May 5, 2010

Smears, lies and videotape

Tim Ireland went to a constituency hustings in Flitwick on Tuesday, to record and broadcast live Nadine Dorries in action with her constiuents. To observe, not participate.

It didn’t quite go to plan, due to a couple of misunderstandings. The Chair didn't know the meaning between 'record' and 'broadcast' and due to wearing headphones mis-heard a couple of questions which took the proceedings down a different route than anticipated.

Leaving those misunderstandings to one side, the amount of vitriol spewed by Dorries in the form of lies and smears is incredible. All of which she is unable to substantiate

Dorries smears Tim as a stalker, claiming he is stalking herself, Patrick Mercer and Anne Milton. If noticing something isn't right with what an elected representative is doing and looking into it until satisfactory answers are given is 'stalking', then maybe he is, but not in the minds of most reasonable people.

Dorries also claims that Tim runs a rude and offensive website. There may be an odd rude word, but offensive it ain't. Tim doesn't needlessly insult people or question their mental state, jokingly or otherwise. People may not like or agree with what Tim posts but if there is one thing Bloggerheads isn't, it's offensive.

Another one of Dorries' claims is that Tim sends offensive daily emails which have been reported to the police, but Tim denies this, has not had a call from the police regarding any emails and Dorries, after being challenged to many times, has failed to even provide a crime number.

So. To the video...



In case anyone might think that the video has been cut and edited by Tim to give a certain slant to the evenings events, here are two independent eyewitness accounts:

Adam Croft

Tim Ireland was in front of me in the queue to sign in. As he took a good few minutes to ask the organisers' permission to film and broadcast the event, therefore holding me up in the queue, I can certainly vouch for the fact that he made it clear to the organisers that the event was being broadcast live on his website and the organisers gave him permission to do this.
...
Despite Tim ceasing recording, Nadine Dorries stormed out of the hustings and declared that she had to go to another meeting. It baffled me that she could possibly have a meeting more important than a public hustings in her constituency's largest town less than 36 hours before a general election.

Nadine was then seen stood outside smoking for fifteen minutes, complaining to her daughter and staff. She later denied this on Twitter and claimed that she had been followed out by a number of 'social democratic' constituents who supported and defended her. This was discovered to be a lie by @humphreycushion who was stood next to Nadine at the time.


Mr Plug...

...we were subjected to you…our democratically elected representative for the last five years, shouting and screaming at your constituents. I came along last night in an effort to see all sides of the argument. I heard representatives of the UKIP and English democrats argue their peculiar brand of right wing dogma, with at least a hint of belief and conviction, and whilst every cell in my body is programmed to detest their extreme views, they conducted themselves with at least a bit of dignity. You however, behaved like a spoiled brat.
...
I have corresponded with you on a number of matters in the last couple of years, and whilst I do not support you as a candidate I have always communicated with you in a civil and polite manner. You have blocked me on Twitter for asking civil and polite questions. You have blocked all comments from your blog. You have chosen to wait for weeks on end to answer genuine concerns of your constituents, and then responded with standard letters, but somehow managed to find the time to appear on reality TV programmes. You accuse the other candidates of making the campaign personal, yet you were the one to question the service record of the labour candidate first.


I shall now finish this post, with Nadines' Twitterings that a) insinuate mental health problems and b) are just plain wrong - ChrisPLOL* was, so I am told, not even there.

*Nadine spelt Chris' moniker incorrectly, too.

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