Comments on Tory Bear - right-wing political gossip: Move along people...

Alisdair's article is quite clear that there were ...

2009-03-26T08:43:00.000Z

Alisdair's article is quite clear that there were a few people.

And I back Elaine.

2009-03-25T21:36:00.000Z

And I back Elaine.

I didn't think anyone suggested that it was just o...

2009-03-25T21:35:00.000Z

I didn't think anyone suggested that it was just one person...

Anonymous at 23 March 2009 23:16.

That’s ri...

2009-03-25T12:06:00.000Z

Anonymous at 23 March 2009 23:16.

That’s right, I am Ben Mathis, because it is Ben Mathis, and only he who is shocked by Elaine’s ‘leadership’. When the revolution comes I have no doubt that Elaine will be taken away by people all wearing Ben Mathis masks.

This is my first comment on here but I'm perfectly...

2009-03-24T15:08:00.000Z

This is my first comment on here but I'm perfectly happy to sign my name.

The above comment was not from me - I was mostly concerned with consuming vast quantities of Piriton and trying not to throw up at the time. Having read it, I agree with much of it but no matter.

Much of what you say is obviously a matter of opinion. You may well like Elaine, I know she is capable of being incredibly charming when she wants to be - she has just never wanted to be when dealing with me for some reason.

I will take issue with you over last year's Freshers materials. There are some fairly ropey bits of design that come out of this party at various levels. The 2008 freshers materials were entirely withdrawn by order of party campaign staff in the North East of England and the whole of Scotland once those staff had seen them. A number of universities reported back that NONE of the cards had been taken.
Ignoring the dispute over imprints - they were NOT good and the pitiful level of recruitment they generated is testament to that.

As for trying to blame me for Sara's campaign and the shrill hangers on it has attracted. I gave Sara advice, I backed her and did her artwork. Had I had anything to do with "running" her campaign, it would have been considerably different and far more efficient. But I didn't.

Ben Mathis

Good article Alisdair. How about 'Fact and opinion...

2009-03-23T23:18:00.000Z

Good article Alisdair. How about 'Fact and opinion' piece...

Alisdair: It is a really good article.

@16:...

2009-03-23T23:16:00.000Z

Alisdair: It is a really good article.

@16:24: Relegating all of Elaine's supporters to 'Team Bagshaw' does you no credit.

If you are Ben Mathis, which seems likely to me, I think you know that the constitution has been followed as much by Elaine as by yourself.

a) There was talk of pushing one person out of the organisation, and it was not proposed by Elaine, and was not followed through because, as you say, that would be absurd.

b) Different views on liberalism exist, but there is no doubt that Elaine is a liberal. Stop suggesting that there is - I would suggest ceasing to use facebook as the best indicator of views.

c) From what I hear, she listens, has pulled out of some good liberal campaigns after being falsely threatened with the 'constitution' and accused of 'walking over someone's portfolio'. If anything, her time has shown less action as a result of her commitments to liberty and democracy.

d) Freshers materials were fine.

e) By Liberal Youth's "consensual culture" and "walking over people's portfolios" I presume you mean "not disagreeing with me".

There are, as Alisdair's article points out, a number of people happy with Elaine, backing Elaine, from the exec. who felt, and still feel that the negative whispering (followed by outright shouting) campaign was pathetic.

TB,

Never been a Returning Officer, I see.....

2009-03-23T21:18:00.000Z

TB,

Never been a Returning Officer, I see...

It is the rule in internal party elections that official journals report on internal elections in a neutral manner, and I'm sure that similar rules apply in Conservative Party internal elections. Frankly, if they don't, they probably should do.

As Returning Officer, my role is to ensure that no candidate gains an advantage other than through the quality of their campaigning. I'm perfectly relaxed about my ruling, and equally relaxed about the reaction to it. If anyone eligible wants to appeal it, they're free to do so...

I'm not going to be drawn on the quality of the campaigning, before anyone asks...

@ ANON 16:24

The exec began procedures to r...

2009-03-23T19:46:00.000Z

@ ANON 16:24

The exec began procedures to remove Sara from the exec after making private emails public, a clear breach of her duties as VC Comms and, quite possibly, a breach of the Data Protection act as the then data controller

"It is an opinion piece, rather than a factual one...

2009-03-23T16:42:00.000Z

"It is an opinion piece, rather than a factual one". What's with all the quotations from real interviews about then?

There are suggestions that I ignored the things Elaine has done and the accusations made against her. But I'm fairly certain I wrote about those accusations in the article, and opened them up so a reader can draw their own conclusions from them

Anonymous at 12:26 & 12:38, Elaine Bagshaw has...

2009-03-23T16:24:00.000Z

Anonymous at 12:26 & 12:38, Elaine Bagshaw has threatened Exec members with disciplinary procedures for criticising Exec decisions, she has tried to push people out of the organisation who won’t acquiesce to her, she has broken the constitution and Executive regulations on numerous times by walking all over other peoples portfolio and has shown a questionable commitment to Liberalism, such as joining Facebook groups that support restricting the BNPs freedom of speech and that seek to outlaw the sale of legally traded objects that people use to enjoy cannabis.

She has acted like a dictator, like a control freak and like some one schooled in the practices of NUS politics, who understands little about Liberal Youth’s pluralistic and consensual culture.

She has performed poorly as a Chair. She has watched over an absurd level of resignations and over seen a decline in membership, recruitment and income. It now appears that Team Bagshaw are attempting to rewrite history, by reducing criticism against Elaine as ‘personal’ and apportioning failings, such as the production of poor freshers material, on to people who are no longer party members. A lot of members are not fully aware what has happened this year.

I have a new dissertation for TB:

Is Conse...

2009-03-23T12:39:00.000Z

I have a new dissertation for TB:

Is Conservative Future in any way democratic? Discuss.

@12:18...
Oh come on. You know perfectly well t...

2009-03-23T12:38:00.000Z

@12:18...
Oh come on. You know perfectly well that Elaine is a Liberal and a Democrat. Your attempts to paint her as otherwise do you no credit at all.

Naomi doesn't hate Elaine either. They speak. They fell out over something wholly specific and Naomi is pretty annoyed with the behaviour of Sara now from what I hear.

Something about Sara letting the whole side down I think.

Even most of Elaine's detractors have been shocked with the negative campaign Sara ran: Elaine was not "piss-poor" though plenty might think she was far from perfect.

It is the exaggeration of an 'anti-Elaine' campaign - which lets face it, has opened both Sara and Elaine up to some sexism.

Oh, and TB, I know you don't care, but it is Chair, not Chairman...
:-)

Some members, believe it or not, are fully aware o...

2009-03-23T12:26:00.000Z

Some members, believe it or not, are fully aware of all the goings on this year, and are still happy that it was the majority of the exec. Elaine included, who were being held up by one or two difficult committee members accusing Elaine in turn of being dictatorial/not dictatorial enough.

The point being that even with a lot of internal awareness, Elaine is a) clearly the best, most experienced candidate in this election and b) has done a pretty good job in some respects with new branches being set up across the country.

And on the mis-representations thing: Some of Elaine's critics were sexist, some may have had a point, others may have had personal disagreements.

I doubt that it can be called "muddying the water" if the water started off a fair bit muddy anyway. I don't think that Elaine has done any "water muddying" herself.

In a democratic, accountable youth organisation (Unlike CF which doesn't have elections) were as a result of a heavy workload a large number of exec. memebers resign? Who'd have though it...

From what I understand this year, all candidates are aware of the workload so come the election, whoever will win, we will have a team to win.

Still, at least its quiet on TB today.

It's a shame Liberal Youth's elections can't be mo...

2009-03-23T12:25:00.000Z

It's a shame Liberal Youth's elections can't be more open and democratic like CF's are.

Oh, wait...

We're all seriously pissed off at the way Elaine k...

2009-03-23T12:18:00.000Z

We're all seriously pissed off at the way Elaine keeps spinning, Nu-Lab style.

See the above comment for a classic example: the way she was able to say for so long that anyone against her was a sexist. (Ignoring the way people like Naomi hate her, as mentioned in the article)

Nothing to do with Elaine being a piss-poor chair, then?

You are off the mark here TB. Liberal Youth's retu...

2009-03-23T11:38:00.000Z

You are off the mark here TB. Liberal Youth's returning officer has clearly only prevented Alasdair Wood’s piece going out in an internal Liberal Youth email magazine during the actual election period. It is an opinion piece, rather than a factual one. No one it appears has attempted to silence Alasdair.

What is depressing is that Sara’s improper behaviour, like her heckle, has allowed the debate to move away from Elaine’s record. Until Sara decided to challenge Elaine, Elaine sought to misrepresent her critics as just ’sexist’. Sara has blown that accusation out of the water, but Elaine now attempts to muddy the water again by labelling attacks against her as just ‘personal’. Many of Elaine’s own supporters believe this, but are not aware of a lot of the accusations that have been made against her.

Comments on Tory Bear - right-wing political gossip: Move along people...

Alisdair's article is quite clear that there were ...

And I back Elaine.

I didn't think anyone suggested that it was just o...

Anonymous at 23 March 2009 23:16.That’s ri...

This is my first comment on here but I'm perfectly...

Good article Alisdair. How about 'Fact and opinion...

Alisdair: It is a really good article.@16:...

TB,Never been a Returning Officer, I see.....

@ ANON 16:24The exec began procedures to r...

"It is an opinion piece, rather than a factual one...

Anonymous at 12:26 & 12:38, Elaine Bagshaw has...

I have a new dissertation for TB: Is Conse...

@12:18...Oh come on. You know perfectly well t...

Some members, believe it or not, are fully aware o...

It's a shame Liberal Youth's elections can't be mo...

We're all seriously pissed off at the way Elaine k...

You are off the mark here TB. Liberal Youth's retu...

Anonymous at 23 March 2009 23:16.

That’s ri...

Alisdair: It is a really good article.

@16:...

TB,

Never been a Returning Officer, I see.....

@ ANON 16:24

The exec began procedures to r...

I have a new dissertation for TB:

Is Conse...

@12:18...
Oh come on. You know perfectly well t...