Somerset council resigns over blog

Eleven councillors from a rural Somerset town have resigned their posts having had a bellyful of a local blogger who waged a concerted online campaign against them. Niall Connolly has variously accused Somerton Town Council of corruption, called them "jackasses" and slammed a "Good Citizens" statement as "a Nazi call to arms …

[Anonymous Coward]

Film Rights

That blog is amazing... he should sell the film rights! Best blog I have read in ages.

[Jamie Kitson]

Investigative Journalism

This is a bit one sided, just like the BBC's article, you don't have to read much of the blog to get some idea of the situation*, obviously I'm not saying take it as read, but you could do some follow up.

* The situation apparently being several serious conflicts of interests.

http://muckandbrass.blogspot.com/2009/10/democracy-works-sometimes.html

[Anonymous Coward]

We don't like no strangers here...

I love this bit from their right to reply:

"M. Smith commented that if new incoming “outsiders” to our lovely town were so unhappy they could only denigrate Somerton, it might be preferable for them to move elsewhere."

In other words, if you don't like how the council is spending your money and want to complain, move to a different town where they give a ****.

The guy's house windows were smashed and there are accusations someone tried to torch his car. I'm guessing pitchfork wavers carrying ropes would have been next?

[Aaron 6]

LOL

I love this, they didnt deserve their seats on the council if one loan person posting a few negative comments on his blog is going to upset them that much. Who cares about a some one getting all emo on 1 blog out of million's? Only the owner of said blog and the people he is talking about. If what he is saying is a wrong then why get upset, if hes posting something true then well its the truth, since when have people in politics been such cry babies that one person not liking them can have that much of an impact.

[Anonymous Coward]

Village idiot drives out local government

Would have been a better headline.

Congratulations, updating that negative medieval stereotype of the village idiot into the 21st century.

[Aristotles slow and dimwitted horse]

It's an excellent blog.

Mr Connolly is to be commended on his work as it is a brilliant, articulate and very well researched investigation into what appears to be a very corrupt, inept and arrogant town council.

Has he endured personal intimidation and vandalism to his property in his quest to get to the truth, but none the less he appears to have endured this with dignity, intelligence and a ruthless devotion to solving a problem.

Well done to you Mr Connolly. Now... I shall pick up your mantle and apply it to my own town council.

[PJ H]

23rd June?

[quote]Some background to this unholy spat can be found in the Somerton Town Council minutes of 23 June this year[/quote]

Um - it would appear that Mr Collolly has been blogging about the council since before then; I'm not so sure this was the sole reason (if it was one to begin with.)

[Mark York 3]

A small start but

I was hoping it was Somerset County Council that had the mass walk out over South West One.

[Gianni Straniero]

Re: 23rd June?

Yes, but the "caravanette" went missing "three years ago". The first post on the blog is dated November 2006.

[Anonymous Coward]

UK Gov

Can we get him to redirect his energies towards Westminster now?

[Anonymous Coward]

Ho hum

Whatever the rights and wrongs of the situation the blog reads like it was written by a complete cock.

If he doesn't stand for election he'll prove me right. Politicians are almost all cock ends anyway, but one thing that's worse than a politician is a person who spends all their time ranting about elected members but doesn't have the nerve to stand themselves.

Think Bono. Case rests.

Even if he does stand he's still a cock.

Oh and I think a lot of you are misreading this. It's pretty much a standard political move to provoke an election by mass resignation. It wouldn't surprise me at all if most of those who resigned are returned to their seats at the next election. Then they have the a simple answer to the village idiot (Thanks AC): "Even after all your ranting the people have spoken. Now STFU."

It's also a pretty obvious challenge to him to stand. Betting that's the first move of the electioneering, "Come on then. Put up or shut up." If he stands and loses, he's fucked. If he stands and wins, he's still fucked because he'll be outnumbered. It's how politics works. Plenty of people have entered politics with the intention of bucking the system from the inside, but by the time they get in there they end up playing the system like everybody else.

[Anonymous Coward]

Local council scum

If only this could happen to the scum in all local councils.

Unfortunately they'd probably just end up using their new powers against you.

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/law/article6892830.ece#at

[Dave The Cardboard Box]

What a bunch of...

neu-rural English fascists. Looks like a bunch of "I bought an overpriced, dingy retirement dwelling" types met their match with another nutter who can actually type stuff into the internets. Why don't some gypsies move into the bottom meadow and give them something they can really seethe over? Guy, the golf club secretary, could show them anti-human mines he used to sell to the Iraqis before he was prosecuted and they can plan their NIMBY paradise over a traditional Sunday lunch of duck cassoulet with a Château Lynch Bages Medoc.

[Anonymous Coward]

@AC Ho Hum

are you the mother of one of the disgraced council members?

[elderlybloke]

Get your selves elected

and enjoy the gratitude of the sweaty masses .

No matter what you do or propose , there will be protests, shouting about loss of freedom, democracy and all that..

I am one who has always found it easier to sit on my bum and moan about the council.