Resignations From Liberal Vannin

[thesultanofsheight]

how else would you like me to explain the circumstance of the Mayor being elected, would you like me to say it in french or latin as you don't seem to be understanding that she was elected by the council...

 

Gosh I've done a days work whilst Councillors have had the time to post crap on the internet all day.

 

You can dress it up how you like but you're a bunch of hypocrites: whether the mayor has any political or official power or not is immaterial - its an elected position and has not been in this case because the Councillor chosen failed to be re-elected by the public before they took up the post. You left LV because you claim that you don't like unelected officials, and yet have one preside at your council meetings.

 

Your showing your true colours and frankly your full of crap and most people who've read this thread now know so.

[jehovah]

As well as publishing personal e-mails, which I assume were confidential at the time and sent whilst a member of an organisation he has resigned from on a 'point of principle'. I only hope he never gets 'elected' to a position of trust and authority.

 

FYO I am not an elected member of any authority or the LV executive committee.

[oldmanxfella]

As well as publishing personal e-mails, which I assume were confidential at the time and sent whilst a member of an organisation he has resigned from on a 'point of principle'. I only hope he never gets 'elected' to a position of trust and authority.

 

That's the most shameful element in my mind; publishing personal and private correspondence on an open forum to prove a point. If that is the way you deal with matters in your professional life then that should totally disbarr you from public office in my book. I wonder what you'll be tempted to post next time you dig yourself into a hole and want an easy way out.

[jehovah]

do you want me to publish a few more emails.................

 

Why don't you ask him.

[Albert Tatlock]

As well as publishing personal e-mails, which I assume were confidential at the time and sent whilst a member of an organisation he has resigned from on a 'point of principle'. I only hope he never gets 'elected' to a position of trust and authority.

 

That's the most shameful element in my mind; publishing personal and private correspondence on an open forum to prove a point. If that is the way you deal with matters in your professional life then that should totally disbarr you from public office in my book. I wonder what you'll be tempted to post next time you dig yourself into a hole and want an easy way out.

Hmm..maybe...but isn't this all in the public interest? Don't elected LV politicians supposedly represent the 'interests' of several thousand IOM voters, who have a right to know what they have signed up for via the ballot box?

[Ushtey]

Unfortunately this week's Examiner included a letter from Nigel Dobson on behalf of the Liberal Vannin Party which directed several accusations at me. T confirm, I have written to Nigel, Kate Beecroft and Peter Karran asking them to retract those accusations which are untrue, in particular the suggestion that the Liberal Vannin Party paid for my campaign or election material and that I refused to communicate with the Party.

 

Not only did I pay my entire campaign costs, I also paid for campaign material to be produced for other candidates in Onchan and other Constituencies. At no time did I ever request the Party financially support me, nor was it ever offered. I accepted the prescribed choice of typesetting and printing, despite the additional cost this caused me.

 

I have included in my letter to them copies of the emails that were originally copied to them in which I outlined my position and explained that I wanted to the opportunity to discuss my concerns with the wider membership and the Party Leader. I do concede that I stated I felt there was little point in my asking Nigel Dobson to raise my concerns over the performance and intentions of the Party Executive with that Party Executive on my behalf and then await their response sent via him. I have also included copies of several emails I have sent during the last 6 months which called for Party unity, clear direction, suggested issues for Party policy and urging the members to work together to leverage our success in the local elections for the greater good of the people of the Island.

 

To further clarify the Party's Constitution (dated 2006), despite claims otherwise it does not say the National Executive shall be elected for three years, but ratehr for a period of no more than three years. It also states that to be a voting member of the National Executive Committee you must have stood as a Liberal Vannin Candidate in both the General Election and Local Authority Elections, which limits voting membership to only Kate Beecroft and Nigel Dobson.

 

I am accused of not following the procedures of raising all questions and concerns via the Branch Chairman, yet the Constitution clearly states the Party shall establish Branches as per the Isle of Man Constituencies, electing Branch officials or in their absence the Party Chair shall take sole responsibility for the Constituency. Which means I have to raise issues directly with Kate Beecroft as per the Constitution, the Central Branch has no mandate according to the Constitution.

 

Lastly, I am accused of not attending meetings for months, yet on these forums there are people who have confirmed my attendance at those meetings. I have attended every meeting I was informed of and abe to attend, in the last instance giving my apology as the meeting occured at the time of the unfortunate deah of a friend and colleague. Ironically one of my most recent concerns surrounded the repeated postponement of an annual meeting and the confirmation by a very senior member of the Executive that the decision to postpone this meeting had been made collectively by the National Executive Committee, despite one member of that Executive confirming that he was not even aware the meeting had been postponed, let alone included in any vote to postpone it.

 

Until now I have avoided joining various he said-she said-they said debate, but where I am so publicly accused of things that are plainly untrue, and in one instance an accusation which could be construed as my obtaining monies via false pretences which could affect my future employment, I feel I have to respond to explain the truth.

 

In the mean time, I am continuing to try to work with members of other local Authorities to reduce costs, share resources and information. I am very pleased at the positive response to the healthy cookbook scheme and other initiatives I have been able to support. And, at 11.30pm last night as the weekly Onchan Commissioners meeting was still locked in debate, I admit I did wonder if I really needed the hassles and personal attacks of the past weeks.

 

Steve

[Slim]

Unfortunately this week's Examiner included a letter from Nigel Dobson on behalf of the Liberal Vannin Party which directed several accusations at me. T confirm, I have written to Nigel, Kate Beecroft and Peter Karran asking them to retract those accusations which are untrue, in particular the suggestion that the Liberal Vannin Party paid for my campaign or election material and that I refused to communicate with the Party.

 

Not only did I pay my entire campaign costs, I also paid for campaign material to be produced for other candidates in Onchan and other Constituencies. At no time did I ever request the Party financially support me, nor was it ever offered. I accepted the prescribed choice of typesetting and printing, despite the additional cost this caused me.

 

I have included in my letter to them copies of the emails that were originally copied to them in which I outlined my position and explained that I wanted to the opportunity to discuss my concerns with the wider membership and the Party Leader. I do concede that I stated I felt there was little point in my asking Nigel Dobson to raise my concerns over the performance and intentions of the Party Executive with that Party Executive on my behalf and then await their response sent via him. I have also included copies of several emails I have sent during the last 6 months which called for Party unity, clear direction, suggested issues for Party policy and urging the members to work together to leverage our success in the local elections for the greater good of the people of the Island.

 

To further clarify the Party's Constitution (dated 2006), despite claims otherwise it does not say the National Executive shall be elected for three years, but ratehr for a period of no more than three years. It also states that to be a voting member of the National Executive Committee you must have stood as a Liberal Vannin Candidate in both the General Election and Local Authority Elections, which limits voting membership to only Kate Beecroft and Nigel Dobson.

 

I am accused of not following the procedures of raising all questions and concerns via the Branch Chairman, yet the Constitution clearly states the Party shall establish Branches as per the Isle of Man Constituencies, electing Branch officials or in their absence the Party Chair shall take sole responsibility for the Constituency. Which means I have to raise issues directly with Kate Beecroft as per the Constitution, the Central Branch has no mandate according to the Constitution.

 

Lastly, I am accused of not attending meetings for months, yet on these forums there are people who have confirmed my attendance at those meetings. I have attended every meeting I was informed of and abe to attend, in the last instance giving my apology as the meeting occured at the time of the unfortunate deah of a friend and colleague. Ironically one of my most recent concerns surrounded the repeated postponement of an annual meeting and the confirmation by a very senior member of the Executive that the decision to postpone this meeting had been made collectively by the National Executive Committee, despite one member of that Executive confirming that he was not even aware the meeting had been postponed, let alone included in any vote to postpone it.

 

Until now I have avoided joining various he said-she said-they said debate, but where I am so publicly accused of things that are plainly untrue, and in one instance an accusation which could be construed as my obtaining monies via false pretences which could affect my future employment, I feel I have to respond to explain the truth.

 

In the mean time, I am continuing to try to work with members of other local Authorities to reduce costs, share resources and information. I am very pleased at the positive response to the healthy cookbook scheme and other initiatives I have been able to support. And, at 11.30pm last night as the weekly Onchan Commissioners meeting was still locked in debate, I admit I did wonder if I really needed the hassles and personal attacks of the past weeks.

 

Steve

 

Sorry for quoting in full, but things have been falling off this forum.

 

Steve, fair play to you for sticking your name up and defending yourself. I'll ask you the same question though; why did you join the party if it was in this state? Do you think that was a bit hasty? From your post, it looks like you had reasonable grounds to bail, but it does look a little (to a totally unenlightened outsider) like the quitters used the party to win their seats then gave up on the party shortly after.

[hboy]

I am very pleased at the positive response to the healthy cookbook scheme and other initiatives I have been able to support.

 

So it wasn't you who ate all the pies then Steve?

[Holy Paladin]

I will be honest i know steve looks that way.. but he never did eat any off the pies...

 

I joined this forum as I felt frustrated that sometimes peopel dont know what is going on and when you are actually there but people says otherwise.. it frustrates..

 

I agree the email was my final straw, as the letter from Nigel D totally pissed me off, as i was the person he told in a meeting theer was going to be an election, and he even emailed me to tell me that he had made the mistake... then there is a letter in the paper telling everyone we had never been told.. so was i dreaming it all..nahhhh

 

so ok let me introduce myself.. John Faragher - Douglas Councillor

 

I admit maybe i played the basll wrong here, by having an other name maybe i should have just set up a profile in my own name.. so i will accept any flack on that point..

 

but I stand with Steve on all the issues as why we left, the control exerted upon us by exec, to do as we are told not what we think..

 

I left school 20 years ago so really have no need to put my hand up anymore and ask when and what i can do...

 

I wanted to make a difference, I belief LVs belief in an open and democratic government.. sadly the label on the tin was not the contents.. but agaian its my Own opinion, hence why I left.

 

I am glad I joined the forum as there are a lot off great minds at work, and its good to be questioned ... I sadly do have a sense off humour so please do not confuse that to me not caring for what I do.. lets just say with Local Authority you can't be in it for the money !!! but the odd buffett is a perk !!!

[Ushtey]

Ha ha, those who know me will tell you I certainly did eat all the pies, in my defence, I was only doing it to protect other, thinner, people from the damages of all that pie goodness.

 

But more seriously, Slim, you ask why I joined the Party. At the time I raised my concerns about the Constitution, I also raised concerns about the contract prospective members were asked to sign. But I was assured that these would be addressed as soon as possible. I believed then, and still believe, that by working together, the sum of the parts can be greater than the individual. I also believed what I was told by the Executive members regards moving forwards and addressing these issues.

 

Six months into my role as a Commissioner I am learning very quickly that by working closely with other Local Authority members a lot more can be done and an awful lot more information can be shared. For me, the big issues that affect the Island on a strategic basis are best left to the MHKs, local Authority issues tend to affect individuals on a more day to day basis, but I can now say from experience that in many cases more people are affected by and feel more passionate about those local issues. Yes the long term economic strategy for the Island is important, yes it affects us all, but schemes like ramp parks, Village fayres, housing, parking and planning can generate passion the likes of which I never saw when discussing national issues at the general election.

 

I honestly believe that in the past 6 months I have tried to work with the other members of the Liberal Vannin Party to further to common goals of more open and honest democracy on the Island, to make politics more accessible to "ordinary" people and to offer a clear manifesto which everyone can look to for a statement of intent, that I was working together with the other members to further the promises we made.

 

Some people have suggested I benefited from association with Peter Karran at the local elections and it is true, no doubt I did get some extra votes. But equally there are those who have told me honestly that I lost their votes when I stood as a Liberal Vannin candidate. How much difference my membership made to the votes I received I cannot say, I don't think anyone can, but I can point to the fact there were two Liberal Vannin Candidates standing in Onchan, who received considerably different numbers of votes. If my election success was solely down to my membership of the Liberal Vannin party, why did I come within 14 votes of topping the poll and the other candidate come last with nearly half my votes?

 

I am very very sorry matters have turned out the way they have, I wish I was able to stay in the Liberal Vannin Party as I still think the potential is there to do more good. But when I cannot defend the actions of the National Executive Committee, when the Party doesn't follow it's own Constitution, when we call for greater democracy and for MLCs to be elected but don't have the courage of our convictions and allow the membership to show it's support for our own Executive in a ballot and when the party's website states on it's front page that COMIN's policy of forcing members to abide by the decision and not be able to disagree in public, but then apply the same rules to our own members; then it strikes me as the highest hypocrisy to publicly support the party to my constituents. After all, I promised to be honest.

 

Following Bill Malarkey's resignation, I saw first hand the vitriol that some senior members aimed at him so I knew what the reaction would be when I resigned. However, my resignation was not an easy decision to make, was not taken hastily and was not until after I had sent e-mails outlining my concerns and expressing my sincere hope that things were not irrecoverable.

 

But I wonder which is the more honest approach, mine, or those who claim to continue to represent a more open, honest and democratic process and ask people to support them accordingly, despite not following their own rules or having the conviction to face the members in a ballot. After all, I could have simply not said anything and carried on regardless; instead I chose to highlight the issues, concerns and misleading statements, take the flak and carry on working for Onchan as best I can.

[oldmanxfella]

However, my resignation was not an easy decision to make, was not taken hastily

 

You got voted in, in April and resigned from LV in October. What is your definition of hasty?

[Holy Paladin]

hasty.. yes we where voted or "walked" (i dislike the term, but can think of no other, steve can you) but had been members from before..

 

and lets be honest, the rot set in within about 3 weeks of being elected, when the goup of councillors was dictated too by PK, on how to vote in an issue, when that choice did not go his way, he became abusive and angry, and it later became apparant that he had "promised" our votes to another Councillor a few days earlier.

 

ermmmmmmm right or wrong..?

 

also the issue of a LV free entry.. where are Wendy Megson, where are Inkerman Faragher, why is there not 5 or 6 LV MHKS from the last election

[oldmanxfella]

and lets be honest, the rot set in within about 3 weeks of being elected, when the goup of councillors was dictated too by PK, on how to vote in an issue, when that choice did not go his way, he became abusive and angry, and it later became apparant that he had "promised" our votes to another Councillor a few days earlier.

 

That's politics pal, it strikes me that you're simply too naive to play the game.

[Holy Paladin]

naive maybe maybe not, I quickly spotted the rot,... maybe it was more too hopefull that they would have got it right, but hey ho, i still had the strength to stand by MY principles and left, as all the others..

[Gladys]

Not read the thread in detail, but the main feeling I am left with is that Douglas Council (or is it Corporation) is populated with small boys playing a big boys' game. Can you, please, identify yourselves and explain why I, like many others resident outside of Pulrose, have never had a courtesy call (seeing as I contribute to the 'toy box' which is Douglas rates), why the main objective of Douglas Council is to make life as difficult as they can for the ordinary ratepayer by limiting enjoyment and amenity of the capital and why PK, who I have never voted (or not) for, has such sway?

 

Forget the Party Politics and start looking at your fundamental role of providing a service to ALL the residents of Douglas.