Like rats fleeing a shrinking ship…

On 15 July 2009, a notice was posted for a vacancy on Medway Council after the resignation of a Labour councillor. One month later, it emerged two more Labour councillors have left the Labour Group. So why is it the Labour Group on Medway Council seems to be imploding?

Admittedly, that may seem to be unfair on the Labour label. Former Councillor Dennis MacFarlane was, officially, suspended from the Labour Party weeks before his resignation, for irregular benefit claims, apparently, although publicly little more is evident.

However, the Councillors Goulden, MacFarlane’s former colleagues in the ward-of-the-day Luton and Wayfield, left the Labour Group for reasons that are equally as mysterious. Indeed, it seems at present as though the husband and wife pairing are reluctant to share their reasons for going Independent.

Rumours, though not generally treated as reliable grounds for news by AlanWCollins, seemed to be accurate in the prophesy of the shrinking Labour Group, so maybe further rumours – that the Gouldens, Tony and Val, resigned in protest at the fast-tracking of a schools-campaigner-turned-Labour-member into the Labour candidacy in the by-election – are true.

They have every right to be angry. Despite recent comments on this website, greatly respected by myself and no doubt true, rising a three-week-strong member to the office of candidate by the local party simply just does not sit right in local politics – even if you do have the backing of the local under-fire MP.

The fact is – and it is a fact, as much as it pains a staunch Conservative to say it – there are many good Labour activists in Medway, and several in Luton and Wayfield who could have been selected and retained the ward with a strong majority. As it stands, the kick in the nuts of the Labour faithful, as well as the cynical ploy to turn an important by-election into a single-issue referendum by virtue of its candidate, could well backfire on Labour in a number of ways.

On the Statement as to Persons Nominated, Sam Whittington was the only candidate of seven to be proposed, or even seconded, by a sitting councillor. However, it wasn’t one of her prospective future colleagues in Luton and Wayfield, but a political veteran from Chatham Central. That alone should have aroused suspicion as to the internal thoughts and feelings of two former Mayors.

Their decision to leave the Labour Group, and effectively complete the shrinking of the ship to just over three-quarters of its size one month ago, is the first casualty of party-politicising that which should remain politically-neutral.

I’m not suggesting for a minute that Ms Whittington won’t make a good councillor. Obviously I’d rather it was former Ghurka Tashi Bhutia as the Conservative candidate – and indications from the ward, my sources inform me, are that the chances of a wafer-thin majority, if not a defeat, for Ms Whittington, are quite high indeed – but as a non-resident I don’t get a say in the election in that way.

What is evident, though, is that the internal party democracy of the local Labour Party must be extremely flawed to allow a member of three weeks to even stand as a potential candidate, let alone beat off challengers including a former councillor.

It is sad to read the comments presented about the good character Ms Whittington once represented, and to realise how quickly she has allowed herself to become a pawn in Labour’s ever-seedier game of party-political chess, how quickly she has allowed herself to be drawn in and corrupted by Labour’s cynical ways.

The Councillors Goulden departure represents a severe backfire on the Labour Group. A shot in the foot. A rebellion. An implosion of their number. A weaking of their respect for the core Labour values. A shrinking of the once-great ship that steered the Medway Towns with a minority administration.

And just like rats fleeing a shrinking ship, I fear the councillors’ departure won’t be the last serious reprisal of Labour’s cynicism in Luton and Wayfield.