Wednesday, January 19, 2011

NW Libdemology: Rochdale Lib Dems Seem Proud of Their Libels



It was around a week ago now, on the eve of the Oldham East and Saddleworth by-election, fought over scurrilous leafletry and in which Tim Farron claimed with no hint of irony that his party had turned their back on their unremitting filthy tactics, when your blogger of Labour Loveliness facebooked this comment which ought to have been a clue for Rochdale Lib Dems to wind in their disgraceful campaigning methods, and at least practice "sheepish" for when they were inevitably caught at it:

Lib Dems in a neighbouring constituency have shown their commitment to clean campaigning by sticking out a leaflet featuring a couple of naughty Labour ex-MPs and their Labour opponent on an equal footing. Well, there is a sneaky question mark. But it is bang to rights libel by juxtaposition.
Utterly libellous and extraordinarily put out by the Director of a local media organisation owned by the respectable Oldham Chronicle. Lib Dems in this neck of the woods are dirty as hell and all their butter wouldn't melt hypocrisy is being seen through by the people.
Elwyn Watkins placed something like 58th of 60 in a councillor laziness index produced by Rochdale Observer a couple of years ago.
He has conspired with the rest of the sick Rochdale Lib Dem crew in an allowances tithe scheme generating huge amounts
which were neither declared to the EC or triggered the required annual accounts (LOLs passim).
And he has conspired in the outrageous contrived tenancy the former Rochdale MP Paul Rowen had in renting using tax payers' money from a Lib Dem organisation at an "independent" rent set by one of that organisation's Directors. The local party and their John Bull printing soc also tenants (also LOLs passim).
Cleaning up politics? Elwyn Watkins is a lazy disgrace from a local party who don't have the first idea about honesty and clean campaigning.

Other points to look out for on this gutter snipe leaflet. The responsible Lib Dem councillor quotes a "Local resident" who is actually his partner, and also quotes a rightly maligned publication which (a) has often seemed little more than a propaganda and defamation machine for Rochdale Lib Dems and which donated via main man Malcolm Bad Boy Porn-O to Paul Rowen's failed campaign, and (b) that is his own direct employer, and (c) of which he is a Company Director. And this Lib Dem councillor - Keith Swift - has been defending this "Guilty" libel over and over and over again on BBC and commercial radio, BBC TV and (for publication tomorrow) the inkies. Keep digging you great fool Keith!

I imagine that steps towards legal action are imminent if not already underway. The Lib Dems nationally are said to weighing in with talk - would you believe a single word (or three letter acronym: VAT, EMA, FJF) Clegg's sidemen say these days? - of an enquiry. Simon Danczuk and Rochdale Labour should settle for the title deeds of 144-146 Drake Street, knock it down, and finally banish the very bad smell that has been drifting over the Town since Cyril Smith were a wee scrawner rifling in the bins for bacon rinds in the ginnels of Spotland.

FOOTNOTE: Needless to say Mr Swift's handiwork is also chock full of all the usual lib Dems lies about the economy and the cuts and the pupil premium and all that.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good work Chris. Rochdale Lib Dems are the worst of the worst

Oo be do be do said...

Keith Swift cites local disgruntled citizen "Sue Etchells" in the dodgy Focus leaflet. Is this the same Sue Etchells that was Paul Rowen's secretary until he lost the General Election? The same Sue Etchells that partnered Mayor Keith Swift as Lib Dem Mayoress of Rochdale last year?

Keith looked ill on the BBC television news tonight.
He has had to maintain that he wrote and published the libellous drivel. Is Keith and Rochdale Online ready for the writ?

Keith is a Frank Sinatra inpersonator. Will he be singing like a canary soon?

Ol blue eyes said...

Will the real Jonathan Swift please stand up?

American Jonathan Swift has been doing a Frank Sinatra tribute act for the past 30 years...

Ol blue eyes said...

Will the real Jonathan Swift please stand up?

American Jonathan Swift has been doing a Frank Sinatra tribute act for the past 30 years...

142a/144 Drake Street said...

Keith Swift stood by "his" statement on his Milnrow leaflet.

Thing is the same words are used by another Focus "editor" in Kingsway.

So has Keith told lies?

If he fesses up about not writing the leaflet he has put his name to then who wrote it? A Lib Dem employee?

Who pays the libel damages and legal fees? Rochdale Lib Dems?
Cllr Keith Swift?

Or will a book be opened on other suspects...Dave Heineken, Heynotworth or another of Elwyn's little helpers... John Swarbrick?
Paul Rowen?

People in Glass Houses... said...

Keith Swift, Rochdale Online shareholder quoting from Rochdale Online "news" to illustrate his libellous leaflet.

In addition to being a Rochdale Online shareholder, is Keith Swift a paid advertising executive for Rochdale Online? What accounts has he serviced? Advertising from public funds paid for by the taxpayer? Rochdale Council? Link 4 Life? Rochdale NHS Trust? Kingsway Business Park? Several Rochdale schools?

Is everything in order about this paid arrangement with Rochdale Online, a company that Councillor Swift has shares in?

Truthwillout said...

Not only is 'local resident' Sue Etchells Keith Swifts long time partner, she was also a paid employee of Paul Rowen when he was MP.

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/46618/former-mps-office-closes-its-doors

Wasn't worried about MP's spending taxpayers money then was she?

Anonymous said...

Keith Swify didn't write the libellous leaflet. A lib dem party employee did.

This is a matter for the Federal Party to resolve in conjunction with the local Rochdale Party bosses.

A swift apology (excuse the pun) followed by a generous cheque to a local charity should end this.

Dave's mate said...

But he didn't deny being responsible for 'his' comments in the leaflet - on TV and the Radio?!

There are 3 councillors who put their name to the leaflet and have to account for the comments attributed to them.

The next few days are going to be very interesting.

Wherehasallthemoneygone? said...

Word is there is no money left in the pot with which to atone.

Loss of the Council means loss of a large part of their approx £75,000 turnover with undeclared Councillors donations funnelled through up to four separate accounts.

With creditors banging on the door, only Oldham's use of printing services keeping the lights on and that not for long.

Expect bancruptcy news fairly soon and hopefully a thorough investigation of financial arrangements.

Treasurer Rush going greyer day by day and Adam Power not sure if pay cheques going to bounce.

Drake St's Unreformed characters said...

Will anyone get to the bottom of Cyril Smith's (and others) shareholding and past influence of Rochdale Reform Buildings Ltd and the 'rent' that Paul Rowen claimed as a parliamentary expense?


http://rochdaleraw.blogspot.com/2010/02/cyril-smith-and-unreformed-characters.html

Chris Paul said...

There has been an exposition of the main twists in the contrived tenancy etc on the blog before and various references in the mainstream media.

One little mystery that needs sorting out I think is who is the Wikipedia vandal that has been removing factual content from Cyril Smith related wiki pages. The old slapper and groucher has someone by the balls from beyond the grave.

More on that anon. If anyone was a York University college radio hack or University Challenge of the perpetrator they may like to get in touch ..

Truthwillout said...

"Coolest mayor ever" Ditchy and Salty. What an endorsement
http://www.jonathan-swift-sinatra.co.uk/
Interesting web host to.