Mr Perrin’s blog; “A Word in Your Ear”.
HAVING previously announced, before the coronavirus crisis, that they would not be seeking re-election in the May 2020 Local Government Election, Thurrock Independent councillors, Spillman and Duffin have done a complete U-turn and taking advantage of the cancellation of the May 2020 LG election which gave incumbent councillors seeking re-election a free run until May 2021.
They have decided to stay put and declared their defection to the Conservative Group despite having spent the past four years vociferously and at times vituperatively attacking the Conservative administration. They are nothing more than a couple of scallywags picking the pockets of the taxpayer to the tune of £8000 plus a year.
The reasons given for their defections reeks of hypocrisy and their “hope that our different skill sets, knowledge and experience will be of value and support to the portfolio holders within the cabinet” is nothing more than self importance and an over estimation of their individual worth.
This unctuous duo, over the past four years, have slithered from party to party, United Kingdom Independence Party, Thurrock Independence Party and now the Conservative Party, leaving in their wake a trail of “slime”, eventually bringing about the downfall of both UKIP and the Thurrock Independents.
They have betrayed the trust of members of both UKIP and the Thurrock Independents Party, especially those Thurrock Independents Councillors who remained loyal and maintained some integrity. They did this whilst protecting their own interests and being handsomely paid as Leader and Deputy Leader of the Thurrock Independents Party.
The actions of Spillman and Duffin leads me to conclude I would rather hug a slug.
There is a nasty “smell” attaching itself to the Conservative Group, caused mainly by defecting ex UKIP and Thurrock Independents Councillors. I advise Thurrock Conservatives to take heed of this “smell” and have spray cans at the ready to eliminate it.
Since its’ inception I have always sought to warn the public as to the true nature of the leaders of the Thurrock Independents Party, that is to say, they were closely aligned to the Conservative Party. It should be noted that, without exception, every ex UKIP, Thurrock Independents Party Councillor who defected joined the Conservative Party. That should tell you all you need to know about the true political thinking of the defectors who deceived people with slogans such as “people first”.
I invite Messrs Spillman and Duffin to tell us why they originally decided not to seek re-election and why they have now changed their minds, decided to remain as Councillors, albeit as members of the Conservative Group. I suspect their decisions were made with personal political ambitions in mind and an income of £8000 plus whilst in office. I presume they now have it in mind to seek re-election as Conservative Party candidates in the May 2021 Local Government Election.
Mr. Spillman, Mr. Duffin, you make a mockery of honesty, integrity, principles and truth. Have you no shame? If you do stand for re-election in 2021, I hope the voters will see through your trickery and reject both of you. I said in the Council Chamber that there were some Councillors that the public would be glad to see the back of, both of you were top of my list.
You can fool some of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time.
Just as a correction : Duffin claimed £10178 and Spilman £17715