Gordon Oliver’s reaction to opposition concerns that Torbay could go bankrupt in a few years time – something Gordon himself has claimed on several occasions – was to blame me for putting my hand up and voting for Government cuts to Torbay’s grant.
Quite apart from the pedantic point that MPs don’t vote by putting their hands-up, I haven’t actually voted for the local government settlement two years in a row because I think the Government has cut too fast and too far where local councils are concerned.
Now this is something Gordon knows, or at least he knows I voted against the Government last year as it has been pointed out to him many times, so there was no excuse for claiming on BBC Radio Devon today that I had.
It was also unfortunate that Gordon forgets Torbay is represented by two MPs and that over a quarter of Torbay’s residents are represented by a Conservative MP whose voting record on the local government settlement doesn’t warrant a mention by our Conservative elected Mayor.
I digress, because when my voting record was pointed out to Gordon by the interviewer he claimed it was news to him. Only a few seconds later he was claiming that my votes didn’t count because I was one of only 3 Lib Dems who voted against the settlement.
So he lied. Firstly that I had voted for the settlement when I hadn’t, secondly when he claimed it was news to him when my voting actions were pointed out to him by the interviewer, and thirdly in his confirmation that these were lies by then claiming I was one of only 3 Lib Dems who had voted against the settlement and this didn’t count – not something the interviewer had told him but clearly what he thought he knew all along.
Telling untruths to divert attention from your responsibilities is one thing, insulting a blind person in the same interview and then claiming to have forgotten what you said is another example of why this person is not, in my opinion, fit for public office.
Gordon, in response to the Leader of the Lib Dem Group on Torbay Council, accused him of being blind. Cllr Darling is registered blind as Gordon Oliver well knows.
BBC Radio Devon chased him for an apology but a proper apology was not forthcoming. Instead Gordon Oliver said “If” he had said what was broadcast caused offence he was sorry. There was no IF, it was recorded for all to hear!
This man wants your votes on 7th May. Please come and join our campaign team to unseat him – only the Lib Dems can beat the Conservatives in Torbay, sorry but that’s the electoral system whether First Past the Post or the Supplementary Vote System used for elected Mayors. Until we change our electoral system to a proportional one people have to form coalitions across parties to defeat the largest minority that in Torbay are the Tories.
Just ring 411816 with your contact details and lend me your support.
Thank You
