Sir Robin has emailed local Labour members (or at least those on the last list he got from the party before being deselected):
“As you know, after 16 years, my tenure as Labour Mayor of Newham comes to an end in May.”
Cue unbridled celebrations!
But far from making a gracious exit, the soon-to-be-ex-Mayor proceeds to brag about everything he has ‘achieved’ over the last 16 years: free school meals (that he didn’t really pay for), MoneyWorks, Workplace and ‘500 community events’, among others.
Of course there’s no room to mention half a billion pounds worth of over priced LOBO loans or the £50 million wasted on the Olympic stadium, the failure to build social housing or tackle the epidemic of violent crime. Likewise he overlooks the London Pleasure Gardens ‘investment’ (£5 million pissed away) or the £10 million over-spend on the East Ham Town Hall Campus.
For some reason his valedictory oration neglects to wish his successor well, or even the party’s 60 councillor candidates. It really is all about him.
And despite his heavy defeat in the open selection he still thinks he has some role to play, some relevance.
I remain a member of the Labour Party, will continue to champion the Labour values I have held for 48 years, and lobby regionally and nationally for what I think is right: challenging payday loan companies and high street bookmakers; championing free school meals; calling the Tories to account and fighting for a Labour Government.
If you would like me, or people working with me, to update you on activities and thoughts in the future please reply to this email. All you have to say is yes and I look forward to working with you to support progressive Labour values and policies.
This call for people to join the counter-revolution has failed to generate the enthusiasm he hoped for. Within an hour or so a follow up email arrived telling people “if you are having trouble replying to my last email and want to keep in touch, please email robin.wales@…”
You almost feel sorry for him. Almost.
forestgatedotnet 