The news that Cllr David Craggs, recently elected Councillor for River Ward, has suddenly resigned has sent shockwaves through local politics with campaigners across the political spectrum aghast at how the Conservatives could have mismanaged so spectacularly.
The prospect of another by-election looms over the horizon again within the next 34 days. A prospect which will anger local residents and indeed stretch the nerves of Tory voters across the ward.
The Medway Tory shambles will also send shockwaves across the region because of the overt manner in which the campaign was fought on ConservativeHome. The victory by David Craggs was tweeted by dozens of dribbling Tory supporters desperate to parade the trophy of a seat, once Labour, that had moved to the Conservatives on what was a widely predicted result given by pundits with the national state of play.
Fawning Tory twitterers who now stand silent.
Musings from Medway made particular note to inform Tim Montgomerie and the ConHome team of the resignation as soon as it was announced. The ConHome team made a specific and 'unusual' request to the Tory grassroots across the region to campaign for a Tory win in River ward and it posted several articles including the result. Unlike the resignation of Cllr Bill Esterson, ConHome has made the decision not to inform its readership of the resignation of Cllr Craggs.
Cllr David Craggs is a decent man and as this blog has stated previously, would have made a strong Councillor. However, personal ties aside, the fact River voters are to have another by-election after such a short period of time makes a mockery of the Council. Voters deserve transparency to ensure they understand the reasons for this resignation. A bland statement of contrition is not good enough for the electorate, for campaigners across all parties, Council tax-payers and Council staff who sat at polling stations and at the count.
Surely and obviously, stronger attempts should have been made to clarify the position before he was nominated. Blaming the police or others weeks after he was nominated indicates that not enough ground work, or pressure was placed on a resolution to this key question during the election.
The Council have seemingly become involved which raises questions about why the ruling group have had to use public resource on a party political issue. Candidate selection and eligibility is a party matter for pre-election screening not post-election wrangling.
The simple fact is that each force operates different eligibility criteria and these would have been very clear on standing.
This blogger can not see how there can be complications unless perhaps Cllr Craggs stood knowing that Kent Police had a policy of ineligibility, and was wrangling to change it after his election using the fact that the national police position is more ambiguous.
Blame can be apportioned to both sides in theory, but if the eligibility was clear prior to David Craggs nomination meeting then the blame lies with Medway Conservatives for not refusing his candidacy.
This by-election is an expense on the Council tax payer to the tune of £5-10,000 which could otherwise be spent on local services; caring for the elderly, cleaning parks and filling potholes. That is a public outrage.
Because of the cost and inconvenience with the electorate the Tories need to answer immediately the following questions and in public
1) Was any attempt made by Medway Conservatives/ RSCCA/David Craggs to clarify in advance of selection with Kent Police Personnel department on whether Cllr Craggs was eligible. If so, what was the response? If they were not consulted, why not?
2) Was a question asked of the candidate at the selection meeting and candidate hustings on eligibility to be a police officer and Councillor? If so, what was the response. If not, why was this question not considered necessary of the candidate?
3) If the candidate was considered ineligible was the candidate asked to step down prior to the election?
4) When were the Council informed of the problem on eligibility and how much has the Council spent on legal fee's, from tax payers money, to consult and engage the police on this issue? As a candidate will have to sign a nomination form on candidate application, did the candidate fully understand the position and did the nominators of the candidate have awareness of any conflict of interest?
5) Are the Tories reflecting on this bungled process to ensure such a thing never happens again? What internal processes are being introduced?
Medway Tory Councillors are a running joke across the area. From the Councillor calling for single-mums to be sterilised, to the Councillor caught kerb-crawling, to the Councillor making Irish racist slurs, to three Councillors parking in disabled parking bays to the Councillor who stated that dead bodies should be raided for precious metals. A long line of Conservatives Councillors who have Medway over the last four years.
The Tory hypocrisy over the selection of the Labour candidate for Luton & Wayfield who polled well given the Tory national poll lead, serves to highlight why this blogger feels Tories may do well to keep their own house in order before moralising on the opposition.
No one party has a monopoly on talent, but the Tories locally have had so many incidences of gross incompetence that the question now remains, how long left?
This reflects very badly on Medway Conservatives and serves to highlight for all voters why this incompetent, inept and bungling bunch of pygmies should be removed from office and soon.
Update - 27/08/2010.
ConservativeHome have now very generously updated the readership on the position. Noted that it took less then 6 hours for the result to be published and 46 hours for the resignation but good on them. Sometimes fair is fair.
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