This demonstrates how pathetic HOMOPHOBIA is!

Ian Driver - Police Commissioner in Waiting

Colleagues I am writing to let you know that I have extremely serious concerns about comments made on Councillor Mick Harrison's Newington Blogspot. I will be raising my concerns in the form of a complaint to the Labour Party and the Council's Standards Committee.

As some of you might know I used to be the Council's Equalities Officer and simply could not let Harrison's comments go unchallenged. In my opinion Harrison's comments are so offensive that I had no choice but to alert the media and set up a Facebook site Thanet Says Stand down Harrison. I have been informed that as a result of my actions in raising this issue a campaign might be set in train to discredit me. Before this campaign begins I will let you know what I think the whispers might say:

1. I was in Militant Tendency. Yes I was in the early 1980 and proud of it!

2. I was a Member of Arthur Scargill's Socialist Labour Party.
Yes. I was in mid 1990s and stood as parliamentary candidate in Vauxhall. I later led the opposition against Scargill’s dictatorial leadership of the party, was expelled and retired from politics until I rejoined the Thanet Labour Party 

3. I am bisexual. Yes I am so what?

4. I agree with legalisation of drugs. Yes I do so what

5. I am a republican. Yes I am so what But if this does not silence the whispering then you need to know that whilst I was Southwark Councillor in the 1990 I became a close personal friend of a councillor who was arrested and imprisoned for 15 months in 2011 for internet grooming. I was unaware of his crime until he told me shortly after his arrest. I totally deplore his crime. He is rightly being severely punished, but I still remain his friend.

Your Choice is Claire

In translation: "I'm so afraid of waking, please don't shake me!"

Fed-up with Schoolboy Thuggery?

Westgate By-election July 2012

Thanet Independent Group support Mike Harrison’s Suspension

I support the decision of Councillor Mike Harrison's group to suspend him for making Homophobic comments. Although Mr Harrison's remarks are not at the same extreme level of hatred as the personally directed telephone call from Councillor Ken Gregory, they are still offensive enough to justify a suspension.

 Cllr John Worrow Leader Thanet Independent Group

TIG Meeting with Stuart Baine

Dr. Jack Cohen, Councillor John Worrow and I and met with Stuart Baine Chief Executive  of the  East Kent Hospital Trust for more than 2 hours today.  We requested  the meeting to talk about the transfer of  trauma services from Margate  A&E to Ashford. It quickly  emerged  that this was the tip of an iceberg. 

Mr Baine  told us thatover the next 3 months the Hospital Trust will  be conducting a major strategic  review of  its clinical services which extends muchfurther than  A&E trauma services. 

The review  will be looking at  emergency out of hours surgery, coronary , orthopaedic,cancer and other services. The review is likely to mean that some of theseservices could be moved from one Trust hospital to another to create centres ofexcellence. This means that a lot more specialsit services could be moved from QEQM, but Mr Baine also said that other services could be moved into QEQM. Mr Baine explained that these changes would in his opinion lead to improved care for patients.

Mr Baine told us thata lot more work had to be done to develop all the options. He hoped that this work would be completed by September. A consultation document would then be produced and  there would be a 12 week consultation period and the public and Thanet council will be entitled to submit their views. The earliest that change could happen would be in 2013. Mr Baine said that there were no hidden agenda and the consultation would transparent and above.

Becuse the issue has become more complicated and involved thanjust the A&E,  and because we will not know what the Hospital Trusts  plansare until at least September we do not think that  a public meeting at this time would behelpful as no-one knows the full picture. The last thing we want to do is wastepeople time and energy  when we don’t know the full proposals.

Stuart Baine said he will keep us informed all developmentsand we will pass on any information as soon as we hear. Once we have all the infomation we can then look at building  the campign, organising meetings and petitions etc to stop any reductions at QEQM

I hope this clarifies what is happening at QEQM

Councillor Ian Driver,
TIG Spokesman for Communities & Housing

How Modern is Julian Brazier MP?

Do I represent modern Britain?

I don't pretend that I'm not nasty

Here we have three quite different politicians that have fairly right wing views. However, they all have one thing in common, they do not agree with the President of the United States or the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Island, when it comes to marriage equality. 

Do I represent modern  Europe?

Not one of them is known for promoting LGBT equality. One is a President, one an MEP and the other is an MP belonging to the same political party as the British Prime Minister. Many people supported the British Conservative Party, including LGBT people because David Cameron promised them full LGBT equality.Equality does not mean having a third rate term to discribe your marriage.Fair enough if the odd backbencher like Canterbury MP Julian Brazia have views on LGBT equality that are closer to other parties, but why allow them to call themselves modern Conservatives?

It would appear that the UK now has two very different Conservative Parties, both claiming to speak 
for modern Britain

Institutional Racism & Homophobia Must Be Stamped Out



Subtle Racist Humour on web sites is still HATE

For those of you, who believe that institutional racism and homophobia is a thing of the past,think again. 


Good old-fashioned bigotry is alive and well, as many cling to outdated views through fear and ignorance. Bigots can no longer run around in white hoods, but they can spread hate from their computers. Undertones might be subtle but they are unmistakable.


Expressions of hatred toward someone on account of that person's colour, race, nationality (including citizenship), ethnic or national origin, religion, or sexual orientation is forbidden. Any communication which is threatening, abusive or insulting, and is intended to harass, alarm, or distress someone is forbidden. The penalties for hate speech include fines, imprisonment, or both.

More Apologies

For those Birchington residents hoping to hear from our Leader, Cllr John Worrow at this evening's meeting at the village community centre, Thanet Life reports that he has now sent his apologies as a more pressing engagement calls.

An Apology

It has come to my attention that a number of people were offended by a post on the Thanet Independent Group Blog. The post that I refer to was intended to be light hearted satire and in many ways similar to some of the posts made on Cllr Simon Moores' blog. It was made clear on the blog that the story was fictional;it was not directed towards any particular person. However, Cllrs Cohen and Driver thought that the post was inappropriate, and after reviewing the situation I came to the same conclusion, the post was subsequently removed and the blog was deleted. I would like to offer a sincere apology on behalf of the web team for any offence that may of been caused by the post.


John Worrow

Thanet Independent Group