Is Owen Smith more important than Council Services & Barnet UNISON members providing them?

The above question was provoked when I spotted a letter signed by 1,000 councillors on social media this morning.

http://labourlist.org/2016/08/500-labour-councillors-why-we-are-backing-owen-smith-to-continue-the-fight-against-austerity/

For me the local issue was to see that 9 Barnet Labour councillors have signed this letter.

For those that know me, I am always willing to learn and improve our communications as a branch that has had to endure eight years of mass outsourcing.

I decided to have a look to see how our Barnet UNISON branch petitions have been supported by Barnet Labour Party councillors.

In Barnet the political make up of Barnet Council is as follows:

31 Tories

30 Labour

1 Lib-Dem

I have had a look at three Barnet UNISON petitions, which I hope you can only please sign.

See what I found.

1. STOP THE ONGOING DESTRUCTION OF SERVICES FOR ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES IN BARNET

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/stop-the-ongoing-destruction-of-services-for-adults-with-disabilities-in-barnet

1,039 signatures

6 out of 30 Labour councillors signed this petition.

2. STOP THE DESTRUCTION OF BARNET LIBRARY SERVICE AND THE SACKING OF BARNET LIBRARY WORKERS

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/stop-the-destruction-of-barnet-library-service-and-the-sacking-of-barnet-library-workers/manage

529 signatures

1 out of 30 Labour Councillors have signed this petition.

3. KEEP BARNET COUNCIL SERVICES PUBLIC

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/keep-barnet-council-services-public

264 signatures

None of the 30 Labour councillors have signed this petition.

So after eight years of relentless campaigning, Owen Smith has managed to motivate more Barnet Labour Councillors to sign a letter of support than Barnet UNISON.

My view is that Owen Smith is not the real challenger and if they are honest with themselves most of his supporters know that.

Yesterday I read this article by Paul Mason https://medium.com/mosquito-ridge/the-sound-of-blairite-silence-aed2ef726c8a#.pckm7r9w8

Paul makes some excellent points and I recommend you read it.

Here are at least five questions which Owen Smith is never asked and won't be because the establishment are backing him.

1. What if people vote for Brexit again? 

2. Who will be in your Shadow Cabinet?

3. What does Owen think of the Blairite project?

4. What is Owens relationship to Progress?

5. What is your view on Saving Labour and Labour Tomorrow?

p.s. No I am not surprised by Sadiq coming out in support for Owen Smith, I expected it as did many, it just reinforces the negative view of careerists putting themselves first. I know what I am going to do, I am going to campaign around the 10 Pledges we have a big job ahead and I'm looking forward to it.

p.p.s. My answer is a BIG NO, Owen Smith is not more important, we have a work to do to change the lives of our communities for the better 

Solidarity