Smells Like Mean Spirit

Reports are reaching Mrs Angry that a naughty person is playing games again, spending far too much time leaving comments on the online stories in the local Times group papers. No, I'm not talking about Mr Roger Tichborne, although he does leave the odd comment here and there, and he certainly is a naughty boy.

On Thursday a story appeared with the heading: "Senior Conservatives on Barnet Council coy over Majority of leader's victory". This report commented on the remarkable reluctance of the Tory party to announce by how many votes Lynne Hillan had won the recent leadership contest.
An official spokesman had stated merely that Ms Hillan had won by a 'decisive victory'. It has been commonly believed, however, that in fact the result was very close, with only one vote deciding the fate of the contest, something immediately pointed out in a comment by Rog T.

Mrs Angry added a comment to the effect that in the course of the Allowancegate fiasco, Ms Hillan had betrayed the trust of the voters who had placed her in office, and, after the leadership vote, had lost the authority she needs within her own party. The councillors who had supported her continuation in office had thereby endorsed the allowance rise disgrace, including their own treatment of colleague Mrs Salinger, and condemned themselves in the eyes of the residents of this borough.

For some reason, it is very rarely that anyone ever leaves a comment on the Times website in support of the council. I wonder why? But now, enter someone called 'hunters999' who tries to needle Mr T:

"Hey Rog Not sure if you're aware but the Local Elections are 3 and 3/4 years away. So plenty more time for you to gnash your teeth in the meantime "

Rog mutters about revenge being a dish best served cold ... and then, aha, along comes an old familiar, if occasional, commenter, the fragrant AmandaB, who charmingly points out that Rog 'has tried that and failed!' Hmm.

Now then. I don't know who Hunter s could be. Hunter S Thompson? What: Fear and Loathing in West Finchley? That's the title of one of my blogs, funnily enough ... As for AmandaB ... well, let's see ... do you remember the amusing blog entitled 'The Friend of Mike Freer'? It's written by 'Mrs T' remember Mrs T, who told RogT, (no relation) after a blog on the subject of his struggles with dyslexia, that he was a 'thickhead' ? Got some nice friends, our new MP.

Take a look at the Freer blog, I do highly recommend it! At the moment there is a lovely picture of Mike in his new camper van. Mike, if you're reading this, do come and park outside my house - (maybe not next door darling, if you remember) - we can have such a good old chin wag! Anyway, poor old Friend of Mike Freer only has one follower, by name of: Amanda! What a coincidence.

On Friday a new story on the Times site: "Barnet Councillor Lynne Hillan's leadership victory was by a convincing majority, source claims".

Oh, really?

This is mind boggling silly story, based, in the best traditions of British journalism, on no evidence whatsoever, other than a claim by 'a senior source', saying that Hillan's majority 'is bigger than the three last leaders put together' ... yeah, right.

Ok: convincing majority, then. Any proof? Nope.

Oh.

If I ring up the Hendon Times and tell them that, say, Councillor Brian Coleman is a Martian, and I saw him land in Victoria Park ten years ago in a flying saucer, I would expect them to ask me to provide them with some sort of evidence (it's kept in a safety deposit box in my bank, if you're interested). But no, this 'senior source' is taken at face value.

Mrs Angry left a comment about this, obviously (I'm having a lot of sleepless nights again - don't ask - with time to fill in the wee hours) and then Rog T joined in, demanding proof. Mr Reasonable, who is what it says on the tin, also commented, pointing out that the tax payers of Barnet have a right to know how many people voted for the person responsible for a £1 billion a year budget. He suggested that 'if they do not publish the details then the only conclusion we can come to is that they have something to hide. Sadly this is yet another reflection of the secrecy culture that pervades every corner of Barnet Council.'

Hello: the return of HunterS; he retorts: 'LOL> I think a few people on here need to get a life and move on. At the end of the day Hillan won. NEXT COUNCIL ELECTIONS MAY 2014. ...' Nice.

Mrs Angry reminds him of the slight obstacle of the vote on Tuesday night, and then, thankfully along come a couple of new commenters. Maurice42 asks Hunter s to explain his remark 'people need to get a life' and says 'I am one of many people who are disgusted by the actions of many of our so called representatives in local and national government'. And then an amusingly named 'Hunted999' from Edgware announces that he just hopes that 'the 18 'decent' Conservatives see what's being done in their name and the disgust it provokes amongst residents'.

We can always hope, Hunted999.

What keeps you awake in the wee small hours, residents of Broken Barnet?