THE POPULAR FRONT FOR THE LIBERATION OF CPSA
FIGHTING ON IN OUR 45th YEAR BUT A BIT RETIRED NOW
FREEDOM! UNITY! SOCIALISM!
ONE CIVIL SERVICE UNION,
ONE GLORIOUS DESTINY!
REVOLUTION UNTIL VICTORY!
WANNABE WEBME1STERS:II
by Barrabas - 7th May 2000
Ever wondered who else browses this site apart from you? Did you know that the CIA in the formidible shape of Stuart Currie looks in from time to time, and following our advertisement, used the link above to browse over to the ME1ST site and was horrified to see the headline "MODERATES STEAL MEMBERSHIP DATA (allegedly)" and accusing the Moderati of all sorts of naughtiness, seemingly written as a dark fantasy on the Donnellan/Reamsbottom/Sheldon circular.
Although not the sharpest tool in the box, CURRY realised that just inserting the word "allegedly" does not protect you from the entreaties of M'Learned friends and therefore you have to be able to provide evidence to support those allegations - even if your readership is only 3, and they followed the link from the PFL. Taking into account the Godfrey .vs. Demon Internet case which found that the ISP is liable, as publisher, for articles on the web our hero e-mailed the service provider UK Fantastic Ltd and threatened to sue them straight away if they didn't suspend (kick into touch) the site immediately. UK notbeingquitesofantastictoitsclient promptly bottled and whipped the site off the net and undertook not to republish it without Curries consent.
This is an unheard of achievement for the Moderati lardarse - Chair of the ME1ST editorial committee, with power of veto, at the first attempt. With this sort of entryism the Moderati will not have need of a website of their own. Having ones new website not only tarnished by the realistic comment of the PFL, but taken away because of ones own stupidity is careless. Setting up a website with the purpose of campaigning for elections and for Conference use and having it closed down just before Conference is suicidal - who will take them or their poxy website seriously in future?
Following a flurry of increasingly desperate emails from ME1ST, Curry magnanimously agreed that they could have their toy back subject to the following requirements: the retraction and apology (written by Curry) will remain on the site until at least 16:00 Monday 15th May 2000 as the first item in the latest news link (thus avoiding it being buried with more "latest news"). Curry insists thereason for this is that "many of the people who will have read the initial material will access it again on the first day of the PCS National Conference and therefore be "put straight" on the allegations that were made." His words. We believe him. Allegedly.
For those keen on regurgitation, follow one of the links either above or on our homepage to view the grovelling apology. Meanwhile, the usual bribe is on offer for information relating to where and how the Moderati obtained their mailing list. ____________________________________________________________
Dateline 10th May
News is reaching us that PCS auditors have discovered prima-facie evidence of misuse of PCS data and that an "independent" audit will now be carried out. Ramsbladder has reluctantly had to agree to this, but of course, the findings will not be made public until after Conference (if they ever see the light of day). It is not yet clear who is going to pick up the tab for this rather pointless spear waving - if Keef Who, Dave Nobody or Poo-Bah are watching - make sure it's not the poor bloody member who picks up the bill.
Now. Mailing lists. Hands up anyone in PCS who, along with the imaginatively named The Magazine, does not also receive piles of junk mail. And not just with the moribund mag - PCS must have flogged your name to just about every sharky loan company and iffy life assurance company on the planet. So, ME1ST getting sniffy about the Moderati apparently having access to your mailing address could be seen as sour grapes cos they didn't think of it first. However, if the remit of the independent audit is extended to identify who properly should have access to the mailing list and for precisely what purposes it can be used, and the members properly informed as to what these rules are, then little misunderstandings should not occur in future....
ELECTION LATEST
IT'S THE SUN WOT WON IT!
Either Mr Littlejohn's grip on reality is diminishing, or could he be an undercover PFL agent? This is reprinted (without permission) because we thought you should be aware of this malevolent mischiefmaker and his nonsense - especially the bit about that black woman whose name we can never remember...
Richard Littlejohn article - The Sun - Friday 5 May
"While the mobsters were smashing up Whitehall, the forces of darkness were at work on the inside. A sinister alliance of Trots and ex-Communists is planning to seize control of the 270,000-strong Public and Commercial Services Union, which has members in key positions in government departments. They are the same people responsible for crippling industrial action in the civil service in the late 80s and early 90s, including the strike in the passport office, which ruined thousands of people's holidays. Now they are making a comeback. They are plotting to oust the moderate general secretary, Barry Reamsbottom, and lock him out of his office. And they are banking on a low turn-out in the union's election to take control. The ballot for the PCSU executive runs until next Friday. Civil servants can thwart the coup if they vote for the slate of candidates headed by Pauline Abrams, the black 31-year-old mother of two, who is braving a vicious left-wing smear campaign and standing as president. The barbarians are already at the gate. Civil servants must ask themselves if they want them running riot in the corridors of power, too."
Yup. We believe him (allegedly).
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BE SEEN AT CONFERENCE! THE POPULAR FRONT T-SHIRT (Fat Bastard Size) WILL BE AVAILABLE PRICE £10 EMAIL TO RESERVE YOURS NOW! SEE "BLACKPOOL 2000" PAGE FOR LOW RESOLUTION IMAGE
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Dateline 12th May
The ever informative and helpful The Magazine, Skippy's delightful comic, dropped through the PFL dead-letterbox at the safe house today. Those of you with a keen eye will have noticed on page 5 that one of the senior Full-Timers has undergone a name change. Film buffs will recall a film of the same name about a jumped-up prick... He wants you to use this adopted name whenever you see him at Conference, so that he can get used to it.
The Blackpool Grand National - where they fell.
PRESIDENT Number of ballot papers distributed: 240259 Number of ballot papers returned: 46706 Number of papers found to be invalid (blank/spoilt): 1497 Thus, total number of valid papers to be counted: 45209 Result (1 to elect):- Peter DONNELLAN (C&E, HQ Liverpool) 17990 ELECTED Pauline ABRAMS (Foreign & Commonwealth office) 14798 Chris BAUGH (Land Registry, Lytham) 12421
VICE-PRESIDENT - REVENUE STAFF AND VALUATION OFFICE AGENCY Number of ballot papers distributed: 52877 Number of ballot papers returned: 12189 Number of papers found to be invalid (blank/spoilt): 478 Thus, total number of valid papers to be counted: 11711 Result (1 to elect):- Les PRIESTLEY (Sheffield) 6431 ELECTED Dave BEAN (Leicester Network) 4083 Ravindra KURUP (Kingston) 1197
VICE-PRESIDENTS - ADMINISTRATIVE AND ALLIED GRADES Number of ballot papers distributed: 99378 Number of ballot papers returned: 15863 Number of papers found to be invalid (blank/spoilt): 381 Thus, total number of valid papers to be counted: 15482 Result (2 to elect):- Stuart CURRIE (scottish executive, Edinburgh leith) 7162 ELECTED Janice GODRICH (es, Glasgow south) 5879 ELECTED Stephen CAWKWELL (ba, hull & bridlington) 5801 John McGOWAN (es, Tayside & fife) 5493 Carol POPPLEWELL (BA, Rotherham) 5044
VICE-PRESIDENT - EXECUTIVE AND ALLIED GRADES AND SPECIALIST AND OFFICE SUPPORT GRADES Number of ballot papers distributed: 88004 Number of ballot papers returned: 18654 Number of papers found to be invalid (blank/spoilt): 684 Thus, total number of valid papers to be counted: 17970 Result (1 to elect):- Sarah JONES (Health & Safety Executive) 6621 ELECTED Christine GALLIGAN (BA, North West Manchester) 4453 Angela PALMER (BA, HQ Leeds) 2731 Bob PRITCHARD (MOD, Gloucester) 2174 Doreen PURVIS (BA, Newcastle Central (Exec & Allied Grades)) 1991
NEC - EXECUTIVE AND ALLIED GRADES Number of ballot papers distributed: 68352 Number of ballot papers returned: 14266 Number of papers found to be invalid (blank/spoilt): 255 Thus, total number of valid papers to be counted: 14011 Result (12 to elect):- Jim FEENEY (C & E, South East England) 5341 ELECTED Neil LICENSE (C & E, Eastern England) 4717 ELECTED Steve COMER (C & E, West of England) 4698 ELECTED Keith SPENDIFF (C & E, London South & Thames) 4647 ELECTED Bev BAMBROUGH (Foreign & Commonwealth Office) 4611 ELECTED Anne SHIPP (LCD, Public Trust Office) 4598 ELECTED James UNDY (Health & Safety Executive) 4528 ELECTED Paul SMYTH (C & E, London Central) 4494 ELECTED Bob BOWMAN (MOD, Central London) 4421 ELECTED Ian ALBERT (DSS HQ/ISB,HQ London) 4388 ELECTED Paula DORMAN (Land Registry, Croydon) 4091 ELECTED Christine GALLIGAN (BA, North West Manchester) 4089 ELECTED Victoria STEEPLES (Office of Fair Trading) 4078 Robin MCKENDRICK (Scottish Executive, Edinburgh leith) 3821 Ros TURNER (C & E, Eastern England) 3750 Kevin ETHERIDGE (DTI, Patent Office) 3655 David WELCH (ES, Ayrshire Dumfries & Galloway) 3540 Owen DODD (ES, Gogledd Cymru) 3496 Gary FEGAN (ES, Lothian & Borders) 3481 Howie OLIVER (National Assembly for Wales, Carmarthen) 3335 Kevin OLIVER (BA, Newcastle central (Executive and Allied Grades)) 3306 Jan SWINDLEHURST (MOD, Salisbury Plain North) 3184 Vince WILLIAMS (MOD, Gloucester) 2991 Ray ALDERSON (C&E, NIS) 2741 Stella DENNIS (BA, Greater Manchester) 2726 Angela PALMER (BA, HQ Leeds) 2578 Roland BIOSAH (BA, Inner London) 2561 Steve ION (C & E, HQ Liverpool) 2549 Chris BAUGH (Land Registry, Lytham) 2523 Simon BONIFACE (C&E, Eastern England) 2512 Doreen PURVIS (BA, Newcastle central (Executive and Allied Grades)) 2447 Sue BOND (Equal Opportunities) 2423 Jean MAHONY (C & E, Eastern England) 2296 Kate BILES (DSS, East London) 2285 Liz PEMBERTON (DfEE, Head Offices Sheffield) 2217 Tony CONWAY (DfEE, Midlands) 1879 Laura MARTIN (BA, East Essex) 1878 Richard De LANGE (MOD, Wilton) 1865 Jenny LENNON (Export Credit Guarantee Dept) 1859 Joy DUNN (Scottish Executive, Pentland) 1827 Richard BOULD (BA, Wrexham & North Wales Coast) 1787 David RICHARDS (CSA, DSS Inner London) 1764 Jacqui FROST (MOD, Central London) 1631 Dave ALSTON (DSS, Essex) 1605 Ian FRASER (MOD, West of Scotland) 1520 Alan DENNIS (MOD, Central London) 1445 Larry O'CALLAGHAN (Prison Service, Headquarters) 1443 Jeno MENEZES (LCD, Greater Manchester) 1372 Jeff PROUT (ES, South & West Yorkshire) 1230 Paul WHEELER (Charity Commission, Taunton) 1141 Chistopher John DANDO (MOD, Foxhill) 1066 Brian FULLAWAY (MOD, Winchester) 1052 Dave GOLDSBROUGH (MOD, Ensleigh Bath) 787 NEC - ADMINISTRATIVE AND ALLIED GRADES Number of ballot papers distributed: 99378 Number of ballot papers returned: 15863 Number of papers found to be invalid (blank/spoilt): 405 Thus, total number of valid papers to be counted: 15458 Result (17 to elect):- Pauline ABRAMS (Foreign & Commonwealth) 8782 ELECTED Donny MCINTYRE (BA, Edinburgh, Lothian & Borders) 8184 ELECTED Moira CAMPBELL (CSA, Falkirk) 8180 ELECTED Lisa ROBERTS (DVLA, Swansea) 8169 ELECTED Sheila TUTTY (MOD, Bath) 7845 ELECTED Andrea MARSH (Ordnance Survey) 7697 ELECTED Valerie SHORT (Met Police, 3 Area Outer) 7597 ELECTED Philip EASTON (BA, Ashton-in-Makerfield) 7593 ELECTED Fathima MUHAMMED (HM Treasury) 7533 ELECTED Michael BOOTH (LCD, North/West Yorkshire) 7432 ELECTED Merrick HART (English Heritage) 7359 ELECTED Graham WHITEMAN (BA, Washington CBC & CPRU) 7242 ELECTED George WHITTON (Scottish Executive, Edinburgh Leith) 7165 Bernard James HARKINS (Crown Office/Procurator Fiscal Service) 7010 ELECTED Mark MURPHY (ADP Chessington) 6932 ELECTED Jim MACKAY (ES, Lothian & Borders) 6713 John WARD (DTI, Kingsgate House) 6564 ELECTED Janice GODRICH (ES, Glasgow South) 6021 Stephen CAWKWELL (BA, Hull & Bridlington) 5902 Marion LLOYD (DfEE, South of England) 5595 ELECTED* Danny WILLIAMSON (DNS, Glasgow) 5566 ELECTED* Tony CHURCH (BA, Leicestershire) 5514 Martin CAVANAGH (CSA, Birkenhead) 5218 Rob WILLIAMS (BA, Bankside) 5171 Kevin KELLY (Land Registry, Durham) 5144 Dave OWENS (ES, Liverpool & Wirral) 5072 Mark BAKER (DETR, Bristol & South West (PINS)) 4837 Barry FUGE (DSS HQ & ISBs, ITS National Branch) 4817 Alastair NICOLSON (CAA, Manchester) 4790 Peter MIDDLEMAN (Crown Prosecution Service, National Branch) 4762 John MCINALLY (ES, Avon East) 4751 Darren WILLIAMS (ONS, Newport) 4712 Mike LOATES (LCD, Principal Registry of the Family Division) 4662 Samantha WATERHOUSE (Prison Service, East Mids) 2976 Steve NORTON (Dept of Health) 2968 Carol SCALES (OFSTED) 2658 Adrian WHYATT (BA, Hackney & Tower Hamlets) 2216 * Elected in accordance with Rule 7.5 of the Rules and Constitution, and 6(a) of the Election Regulations.
NEC - SPECIALIST & OFFICE SUPPORT GRADES Number of ballot papers distributed: 19652 Number of ballot papers returned: 4388 Number of papers found to be invalid (blank/spoilt): 6 Thus, total number of valid papers to be counted: 4382 Result (3 to elect):- Bob ROLLINGS (Prison Service, HMYOI Onley: Specialist) 1797 ELECTED Caroline CORNELL (GCG, Branch A: Specialist) 1698 ELECTED Iain CAMERON (Registers of Scotland: Support) 1522 Lionel WELCH (Foreign & Commonwealth Office: Support) 1477 Andrew BRUNT (GCG, Branch A: Specialist) 1352 Robert AMU (LCD, Birmingham: Support) 1312 ELECTED* Bob PRITCHARD (MOD, Gloucester: Specialist) 1207 * Elected in accordance with Rule 7.6(c) of the Rules and Constitution, and 6(e) of the Election Regulations.
NEC - REVENUE STAFFS Number of ballot papers distributed: 50617 Number of ballot papers returned: 11471 Number of papers found to be invalid (blank/spoilt): 210 Thus, total number of valid papers to be counted: 11261 Result (8 to elect):- Kathy LIDDELL (Liverpool Taxes) 4765 ELECTED Ted EUERS (Newcastle) 4137 ELECTED Roger WESTLAKE (Colchester Network) 4020 ELECTED Judi BASTOW (Colchester) 3988 ELECTED Dave BEAN (Leicester Network) 3777 ELECTED Cath COLDBECK (Stockton Network) 3729 ELECTED Linda RIDGERS-WAITE (Euston Network) 3634 ELECTED Claudette HERBERT (Cheltenham) 3576 ELECTED Jane TETLEY (Birmingham Network) 3442 Christine Jadwiga CHORLTON (Manchester Taxes) 3368 Mal BLINSTON (Bootle FICO) 3218 Kevin MCVEY (Cumbernauld) 3189 June DAVISON (Manchester Collection) 3063 Paul KENNEDY (Leeds & District) 3042 Sean FAHEY (NICO) 3005 Don ROSS (Manchester Taxes) 2973 Hector WESLEY (Charles House Network) 2783 Ashley BEARE (Cornwall/Plymouth) 2437 Brendan KELLY (Newcastle) 2313 Charly BEAGRIE (Edinburgh Taxes) 2219 Austin MCQUAID (Northern Ireland) 2208 Annie THORNE (West of Scotland) 2170 Helen WATKINS (South East Wales Network) 1979 Ron SHIPTON (East London Network) 1797 Paul TILLYER (Bradford & District) 1569 Kevin BARTER (Kent Network) 1198 Rob RICHARDS (South East Wales) 1191 Darren WEBBER (East Midlands) 756 Tim CRUMPTON (West Midlands Network) 685
NEC - VALUATION OFFICE AGENCY Number of ballot papers distributed: 2260 Number of ballot papers returned: 718 Number of papers found to be invalid (blank/spoilt): 4 Thus, total number of valid papers to be counted: 714 Result (1 to elect):- Gwenda BINKS (London Westminster Valuation) 479 ELECTED Bernadette WALSH (East Midlands Valuation) 140 Bronwen PRITCHARD (North Wales Valuation) 95
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Dateline 13th May
The PFLCPSA staff car has arrived in Blackpool, the safe house has been secured and telecommunications and supply lines are up and running.
DOING THE SPLITS
Donnellan won President, with the Mods second and Left Unity third. Admin : VP - 1 Mod (Currie) and 1 Left Unity (Janice Godrich) Admin NEC : 15 Mods and 2 Left Unity (Marion Lloyd and Danny Williamson) Revenue : VP Me First with Left Unity second and an independent third. Revenue NEC : Kathy Liddell (Left Unity) easily topped the poll, Dave Bean (Left Unity) also elected, with 5 Me First and 1 independent right winger Revenue Valuation Office - the 1 seat won by Me First Exec: VP won by Me First, Mods second, Unity third, Independent fourth, Left Unity last. Exec NEC seats: 9 Me First and 3 Mods (for the first time). The left suffered from the split vote, but for the NEC seats Left Unity mostly outpolled Unity (also for the first time). Unity lost the one seat they held in this section. Support & Specialist - Independent socialist topped the poll, then Me First, and a sole Unity victory as a result of a reserved seat for a black candidate. Total NEC votes for the factions - excluding the President Mods - 19 Me First - 18 Left Unity - 5 Unity - 1 Left independent - 1 Right independent -1 What this means in practice: In recent votes 3 ME1STers and the right independent have been unreliable for ME1ST against the Moderati. Left Unity now hold the balance of power between the two warring right wing factions and ME1ST cannot proceed against the ModR8s without Left Unity. On some issues the Mods plus ME1ST defectors could even outpoll everyone else by 1. Left Unity are not known to favour Barry. _________________________________________________
ROUND AND ABOUT
by Judas Iscariot
THE LAST night in Blackpool was an amusing affair. Every faction boss was in their cups claiming victory to everyone they bought a drink for. The Moderati were pleased they won 19 seats - though they FAILED to unseat DONNELLAN. The ME FIRST camp were glad they had seen off the challenge - though with only 19 seats they FAILED to win even a simple majority on the Executive. The Trots LEFT UNITY were over the moon at winning 5 seats - though Leon Baugh FAILED to win the Presidency. The ex-DIM LEFT - an assorted bunch of has-beens and toadies now crawling to DONNELLAN - FAILED to make any impact on the Trot-dominated Conference floor. They now claim this was a deliberate ploy to show Messrs UNDY & Co what happens when the REDS have a free hand but as the DIM LEFT'S only concern is to keep posts which are now largely the gift of ME FIRST it barely troubles UNDY or anyone else for that matter.
And the only faction which clearly FAILED all round was the misnamed UNITY bloc - which doesn't want to "unite" with anyone else and no-one wants to "unite" with - which FAILED to win any seats at all bar ONE -- in the token black reservation. But the GREAT SCOT'S desperate gamble - to unseat DONNELLAN - has fired the flames of hatred amongst ME FIRST, now more determined than ever to get rid of him. This was apparent at the first meeting of the new NEC in June. Standing orders were amended to allow for monthly meetings and the NEC agreed to run a three question ballot including: Motion 195 calling for a General Secretary election this year.
Me First and the Trots put up with BARRY'S ranting for some 40 minutes claiming this was part of a conspiracy going back to 1998 to remove him and arguing that it breached his contract and the rule book before agreeing to call for a YES vote on this motion. AND Motion 192 covering balloting procedures. Motion 71 on national pay strategy and. Motion 46 on subs. Were also given the thumbs up by the NEC. RAMSBLADDER is in deep trouble. While he'll try all the legal challenges he can find to put off the awesome day he knows that if he has to stand again he's got a real fight on his hands. ME FIRST has still to declare a candidate - if the race is this year it could even be SHELDON - though the smart money is still on their favourite son, LANNING.
But they know that whoever they pick will bag the ME FIRST core high-caste vote plus everyone else who hates BARRY with the exception of the die-hard Trots who will probably run Uncle Mac or BAUGH just to go the distance. Over the past 20 years RAMSBLADDER has trodden on plenty to get to the top driving some of them out of union politics altogether and others into the camp of his foes. Some have retired but most, unfortunately for him, are still in the service and all will have a vote. LANNING and SHELDON don't have this problem. It sometimes pays to be a nonentity. BARRY'S only hope is to make serious inroads in the high-grade constituency - a well-nigh impossible task. His RED scare tactics cut no ice with the high-castes.
ME FIRST smashed and tamed UNITY with a sophistication the Moderati barely comprehend. They believe they can manipulate LEFT UNITY until they are no longer of any further use and they certainly have no fear of BAUGH and his ilk. And while this is going on the Moderati are saddled with the McCanngate saga - which runs and runs - and the outcome of the independent inquiry on how the Moderati got the union's membership list to run its election mail-shot. No wonder MICKEY DRUGGAN is wailing "It was never meant to be like this" to all and sundry.