VIDEO: 'I may be young but I know what a democracy is!' Blurton teenager speaks of disappointment after being kicked out of Stoke-on-Trent City Council meeting
TEENAGER Michelle Whalley says she has been put off a life in politics after being thrown out of a council meeting.
The 16-year-old was among more than 60 residents kicked out of Thursday night's Stoke-on-Trent City Council meeting to approve the authority's £21 million cuts programme.
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Michelle Whalley outside the Civic Centre in Stoke.
She has become a prominent figure in recent protests and spoke against the council's planned move to Hanley at a demonstration last Saturday.
Now Stoke-on-Trent College student Michelle has been left disillusioned by the council's actions.
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Michelle, of Longton Hall Road, Blurton, said: "I may be young and not understand everything but I know what a democracy is. I have always taken an interest in politics and trying to make the world a better place to live.
"Throwing people out of the meeting just shows the council is not even considering what people think.
"They were our views and we can't even express them openly without being thrown out.
"I have always taken an interest in politics because my grandparents run a residents' association and I was considering going into it as a career."
Residents were protesting about service cuts, proposed terms and conditions reductions for council workers and the authority's decision to move its headquarters from Stoke to Hanley in a £55 million switch.
They were initially warned about their behaviour by Lord Mayor Terry Crowe after booing council leader Mohammed Pervez and heckling councillors as they tried to deliver their speeches.
The residents were ordered to leave the council chamber two hours into the meeting.
Michelle added: "I don't understand why everyone had to go when some people were keeping quiet and listening.
"The Lord Mayor should have pinpointed the ones who were being disruptive rather than take it out on all of us."
As security guards cleared the gallery there were shouts of 'you call this a democracy?' and 'this is absolutely disgusting' as the onlookers congregated outside.
Michelle's mum, 47-year-old Jeanette Whalley, said: "It was an absolute joke.
"It was the first time I had been to a council meeting but I felt so strongly about the cuts that I wanted to go along.
The bakery worker added: "I think it is wrong what the council is doing.
"We don't need a new civic centre and it is totally disgusting that the council is spending our money on it."
Speaking after the meeting, Mr Pervez said that he was disappointed the public was barred but insisted that the Lord Mayor had to keep the meeting in order.
He said: "It is unfortunate that the Lord Mayor had to take the decision to remove people from the public gallery but he did issue warnings.
"The Lord Mayor presides over the meeting and whatever he decides must be stuck to.
"He was in a very difficult position.
"I was disappointed because the atmosphere was very lively and robust during the debate and it changed as a result of the public leaving."
23 Comments
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by Backdoored
Monday, March 04 2013, 5:07PM
“by pensioner46
"I would not trust any of this councils members to tell me the time even if I was looking at the clock" -unquote.
That's because Pervez has them all 'eating out of his greasy palm'. Nothing now, to do with a sense of vocation, but with 'what's going on the perks and expenses front'. And Pervez is the 'Fat Controller -and that's coming from those with the t-shirts.
Sick, simply sick. Not just sad; but SICK.”
by pensioner46
Monday, March 04 2013, 4:40PM
“I would not trust any of this councils members to tell me the time even if I was looking at the clock”
by buster22
Monday, March 04 2013, 12:30PM
“There is no democracy in our so called democratic country. Career politicians have killed democracy and consigned it to the dustbin. They don't have any knowledge at all as to how society works and what the people need to make society better. It is all about their egos and lining their pockets.
Gone are the politicians who went into politics to help make the country a bette place. We have the leaders of all parties committing treason and not caring about what happens to the British people and our country, and this philters down to the sycophants that run our city. It emboldens them to do what they want, too abuse their office so that instead of serving they rule.
Dictators in far flung countries have to fight to get their power base and then use fear and terror to keep it. In Britain today, they only have to use democracy.”
by stokepotter
Monday, March 04 2013, 8:24AM
“As long as the people of Stoke continue to vote for this lot or are apathetic enough not to vote, then democracy goes out of the window. This lot are afraid of democracy as it is against their totalitarian way of ruling to the detriment of the majority of people in this city..”
by Backdoored
Sunday, March 03 2013, 10:17PM
“by PJ 123; "..-but I fear this lot know "you people"- will vote them back in." Unquote.
And 'you people' -the March on Stoke supporters -who represent the vast majority of the rest of the 'people of this city' -MUST GET TO UNDERSTAND one thing, -that to vote out this shower of DICTATORS, would not be an anti -"TRUE LABOUR" vote... But, in fact, would be to cast a vote FOR THE VALUES of the Labour Party THAT EXISTED IN THE EARLY PART OF THE LAST CENTURY -when the Labour Movement began to find a national voice.
This current so-called Labour Council DOES NOT OPERATE on democratic principles AND AS SUCH DOES NOT DESERVE ANY SUPPORT FROM LOYAL LABOUR VOTERS
To vote against this corrupt SO CALLED 'Labour' Council -which is in fact masquerading as Labour) is NOT to abandon or betray our forefathers, IT IS TO GET RID OF THE ROT that has seeped into the local Party in recent years.
You all know the facts ... make sure those who don't -or seem too stressed by the cuts to bother -THAT THEY DO KNOW ...and more importantly THAT IT IS EXPLAINED TO THEM -that it is they -they alone WHO HAVE THE POWER TO TO PUT AN END TO THIS DISGUSTING CORRUPT LOT.
'Apathy will remain this Corrupt Councils' main card -unless the ONE IN FOUR -WHO DON'T BOTHER TO GO TO THE POLLING STATIONS AT THE TIME OF LOCAL COUNCIL ELECTIONS TO CAST THEIR 'DEMOCRATIC' VOTE... -then 'The Corrupt' -will continue to be the OVERLORDS.
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by Backdoored
Sunday, March 03 2013, 9:51PM
“Take this as a 'character development experience' Michelle, -And put it with the many other experiences you will encounter -both positive, and, ...ike this one, negative until you feel you are ready to 'get into politics' "AS A CAREER".
Don't make POLITICS A CAREER per se. That's what's wrong with the current state of 'politics in Britain today'. Too many get in early -straight from College -or University -some local Councillors barely out of nappies join a local branch of one of the main Parities and get 'short-listed' before they know 'where they are'.
Be involved by all means -but not as your first and only interest/job (career). Spend some time, at least a decade, out there in the real world first; because the 'world of politics' is definitely NOT THE REAL WORLD.
As the old proverb goes.... 'learn to walk before you can run....' (for Office)”
by mole10
Sunday, March 03 2013, 8:37PM
“Don't let them get you down Michelle
The former Elected Mayor's and their forme members board have seen to it that the whole Labour council will be gone quite soon.”
by strandedhere
Saturday, March 02 2013, 8:33PM
“Oh cripes,I've done it again.It was Jane Blizzard who was the Chairwoman.
Apologies!”
by strandedhere
Saturday, March 02 2013, 8:31PM
“A lot of the problems in Stoke are to do with the tendency for too many people who are part of what ought to be the opposition to do the Labour council's dirty work for them.
I was at a meeting a few years ago where parents of disabled kids were given a speech by a council mouthpiece (Tony Oakman?).Then we were given a chance to question him about the reality.I asked the second question,an awkward one from his point of view.He declared that my question marked me out as "a disruptive element".With support from our Chairwoman Jackie Bridges,a vote was taken and all six (sic) of the parents there voted to expel me from the meeting.
Lucky Mr.Oakman! Lucky council! Unlucky parents.”
by smithy1980
Saturday, March 02 2013, 7:55PM
“Keep yourself interested! Do let the Labour scum get you down.
Let this be an opportunity to get yourself more interested, get affiliated to a party that can make a difference and speak up for the people of Stoke.
ITS TIME FOR STOKE TO STOP VOTING FOR LABOUR. IN FACT ITS TIME FOR ANYONE TO STOP VOTING FOR THE LABOUR DICTATORSHIPS.
If Labour get in in 2015 this country will end up like Stoke on Trent and every other northen Labour controlled city and town a wasteland reliant of the Labour Welfare state. They protect themselves, run vanity projects to self gratify themeselves and screw over the residents while blaming someone else and paying their management chums and union friends. This is the Labour way, it always will be. TAX, SPEND, WASTE, DEBT.”