Unlike the Christmas card snow presently falling in Oldham, there is never a dull moment across the Borough’s political landscape, writes Neil Wilby. Never far away from controversy are the nine (or maybe eight?) councillors who represent the Conservative Party on the local council. One of their number, Cllr Robert Barnes, is said to be facingContinue reading “Local councillors put down motion calling for Government intervention in Oldham”
Tag Archives: Max Woodvine
Controversial Tory councillor back in the headlines again
It’s been quite a year for Robert John Fairbank Barnes. Born, brought up, educated and spending his entire career in Leeds, working for the City Council, before retiring in 2021. Twelve months ago, he was campaigning to be elected to Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council in their Chadderton South ward. A perennial failure, he had previouslyContinue reading “Controversial Tory councillor back in the headlines again”
Local Tories press self-destruct button again
Following another shameful, witless, heartless performance by their Party in Oldham Council’s Budget Meeting earlier this week (1st March, 2023) the author of this article, Neil Wilby, asked his assistant to check the Oldham Conservatives Facebook page for any useful background for another Neil Wilby Media article that is at the planning stage. The FacebookContinue reading “Local Tories press self-destruct button again”
How can this take so long?
On 26th October, 2022 an exclusive was published on Neil Wilby Media that set out the bare details of a dispute between two experienced Labour Party activists in a famous old East Lancashire mill town. It was headlined ‘Councillor comes clean’ (read full article here) and followed reports that an un-named Labour councillor sitting onContinue reading “How can this take so long?”
Tory revolt over controversial councillor’s future role
A controversial Conservative councillor, who owes his seat on Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council almost entirely to a grotesque smear campaign against his main opponent, faces losing his Party nomination for the ‘all-out’ elections in May, 2023. Cllr Robert Barnes, who presently represents the Chadderton South ward, narrowly ousted the former Labour and Council Leader, AroojContinue reading “Tory revolt over controversial councillor’s future role”
Local councillor backtracks over legal action against journalist
Following an article published by Neil Wilby Media on 11th January, 2023, headlined ‘They are not proper Tories’ (read in full here), a request was received from a controversial local councillor who claimed that those words had been mistakenly ascribed to him. Cllr Max Woodvine (pictured above), who represents the Saddleworth South ward on OldhamContinue reading “Local councillor backtracks over legal action against journalist”
Tories head for acrimonious split
The present shenanigans in the Conservative Party at Parliamentary level are, of course, very well rehearsed on network television, the national press and on social media. Less well known is the discontent and, at times, raw acrimony between Tory elected Members who sit on Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council. This has been alluded to on aContinue reading “Tories head for acrimonious split”
‘Renegades’ face humiliation over quest for public inquiry
Four ‘renegade’ Oldham Metropolitan Borough councillors, Bethany Sharp (representing St James ward), Dave Arnott (Royton North), Lewis Quigg (Royton North) and Robert Barnes (Chadderton South) say they have written a joint letter to the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Priti Patel, urging her to consider instituting an independent public inquiry into child sexualContinue reading “‘Renegades’ face humiliation over quest for public inquiry”
Oldham Labour Group expect forthcoming CSE report ‘to make uncomfortable reading for local Tories’
Debbie Abrahams, MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth, recently asked the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, in the House of Commons whether he would ‘condemn those Oldham Conservative candidates who delivered toxic, racist, misogynistic’ leaflets’ during the local elections. He replied, during one of the often controversial Prime Minister Questions sessions: “I’d be very happy toContinue reading “Oldham Labour Group expect forthcoming CSE report ‘to make uncomfortable reading for local Tories’”
Labour slams Oldham Tories over ‘peddling mistruths’ in dirty election campaign
Following the defeat of Council Leader, Arooj Shah, in the local elections in Oldham Metropolitan Borough at the beginning of this month (read more here), she described the campaign as ‘dehumanising’ and spoke of the distress it had brought to her and her family: “I fought a really positive campaign, I believe in positivity, andContinue reading “Labour slams Oldham Tories over ‘peddling mistruths’ in dirty election campaign”
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