tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7712829.post113208315694547920..comments2023-10-04T14:48:50.360+01:00Comments on Neil Herron: Newcastle City Councillor attempts to intimidate campaignerUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7712829.post-1136139298728520332006-01-01T18:14:00.000+00:002006-01-01T18:14:00.000+00:00Neil, who of course has aspirations to become a Me...Neil, who of course has aspirations to become a Member of Parliament himself, is guilty of severely misrepresenting our conversation.<BR/><BR/>I firmly reject the accusation that I acted in an intimidatory manner towards a member of the public and I would suggest that in this case, Mr Herron has acted in a provocative and misleading manner, not least by selectively quoting from my email and making inaccurate assertions about my conduct.<BR/><BR/>I attach my full response to him below:<BR/><BR/>Dear Neil<BR/><BR/>I am not cowed by your threat of Standards Board action as I believe there is<BR/>no case to answer. Indeed, I have successfully seen off several "frivolous and<BR/>vexatious" Standards Boards complaints which have been politically motivated<BR/>and which have lacked substance.<BR/><BR/>I do not agree that you acted in a non-threatening and courteous way. You<BR/>began your conversation by alluding to how you had recently defeated Sunderland<BR/>and Rochdale, and the clear implication was that you were now turning your<BR/>attention to Newcastle. I do not recall that you raised any substantive points<BR/>about FOI issues. You also did not have the common courtesy to advise me that<BR/>you were broadcasting my conversation. I would be grateful for an apology on<BR/>this matter and would also like you to confirm whether or not you were<BR/>recording my remarks. It is still my impression that you are seeking to deal<BR/>with this matter in a browbeating manner and indeed it is my impression that<BR/>your motivation in this matter has been to "pick a fight".<BR/><BR/>However, I accept that with hindsight it was inappropriate to discuss, even in<BR/>passing, a "live" court case in which NCC and yourselves are the principal<BR/>parties and I therefore apologise for my remark about costs. It was not<BR/>appropriate to make any reference to this case and I think it would be better<BR/>if both parties refrain from further public or private comment on this matter<BR/>and to draw this correspondence to a close.<BR/><BR/>Yours sincerely<BR/><BR/>Cllr Greg StoneAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com