Paul Rowen MP- "Cheeky bugger" stealing thunder and raining on parade

The bare-faced cheek of Team Rowen knows no bounds.


The Parliamentary banana claimer and stamp free "yoof" junk mailer has been at it again via a Dave Hennigan exclamation mark strewn press release regarding Rochdale's "Feel Good" Festival.

Local people have started to see through these cheap media tactics with some constituents calling the current MP (in innocent old fashioned Lancashire parlance) a "cheeky bugger".

Paul Rowen claims that he launched "the biggest ever survey of Town Centre businesses". Those Feeling Good in Rochdale over the weekend did indeed see young eager surveyors handing out "I Love Rochdale" shopping bags. BUT- these youngsters were working for Rochdale Town Centre Management NOT the current MP.

The bare faced cheek of it!

Such shameless showboating is nothing new from the cheeky buggers from 142A and 144 Drake Strett (sic).

But bare faced cheek in Rochdale is a two way street. Sometimes it is hard to see the dividing line between the spin of politicians end and the unelected senior executive officers and associated companies and agencies.

Paul Rowen claims "developers are vying to build a brand new Rochdale Town Centre".
He forgets to mention the millions that have already been wasted on failed Town Centre tendering, a utter lack of proper public consulatation and some very dodgy property deals that have gone in a completely unaccountable way but using Rochdale taxpayers' cash.

As RAW has already stated, Rochdale is a town being Rogered. Rochdale Council Chief Executive Roger Ellis has never faced a ballot box yet loves to see his face in the press and council propaganda pushing the "exciting" regeneration of Rochdale.



As the wheels fall off the promised regeneration, the leaking unhappy seive that is Rochdale Council is full of rumours about the anger and paranoia of the Chief Exec and senior officers and managers at Impact Partnership and the Rochdale Development Agency to cover up the mistakes and failures with ever more eager "positive" press releases about "exciting times" promised for Rochdale.



"Jam Tommorrow"- paid for with about £2,000,000 media budget from RMBC, Impact Partnership, RDA and others.

Meanwhile, the people of Rochdale are being well and truly Rogered.

Existing shops are closing. The current shopping centres presently have over 25% retail voids. Drake Street looks like a bombsite. The outskirts of the town are surrounded by derelict sites and empty cleared land that already has existing planning permissions for office and retail development. Huge amounts of retail space, less than 20 years old and within sight of the Lib Dem HQ, has just been bulldozed.

The faded signs promoting our town by the ironicly named Rochdale Development Agency have the cheek to suggest the "Rochdale is Booming".

Rochdale has been failed by inept, failed, mismanagement. A moronic mafia of the mediocre that has cost us a bomb.



The bare faced cheek of Paul Rowen knows no bounds.

The "Feel Good" festival was an excellent idea.

It was originally planned as over 10 days of fun promoting Rochdale in a positive light. But there was an internal Rochdale Lib Dem fight that threatened the whole event. Rochdale Lib Dem husband and wife team Pat and Ted Flynns plus "Millionare" Hairdresser Cllr Greg Couzens wanted to scrap the entire Feel Good Festival. In the end, after civic shenanighans, the 10 day town centre event was cut down to a mere stump of a weekend.


a tit reckoning to be HM Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Many of those contributing to the weekend festival were unpaid volunteers that face the chop because of petty town hall shenanighans and the "exciting" Town Centre regeneration.

Excellent youth organisations including the Back Door Music Project and Skylight Circus are threatened by funding cuts and eviction at the whim of Rochdale Council and their buddies.

For years, Rochdale has been promised a Performing Arts Centre. (Dave Hennighan even had the bare faced cheek to promise to resign if it didn't happen). It hasn't be delivered but the overpaid "agent" remains.

And to add insult to injury, the hard work of volunters and lowly local staff members who worked on making Rochdale "Feel Good" gets hijacked by the same politicians and senior officers who have threatened and failed our town so much.

Rowengate: very naughty envelope stuffer...

Recently, Paul Rowen went bananas about published articles detailing his Parliamentary claims for a 15p knob of butter and strange fruit.

There is also a huge sum of Parliamentary cash claimed to part pay for an envelope stuffing machine.




£6000 pays for a lot of stuffing.

Despite his legal threats and gagging, mystery still surrounds the current Rochdale MP's office and staff expenses.

There are vague mentions of caseworkers but no names are given. Young Master Adam Power remains a Rochdale Lib Dem mystery- Paul Rowen is adamant he doesn't employ the young whippersnapper but that is probably because of the trouble Adam landed himself in when caught out briefing against Tony Lloyd MP.

But apparent strangers Paul and Adam are dogged by a photo showing them together in a compromising situation with a Lib Dem "Yoof Survey".




Adam had told his MySpace chums that he worked for an MP. His name is on the bottom of the Rochdale Lib Dem website as a promoter of the "Drake Strett" (sic) office. But Paul left the young man in the lurch .

So, if not funded by vague Parliamentary expenses, is young Adam paid from a slush fund of local mystery donations and contributons from Rochdale Counillors allowances?

This conundrum has come to a head with an article that has just been printed in today's Manchester Evening News.

In addition to a 15p knob of butter and 40p banana, it seems Team Rowen also won't pay for stamps for junk mail to young constituents.

The very naughty envelope stuffer ommited paying postage for a "yoof survey" letter.

As a result, a local young constituent, waiting for answers to job enquiries, received a Royal Mail notice that a letter was waiting for him at the local depot but would only be handed over if £1.27 in costs were paid.

Imaging the joy in the unemployed lad's heart to pay cash to receive junk drivel from the current MP?

But, as Cllr Mulgrew's dad might say..."there's more"...

Adam Power is a naughty boy. A few months ago he was been spotted, in a cunning disguise, with a scruffy older man, photographing fresh graffiti on the front wall of Rochdale Labour Party HQ, just before photos of said grafitti mysteriously appreared on Dave Ottewell's MEN blog.



Adam's shenanighans in trying to spike Tony Lloyd's comments on unrepentant spanker Cyril Smith got Paul Rowen into hot water with the Sergeant At Arms.

And there was also the mystery of the hacking of the open source Rochdale DLP website. In boyish high jinks, a photo of Gordon Brown was removed and a replaced by a Milliband. Within hours Dave Hennigan and young Adam were boasting of a upcoming scoop in the Daily Express.

But, surely expensive but moronic envelope stuffing has nothing to do with mystery web comments and shenanigans?

Perhaps?

Given the swift yet similar themed comments that have been posted on the MEN news webpage.

"Steve Cooke,Mark,Radcliffe., J. Peasmold Gruntfuttock, King of Peasmouldia, Mad Welsh Scotsman, Cadishead, and Al Capone of Atherton" all taking a keen interest in an apparent non-story. Doth someone protest a wee too much?

Has someone had a cunning plan? Use a couple of computers and a few bogus accounts (with a few profile name changes thrown in) to spike the news article with criticisms about it being old/boring/un-newsworthy.

Have the spunky young Cadets got a MySpace or 2Facebook accounts?

Surely none of those IP addresses would never be associated in any way with 144 or 142A Drake Street?

Surely such daytime shenanigans would never be paid for out of Parliamentary MP or Rochdale Councillor expenses or allowances?

Could Paul Rowen and Adam Power or "J. Peasmold Gruntfuttock, King of Peasmouldia" put an answers on a postcard?

But please remember a stamp.

Rowengate: Batting for both sides?

Dave Hennigan has been hard at the booze again - with a new angle.

Not the horizontal angle he has found himself in,


or a cocky 45 degree angle some would find rude...


but rather a cheeky "Fat Les, In-ger-land, full pint, defend our white homelands" kinda angle.

As unpaid reporter for Rochdale Online, Dave has written Paul Rowen's defence of the English pub.

As overpaid "Parliamentary Agent" Dave has posted on the RO created personal website of Paul Rowen, the same English pub story.

It includes a lovely photo of Paul, with his thumb up, with John Kay- Rochdale Online director, lawyer, Rotarian (shurely not Freemason?) and Rochdale Chamber of Commerce big wig.


So the MP who only discovered Palestine in late 2008
and portrays himself as a devout, sober, godfearing soul to his Muslim constituents also panders to the baser, perhaps illiberal, elements who see booze and the pub as a mainstay of English and Western civilisation?

No wonder there is growing discontent within certain prominent members of his local party.

In fairness, "batting for both sides" is probably the sort of shallow politicking that many politicians with diverse communities have to do. It is just that Dave Hennigan and Paul Rowen do it with more bare faced cheek than others. Or is that because of the pile of cash a bulging Parliamentary Communications Allowance provides. A license to print money?

But, as Jimmy Cricket would say..."there's more"...

As the sort of straight upstanding chap that goes bananas over Rochdale Observer publication of his expenses claim for a 15p knob of butter and comedy fruit, one would think that Paul Rowen would go the extra mile to be "whiter than white"- especially when wrapping himself in a beer-soaked St George's flag?

When Paul Rowen spoke in Parliament to defend the English pub, he did not declare an interest in the Corinya Group of companies. He is paid by Corinya in Uganda. The British arm of Corinya - a seperate company - but one that shares directors and website, owns several local pubs.

Paul Rowen, the MP who has just discovered Palestine but defender of the full pint and English pub, paid by a Ugandan company that has close links to a UK company with the same name and website...that owns pubs.

Trebles all round! (and don't forget the receipt)

Paul Rowen MP- "Putting Uganda First" ?

As part of the Rochdale Obsever's front page "apology" to Paul Rowen has the headline

" I have always striven to put Rochdale first".

Oh, the irony of such drivel. Within days, the Daily Telegraph published details of Paul Rowen's second paid job. Cash and employment that was reported by RAW last month.

The Telegraph is clear about Paul Rowen's second job Ugandan shenahighans:

Paul Rowen

Lib Dem, Rochdale

Paid £1,500 last year as a director of a Corinya, a company investing in property in Uganda. He attends meetings in the east African country at least once a year.

£1500? Tax Free? Property company? Links with Property development in Rochdale and Rochdale Council contracts? Attending Ugandan meetings at least once a year?

As the wheels fall off the regeneration of Rochdale, with manufacturing industry and retail leaving our town in droves, Rochdale's current MP is "striving to put Rochdale first" by being paid by property developers, with strong links to Rochdale, to attend Ugandan meetings and Kampalan Rotary Club dinners with his second job income?

Unlike Cyril Smith, RAW doesn't beleive in corporal punishment. A naughty Paul Rowen must be punished by writing out 100 lines:

"I must strive for Rochdale harder"

Rowengate- Rochdale's current MP wins minor battle but forfeits war?

What an interesting few days.


Paul Rowen wasted one of his last Get Out of Jail Cards by paying lawyers Pannones to threaten the Rochdale Observer with libel. The Guardian Media Grope blinked and hung its new Rochdale Obscurer Editor and young reporter out to dry.

One of Paul Rowen's finest tactical hours? Or a crassly stupid move by a desperate politician who is damaged goods?

This hubris could take the heat off Team Rowen for the next few weeks regarding expenses, but a die has been cast. Those with influence in the media who have been threatened have very long memories.

Having the pyrrhic victory published in the Press Gazzette - this makes any further delving into Paul Rowen's activities a tad more newsworthy.


Rowen's comedic 15p knob of butter and 40p banana were claimed and repeated in the Obby's vague "apology". The question of office, printing and communication expenses and allowances have NOT been resolved - despite the clumsy gagging order .

The muttering within the Liberal Democrats in Rochdale and the Federal Party is growing. Yet the real scandals that will dog Paul Rowen haven't really seen light of day yet.

The real test will be how the Guardian Media Group handles future newsworthy scandals about Paul Rowen and the Rochdale Lib Dems - especially if they confirm that Rowen's libel threats were hollow.

Sleeze, incompetance, fiddling, corruption, criminality, sex abuse?

Will those with the power to investigate and publish now be scared off by cheap threats?

Or will they be even more resolved to get to the truth?

Only time will tell.

Rowengate- Rochdale's current MP spits dummy out at Rochdale Observer

In a bizarre turn of events, Paul Rowen has made it known to Rochdale Online that he is "planning to launch legal proceedings" against the Rochdale Observer over their recent coverage of his Parliamentary expenses.

Absolute bollocks - this will never see a court. But the rationale behind this shoddy peice of spin is most illuminating.

Knob of butter - 15p

RAW has seen Paul Rowen's redacted Parliamentary expenses forms (and a few Westminster shocking documents that haven't public seen light of day yet). Quite simply the ruddy bloater is damaged goods. If anything, the Rochdale Observer let him off quite lightly.

Paul Rowen (plus his "Agent" and spin doctor Dave Hennighan) have bitten off far more than they can chew taking if they are to take the Rochdale Observer to court. And that takes some doing, after being caught stuffing themselves on 40p bananas. Or was that some mystery intern?

Paul Rowen seems to have a short memory. He says in his 25 years as a councillor and MP (2 of those years as both- with double bubble allowances and expenses to boot) he suggests he had never had to resort to any form of legal threats with the Rochdale Obscurer.

Bollocks.

The leaky vessel which is Guardian Media Group's regional titles has many, former or current, pissed-off hacks ready to come clean about the antics of the Rochdale Lib Dems. Some conversations have included the words "corrupt" and "sex offenders" within the sentence structures.

For years, Cyril Smith has bullied and threatened the local rag with his dodgy letters and angry phone calls. Dave Hennigan has bombarded the switchboard with chaff, lame excuses and promises of exclusives. But now, the wheels are falling off the Dream Team Brains Trust that is Rochdale Lib Dems.

It wasn't that long ago that a red-faced Paul Rowen and hursuite Alan Taylor turned up at the Ob heavy handed for a meeting during the old Editor Clare Mooney's tenure. Even though the blinds were turned down on the office partition, all and sundry at the Drake Street Ob office heard some of the threats being levelled at the weary boss lady and her deputies. Hennighan was cock-a-hoop after that meeting and bragged that the local newspaper was eating out of his hand. The weak, bland and perhaps Lib Dem biased reportage of Ms Mooney's regime could be seen as testament to past Lib Dem threats and influence being effective.

So why the legal threat from Paul Rowen now?

Firstly it is a standard diversionary and damage limitation tactic after a bad news day. Suggest the facts are actually lies and throw in the magic, but meaningless, phrase "launch of legal proceedings". Hey presto, sometimes things disappear in a puff of smoke.

It has worked for Cyril for decades. Ever read about Cambridge House and the allegations of serious sexual abuse in the Rochdale Observer?

Secondly and most importantly, this is a test of the GMG's metal. The Rochdale Observer has a new editor. Given the impending reorganisation of the regional titles to Manchester, are GMG going to back new Ob editor Gerry Sammon against dodgy legal threats from a man who claimed for a 15p knob of butter? Or will they leave the new boy out to dry with a small some being donated to Springhill Hospice- Rochdale Rotary and Freemason's popular local charity recipient?

The Fees Office will give Mr Rowen short shrift about funding such desperate legal threats. Given what many know about several prominent members of Rochdale Lib Dem members, is Paul Rowen really ready to waste one of his last Get Out Of Jail Cards?

Rowengate: Parliamentary Passes- BOGOFF offer?

How many people are paid by the £88,468 Parliamentary staffing allowances claimed by current Rochdale MP Paul Rowen?

"BOGOFF" seems to be the reply when constituents ask politely.

The Public Whip also suggests Paul is "ambiguous" on the whole issue of transparency of expenses. Very slow in his motions with multiple no-shows to vote the Bill through - but a canny jump on the bandwagon when the MP's expenses “sheet heet da fan” last month.

Paul Rowen appears confused about how many people work for him.

Curiously, an article that made references to staffing numbers on Rochdale Online, published on April Fool's Day, has now disappeared. Instead is a new article published this month.

And Paul Rowen's website (paid for by taxpayer's) now appears to have airbrushed out past descriptions of his staff and bulging casework mailsacks.

However, the Rochdale Observer doesn't seem to meddle as much with its internet content.
On 4th April Paul Rowen gave an account of his staffing levels:

"My expenses have risen because I have taken on two extra part-time workers to cope with demand. I employ a researcher in London and three full-time and two part-time staff at my office in Drake Street."

So there we have it. Clear as mud.

RAW asked about Paul Rowen's staffing levels late last year.

We now know that the new Mayoress, Sue Etchells, has been described by Paul as his "PA".

Dave Hennigan describes himself as Paul's "Agent" and that Rochdale Lib Dem councillors refused to pay him any longer out of their contributions of taxpayer funded council "allowances".

So those are two full-timers at Drake Steet that can be accounted for. Just how much more money Dave gets than Sue isn't certain. It is rumoured that the amount Paul [sic] pays (we pay) for Dave is "off the scale".

So who is, according to Paul Rowen, the third full-timer at Drake Street?

Surely not Adam Power? The International Lib Dem man of mystery? Paul catagorically denied that he employed Adam. He had to given that the Sergeant at Arms threatened to give him a right roasting because of Adam's cunning plan to tell the media that Tony Lloyd allegedly denied a quote attributed in the Mirror criticising Cyril Smith.

The cunning plan backfired. Former asbestos worker Tony Lloyd MP DID openly criticise Cyril Smith. The Mirror got a BOGOFF with not one, but two national articles exposing Cyril Smith's unrepentant and shameful attitude toward dying asbestos cancer victims.

Adam Power was given a special mention by Kevin Maguire. Like a true leader, Paul Rowen denied any involvement with "Adam Who"? Despite poor Adam telling his MySpace chums that he was an "intern for an MP".

Adam's writing skills haven't improved much despite a chunky Parliamentary communications allowance (£10,324 this year) being claimed by "Million Pound Paul". The Rochdale LibDems website "published and promoted" by Adam Power still describes the office as being on "Drake Strett". A current political poll aimed at criticising the Labour PPC isn't going well for Paul -despite Adam's cute spelling mistakes:

[quote] "Do you agree with the Labour Parliamentary Candidate's view that we should holt our much needed town centre redevelopment plans?

("Halt" not "Holt" Adam- that's 6 'stingers' and a wet sponge for you young man!)

Paul Rowen also received £6000 of taxpayers cash for a £15,000 envelope stuffing machine for his Drake Strett office. Is that any way to describe poor Master Power?

So, who are the pair of Rochdale part-timers?

Former "conviction" politician John Hayworth?

John Swarbrick? The "scruffy old man" seen loitering with a cunningly disguised Adam Power taking photographs of mysterious grafitti at Rochdale Labour Party HQ?

The same photos that mysteriously appeared on Dave Ottewell's blog? Is this a good use of taxpayer's money from Parliamentary staffing allowances?

Similar shenanighans with "persons unknown" hacking into to Rochdale DLP's open door website and changing the photo of Gordon Browen with one of the Milliband's during the 2008 Labour Conference? Dave Hennighan then boasting of the triumph of a coloumn inch in the Daily Express about it? Is this yet another example of taxpayer's money being spent wisely on Mr Rowen's Rochdale constituency office?

So Paul Rowen's Rochdale staff remain named, even though we are paying for them.

However, something very curious is going on in Westminster.

Paul suggested to the Observer that he had ONE "researcher" at Westminster.

One, Uno, Une, Eine, 1.

But, according to the Parliament Publications, Paul Rowen has TWO employed by him in Westminster.

BOGOFF?!

How can Paul Rowen be that forgetful? Is that why recent statements about his staffing levels have curiously BOGOFFed from parts of the internet?

To remind forgetful Paul - his TWO Westminster "research" staff are named:

Alex Webster and... "Edward Lord"

Is that Charles Edward Lord?

Paul Rowen's "good friend" ?

Yet Paul Rowen told the Obby he had only ONE Westminster researcher?

But have TWO staff Parliamentary passes been issued? Double bouble!

If we delve further, will we be told to "BOGOFF"?