"He is completely unfit to lead a Socialist council," were the words to me of the man who now rightly chairs the Audit Committee of Durham County Council, about the man who was until Super Thursday the Leader of that Council. Under the Completely Unfit One, he had been denied any committee assignment whatever. So do not tell me that the Left ought not to do deals beyond the Labour Party. It is the only way that we are ever going to get anything.
Meanwhile, the Labour Group has continued to give its Deputy Leadership, not only as a consolation prize to the Left (while this one is far better, how much use was the last one?), but to the last remaining Councillor to have been suspended from party membership so that the Completely Unfit One could be made Leader in 2008. The new regime missed a trick in not making him Labour's only Scrutiny Chair.
Deliciously, it is the Completely Unfit One who now has no committee assignment whatever. Even his single outside appointment ought to be given as soon as possible to the Independent who has taken the other seat in that ward. And no doubt will be.
Declan Mulholland seems to be the next in line but these positions are called Number Two for a reason. You'll know it's standard practice to give them to the Left, you'll also have known the new Leader of the Labour Group for many years.
ReplyDeleteYes, on all counts.
Delete