WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE
FAMOUS WITCH-HUNT?

MR. ANGRY FLIPS HIS WIG

THE LEADER of Macclesfield Borough Council's Conservative Group, Peter Burns, announced after the recent election that Conservative Central Office would be looking very closely into what went on. In particular, the review would look at "possible misrepresentations" made to the electorate by one of the candidates in terms of his credentials.
   Having replaced Brendan Murphy, the serving councillor for Tytherington, with an alternative Conservative candidate of doubtful legality in a rush job before the election, Councillor Burns was outraged when the electorate failed to vote in his man.
   His first reaction was to insist that if Councillor Murphy was found to have been elected on "illegal" grounds then the contest would have to be re-run. Or, to save everyone the time, trouble and expense of another election, the candidate with the second highest number of votes -- his man Bill Livesey -- should be awarded the seat. [See Election Special 1 for the full results.]
   Mr. Angry's next move was to launch a Joe McCarthy-style witch-hunt for everyone who had supported his enemy, Councillor Murphy. The Leader's master plan was to close down the Tytherington Ward Conservative Association as politically tainted and to have anyone who had helped the rebel -- or who was suspected of having helped him -- expelled from the Conservative party.
   "Are you now, or have you ever been, a member of the Brendan Murphy Subversive Party?" is a question which every Conservative in the Macclesfield area is now obliged to answer as Mr. Angry goes his merry way, acting as judge, jury and executioner.
   Anyone who challenges him, or tries to ignore him, is automatically an Enemy Of The People. Indeed, one poor woman had to go to the trouble and expense of getting a solicitor's letter to prove that she wasn't associated with the rebel and therefore entitled to remain a member of the Conservative Party.
   Councillor Burns is well known in Macclesfield for ignoring rules and protocols, generally through ignorance of them, and for bullying people until they go along with his whims. His influence does not extend to farther afield, however. Tory Central Office has been remarkably unkeen to accept his invitation to rush into Macclesfield to duff up Councillor Murphy.
   Could it be that Mr. Angry is great at shooting his mouth off and bullying people who would prefer a quiet life, but not much cop at delivering results when people stand up to him?
   Watch this space!