Questions are being asked about which Croydon and Sutton Conservatives attended their mayoral candidate’s lockdown-busting ‘raucous’ Christmas shin-dig. By WALTER CRONXITE
Conservative Party party: Shaun Bailey
There have been calls for Shaun Bailey to resign as chair of the London Assembly’s police and crime committee after it was disclosed that he had organised and attended a Christmas party at Conservative Party offices last year in breach of strict covid lockdown rules.
Bailey was the Tories’ losing candidate in the London Mayoral elections earlier this year.
The call for his resignation has come from the Assembly’s Labour group, in a hard-hitting letter from Leonie Cooper yesterday.
The revelation that Bailey and other Tories were having a party while millions of Londoners were enduring a Christmas lockdown, with thousands unwell with covid and many dying from the virus, comes in the wake of the on-going scandal engulfing the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, and similar unlawful parties hosted at No10 Downing Street.
Neil Garratt: likes a good party
So far, the Metropolitan Police has refused to investigate the parties held at No10.
On Wednesday, “Lord” Gavin Barwell, the former Tory MP for Croydon Central and Downing Street chief of staff, called for “total honesty” from his party colleagues over the illegal gatherings during lockdown.
The revelation about Bailey’s party, held for those involved in his failed mayoral campaign, has prompted speculation over which Croydon and Sutton Tories may have attended, with questions being asked of Neil “Father Jack” Garratt, who in May was elected to the Assembly for the two-borough constituency.
The Conservatives have admitted an event organised by his mayoral campaign took place in its Westminster headquarters on December 14, 2020, when London was in Tier 2 and household mixing was banned.
Time to go: Leonie Cooper’s letter to Shaun Bailey
A Conservative Party spokesperson revealed on Wednesday that four members of Bailey’s campaign team were disciplined following the “unauthorised social gathering” last December, which was described as “raucous”.
In her letter, Cooper said, “Londoners… understandably want answers.
“I believe your continued chairmanship of the police and crime committee is untenable.”
She called on Bailey to step down “until the necessary inquiries have seen completion”.
Cooper also asked who else was in attendance, and whether this included any Assembly Members.
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Elected parliamentary representatives write new laws and amend old ones and in some case remove laws from the statute books.
The police have a duty to apply the laws consistently and to all. The CPS has the duty to bring cases to court and Judges have the duty to hear those cases and determine (with a jury in many cases) guilt.
They all have some discretion in doing those duties but not in abrogating the law itself. Only Parliament has that power.
Mr Bailey, Mr Johnson and the Conservatives are not above the law
The general public also have a duty to not only observe and comply with laws but to support the Constabulary in their role of protecting the public and prevention of illegal acts. They also have a duty to not elect or deselect those that trample the law or bring it into disrepute.
These are the relationships that bring trust and consensual policing.
Mr Bailey, Mr Johnson and the Conservatives are not above the law. But their transgressions have not been investigated to determine if wrongdoing took place.
Police Commissioners make examples out of students fining them £10,000, Elderly ladies are fined for having a picnic (cup of tea). In all those cases and the many more, one can be sure that the Police are upholding and implementing the laws of the Country.
(Perhaps in some instances some discretion with words of advice would have been more appropriate, perhaps not if the full circumstances are known. )
That the parties took place is not in doubt so one can expect the law to take it’s appropriate course.
So why no investigation?
In fact to not investigate allows the whole system in all Constabularies to fall into disrepute.
It should be in the public interest for all Police services to investigate alleged wrongdoing in public life in all circumstances and at all times. And it there is nothing to see the state this and disclose why. It matters not what Political Party or Public role one has – it should be clear to all in Public life that they are not above the Law.
If not then the premise that it is one rule for them and another for us will not just have credence but will be by default proven.