LW: Luton and Wayfield councillors resign the Labour Whip
The remaining Luton and Wayfield Councillors Tony and Val Goulden have resigned from the Labour Group, shrinking its number to just 10.
The Gouldens have been removed from the Labour Group website and have been listed as Independent members on the Medway Council website, confirming rumours which emerged last night.
The couple were rumoured to have been displeased by the selection of schools campaigner Sam Whittington as their by-election candidate, just three weeks after becoming a member of the Labour Party.
2009 By-Election
September 3, 2009
| Candidates | Party | Votes | |||
| Gary Allanach | Liberal Democrat | - | |||
| Tashi Tamang Bhutia | Conservative | - | |||
| Brian Cartwright | Independent | - | |||
| Robin Charles Johnson | UK Independence Party | - | |||
| Sarah March D’Angelo | Green Party | - | |||
| Brian Christian Ravenscroft | British National Party | - | |||
| Sam Whittington | Labour | - | |||
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8 Comments
They could have got one of their long time members to stand and easily won the ward. Now because of the cynical decision to put an untested member in who only joined three weeks ago ahead of more worthy candidates, they’ve lost two. That just about sums up the Labour group at the minute, headless chickens.
Ig nore yr supporters @ yr peril. this is what happens when u take people 4 granted.
It is not the fault of Ms Whittington that due to her hard work and faultless campaigning, that she was brought to the attention of the senior members of the Labour party. After all had the Gouldens appeared on mainstream 6 o’clock news campaigning for their local area, then maybe they would not have felt the desire to resign!
I am disgusted at the above comments, Sam is a good person and looks after our daughter on a regular basis if we need it, after all what more recommendation could someone need than to look after someone elses children. Sam deserves praise for her tireless work in campaigning against the school closures locally, and for her local campaigning for council. If you want representation for an honest local person who really believes in her goals, then I would urge you all to vote for Sam!
By the way who are Goulden and Goulden? we have never had them knock on our door?
Sam is a great personality and people person and will be a great voice for the community.
The negative character assassination by the Tories across a number of forums is a ruse to hide their record across Medway Council. A record which the community is becoming increasingly aware.
The mainstream media are more interested in the community and the issues which effect real peple, hence the front page on the failure of the Council to deal with complaints.
Whilst trying to keep the debate objective. Sam was democratically selected. She contested with a number of other very strong candidates. The candidate selected reflected the will of those in the audience and the membership. The process even took some time to make it fair to all those involved.
With the Tories having picked a non-partisan candidate in Totnes – I find it ironic that only after 7 days members of the local Tories can celebrate can do a U-Turn to attack the very same principle in local government. Surely we should all be encouraging community based campaigners to stand up and be counted – a few less partisan hacks, and a few more grass root activists would be very welcome at all levels.
It is sad that the Gouldens have resigned the whip. They are very well respected members of the community and have done excellent work on the Council as mayors. They will continue to attack the lamentable record of our Tory Council. CCTV Cars, Medway Tunnel tax bomb, Chatham road chaos, inept administration and housing chaos. Real issues which effect real people. Policy difference over Personality.
The Gouldens are good people, two former mayors of medway. Its sam, vince and jonathan that should have resigned not them!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tristan is doing his usual stuff I see. He reminds me (and others) of Iraq’s Comical Ali, but the original was better?
In response to Bixy’s perfectly valid point: personally, I’d hate to lose Vince off the council: he has always come across as a decent fellow, and with great potential. I saw him as a potential Labour Group Leader, and we always got on well through mutual respect ? something I never had from their present Group Leader, who also doesn’t come well out of today’s Gun Wharf Tales disclosures on this matter.
It was clearly an error on his part to be the Labour candidate’s agent, assuming he knew what we now all know (at least in part ? some isn’t yet fully corroborated). At least that will be over (apart from post-election formalities) in less than three weeks from now.