Tuesday, March 03, 2009

Gray’s Anatomy of the Bible – Alan Craig & the Gutter

This is a classic local politics blogging story. Tonight I was canvassing on behalf the Labour Party in the Newham Royal docks by-election when one of my team mentioned that they had read a post about me by Christian People’s Alliance (CPA) Councillor Alan “no to big mosques but yes to big churches” Craig.

In this post Craig said “a friend drew my attention to another Labour Party Biblicist in Newham, albeit a reluctant one. The references are in the blog (http://grayee.blogspot.com/) of local Labour and trade union activist John Gray”. The post was in September last year. Since no-one reads or comments on Craig’s BBB (Bigoted Boring Blog) it wasn’t noticed until recently.

Now Craig is slagging me off good and proper which is his right I suppose. I am to him apparently some sort of "Life from Mars" 1970's "old left" throwback. Which will come as a surprise to my "comrades" in UNISON United Left. But I'm not complaining about this.

Anyway tonight I posted this comment on his post which I await his reply.

Hi Alan

Tonight while out canvassing in Royal Docks a Labour Party comrade told me about this post. It would appear that you as ignorant as you are bigoted. I would be pleased to be compared by anyone else but you to Jack Jones who is a hero who risked his life to fight fascism and was wounded as a young man in the Spanish civil war.

As anyone who has read my blog would realise Arthur Scargill is no hero of mind even if the coal miners are and I did proudly support them on the picket line during the strike. Nick Cohen’s book “What's Left” is on my bookshelf and while I would not agree entirely with everything he writes upon I am a firm supporter like Nick of the Euston Manifestos.

I note that you do not have the courage to actually reference my posts about you. Nor my fears about the suspicion and division that your hypocritical comments about “mega mosques” provokes in our communities. Anyone interested can check my blog out and in the search button type “CPA”.

It’s not really that I think you ought to keep your opinions out of the pulpit - it is that you should keep them out of the gutter.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Are you accusing Craig of racism?

If you are, perhaps you should look to the ignorance and neglect of the London Borough of Newham, and the Labour Councillors to ensure that a racial equality impact study, was carried out for the LCA application to expand flights.

The impact study is a legal requirement of major planning applications - it was written into the race relations act, but your a union man so you should know that.

So why, in the most ethnically diverse borough of London, would the Labour led council NOT carry out this legal requirement? Is it because they care so much about ethnic minorities?

No, it's because they realise that ethnic minorities suffer disproportionately from poor quality of life, health and education issues in the Royal docks. All of which have been escalated and continue to decline due to the air and noise pollution and the fact that Newham don't care about them.

Pot and kettle come to mind.

John Gray said...

Hi Anon
No I don’t think that Craig is as bad as the BNP and I have said so – the word “pandering springs to mind. It would be helpful if you bothered to reference your “complaints”. I must admit that I cannot see on the face of it that a RIS is needed? If what you are saying is about City airport is true (and I use to think that maybe you have an argument but now you have desended with Craig to the gutter - I don’t believe anything you say) then it would impact all residents - white and black?

Then of course if as you claim it is legally binding then of course the Council would have done it or would face prosecution? You therefore appear to be talking nonsense?

Anonymous said...

Actually the council have NOT done it and have had to abandon for the moment of ratifying the expansion because of this.It is delayed for the forseeable future. But
if you are campaigning in Royal Docks you would know this?

This might help you...
http://www.wharf.co.uk/2009/01/the-latest-bid-to-scupper-city.html


Might help you pretend to actually know whats going on in the borough you are campaigning in.

John Gray said...

Hi Anon
Sorry, I can’t help myself but may I gently suggest that it might help if you learnt to read and write. The article says nothing of the sort?

Newham College has some very good courses - I’m sure that Steve could point you in the right direction if you asked him nicely.

Anonymous said...

From the article..

The council report on Friends of the Earth's race equality application said: "They considered that the proposal would have serious potential race equalities impacts, and that this was not considered with the
original assessment of the proposals.


As usual John you are so desperate to make you point heard you failed to read the full thing.Quelle Surprise.

I must ask Steve about the courses.Of course I must ask him how long he is a member of the Labout party too.This seems to be a bit of a mystery.

John Gray said...

Hi Anon
"They considered that the proposal would have serious potential race equalities impacts...”

i.e They considered the FOE proposal and concluded that it wouldn’t.

What part of “there is no legal requirement for a specific impact assessment to be carried out" and advised the airport's application be approved” don’t you understand?

Please tell.

Anonymous said...

Well explain why it has been delayed then?

You really should learn to read beyond the spin.

“there is no legal requirement for a specific impact assessment to be carried out"

There is no legal requirement to carry out a SPECIFIC assessmet but they do need to carry out an IMPACT ASSESSMENT.It just does not need to be specific.

And I am sure you will be congratulating Alan Craig for his hard work in securing the first phase of the £3.7bn Canning Town and Custom House regeneration masterplan.Some 422 homes will be for private sale and 227 "affordable'' housing.
Announced today

John Gray said...

Hi Anon
As far as I am aware an impact statement is a specific statement.

Nope - because Craig is too busy scaring people about Muslim mosques to do anything practical for anyone. 3/60 Cllrs? He has no power or influence whatsoever to do anything. Thankfully!

Anonymous said...

Dear John,

The reply you await is at http://www.meetalancraig.com/?p=32

Cheers,

Alan Craig

Unknown said...

The existence of the Bible is a book for the people. It's the greatest benefit the human race has ever experienced. Every attempt to belittle it is a crime against humanity.

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The Bible