February 1998

Talks to start at Magnet after 18 months (1/2/98)

Judge backs developers in face of direct action (2/2/98)

Iced Cool Britannia (10/2/98)

FreeMasons defy Parliament (19/298)

FreeMasons defy Parliament

. The United Grand Lodge of Freemasons today defied Parliament by refusing to name top Judges who are members of the secret society. The Masons' Grand Secretary, Commander Michael Higham, refused to reveal the names to the Home Affairs Committee chairman Chris Mullin.

New recruits to the Criminal Justice System, including the Police, Judges and Lawyers, will have to register any masonic interests, but those already in post will not.

Home Secretary Jack Straw said "The Freemasons have said they are not a secret society but a society with secrets. I think it is widely accepted that one secret they should not be keeping is who their members are in the criminal justice system."

He told MPs that many police officers had testified that freemasonry had been a serious problem. "Officers who served in the Metropolitan Police 20 to 30 years ago will tell you that the principal way of gaining promotion was by being a Freemason. That is unacceptable." He said he had been scandalised by a case in his own constituency in which eight police officers attempted to frame a father and his son who had blundered into their masonic evening.

The Secret Society was implicated in a number of corruption scandals, including the notorious Poulson Affair in the 1970's, which saw Bradford Councillors and Officers convicted. KDIS investigations, which uncovered a number of masonic senior Bradford Councillors and Officers, eventually led to the introduction of a register of masonic interests at Bradford Council in 1986. Today that register is empty.

See 1 in 12 Publications

Iced Cool Britannia

. The Labour Party's hitherto cosy relationship with the world of pop has cooled dramatically after John Prescott's ill-fated publicity stunt at Monday's Brit Awards. The image-obsessed Prescott turned up at the award ceremony in London's Docklands, ignoring the large demonstration of sacked Polygram packers outside, fully intending to take his £500 seat and claim popular culture as Labours' own. As Prescott hobnobbed with the ultra rich and famous New Friends of New Labour he was, according to a KDIS source present at the event, apparently oblivious to the rising anger and hostility towards his presence felt by many in the hall.

Full Story

Judge backs developers in face of direct action

. A judge today ordered local residents at Sandy Lane off land they'd been occupying in protest at plans by developers Bryant Homes to build 92 luxury homes on Green belt land.

Members of RAGE - Residents Action Group for the Environment - blocked access to the site last week. They had help and advice from Bingley Road protester Oliver Robinson.

Residents plan to link up with other Airedale communities fighting massive house building plans on Green Belt sites - including Jenny Lane in Baildon, Warren Lane in Eldwick, and Silsden village where 1000 new houses are planned. Residents are furious at the way the council, led by Planning supremo Cllr Jack Womersley, has treated their concerns. Last December the Council pushed through their new Unitary Development Plan in the face of strong opposition.

Meanwhile the government is planning a thorough review of its Green Belt policy - which led councils nationally to seek Green Belt sites for a further 4.5 million homes.

See previous posting

Talks to start at Magnet after 18 months

. Bosses at Magnets Kitchens have agreed to talks with unions representing 300 workers who have been on strike for 18 months. The new move comes after Magnet workers and supporters began a series of imaginative direct actions to focus the mind of millionaire boss Alan Bowkett on the dispute.

Bowkett, who's company Berisford Plc bought Magnet in 1994 at a knockdown price, was furious when Magnet workers turned up at the door of his Cambridge mansion earlier this month to deliver a Happy New years card and flowers for his wife. He complained to police of "assault". Last week former Derbyshire miners set up a round-the-clcok camp outside his house and strikers picketed the company's AGM along with comedian Mark Thomas who was filming for his new TV show.

Strike secretary Ian Crummand outlined the situation at a public meeting in the 1 in 12 Club on Thursday. He said strikers had been particularly incensed to learn that Bowkett had given himself a personal "bonus" of £120,000 - enough to settle the claims of all the workers since the strike started.

Magnets HQ is based in Keighley, where the pay claim that sparked the strike in Darlington was settled at the outset. A number of further "creative" actions are planned for the near future.

See History of greed and mismanagement at Magnets.

Back to Top of Page

Back to Contents Page