I trawl the news most days and, most days, I notice my blood pressure rise and I am aquiver with incandescent rage at the liberties being taken (literally) by the slime-balls elected to serve us. Yet every once in a while, among the dross and manure of corruption and malfeasance is a gem. Miss Pascoe’s victory over the malodorous Prescott’s pet project in Liverpool is one such shining beacon in a night characterised by overweening, bullying authoritarians and a subservient electorate.
A disabled grandmother won a high court victory yesterday stopping the demolition of her home and 500 others in Liverpool in a project approved by John Prescott.
The judge had already concluded that Mr Prescott and English Partnerships acted illegally when they approved an urban regeneration scheme that would have entailed the demolition of the home of Elizabeth Pascoe, 60.
Yesterday, Mr Justice Forbes issued an order quashing the entire scheme, which Liverpool council had wanted in place as a “gateway” to Liverpool during its year as European Capital of Culture in 2008.
Not least, in this case, a precedent is set:
Legal experts said that if Miss Pascoe had lost her case local councils or government bodies would have been able to compulsorily purchase any home anywhere in the country because its neighbours had been deemed to be defective.
And that chills me to the bone. Still, thank goodness for the rule of law.
Of course, ZANU Labour and its minions do not take kindly to losing. Good grace is not one of their overriding characteristics.
Just before the judge’s ruling became public yesterday afternoon English Partnerships issued a statement saying it would be seeking a new compulsory purchase order “to deliver the comprehensive regeneration of the Edge Lane West area” in Liverpool.
Such contempt for the rule of law and property rights from these hideous gangsters comes as no surprise, I suppose. Although their swift, premature, riposte is perhaps remarkable for its arrogance and audacity. Translated as it is to; “we don’t give a fuck for the rule of law, we’re going to steal people’s homes anyway.”
Dr Peter Brown, of Merseyside Civic Society, said: “A second compulsory purchase order would amount to intolerable bullying and flagrant contempt of the court.”
Well, quite. So what’s new?
“The Government must stop Liverpool throwing more public money at this failed demolition scheme and activate Miss Pascoe’s Plan B.”
Only, I suspect, when they are forced to do so following a second rebuke from the judiciary. Still, all in all, a good day for liberty and the English when faced with adversity. Here’s to you, Miss Pascoe, more power to your elbow.
Reading this elicited a hearty cheer from me. Good on you, Mrs. Pascoe. Kick the authoritarian bastards.
This is the ususal ‘follow the money’ exercise.
Of course the revolting moneygrubbers at English Partnerships, the so called ‘urban regeneration agency’, and Liverpool City Council were trying to minimise their overheads by paying this paltry sum to the courageous Miss Pascoe. What is distasteful and disturbing in all of this is Liverpool City Council’s direct collusion with these gangsters.
The relationships between these parties and individuals on both sides ought to be examined carefully. Almost certainly there’s a lot more to it than at first sight. Liverpool City Council has had a very ‘mixed’ reputation for decades.
And what actually is a ‘Communities Secretary’? I doubt that Ruth Kelly herself knows. I doubt that Ruth Kelly knows very much at all.