Paul Rowen MP: Unparliamentary Letter From Parliament

Paul Rowen MP uses part of his well-proportioned Parliamentary Allowances to employ a renowned ruthless, rugged, robust, rogue known as Dave Hennigan. For a time Hen was a Councillor in Manchester. But he left under something of a mystery cloud, brandishing a cock and bull cover story.

Nominally Mr Hennigan (above, relaxing over Vodka) is "Office Manager" - the top grade for an MP's Parliamentary sock puppets - but he continuously describes himself, election time or no, as Rowen's "Agent". The word on the street is that he is paid "off the top of the scale" while his colleagues are on slave pay, and of course prior to Rowen's election Hen was paid by the local Lib Dem party.

The Rochdale Liberal Democrats own published accounts - full of intrigue actually, though mysteriously now dried up as if donations and activity are far less now than in 2006? - record that the Party will no longer be paying either Hennigan or another, part-time, worker - both described as "political" because Rowen would be taking up the slack and financing them from his parliamentary allowances.

One of these days LOL will give these accounts and also various election expenses declarations a good fisk. But for now we'll leave it at that.

From time to time Paul Rowen MP issues a "Letter From Parliament". These are normally published all over the place. At Rochdale Online, at the local Lib Dems website, at Rowen's own - "Putting Rowen First" website, and at The Rochdale Observer.

In this case the Letter, dated 14 April 2009, is posted only at the first and second of these outlets. And - although there are no exclamations marks!! - the Letter shows some signs of co-authory with the renowned ruthless etc Dave Hen. And in that spirit it includes this passage:

The big national news this week has of course the disgraceful emails produced by Gordon Brown's Spin doctor Derek Draper attacking the Tories. I do not subscribe to the view that the Prime Minister had nothing to do with it

The code of conduct for special advisors is very explicit when it says that “The responsibility for the management and conduct of special advisers, including discipline, rests with the Minister who made the appointment.”

As the Prime Minister appointed him he is responsible for his conduct and he should apologise. Nor do I believe this is an isolated incident. The other person implicated has set up a Labour blog on which sole aim is to attack the opposition.

The desperate tactics caught many people by surprise but not me. Labour supporters locally have set up a blog in which myself, my agent Dave Hennigan, Sir Cyril Smith and many other senior Lib Dems have been subjected to scurrilous, untrue, despicable allegations. If they were repeated in the Press we would sue but dealing with blogs is much more difficult.

It is another example in my view on how Labour locally and nationally need to clean up their act if they are to have any credibility in the forthcoming General Election - it's probably too late.

Ho ho, "scurrilous, untrue, despicable allegations" I'd like to see those! I wondered on reading this, taking it at its word, Rowen is an MP after all, he wouldn't fib would he?, has Rochdale Labour Party set up a new blog? Pushing the envelope just a little bit in their attempts to discredit the awful Rowen, his awful mentor Sir Cyril, and his awful creature Dave Hen?

I get onto Google right away, but I simply can't find such a site. Not set up by Rochdale Labour Party. Not set up by any member of that party I can think of searching for. There are some dreadful local Labour Party websites. And a fairly dreary site from the Labour PPC. But nothing interesting at all from the local Labour Party.

In fact apart from the very naughty boys (I genuinely don't know who's behind this, and don't want to, I'm assuming they are boys, potty mouths and all) of Rochdale Alternative Website (RAW) - a homage to (and possibly related personnel wise to) the famous alternative Rochdale Alternative Paper of yesteryear - there are no serious contenders for Rowen's ire. No sites set up by the local Labour Party that fit the bill.

Slowly it dawns on me. That fool Rowen or his rancid wordsmith Hen (right, showing off his darling Bud) may be talking about Labour of Love! My personal blog. Not set up by, controlled by, answerable to any local Labour Party unit, Still less Rochdale Labour who, post-Lorna, will hardly say boo to a goose ... they're so busy scrapping inanely among themselves.

Emails are sent, texts too, 'phone conversations are had. Yes, my Lib Dem sources say, Rowen is talking about LOL, he is out to get you, the local party don't like it, they think hennigan is poison, they know he is, they think it will backfire on them and lose him the election and them the Council, but yes he's after referring to LOL in this disrespectful way.

This won't do. Yesterday, having been working in Langley nearby, I went to visit the proprietor of Rochdale Online, an old sleaze rocker and taker of slightly mucky photos - "fetish", and "headshots", and "artistic nudes" (NUJ member!), Mr Malcolm Journeaux.

Sadly he's not answering the imaginery bell to his belfry in Castleton. There is no answer whatsoever. Perhaps he's hard at it in his studio? His vanity plated Bentley is not parked up. But there's an Audi Cabriole or the like. But no-one answers. I consider sticking a postcard through the door. In fact I write one out very carefully. But I decide to sleep on this momentous news. And this morning I send him a polite missive:

FAO Mr M Journeaux

One of my sources on Rochdale Lib Dems says statements about bloggers in Paul Rowen's "Letter from Parliament" refer to my personal blog-site Labour of Love (LOL).

If so the statements must be corrected or removed immediately, as these same are not accurate, not honest, not appropriate.

1. LOL was not set up by any "local Labour Party". If Rowen's statement refers to my personal blog it is grossly untrue.

2. LOL is a private enterprise, clearly marked as such, with no connection with or direction from the Labour Party. If Rowen's statement refers to my personal blog it is grossly untrue.

3. M21, where I am based, is not "local" to Rochdale. If Rowen's statement refers to my personal blog it is grossly untrue.

4. LOL is an often satirical, humourous publication with a serious side that investigates and draws attention to hypocrisy, hyperbole, hype, horror and hyper-illiteration of public figures and institutions.

5. LOL has not knowingly published anything about Sir Cyril Smith or Paul Rowen MP, still less Dave Hennigan, which is untrue or unsubstantiated. If Rowen's statement refers to my personal blog it is grossly untrue.

6. LOL publishes the majority of fit comments, being open to responses, offering a right to reply, correcting errors, and even apologising for same.

7. LOL have not heard from either Sir Cyril Smith or Paul Rowen MP with any corrections, comments, proposed amendments. LOL have as a courtesy made some small, speedy amendments requested by Cllr Mulgrew and Mr Hennigan in relatively minor matters.

8. It is my view, based on experience, that Dave Hennigan often conducts himself in a way that is entirely unbecoming for a public servant, salary paid by the tax payer. Others may disagree (OMD).

9. It is also my view, based on experience, that Dave Hennigan is an unreliable man when he wakes up in the morning and becomes more unreliable as the day progresses. OMD.

10. Please remove these smears from your site soon as.

CP

My 2000 characters up I grabbed another strong coffee and take my attack dogs McBride, Draper and Name Redacted for a run in the sun. Pausing only to enquire after Malcolm's institutional parentage:

Fao M Journeaux

Malcolm

Can you please advise on the full name(s) of the Company(ies) operating Rochdale Online and associated businesses, the names of Directors of this/these companies, and the details of the ownership of this/these companies.

I'm surprised these details are not obvious from the website.

I'd like to understand who I'm dealing with when RO publishes untruths related to my runnings.