Blackpool CANCELLED

[Axlsbabe]

i guess he is really angry, not the best way to express it though

[Salim201]

they just pulled the plug on his show with a few days notice affecting hundreds of people, let him do what he wants to get revenge!

[faceless]

but he's had at least a couple of days to lose that initial rage, and then to change it slightly and publically tell of a Police warning? It's just all so much ammunition for those with a grudge.

Mandy, do you know anything about this?

[Mandy]

The information on the web site for directors (names and home addresses) is public information available from Companies house district offices (or via the https://www.companieshouse.gov.uk).

Only in very exceptional cases (e.g. directors of M&S I believe where there was real fear violence) are allowed to withhold their home addresses and use the company address instead.

In the spirit of trying to find out what happened behind a company decision, naming the directors or shareholders does seem legitimate. Indeed, companies house maintains an open register so that people can see who is pulling the strings behind a company's facade.

The home addresses might even be in the BT phone book (but I didn't check).

[faceless]

that answers my question.

[Mandy]

Maybe the police should have had a quiet word with BPB to tell them that canceling a conference at the last minute might not go down well with all the attendees.

[popinjay]

I think it's fair play after what they did.

[nekokate]

The ammunition is already being used. I just read this reply on a random political blog that goes into all sorts of semi-accusations:

George Galloway's career has always been a cocktail of media, cash, ego and politics, so no one should be surprised at this latest instalment.

This weekend's Mother of All Talk Shows Convention has had to be cancelled after the owners of the venue where it was to take place pulled the plug with only three days to go.

For those wondering what the hell the “Convention” was in the first place, Galloway had hired the Globe Theatre in Blackpool and had been selling tickets through his Talksport Radio show for a Cabaret and stand up show.

The company involved claims it cancelled because:

"It has come to our attention only today and by reference to your website that the proposed event is to be more than a conference in terms that there is to be a live radio link with Talksport Radio and there is to be live entertainment... Furthermore, the supplemental pages are heavily politicised."

Mr Cam points to clauses in the contract with Mr Galloway's company Miranda Media Ltd allowing the Pleasure Beach to cancel any event which: "Would be prejudicial to our commercial interest, or may damage our reputation, or is likely to be illegal, immoral, racial, religious, sexual or disability discrimination."

And of course this has resulted in the usual Galloway response.

Libel action, bluster and invective.

Here’s a couple so far from press statements and web sites.

"They've made an enemy of me and of Talksport, as this was the annual convention of my radio show."

"It has to be politically motivated. It can't possibly have anything to do with my website."

"I pledge to them that I will do whatever it takes to make it up to them and to expose this deranged and despicable outfit. I am declaring my own jihad on this craven David Cam and his lickspittles."

For an MP to be possibly accused of damaging the reputation of Blackpool Pleasure Beach, is a remarkable achievement, one which I’m sure makes George unique.

Unfortunately the Company involved are now unable to say anything as their decision is the subject of libel action.

George however claims he will be “taking aim” on his radio show this weekend. More bluster I suspect once his lawyers and Talksport have had a word.

It would be easy to dismiss all this as the predictable antics of a cash thirsty egotist. However,Galloway is still an MP who has some responsibilities. And so lets have a look at how this “event” may conflict with this.

The Company running this event, Miranda Media Limited used the following address as it destination for Ticket Payment:

9 Club Row
London
E1 6JX

Ring any bells?

Well it's the office on which the locks were changed last week with Galloway claiming that the subletting of his office was a breach in Parliamentary rules.

This of course is a question which may interest both the Parliamentary Authorities and those Respect members and employees excluded from the building.

It also begs the question: Who is working for Miranda Media Limited?

Now, its been rumoured that some of George's Parliamentary Staff are involved in doing work for this company, which also may be of interest to all concerned.

George employs four staff, who are paid by the taxpayer, none of whom declare any financial benefit from other employers - which they have to do if the employment meets these conditions:

1. Any occupation or employment for which they receive over £300 from the same source in the course of a calendar year, if that occupation or employment is in any way advantaged by the privileged access to Parliament afforded by their pass.

2. Any gift (eg: jewellery) or benefit (eg: hospitality, services or facilities) they receive in the course of a calendar year, if the value of the gift or benefit exceeds £300 and if it in any way relates to or arises from their work in Parliament.

It may seem odd then that queries about missing tickets for Galloway's Blackpool gig were being dealt with by one of George's Parliamentary Staff. And that last night the same person was working late emailing out this:

Ayesha Bajwa to ******** show details 9:53 PM

The Mother of All Talk Shows Convention in Blackpool cannot now take place because the company which owns the theatre last night (Monday) cancelled the gig, despite the contract we had signed and the substantial deposit we had paid. We tried all day today to contact the company, Blackpool Pleasure Beach Limited, to find out the reason for the cancellation -personally and through our lawyers - to no avail. We also tried to find another last-minute venue but we were unsuccessful. According totheir email to us last night they feel that our presence may commercially damage them! This is a grave slur on all of you. We have now discovered that the company is a substantial donor to the Conservative party. I am devastated because all of you - more than 500 people - have been badly let down and financially hit. I am taking legal action against them and I am assured that we will win substantial damages - and I'm not a man who has ever lost a legal action. I will be suing for every penny every one of you has spent and for the damage this has caused me and talkSPORT and all of us. But I also urge you to raise your own small claims' actions and to make as much publicity and as much legal nuisance as you can to the company and its craven director David Cam. There will be a huge and free party when we win this I promise you.
George

Now if any of George’s staff would like to clear any of this up, please feel free. Or anyone working for Miranda Media Ltd. Or Both.

From https://grimmerupnorth.blogspot.com/2007 ... loway.html

[popinjay]

I've heard enough from George to know that he follows all the right guidelines and rules. He'll be in the right on this.

[nekokate]

The one thing that leaps out at me from that article I posted is that the author writes "George employs four staff, who are paid by the taxpayer..."

I know this is true of almost all politicians, but I seem to remember George once saying that he pays his own staff out of his own pocket. Remember on the past occasions when he has justified his appearance in Celeb Big Brother, one of the reasons he'd often cite was that his large fee went towards hiring more staff for his constituency office. So that's not tax-payer's money, is it?

Any clarification from the boffins on this?

[mickyv]

I also remember GG stating that his staff are funded by him. But does that mean that they are entirely paid by GG, or do they also receive some additional Government money ?

[luke]

i posted up an excel spreadsheet a while back of what all the mp's claim for this that and the other - galloway claims £89,700 for staffing costs, which is double or more of what some people are claiming, but less than a lot of others. he also claims £13,718 for office running costs

so from that i'd guess the tax payer pays for some and he's pays for others ...

does this mean i'm a boffin?!

[popinjay]

To be honest, because it's GG, I don't mind. He's value for money.

[Mandy]

I seem to remember George once saying that he pays his own staff out of his own pocket. Remember on the past occasions when he has justified his appearance in Celeb Big Brother, one of the reasons he'd often cite was that his large fee went towards hiring more staff for his constituency office. So that's not tax-payer's money, is it?

The distinction here is "constituency office" versus "parliamentary office". The blog was referring to parliamentary staff.

George was saying the more fees he gets, the MORE staff he can hire. But he can't pay for all the staff himself (and that's wouldn't be fair or economically practical).

[B.Turley]

The problem with the staff is sadly obvious.
The woman concerned has been running the company for George and has not declared an iterest.
It doesn't matter who pays her.
The Companies House info on Georges company has been posted around some blogs.

On a secondary note,does anyone know when we get our ticket money back?
George last night claimed he'd only paid a deposit to the theatre (which is returnable anyway) and that over 500 tickets were sold.
Is he therefore going to return the money?