Down, but not out

But the public have spoken...

The phrase first appears in English in the Geneva Bible, 1560, in Job 19:20, which provides a literal translation of the original Hebrew:

"I haue escaped with the skinne of my tethe."

Teeth don't have skin, of course, so the writer may have been alluding to the teeth's surface or simply to a notional minute measure - something that might now be referred to, with less poetic imagery than the biblical version, as 'as small as the hairs on a gnat's ........'

This may come close to home but either way, this is one way of considering the Cllr Brice affair that is once again dominating the local press this weekend.

This blog has been relentless in its dismay about how Councillor Brice, and the Medway Conservatives more generally, have handled this issue in public. Councillor Brice was caught kerb-crawling in Medway by Kent Police. He pleaded guilty when challenged by the Vice Squad.

This blog accepts that he has now been formally vindicated by the Standard's Committee, because they could not define a line where the antics of one's private life interfere with that of a Councillor.

This issue is of course complex. The private life of individual politicians is not the business of the public, so long as the antics are not directly impacting the job of being a Councillor. If an individual is engaging in legal activities then what happens in private remains that. Now it seems, if they engage in illegal activities, this is also the case.

Obviously, there is a level or degree; a Councillor getting 3 points on a drivers licence should not be a resignable offence, a Councillor engaged in domestic abuse would surely be an immediate dismissal. The manner in which a Councillor can remain in office if the act does not interfere with his role is legally correct, but at some point someone will need to define the limits to the public / private interface. Obviously the line in this case erred on the side of caution based on previous case-law.

Whilst it is absolutely true that Cllr Brice formally did not break the rules, he must surely understand that in the eyes of the public, the voters, he is now simply toxic goods. His colleagues must now accept that the public are very unhappy that he continues to receive a salary as a Councillor.

The Council will discuss this issue in public on the 27th November and will probably remove all responsibilities and access to children and vulnerable adults.

No one cares what happens on the 27th November in the Council chamber. They care for a full public statement and apology and an absolute assurance that Cllr Brice will be banned from Conservative and Council events where children and vulnerable adults are involved. The Council can give this assurance on the 27th November, but we also need to see a full acceptance in the Conservative ranks, that what he did was damaging to the Council, and that he should now withdraw from public life.

There is absolutely no reason why Medway Conservatives can not release a statement. Not only would it be sign of basic decency and courtesy to the people of Medway, but it would also finally put this issue to rest.

The reason why is clear. Councillor Brice still parades and troops around with a blue rosette. He is given succour by the total lack of response from his former associates in the Tory ranks who are happy for him to attend by-election counts.

Sometimes saying nothing can be perceived by people as tacit support, and the 'down, but not out' attitude that we have noted, is simply taking stubbornness to a new level. His colleagues now need to publicly put a line in the sand. Ambiguity is a not acceptable.

This is not a witch-hunt by an opposition looking for an enemy scalp, because if he had stood down in January 2010 as this blog suggested, the resulting by-election would probably have been a Labour rout. Every one with a fair mind gave Councillor Brice a fair chance to fall on his own sword in the interest of public decency. The press made themselves fully heard. Everyone was resolute. He should go.

Instead, time and time again, he has chosen to cock-a-snoop, in every sense, at the public sensibility. His seeming total inability to understand the perception of his antics and the manner in which he casually dismisses it, underscores a major problem.

The CfJ Newswire, and writer Rebecca Hughes, have also been a leading cheer-leader in bringing the news on Councillor Brice and it has used innovative media techniques to garner public opinion.

They are currently running an online poll on the matter

A poll whose results will prove a problem not just for the Rochester & Strood Conservative Association who have selected the wrong type of person again, but also for vulnerable adults and children in his ward who may not feel they are able to approach a Councillor.