tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19727466.post3188838517018501976..comments2008-08-11T00:20:55.341+01:00Steve Horganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689714700049747836noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19727466.post-22402099138338275122008-08-10T20:32:00.000+01:002008-08-10T20:32:00.000+01:00No.Iainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07249331216466329232noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19727466.post-36270996891462408652008-08-09T20:42:00.000+01:002008-08-09T20:42:00.000+01:00Sorry seems to be the hardest word for the Watford Conservatives. And indeed for the Conservatives generally, it seems.<BR/><BR/>Iain, has anyone from the Watford Tories sent our PPC a bunch of flowers, or anything like that?Chris Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04380208481112766609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19727466.post-60815063841789497302008-08-09T19:12:00.000+01:002008-08-09T19:12:00.000+01:00I have posted a detailed response at http://eatenbymissionaries.blogspot.com/Iainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07249331216466329232noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19727466.post-24879596322714287802008-08-09T17:42:00.000+01:002008-08-09T17:42:00.000+01:00Let's see: 'how this was allowed to happen', implies that others had knowledge of Oakley's activities. If you have evidence of that then you should go to the police.<BR/><BR/>'Without a proper investigation we won't know whether it really was just one person'. There has been a proper investigation, by the Police. Do you think that their enquiry was deficient in some way?<BR/><BR/>No one thinks that these were other than serious offences but the statement that 'They were deliberately designed to subvert the democratic process in the direction of the Conservative party' makes little sense. Vandalism and harassment are appalling, and we had some of it in Basildon, but it is difficult to see how it confers electoral benefit.<BR/><BR/>Oakley it out of our party and good riddance. His actions were politically pretty insignificant. The Police investigation did not show any evidence of a conspiracy. What more is there to say?<BR/><BR/>Or is this Liberal Democrats in a marginal seat trying to milk the Conservatives embarrassment?Steve Horganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689714700049747836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19727466.post-57907602779393116062008-08-09T17:15:00.000+01:002008-08-09T17:15:00.000+01:00We would know for certain the answer to your various rhetorical questions if only there had been some statement by the national Conservatives or Watford Conservatives on Oakley's conviction.<BR/><BR/>So far there has been no expression of sympathy for the victims nor an expression of regret and no announcement of any inquiry into how this was allowed to happen. <BR/><BR/>Without a proper investigation we won't know whether it really was just one person and if it was how he was able to get away for so long without arousing colleagues' suspicions.<BR/><BR/>As your posting implies, this is not just a run-of-the-mill case of someone going a little over the top. Nor were the offences simply to do with Mr Oakley's private life.<BR/><BR/>They were deliberately designed to subvert the democratic process in the direction of the Conservative party. They may even have affected the result of individual local elections. <BR/><BR/>As the intended beneficiaries and as a party that conferred positions of responsibility on Mr Oakley, the Conservatives should surely have something to say about this.<BR/><BR/>(For the sake of full disclosure I should mention that I am a Lib Dem in Watford.)Iainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07249331216466329232noreply@blogger.com