Tea and Rhubarb

In local politics, it is often the most innocuous and (to an incurious observer) banal events, which sum up the prevailing attitude of certain political parties.

I have a bee in my bonnet regarding how public money is spent. This is, from district council level upward, a complicated matter. However, this is not the case at parish/town council level. I get particularly interested if I suspect public money is being spent for party political purposes.

Now, we in Morley celebrate Yorkshire Day on August 1st. Nothing wrong with that! In fact, one would expect that the town council would support that through it’s (recently acquired) Entertainments Committee.

However, following Yorkshire Day, I broke the habit of a few years and wrote a letter to the Morley Observer & Advertiser, which amongst other things observed the following:

“This newspaper stated that that Morley Borough Independent councillors (not Morley town councillors) dished out the tea and rhubarb (I paraphrase). My simple question was, and is, who funded it; Morley Town Council or the MBI party?”

I have asked that question directly many times before, and since. So far, the only reply has been:

“"Ahh back to the Rhubarb, what interest is it of yours who funded it?"
(c) Chairman of the Parish Council (Terrence Grayshon Esquire)

As I say, a silly thing but telling. I don’t care if it only cost a tenner….

Why not just answer the question?

A quote from the MBI website:

Councillor Robert Finnigan said "Morley Folk have so many typical Yorkshire characteristics such as loyalty, tenacity and a desire for plain speaking.


Well said Rob!