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Press Release 2nd Feb 2010
IW COUNCIL TELL LABOUR PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATE - STAND DOWN OR RESIGN
In an astonishing attack on his civil liberties IW Council employee and Unison Branch Secretary MARK CHIVERTON has been told to resign as Labour's Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for this year's General Election or resign his employment.
Despite having no similar problem with this role (which he undertakes in his personal time) when he was the parliamentary candidate in 2005, the Council's senior management has told him there is a conflict of interest with his Unison role. Unlike very senior Council officers, Mark is not contractually restricted from being political in his own time.
When told of senior management's decision Mark sought clarification as to the alleged conflict of interest, but was given the spurious reason that the Council were concerned about the hours he would need to be working. He is now taking legal advice via his union and the party.
Mark's Agent and Labour Councillor Geoff Lumley raised his concerns about the matter with the Conservative Council Leader, but was told that the decision was a matter for officers rather than the leader of the Council. He is now discussing it with the Chief Executive.
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Geoff Lumley said, "It is clear to me that this is an attack by Mark's employers on his civil liberties, which they know he will not relinquish easily. The Conservatives at County Hall are currently seeking to save money by ending Mark's full time secondment to Unison, but rather than making him either redundant or redeploying him back to Council work senior management now have this plan to get rid of him as cheaply as possible. Pushing him to resign by attacking his civil liberties to engage in legitimate political activity would be beyond contempt and unworthy of people who are supposed to serve the Isle of Wight."
END
Geoff Lumley
IW Labour Agent
07989 234427
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COUNCIL TELL LABOUR PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATE - STAND DOWN OR RESIGN
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