WHAT CAN WE DO?

LIVES RUINED

Every Hornet's Nest reader will want to help those poor families affected by the Grenfell Tower tragedy. 

For those who have lost family members, the pain must be indescribable and we can only send our heartfelt sympathy.

But what of tangible nature can we do?

The Dame is sure that someone is setting up a Just Giving page. If so, could the Dame have details so she can provide a link? 

Sad Badger also came up with an intensely practical idea. Throughout London, there are blocks of empty flats waiting for those elusive overseas buyers. 

The owners should be gently persuaded to donate use of their flats until permanent housing can be found.

What we need to avoid is putting families into the hands of racketeering landlords of quasi-slum property-of which there are many.

DON'T BLAME BORWICK:BLAME THE COUNCIL

The Dame has her own view of Victoria Borwick having seen her in action helping residents in distress.

Emma's victory had nothing to do with Brexit but all to do with a council steadfastly refusing to admit they had merely a leasehold rather than a freehold on power....to quote a Tory MP.

Sadly, the anger that residents felt towards the Council was turned on Borwick.

She was also not helped by an atrociously run campaign led by Cllr Mills.

And one more thing....the Tri Borough experiment has been a disaster. 
Pooter Cockell, the Dame's old expense grubbing enemy engineered the fiasco. 

It was of such importance residents should have been able to have their say. 

The fact they were excluded speaks volumes.

The Dame has allowed Guy Oliver to write his analysis of events. 
If the Council has any sense it will listen....and listen hard.

Guy Oliver was one of the driver's behind the ultimately unsuccessful campaign to save the wonderful Kensington Odeon.

The remarkable win in Kensington by Labour’s Emma Dent Coad may have passed all but unnoticed had it not been for the phenomenal arrogance of the local party’s campaign masterminded by Cllr Julie Mills. Such was her disbelief she demanded three recounts.

This made the constituency the last in the country to declare and as a result, an announcement was made, under the full scrutiny of the press, just in time for the 10.00pm news bulletins. 

It underlined Theresa May’s failed gamble to unite the country behind her “strong and stable” leadership (long may she rue having taken Lynton Crosby’s advice on those words! ) but there was more to it than that..... 

Why would this most Tory of boroughs, with even former Prime Minister David Cameron as a constituent, apparently turn on their own?

Partially, the answer lies in Emma Dent Coad’s appeal as a community activist, rallying the support of the people that she represents. 

Her approach is typically non-partisan and she will speak out against any injustice, although in The Royal Borough these are routinely perpetrated by a ruling party perceived by many to be socially divisive and without much moral compass.

Victoria Borwick’s position was made untenable for the same reasons, with many believing that she represented an out of touch, un-listening and uncaring group of councillors, typified by the likes of Daniel Moylan who claims to know better than the people he is supposed to represent (ironic when you think some of the world’s most successful citizens live here!).

Who amongst us voted for our local councillors to be the property developers of our community assets? 

Worse still, for them to side with property developers against our wishes? (There is a certain poetic justice that the overseas buyers of the luxury developments that have spawned in the Borough over recent years cannot vote for the councillors who encouraged them ) . 

There is a long list of campaigns where the council has ignored the wishes of the community:

• Crossrail
• Sutton Dwellings
• Marlborough School
• North Kensington Library
• The Kensington Odeon
• Earls Court

and then there is the:

• decline of the High Street
• the soon to be destroyed arcade by the tube station
• air pollution by Westway

and the embarrassing 'intimate relationship between the council and certain private schools

Emma’s outspoken voice about these and many other issues has often put her at odds with her own party, as well as with her political opposition, but her position comes from a strong sense of justice and what is right.  She understands process and has inspired, guided and galvanised community groups to demand better representation. 

In turn, this has inspired people to vote. Winning by 20 votes may seem like a slim margin, put in the context of overturning a majority of 7000, we can start to comprehend the magnitude of what happened last week. 

Watch out Cllrs Fielding-Mellen, Paget-Brown, Coleridge, Moylan, Warrick et al, in the inimitable words of Bob Dylan “the times they are a changing”. 

Perhaps now you will start to listen to the community? ……or perhaps they will replace you too? The choice is in your hands.....

A NEW YORKER'S VIEW OF THE ELECTION

And it came to pass, in the land of Britain, that the High Priestess went unto the people and said, Behold, I bring ye tidings of great joy. For on the eighth day of the sixth month there shall be a general election.

And the people said, Not another one.

And they waxed wroth against the High Priestess and said, Didst thou not sware, even unto seven times, that thou wouldst not call a snap election?

And the High Priestess said, I know, I know. But Brexit is come upon us, and I must go into battle against the tribes of France, Germany, and sundry other holiday destinations. And I must put on the armor of a strong majority in the people’s house. Therefore go ye out and vote.

And there came from the temple pollsters, who said, Surely this woman will flourish. For her enemy is as grass; she cutteth him down. He is as straw in the wind, and he will blow away. And the trumpet of her triumph shall sound in all the land.

And the High Priestess said, Piece of cake.

And there came from the same country a prophet, whose name was Jeremy. His beard was as the pelt of beasts, and his raiments were not of the finest. And he cried aloud in the wilderness and said, Behold, I bring you hope.

And suddenly there was with him a host of young people. And he said unto them, Ye shall study and grow wise in all things, and I shall not ask ye for gold. And the sick shall be made well, and they also will heal freely. And he promised unto them all manner of goodly things.

And the young people said unto him, How shall these things be rendered, seeing that thou hast no money in thy purse?

And he spake unto them in a voice of sounding brass and said, Soak the rich. And again, Pull down the mighty from their seats.

And the young people went absolutely nuts.

And they hearkened unto the word of Jeremy, and believed. For they said unto themselves, Lo, he bringeth unto us the desire of our hearts. He cometh by bicycle, with a helmet upon his head. And he eateth neither flesh nor fowl, according to the Scriptures. For man cannot live by bread alone, but hummus is quite another matter.

And the High Priestess saw all these things and was sore. And she gathered unto her the chief scribes and the Pharisees and said unto them, What the hell is going on?

And they said unto her, It is a blip, as if it were a rough place upon the road.

But they said unto themselves, When the government was upon her shoulders, this woman was mighty. But now that she has gone abroad unto every corner of the land, she stumbleth. For surely it is written that ruling and campaigning are as oil and water, and there shall be no concord betwixt them.

And the chief scribes wrote upon tablets, saying, Jeremy is false of tongue. He hideth wickedness in his heart. And his sums do not add up.

And nobody paid any attention.

And the elders rose up and said to the young people, If ye choose Jeremy, he will bring distress in your toils and wailing upon your streets. Do ye not remember the nineteen-seventies?

And the young people said, The what?

And the elders spake again, and said to the young people, Beware, for he gave succor in days of yore to the I.R.A.

And the young people said, The what?

And the young people said, Jeremy shall bring peace unto all nations, for he hateth the engines of war that take wing across the heavens. And he showeth respect for all peoples, even unto the transgender community.

And the elders said, The what?

And it came to pass that the heathen of this land came among the people, with fire and sword, and slew many among the faithful. And great was the lamentation.

And the High Priestess waxed exceeding wroth and said to the people, Fear not. For I shall bind your wounds and give ye shelter from the heathen, and shall take up the sword against them.

And there came again pollsters from the temple, who said, Will the people not vote for her in this hour of need?

And nobody paid any attention.

And it came to the vote.

And the elders went up to vote, and the young people. And the young people were as a multitude. And in the hours of darkness there was much counting. And the young people watched by night, and the elders went to bed.

And there came in the morning news that the High Priestess had vanquished the prophet Jeremy. But the triumph of the High Priestess was as the width of a nail. And she was vexed.

And the elders and the chief scribes and the Pharisees spoke among themselves, yea, even in the corners of their houses.

And there was great rejoicing amidst the multitude of the young. And they took strong wine, and did feast among themselves. And there were twelve baskets left over.

And of the pollsters there was no sign.

And the people saw Jeremy and said, Surely this man has won? Doth he not skip in gladness like a young hart upon the hills?

And there was great murmuring among the elders. And they said unto themselves, Weep not. For the High Priestess doth but prepare the way. Cometh there not one who is greater than she?

And they said, Behold, for the hour of the redeemer is upon us. And his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Prince of Peace. And they cried in one voice, Boris.

And the young people said, Oh, shit.

And the people gave tongue, and made supplication unto the Lord, saying, Lord, let our cry come unto thee.

And the Lord thought the whole thing was absolutely hilarious.

And then the people said, Lord, what shall we do regarding Brexit? For henceforth the High Priestess shall be as weak as a newborn lamb. How shall we hope for continued access to the single market?

And the Lord said, The what?

A COUNCILLOR ON THE WHINE!

Fuming with the Dame!

For several years the Hornet's Nest has relentlessly attacked Conservative councillors for misbehaviour. 
Yet when Labour Councillor Mason is 'called out' by the old Dame he sends her a whining email claiming he did not say what he was accused of saying.



In other words he claims to have said nothing offensive to Borwick Jun.
Does the Dame believe him? 
No.
Perhaps, to clear matters up, Cllr Mason might share with us all his words of advice to young Borwick.
We are waiting, Cllr.

SPOT THE ERROR!

The Dame is offering a cruise on SS Hornet to the first reader who spots what's wrong in the pictures below.

Cllr Mason, come on, think hard! 
Just imagine the delights of a week alone with the old Dame enjoying some degenerate capitalist fun!

DID CLLR MASON GO TO PUBLIC SCHOOL?

Public school bully

The Dame hates public school bullying so asks the question, "did Cllr Pat Mason go to public school?"
An odd question but relevant.... 
At last evening's count, Mason went up to Victoria Borwick's very young son saying something to the effect, "your mother lost 'coz she was no good"!

Excuse the Dame's French but what an ignorant prick! 

The Dame just cannot imagine Emma behaving in such a callous and brutal way. 
Reminds the Dame of the worst kind of fascist.
Grow up, Mason and take on someone of your own size.
You give the LP a bad name.
The Dame expects an apology or explanation for your crudeness.

A COLONEL SPEAKS ABOUT THE ELECTION

INDOLENT DAME AND HER PLEASURE YACHT

Dear Dame 

At your age, no one expects you to be 'at the helm' at all times but how extraordinary you were absent during this most important week and left your imbecilic nephew, Ludo, on watch.
I suppose the lure of the SS Hornet sundeck was just too much of a temptation.
So, in your absence, lolling around the Med, you missed a storm here.
Why did Victoria Borwick lose? 
To my mind, she was a first class, hands on, constituency MP in the same way that she was a brave and efficient councillor.
So where does the blame lie? To my mind, there are several issues and one very important one

• Labour chose a candidate, who, like Borwick was known and highly regarded
• The electorate was taking it out on the foolish Mrs. May
• Miss Mullin from Lambeth made hay from Remain voters

But, the real issue, over which Borwick had no control, was the decision by electors to punish the Council for riding roughshod over their wishes. 

The list is endless.... ....Crossrail...basements...unwanted developments, Earls Court, the destruction of Marlborough School, the demolition of the Odeon...Holland Park Opera...the list goes on.

So who was the most convenient scapegoat? 

Victoria Borwick. 

It didn't help the Conservative Association under Julie Mills ran a complacent, lacklustre and hopeless campaign.
The fact is that Emma Dent Coad has always been highly visible fighting on behalf of residents.

The loss of this seat is a warning to the Council. 

Cllr Moylan has been heard to say of residents, " we know best" and Cllr Weale, " We hear but we don't listen".

The Colonel

It's time to start listening because the noise will become deafening. 

Residents of all political hues need to be listened to rather than patronised. 

We have seen what happens when they are not.......

With the kindest regards to you, dear lady,

Respectfully,

Colonel Plumptre-Orlebar-Ritblatt 

THE DAME ABHORS MUDSLINGING

TAX FRAUDSTER

Dear Dame

We know that you don't do mud slinging so will you lend a hand to stop people asking questions about how Miss Mullin can afford such a swish marketing(sorry election!) campaign.

I am sure her agent is well aware of all the various complex rules on election expenses but Miss Mullin is new to politics & may have been badly advised on what can/cannot be charged.
For example, using a public relations consultancy is chargeable-if one is employed.

Kind regards,

An 'old school' gentleman admirer

PS I am, like Sir Vincent Cable, a keen ballroom dancer. 
Would you care to whirl across the floor with me?