Tuesday 9 July 2013

Which Labour Councillor?

Which Droylsden Labour Councillor had their home raided last year by the police because they suspected that Dale Cregan was hiding there? Instead they found a bag of coke. You can't choose your family....

Did anyone else wonder why Councillor Kieran Quinn kept so quiet in response to the Mark Short shootings? Hmmmm....

Tuesday 25 June 2013

Stuart Hall and Tameside Labour: Close Bedfellows

As you will of read in the press, Stuart Hall has been sentenced to a lenient fifteen month jail term for fourteen sexual offences committed on girls, one as young as nine years old.

It is presumed that many of Hall's victims were from the Tameside area as he lived in Stalybridge at the time of the attacks. One of the victims that decided to waive her anonymity, Susan Melville, was just fifteen herself when she was groomed by Hall after presenting a prize to secondary school students at Longdendale High School.

Stuart Hall is a card carrying member of the Labour Party and even endorsed Lord Tom Pendry (a former MP who is now a Peer) when he stood for the parliamentary seat of Stalybridge and Hyde election in 1979 as seen in our previous post: Tom Pendry and Stuart Hall. The Hall and Pendry family were rather close with their wives holding a business together called Pendry Hall Associates. Stuart Hall would even accompany Lord Pendry to Tameside Council run promotional events as seen in the image to the right.

Labour were quick to deny to the Guido Fawkes blog that Stuart Hall was no longer a member and that his membership ended over ten years ago. However, when the Stalybridge and Hyde Labour Club re-opened after the arson attack, Stuart Hall was there as a special guest alongside, Lord Pendry and current Stalybridge and Hyde MP, Jonathan Reynolds.



On the 13th of July last year, Jamie Reed, the MP for Copeland tweeted: "Is Stuart Hall Labour?". To which our Labour MP for Stalybridge and Hyde replied: "He is indeed. He's a local lad on my patch too".



Join the dots...


When Stuart Hall pleaded guilty, the Independent released an article called "How I Exposed Stuart Hall" by Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, it contained one interesting snippet:

"She went to the studios [BBC] encouraged by her mum and head teacher. And went back again, and once more. He seemed caring. Then, having groomed her, she alleges, he got her drunk and started the abuse. She kept going back. His mates, including an MP who is now a Peer, she claims, helped Hall with his filthy hobby."

Was mysteriously changed to:

"She went to the studios [BBC] encouraged by her mum and head teacher. And went back again, and once more. He seemed caring. Then, having groomed her, she alleges, he got her drunk and started the abuse. She kept going back. His mates, she claims, helped Hall with his filthy hobby."

So just who is this MP who is now a Peer which helped Hall with his filthy hobby?

Proof is kept in Google Cache as spotted by @ciabaudo:



More to come soon....

Sunday 5 May 2013

Tom Pendry and Stuart Hall

Many years ago in Tameside we had a political magazine called Tameside Eye (not connected to the blog). It was a popular publication which is no longer in circulation. I've been passed this interesting article about the friendship between Stuart Hall and Lord Tom Pendry.

Given the comments on Twitter and the wider blogosphere surrounding the comments I have decided to publish the article featured in an issue after the 1979 General Election.

It is widely known that Stuart Hall, born in Ashton-under-Lyne and later living in neighbouring Stalybridge was close friends with the Labour Peer, Tom Pendry, the former MP for Stalybridge &Hyde. So close in fact, their respective wives had a company together called "Pendry Hall Associates". Hall also campaigned for Pendry in the 1979 general election having appeared on the Labour MPs leaflet saying:


"Tom's a Knockout!
Says Stuart Hall

Firstly let me say that this is the first election address I have ever contributed. I am not making it lightly despite the fact that, as you probably know, humour plays a large and vital part of my family and professional life.

I am writing as a Hydonian by birth, my mother still lives on Mottram Road - and as a voter concerned with (ineligible), honesty and integrity. One of my deepest concerns is the apparent gap between London - the seat of Government - and us, the people who live in the "real" world "

According to the Tameside Eye magazine, the BBC became so concerned with Stuart Hall's political affiliation, that they suspended him from his Look North show for the duration of the election as it had tarnished his impartial image.

Not one shy to do pull in favours for his mates, as MP, he set up an Early Day Motion congratulating Stuart Hall on his 40th year in broadcasting.












Tom & Stu
Just Good Friends?

LOCAL LABOUR MP TOM PENDRY AND TV STAR STUART HALL ARE OLD FRIENDS AND WELL KNOWN PUBLIC FIGURES. BUT RECENTLY THE BOUNDARIES BETWEEN THEIR FRIENDSHIP, THEIR CAREERS AND THEIR FAMILIES HAVE BECOME DIFFICULT TO DISTINGUISH.

In May Stuart Hall wrote an election address for Tom Pendry that was pushed through letter boxes through letter boxes all over his Stalybridge and Hyde seat. The address openly capitalised on Hall's popularity as front-man for the BBC programme 'It's a Knockout!' (See illustration).

As a result Hall was suspended from his job on LOOK NORTH for the duration of the election. The BBC clearly feared that this intrusion into local politics had tarnished his impartial image..

Honest

The offending election address stressed his long personal friendship with Pendry and Hall's own concerns with "realities, honesty and integrity". It did not however, mention any business connections between their two families.

In fact Pendry's wife Moira and Hall's wife Hazel, are directors of HALL PENDRY ASSOCIATES, a public relations firm which has worked hard to promote a number of large local businesses.

Last year both the Halls and the Pendrys had dealings of one sort or another with ADAMSON group of local companies, part of ACROW, a large multi-national corporation, Moria Pendry and Hazel Hall in their capacity as directors of HALL PENDRY ASSOCIATES, were doing promotional work for ADAMSON CONTAINERS LTD., in Stockport. This included publicising the visit of a Chinese Trade Delegation to the factory.

Pendry's own involvement with ADAMSONS arose out of his job as MP. There is a traditionally good relationship between Tameside area MPs and ADAMSONS. Their desire for increased employment prospects often coincide with the Company's desire for increased profits. And according to New Manchester Review, Pendry gave support to ADAMSON CONTAINERS in their fight to secure Planning Permission for a factory extension, against the wishes of Stockport Council and the DOE.

So Pendry is reported meeting last year with ADAMSON directors in the Strangers Bar of the House of Commons was quite proper, as was his attendance at an ADAMSON social function at Bell Vue last year, accompanied by his wife and Stuart Hall.

Later on in 1978 Pendry was able to use this special relationship with the ADAMSON directors to help a constituent.

Mrs. Joan Cartilage approached Pendry to support her equal-pay claim against her former employers, ADAMSON AND HATCHETT  of Dukinfield (See EYE 5).

Pendry too her legal papers down to London and acted as a go-between. He passed on ADAMSONS offer of a £500 out-of-court settlement, pointing out that the firm's "Pride was Hurt'. Mrs. Cartilage did not accept the offer, pressed on with her case, and won. ADAMSONS were directed to pay her £3,691 in compensation. This is six times the amount offed through Pendry.

The fact that both Tom and Moira Pendry have had dealings with ADAMSONS had led to speculation that the MP holds some unofficial position in his wife's company. Pendry denies this emphatically, stressing that his wife's business activities are entirely her own concern.

As Tom Pendry is, in the words of Stuart Hall "a man of integrity", there is no reason to doubt this denial. So the fact that on one occasion last year, his duty as an MP to support a large local employer happened to coincide with his wife's duties as a paid Public Relations Officer to that same company, is obviously a pure, if unfortunate coincidence.

Stuart Hall, on the other hand, IS connected with his wife's business.

In letters to clients published in PRIVATE EYE last year he refers to HALL PENDRY ASSOCIATES as "Our Company". The letters give details of how his firm "secured the exclusive rights to promote Liverpool F.C. for the coming season". The go on to explain how sponsors could pay a lump-sum of £25,000 to Liverpool in return for a wide range of advertising privileges, free tickets and other perks. No mention is made of how much HALL PENDRY ASSOCIATES got out of it.

A letter written by Hall to British Leyland in January 1978 shows how he planned to use his position as front man for 'It's a Knockout' to further his promotional campaigns. The letter asked Leyland to subsidize the <scanner cut off> out in Shell-Oil colours, so that Hall could use it "personally on my Knockout travels". Hall argued that this would not only be "promotional for SHELL but LEYLAND as well". Hall then asked hether Leyland would like to become one of the four sponsors "at a major North West 1st division Football Club". Unfortunately, Leyland turned down this package deal because it did not have sufficient merit".

TOM PENDRY WON THE MAY ELECTION WITH A FOOD MAJORITY. AND THAT, NO DOUBT, WAS DUE TO HIS WORK AS A CONSTITUENCY M.P. BUT THE INTERVENSION OF STUART HALL IN THE CAMPAIGN MUST CERTAINLY HAVE HELPED. AND PENDRY'S DEFEATED OPPONENT JOHN KERSHAW MUST NOW BE WISHING THAT HE TOO HAD A FAMOUS TV PERSONALITY PREPARED TO STAND UP AND SAY HOW WONDERFUL HE IS.


Thursday 6 December 2012

Lord Tom Pendry Keeps Some Good Company!

As widely reported by the press today, Stuart Hall OBE was arrested and charged with indecently assaulting three girls aged between 9 and 16 throughout 1974 and 1984.

It is widely known that Stuart Hall, born in Ashton-under-Lyne and later living in neighbouring Stalybridge was close friends with the Labour Peer, Tom Pendry, the former MP for Stalybridge &Hyde. So close in fact, their respective wives had a company together called "Pendry Hall Associates". Hall also campaigned for Pendry in the 1979 general election having appeared on the Labour MPs leaflet saying:


"Tom's a Knockout!
Says Stuart Hall

Firstly let me say that this is the first election address I have ever contributed. I am not making it lightly despite the fact that, as you probably know, humour plays a large and vital part of my family and professional life.

I am writing as a Hydonian by birth, my mother still lives on Mottram Road - and as a voter concerned with (ineligible), honesty and integrity. One of my deepest concerns is the apparent gap between London - the seat of Government - and us, the people who live in the "real" world "

According to the Tameside Eye magazine, the BBC became so concerned with Stuart Hall's political affiliation, that they suspended him from his Look North show for the duration of the election as it had tarnished his impartial image.

Not one shy to do pull in favours for his mates, as MP, he set up an Early Day Motion congratulating Stuart Hall on his 40th year in broadcasting.














It wasn't just Lord Pendry and Stuart Hall who knocked about together across Tameside. Part of that Old Boys Club was Owen Oyston and the late Roy Oldham, the former leader of Tameside Council. It is known in political circles across the borough that the group of men would meet at the Old Rectory in Denton where they would spend their afternoons getting sozzled and groping the barmaids. If any complained, Roy would threaten them with their jobs and would warn senior staff that he could easily get licensing in to shut the place down.

Owen Oyston is widely known as the multimillionaire Labour Party donor who was jailed for six years, yet served only three and a half years of that term for raping a 16 year old girl who worked for at one of his modelling agencies.

When Oyston was arrested, he had friends in high places to defend him to the high hills, including our former MP, Tom Pendry, who set up a EDM accusing Tory MPs of playing a "dirty tricks" campaign against Oyston. Indeed, he took a interest in Owen Oyston's case having written to the Home Office according to this Hansard entry.

Back in 2007, it was revealed by BBC Newsnight that Oyston had attened a Labour Party Fundraiser costing £1,000 a seat. Despite taking his shilling, a spokesman for Gordon Brown said:

"Mr Brown has asked the Labour Party general secretary (Peter Watt) to investigate, but he has already instructed him that any donation from Mr Oyston should not be accepted."

So if donations from Owen Oyston aren't to be accepted by the Labour Party, then why is it then that Lord Pendry is a shareholder of Oyston Steel Estates? Surely Pendry should disassociate himself from any financial interest from a convicted rapist?

And just to put it out there, the News of the World claimed that the former shadow sports minister hosted his own "sex games" in the House of Commons. The Screws was sued for libel, but were they on to something?

Tom Pendry is widely credited in Tony Blair's autobiography for getting him into Parliament when Blair's father-in-law, Tony Booth asked Pendry  for help getting Tony selected as an MP.

Tom Pendry - Friend to rapists and nonces.

Thursday 29 November 2012

Droylsden West Councillor Ged Cooney's Son Fined for Possessing Cocaine

In this weeks Tameside Advertiser, hidden away in the named and shamed column was an interesting nugget of information about a "Simon John Paul Cooney, of Parvet Avenue, Droylsden was fined £400 with £125 costs for possessing cocaine". Would this be the same Parvet Avenue in Droylsden where the Labour Councillor for Droylsden West, Gerald "Ged" Cooney lives?

Cooney, who claims a £31,998 allowance for his work as a councillor including special responsibility allowances for his executive cabinet position for "learning and achievement" and the Greater Manchester Pension Fund Panel. This figure excludes any external bodies not paid for by the council such as being a member of AGMA's board for Housing and Planning or for his position as Chair of the New Chater Housing Trust. In his declaration of interests, he states that he works as a joiner for Manchester City Council. He isn't, he's actually been sidelined as a union branch secretary for UCATT.

It couldn't have come at a worse time for Councillor Cooney as InTameside revealed yesterday that Tameside ranks as the worst authority in Greater Manchester for education and the fifth worst nationally. Not only do we have one of the third deadliest hospital in the country, but we now have one of the worst education systems too. To say that health and education are supposed to be Labour's strong points, they are heavily letting down the people of Tameside.

It would appear that Councillor Kieran Quinn needs to reshuffle his cabinet. Cooney has clearly failed his remit in his executive cabinet position responsible for the boroughs schools. He position is untennable, not with the poor Ofsted results, but the fact he can't control his own children living under his roof. If he can't control his own kids, how is he expected to instill the discipline needed to take control of our under-performing schools?

Sunday 29 April 2012

Homophobic Tweet from Labour Councillor Jim Fitzpatrick



Councillor Jim Fitzpatrick who represents the Hyde Godley ward for the Labour Party posted the above comment to Twitter earlier today. His long term partner, Janet Jackson (no, not that one) is standing for the seat of Stalybridge North which is currently held by the Conservative Councillor, Clive Patrick.

Councillor Patrick has put out a leaflet about the number of "husband and wife" team of councillors which plagues the Tameside Labour Party. Described as a "family affair" by one local blog, there are currently 4 married couples sitting on the council, with Janet Jackson and Audenshaw's candidate, Tessa Smith, wife of Mike Smith, Councillor for Denton West bringing that total to 6 if they win their seats on May the 3rd.

Fitzpatrick who works for Manchester City Council and who sits as a executive cabinet member of Tameside Council as First Deputy, is obviously irked by this and has chosen to attack Clive by saying that his missus "has not mentioned the man he lives with". For the record, Clive is openly gay and lives with his civil partner, who works as a nurse and nothing to do with politics. The comment by Councillor Fitzparick has a whiff of homophobia to it.

Janet Jackson works as a Administrative Assistant for Jonathan Reynolds, MP for Stalybridge & Hyde and PPS to Ed Miliband. This is the second gaffe of the week as earlier on we exposed Reynold's Parliamentary Assistant, Adam White pictured smoking drugs.

Source: Twitter

UPDATE 01/05/2012: Councillor Fitzpatrick has now removed the comment from his Twitter account. He hasn't made a public apology to Councillor Patrick.

Tuesday 24 April 2012

Pass The Dutchie to the Left Wing Side!


Well, well, what have we here? Just what is that in Adam White's hand? The Labour candidate for Longdendale seems to be enjoying himself with a joint in hand.

Reports from locals suggest that whilst living in Stalybridge, before jumping into Longdendale when he won his selection against Councillor Sean Parker-Perry that White allegedly dealt drugs in the town centre.

Adam White who tweets at @theday2day also works as a parliamentary assistant to Stalybridge & Hyde MP, Jonathan Reynolds, the PPS to Ed Miliband.