Infighting over Carr comments

The news article this morning on the continuing saga over Cllr Carr is being noted for what it does'nt say including for what it does. 

For three Medway Conservative Association Chairman and several leading backbench Councillors to offer press comments attacking a colleague for his  alleged statements is welcome to residents. What was said, if true, was utterly unacceptable. 

For his own ward partner to compare Cllr Carr with the BNP leadership and suggest he had to be 'told' that Cllr Carr was his ward colleague takes the overt level of disdain to an entirely new and dangerous level. Cllr Chambers already under the spotlight for weakness needs to act and quickly.

It is now not just a question about the Portfolio position but now one about whether Carr can take the whip at all! 

If Cllr Chambers were in a strong position the backbenchers and Tory Associations would have referred press to the Group offices and the Political Assistant would pick up. The fact however this has not happened suggests backbenchers no longer fear the leadership or respect the Group office. The fact constituency Associations are becoming fractured and losing membership is already well known behind closed doors.

It is a total mess made ostensibly out of Cllr Chambers dithering after suspending Cllr Carr last week. If I were reading between the lines I would suspect Cllr Chambers was hoping to re-appoint Carr to his former post; this is now surely beyond consideration. 

Cllr Hewett and the Association Chair contributions have put Cllr Chambers in an impossible position. 

The 'strong' leadership model gets weaker by the week with residents inundated with constant shambles from a group which has lost a grip and direction in Gun Wharf. 

Labour has a responsibility to be an alternative and stand up for the tax payer. Cllr Chambers needs to stop the dithering and appoint someone to the important position that Cllr Carr has vacated. That is a civic responsibility which Cllr Chambers has now dithered on for a week.

How can you keep someone in the Group if a colleague has expressed such outrage? This is now an existential threat for Cllr Carr.





Update

Councillor Chambers stopped dithering a few hours after pressure was applied. Cllr Peter Hicks was announced as the new portfolio holder.