Opinion: This Unhappy Few is No Band of Brothers (and Sisters)

Published on: 24 May, 2018
Updated on: 26 May, 2018

By Martin Giles

Growing tension within the Tory group at Millmead, particularly between Tony Rooth and leader Paul Spooner has been obvious for some time, certainly since Spooner ruthlessly sacked Rooth from the Executive in May last year, citing health reasons which were later vigorously denied by Rooth.

More recently there was some obvious embarrassment in the Conservative group as Spooner removed him as chairman of the council’s Housing Board. Few doubted Rooth’s knowledge on the subject of housing nor his commitment. It seemed unnecessarily spiteful.

So it is of little surprise that Rooth, a former leader himself, tired of the tellings off from those far junior in age and experience, fed up with his sackings, the public ridicule from party colleagues of his views (that were proved correct) and the final insult of deselection, yesterday (May 23, 2018) decided enough was enough and quit the party he has been a member of for years.

Michael Portillo remarked on BBC 1’s This Week last Thursday that fighting within political parties is always far more vicious than fights between them. Ain’t that the truth.

And any party that is so dominant and unchallenged, as the Conservatives are in Guildford, is always likely to have more internal scraps. There is no apparent threat to unite and discipline its members.

To observers, it can seem that the group’s leaders, Spooner and Furniss, are anxious to live up to the party’s “nasty” label. They can’t tolerate dissent and they don’t like criticism.

Both are prone to play the man rather than the ball and use their positions to counter contrary views with barbed comments and poor jokes. They seem to think they are being clever but they are no gifted orators, or wits, and their spite often rebounds, the mud they try to fling ending up dripping down their own faces.

Not that we should expect any change. They have both been successfully confirmed in their leadership roles within the Conservative group and the council. In truth, there are probably few who would want the jobs.

And having an independent councillor at GBC will change little either. Rooth, unfettered by any party discipline, might feel freer to criticise but he is not a natural ally of the other political groups and some Tories will be keen to ostracise him. A single ticket to Coventry is a tactic they often employ, I am told by those within.

Whether Rooth’s supporters in his own ward will stick with him if he stands next year is, of course, a question. Ignorance of local politics is still widespread and many seem to vote loyally for a certain party regardless of manifestos or broken promises.

Spooner and Furniss have chosen loyalty to government planning policy over the obvious concerns of the majority of residents who have expressed a view. Only time will tell if the remainder of the group through fear or conviction will continue to follow their lead.

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