Annabel Mullin launches a bold new political movement in the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea in the wake of the council’s incompetence being exposed in the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy
This evening, at a public meeting in Kensington, former Liberal Democrat candidate Annabel Mullin will bring together “a diverse group of politically-engaged residents who are seeking to change culture of poor governance in the borough.”
Advance, as the party will be known, “will field candidates across all 18 wards of the borough in the local elections of May 2017 and aims to get a mandate to agitate for greater transparency and accountability within the council” in the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
Taking on a frankly disgracefully run Conservative controlled council dominated by dimwitted, self-serving cocktail party loving sorts, Advance aims instead to work for “interests of all residents, not a political party.”
Magistrate and former policewoman Mullin comments:
“Residents of RBKC have been failed by an outdated system that favours party politics over what serves our diverse community. In talking with people in every ward across the borough, our research shows that housing remains the number one issue.”
“From lack of housing, to better planning, to empty homes – this council has consistently neglected its elected role to serve the whole community. It’s our belief that better homes lead to a better community.”
To learn more, click here. Follow Advance on Twitter @AdvanceRBKC.
From the Dame @ From The Hornets Nest. Not all is well it seems– As an attendee wrote——
“Dame
I and others are curious as to why you have not written up the Advance Launch; most odd when you claim to have been present.
Anyway, seeing as you were probably not present I hope you will publish this-my own reaction, to what went on.
What struck me initially was the reaction of the audience to the man who asked a perfectly innocent question about the quality of the research carried out by Advance.
The gentleman was heckled and bullied in a most distasteful way. Miss Mullin even suggested that there was no need for questions and that we could all ‘chat amongst ourselves’!
But, proceeding that was a parade of speakers who expressed, in the most disjointed and amateurish way, their naive thoughts on how they were going to change the lives of residents.
Having heard them I felt a frisson of fear for they seemed really quite unintelligent and inexperienced.
Officers will run rings around them.
Clearly, the launch of Advance has cost someone or some organisation at least £40,000. A smart PR company is on board and nothing has been spared in the design of material.
I was also interested to read in the Evening Standard that Miss Mullin says K&C residents will be willing to pay more council tax to fund housing. Well, I for one won’t. We pay enough tax in this country as it is.
Two other things; in the Evening Standard Mrs Mullin has given the journalist the impression she lives in the Royal Borough: she doesn’t; she lives in Lambeth so she won’t be worried about paying more K&C council tax!
She also says her mission is to break the one-party system of governance in K&C.
Well, why doesn’t she first deal with the really corrupt one-party system in her own home borough of Lambeth?
I suppose Lambeth is a bit too hardcore for her.
Anyway, the Advance manifesto seems purely about chucking more of resident’s money about and I for one would never trust them to manage this Council.
With Advance it would be like jumping out of the frying pan into the fire.
I like the work you do, Dame, but it would help if you had made the effort to ask the questions that I have raised.
Thank you.