Spineless, gutless cowards eh? Who can that be?

Now it may be hard for some of my friends out there to believe, but some people don’t like me!  In fact there are some who wouldn’t p*** on me if I were to burst into flames.  To be fair I can understand why.  I can be a little too forthright for some people’s taste, I tell it how it is, and some people can get a little upset.  I make a great friend, but believe me you don’t want me as an enemy.

Also, whilst I can be as sneaky, conniving and conspiratorial as the next person, I usually take a more head on, fix bayonet and charge approach to the everyday hassles of political life. This is not an approach taken by everyone – some local Labour party members in particular prefer the bully boy, cowardly, hide behind the curtains sort of approach.

Let me give you one example.

I wrote recently of the (in my opinion) somewhat underhand tactics of the Labour party in relation to the hospital reorganisation proposals.  In particular I was incensed by the fact that the letter which the campaign group had agreed upon, and which we were all trying to get signatures on had been reprinted with the address of a Labour Councillor as the return address.

I pointed this out on a couple of campaign Facebook groups, just so that people involved were aware of the potential for political shenanigans.   It met with a rather vehement response from the Councillor’s wife, a nurse, who pointed out it was also her address as well.

Then tonight I was in the public gallery at an RCT Council meeting.  They were discussing their response to the South Wales Programme consultation, and for once there was cross party agreement and no political game playing, until this particular Councillor spoke.

He named no names, but went on a rant about “spineless” people trying to score political points by attacking their efforts.  In the words of his wife, who yet again leapt to his defence on Facebook,

“The councillor named no names but simply addressed the fact that spineless, gutless cowards had put items on facebook and twitter for their own political ends, whilst risking undermining our NON POLITICAL campaign.”

Now I have no intention of getting involved in a tit for tat battle on a campaign page, but Councillor Adams made his comments in public, in the Council Chamber where I had no right to reply, and that doesn't seem quite fair!  Now if we are talking of spineless, gutless cowards I suggest he try looking in the mirror.

I am not perfect, not by a long chalk, but I am honest, and I am certainly not spineless. I also believe in fighting my own battles and doing it openly.  If you have anything to say to me Cllr Adams, for a public audience or not, then you know where I am.   Don’t hide behind the expensive plate glass panes of the Council Chamber, or your wife’s skirts.

As I have said before, there is of course a political element to this campaign and we will make full use of it, but there will be no doubt about it when we are.