I write in reply to the fine, well-researched, article by Louisa Clarence-Smith regarding Councillor Peter Walker and thank her for the efforts she went to in order to ensure her article was accurate (Thrown off panel for views on free schools, October 30).
However, it is important that I correct some of the misleading information being given to local newspaper publishing organisations, in secret, by Coun Walker.
And also explain why I am writing to the general secretary of the Labour party, whom I am proud to say I used to work for as a volunteer, to ask for Coun Walker to be immediately expelled from the Labour Party.
Action that I am taking independently of Councillor Stephen Alambritis, and I have not discussed my action with him or any councillors, officials or members of the Merton Labour Party. I have deliberately not involved any of them.
I expect men to behave like men. Council Walker is secretly briefing local news media organisations against us so I expect him to come clean and own up. And then resign from the Labour Party.This because something in the region of 98 local party members worked their socks off to get him elected. They deserve to be treated with respect. I mean the guy can deny it all he likes, but I now have all the evidence that I need that it has indeed been him who has been feeding misinformation to the media.
So Peter Walker was not thrown off the committees because of his opposition to free schools. I don't like them either, but it is official Labour Party policy to reintroduce local democratic accountability to all schools, a perfect solution, and Mr Walker already knows this. He in any case does not have the right to continuously try to stall the expansion of school provision in Merton and Wimbledon. If we were to go along with his infantile games there would be a catastrophe for our local parents and their children. He seems to care nothing for their welfare. I regard him as an utterly useless councillor.
And there is no civil war inside the local Labour Party, except in the deluded mind of a lone troublemaker whose extremist views have no place in our modern democratic society.
From now on he can rubbish my friends, in secret if he likes, on his own time.
Michael Barltrop
Via email
- Send your letters to: letters@wimbledonguardian.co.uk
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