Bristol mayor George Ferguson appoints Guy Poultney, Barbara Janke and Alastair Watson to cabinet

“@Phurr

I'm paraphrasing, but the same thing has been stated over and over in news articles on this site, as well as Ferguson's own site. One of the main criteria for the selection of cabinet members was experience (i.e. he wasn't looking for "fresh blood" or a new direction). Additionally, I believe it was in the story about Green party members joining the cabinet, it was stated that rather than Ferguson selecting the people he wanted directly then asking the party to confirm, he told the various parties how many seats they had been assigned, and the parties themselves put forward their preferred candidates. It stands to reason the parties would put forward their senior counsellors. So, as I've mentioned, we shouldn't be surprised the same familiar names are coming up.”

“@Mark
I am confused.

"Of course it's going to be the senior councillors from the various parties, that was Ferguson's whole intent."

When where?”

“@BristolMark2 - "Janke and co are of course going to accept cabinet positions regardless of their previous opinion of whether there should or shouldn't have been a mayor, to do anything else would be biting off their nose to spite their face."


"Biting off their nose to spite their face" or alternatively "failing to live up to the courage of their convictions"!

Let's hope that those members of the new cabinet that were originally less than enthusiastic about the idea of an elected mayor have all had a sincere change of heart.”

“Some slightly strange comments here concerning the familiar names that will be part of Ferguson's cabinet - who exactly were you expecting? Of course it's going to be the senior councillors from the various parties, that was Ferguson's whole intent. Likewise, Janke and co are of course going to accept cabinet positions regardless of their previous opinion of whether there should or shouldn't have been a mayor, to do anything else would be biting off their nose to spite their face.”

“The Post – 26 April 2012 – "Barbara Janke: Why I resigned as Bristol City Council leader"

http://tinyurl.com/7gesvu3

"Earlier this year [2012] she spoke out against the idea of an elected mayor for Bristol, stating that they would be no more than a "professional politician" who could do no better than traditional council leaders."


This statement seems to criticize all three jobs, "an elected mayor for Bristol", "professional politicians" and "traditional council leaders".

How does Cllr Janke reconcile her previously stated opinion with her new position on the Mayor's Cabinet?”

“same t**ds floating around in the same pond. But with a new shiny face with dazzling red pants to get you all to swallow the same rubbish. Its now officially just a rebrand of the same product. About as independent as a tesco express”

“Well it would have been worse if he had appointed Labour councillors without being aware that they were having their strings pulled from outside.

Now lets see what Labour's opposition skills are like - or should I say "what their faceless masters are like"?”

“Did'nt Ms Janke tell everybody she would'nt go into GF's cabinet?”

“@Richard34

I think you mean Redcliffe Way rather than Redcliffe Parade. Turning that in to a Barcalona style boulevard really would be impressive!”

“@Richard, it's all unravelling before our very eyes and you know it.

The rhetoric and the reality are so different, the "best minds in Bristol and thinking outside the box" becomes a PR woman and the same old faces.

But claiming that Gorgeous George had anything with the relocation of Rovers to UWE? Are you disingenuous or a fool? It's in South Glos! So the loss to Bristol of one of its few professional sports teams is a success? Idiot, is a word I rarely use.

As for "Already we have seen BRT focus on change of plan's in more fitting with space and communities;" Where the previous plans using other dimensions?”