Real Zorro: Twiss & Shout Again! This time he's likely to use needles & pins!

Zorro is asking himself the question “what is Councillor Phil Twiss on”?

Councillor Twiss holds the role of being the Whip within the Conservative majority group on East Devon District Council. He is also the Councillor for the folk in Honiton St. Michael's Ward. Councillor Twiss is infamous for claiming that the Conservative majority is not whipped on issues; so it’s good to see that they are all of independent mind!

Councillor Phil Twiss. Looking to stick stick white hot pins and needles in his eyes!

Councillor Twiss is also famous for his outrage over the fact that a member of the public had placed a comment on Councillor (and currently Independent candidate for the post of East Devon MP) Claire Wright’s http://www.claire-wright.org/ blog. The comment left said that the writer hoped that there would be a cull of Tory Councillors at the forthcoming elections.

Councillor Twiss was so outraged at this that he reported Councillor Wright to Devon and Cornwall Constabulary’s cybercrime’s unit! He compared the knockabout political comment that someone posted on Claire Wright’s blog with the thump that a Councillor in the Midlands had received from an outraged elector! Having wasted valuable police time it was gratifying that they told Councillor Twiss that they did not intend to pursue his complaint. Zorro interpreted Councillor Twiss’ actions as no more than trying to damage an effective political opponent.

So, why is Zorro getting agitated once more over Councillor Twiss? It’s all to do with the front page and editorial reports in this week’s Pulmans View, under the heading “Facebook posts spark election row”. It seems that an East Devon Alliance http://www.eastdevonalliance.org.uk/ candidate Matt Booth posted comments on Facebook that Councillor Twiss took exception to.

Indeed Councillor Twiss was so affronted by what Matt Booth said that thought that he held “destructive views”. Indeed, Councillor Twiss has gone to criticise Matt Booth for using language “many would find offensive”, as well as being irresponsible. Councillor Twiss has taken his concerns about what Matt Booth said to East Devon District Council’s Electoral Registration Officer. Not trying to cause political damage to an opponent again are you Councillor Twiss?

Zorro has not seen what Matt Booth posted on Facebook and it may well be that he did all that Councillor Twiss accuses him of doing. Councillor Twiss’ problem though is that he has form in blowing issues well out of proportion and in so doing trying to politically damage opponents. Might that be what Councillor Twiss is doing here?

Whatever the rights and wrongs of what Matt Booth is alleged to have posted on Facebook and however unacceptable Councillor Twiss found all that he had said, it cannot excuse Councillor Twiss’ subsequent jibe at Matt Booth.

Also in this week’s Pulmans View Councillor Twiss, when asked if the East Devon Conservatives would respond positively to the proposal from the East Devon Alliance to a public debate head of the District Council elections, is quoted as rejecting the suggestion and saying that he would rather “stick white hot pins and needles in my eyes than share a room with Matt Booth”.

Nice inoffensive and considered views then Councillor Twiss! It’s ok to give it, but when it comes to taking it Councillor Twiss always seems outraged. Perhaps he doesn’t recall the old adage – people in glass houses....!!