Sunday 5 July 2015

Cardiff Labour's Civil war continues

This is the eighth time in a year I have used part or all of the above title.
Less than two months since about half the Labour group tried to remove Cardiff council leader Phil Bale, there is more discontent and the  Civil War among Cardiff's Labour Councillors continues unabated with for former Labour deputy leader of Cardiff council has attacking  the group, saying it does not understand how to run the city.
Ralph Cook has quit Labour after its Cardiff council group suspended him from serving on council committees.
He was suspended by the party as punishment for breaking the whip and opposing its transport plan last year.
Trowbridge and St Mellons Labour councillor Ralph Cook was suspended from the Labour group for six months on Monday after his group found he had broken the party whip.

The former deputy council leader’s suspension is a result of a hearing last November when Coun Cook publicly called for the Labour group’s transport plan to go back to the group for further discussion.
During the meeting, he described the plan as a “complete lack of vision”, “a collection of thoughts” with “nothing giving it any cohesiveness at all”.
In May he was selected as chairman of the environment scrutiny committee by the full council.
Since his suspension the Labour group has decided to inform Coun Cook he will no longer be heading up the committee. and has been  removed  from all committees by current council leader Phil Bale.
So although elected to be chairman of of the committee  by the whole council the Council Leader has used his powers to override this in a what seems a vindictive mane
In an email to all councillors on Friday evening, Coun Cook stated:
 “I have just learnt that as an additional sanction for my extremely minor infringement – with substantial mitigation – of the Labour group standing orders at the meeting of full council on November 27, 2014, I have now been removed from all council committees with immediate effect by the Labour leadership.
“This sanction was not referred to during my ‘show trial’ on Monday evening and has not been discussed or decided by the Labour group.
“And so it is with deep regret that I can no longer remain a member of a political group consisting of so many nasty, vindictive, cruel and incompetent politicians as the Cardiff Labour group of councillors.
A spokeswoman for the Labour group dismissed Mr Cook's comments.
It is the latest in a series of disagreements within the Cardiff Labour group. here and here.
There is speculation others who had tried to remove leader Phil Bale in May will now jump ship and form  a  "Rainbow" Coalition with opposition members  to remove Bale and take control of the council .
But if I was the leader of Plaid LibDems or Tories on the council I would be wary of joining an fraction unless I was sure that they were wiling to forget their former internal squabbles and concentrate on the future of our Capitol.


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