Comment: Stoke-on-Trent Central – The Impact & The Aftermath

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The great thing about writing for a site like Pits n Pots is that every so often you get the opportunity to give your 10 penneth to the current hot debate.

So here goes – On the 16th of March I wrote the following:

“Gary Elsby is desperate to be a candidate after 30 years dedicated loyal service to the Labour Party. His timely removal from the parliamentary list has thrown his candidature into serious doubt. He is committed to standing as an MP in the area he has served for many years. It is rumoured that he has the support of a large section of the membership in the constituency. The sad fact is he may have to step outside of his beloved party to achieve this. I think he is totally prepared to do this”.

Well, prepared he certainly was. Yesterday he announced that he was to go it alone and as it was Good Friday, a slow news day, he was maxed out on media attention.

He has made the move, thrown his hat in the ring and now there is no way back for him.

I have been covering the whole sorry saga of Stoke Centrals battles with the West Midlands Regional Office and the paid enforcers of the National Executive Committee for many months now.

Yesterday’s announcement was the Champions League Semi-Final of the competition, there have been many preliminary rounds, but we are now close to the Grand Final which will be played out in front of the nation on May 6th.

The Labour Party have to take the ultimate responsibility for this whole fiasco.

Firstly, those in the Regional Office who decided that Gary Elsby, Barry Stockley & Mick Williams were not suitable and deemed ‘hostiles’ and subsequently prevented from standing in the local elections. Were their crimes ever explained?

Why were they treated differently to people like Joy Garner and Joan Bell who walked out of the Labour council group and joined a Conservative coalition, only to walk back into the party without any recrimination what-so-ever. Why treat these people differently? I suggest the party hold an urgent inquiry into this whole sorry debacle and those ultimately responsible for the witch hunt against these individuals should be forced out of the party with the same dignity shown to Elsby, Williams and Stockley.

It has been suggested that Gary Elsby would have been better served by staying in the party and to help bring those twisted officers to book for their actions. No volunteers deserve to be treated the way these three have by paid officers of a political party.

Secondly, if the Special Selection Panel were directed to include and exclude certain names it should be made public and an explanation given.

Who ever was responsible for not putting a woman or any local candidates on the shortlist must be named and shamed. It was a travesty in the least and an act of political incompetence at worse.

The decision not to allow local names on the shortlist was a terrible mistake. It has left some individuals pondering their future within the party. Sarah Hill, Jane Heggie and Merv Smith all made the interview stage and I’m told gave a good account of themselves. Tom Reynolds and Adrian Knapper did not even make the longlist. What a joke, I say ambition must be encouraged not stifled.

To their enormous credit most local candidates have expressed their disappointment but urged everyone to united behind the chosen candidate.

There has got to be an end to imposed candidates and rigged shortlists. The Labour Party need to focus on the fact that they have an election to win, not on the possible leadership battle which may follow.

The one person that can not in any way be blamed for the way the Central Three have been treated or the way the shortlist was compiled is Tristram Hunt.

Some of the comments that have been kicking around the Internet have been laughable.

The suggestion that someone with a name like Tristram or someone as posh as he is can not serve the electorate of Stoke-on-Trent Central adequately is quite frankly, an insult to all those that live in the constituency.

He has the backing of the two men responsible for bringing Mark Fisher MP to the City, Terry Crowe and Barry Stockley.

They did not think that it was an issue that Mark Fisher was educated at Eton or was the son of a Conservative MP. I don’t doubt for a second that they think Tristram’s education, profession or heritage should be an issue either.

I have met Tristram Hunt and found him to be a hugely impressive character. I know he felt that the shortlist should have been more extensive and included local names.

I know also that he is committed to uniting the party and reconciling the differences between the region and the constituency. I know he would have fought to get Gary Elsby back onto the parliamentary list and allowed to stand for council in 2011.

Tristram comes with no baggage attached as far as the past battles of the City Labour Party or the Regional/NEC interference.

He is also untainted by the past scandals such as the MPs expenses and the abuse of parliamentary privileges.

He must be judged on the pledges he made prior to being selected which are:

“¢ Fight to keep schools located in our communities
“¢ Use all my business, political and media skills to bring investment, regeneration, tourism and jobs to Stoke;
“¢ Work tirelessly to improve the profile of Stoke-on-Trent nationally;
“¢ Tackle the BNP head on and remove their vicious stain from our streets;
“¢ Build a vibrant and inclusive local party;
“¢ Liaise with local groups, the police and Council to fight anti-social behaviour;
“¢ Make a family home in the constituency;
“¢ Publish transparent and open expenses.

If Tristram Hunt has the ear of the likes of the Business Secretary Lord Mandelson, I can think of worse allies. If he can use his influence to get our City a better deal, help with regeneration and attracting inward investment, this can only be a good thing can’t it?

He must not be judged on the treatment handed out to Gary Elsby but he could help to make certain that this never happens again to anyone within the Labour Party in Stoke-on-Trent.

I have spoken to lots of people who are sympathetic to Gary Elsby’s plight, some close to him and some not so close.

Whilst these Labour Supporters want those responsible for the treatment metered out to Gary to be forced out or to resign from the party, they will not be voting for Gary.

The people who I have spoken to believe that their party is bigger than any one individual. They believe that people like the excellent Peter Kenyon will carry on fighting their cause and that the media attention caused by this story will ensure changes to the selection processes of the future.

The biggest fear for the normal Labour Supporters I have spoken to is that Gary Elsby may split the Labour vote and let the BNP or the Conservatives in through the back door.

I have been told that Tristram is approachable, accessible and inclusive.He needs to prove it by getting out and meeting as many of the electorate as he can. He needs to show people his qualities. He needs to hold as many public events where members of the public can voice their concerns and ask their questions of him.

I have known Gary Elsby since 1979. We joined the Labour Party at the same time in the early 80′s.

I know that he has been hurt badly by recent events. I do believe he has been treated appallingly badly by the Regional Officers and the NEC paid enforcers. I do believe that they have acted on information supplied to them by local members.

Gary has chosen to chart his own course. He will give it his best shot but I think deep down he would still prefer to see a Tristram Hunt as an MP rather than a Simon Darby.

The question now is how long it will be before those who have encouraged him come out and publicly back the candidate that they voted for with a massive majority at the hustings?

People must realise that this has being on the cards for far longer than just the past few days. No matter who would have been shortlisted Gary was deemed as unsuitable and removed from the parliamentary list. He knew this better than anyone.

Gary’s argument is not with Tristram Hunt but those individuals who have acted like Pontius Pilate in deciding peoples fate.

Meanwhile Tristram Hunt will campaign to prove he is worthy of stepping into his predecessor’s shoes.

Mark Fisher thinks that he is more than worthy.

The confirmed candidates in Stoke-on-Trent Central could fill all the outfield positions on a Football pitch [11], god help us if the subs bench starts getting full too!

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About Tony Walley

I was Abbey Hulton born and bred, now live in Meir Hay. I'm married to Nita, we have 2 kids Tom 19 & Amy 17. I'm the Managing Director of a local aluminium stockist. I'm also a radio presenter and presented sport on radio for a number of years, more recently for Focal Radio. It was on Focal that I got the chance to present a programme of my favourite music genre which is Soul & Smooth Jazz. The programme was really popular and attracted overseas listeners online. Look out for our new venture www.6towns.co.uk - Community Radio for the good folk of the 6 Towns! I was the original creator of the blog Pits'n'Pots which gained some credibility when Mike Rawlins joined the site and has now blossomed into this site. I love sport particularly Golf & Tennis. I packed up playing football some years ago when I started picking up lot's of fines for bookings from late tackles! I play golf at Leek Golf Club and Tennis at Draycott Sports Centre.

Have Your Say

  • Ex-local Journo

    I think the comparison made in the article is not a very good one. It was quite a different situation with Joan Bell and Joy Garner whose argument was not with their party but with a single individual, the now discredited former Labour leader Mike Barnes. Neither of them stood for election against their party, and in fact their actions were vindicated when Barnes true colours were exposed through the reportergate affair.

    In contrast Gary Elsby appears to think he is bigger than his party and is seeking vindication by causing them damage at the ballot box, even if this is at the cost of the election of a Tory or BNP MP.

  • Tony Walley

    Sorry Ex,

    I disagree. The point is that rules have been bent based on personality and the perception of whether the individual is a ‘hostile’ or a ‘progressive’.

    Mike Barnes won a democratic election to be leader of the Labour Group. Joy and Joan [I have nothing against either of them] walked from the Labour benches to the benches opposite.

    I put it to you that if a ‘Gary’ or a ‘Barry’ had done that they would have been chucked out of the party.

    I agree that Gary is attacking the party rather than Tristram, but knowing the guy as I do I think he would be devastated if the BNP were elected courtesy of him splitting the vote.

  • Guest

    I understand that at this time in the political cycle there is very little time to undergo a full selection process and harsh decisions have to be made. It’s just a shame that the powers that be in the Labour party for what ever reason they may have omitted any local people from their process.
    What I can see happening now is that a campaign is springing into action that’s telling everyone to vote Labour, the alternative is a BNP or Tory MP. I’m sorry but that is just scaremongering. The only way to beat the BNP is to have a healthy democratic process where everyone has a full and open discussion throughout the election campaign and the candidates listen and act on behalf of the electorate.
    In areas where this happens, parties like the BNP don’t have a chance of getting a foothold. But alas here in Stoke that process has been sadly lacking. Where is the political vision for Stoke, the whole area has been treated as somewhere that will return a Labor MP no matter what, and we are paying the price for that now.
    So for Labour to now start saying if you don’t vote for us you are letting in the BNP is just the same as what has always happened in Stoke, they don’t want open political debate they don’t offer a vision for the people of Stoke On Trent they are just asking for your vote because there is a bogyman out to get you if you don’t vote for them.
    Thats why I say the more candidates the better, lets have a frank and open debate and then on election day lets vote for the person offering the best vision for our city.

  • Ex-local Journo

    Then we just have to differ.

    So far as the point below is concerned, thats all well and good if we lived in an ideal world. The fact is that there are only a certain number of people who will turn out to vote in Stoke Central (48% last time) and if there are two candidates competing for the centre-left vote then it will inevitably split and candidates on the right and far-right will benefit from this. Thats the reality which Gary Elsby must think long and hard about.

  • Tony Walley

    Ex,

    We must also remember that the far right vote will be split 3 ways – The BNP, The National Front & Alby Walker.

    With 11 candidates confirmed, I think that Stoke Central will be one of the most interesting counts in the whole country.

  • Guest

    well well well, i have already had a big bet for the BNP to win a seat in stoke, i never really gamble much but the chances of BNP winning this seat are extremely high.

  • Nicky Davis

    “Gary Elsby, Barry Stockley & Mick Williams were not suitable and deemed ‘hostiles’ and subsequently prevented from standing in the local elections. Were their crimes ever explained?”

    No their crimes have not been explained. But what I think it is can be summed up by one word – democracy. The labour party has turned away from the principle of democracy in a most extreme way – just look at what they do more widely, governance commission, transition board, whole council elections, all forced on the city against our will by the labour dictators. And within their own party very antidemocratic it seems too. Whereas Gary, Barry and Mick are democrats – shame on them! That way they are a threat and therefore hostile to the control freakery within labour and worse still perhaps, may want to promote democracy within the wider community. Labour obviously don’t want power to the people do they.

    “a travesty in the least and an act of political incompetence at worse”. No it can be worse than incompetence, it can be deliberate.

    As for Tristram Hunt:
    “”¢ Fight to keep schools located in our communities”
    Welcome, please join this fight
    “”¢ Use all my business, political and media skills to bring investment, regeneration, tourism and jobs to Stoke;”
    Obviously, all parties want that.
    “”¢ Work tirelessly to improve the profile of Stoke-on-Trent nationally;”
    Ditto.
    “”¢ Tackle the BNP head on and remove their vicious stain from our streets;”
    What does this mean exactly – Tackle the BNP head on – its sounds vicious in itself to me. Throwing insults at another party isn’t helpful. If you’ve got something better to offer, do it.
    “”¢ Build a vibrant and inclusive local party;”
    That just has to be the joke of the century!
    “”¢ Liaise with local groups, the police and Council to fight anti-social behaviour;”
    Yes all parties would want this.
    “”¢ Make a family home in the constituency;”
    Yes and if he has kids, where is he going to send them to school? Will there be enough schools left with enough places? Or would he just abandon the results of labour’s bsf lie; ‘rebuild or refurbish every school’ they promised, never said anything about closing schools then did they, and pack his own children off to private school?
    “”¢ Publish transparent and open expenses.”
    About time.

    And on the subject of schools, will he join Rob Flello, who is still plugging away at Vernon Coaker to be more persuasive with the fools on our council’s cabinet to correct labour’s own disasterous bsf mistakes and do the right thing with the high schools. Rob is still pushing for SOT Central as well as SOT South in this respect, will Tristram Hunt join him?

  • Nicky Davis

    Just wanted to say guest whoever you are that there is an awful lot of sense in what you are saying.

    “What I can see happening now is that a campaign is springing into action that’s telling everyone to vote Labour, the alternative is a BNP or Tory MP. I’m sorry but that is just scaremongering.” “they don’t want open political debate they don’t offer a vision for the people of Stoke On Trent they are just asking for your vote because there is a bogyman out to get you if you don’t vote for them.”
    Exactly, and I don’t think it does anything to entice any votes, well it wouldn’t from me anyway.
    The alternative you mention:
    “a healthy democratic process where everyone has a full and open discussion throughout the election campaign and the candidates listen and act on behalf of the electorate”
    is what’s needed and what should work.

    “the more candidates the better, lets have a frank and open debate and then on election day lets vote for the person offering the best vision for our city” Agreed.

  • Potteye

    What goes around comes around :)

  • Guest

    Nicky, I think if you look at the transcript of Tristram’s speech, and his pre-selection pledges they included fighting to keep a non-Academy High School in his constituency.

    Whatever the merits of his selection he would get my vote by having the guts to oppose the disastrous Academy school policy.

    As a final point, in your so-called “non-party political activist” keeness to have a dig at the Labour Government (thus betraying your true colours) you have been, shall we say, creative with the facts; it is not the Labour Government that are closing secondary schools in Stoke, it is the City Council – Vernon Coaker has already agreed to the two school solution, but does not have the statutory power to enforce it upon the City Council. Perhaps Cllr Ward would like to defend that in his campaign to be Stoke Central’s MP!

  • Lotto

    Tony quote “¦” If Tristram Hunt has the ear of the likes of the Business Secretary Lord Mandelson, I can think of worse allies. If he can use his influence to get our City a better deal, help with regeneration and attracting inward investment, this can only be a good thing can’t it?”

    Your fundamental understanding of democracy is floored Tony”¦ doing a deal with the bully will never rid society of bullies.

    So this is the best vision for the future that our local Labour Party can offer the residents of Stoke”“on-Trent as it celebrates it’s centenary is it ? .. Firmly tied to Mr Mandelson’s apron string . I think not !

    I’m sure that the residents of Stoke Central will have far greater aspirations for the future of this City when the time comes for them to cast their personal vote.

  • George Hughes

    So what if Tristram Hunt “has the ear of the likes of the Business Secretary Lord Mandelson”. After May 6th Mandelson’s influence on national policy will be history. His only purpose in parachuting Tristram Hunt into Stoke Central is because Labour party HQ still take it for granted that the constituency is “rock solid labour”. Tristram Hunt’s obligation to Mandelson in the forthcoming battle to replace Gordon Brown as leader has been cynically bought. Labour’s concern for the good of Stoke-on-Trent comes a very distant second to the party’s own interest – just as it always has.

  • Gibbo

    Great commentary by Tony. This appraises the situation nicely. The Labour Party has to change this culture of foisting candidates upon constituencies.

    That said, just who the hell is Gary Elsby anyway? Why does he think it is his right to be selected by the Labour Party for Stoke Central. Is this the same man who has been defeated TWICE by the BNP in his own backyard?

    Come on, I ask you, do you seriously think that this Walter Mitty type character will serve us better that Tristram Hunt? There is no competition, Tristram wins every time.

    I want Tristram Hunt to be my MP. The guy is charismatic, well connected, and a respect of the heritage of our City.

    Stoke South’s Rob Flello has shown that you don’t have to be local to be an effective hard working MP. Did Mark Fisher manage to save Mitchell? Did Rob Flello manage to save Trentham HS?

    15000 people turned out and voted Labour. I have seen it written on this site that Stoke Central CLP has 180 members. So why does a very small handful of militants like Mr Elsby think that they know whats best for me and for the rest of the folk in Stoke Central.

    These people are blinkered and can only see life through their party goggles. They have a power struggle going on and are not in the slightest bothered about the rest of us.

    Mr Elsby, I feel your pain, I know you feel that you have been wronged. You have walked away from Labour and your legacy will always be that you FAILED to beat the BNP TWICE. That my friend does not make for a good MP.

    I like Tristrams pledges, I hear he will open a Constituency office. He has my vote and at a guess, he will have the vote of the majority of socialist minded people.

    Mr Elsby can only hope to capture the votes of a few. Those who put party fighting before election success, his wife and kids, and maybe a handful more if he is lucky.

    Sour grapes is probably the worse election manifesto one can have!

  • Gary Elsby

    Oh dear.
    It looks like the amateur politicians want to play dirty. Groan.

    It’s about imposition.

    Nothing more.
    nothing less.

    Tristram will make a great MP.
    Gary will not.
    Groan even more.

  • Gibbo

    Gary,
    Thanks for commenting.

    I am not an amateur politician just a normal Labour voter.

    So can you address my points and this time without the sarcasm?

    Sites like this are vital. This is where we get to put our questions to those who seek our votes.

    I have raised several questions re the BNP etc, I’m sure you would want to respond?

  • Ex-local Journo

    As I understand it, of the 71 Labour members at the meeting last week to choose the Stoke-on-Trent Central candidate 63 of them voted for candidates and only 8 followed Mr. Elsby’s scortched earth policy of spoiling their ballot paper. A comprehensive defeat for Gary.

    If Gary Elsby wishes to show that he’s not a ‘one trick pony’ lets have him name some of the people who are supporting him. I think we will find it’s a very short list of names.

  • commoner

    Time to call it a day Elsby. You’ve made your point. Apologise and get back into the party – your discipline process may then be dropped. Next year are the new full elections. Best to walk before you can run.

  • Mick Williams

    Sorry to be late to the debate – I had to get away for a couple of days de-tox to get the stink of the cesspit that New Labour has become out of my nostrils.

    However, some points need a comment:

    1. The ‘crimes’ of Elsby, Stockley and Williams have never been explained’.
    Mine is described in a certificate which I received in September 2008 signed (not rubber-stamped) by Gordon Brown and Ray Collins (General Secretary). The citation says that I am guilty of a lifetime’s commitment to the Labour Party. This is called the National Merit Award and is given to two or three members annually.
    Apart from 46 years membership, service as a councillor from 1970 to 1998 (the first years of this were as a ‘Labour of love’ – since no payments were made in those days), and serving in almost every office from Ward, through constituency and even regional level.
    I am still Treasurer of my Branch Party and Political Education Officer of the Constituency Party.
    Clearly, none of this fits me to be a suitable candidate for the upcoming council elections but because my peers in my local party might mistakenly select me the Regional Office kindly bussed in some people from Coventry, Bromsgrove and Hodge Hill (B’ham) to ensure ‘compliance’.
    I will leave the other two to make their own responses to this but am confident that Stoke Central Party members know who actually does the work around here.

    2. The ‘control freakery’ exhibited by paid officials of the Party is completely outside the rules, which say that NO paid official may seek to influence the outcome of any Party selection or election.
    The recently (last 4 or 5 years) joined (or imported) local members do not understand the basic concepts of democracy – which is a bottom-up phenomenon, not a top-down hierarchical structure.
    A few of these have a ‘corporate mindset’ which they developed in their previous occupations, but others see this as the only way they can further their personal parliamentary ambitions.
    Both types are too inexperienced to know that they are being used as ‘decoy candidates’ – ‘makeweights’ to give a false impression of choice.

    3. And ‘Gibbo’ agrees with Tony that the ‘ear of Mandelson’ can only be a good thing, but ‘Lotto’ gets it right by saying that corruption is corruption whoever commits it.
    Regarding the other personal qualities and pledges of Tristram I will not comment except to say that these were also wheeled out for the selection at Leyton and Wanstead a mere couple of weeks before. He got 45 votes there and was eliminated on the second round. Informed opinion regards this as yet another ‘stitch-up’, but it clearly was not Tristram’s ‘turn’.
    And I watched ‘Newsnight’ last Thursday in the pub where Tristram had kindly bought me a pint. When Mark Seddon came on and it was remarked that he couldn’t get on the longlist even, Tristram pointed out that Mark was also an ‘outsider’.
    The poor love didn’t understand that Seddon might have also been an outsider, but he was OUR outsider.

    4. Regarding his ‘endorsements’ can I tell you that my phone rang last Thursday morning and the unmistakeably plummy tones of Mark Fisher started to try and persuade me to support Tristram. I was moved to say “Come off it Rory, I know its April Fool’s day”, only for the caller to convince me that it was, indeed, Fisher.
    So I pinched myself to see if I was having a nightmare but was horrified to learn that I was awake, and it was real.
    Now Mark Fisher has been an avowed supporter of D4S and our fight to get rid of the mayoral system so I had to remind him that our main opponents in that campaign enjoyed the support of NLGN and that Tristram had been a member of their Board. Mark was nonplussed and asked: “What’s the NLGN ?” [New Local Govt Network].
    And I do wish that Tony had been there with his tape recorder when Tristram came to see me, since it took about 10 minutes for me to embarrass him by knowing about his NLGN involvement.

    5. And ‘commoner’ should do a bit more homework before telling Gary to learn to walk – what experience has Tristram of being a candidate anywhere ? A salutary lesson may be to read Martin Rowson’s article in next week’s ‘Tribune’. (But I won’t spoil the surprise for you Fred and never thought you had such authoritarian tendencies …)

    Believe me there is more, much more, to come.

    Mick Williams.

  • Adam Colclough

    At the selection meeting last Thursday I was one of the members of Stoke Central CLP who spoilt their ballot paper. It had nothing to do with my opinion of Tristram Hunt or any of the other candidates and everything to do with my desire to protest against the process used to compile the short list.

    If, as he claimed in his speech, Mr Hunt wants to create a strong and inclusive local party, one that will appeal to the many people who have walked away from Labour over the past few years, then a good place to start would be to put Regional Office back in their place; which isn’t running Central CLP.

    Far from following a “Ëœmilitant’ agenda by standing as an independent candidate Gary Elsby is making a principled stand for grassroots democracy and administering some much needed shock therapy to a Labour Party high command that has got a little too used to taking Stoke-on-Trent for granted.

  • Ian Norris

    easy solution labour lib-dems and tories all agree to merge as NOT the BNP party, or of course anyone can stand and we let the PEOPLE decide who is elected, or is that TOO radical ?

  • Guest

    Adam, I think you will find that what Mr Hunt said at the CLP meeting was that he needed to build the local party up to be able to put regional office in its place, so it is evidently a priority for him.

    Gary Elsby’s biggest concern is Gary Elsby. It’s all well and good saying that he is taking a stand for ordinary working people in Stoke but if that really were the case he would be better off supporting the Trade Union and Socialist Coalition candidate Matt Wright and their established national campaign instead of basking in his own little ego trip.

  • Gary Elsby

    Commoner:
    I’m in a General Election, a local election and I’m on the ballot paper in 2011.
    I’m taking the Prime Minister to court, the deputy Leader of the Labour Party and regional officials.

    What exactly, is it that you are attempting to persuade me to do, apologise?

  • Nicky Davis

    Maybe you would like to list the high schools planned for Tristram’s constituency and what type they are planned to be then, just so as we can be clear about that.

    The way the labour government have imposed bsf, in other places as well as SOT, has involved wanting to close schools, and they weren’t upfront about that when they first announced it. Also it was the local council yes, under labour Meredith, that started the damage. Right enough tories, libdems and indies are also to blame for colluding and carrying this on.

  • Nicky Davis

    Maybe you would like to list the high schools planned for Tristram’s constituency and what type they are planned to be then, just so as we can be clear about that.

    The way the labour government have imposed bsf, in other places as well as SOT, has involved wanting to close schools, and they weren’t upfront about that when they first announced it. Also it was the local council yes, under labour Meredith, that started the damage. Right enough tories, libdems and indies are also to blame for colluding and carrying this on.