Responses to Dragon Interview: Robin Horsley – Why He Believes You Should Not Vote for R4GV, GGG or Labour

1. David Roberts Reply

   April 22, 2023 at 8:59 pm

   Another half-hour of slippery evasiveness from an individual who is receiving far too much-unearned publicity.

   This is not about North Street. It’s about influencing the elections. And since he obviously wants us all to vote Tory, why won’t he say so? Why undermine his own claims to political neutrality by selectively bad-mouthing just three of the six contending parties? This “Friend of the People”‘s public profiles show his own politics are not exactly neutral, or even moderate.

   After working for many years on anti-corruption issues across the world, I find his double-speak in the name of council ethics particularly nauseating. In one breath he admits there is no evidence of corruption or improper conduct at GBC while insisting on vague conflicts of interest.

   This is the politics of nudge and innuendo. He knows that mud often sticks when flung via social media.

   Whether he is motivated by politics or self-regard is of no interest. His unpublicised meetings with “George” [Potter, LibDem] and “Paul” [Spooner, Con.] are only slightly less preposterous than the image of his encounter with Cameron Diaz.

   It would be a mercy if he could now please leave us all alone and allow the candidates to fight the local elections out in a decent, open and above-board manner.
2. Jules Cranwell Reply

   April 23, 2023 at 7:17 am

   Since when did Guildfordians listen to the ravings of a highly biased conspiracy theorist, when deciding for whom to vote?

   Horsley seems be narrowing down, those parties we should be allowed to vote for.

   He has had more than enough airtime, to make an himself increasingly foolish, and is best ignored. We will make up our own minds, based on the quality of the candidates, and their performance in office thank you.
3. Robin Horsley Reply

   April 23, 2023 at 9:01 am

   The Tower Block attack dogs are out again – same guys as are all over social media.

   Give it up chaps. I have made it very clear I have no evidence of corruption – to suggest otherwise is indeed a conspiracy theory.

   The issue is ethical. Should people with current or historic interests, loyalties, social and business networks have executive power over planning policy, regeneration or planning decisions?

   The answer in other councils is no. Conflicts of interest are best avoided except in exceptional circumstances under tight supervision. And best avoided in entirety if possible.

   One of R4GV’s candidates with such historic interests has committed not to be on the planning committee. Which begs the question about the past and future. Why have others in similar situations been involved?

   There is a very substantial amount of public money and public interest at stake here – to trivialise the issue and pretend it is a conspiracy theory is an insult to the intelligence of the people of the borough.

   People are smart here – they can see through this.

   Interesting to see Jonathan’s comments above. Let’s see how true they are shall we?

   So far I have heard a lot of allegations made against me and zero evidence.
   
   Editor’s note: Joss Bigmore, and John Rigg have deliberately never served on GBC’s Planning Committee a committee which decides on all planning applications referred to it. It cannot be overuled by the GBC Executive and represents proportionally the political make up of GBC.
4. Barry Williams Reply

   April 23, 2023 at 10:55 am

   Thank you to Martin Giles for this interview and nailing this “Walter Mitty” down with his robust questioning. Boy oh boy did he wriggle. What Mr Horsley might call an “Epic Production”.

   “Hoist with his own petard” (from Hamlet) means that a bomb-maker is blown (“hoisted”) off the ground by his own bomb (“petard”), and indicates an ironic reversal, or poetic justice. How true.

   Sadly, I doubt we have heard the last of this fantasist.
5. Keith Francis Reply

   April 26, 2023 at 7:06 pm

   Do I remember correctly that when I lived and worked in Guildford a high proportion of the councillors were local business people and shop owners, so did they influence the vote?
6. Richard Allan Reply

   April 27, 2023 at 2:19 pm

   I don’t know Robin Horsley and I’ve no idea what motivates him. But he has performed a useful service in uncovering some of the facts behind the appalling development plan for North Street and the bewildering attempt by R4GV to steamroller it through.

   The increasingly barmy attempts by R4GV “supporters” to undermine Horsley´s character (see previous posts) only serve to increase doubts about the rationale behind the North Street project and indeed the validity of R4GV as an independent free-thinking political movement.
7. Derek Payne Reply

   April 27, 2023 at 8:18 pm

   Robin appears to criticize a lack of consultation re the North Street Regeneration Project. Maybe he should also comment on the (lack of) consultation re the London Road Active Travel Scheme being run by the Conservative led SCC, and which resulted in a huge public outcry at a meeting on 5th January this year.

   He may also wish to ask questions about when and why the Lib Dems decided to vote against the North Street Regeneration Project.

   As stated by Robin Horsley, the three main issues were the number of bus bays, affordable housing and building height. I’ve discussed this with the Guildford Lib Dem Chair expressing concern that surely proactive, “grown up” discussions and negotiations should have ironed out any such issues ahead of a vote.

   It’s so sad to see “nothing” in this derelict area of Guildford for the past 20+ years