Friday, April 25, 2008

Red Faces After Air Turned Blue?

The front page of today's Isle of Thanet Gazunder seems to have copped a world exclusive! The paper reports that the people who govern the ethical behaviour of local councillors have ruled that both council leader Sandy Beach and Labour's former Margate Mayor Doug Clark were in breach of its code of conduct over the Famous Fannit F*cking Tosser debacle last year.

If you recall our Tory head honcho and former pugilist was alleged to have called the Mayor of Margate a 'f*cking tosser' at a black tie do last year, on the same day he had given a speech condemning anti-social behaviour, and allegedly said to Labour councillor Clive Hart who attempted to intervene: 'Come on, just put your face in mine.' Councillor Hart has been cleared of any misconduct relating to the incident, but is still being investigated over claims of racist language, alleges the Gazunder.

The paper makes it clear that it's running the story ahead of official publication of the Standards Board of England verdict, and adds that it understands the Board will not be taking any punitive action. It also reports the incident extensively from our Sandy's point of view, who claims that he was provoked after enduring months of racist comments. He tells the Gazunder: 'It was clear (Doug Clark) was in an aggressive mood. My first reaction was to turn away but he started berating me in a semi-coherent manner,' and adds: 'Hart came towards me with clenched fists. I told him if he put his face in front of mine he would pay.'

In response the Labour group launched a stinging attack today, accusing the story of being 'inaccurate'. They claim that members of the public who witnessed the 'shameful' incident were 'horrified', with the former Mayor accusing Sandy B of 'yobbish behaviour' and making 'false allegations... in an effort to cover up his own appalling behaviour'. Councillor Hart has demanded that Sandy should 'apologise to all concerned'.

Oh dear oh dear oh dear. Will any good come of all this? Somehow I doubt it!

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

sorry to go off subject but would like to bring attention to my dear friend who has an allotment in cecilia road ramsgate.On Wednesday her large wooden shed and benches she had made were burnt down to the ground in a malicious act of arson.The trees were scorched and the birds that were nesting have fled(they used to nest in the hedgerows but these were taken down to erect the 12ft steel fence that seems to have taken over the countryside)Her wild garden that had been lovingly tended over the years has been trashed as has her vegetable plot,so what once was a place for sanctuary is now ruined..

Richard Eastcliff said...

Well yes that really is wildly off topic. But now you're here, I thought the new 28ft high palisade fencing was meant to stop such random acts of horribleness?

Anonymous said...

Which just goes to show that it does'nt and when the old fence and hedgerows were there, there was'nt any trouble..it is dreadful.Perhaphs when there is more about it in the press you could put a different thread on for it please ECR?also think a fire was started yesterday at the cemetery by the allotments..

Anonymous said...

Sandy Beach: Heavyweight Champion of the World!!!

Maybe we should be proud of a man so keen to take on all challengers to his throne of top dawg...

Ka-pow!

Observer said...

" I thought the new 28ft high palisade fencing was meant to stop such random acts of horribleness? "

Well yes but would it stop a really detirmined arsonist,, just ask J,,,,oh never mind,, you get my drift.
Back on topic,,I did say on another thread that Ezekiel would get away scot free and low and behold,,,,,,,,,it seems that officially Councillors can now get away with verbally abusing an old men and physically threatening other men with impunity. The next meeting of TDC should be fun !! The Chairman wont be calling the Members to order he will be shouting " Seconds Out !! "

Of course those of us who observe these things have noted that the Leader of the Council is only sensitive about his racial heritage when it suits him.

Anonymous said...

Maybe, but there was no need for him to burn down the shed.

Richard Eastcliff said...

I'm told the Gazunder story may not be 100% the dogs doo-dads, so let's all be careful what we say here. Once the report is officially published we might know more/different.

Anonymous said...

re the shed there's not by any chance a rather tricky planning application current is there?

Anonymous said...

Thanet Council manage to embarrass the people of Thanet all over again.


Whats new?

Anonymous said...

I thought that sandy was a white man,what race is he then?

Anonymous said...

Uranian?

Anonymous said...

Jewish

Anonymous said...

where do you get the idea it isnt 100%

Richard Eastcliff said...

From one of those voices in my head. I mean, does it say anywhere in the story that the Gazunder's chap has actually had sight of the report? No, didn't think so.

Now, must have beer. Ta ta!

Anonymous said...

Why on this important subject does 3:09 think we're interested in an allotment over the point of discussion? The issue of MPs and local MPs behaving in the way they do does I admit show their human side but it also shows what a bunch of amateurs they really are. I work in public service but can't berate anyone in particular without infringement to the Civil Service Code but I despair at times I really do.

Ken Gregory said...

Oh dear,

You all want 'Normal People' to represent you, well both Sandy and Doug are normal, They have a row, and you castigate them! Do not we all have rows?

Michael Child said...

Ken I think the point here is yes we want normal people to represent us, please, pretty please

Anonymous said...

It seems that a Civil Servant, no less, has declared this on thread to be an important subject.

So the matter is really that trivial then.

Yawns

Observer said...

well IF c servant is indeed a Civil Servant and its a VERY BIG IF as he/she would know that we have MP's and Local Councillors NOT local MP's.

But to say that it also shows what a bunch of amateurs they really are demonstrates exactly what contempt the paid functionaries have for elected Members. For better or worse we have a system called democracy and the way it is supposed to work is that Members make decisions and functionaries carry them out, the reality is that the functionaries decide what is best for the mere mortals and then with silvery tongue convince or con the elected Members into agreeing what the functionaries wanted all along.
And if you think thats a crap system go ask the folks in Uganda what they would prefer..

Anonymous said...

Go and look at Bertie's post on www.Thanetstrife.blogspot.com to see why we should be careful what we say on this issue!

Anonymous said...

Page 3 of the Gazunder was also worth quoting "Spat at mayor's ball: two guilty" - comment from friend on reading this was "Does he only have one then?"

Anonymous said...

is his real name sandy beach? that must be a joke. Anyway sounds like he sniffed too much bob marley at the golf club and got a bit irritable. sounds like a bit of a tory prick.

Richard Eastcliff said...

No he's not really called Sandy Beach, but his first name is Sandy. It's my little joke.

Ken Gregory said...

Richard,
The report is now available on the Standards Board web site. I urge you to read it/them.
(as an aside, I too was investigated by the said standars board some years ago. Found not guilty, but I did come to the conclusion that they were a bit like the child support agency, ready for removal.)

Kathy said...

aahhh, mayor's ball fiasco. No mention of the champagne bottle which was tossed out of the Winter Gardens and smashed through a former deputy mayor's sunroof then?
Ho ho
They all played up, perhaps they should just apologise and be done with it.