Wednesday, November 24, 2010

EXCLUSIVE: Coalition Leader Resigns Over Revolting Libdemologists


STOP PRESS Fri 1 PM: As you'll see from comments Cllr Gregory Couzens has resigned the Lib Dem whip and joined the humungous independent non-group. Not sure whether the Tories decided to black ball him or he is biding his time. Local opinion is divided on his electoral prospects in May. To be fair the divisions are largely on the margin of his catastrophic minority.

Word is the independent non-group consisting of these seven numpties plus some earlier runaway Lib Dems will be forming a party. Why? So they get support in the Town Hall - on the Council Tax payers of Rochdale - and, very important, so they get a Leader's Allowance - on the Council Tax payers of Rochdale - not to mention committee places as of right!

The way they are going they could become the second group if they pull this off. But will Cllr Gregory No Mates Couzens (right) be able to persuade this riff raff that his egotistical self promotion and silvery scissor skills are what's required?

Rochdale Online's report. Though don't believe a word spoken by either Couzens or Mulgrew. Good to see Labour calling for Couzens' scalp, as it were.

Meanwhile in parliament there has been an exchange between Simon "Slayer" Danczuk, who must take at least some of the credit for the Lib Dems' disarray, and Eric "the Eel" Pickles whose party's general exploitation of this sorry party and ideological attacks on local government and particularly poorer communities is also of course a factor:

At Commons question time, Mr Danczuk told Mr Pickles: "Your failure to stand up for councils in the Comprehensive Spending Review is having a devastating impact on jobs and services in Rochdale.
"Homes provision, community centres, adult care services and much more are being cut.
"The situation is that bad that six Liberal Democrat councillors resigned last week and later the Liberal Democrat council leader stood down.
"Because of these cuts, the local authority is in turmoil. When is the minister going to stand up for local government?"

Lib Dems "Need Lead in Their Pencil" - Pickles

Mr Pickles replied: "I would have thought you would be seeking to congratulate the coalition Government because we recognise that a number of authorities are more dependent on grants than others.
"In particular, we face a very difficult task so far as Rochdale is concerned in having to bridge just short of GBP6 million taken away by the last Labour government from the Working Neighbourhoods Fund and we're certainly seeking to cushion them.
"So my advice to you is go back to Rochdale, put a bit of lead in their pencil and let them get on with protecting the frontline services rather than fighting among themselves."


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STOP PRESS Fri 9 AM: According to Rochdale Online Irene Davidson remains leader of the Lib Dem group. They also have Cllr Dale Mulgrew - the ring leader of the coup - offering weasel words:

The Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Councillor Dale Mulgrew said: “The turn of events over the last week have been incredibly difficult for Irene and her options have become more and more limited by the day.
“I think most reasonable and decent people will once more question the motives of the six whilst Irene was in hospital.
“The process of de-selection is not a matter for the leader but for the constituency party executive.”
Councillor Mulgrew concluded: “Irene continues to make a good recovery and it is hoped she will be out of hospital before the weekend.”


What a complete Libocrite this pathetic wee joker is!

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Last week we told you all about the mess that is the Rochdale Lib Dem Party. RIGHT HERE. Six Lib Dem councillors had resigned the whip and gone independent. A seventh was sniffing around for a berth with one of the other main parties. All was not well. How could things possibly get worse?

The demon coiffeur Cllr Gregory Couzens had staged a kind of a do, a coup attempt you might say. A letter was prepared demanding Cllr Irene Davidson the leader of the Lib Dems, of their local Condem pact, and of the Council - for just 11 months - should stand down. She is pictured here with former RAP playmate of the month and green grocer Alan Taylor, her predecessor. He's gone now.

A number of the Lib Dem group had signed up, probably thinking that when this feisty prison officer was flat on her back in hospital - a bit crook as they say in Cell Block H - might be a great time to give her a good old fashioned kicking. I'm not going to be revealing the names of the signatories. Not just now. But they know who they are.

But anyway, when their motion was put to the vote they lost. And what's more the resignations started. Word is that Deputy Leader and one of the main rivals for the parliamentary candidacy of Rochdale Dale Mulgrew, more on whom anon, is the Prince of Dumbassness behind the whole thing.

Some of the defecting crew had already I believe defected from Tory to Lib Dem in past lives. Experienced renegades? Or rather perhaps experienced self-preservers.

Today we can reveal more. Cllr Irene Davidson, who was in hospital in the very poorly ward when the coup was attempted having a kidney removed as part of her cancer treatment, has submitted her resignation as Group, Coalition and Council leader in writing. Basically because her people were defecting and those that were left were scheming against her.

The word on the streets of Deeplish, of Spodden and of Falinge is that this Liberal Democrat strategy in this town is playing out completely according to the plan of the masterminds behind it. That being that they become un-partnerable and lose any part in control of the council, set Labour up to be some part of the ruling arrangement, watch them dealing with incredibly difficult budget decisions, thanks to the ConDems in Westminster, and try to become popular opposing all this as pavement politicians and misery mongers.

A far cry from the Rt Hoon Nick Clegg's assessment of the Lib Dems as a party hungry for and competent in control of councils. They are on the run from responsibility. They want to be in opposition, minimise losses and rebuild; rather than facing such a meltdown next May that they are basically back to the fitting in a single taxi model which applied to the party nationally before Cyril Smith was elected to the House.

Back to Cllr Dale Mulgrew. Born again tosser. Utterly incompetent. Utterly ruthless. Horribly ambitious for a bear of such little brain. Dale's dad of course is Jimmy Cricket the old school Irish comedian with the welly boots, and Dale is constantly pimping dad's wares as agent/manager. Old habits die hard and this chump is organising a comedy council, a comedy councillor group of ever dwindling numbers, and a comedy forward strategy.

One other thing? Cllr Gregory Couzens, one of the few of the Rochdale Lib Dem rat boys who once could make a coherent plan, who once upon a time could string a sentence together, and who could formerly command any real respect from the people of the town, well he's blown it completely.

Possibly trapped by Cllr Dale Mulgrew he collected the signatures of the clowns against their leader, and he both failed to sign the thing himself, and failed to win the day. He's now putting the finishing touches to his application to join the Conservatives. Could be in coalition with Labour within a week.

Dale Mulgrew - the brains behind the Get Irene operation?

21 comments:

truthwillout said...

A very astute assessment of the situation. Even in turmoil this sickening bunch, who have destroyed Rochdale are scheming to use the situation to dump the baby on Labours doorstep, then resort to their usual odious brand of campaigning to attack the mopping up operation that will have to follow.

Rowan found out that the people of Rochdale are not stupid, and this lot will find out even harder.

Liars, cowards and rogues the lot of em

johnplayers said...

i just simply say tht i liked ur thoughts,u writes nicely.its a interesting post.

Rochdale Rapper said...

Paul Rowen's masterplan is Simple.

One of the main reasons why Labour won a suprising victory in Rochdale at the general election was because Lib Dem Paul Rowen was tarnished with being associated with a very unpopular Lib Dem council.

Until that point Paul though he had it in the bag. Local lad made good, at the right hand of Cyril, and Leader of the Council.

But he was lost in Westminster. Like Cyril - a little fish in a big pond when outside the shallow genepool of Rochdale politics.

Paul's 5 years as a useless and inept MP were masked by the smoke, mirrors and spin of Dave Hennigan and projected through the friendly prism of the Rochdale Obscurer and Rowen Online.

But the electorate weren't fooled and associated Paul's tenure with a very crap, officer led Rochdale council.

Even the smears against Simon Danczuk failed - ney backfired.

Paul wants power and has had time to reflect. To consolidate his powerbase he needs to get back into Rochdale politics. That is why there have been internal Lib Dem de-selection shenighans to get Paul back (along with one of his biggest fans Angie Coric).

Paul won't be worried about the defections. The likes of the Flynns and Barbara Todd were merely Cyril Smith shoe-ins who were directly wired into the Emma Street mainframe. Their time has past.

The second plank of Paul's strategy is to ensure there is not the expected local Lib Dem meltdown in next year's local election. There is only one way that can happen - avoid being the party currently in control. For when the council cuts bite there will be much public bitterness that will translate at the ballot box. The job is a poisoned chalice - especially now the budget has been set.

The long game is to replicate the conditions that got Simon Danczuk in - be able to associate and blame the incumbant MP to an unpopular Rochdale Council administration.

Paul's goals are clear. To get back as a councillor, then Leader of the Council oppoisition as a stringboard to be the PPC and try to get back to Westminster.

He doesn't mind who he walks over to do this or the damage it will cause to Rochdale on the way. That is the curse of obsessing over power. Paul's ring is precious to him.

But where does this leave greg Couzens and Dale Mulgrew? Greg is a tory and knows he could lose Spotland and Failinge.

Dale has been consolidating his own power base - he jumped ship on the Rosendale PPC when he knew it was doomed to failure at the sdame time that Alan Taylor was about to step down due to ill health. The internal leadership election must have been a dissapointment for Dale and a disaster for Greg. But he bided his time as Irene struggled with the leadership post.

A little Caesar walking in his dad's comedy wellies. Manufactured turmoil within the party as Irene lay in a cancer ward.

Paul Rowen and Dale Mulgrew scrapping and plotting over long term power in Rochdale.

Tragic and disgusting.

Get Real said...

Greg Couzens has fallen on his sword, resigned the whip and gone Independent.

Is now considering his future.

Looks like Paul's star is rising and Dale is wondering which way to put his dad's wellies on. Left or right?

Truthwillout said...

7 up! Greg Couzens has now jumped ship

ghost of 142a/144 Drake Street said...

Those cunning remaining Lib Dems (inside and outside of the current party) have taken a page out of Soviet military strategy.

Retreat for the winter and regroup in the spring.

How is it in chilly Cumbria John? Is it snowing yet?

Anonymous said...

Greg Couzens will not be standing in May. If he thought he had any chance of winning he would have joined the Tories. But he knows his reputation is completely burned.

Anonymous said...

Have you not got anything better to do Neil?

I thought you would be too busy to be cruising the information superhighway between here and Rochdale Online all day. Haven't you got council ward work to be doing as well as writing all your sister's speeches?

Idle hands.

Anonymous said...

Greg will be missed.

Will the last one leaving Rochdale Lib Dems please turn the light out.

Anonymous said...

Great BBC headline!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-11839636

tory boys never grow up said...

Good to see that Rochdale is setting the pattern for the country as a whole - LibDems falling apart and a ConDem coalition losing its majority and hopefully out on its ear in short order,

tory boys never grow up said...

Of course in the last post I should have said "again" before "setting the pattern...", for those who remember the Co-operative movement and John Bright, who was probably the last decent Liberal of note coming out of Rochdale.

Cyril's New Order said...

Perhaps amitious Greg will get to taste power and lead a party after all. The raggle taggle bunch of malcontents that have gone Independent in the stylee of Alderman Cyril Smith in the 1960's.

But what to call this new Rochdale Party?

How about a homage to Cyril?

Cyril Smith Peoples Alliance for Economic Development and Order?

A damning acronym said...

A very cheeky name suggestion for an independent party influenced by the memory and tactics of the old spanker.

Cyril Smith Peoples Alliance for Economic Development and Order

"Cyril Smith P.A.E.D.O." - it has a ring to it.

Rochdale Lib Dems and the seven dwarves all knew about Cambridge House, Knowl View School and other places touched by Cyril's presence. But they stayed silent.

They will all have to live that - just like the victims of Cyril Smith's abuse have.

Truthwillout said...

Rowen now makes a scathing attack on Journalists http://menmedia.co.uk/rochdaleobserver/news/politics/s/1372832_council_leader_quits_on_sick_bed#comments

Rochdale Rapper said...

In a tradgy-comedic twist, Spanker's brother- 'gormless' Norman Smith has just been made President of Rochdale Liberal Democrats.

For those too young to realise the hilarity of this, Norman has never been the sharpest card in the deck and basically did everything that Cyril told him to do. Most of Norman's letters in the Rochdale Observer were penned by Cyril as were the bulk of Norman's council speeches.

Oh crikey. 'President' Norman Smith - 20 stones of moron no longer linked to the Emma Street hivebrain.

Gormlesszilla. The Normanator.

Doomed. The cheeky rump of Rochdale Lib Dems is doomed. No wonder Paul Rowen has his sights on a Rochdale Council seat in Pennines and well away from President Norm and the toby jug collection.

Anonymous said...

"The process of de-selection is not a matter for the leader but for the constituency party executive."

So who is now the new constituency party Chairman? Piss Poor Paul Rowen.

If the process of de-selection is not for the leader but for the constituency party, does Piss Poor Paul Rowen not have a conflict of interest?

How can you as Chairman de-select a hard working councillor so you can stand in their place?

Rowen go back to Uganda. You are not wanted in Rochdale.

uniforms and armbands at the ready said...

In a crisp, bright, efficient dawn, Greg has woken up this morning leader of a new party.

Not the "Cyril Smith P.A.E.D.O." party name cheekily suggested but Rochdale Independent Alliance.

All those years ago the old spanker warned about formation of Alliance's.

Perhaps the autobiography that "Big Cyril" had written for him is the blue print for Greg's political ambitions? Join a party, get power, fall out when it gets awkward, jump ship, go independent then join another party if there is the chance of gravy train ticket to become an MP?

It is absolutely certain that Greg will not follow Cyril's past example too far and get involved in systematic brutal sexual abuse of vulnerable youngsters.

But do any brown envelope shenanighans with dodgy developers go without saying?

Anonymous said...

Fair point about the brown envelopes.

Chris Greaves was alway close to greg as Lib Dem fundraising do's so will he be as generous with Greg's new party?

On the running form of some of the others in the new 'party' it must be a good bet. Ted Flynn and his Abbey National nest egg did well in the past when he co-incidentially sat on the planning committee when a number of controversial planning applications went through - depite officer recommendations to refuse permission.

Pennine & Rossendale Estates? Hallmark Developments? Gren and Ted must be rubbing their hands in glee. Or is itjust because of the cold weather?

Chris Paul said...

For the avoidance of doubt:

Unless proof is proffered readers must assume please that any banter about "brown envelopes" is just that. Banter. With absolutely no foundation whatsoever in fact.

Ignore such remarks, and if you cannot provide proof please DO NOT MAKE such suggestions even in fun and if you do wish to advance such theories let's be having your REAL name and contact details.

I am going to leave the above comment for the time being. I take it to be completely untrue. I will be back to remove any similar unsupported banter from time to time and if Mr Flynn agrees with me that this is untrue and requests removal I shall co-operate.

Truthwillout said...

Anyone checked out Paul Rowens facebook page recently?
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=845730231&v=wall

Interesting profile pic they are using, featuring Mr Leech as well.