Censorship !!!

[Bagpuss]

Why has my thread "use your vote - why" has been deleted?
It was an attempt to ask the question as to why councillors can change sides days after being elected for a political party.
I feel you had no right to delete it and have stopped my freedom of speech on an issue which has righty annoyed a lot of people both in Blackburn and Hyndburn.

[Bagpuss]

Because I'm not allowed to comment this is the story :

Labour defectors branded 'cheats'
SIX former Labour councillors who quit the party to form a new independent group at Blackburn with Darwen Council have been accused of cheating the electorate.

Councillor Kate Hollern, who was due to replace ousted Sir Bill Taylor as leader of the council before the defections, said her former colleagues should stand down and fight by-elections.

Despite a week of tense negotiations and frantic brokering the council still had no controlling party late last night. Coun Hollern joined Rossendale and Darwen MP Janet Anderson who branded the six a "disgrace" who were not fit for elected office. The town hall was plunged into chaos this week after Salim Mulla (Queen's Park), Mahfooz Hussain (Bastwell), Yusuf Jan-Virmani (Audley), Iftakhar Hussain, Faryad Hussain (Queen's Park) and Parwaiz Akhtar left Labour days after the party was voted back into power.

Coun Hollern and other senior Labour figures said the departures were sparked after Coun Mahfooz Hussain was told he was not going to be re-selected to the council's leading executive committee.

After a turbulent two years as executive member for education during which two high schools were taken into special measures, Labour councillors are believed to have asked Coun Hussain to stand down.

However the six, who have been branded as the "Mahfia" by council insiders, blamed a row over the defeat of former leader Sir Bill Taylor who was voted out of an Audley ward predominantly filled with Asian voters.

In a bizarre twist that will have many voters scratching their heads in bewilderment Coun Hussain could be re-elected to the ruling executive committee if the likely coalition of Liberal Democrat, Conservative and Independent councillors materialises.

Despite group meetings last night Conservative leader Colin Rigby and LibDem leader Paul Browne were remaining tight lipped.

However, Coun Hollern, who looks increasingly likely to become leader of the opposition, has started to speak out. Her challenge to the six independent councillors could have been prompted by a realisation that Labour is set to lose its grip on power for the first time in 21 years.

Coun Hollern said: "I feel as though the voters have been cheated. I think it's absolutely disgraceful.

"They should be honest and stand for a by-election and take their chance at the polls."

All parties have until July 1 to agree on who is running Blackburn with Darwen Council.

[ShortStuff]

Looks like the council are in a right mess! I certainly don't agree that they should be allowed to leave a party just after being elected possibly on the basis of being a member of that political party.

[Bagpuss]

No response from any moderators as to why my thread was deleted, from that I take it that this is a sensitive issue that cannot be commented on, which I find hard to believe when soon Hyndburn may soon be under Blackburn Councils control.

[WINGY]

I believe that anything on this site that MAY be seen as racist must be removed to prevent any confrontations, please understand that this is a discusion forum and anybody is free to read or post, but on the same note certain posts can make others wish not to post.
This does not mean that your views are wrong, but please try to understand that this forum is about peoples own views, and your post "seemed" to be forcing an opinion onto everyone else.
Please do not take offence by this but try to understand that this forum is here for all creeds and cultures, and as so the moderators try to keep it fair.
I hope this helps.

[Caz]

The fact that the follow up post you made on the same topic has not been deleted, in itself proves your point to be invalid.
The original deleted post bore little resemblance to this one.

The Administrator and Moderators on here have to tread a careful line, and whilst not wanting to show bias or stifle opinion in any way, we have to try and ensure that posts are not considered offensive or even, quite possibly, unlawful.

Decisions to delete are not taken lightly, and usually by several moderators, so please don't look for any one to blame.

The only other posts you have had deleted, to my knowledge at least, are duplicated ones and protests encroaching on other peoples threads.

Re your post in another thread:

"Thanks to the member that contacted me to say my posts are being deleted because I'm not part of the Stag/Miners click and if I changed my name to Tealeaf2 I would be OK.
Surely this can't be true but I do wonder !!!"

I am not - at least as yet - part of what you call the "Stag/Miners click", so that theory is out of the window, sorry.

And I'm sure Tealeaf will tell you in no uncertain terms that he has had plenty of his posts deleted!

[Tealeaf]

Leaving aside the nonsense about the "Stag/Miners clique" - (turn up if you want to, but if not, don't worry about it) - Bagpuss has made a very pertininent point here. There is now overwhelming evidence to indicate that certain members of the Asian Community have been involved in the systematic abuse of the electoral process. I cannot think of anything more fundamental in undermining a democratic & open society than this. If we cannot now highlight this insideous threat, because someone wants to pander to the god of ploitical correctness, then all becomes lost. So please think carefully before censoring out valid and truthful postings.

I

[Darby]

So...we have "Free Speech" as long as "Somebody" thinks it's politically correct. Who is "Somebody" and how do they judge what is right and what is wrong?? And who are they to judge?
Have they got a dose of "Politically Acceptable" knowledge or do "they" use the gutter press and political diatribes to de-select particular comments??

Incitement, is being identified in a subjective manner, and no justification is ever given. I do accept that any sensible and well presented arguement or point should be treated as such, and not removed out of hand.

We once had freedom of speech...now it's been de-selected. Please read George Orwells 1984 and Animal Farm...he hit it right on the head....BRAINWASHED!!

[KIPAX]

We once had freedom of speech

Serious question... When ? I ahve never known freedom of speech in this country. We do ahve more freedom than some other countries but when has this country ever had freedom of speech?

Its not a dig..its a serious question.

[sarnie boy]

Go Bagpuss Go Bagpuss Its your birthday its your birthday
The council and all other governments r lyin little... well lets not go there but u get my point its the lyin that blair has done which has ruined the labour partys potential this year and thats y theyve lost so many seats

the war in iraq has made people think about what scumbags r runnin the country the whole parliament has lost my entire trust i now trust onli myself coz no parliament robbin me of my rights

[WillowTheWhisp]

Getting back to the subject of the original post - ie the changing of political alleigance by some councellors after they have been elected, and also the reports of alleged discrepancies in the postal voting system here in Hyndburn I agree with Tealeaf that we are in danger of losing our democratic process in this country and that is a frightening prospect.

[Doug]

Fight back.........

[Bagpuss]

Originally Posted by Doug

Fight back.........

I attempted to fight back starting a thread on this website unfortunatly someone would not let me make my statement so what's the point, censorship is alive and kicking here so I really can't be bothered posting again, those who backed me cheers, those who didn't shame on you !!!

[WillowTheWhisp]

How can we fight back Doug if the democratic process is undermined? It could lead to anarchy.

[Doug]

democratic process...Now thats an intresting statement.

Bagpuss, Don't give in lad...Play the game