - and affection - for Jack Cohen,as you would know if you bothered to read the previous posts, and indeed for Monroe + Suzette Palmer, all of whom bring a much needed sense of humanity and common sense to our lunatic council.<br /><br />I have said that councillors who belong to the Greek Cypriot and Jewish communities ALSO, as well as representing ALL their voters, see a duty to represent the needs of their own communities. I have stated quite clearly my opinion that this is perfectly normal and indeed desirable. The difficulty is that other communities have no representation and like it or not, the political reality is that without members on the council to act on their behalf, the needs and interests of these groups, rather than as individual residents, are overlooked.<br /> <br />I have often written about the lack of younger women councillors in Barnet, and the misogynistic culture which prevails - and the impact that this has on policy decisions, and in debate. I note that you make no mention of this, either because you really have not read the posts and have no real idea of my views, or perhaps because it does not fit your desire to present me as something I am not. Cont'd.Mrs Angryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00586223909475832791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6371203489316363738.post-59770407052793740222012-06-01T14:29:34.035+01:002012-06-01T14:29:34.035+01:00Interesting to see that you moderate comments on y...Interesting to see that you moderate comments on your blog, enabling you to censor the comments that you do not like. Comments are not moderated on my personal blog.<br /><br />Here is the original JC blog posting, so that you can all judge for yourselves: http://www.thejc.com/blogs/matthewharris/pro-palestinian-tory-and-local-jewish-community<br /><br />I still maintain that it is wrong to attack a 'tubby' Tory based on his physical appearance, rather than based on his views and his actions, but that's down to you.<br /><br />You write: "there are many far more positive cases where the Jewish community, like the Greek Cypriot one, benefits from - and indeed expects - support from councillors both in the borough, and in the political world beyond the limitations of Broken Barnet. And again, there is nothing wrong with this, as long as it does not exclude a full consideration of the needs of other sections of the community who have no one to lobby for them."<br /><br />Who are these people who "have no one to lobby for them"? The non-Jewish residents of Childs Hill, for example, have Cllr Jack Cohen (who is Jewish) to 'lobby' for them. And he does. Very hard. <br /><br />You seem to be saying that, because a disproportionately high number of individual human beings who happen to be Greek or Jewish haas been democratically elected to Barnet Council, the Greek and Jewish communities are doing disproportionately well out of the council, because of 'lobbying' by the councillors concerned. <br /><br />You sound like a saloon bar bore saying: "Yeah, loads of the councillors are Jewish and Greek and so on, and they get loads of stuff for their own people from the council." I'm sorry, but you do. <br /><br />You are implying that Jewish, Greek and other minority councillors will give preferential treatment to the interests of their own communities. You may not like me saying that, but it happens to a correct reading of what you have written.Matthew Harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06894528321388582099noreply@blogger.com