Lib Dem councillor in Northumberland has been kicked out of his party after refusing to join its county group

Northumberland County Councillor kicked out of his party 19 Oct 2013 Journal A councillor in Northumberland has been kicked out of his party after refusing to join its county group Councillor Ian Lindley A councillor in Northumberland has been kicked out of his party after refusing to join its county group. Northumberland County Councillor for Morpeth Stobhill, Ian Lindley, has had national membership of the Liberal Democrats revoked at the instigation of the party’s regional branch for not joining its group on the authority. The councillor last night voiced his anger at the move, claiming another member had been allowed to act as a non-aligned Lib Dem and accusing the party of seeking to remove him to prevent him standing as a candidate in the fight to replace MP Sir Alan Beith. Coun Lindley, who joined the party in 2006, was first elected to the county council in 2008, serving on its executive as the Lib Dems formed the authority’s administration. He held his seat at May’s elections despite the party being ousted from power. Shortly afterwards Coun Lindley chose to withdraw from the party group, in protest at the fact it chose to retain the leadership which oversaw the election defeat. The councillor recently faced criticism for producing a newsletter featuring suspected terrorist Abu Qatada. Now, it has emerged Coun Lindley has had his national party membership revoked. Regional branch chairman Ian Jones last night said his departure from the party’s county group was in breach of its constitution. However, Coun Lindley queried how Rothbury county councillor Steven Bridgett had been allowed to remain a Lib Dem for five years despite not being part of the party’s council group. He claimed the moves to have his membership revoked began after he asked to see documents about the party’s selection of its candidate to fight the Berwick seat at the 2015 general election, with Sir Alan to stand aside. Coun Lindley, who stood for the Lib Dems at North Durham in 2010 and was therefore an approved candidate, claimed the party did not want the “opposition.” He claimed he may stand at Berwick in 2015 as an independent. Coun Lindley told how he had knocked on thousands of doors campaigning for the Lib Dems and had recruited three new members who have since been elected as town councillors in Morpeth. He said he would be continuing to work with them and producing a joint newsletter, but not under the Lib Dem banner. Coun Lindley, who undertook party leadership training in 2008, said: “If they had not expelled me, I would not be staying.” A party spokesman said the rule about non-aligned members had been in place a number of years but that local groups may not have been aware of it. He claimed Coun Bridgett’s party membership had lapsed although the councillor refuted this

That's rich: Tory MP says he felt zero hours contract pain - as a £250-an-hour barrister

Daily Mirror- Saturday 19 October

That's rich: Tory MP says he felt zero hours contract pain - as a £250-an-hour barrister 19 Oct 2013 00:00 Guy Opperman's comments sparked disbelief as opponents say he has proved the Tories are out of touch with low-paid workers Are you sure?: Hexham MP Guy Opperman. A Tory MP claims he knows what life on a “zero hours” contract is like – because he experienced it as a £250-an-hour barrister. Guy Opperman, 48, earned the huge rate representing clients in court before he was elected. But rich Mr Opperman said he understands the plight of those staff who are employed under the contracts – for almost universally low wages – because barristers are not guaranteed work. He told fellow MPs: “As a former barrister, I was unquestionably on a zero hours contract in that I was an employee whose employer was not obliged to give work.” The remarks, in a Commons debate on the contracts, met with disbelief from colleagues. Staff on the deals have no idea of their hours or pay from one week to another. Many feel unable to take on other jobs or study for qualifications for fear of missing badly needed work, Labour’s Alison McGovern told the MP for Hexham in Northumberland. Mr Opperman, educated at £33,000-a-year Harrow School, insisted his lucrative legal job meant he can identify with that. “As a barrister, I spent two-and-a-half years without a contract,” he said. “I therefore suggest I do have some experience of that, with no contract whatsoever.” Wirral South MP Ms McGovern yesterday said his remarks show how Tories fail to grasp the reality of austerity Britain. “I’d love him to tell low-paid care workers on zero hours that their lives are like a barrister’s, she said. “Perhaps he can bring his gown and wig just to show how out of touch these Tories are.” Zero hour contract workers earn half as much as full-time staff, according to a recent study. Those with no guarantee of work or hours are paid on average £236 a week, compared with £482 for those on traditional terms, said the Resolution Foundation. Business Secretary Vince Cable has ordered a review amid fears workers are being exploited. This week he was forced to ask number-crunchers to look again at the figures because of fears the Government does not have a proper handle on the problem. Up to a million workers are on zero hours deals, say independent estimates – four times the official figures. The register of MPs’ interests states Mr Opperman stopped working as a barrister when elected in 2010 – and still gets fees for duties before then. It adds that until then “no hourly rate was agreed but all [were] between £100 and £250 per hour save where specified”.

Liberal group are in decline on Northumberland County Council

'It's clear that Jeff Reid and his increasingly fractured Liberal group are in decline, now they've snubbed a motion which saw Northumberland County Council make a historic decision to stop using any resources to promote payday loan companies.

Allan Hepple @allan_hepple County Council have banned payday lenders from their websites. Unanimous? Not quite as 2 Lib Dems didn't support it-Jeff Reid being one

Been reported on Facebook that not all County Councillors suported the motion on payday lenders two did not wonder why ? Allan Hepple @allan_hepple County Council have banned payday lenders from their websites. Unanimous? Not quite as 2 Lib Dems didn't support it-Jeff Reid being one, and D Watkins

We Remember when Jeff called his home town a Dump / CC Lindley lives in Rothbury about 15 miles away from Morpeth in the Coquet Valley according to NCC WEB SITE

From the party that gave you 'Blyth is a dump' (Jeff Reid, Liberal Democrat Leader), the sequel - Morpeth residents are 'western dogs' (Ian Lindley, Stobhill councillor in Morpeth exiled to Rothbury). Is no community in Northumberland safe from the Liberal Democrats? What will they say about Berwick? Will Cramlington be next in line for the latest Lib Dem 'shocker'? It's time the Liberals learned to 'LOVENORTHUMBERLAND' not talk it down. We say the Ian Lindley and Northumberland's 'il-liberal democrats' need to apologise for his crass, insensitive and arrogant words. Why is it that 'sorry is the hardest word' for Ian Lindley and his colleagues?

Contact Details Address: 12 Simonside View, Rothbury, Morpeth, Northumberland, NE65 7YQ Telephone 01670 622619

Grant Davey, leader of the council’s ruling Labour group, last night said: “Coun Lindley should really know better.

Brian Daniel, Journal 24 Sept 2013 Northumberland County Councillor under fire over Qatada reference Northumberland County Councillor Ian Lindley has come under fire after featuring terror suspect Abu Qatada in a newsletter Councillor Ian Lindley A councillor in Northumberland came under fire last night after issuing a newsletter featuring terror suspect Abu Qatada. Northumberland County Councillor for Morpeth Ian Lindley produced the leaflet which includes comments supposedly from Qatada about issues in his Stobhill ward. The Liberal Democrat was last night accused by political opponents of being crass and showing a lack of judgement, while there were calls for him to apologise to the people of Morpeth. However, Coun Lindley insisted Qatada’s inclusion was a joke and accused his opponents of political point scoring. Coun Lindley, who represents the Morpeth with Stobhill division, published and promoted the September issue of the Morpeth Stobhill Lib Dems’ Focus residents’ newsletter. A picture of Qatada is accompanied a short piece under the headline “Abu Qatada writes from Qatar.” It says: “I hear developers are targetting Stobhill for large scale ‘Executive Housing’. “This makes me chortle, Western Dogs, and takes my mind off my own minor problems. Will the Telford Bridge seize up? Will you build the Stobhill-Loansdean link road?! What larks!” Grant Davey, leader of the council’s ruling Labour group, last night said: “Coun Lindley should really know better. “His comments in a leaflet were crass and show a distinct lack of judgement. “After his leader’s objectionable comments about Blyth, now we’ve got Coun Lindley referring to the residents of Stobhill as ‘western dogs’. “It’s clear Coun Lindley and his party owe Morpeth an apology.” The Journal has seen an email sent by a man who works in a Northumberland school, who asked not to be named, expressing outrage at Coun Lindley’s newsletter. It says: “I was completely dismayed by the appearance of the text that appeared in the Liberal Democrats’ residents newsletter which popped through my door this evening... “There’s multiple problems with this piece of absolute tosh. “What is the point of this lazy, crass and indeed humourless article? I just don’t get it. It really is not funny in the slightest? ‘Western Dogs?’ What’s all that about?.. “I’m really sorry but I find it totally unacceptable that the party that is an indirect descendent of the political organisation of that great Liberal, David Lloyd George, would even think about publishing such intolerant rubbish. “If this was a residents’ newsletter from UKIP undersigned by Nigel Farage or indeed by the odious Tommy Robinson of the EDL, I would sneer and bin the newsletter without further thought. “But the Liberal Democrats? Come on, is this how low the party and Liberal Democrat councillors in my area have sunk to. Really? I despair, I really do.” Yet Coun Lindley, who stands as an indpendent Lib Dem, responded: “It is just intended to be a bit of light hearted jest.” He said it was intended as an “amusing” way of communicating, with the newsletter also featuring a joke about potholes. The councillor revealed every issue features comment by a world figure about Stobill issues, with the previous edition including North Korean leader Kim Jung-Un. Of Labour’s comments, he added: “If they do not like it that is fine. They can print what they like in theirs, I would not take issue. “If they find that a problem I would be interested in hearing why. At the end of the day, humour is a matter of personal taste. “I am not really bothered if they find it unfunny or what, it is just a joke. “I am sure they might find other people’s attempts at humour funny. “There is lots of stuff I find in the Labour party (newsletters) I do not find funny. “It is just cheap political point scoring. I think it is pretty desperate stuff. “It is just an attempt to make trouble I think.” Qatada was sent to Jordan in July after fighting an eight-year battle against deportation from the UK. The 53-year-old is to stand trial for terror offences.

Gateshead MP Ian Mearns – questioning whether it had been set up by Mrs Trevelyan

Northumberland Tory parliamentary candidate orders removal of her "MP" Twitter account 9 Aug 2013 00:00 Tory supporters in Twitter blunder after Berwick MP's decision to retire Share on printShare on email Conservative candidate Anne Marie-Trevelyan's chances of taking the Berwick seat at the next election have been boosted by Sir Alan Beith's decision to retire - but it is not a done deal A Conservative candidate in Northumberland ordered the removal of a Twitter account which referred to her as an MP. Anne Marie-Trevelyan, who will look to take control of the Berwick seat at the next general election, said she had acted as soon as she was informed of the account in her name under the title AnnieTrevMP. Mrs Trevelyan said the page – set up just hours after sitting MP Sir Alan Beith announced he would be retiring at the next election – had been the work of “exuberant” young supporters. The account had sparked debate on Twitter with users – including Gateshead MP Ian Mearns – questioning whether it had been set up by Mrs Trevelyan. The page, which carries the candidate’s name, her photograph and website address, began tweeting on July 18. On August 2, it featured one tweet identical to a posting on Mrs Trevelyan’s account AnnieTrev. Mr Mearns tweeted: “Is it a real account or someone else making it up? If true a tad presumptuous?” Users then reported the removal of the page on Wednesday. When contacted by The Journal yesterday, Mrs Trevelyan said she been unaware of the account until she was alerted to it by email on Wednesday. She then discovered the page had been set up by a band of her “exuberant” young supporters, “messing about on the internet” out of “youthful enthusiasm”. Mrs Trevelyan said she had instructed the creators to remove the account immediately. She added it had not been “helpful”. Mrs Trevelyan said it had been “a little bit premature” to refer to her as an MP but added: “I would like to say that one day I will be able to have a Twitter account like that.” Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats in Berwick are beginning the process of finding a replacement for Sir Alan, who announced on Wednesday that he will not be seeking re-election in 2015. Sir Alan had a majority of 2,690 at the last election, with a number of those likely to have been personal votes built up during his 42 years as the constituency’s MP. Returning officer Doreen Huddart revealed the party hopes to name Sir Alan’s replacement within “a couple of months”. The process will see an advert placed in party publications, followed by consideration of applicants and interviews by a selection panel. A shortlist will then be produced by the panel ahead of a ballot during a meeting where all paid-up party members can vote. Mrs Huddart said the process normally lasts eight to 15 weeks. He said: “Because it will be a seat of significant interest it may take the 15 weeks. There is an incumbent, that always adds interest to it.”