A senior Liberal Democrat on Oldham Council has accused Conservative Kashif Ali of “political opportunism” after he criticised local parking regulations. Mr Ali, who stood for the Tories in Oldham East and Saddleworth at the general election, has in turn said Cllr Knox needs to ”get back in touch with the concerns of ordinary voters.”
The row follows a statement released by Mr Ali back in August. He called for a series of changes to local traffic rules, including a five-minute period of grace for anyone parking on double yellow lines before a ticket can be issued, an immediate cut in the level of parking fines, and free parking for anyone attending a blood donation session.
That last point followed the case of a Delph woman, Jane Riley, who was given a parking fine after returning six minutes late from giving blood (see a piece from the Chronicle here). The fine was later waived, but Mr Ali said he thought his proposed changes would bring “accountability, fairness, and most of all common sense” into the system.
In her letter, Cllr Knox, who holds the Leisure, Culture, Heritage and Tourism portfolio in the council’s Cabinet, wrote: “You clearly show a great deal of ignorance with regard to the rules and regulations surrounding parking enforcement matters, the lack of research displayed in your arguments are (sic) surprising and disappointing from a person who is, by profession, a barrister.”
She went on: “On the back of a blatant piece of political opportunism, not only would you be increasing the risk of accident, injury and potential fatalities to pedestrians and motorists, you would also be requiring the council to break the law by amending the charging regime. I accept that parking restrictions and traffic wardens are not universally popular, but they are in place for the most important of reasons i.e. that of safety.”
Kashif Ali
When contacted by Saddleworth News, Mr Ali said he hadn’t received the letter, and so he was only able to comment after I forwarded it on to him. He said: “I’ve not proposed completely abolishing parking charges or regulations, but merely that common sense is applied before motorists are slapped with a parking fine.”
He continued: “If you take the example of the lady returning to the car park a few minutes late having donated blood and having gone to the assistance of her friend who was feeling faint, I am at a loss to understand the health and safety outrage that Cllr Knox feels a bit of common sense would have caused”.
Mr Ali finished by saying: “Her response is a typical Lib Dem reply to things. They were after all the party who ridiculed our campaign for a cinema to built in Oldham (the lagest town in Britain without one), only to then change their mind a few months later and incorporate it into the plans for Oldham. And Cllr Knox won’t explain why she is not supporting my campaign to reduce councillors’ allowances by 20%. I think she needs to get back in touch with the concerns of ordinary voters”.
Why Cllr Knox waited two months to send her letter isn’t clear. Although political fever has been rising in this area ahead of the verdict in the Phil Woolas case on 5 November. If the judges declare the general election result void, a by-election would have to be held.
Lib Dem candidate Elwyn Watkins recently sent out some election-style leaflets, and Mr Ali has spoken out on local issues including his campaign on parking. However, Mr Woolas has strongly denied breaking the law in his own election literature, and if the judges find in his favour, he’ll remain as our MP.
To read the full archive of articles from Saddleworth News about the general election battle in Oldham East and Saddleworth and the subsequent legal challenge, click here.
There you are it is starting at local level, over very small things, which will get blown up. Tories and Liberals can never agree its against there thoughts with the exception of the L:iberal leader who is now a Torie and will be voted out at the next election. When it does come there will be no liberal party. If you do not agree at the local councils it fillters down to the government who then in the coalation start arguing. I don,t no what Mr Glenville Hall would think that Liberals were involved with Saddleworth Yorkshire.
Unbelievable - the Lib Dems accusing anyone of ‘political opportunism’ - they’re past masters of the art.
Clearly they’re out to nobble Kashif who had a good election campaign in May and turned this constituency into a three way marginal.
Good on you Kashif - you made some very fair points and have every right to - keep it up you’ve clearly got the Lib Dems rattled.
“… including a five-minute period of grace for anyone parking on double yellow lines before a ticket can be issued,…”
What a ludicrous suggestion. That would mean double yellow lines could be ignored by everbody for five minutes before receiving a penalty. In other words everybody would be free to park on double yellow lines with impunity as long as they didn’t stay too long. I do wish so called intelligent people would put their brains in gear before making ridiculous statements.