Tag Archives: Tory

O’Connell’s threat to Ken Clarke displays his ignorance again

Silent Steve O’Connell, the London Assembly Member for Croydon and Sutton, is cutting an increasingly ludicrous figure around City Hall as he winds down towards his retirement to dozy Dorset. O’Connell, who is also a Tory councillor for Kenley ward, … Continue reading

Posted in Kenley, London Assembly, Steve O'Connell | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Fears grow among residents over plans for libraries and parks

Town Hall reporter KEN LEE on grumbling discontent among Labour’s grassroots members over their council leadership’s bungling, incompetence and lack of reliability Ollie Lewis, Croydon Labour’s cabinet member for butt plugs and shit shows, is to face a grilling from … Continue reading

Posted in Brick by Brick, Coulsdon, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Libraries, Old Coulsdon, Paul Scott, Purley, Sanderstead, Sarah Jones MP, Shirley North, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Cummings in poll position with all-woman Assembly shortlist

Political editor WALTER CRONXITE on how Labour has finally got round to selecting candidates for next May’s London Assembly elections The fix is in. Labour announced yesterday morning that the selection of a candidate to stand for the party in … Continue reading

Posted in 2021 London elections, Andrew Dismore, Florence Eshalomi, Jamie Audsley, London Assembly, London-wide issues, Mayor of London, Patsy Cummings, Sadiq Khan, Shaun Bailey, Tom Copley | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Creatura needs help from ‘Bust-up Boris’, as LibDems win seat

Two south London council by-elections in the past week suggest the LibDems might have a chance of breaking Croydon’s political duopoly, reports our political editor, WALTER CRONXITE Boris Johnson’s selection by the 0.15per cent of the population which comprises the … Continue reading

Posted in Boris Johnson, Chris Philp MP, Coulsdon, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Croydon South, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Mario Creatura, Merton, Old Coulsdon, Sarah Jones MP, Wandsworth Council | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Taxi for O’Connell! Tory councillor thinks Tube runs to Croydon

There’s an old saying that you get what you pay for. It seems that these days, you can’t expect a great deal for £67,733. That’s the amount, in pay and council allowances, still being pocketed by “Silent” Steve O’Connell, the … Continue reading

Posted in Boris Johnson, Kenley, London Assembly, London-wide issues, Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, Steve O'Connell | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Theresa May’s ‘legacy’: a racist as successor, and Grenfell guilt

Our political editor WALTER CRONXITE hot-footed it to the House of Commons this lunchtime for Theresa Mayhem’s 90th session of PMQs, where this part of south London had a prominent part With the clock ticking down on the disastrous Premiership … Continue reading

Posted in Boris Johnson, Croydon Central, Gavin Barwell, London-wide issues, Sarah Jones MP | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Bonham selected by LibDems to seize Assembly seat chance

Political editor WALTER CRONXITE reports that while Labour in London is sitting on their hands over next year’s Assembly elections, their polling booth rivals are already getting to work Chuka Umunna, who was elected as the Labour MP for Streatham … Continue reading

Posted in Caroline Pidgeon, Claire Bonham, London Assembly, Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, Shaun Bailey, Sutton Council | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Parents threaten to take council to High Court over SEND

EXCLUSIVE: Officials in Sutton have suppressed a report that slams council leadership over its failing services for special needs and disabled children, as a campaign group threatens a Judicial Review with angry parents maintaining that the council’s private service provider … Continue reading

Posted in Children's Services, Ruth Dombey, SEND, Sutton Council | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Library closures: Lewis forced to issue statement on plans

The Labour cabinet member who told the scrutiny committee that he ‘absolutely’ has plans to build more flats on the borough’s public libraries now says the council ‘currently’ has no plans to close libraries. Our bookish gyms correspondent, GENE BRODIE, … Continue reading

Posted in Brick by Brick, Carillion, GLL - Better, Libraries, Oliver Lewis, Sanderstead, Shirley North, South Norwood, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Mayor Khan facing ‘the most fragmented Assembly ever’

Like last month’s European elections, the London Mayor and Assembly votes in May 2020 will be conducted using a form of proportional representation. As WALTER CRONXITE reports, based on the Euro poll, that could cause even further discomfort for Croydion’s … Continue reading

Posted in 2021 London elections, Charlie Mansell, London Assembly, London-wide issues, Mayor of London, Neil Garratt, Sadiq Khan, Shaun Bailey, Sutton Council, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Can Labour and Tories stop ‘The Peterborough Effect’ here?

After a week to let the dust settle and some of the implications of the voting sink in, our resident psephologist WALTER CRONXITE crunches more numbers from the European elections and discovers that two of the borough’s sitting MPs have … Continue reading

Posted in 2019 European elections, Chris Philp MP, Croydon Central, Croydon North, Croydon South, Mario Creatura, Sarah Jones MP, Steve Reed MP | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Scott’s cunning plan to squeeze in 3,000 new homes per year

KEN LEE on how increased housing  targets have forced the council into a rapid rethink of its Local Plan Just like Baldrick, Paul Scott has got a cunning plan. Another one. Controversial Town Hall figure Scott has been booked to … Continue reading

Posted in Alison Butler, Chris Philp MP, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Croydon South, Housing, London-wide issues, Mayor of London, Paul Scott, Planning, Property, Purley Way, Sadiq Khan, Sarah Jones MP, Tony Newman, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Scott forced to U-turn over developer’s Barham Road scheme

Paul Scott, the puppet-master on the council’s planning committee, was forced to make an embarrassing U-turn last night over a developer’s application to turn a Victorian family home in South Croydon into five small flats. As Inside Croydon reported yesterday, … Continue reading

Posted in Paul Scott, Planning, Robert Canning, South Croydon, Toni Letts, Waddon | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

MP Philp quits Tory job to back outsider Javid for leader

Today truly marks the end of May… Political editor WALTER CRONXITE reports on how the local Conservative MP has placed his cards on the table in a gamble with his Commons career Chris Philp, Croydon South’s Tory MP, has resigned … Continue reading

Posted in Chris Philp MP, Croydon South | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Slums of the Future: Croydon has capital’s smallest micro-flat

Thousands of Croydon families are finding themselves in “cramped, substandard, and unaffordable homes” due to “flawed” government planning regulations, research published today claims. The report by London Assembly Member Tom Copley highlights Croydon has having more permitted development flats than … Continue reading

Posted in Housing, London Assembly, London-wide issues, Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, Tom Copley | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Planning protests expected as Scott angers residents

Town Hall reporter KEN LEE reports ahead of what could prove to be another contentious session in the council chamber, amid calls for a domineering councillor to stand down from a committee Security is likely to be tight at the … Continue reading

Posted in Andrew Pelling, Chris Philp MP, Community associations, Croydon Council, Croydon South, Paul Scott, Planning, Robert Canning, Toni Letts, Waddon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The mystery of Purley’s disappearing Conservative councillor

KEN LEE reports from the Town Hall, where the continued absence of a new councillor could prompt a local by-election There is mounting concern among Croydon Tories that they may be forced to defend one of their council seats in … Continue reading

Posted in Badsha Quadir, Oni Oviri, Purley, Simon Brew, Tim Pollard, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Croydon Tories’ vote collapses in Euro election meltdown

Perhaps ‘Bollocks to Brexit’ is not such a bad campaign slogan after all. Our political editor WALTER CRONXITE crunches the numbers from last night’s European declarations across London, where only UKIP’s Gerard Batten was a bigger loser than the Conservatives … Continue reading

Posted in 2019 European elections, Addiscombe East, Chris Philp MP, Croydon Central, Croydon North, Croydon South, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Gavin Barwell, London Assembly, London-wide issues, Mario Creatura, Mayor of London, New Addington, Sadiq Khan, Sarah Jones MP, Shaun Bailey, Steve Reed MP, Tony Newman, Waddon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

After campaign criticism, Labour’s organiser passes the Buck

Thursday’s Euro election results are expected tonight, but in Croydon Labour the party in-fighting has already begun, as WALTER CRONXITE reports Recriminations and faction fighting has broken into public among the Croydon Labour Party even before the votes have been … Continue reading

Posted in 2019 European elections, Andrew Pelling, Croydon Central, Croydon North, Jo Negrini, Sarah Jones MP, Steve Reed MP | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Former MP John Moore, the ‘Icarus of Thatcherism’, has died

WALTER CRONXITE charts the career of someone once seen by Margaret Thatcher as her successor as Prime Minister The death has been reported this week of the first MP for Croydon Central, John Moore. Moore, who was Conservative MP for … Continue reading

Posted in Andrew Pelling, Croydon Central, David White | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Hancock’s half-hour at Mayday prompts politicians’ squabble

Our elected representatives had a busy Monday. As well as the borough’s three MPs and short-attention-span councillors turning out at the Town Hall for the Mayor-making in the evening, earlier in the day many of them were in attendance for … Continue reading

Posted in Chris Philp MP, Croydon Central, Croydon North, Croydon South, Health, Helen Redfern, Jane Avis, Louisa Woodley, Mayday Hospital, Ola Kolade, Purley Hospital, Sarah Jones MP, St Helier Hospital, Steve Reed MP | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Councillors have ‘short attention spans’ declares new Mayor

Town Hall reporter KEN LEE reports from last night’s business-lite council meeting, safe in the knowledge that there’s just two further full councils and a Christmas get-together to be held in 2019 Croydon councillors, having only recently voted themselves a … Continue reading

Posted in Bensham Manor, Croydon Council, Humayun Kabir, Jo Negrini, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Barwell’s legacy to Croydon: Tories set for fifth in Euro vote

While the two major parties in Croydon try to behave as if there’s nothing going on, weekend polling ahead of Thursday’s European elections suggests that Labour and Tories are to lose seats in London. Political editor WALTER CRONXITE reports With … Continue reading

Posted in 2019 European elections, Andrew Pelling | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

MP Jones wants council proposal for Shirley Library ‘ignored’

Our bookish gyms correspondent GENE BRODIE reports on how the local Labour MP has vowed to oppose plans to close a library in her constituency, as suggested in a report commissioned by the Labour-run council Sarah Jones, the Labour MP … Continue reading

Posted in Andrew Pelling, Coulsdon, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Libraries, Old Coulsdon, Purley, Sanderstead, Sarah Jones MP, Shirley North, Waddon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Shhh! Four libraries could be flogged off. Don’t tell anyone

Our bookish gyms correspondent, GENE BRODIE, on how the Labour-run council is clearing the way for more non-unionised volunteer-run libraries than the Town Hall’s Tories ever managed Croydon Council has been accused of secrecy again, this time after stopping most … Continue reading

Posted in Brick by Brick, Broad Green, Carillion, Coulsdon, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Education, GLL - Better, Helen Pollard, Jo Negrini, Libraries, Norbury, Old Coulsdon, Planning, Property, Purley, Sanderstead, Shirley North, South Norwood, Tony Newman, Upper Norwood Library Trust | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments