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Labour councillor 'sacked' after secret Tory meetings

10:12am Monday 17th March 2008

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A Croydon Labour councillor has been sacked from the group after conducting secret meetings with local Conservatives.

Councillor Mike Mogul, a West Thornton ward member, has been removed from the group with immediate effect by the Labour group whip.

>"Labour councillors and the wider Labour party all agree these are not the actions of someone we would wish to hold office in the name of the Labour Party."

Labour chief whip Raj Rajendran

The Labour group described it as an action "taken only in the most serious cases".

It is understood that Coun Mogul is expected to join the Conservatives in May if he is accepted by council leader Mike Fisher.

Councillor Tony Newman, leader of the local Labour Party, said: "The Labour Party has taken this action after receiving information that Councillor Mogul has been meeting in secret with the Conservatives and collaborating with them to undermine hard working Labour councillors.

"It has also come to light over the last 24 hours that there is a possible conflict of interest, concerning Coun Mogul's role on the planning committee and his business interests. This is still under investigation."

Labour's chief whip, Raj Rajendran added: "It is unacceptable that Councillor Mogul has betrayed the trust of his constituents and ward members, although with his complete lack of principles he should feel at home in David Cameron's Tory Party.

"Labour councillors and the wider Labour party all agree these are not the actions of someone we would wish to hold office in the name of the Labour Party."

Local Labour Party members are now calling on Coun Mogul to stand down from the council and say it should be up to the electors of West Thornton to decide which party they want to represent them on Croydon Council.

Coun Fisher, however, denied his new town hall counterpart had been dismissed. He said: "I am delighted that Mike Mogul has decided to join the Conservative group but I find it surprising that Coun Newman is suggesting he was sacked when I have a very different version of events which showed he resigned."

Coun Mogul was unavailable for comment when contacted by the Croydon Guardian this morning.

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Paul, Upper Norwood says...
11:00am Mon 17 Mar 08

Well done Mike Mogul!

You've obviously worked out that Labour is Duff on Crime, Duff on the causes of Crime, Duff on all they touch.

Cllr Newman: "meeting in secret with the Conservatives and collaborating with them to undermine hard working Labour councillors"

He has no need to do that - look at the state of Croydon after nine years of Labour stewardship - Labour set their own reference.

Labour's chief whip, Raj Rajendran: "..... with his complete lack of principles he should feel at home in David Cameron's Tory Party,"

Same unacceptable tactics as Cllr Newman. In the absence of anything concrete, bad mouth the opposition.

Labour is now a worthless party, with worthless mandates and as you look at the actions of the Mayor of London look at the duff job he's now doing.

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Leroy Wesley, thornton heath says...
11:12am Mon 17 Mar 08

"It has also come to light over the last 24 hours that there is a possible conflict of interest, concerning Coun Mogul's role on the planning committee and his business interests."

Didn't Labour have a Cllr Adrian Dennis in charge of planning who was 'deselected?'

Just why was that Cllr Newman?

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Amused, Purley says...
11:50am Mon 17 Mar 08

It's doubtful if the Tories will be daft enough to want Mike Mogul. Whatever possessed his own constituents to elect him in the first place? His bumbling performance seen in Planning Committee webcasts says it all - councillor Maggie Mansell is not much better and as for former councillor Adrian Dennis . . . hmm !

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Kes, Upper Norwood says...
11:25am Tue 18 Mar 08

What hypocrites New Labour! "Betrayal of pricipals"? What about so-called Tory MPs who defected to Labour over recent years with Brown's approval. Should they resign their seats Councillor Rajendran?

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Cynical Cyclist, Fornton Eaf says...
12:09pm Tue 18 Mar 08

Leroy Wesley wrote:
"It has also come to light over the last 24 hours that there is a possible conflict of interest, concerning Coun Mogul's role on the planning committee and his business interests." Didn't Labour have a Cllr Adrian Dennis in charge of planning who was 'deselected?' Just why was that Cllr Newman?
"Alderman" Dennis was deselected by his local party members because he spent more time swanning around with the Council big-wigs than he did dealing with local residents' concerns.

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Fatty Arbuckle, The Cake Shop says...
8:47pm Tue 18 Mar 08

Cynical Cyclist wrote:
Leroy Wesley wrote:
"It has also come to light over the last 24 hours that there is a possible conflict of interest, concerning Coun Mogul's role on the planning committee and his business interests." Didn't Labour have a Cllr Adrian Dennis in charge of planning who was 'deselected?' Just why was that Cllr Newman?
"Alderman" Dennis was deselected by his local party members because he spent more time swanning around with the Council big-wigs than he did dealing with local residents' concerns.
Rubbish. It's because he kept on eating all the pies.

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Councillor Mike Mogul Councillor Mike Mogul

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