Perhaps more details will emerge, but at the moment it looks as if the Tories have agreed to prop up a corrupt and widely-disliked administration and are getting remarkably little in return - a couple of committee chairs and a nine thousand quid allowance for Cllr Kansagra. Some people can be bought very cheaply!
In fairness, Cllr Kanta Mistry gets to achieve a long held dream: to wear the Mayoral robes and chain. The Mayoralty has been split alternating years 2 for Labour and 2 for the Tories. The Tories do so love dressing up!
Butt's decision-making skill he employed to make the Tories the official opposition, that of they had a higher percentage of the votes at the May 7th election forgets that the Greens got more votes than either the Tories or LibDems!! But we all know he has trouble with numbers, for instance, giving himself 50+% of planning on 45% of the council seats. This is going to be a bumpy ride. Other decisions such as putting Kelcher on Cabinet for Regen and Planning while he’s a commercial Lobbyist for Business and Finance and blogs on the employee’s website to reduce the effectiveness of the planning system., plus he’s a known member and lobbyist for Labour YIMBY (build anywhere, we don’t care). Then there’s the Cabinet Member for Housing, none other that Robert Johnson, who is still despised for his role in South Kilburn regeneration when a council officer.
Interesting Labour mention vote share. To be absolutely clear - Labour have NO Mandate to run Brent. While they benefitted from the UKs bizarre electoral system and ended up with 45.5% of Councillors on the Council they received less than 30% of votes of the third of Brent residents who actually voted. Brent residents rejected Cllr Butt and want him gone.
Labour have been handed power by the Conservatives in return for a number of paid position (allowances paid for by Brent taxpayers) because they know that the Conservative Councillors will allow them to do anything as they are now held to ransom and will need Labour to vote for a Tory to become Mayor next year.
It leaves the Tories looking like they just out for themselves as usual, we know that's their M.O., forget the residents that voted them in, and guess they can always blame Labour and Butt if things don't go their way.
Tokyngton voters wanted change. Butt got an overall minority vote. Our new Cllr. Chowdhury (cons.) gave all his votes to Butt at the Council meeting. We were totally betrayed. Well Done to the Lib. Dem and Greens for trying to give voice to Brent residents. Shame on you Cllr. Chowdhury.
Labour is scraping the barrel to fill in the 8 Cabinet positions,. Butt was in charge of Housing for a while - and what a disaster that turned out to be. AND the selfish Tories allowed it to happen against the clear wishes of Brent residents.
I don't care what line Brent Labour are spinning, the Deputy Mayor is a Tory so it's a coalition.
Labour has had 14 years to fix roads, et al, and haven't. Why should we believe this stitch up will serve us any more than Butt etc al has "served" us up to now?
LibDems are the true opposition in Brent and Tories need to eat the words printed on all their leaflets toot sweet.
We all know why Anton is making so much noise ??? he is clearly hurting because his attempt at a deal fell through or does not know how to work with others, about time he stops throwing tantrums and more time focusing on his ward !!!!!
That’s comical. After well over a decade as Leader of the Council, it’s a far from unreasonable request that Cllr Butt steps down to enable a cross-party administration. Instead, the troglodyte tendency within Brent Labour (predictably including the Butt family) poo-poohed this and the ever unprincipled Tories jumped at the chance of Mayoral robes and a few baubles. But it should be said that the latter are nothing if not predictable.
Perhaps more details will emerge, but at the moment it looks as if the Tories have agreed to prop up a corrupt and widely-disliked administration and are getting remarkably little in return - a couple of committee chairs and a nine thousand quid allowance for Cllr Kansagra. Some people can be bought very cheaply!
ReplyDeleteIn fairness, Cllr Kanta Mistry gets to achieve a long held dream: to wear the Mayoral robes and chain. The Mayoralty has been split alternating years 2 for Labour and 2 for the Tories. The Tories do so love dressing up!
DeleteThanks, Martin.
ReplyDeleteCan someone explain why the governing party (i.e. Labour) get a chance to nominate and vote on who the opposition is? That seems inherently daft!
A fairer, and more cogent, process would have been for the opposition parties to vote, amongst themselves, who the principal opposition would be.
Also while Labour may try and hide it in their statement, Kansagra did say that there was an "arrangement" between the Tories and Labour party.
Butt's decision-making skill he employed to make the Tories the official opposition, that of they had a higher percentage of the votes at the May 7th election forgets that the Greens got more votes than either the Tories or LibDems!! But we all know he has trouble with numbers, for instance, giving himself 50+% of planning on 45% of the council seats. This is going to be a bumpy ride. Other decisions such as putting Kelcher on Cabinet for Regen and Planning while he’s a commercial Lobbyist for Business and Finance and blogs on the employee’s website to reduce the effectiveness of the planning system., plus he’s a known member and lobbyist for Labour YIMBY (build anywhere, we don’t care). Then there’s the Cabinet Member for Housing, none other that Robert Johnson, who is still despised for his role in South Kilburn regeneration when a council officer.
DeleteBiuld tower blovks anywhere except in Kelchers ward you mean!
DeleteInteresting Labour mention vote share. To be absolutely clear - Labour have NO Mandate to run Brent. While they benefitted from the UKs bizarre electoral system and ended up with 45.5% of Councillors on the Council they received less than 30% of votes of the third of Brent residents who actually voted. Brent residents rejected Cllr Butt and want him gone.
ReplyDeleteLabour have been handed power by the Conservatives in return for a number of paid position (allowances paid for by Brent taxpayers) because they know that the Conservative Councillors will allow them to do anything as they are now held to ransom and will need Labour to vote for a Tory to become Mayor next year.
Held by the short and curlies
DeleteSono change then, what a disaster.
ReplyDeleteIt leaves the Tories looking like they just out for themselves as usual, we know that's their M.O., forget the residents that voted them in, and guess they can always blame Labour and Butt if things don't go their way.
ReplyDeleteOnce again hard working council tax paying residents will be impacted by party politics :(
ReplyDeleteI don't understand how the Tories can be the "opposition" if they're holding a post in the administration, the Deputy Major.
ReplyDeleteCan somebody explain that?
Tokyngton voters wanted change. Butt got an overall minority vote. Our new Cllr. Chowdhury (cons.) gave all his votes to Butt at the Council meeting. We were totally betrayed. Well Done to the Lib. Dem and Greens for trying to give voice to Brent residents. Shame on you Cllr. Chowdhury.
DeleteUnderstand Chowdhury was a paper candidate who wasn't expecting to get in.
DeleteThe true opposition leader is Anton from the Lib Dems. Butt is scared of him.
ReplyDeleteAnd has been ever since their first encounter.
DeleteHow far the Tories go in supporting Butt & Brent Labour is going to be revealing - and excruciatingly embarrassing for them.
But heyho, Kansagra gets his extra £9K Pa and Mistry gets her robe and chains, This is old school entitlement on steroids.
Labour is scraping the barrel to fill in the 8 Cabinet positions,. Butt was in charge of Housing for a while - and what a disaster that turned out to be. AND the selfish Tories allowed it to happen against the clear wishes of Brent residents.
ReplyDeleteI don't care what line Brent Labour are spinning, the Deputy Mayor is a Tory so it's a coalition.
ReplyDeleteLabour has had 14 years to fix roads, et al, and haven't. Why should we believe this stitch up will serve us any more than Butt etc al has "served" us up to now?
LibDems are the true opposition in Brent and Tories need to eat the words printed on all their leaflets toot sweet.
We all know why Anton is making so much noise ??? he is clearly hurting because his attempt at a deal fell through or does not know how to work with others, about time he stops throwing tantrums and more time focusing on his ward !!!!!
ReplyDeleteThat’s comical. After well over a decade as Leader of the Council, it’s a far from unreasonable request that Cllr Butt steps down to enable a cross-party administration. Instead, the troglodyte tendency within Brent Labour (predictably including the Butt family) poo-poohed this and the ever unprincipled Tories jumped at the chance of Mayoral robes and a few baubles. But it should be said that the latter are nothing if not predictable.
DeleteHello Mo.
DeleteAnton won’t work with you.
Rightly.
Green Councillors won't work with him either (if they have any common sense).
ReplyDeleteLabour Councillors will work - to undermine him.
And Tories - they'll simply fall asleep - as they never work anyway.
Laboir Councillors will not work to undermine him - they will keep quiet to keep their £14K allowances!
DeleteWe need a good investigstive journalist looking into all of this.
ReplyDelete