The following is not satire …. it’s all true.
Prize pillock Brian Coleman, a senior member of Boris Johnson’s administration and one of Britain’s highest paid councillors, has told a single mother facing eviction who asked for his advice to “live in the real world”.
Coleman, a leading Barnet councillor, is paid more than £120K pa but still has managed to find himself a cosy Finchley Methodist Church Housing Association Flat for which he pays around just £540 a month.
And last year, the scrounging, lazy, incompetent arsehole claimed, and got, £3,500 of taxpayers’ money in expenses for journeys that included ferrying his mother to events in cabs.
Yet he was hypocritical enough to tell a single mother who asked for his advice after her private landlord increased the rent for her home from £950 to £1,100 that people like her should “live in the real world …. rather than expecting ‘the system’ to sort their lives out…..”
He also revealed in his reply that he hadn’t even been bothered to read her email as he ‘advised’ her to get accommodation in the private sector even though she was already renting ….. in the private sector.
Read the whole story here and here – and see if you can get to the end of the articles without coming to the same conclusion as me about Mr Coleman.
Namely that he’s a complete knobhead.
So who fancies explaining to this prick about what it’s like for real people living in the real world who don’t have cosy jobs doing sweet FA for the rate payers who pay his enormous salary?
Let’s swamp Coleman with emails telling him about what it’s like to live in the real world.
Here’s his email address:
brian.coleman@london.gov.uk
And here’s Boris Johnson’s, his mate:
mayor@london.gov.uk
Here’s a sample email you can use. Or make one up yourself and post it in the comments section so others can see it and use it. I’m sure some of you can come up with much better versions than mine:
Dear Mr Coleman,
Let me explain to you about the real world you seem to think you know so much about.
In the real world, most people in this country don’t earn anywhere near 120,000 a year for doing next to nothing. In the real world, most people don’t scrounge off the tax payer claiming expenses for doing nothing to help the people you were supposed to be elected to help. In the real world, most people have to scrape a living and get by on next to nothing or very little.
That’s the real world.
I sincerely hope in future elections, the voters of London give you a taste of real life in the real world by turfing you out of your cosy ‘job’ so you have to scrape a real living trying to make ends meet – just like the rest of us have to.
Yours in disgust,
A member of the real world.
.
Please feel free to comment – you don’t need to register and I’m extremely minimal with the moderating – so fire away.
.
Nick Gall said:
What a wanker.
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Rich said:
Wow. Just wow.
How do I get his job? Oh wait, I’m not a cunt.
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David Edwards said:
will send suitable e-mail when I’ve stopped being so angry, grrr
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Tom Pride said:
Brilliant.
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Tom Pride said:
Normally I’d try to think of a more eloquent description but ….. yeah he’s a wanker.
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Tom Pride said:
I know – I couldn’t write in the example email what I really wanted to say. I hope others will make some better examples.
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communitychampion said:
Dear Cllr Coleman
I live in the real world, and by Christ, it’s hard.
I got sacked from my job after I objected to being sworn at by a Police Officer, my internal appeal failed, my tribunal was successful and I was awarded compensation.
I then found it difficult to get another job after seven long years of loyal dedicated service in a job where I’d been assaulted, saved people from dying, had my home address published so thugs could terrorise me and was spat/verbally abused on a routine, daily basis. My wage in this job was just below the National Minimum Wage but I did the job as I had to. The police weren’t interested in any complaints unless they were really serious.
I then found a job which pays £13000 per annum and applied for and was awarded Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit. Despite being awarded this the Council decided it had made a mistake so immediately plunged me into debt in order to recover this money. I nearly lost my job as it’s against the organisations rules and regulations to have outstanding debt with creditors such as bailiffs, local authorities and debt collectors.
I am luckily in receipt of Working Tax Credits as without this I would literally sink with rising rent, fuel and food prices.
My father has almost gone bankrupt trying to help me due to the inefficient and highly disorganised Job Centre/Council Benefits Team.
I live in my overdraft but each month I am moving closer and closer to finally being in the black as opposed to constantly being in my overdraft.
I hope this can give you some idea of what it’s really like living in the real world.
When you have to budget for an £0.89p sausage roll just to eat something then there is a chance me and you could sympathise with each other.
Regards
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Tom Pride said:
Excellent email – let’s hope he starts to get the message.
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Alex Braithwaite (@labour52rose) said:
Have sent emails to both, thanks for the heads up
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Nick Gall said:
Have sent this to the lovely man…
Sir,
It is my understanding that you, when asked for advice by a desparate single mum, brushed off her concerns by telling her to ‘live in the real world.’ I also hear that you earn £120,000 pa, and managed to obtain a reasonably priced Housing Association flat which costs you half the rent charged to the aforementioned lady, who, by the way, you appear to have treated with utter contempt.
Neverr mind eh? I am sure that a single mum with a learning disabled son can easily conjure the extra £150 per month out of thin air, after all, she doesn’t have the role suffer the privations that you, living in the real world, have to endure. After all, we already know how financially precarious your situation is, and those £3.5k in expenses that you claimed last year can’t make life any easier. Sir, I would beg to point out that most of us do live in the real world, wheras you, from your lofty position, would appear to know nothing about the way ordinary people have to struggle to get by. The kind of people that you are paid to represent. I hope that you are ashamed
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Nick Gall said:
I would usually do so too, but this seemed to sum him up as well as anything could.
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communitychampion said:
Cheers Tom.
He has said he has no idea why I am writing to him.
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Tom Pride said:
That’s funny. He knows exactly why of course.
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Tom Pride said:
That’s excellent. Better than mine.
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communitychampion said:
Of course he does – I’ve written back quite a strongly worded e-mail;
He wrote;
“Are you a constituent ?
I am afraid your rambling e mail gives no idea what why you are writing to me”
I wrote;
Cllr Coleman
My rambling e-mail, as you put it, is trying to explain how hard it is to live in the real world.
“Real world”…that is what you told the woman who asked you for help to do…live in the “real world”.
I find your flippancy as offensive as your £120,000 per annum salary.
How dare you brush off people’s concerns, especially when you have such a large wage coming in.
Tell me Cllr Coleman, apart from having zero empathy and compassion for people who are struggling to live day to day, do you know what you are talking about when you tell people they should live in the “real world”.
You should be absolutely ashamed of yourself – words can’t describe how angry I am with your response.
Regards
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Tom Pride said:
Yes Alex I think Boris needs to also realise people have noticed this. He appointed him and he’s up for re-election after all.
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communitychampion said:
Good letter Nick, any reply?
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communitychampion said:
Cllr Coleman is a Friend of Israel.
Typical.
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Nick Gall said:
No reply as yet…
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Katherine Wyatt (@katherinina24) said:
Not nearly as good as all the others on here, but am actually shaking a bit with anger/shock. There’s a lot more I could have said, much less politely.
Dear Mr Coleman,
I am writing to ask what exactly you think “the real world” is. If you imagine that a single mother struggling to pay £1,100 in rent is living in a happy dream world then you are sorely mistaken.
I understand that empathy may be hard to find – with a £120,000pa salary, it is difficult to imagine the sort of hardships your constituents face. But you are a councillor, and you work for the people in your constituency, so I think showing them some basic respect would be the least you could do.
Last year you claimed £3,500 of taxpayers’ money in expenses. Believe it or not this is not a luxury afforded to the rest of us, and a lot of people have to work incredibly hard to earn enough to live by. I would hope that common decency and basic politeness would be the least courtesies you could offer them.
Regards,
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Alan Wakefield said:
What a surprise that it is Coleman. This is the guy who has screwed Barnet FC over attempts to improve their ground / get a new ground in the borough of Barnet. The club have bent over backwards to accommodate the council. However, in the local corridors of power there seems to be a complete disregard of any benefit the club brings to the community. Now the council are making it almost impossible for the club to remain in their current ground by raising rents and barring certain access routes to the ground unless the club pays them a fortune. This chain of events started when Coleman headed the council. A typical Tory if ever there was one!
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Tom Pride said:
Yes – thanks for that. I heard something about this. I’ll have a dig around. There’s also some pretty damning stuff on him about how he’s treated fire fighters.
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Tom Pride said:
Beautifully put Katherine.
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temi said:
See this wankstain is a prime example of why I think everyone in politics is a cunt… But yea ill make a note of this pricks name… I’d write an email too but I doubt hell read that… Fucking piece of shit
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Paul Leake said:
How’s that relevant? There will be plenty of gits who aren’t
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Tom Pride said:
I think he’ll read them. The email address is his official councillor’s – so he’ll at least have to check to see what they are.
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communitychampion said:
As it’s all about big business Paul…trust me.
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warriet said:
the Wiki entry is informative http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Coleman
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ellisbutcher said:
I thought people got into politics to help people and change the world. Oh, I forgot he’s one of those awful Toxic Tories from the far right of the party – just out for himself and incapable of seeing how we’re not all equal! Well the Big Society will bite him on the ass soon enough. Nice piece of work Tom and Community Champion.
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Rowanne said:
Dear Councillor Coleman
I am writing to you in regard to your response to a member of your constituency who wrote to you asking for help and guidance.
I am utterly appalled by your sickening attitude. How can you, an elected member of the Greater London Council, show such contempt for someone who is, in essence, your employer? In the real world, which you claim to know so much about, if a reasonable request is made of an employee by their employer they are duty bound to fulfil said request, lest they run the risk of their employment being terminated. Obviously you feel that this part of the real world does not apply to you.
Another part of the real world that is of no concern to you is the fact of having to pay for everything out of your (on average considerably less than £120,000pa) salary, including travel and rent at the market rate. To claim £3,500 in a year for taxis, which I as a London taxpayer ultimately pay for, is disgusting. I work late nights for minimum wage and have to travel home in the early hours of the morning through a combination of long walks and night buses. I do not have the luxury of being able to claim taxi fares from my employer. I also have to pay rent, council tax, and utility bills all at the full market rate, whilst still finding money to feed and clothe myself, my partner who works for below the national average salary and our 10 month old son. It is a struggle but we manage, as do the majority of Londoners, comforted by the knowledge that should we encounter any problems that we cannot solve ourselves there are councillors and government agencies on hand to advise and support us. In theory.
I feel that a public and grovelling apology is in order to the woman who you so rudely dismissed, who pays towards your exorbitant salary, and who has every right to expect you to respond in a professional manner to her enquiry.
Most Sincerely
Rowanne
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Tom Pride said:
That’s excellent Rowanne. Probably the best yet.
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Rowanne said:
Thank you, so far I have had an automated reply. I would email Boris as well but feel that would be futile as a) last time I emailed him it took ten months to get a response and b) he knows even less about the real world than that twat and my brief description of life for the ordinary Londoner would probably make his Oxbridge educated, former MP for Henley-On-Thames, Tory blooded head explode
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golfartie said:
They have no clue these pompous Tory bastards
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Andy Scott said:
Dear Mr Coleman,
Let me explain to you about the real world you seem to think you know so much about.
In the real world, most people in this country don’t earn anywhere near 120,000 a year for doing next to nothing. In the real world, most people don’t scrounge off the tax payer claiming expenses for doing nothing to help the people you were supposed to be elected to help. In the real world, most people have to scrape a living and get by on next to nothing or very little.
That’s the real world.
I sincerely hope in future elections, the voters of London give you a taste of real life in the real world by turfing you out of your cosy ‘job’ so you have to scrape a real living trying to make ends meet – just like the rest of us have to.
Yours in disgust,
A member of the real world.
In reply I got four words, “how sad are you” sums this odious man up perfectly
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Tom Pride said:
That’s interesting. It means he’s bothering to read them. It’s getting to him.
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Nick said:
He hasn’t replied to me as yet; I do fancy goading him a little more. Watch this space.
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communitychampion said:
Make your view known, surely that’s better then just making a note of his name…?
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communitychampion said:
Thanks Ellis – I am still angry about his attitude.
People like him are living in a world of Bonkers Logic…I’d be tempted to squash him with a well earned beer gut if I ever saw him.
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communitychampion said:
That’s great – I am pleased you have sent that to Mr Coleman with the descriptions of working late and using public transport late at night/early morning. It’s these real life stories that stick in people’s minds and prompts further action.
You are clearly working really hard to provide for yourself and your young son and that is something that should be commended.
Keep banging that drum for the folks who are on a shit wage so maybe people like this realise WE are the wheel turners in this country, not them.
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Tom Pride said:
Well said.
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Tom Pride said:
I didn’t get a reply. Mine was the first so he probably thought it was a one-off and he could ignore it. I would estimate he’s got a few hundred emails by now so it must be getting to him.
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David Edwards said:
this space is getting to be well watched 🙂
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Paul Leake said:
surely there is something in the councillors’ code of conduct he has been contravened by being so blatently disrespectful of a constituent. assuming the reports of the affair is accurate the lady concerned should put an official complaint in.
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Tom Pride said:
I’d have thought so too. I’ll have to ask around a bit.
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Rowanne said:
Tom is there any way you could edit my original comment and remove my last name from the bottom? Too much detail in it to leave it there!
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Tom Pride said:
OK done
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Rowanne said:
Cheers
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Rowanne said:
Thank you. I’m trying to be more active in challenging things I disagree with as an example to my son that if you want change you have to make it happen, you can’t just sit and wait for someone to make a stand on your behalf
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Anfeidrol Evans said:
I’ve just sent this 🙂
Dear Cllr Coleman,
I’ve recently read about your patronising and dismissive correspondence with a desperate single mother in your area and just wanted to add my voice to those who are contacting you in horror at your lack of basic humanity and compassion to those you are meant to represent as their elected voice.
You are meant to represent all your constituents once elected, not just those who voted for you or who are in the same perceived social circles as yourself. I would have said in the same class as yourself, but your reply to that single mother shows that you have no class whatsoever.
And no, I’m not a consituent of yours before you ask, but for that I am eternally grateful.
Yours in disbelief,
A. Evans
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Tom Pride said:
Excellent. Let us know if he replies (he probably won’t though).
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communitychampion said:
Yeah, good point that Tom.
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communitychampion said:
“eternally grateful” for not being in the position of asking this swine for help has got to be a good thing, you are right there.
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warriet said:
This just sent…
Dear Mr Colrman,
Having become aware of the recent about your documented response to a resident with housing difficulties;, specifically you (allege telling Sharada Osman to live in the real world. You are a public servant elected to represent the interest of the your whole population of Barnet, not just the 3705 who voted for you. In case you have some difficult comprehending the term “public servant”, “public” is generally defined as meaning everyone, servant comes from the verb “to serve”.
Further research revealed the following “What Mr Coleman did not tell her was that he was living in a subsidised housing association flat, courtesy of the Finchley Methodist Church, where he doesn’t even have the responsibility of painting his windows. His rent is £546 a month – half that of Ms Osman. In the real world – the rest of the road-people are paying £1100 a month, according to local estate agents”,
While I generally consider that there are too few vocal rather than timid line-toeing politicians, I find your comments to be gratuitously abusive and unworthy of a councillor, one who really does need to live in the real world before speaking about it. On a practical note, you are doing yourself and the Conservative party no electoral favours. What you have said said and how you have behaved has done more for Ken Livingstone than Boris Johnson.
Yours sincerely,
David Edwards
…I will of course post any replies received.
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A. Evans said:
I had the link to this shared on Facebook from a friend. If anyone’s got the time, there’s two other ways you might like to raise the issue in addition to voicing disgust like this!
Every local council has to have an Elected Members Code Of Conduct and it would be interesting to find out if this kind of reply was entirely in line with the standards of behaviour expected of elected officials in London.
Secondly, in a week or so it could also be interesting for someone to send in a Freedom of Information request to find out how many people have been in touch with Cllr Coleman to voice their concern about the tone of his correspondence (by phone, letter or email). Then send copies of the original letter, his reply and the stats on how many people have complained to the local press.
Elected officials can be held accountable during their time in office, never mind at election time!
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warriet said:
Good ideas! Suspect that Colman is one of those above such details, that codes of conduct are for little people?
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beverley leybourne said:
I wrote to this odious specimen two days ago when you first tweeted. Reading the brilliant e-mails above I fear mine was a bit tame. I still haven’t had any response, not even automated. This tory tosspot needs removing from his position if he’s not doing his job. I sincerely hope this woman who wanted his help is formally complaining about her treatment and shouts loud enough to be taken notice of.
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Nick said:
This is a great idea, ideally one which would be most usefully employed by a constituent…
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Nick said:
Beverley, the fact that you bothered to write speaks volumes. Well done.
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Sue Mason said:
Here’s my mail to him
I have asked for comments on specific points.
If he doesn’t reply, he’ll get another.
Dear Mr Coleman
I have just read a very disturbing piece about you which I cannot believe is true!
Please assure me, as a paid representative if the people of Barnet, That the facts are wrong: that you dont live is a subsidised flat; that you didn’t use expenses to taxi your mother around and that you weren’t crass enough to treat one of your constituents With dismissive rudeness.
Please reply to my points directly.
I have copied this to the Mayor for his comments too.
Sue Mason
Sent from my iPhone
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Nick said:
I mentioned that I would give him another prod. Here is said prod. Sent 2 mins ago.
Dear Mr Coleman,
I previously wrote to you on the 4th of January with regard to your treatment of the aforementioned Sharada Osman. Thus far I have received an automated response from your office, promising to ‘ to respond to your message quickly.’
I am therefore interested to learn what the word ‘quickly’ means to yourself. Or if indeed you intend to respond to my previous email. If you recall, it dealt with your reprehensible modus operandi when dealing with the very valid concerns of one of your constituents. Obviously, if you think that the tone of your reply was valid, then a mere justification of your actions is called for. Perhaps you could write to the London Evening Standard and ask them to publish an open letter in which you would be able to detail why it is acceptable to treat your constituents with derision. After all, you are in the fortunate position of earning an impressive salary which comes from the public purse. I am sure that in these straitened times it would be of great interest to tax payers to learn why you feel it is acceptable to treat constituents as you have treated Ms Osman.
However, if I have misrepresented you, and you do feel even a little remorse about the way in which you have treated Ms Osman, then I am sure that both your constituents and other interested parties, would be fascinated to learn how you wish to make amends.
I look forward to your reply, at your earliest convenience,
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Tom Pride said:
Great email. I bet he doesn’t reply. He’ll have read it though.
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Tom Pride said:
These emails supporting her will help, I’m sure.
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Tom Pride said:
I like the directness of this Sue.
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Nick said:
Tom, I haven’t received an automated response even.
I think that we have got to him because if the automated responses are turned off he must be attempting to avoid the populace. Sigh.
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Tom Pride said:
Yep. It’s a good sign.
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hazel said:
I’m sickened at the ‘how sad are you’ reply. I’d guess he’s clinically a psychopath. Seriously – not the oft used version of that word…
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hazel said:
What about us all writing to the Finchley Methodist Church Housing Association? Could he get evicted and the flat given to someone who needs it????
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warriet said:
perhaps if he is in breath of his tenancy agreement and what sort he has, assured tenants most be doing something very bad to be evicted
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Zoe said:
I got a reply to my email – I was advised to ‘get a life’
Brian Coleman
12:24 (27 minutes ago)
to me
Get a life
From: Zoe Lynch [mailto:zoelynch@unknowndomain.co.uk]
Sent: Wednesday, April 11, 2012 12:21 PM
To: Brian Coleman
Cc: Mayor
Subject: Disgusted Tory Supporter
This message has been scanned for viruses.
Click here to report this email as spam.
GREATERLONDONAUTHORITY
EMAIL NOTICE:
The information in this email may contain confidential or privileged materials. Please read the full email notice at http://www.london.gov.uk/email-notice
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Sam Turner (@samocalypse) said:
Brian Coleman Brian.Coleman@london.gov.uk
12:05 (56 minutes ago)
to me
Get a life
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Eric said:
It’s a damn shame that all of you who wrote emails didn’t cc the press.
That would have avoided him taking his Senokot this week.
There is a great site with the CEO’s emails http://www.ceoemail.com/ It includes the BBC / C4 / Press and many others that should have been copied on the emails!
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Eric said:
‘…..government of the people, by the people, for the people….’
Part of the Gettysburg address
‘…. exploitation of the people, by the politicians, for the politicians…’
‘…abuse of the public purse, by the politicians, for the politicians…’
Westminster politics!
Can anyone think of anymore?
Maybe we can make a Westyburg Address??
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fanofootball said:
Just found this and emailed Mr Coleman and copied to Mr Johnson.
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fanofootball said:
Good work.
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Tom Pride said:
Excellent. The fact he’s replying to the emails surprises me a bit – even if it’s just to say get a life.
It means he’s reading them.
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ojbrookes said:
He seems to have a fan…
http://colemansgottogo.blogspot.co.uk/
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Binary Trading said:
I’m impressed, I must say. Seldom do I encounter a blog that’s equally educative and engaging, and let me tell you, you have hit
the nail on the head. The problem is something which not enough people are speaking intelligently about.
Now i’m very happy that I stumbled across this during my search for something relating to this.
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drew said:
Revolution, civil war, NOW! I AM SICK AND TIRED OF THIS SHIT!
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drew said:
Having read Colemans wiki page, even the Tory party threw him out.
.
This bumptious arse hole needs marching out of his office and his flat at the end of a pike and deposited into the real world a bit quick.
Well done to all who have e-mailed to him.
I suspect he won’t read them all, (who reads all their e-mails)?.
This needs direct action.
Boris must sack him.
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