Interview with Jim Miller |
People | |||
Written by John Eager | |||
Sunday, 22 November 2009 11:02 | |||
Interview with Jim Miller Where do you come from? Leominster the last three years, previously London. I'm a writer, currently working on my book "Ancient Roman Herb Gardens." Completely independent I am less concerned with the form-filling errors than with the Council tax, telephone, gas and electricity claims he made & which can be viewed at mpsallowances.parliament.uk
Chris Bull, Chief Executive of Herefordshire Council says there were errors in my forms; my lawyers - human rights firm Leigh Day & Co - say there was nothing wrong with them and are pursuing the Council through the High Court. Even were there errors, Mr Bull did not have the power to stop the election. That could only have been done by my opponent, after the election, and via an election petition. He wrote an email to Chris Bull asking him to find legal reasons to disqualify me from the ballot. Three days later Mr Bull disqualified me - illegally, my lawyers say - but says he was not influenced by Mr Wiggin' s email. I obtained the email using the Freedom of Information Act. I have not received State benefits for more than 25 years. But according to the Daily Telegraph, Mr Wiggin has: £13,000 for 2005 & 2006 alone, on claims for Council tax, telephone, utilities, cleaning. You name it - if there's a handout going, Mr Wiggin's straight in there. His accusation against me is simultaneously pathetic, hilarious and, on his part, desperate. Someone asked me to stand at the next Election! I answered "I'm not a politician, just a trouble-maker" and it's true. I hope there are lots of trouble-makers out there scrutinising their MP's online expenses. Let's nail the wrong'uns! We have freedom of speech protected by the rule of law. That is why three weeks ago, a judge ruled in favour of my lawyers and against Chris Bull. The people involved in politics, from Parliament down to Leominster Town Council are shocking, and may eventually drive the country towards the far right, and no democracy at all. I mean legal trouble-making! Did you know Leominster is where the first draft of Magna Carta was written, at Barons Cross? We've got a tradition to maintain around here... I've found from my court case that they will stoop to any levels and spend any amount of our money to suppress the truth. They seem to actively hate democracy. Locally, the Journal is very even-handed (although that has meant them printing front page stuff about me that isn't even vaguely true). The H Times has pretended none of the Bill Wiggin or Election Petition stuff has even happened, but there's a new editor now & that may change... I like my grub, and Ceci Paulo's is great. Also the Four Oaks deli sells samphire! Impressed me as it's an obscure, ancient Roman herb. Ledbury's like a rather posh Leo, though sadly you've got the same blight as us, polytunnels. Permitting them in such a beautiful place is another disgraceful betrayal by this rubbish Council. The ordinary folk have a terrific sense of humour. When we find a new way to wind up Bill or the Council, people suss straight away that is a laugh! The po-faced politicos who think they run things hate our guts. And that's hilarious too! The most beautiful county in England. Why are the Council determined to cover it with giant polytunnels and hideous labour camps, luring naive foreign kids here to work for £30 a week? And why are we letting them?? Fingers crossed, but hopefully to a successful conclusion in the High Court. I'll then become a tiny line in italics - Miller Vs Herefordshire Council - in some enormous legal tome I'll never get to see! Jim Miller - Leominster Independent The Ledbury Portal thanks Jim Miller for giving this interview. Jim Miller's views and opinions are not necessarily shared or endorsed by the Ledbury Portal.
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Last Updated on Wednesday, 19 May 2010 08:27 |