PaulI think this is an extremely unfair interpretation of what I have said and what I have done.We purchased the TW7 domain once it had become clear that the Labour Party had taken ownership of this one. Far from fearing expansion of a site such as this one into Isleworth, increasing public awareness and, even more importantly, participation is the very raison d'etre of the ICG. It is what we are about, indeed it is effectively all we are about.If you read my posting objectively you will see that we purchased the domain as a precaution, and anybody with an ounce of knowledge about the way in which the Labour Party has conducted itself in Isleworth over a period of nearly three decades will appreciate why. Everything which these people have ever been involved in has had to be subject to their rigid control, with dissenting voices or indeed contrary opinions of any kind excluded. Take a look into the history of the residents' and tenants' movement in Isleworth and you will see instantly what I mean. Organisations which they succeed in dominating become closed shops. Those which they don't they seek to penetrate by degree or, where they can't even do this, they use their control of Hounslow Homes and the housing associations, and where possible the lure of free money, in order to try to get a foot in the door. We "ordinary people" cannot be left to our own devices.Under the circumstances, was it really that unreasonable of us to fear that this forum would end up going the same way? Was there any historical evidence whatsoever to suggest that it wouldn't? Because there was an awful lot to suggest that it would.As I said in my posting, in the event Matt has run a clean operation and I would welcome something similar in Isleworth, even if it was run by political "opponents". What concerns us is not who operates it, but how it is operated. What I would not be prepared to do would be to give up ownership of the domain for something of a more political nature, from which the wider community is excluded. If that is "my conditions being met" then so be it.I have always seen the ICG as being more bullied than bullying. Maybe it is something of a back-handed complement that we should now be considered so large and powerful that people such as yourself have come to see us as the aggressor. But it is not a role which I would want for our organisation and I will take your comments on board. ICG members use this forum freely, we do not co-ordinate our postings and there is certainly no conscious "tactic", as you put it, being employed. If debate sometimes seems one-sided, it is often because the other "side" fails to respond to questions or avoids awkward issues. Is this our fault too?I repeat, I would be very happy indeed to discuss releasing the TW7 domain for a project of this kind. I said this in my first posting, and have been misquoted by two people. Maybe you are trying to bully me?
Phil Andrews ● 7082d