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Labour Councillors have called for an inquiry into a Conservative Council “dirty tricks” campaign which intends to subvert the forthcoming “No to Bike Parking Charges” demonstration in Trafalgar Square on 11th May by sending out templated letters to logistics companies, hoping that they will fill in the blanks with their company name asking for the “No to Bike Parking Charges Campaign” to halt the planned demonstration. So far, just five identical letters from “TradeTeam”, “UK Express Networks Forum”, “KN Drinks Logistics”, “Freight Transport Association” and “DHL (GB)” have been received by the Campaign.

The standard template letter sent out by the Council says:

“Dear Chairman,

I have noted with concern plans by the group ‘No To Bike Parking Fees’ to cause ‘Monday Mayhem’ on Monday 11th May, and would like to register publicly our opposition to this disruptive and disproportionate course of action. I am writing in my capacity as {INSERT JOB TITLE} of the {INSERT COMPANY NAME} who clearly have a significant interest in the effective operation of loading and unloading activity in London.

I should make clear that the {INSERT COMPANY NAME} has no comment to make on Westminster City Council’s policy of charging for motorcycle parking. The debate over motorcycle parking is a matter for Westminster City Council and its opponents. However, I completely condemn the proposals to ‘lay siege to London’ and obstruct traffic in the West End.

As delivery operators, {INSERT COMPANY NAME} rely on being able to provide a regular, reliable service to their many clients in the West End. Your proposals present a serious threat to our ability to go about our trade, and undermine the claims of ‘No To Bike Parking Fees’ to support local business.

I urge you to reconsider this ill-considered and aggressive action as it can only damage commerce in the West End and cause harm to businesses that are already facing very difficult times.

Yours sincerely,

{ENTER NAME}”

Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg, Leader of the Labour Group, has written to the Council’s Chief Executive Mike More to say:

“I have to say that I am very surprised by this covert ‘dirty tricks’ Council campaign which I have not seen operated by the Council since the dark and miserable days of the Shirley Porter ‘Homes for Votes’ years when Conservative Councillors concocted letters, purporting to come from ‘concerned residents’, calling for inquiries into Labour Councillors.

“Please can you tell me, by return,

* whether this covert ‘dirty tricks’ campaign has been approved by you and/or the Council’s Head of Legal Services
* the names of those Members and officers who have been involved in the instigation and implementation of this ‘dirty tricks’ campaign
* the number and names of the companies to whom the template letter has been sent
* the cost to the Council of this ‘dirty tricks’ operation in terms of officer time and direct costs

“This latest episode in the motorbike parking charging debacle does the Council no credit whatsoever and simply serves to underline the fact that the Council has lost the argument. The parking charging experiment should be scrapped and the fact that the Council has to resort to these ‘dirty tricks’ tactics demonstrates that, deep down, the Council knows it has very few friends on this matter.”

 Source: LabourMatters