KIT MALTHOUSE: THE CONTEMPT OF THE RICH AND POWERFUL
We have in London a democratic layer absent from the rest of the big cities in the UK. Yes we have a directly elected Mayor but will also have an assembly with elected members whose job it is to hold the Mayor to account.
My elected member is a Conservative one Kit Malthouse who receives £53,439, plus £74,345 as he is also Deputy Mayor for Business and Enterprise; that is a grand total of £127,784, for his pains. In addition he has one or two jobs on the side, though one suspects that they provide slightly more than pocket money. I list:-
County Finance Group Limited (holding company)-
Founder and Chairman County Asset Finance Limited (subsidiary)-Director County Plant and Equipment Sales Limited (subsidiary)-
Director County Business Limited (sister company)-
Director Alpha Strategic PLC-
Finance Director (part-time) Dilettante Music Limited
Founder Director Occasional writing, broadcasting and speaking
Chartered Accountant[1]
Mr Malthouse is a rich man, and a man who holds considerable power. Mr Malthouse is also an extraordinarily busy man, indeed given this list he must be something of a superman to be able to juggle all these activities whilst carrying out his democratic duties. One thing does not seem to detain him too much, that is responding to communication from his constituents.
I wrote to Mr Malthouse on 4th August this year. Whilst I have received holding responses from somebody covering for Mr Malthouse he has not responded to this initial e-mail or to a further e-mail sent on 28th September. Today I have again received a response from someone carrying the title of his RSO, though there appears to be no discernible input from Mr Malthouse.
Here I place copies of this correspondence:-
Dear Mr Malthouse,
I am writing to you as it seems you are the Assembly member whose jurisdiction covers The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. I watched the recent Mayor's Question time and was concerned about what appeared to be a degree of bluster and obfuscation in the Mayor's response to questions raised respecting undercover policing. I also noticed your praise of the courage of undercover police spies. Certainly respecting terrorist groups this is surely true, however you will be aware that it is not such activity that has raised such serious concerns. As I have written to my MP Sir Malcolm Rifkind:-In their book, ‘Undercover’ Rob Evans and Paul Lewis detail incidents carried out by agents of the Metropolitan Police of the most appalling nature by undercover police; not least amongst which has been the fathering of children and entering into long term relationships with women who were deceived into believing they were entering into relationships based on mutual affection, when in reality they were being used simply to provide ‘cover.’
A proper investigation of these matters can only be undertaken by a public enquiry, currently public confidence in the police is such that nobody is going to trust an investigation of the police by the police. Hillsborough, Lawrence, the policing of the miner’s strike, deaths in police custody, ‘plebgate,’ and now rampant police spying on civil society.[1]There has, and possibly still is, something rotten at the heart of policing in this country.
Both Doreen Lawrence and the primary whistle-blower in this case have called for a judge led public enquiry. I believe this call will eventually become deafening and that it would be better to accede to this demand now rather than be dragged into the decision later. As I write this at least 13 separate enquiries are taking place, all behind closed doors, none have come close to providing a full and open account of police spying on protest groups over the last four decades. This is simply not good enough.
Of more immediate concern is the failure to make any significant changes in practice since the full details of the Kennedy case emerged. Sir Denis O’Conner, the Chief Inspector of Police, brought in to clean up the system made several key recommendations, including:-
1. Ditching the flawed concept of ‘domestic extremism’ to ensure that any undercover operations concentrated solely on serious criminality.
2.Advance authorisation to be obtained for such operations from independent ‘surveillance commissioners.’
Well over 12 months has elapsed since Sir Denis’s damning report yet nothing has happened, bar moving NPOIU from ACPO back to the Met.I believe that being a citizen demands more than just voting in local and general elections, citizenship means participation, engaging, if you will, in ‘the big society.” I have strong views on justice and equality, I believe there are times when protest, even civil disobedience, is called for; what assurance can I be given that if I join a protest group, say campaigning against the Bedroom Tax, that the state will not be secretly spying on me. As things stand at the moment you are not in a position to provide that assurance. In a free and open society that state of affairs is intolerable
I am therefore writing to you as my assembly member enquiring what steps you will be taking to ensure that these serious concerns are addressed.Yours sincerely
Dear X,
I wrote to Kit Malthouse on August 4th regarding the issue of undercover policing. You responded to me on August 7thon Mr Malthouse’s behalf. You explained that Mr Malthouse was on holiday and that you would refer the matter to him when he returned from leave at the end of August. I am concerned that it is now September 28th and I have still received no response. I am consequently writing to him through you requesting some response to the serious issues I raised in my e-mail, which, to facilitate a prompt response I reproduce below:-
[Text of original e-mail as above]I am therefore writing to you as my assembly member enquiring what steps you will be taking to ensure that these serious concerns are addressed.
Since I wrote this e-mail there have been further developments, not least a growing lack of confidence in the internal police inquiry, operation Herne.
I look forward to hearing your response.
Yours sincerely
Response from Mr Malthouse came there none. Yesterday I did receive an e-mail, again from his RSO with a letter to Jenny Jones attached, this I display below. The e-mail makes no reference to Mr Malthouse’s positions on the concerns I raised, whilst the letter to Jenny Jones is written by Boris Johnson. Mr Malthouse proverbially the man who isn't there.
Here is my response to the non response of Mr Malthouse
Dear X,
Thank you for your e-mail and the copy of a letter sent to Jenny Jones.
I note that I wrote to Mr Malthouse on August 4th, Mr Malthouse has not responded to my e-mail or any of the points raised in it. He has not even afforded me the courtesy of a holding reply. I can only conclude that Mr Malthouse does not see it as any part of his role to respond to issues of concern raised by his constituents, indeed his lack of response to my concerns have been little short of contemptuous. I now intend to go public with this matter and will be placing my e-mail correspondence online noting the lack of response of Mr Malthouse. Should Mr Malthouse wish to respond I will afford him the courtesy that he has so singularly failed to afford me.
I have written to my MP Sir Malcolm Rifkind several times and he has always responded fully to any concerns I have raised. Should Mr Malthouse contact Sir Malcolm I am sure he would demonstrate the proper procedures that need to be employed respecting responding to the concerns of a constituent in a democracy.
As to the letter to sent to Jenny Jones, as this letter was dated as being received on 7th August, that is 3 days after my initial e-mail, and it is deemed to be pertinent, why is this information only being sent to me now?
The central issues raised in my communication to Mr Malthouse remain unanswered, most importantly the need for a full public enquiry. Operation Herne simply does not enjoy the confidence of anyone affected by the misconduct of police officers exposed by Rob Evans and Paul Lewis. I will continue to press for this.
I thank you for your courtesy. As for Mr Malthouse he is simply not up to the job.
Yours ETC
Mr Malthouse is a rich man and a man who holds considerable power. He is supposed to be accountable to his constituents. One suspects however that he does not see it quite like that; for like so many of his kind, he appears to hold lesser mortals in considerable contempt.
Do please continue, as they say, to watch this space; though please do not hold your breath whilst awaiting a response from Mr Malthouse.
Having visited this page I would be grateful for your feedback, either tick one of the boxes below or make a comment via the comments button.
My elected member is a Conservative one Kit Malthouse who receives £53,439, plus £74,345 as he is also Deputy Mayor for Business and Enterprise; that is a grand total of £127,784, for his pains. In addition he has one or two jobs on the side, though one suspects that they provide slightly more than pocket money. I list:-
County Finance Group Limited (holding company)-
Founder and Chairman County Asset Finance Limited (subsidiary)-Director County Plant and Equipment Sales Limited (subsidiary)-
Director County Business Limited (sister company)-
Director Alpha Strategic PLC-
Finance Director (part-time) Dilettante Music Limited
Founder Director Occasional writing, broadcasting and speaking
Chartered Accountant[1]
Mr Malthouse is a rich man, and a man who holds considerable power. Mr Malthouse is also an extraordinarily busy man, indeed given this list he must be something of a superman to be able to juggle all these activities whilst carrying out his democratic duties. One thing does not seem to detain him too much, that is responding to communication from his constituents.
I wrote to Mr Malthouse on 4th August this year. Whilst I have received holding responses from somebody covering for Mr Malthouse he has not responded to this initial e-mail or to a further e-mail sent on 28th September. Today I have again received a response from someone carrying the title of his RSO, though there appears to be no discernible input from Mr Malthouse.
 |
| Superman Kit Malthouse |
Here I place copies of this correspondence:-
Dear Mr Malthouse,
I am writing to you as it seems you are the Assembly member whose jurisdiction covers The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. I watched the recent Mayor's Question time and was concerned about what appeared to be a degree of bluster and obfuscation in the Mayor's response to questions raised respecting undercover policing. I also noticed your praise of the courage of undercover police spies. Certainly respecting terrorist groups this is surely true, however you will be aware that it is not such activity that has raised such serious concerns. As I have written to my MP Sir Malcolm Rifkind:-In their book, ‘Undercover’ Rob Evans and Paul Lewis detail incidents carried out by agents of the Metropolitan Police of the most appalling nature by undercover police; not least amongst which has been the fathering of children and entering into long term relationships with women who were deceived into believing they were entering into relationships based on mutual affection, when in reality they were being used simply to provide ‘cover.’
A proper investigation of these matters can only be undertaken by a public enquiry, currently public confidence in the police is such that nobody is going to trust an investigation of the police by the police. Hillsborough, Lawrence, the policing of the miner’s strike, deaths in police custody, ‘plebgate,’ and now rampant police spying on civil society.[1]There has, and possibly still is, something rotten at the heart of policing in this country.
Both Doreen Lawrence and the primary whistle-blower in this case have called for a judge led public enquiry. I believe this call will eventually become deafening and that it would be better to accede to this demand now rather than be dragged into the decision later. As I write this at least 13 separate enquiries are taking place, all behind closed doors, none have come close to providing a full and open account of police spying on protest groups over the last four decades. This is simply not good enough.
Of more immediate concern is the failure to make any significant changes in practice since the full details of the Kennedy case emerged. Sir Denis O’Conner, the Chief Inspector of Police, brought in to clean up the system made several key recommendations, including:-
1. Ditching the flawed concept of ‘domestic extremism’ to ensure that any undercover operations concentrated solely on serious criminality.
2.Advance authorisation to be obtained for such operations from independent ‘surveillance commissioners.’
Well over 12 months has elapsed since Sir Denis’s damning report yet nothing has happened, bar moving NPOIU from ACPO back to the Met.I believe that being a citizen demands more than just voting in local and general elections, citizenship means participation, engaging, if you will, in ‘the big society.” I have strong views on justice and equality, I believe there are times when protest, even civil disobedience, is called for; what assurance can I be given that if I join a protest group, say campaigning against the Bedroom Tax, that the state will not be secretly spying on me. As things stand at the moment you are not in a position to provide that assurance. In a free and open society that state of affairs is intolerable
I am therefore writing to you as my assembly member enquiring what steps you will be taking to ensure that these serious concerns are addressed.Yours sincerely
Dear X,
I wrote to Kit Malthouse on August 4th regarding the issue of undercover policing. You responded to me on August 7thon Mr Malthouse’s behalf. You explained that Mr Malthouse was on holiday and that you would refer the matter to him when he returned from leave at the end of August. I am concerned that it is now September 28th and I have still received no response. I am consequently writing to him through you requesting some response to the serious issues I raised in my e-mail, which, to facilitate a prompt response I reproduce below:-
[Text of original e-mail as above]I am therefore writing to you as my assembly member enquiring what steps you will be taking to ensure that these serious concerns are addressed.
Since I wrote this e-mail there have been further developments, not least a growing lack of confidence in the internal police inquiry, operation Herne.
I look forward to hearing your response.
Yours sincerely
Response from Mr Malthouse came there none. Yesterday I did receive an e-mail, again from his RSO with a letter to Jenny Jones attached, this I display below. The e-mail makes no reference to Mr Malthouse’s positions on the concerns I raised, whilst the letter to Jenny Jones is written by Boris Johnson. Mr Malthouse proverbially the man who isn't there.
Here is my response to the non response of Mr Malthouse
Dear X,
Thank you for your e-mail and the copy of a letter sent to Jenny Jones.
I note that I wrote to Mr Malthouse on August 4th, Mr Malthouse has not responded to my e-mail or any of the points raised in it. He has not even afforded me the courtesy of a holding reply. I can only conclude that Mr Malthouse does not see it as any part of his role to respond to issues of concern raised by his constituents, indeed his lack of response to my concerns have been little short of contemptuous. I now intend to go public with this matter and will be placing my e-mail correspondence online noting the lack of response of Mr Malthouse. Should Mr Malthouse wish to respond I will afford him the courtesy that he has so singularly failed to afford me.
I have written to my MP Sir Malcolm Rifkind several times and he has always responded fully to any concerns I have raised. Should Mr Malthouse contact Sir Malcolm I am sure he would demonstrate the proper procedures that need to be employed respecting responding to the concerns of a constituent in a democracy.
As to the letter to sent to Jenny Jones, as this letter was dated as being received on 7th August, that is 3 days after my initial e-mail, and it is deemed to be pertinent, why is this information only being sent to me now?
The central issues raised in my communication to Mr Malthouse remain unanswered, most importantly the need for a full public enquiry. Operation Herne simply does not enjoy the confidence of anyone affected by the misconduct of police officers exposed by Rob Evans and Paul Lewis. I will continue to press for this.
I thank you for your courtesy. As for Mr Malthouse he is simply not up to the job.
Yours ETC
Mr Malthouse is a rich man and a man who holds considerable power. He is supposed to be accountable to his constituents. One suspects however that he does not see it quite like that; for like so many of his kind, he appears to hold lesser mortals in considerable contempt.
Do please continue, as they say, to watch this space; though please do not hold your breath whilst awaiting a response from Mr Malthouse.
[1] http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor-assembly/london-assembly/members/kit-malthouse/register-of-members-interests#sthash.2OpGst46.dpuf
Having visited this page I would be grateful for your feedback, either tick one of the boxes below or make a comment via the comments button.
