Arrest can only spur Labour freefall in Stoke

[Thracian]

Just how bad is life getting for the Labour Party? And could their demise in the industrial City of Stoke soon be reflected in similar cities around the country.

Traditionally Stoke-on-Trent is a City that epitomises working class England. Factories abounded. Signs of production were everywhere.

The proud boast "Made in-Stoke-on-Trent" echoed around the world with its pottery, in particular, being carried to all corners by the Cruise Liners.

Just 12 years ago Labour won all 60 seats on what was a new unitary council. Today it is so different.

Labour holds just 15 seats in this stronghold of the British working class. Plus the Mayor (and I'll come to him later).

Twelve of those Labour councillors represent just four wards, all of them in places where Stoke's ethnic minority populations are concentrated.

And why should this matter?

Because the Labour mayor of Stoke-on-Trent, Mark Meredith was arrested on corruption charges a couple of days back.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics...e-affected.html

His arrest followed hard on the arrest recently of Mr Roger Ibbs, the group leader of the Conservative and Independent Alliance on Stoke Council, and the much earlier revelation that the deputy leader of Mr Ibb’s group, Mr Lee Wanger, had, in 2005, been placed in the child sex offender’s list for subscribing to a child pornography website.

http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/news/...il/article.html

Staffordshire Police said the force’s major investigations department was conducting a “thorough, objective and detailed” inquiry.

Officers said there had been a need to ask a second man to help them with their inquiries. Mr Meredith has been in the post of elected mayor since May 2005.

Successive people on here have mocked me when I've warned that the abandonment of and discrimination against British people by this government was leading to a growth in nationalism.

Yet what effect will these latest arrests for alleged corruption have?

Well, The BNP already has nine councillors in Stoke and their group leader Mr Alby Walker could well become the council's leader.

If that happens it will make total nonsense of the repeated claims on here that the nationalists are no political threat especially as it is now rationally argued that the BNP is probably the strongest single party in Stoke.

Do any of our traditional political party's give a shit about this country and its people and will any of them finally cut the cancer of corruption from their midst? Before it is too late?

[Ultra]

All parties, the BNP included, have contained elements who abuse the office to which they have been elected.

There's no evidence to suggest that Mr Meredith's alleged behaviour was part of a systemic campaign by the local Labour Party. In fact if anything is proven it will highlight the perils and dangers of a mayoral system, which the people of Stoke have decided to abolish (against the wishes of the BNP).

There's no doubt that Labour, from its position of absolute power in Stoke during the mid-nineties, has gone through serious issues in recent times, and a number of parties, including the BNP, have benefited as a result.

But there are signs that Labour may actually be rebuilding itself - partly through Stoke City FC, owned by a prominent local Labour-supporting businessman, and whose recent success has been based on everything the BNP despises.

Look how many of the Stoke squad are from overseas. Is the BNP going to argue that THEY should be deported? Is it hell.

I'm reasoanbly hopeful that the elections in June will see the people of Stoke choose a message based on co-operation and tolerance, rather than one based on negativity and hate.