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Tory Mayoral Candidate Andrew Boff’s Beef With Hackney Council

17/04/2010 By Jenn Dusseau

Andrew Boff

Earlier this week, Hackney’s decision to exclude Andrew Boffs election address, had the Tory mayoral candidate non too pleased with Hackney council.

The conservative mayoral candidate for Hackney claims his election address which was to appear in a Mayoral election booklet, to be sent out by Hackney council to all voters, was rejected because of a sentence “The Mayor and his Cabinet pay themselves £335,000 a year”, however he claims he was told the inclusion, would not pose a problem when he submitted his draft on 8 April, the day of the deadline.

Boff also claims his proposal to re-write it to read “Along with the pay of the Cabinet, the position of Mayor costs £335,000”, was rejected.

Per electoral statute laws: criticism of other candidates is not permitted in the mayoral address. However Boff says the Interim Electoral Services Manager, told him that, as the passage referred to the post rather than to the person, it would be fine.

On Monday 12 April, Boff received an email stating: “The election address submitted by yourself on Thursday 8 April is invalid and is rejected…The payment of £750 is forfeited and can only be returned if you should withdraw your candidature by the last time allowed for the withdrawal of candidature.”

However Boff says the Interim Electoral Services Manager, told him that, as the passage referred to the post rather than to the person, it would be fine, after he specifically drew attention to the particular paragraph.

“They are being entirely perverse and entirely partial,” said Mr Boff.

He went on to say, This comes in a long line of control freakery from the council to the point where it makes me wonder how fair the elections are going to be. I am concerned for my political rights.”

Hackney council said a few days later that Andrew Boff would be included in the list, however his election address which was deemed invalid, because it made references to another candidate, will be omitted.

Luke Akehurst, Labour councillor in Hackney and an agent for current Mayor Jules Pipe, responded to Mr Boffs complaints and those of his supporters by saying :

“Mr Boff has demonstrated he isn’t competent to be Mayor because he isn’t even able to submit a manifesto in the required format.

Your activists must privately be incredibly angry with your candidate for messing this up.

If Mr Boff’s message is so important he can do what political parties have always done and get volunteers to deliver it door-to-door.

But then maybe there aren’t enough Tories in Hackney to do that”.

Andrew Boff is also a conservative member of the London Assembly. He is a Londonwide member, representing all thirty-two boroughs and the City of London.

Boffs election address

More about Andrew Boff

5 Responses to Tory Mayoral Candidate Andrew Boff’s Beef With Hackney Council

uber boffmiester groupie Reply

18/04/2010 at 10:55 am

Luke Akehurst you ought to be ashamed of yourself. Did it ever occur to you that there are people still sitting on the fence as well as independents who WILL be voting for Mr Boff? Since when did Pipes start to encourage his pee ons to attack other candidates? ….

Where do I sign up to volunteer leaflet drops?
kris Reply

18/04/2010 at 11:10 am

Boff DID get his submission in on time and in the required format. The Electoral Services manager said so on Thursday, 8 April.

Cllr Akehurst (L) suggests Hackney’s Legal Department instructed counsel on at some point between Boff’s meeting with the ESM on Thursday 8 April and received counsel’s opinion in time to send the email to Boff on Monday, 12 April.

Incredible.

As Hackney Council are in the publishing business – let’s see them publish a copy of that counsel’s opinion saying the entirety of Boff’s submission must be pulled.

I won’t hold my breath as I could be waiting a very long time.

And you wonder why nobody believes one word coming out of Hackney Labour spin command.
kris Reply

18/04/2010 at 11:17 am

I’m not in PR (as Jules Pipe, Cllr Akehurst et al are) but if I were in Hackney Labour shoes, I would have simply responded that it is a purely a matter for the Electoral Services Manager in the exercise of his official function and has nothing to do with Hackney Labour or any of its members. End of.

I wouldn’t have gone on a full-metal ad hom attack on Boff’s ability to be Mayor.

just sayin.
Mrs Pauline Bristow Reply

30/04/2010 at 9:13 pm

I went on the Hackney website and asked why your details and policies had not been published. I had a reply that my request was offensive! I have run a “gentlemen’s venue” for over 30 years, yet I have received information that Hackney Council intend to reduce these to “nit” in all wards. This does not bode well for venues that have traded, paying for the fees and conditions imposed over many years, to be faced with closure or excessive restrictrions (eg not having an entrance on a thoroughfare and being below ground level! I have recently invested a lot of money in improving and updating my business, including renewing my lease for a further 15 years. Hackney’s new approach to their gentlemen’s venues will decimate several businesses; I employ about 15 people, who would all lose their jobs if Hackney Council decide to stop or severely restrictly our Conditions of trading. I know we might not be “flavour of the month” with all residents in the area, but we all have a right to trade, employ local staff and earn a living! We also attempt to ensure we do not cause a problem with residents by closing at 12 o/cllock and using SIA door supervisors.
Yet we feel like pyrahas despite being here for many, many years!
del Reply

07/05/2010 at 11:44 am

but as Mr Akehurst has linked himself to the role of the electoral services officer – perhaps he would like to take responsibility for the cock up that disenfranchised the voters at the anne Talyor centre and tha ongoing cock up with the count.

does someone who cant organise a straight elecction deserve to be in public office.