Sheffield Lib-Dem crosses the floor

[ricgem2002 11]

This is one of those situations where I really really wish that I could repeat everything that I knew about this case. Especially as it might quieten down those of the Labour persuasion who seem certain that there can be an innocent explanation for a councillor requesting access to thousands of people's personal data days before defecting to another party.

 

Whatever political colour you are, that sort of behaviour simply isn't acceptable, and I'm shocked that the person at the centre of this case is someone who less than a week ago I still thought to be one of my closest and most trusted friends. C'est la vie.

 

And with that, may I respectfully suggest that all in this thread respect the ongoing criminal investigation - whether they are armed with the facts or not?

you could repeat everything you know about this case but you wont because of either fear of being sued/prosecuted/dismissed from your post . if there is an innocent explanation of a councillor taking this information away with him, what i would like to know is what information the council holds on people and is that information only avaible to a certain few people?.

[cgksheff 44]

 

Anyhow, I don't think any of this is going to go further than accusations, I would be surprised if the police go balls out on this one unless pressured to.......

 

 

It depends upon what you mean by 'balls out', but they are investigating the matter:

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-11393223

 

South Yorkshire Police said enquiries were taking place into the allegations.

 

A police statement said: "The force have received allegations regarding theft of confidential data from Sheffield City Council.

 

"Officers will be carrying out enquiries to establish the circumstances of the allegations."

[Jops 10]

Certainly a slight impression of this being caused by sour grapes, not sure that the police will have that much time to investigate as surely they'll be busy guarding Dave Croft's signs if he's standing in the Manor by-election.

 

However, perhaps Umseek can clarify this, but the order of events seems slightly strange. From the article in the Star it appears that the Lib Dem's response was to

 

1: Issue Press Release

2: Inform Police

 

When surely a more sensible course of action would be to

 

1: Speak to/write to Cllr. Curran and request that if he has any data which he is alleged to and is no longer entitled to hold under the data protection act could he delete/return it.

2: If he doesn't do this then, inform the Information Commissioner

3: Consider whether a press release is necessary.

[espadrille 10]

Certainly a slight impression of this being caused by sour grapes, not sure that the police will have that much time to investigate as surely they'll be busy guarding Dave Croft's signs if he's standing in the Manor by-election.

 

However, perhaps Umseek can clarify this, but the order of events seems slightly strange. From the article in the Star it appears that the Lib Dem's response was to

 

1: Issue Press Release

2: Inform Police

 

When surely a more sensible course of action would be to

 

1: Speak to/write to Cllr. Curran and request that if he has any data which he is alleged to and is no longer entitled to hold under the data protection act could he delete/return it.

2: If he doesn't do this then, inform the Information Commissioner

3: Consider whether a press release is necessary.

 

But of course if Councillor Curran had discussed his intentions with the party in the first place then there would have been no need for any of that would there?

[Grandad.Malky 11]

I feel incredulous about what has happened.

(

 

Quite right one can only imagine how voters feel having trusted their vote to Clegg after thinking the party had finally become credible only to see him become a Tory whipping boy and not forgetting the party members that must feel foolish having campaigned and then having the manifesto changed behind closed doors.

 

If a candidate was elected on the promise of improved schools for his area for example how can he stand in front of those voters now and say ………….. oops Nick thinks a position in government is more important than crumbling prefabricated buildings.

[hard2miss 10]

Quite right one can only imagine how voters feel having trusted their vote to Clegg after thinking the party had finally become credible only to see him become a Tory whipping boy and not forgetting the party members that must feel foolish having campaigned and then having the manifesto changed behind closed doors.

 

If a candidate was elected on the promise of improved schools for his area for example how can he stand in front of those voters now and say ………….. oops Nick thinks a position in government is more important than crumbling prefabricated buildings.

Don't start me off, I feel like bursting into tears every time I think of it and how long I stood in that Cue to give the lib dems my vote

[natjack 10]

Don't start me off, I feel like bursting into tears every time I think of it and how long I stood in that Cue to give the lib dems my vote

crocodile tears? Are you queuing cuing up to over egg the pudding now? Having the sig that you have is a fair sign of where you're coming from

 

I'm quite impressed at how many of their policies the LDs have managed to impose in such a short space of time. And yet we don't have Conservative supoorter queuing up to whine about it ...

 

Those grapes haven't ripened much since May, have they? Always been sore losers, Labour.

[Grandad.Malky 11]

I'm quite impressed at how many of their policies the LDs have managed to impose in such a short space of time.

 

.

 

Like ............... ?

 

You must know something the party members at their conference don’t.

[espadrille 10]

You obviously dont read many threads on here or read them and disregard the facts.

 

I cannot be bothered to type it all out again as I really dont think it would make a difference.

And trying to twist what people are saying does you no favours. You obviously realised that my incredulity was regarding the recent news in The Star and not any perceived( by you) disgruntlement I have with Nick Clegg

[jgharston 11]

We expect well balanced contribution from you,please don't resort to politicking Jonathan, i have always regarded your posts to be the upmost in fairation.

 

Where was the politicking?

 

I have no issue with being on the roll, I take issue with the lib dems having my details on their database and I certainly know my telephone number wasn't on the electoral roll - to all intent and purpose for public record I don't have a telephone number!

 

You phone number is in the phone book, either this year, or at some point in the past in any year since the telephone was invented, or you have given your phone number by telephoning somebody without concealling it and without asking for it not to be recorded. If you don't want your telephone number known, then BEFORE you get a telephone line go exdirectory and put an ID block on your line, never tell anybody your telephone number, and never ask anybody to contact you. That includes never writing to somebody on headed notepaper with your telephone number printed on it, never giving anybody a business card with your telephone number on it, never putting your telephone number in an email signiture, and never quoting your telephone number in the body of an email or letter.

 

The legal responsibility for pursuing allegations of data loss lies with the Information Commissioner not with the police.

...

Shouldn't this story be "Liberal Democrats reckless with personal data about thousands of Sheffield people"?

Yes, by selecting somebody for election without properly vetting their suitability and trustworthiness. (Not that I'm bitter in any way )

 

If you look at previous posts - especially those from Cllr Harston - there is an immediate flaw in the Lib Dems case.

Cllr Curran WAS a member of the Lib Dem party when he ALLEDGEDLY downloaded the information. Therefore no crime has been committed as the information was there for Lib Dem members and councillors to use.

 

Whether somebody is a party member or not, when they use the data being refered to it is only legal for them to use it within the terms of the licence which required that it be only used for Liberal Democrat purposes. IF any person still has the data, there is no problem with them or anybody else continuing to use the data FOR LIBERAL DEMOCRAT PURPOSES as required by the terms of the license. Of course, if any such person ceases to be directly involved in Liberal Democrat activities in such a decisive way as, let's say, joining another political party, then it is very difficult to legally adhere to the terms of the license.

 

IF any such person has any such data that they had no intention of using for Liberal Democrat puposes - whether he was a member of the LibDems or not - then the DPA requires that that data is either securely destroyed or securely handed over to the the data's controller. The DPA also requires that the data's controller ensures that this happens - whether big sticks are used is a private matter

 

... this is info Labour and the Greens will already have, to a large extent ...

 

When entering data I've often thought: this would be so much more efficient if we all pooled our data - split the workload four ways

Edited September 23, 2010 by jgharston
Spelling mistakes

[fox20thc 10]

 

 

 

You phone number is in the phone book, either this year, or at some point in the past in any year since the telephone was invented, or you have given your phone number by telephoning somebody without concealling it and without asking for it not to be recorded. If you don't want your telephone number known, then BEFORE you get a telephone line go exdirectory and put an ID block on your line, never tell anybody your telephone number, and never ask anybody to contact you. That includes never writing to somebody on headed notepaper with your telephone number printed on it, never giving anybody a business card with your telephone number on it, never putting your telephone number in an email signiture, and never quoting your telephone number in the body of an email or letter.

 

 

 

The telephone number called to ask to speak to me is a business line for my partners business, I don't have any connection to that number, I don't use that phone, I have a mobile. The only way they could have done that is to look up my partner see I live at the same address and phone his number to get to me.

[hard2miss 10]

crocodile tears? Are you queuing cuing up to over egg the pudding now? Having the sig that you have is a fair sign of where you're coming from

 

I'm quite impressed at how many of their policies the LDs have managed to impose in such a short space of time. And yet we don't have Conservative supoorter queuing up to whine about it ...

 

Those grapes haven't ripened much since May, have they? Always been sore losers, Labour.

I did spell queuing like that but missed out a u and the spell check let me down, still I would sooner not be able to spell than be a dick.

I made the mistake of voting for one party only for them to rip off the wool to be something else so I have a right to 'whine'. It would be like buying a snickers only to find out it was a mars bar under the wrapper