A controversial, headline-seeking local councillor is in the news again. Following a stormy meeting of Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council last week (13th March, 2024), Cllr Lewis Quigg (pictured above centre) has taken to social media to, rightly, call out unacceptable and unconstitutional conduct of the Council’s chief executive, Harry Catherall. There is, however, more than…
A controversial, headline-seeking local councillor is in the news again.
Following a stormy meeting of Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council last week (13th March, 2024), Cllr Lewis Quigg (pictured above centre) has taken to social media to, rightly, call out unacceptable and unconstitutional conduct of the Council’s chief executive, Harry Catherall.
There is, however, more than a touch of the pot calling the kettle black as Cllr Quigg is, presently, the subject of at least three Standards complaints over his own repeated, and notably poor behaviour, in the civic chamber and elsewhere (read more details of those complaints here).
Notionally a Conservative, representing the Royton North ward, he is well known for his nationalist views and highly public membership of a local far-right group of grooming gang conspiracy theorists whom self-style as ‘The Rabble’ (or ‘Raja’s Rabble’).
This was posted on Cllr Quigg’s Facebook page following the Full Council meeting:
“Oldham’s Chief Executive wasn’t too happy with the meeting having been extended due to Labour trying to talk out the opposition motions. Chaos over voting soon followed.
“In this chaos the C.E.O decided to tell one Councillor to “shut up”. Unfortunately I clocked this unheard exchange and made clear my thoughts.
“You will note that the C.E.O did apologise but given Tameside lost a C.E.O for much less it is bang out of order this is going on. The point for me is if he can tell an elected member of the opposition to shut up then what chance do the public have?”.
The answer to the question posed by Cllr Quigg in the concluding paragraph is, unarguably: Not much chance at all. Illustrated on numerous occasions by the author of this article, journalist Neil Wilby.
‘Sir Harry’ (or ‘Sir H’) has created a Civic Centre culture of poor ethical and professional standards, descending too often into blatant deceit and lawlessness, and a sense of seeming invincibility amongst a group of what must come close to being the worst senior paid officers in the country. Ignoring communications, often carry matters of grave public interest, is also routine.
The fact that, for several years now, every Oldham Council descends into an utter shambles, with, too frequently, their attendant constitutional blunders or safety and security failings, is just one manifestation of those attitudes.
‘Sir Harry’ telling a well-respected Liberal Democrat councillor, Louie Hamblett (representing Shaw and Crompton), to ‘shut up’ is another. The chief executive should, in all conscience, have been removed from the chamber after such an outburst.
His close friend and Council Leader, for the moment at least, Cllr Arooj Shah, noisy in all other aspects of civic business, remained silent, of course. Not wanting to shame, or embarrass, the officer who acts as her tame Civic Centre guard dog.
When approached, a Liberal Democrat spokesperson said they would not be commenting on the incident.
Cllr Quigg and Harry Catherall have both been offered the standard courtesy of right of reply.
The former, defending a wafer-thin majority, is up for re-election in May, 2024. It should be an interesting campaign to observe in a former British Nationalist Party (BNP) stronghold. The latter is the election’s Returning Officer.
Last year, a Conservative councillor colleague, ‘True Blue’ Cllr Max Woodvine (Saddleworth South) denounced Cllr Quigg as ‘not a proper Tory’ (read full story here). He, too, faces re-election in May.
Page last updated: Tuesday 19th March, 2024 at 0625 hours
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[…] Harry Catherall, was heard to abuse a Liberal Democrat councillor last week (read full story here). Completely unchallenged by his close friend, the very same Council Leader, Cllr Arooj […]
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