Why Do I Survive (Barnet Borough Liberal Democrats)

Barnet Borough Liberal Democrats <info@barnetlibdems.org.uk>

Why Do I Survive

May 21, 2010 12:00 AM
By Cllr Jack Cohen in Hendon Times

Now the election dust has settled I am back to provide my take on Council meetings and other local issues. My first Annual Council Meeting was back in 1986. That was before the formation of the Liberal Democrats. There were just three of us. I, Monroe Palmer and Brian Stone flew the flag for the Liberal SDP/Alliance.

Fast forward twenty four years to the Annual Council meeting on Tuesday. Monroe Palmer and I now were joined by Susette Palmer as the remaining three Liberal Democrats on the Council.

Annual Council is when the new Mayor is installed, committee places allocated and the Leader of the Council elected. As the conservatives have a large majority all of the votes are a foregone conclusion.

The outgoing Mayor seemed reluctant to let go. Certainly he was fulsome in his own praise. "Why do I survive?" he boomed. Good job he did not wait for a reply before launching his usual attack on bloggers and others who had crossed his path. He warned any one prepared to listen that they better not try to tamper with the Mayoralty. This had served us well for a "thousand years". Er as Barnet only came in to existence in 1965 this took some figuring out.

His successor, the Councillor for Hendon, is a totally different kettle of fish. He has a much more relaxed and dare I say it was already displaying a much more fun approach to his new role. Did I detect a slight debunking of the Past Mayor not that the former Mayor noticed as he had by this time had become overcome by it all.

But he is not one to let the grass grow under his feet. He was soon back on his feet in his new role as Cabinet Member for "roads" and chief whip. It was his job to propose the election of the previous leader as the new Leader of the Council. He warned us that the leader was a tough woman, she is not one to get one over on and certainly flirting with her would not work. Indeed.