McNamara: “I know nothing”
I’ve come across some self-serving, backsliding, cowardly tosh from senior officers at Bristol City Council in my time but Stephen McNamara’s response to Steve Norman’s recent invitation to take him to court takes the biscuit: “I do not know anything about this issue”? Er Hello? What’s happened to

Dinosaur watch
Bristol NUJ meeting earlier this week That wacky bunch of no-hoper Stalinists, conspiracy nuts and embittered ex-Northcliffe hacks who make up the membership of the local branch of the NUJ (National Union of Journalists) have come up with a recruitment plan. “BRISTOL NUJ can be at the forefront of the union’s drive to recruit the thous

McNamara: “Come on if yer ‘ard enough”
It’s getting just like the old days. Who can forget that fine June of 2005 when our city’s esteemed wig-wearer -in-Chief, Stephen McNamara decided to take action after the Campaign to Save Daycare in Bristol paraded 10ft-high placards through the city naming seven council officers under the banner: “Bristol social services’ list of uncaring professionals”? “The council will not tolerate its employees being harassed in this way,” thundered the council’s all-powerful lawyer from the pages of the Evening Cancer on June 7. “If necessary, the council will take legal action through the courts to p

McNamara’s Mimosa madness
The bewigged anti-human fool that passes for a legal expert down at the Counts Louse, Stephen McNamara, excels himself again. Now the man that took council behaviour to a new low in 2005 when he personally patrolled the entrance to the Counts Louse to prevent learning disabled protestors from using the council’s toilet facilities when they campaigned outside over the loss of their daycare services has dreamed up

World Cup: the state of our democracy watch
How cities bidding to host the 2018 World Cup have used the local democratic process: Newcastle Report to Cabinet on 15 July along with publication of 139-page Outline Bid SubmissionUpdate Report to Cabinet on 11 November Final Decision to be made at Cabinet on 25 November Sunderland Motion at Full Council on 24 June to support England World Cup Bid and promote Sunderland as a venue. Report to Cabinet on 4 November. Leeds Report to cabinet on 13 May including copy of slide from FA showing key issues for consideration. Report to cabinet on 17 June R