Other News from Watford

Speculation is rife over at Conservative Home with regards to the arrest, bailing, resignation as Watford PPC and now resignation from Tory party of Cllr Ian Oakley. For the time being Mr Oakley has hung onto his role at Hillingdon Council (he's going to need those allowances!). Among the theories being spun are that "he was having trouble with dirty LibDem campaigns".

Of course it's outrageous that the Lib Dems, victims of a three year hate campaign, should be seen as the perpetrators of such a crime, and after, what could they possibly have to gain?

A quick leaf through last week's Watford Observer may give a little background to the political scene in the town.

Here's the front page:




Hang on - that looks like Councillor Hugh O'Hanlon - who's just been caught three times over the legal limit driving his wife's car 200 yards home from the pub. He had a previous ban in 1999 for the same offence. Up until May this year O'Hanlon was chair of the Procurements and Contracts Board and six other panels and committees. The Lib Dems knew how to utilise his talents because he was on three Licensing Committees (hic). The Lib Dems now say he's an independent, so that's ok then. They are busily trying to airbrush Mr O'Hanlan from their website, and may not be best pleased that (Tory) Cllr Grimston alleges that O'Hanlon arrived "drunk and late" for a meeting last year.

While over at the town hall it might be worth a quick peek at Watford Borough Council's Register of councillors' gifts and hospitality, because there we can find that Mayor Thornhill accepted a gift of £1,000 to £1,500 to send her to Israel, courtesy of the Moonies. (It's only taken her a year and a half to register it). One other Lib Dem councillor, Janet Baddeley, also appears to be in thrall to Rev. Sun Myung Moon weird cult, although she insists that her trip to South Korea was not a Moonie junket.

At least one Watford resident has had enough, an A Shah has been corresponding via the letters page and has set up Watford against elected Mayors. He will need to collect a petition of 5% of Watford electors to stop pissed Lib Dems, funded by the Moonies from creating any more havoc within the town. With the last Conservative PPC currently adding his DNA to the national database, it's unlikely he will find much help from the Tories.