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.

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?

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.

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.