The Canvey Island Independent Party: What Is There To Say?..

FOR A PARTY that professes to be the voice of Canvey Island residents, it is surprising to discover that the Canvey Island Independent Party (CIIP) actually has nothing to say. The Echo, it is true, provides frequent space to Dave Blackwell and other party members attacking the Borough’s majority; but, when it comes to putting forward constructive ideas – or engaging with residents using its ambitious online capabilities – Cyberspace is unusually quiet.

The CIIP, bless them, have failed to comprehend that, in order to establish an internet presence, you first need to have something to say.

Dave Blackwell’s royal address to residents this Christmas using his party’s Blog went largely unnoticed by islanders – although Canvey Beat readers will have seen its passing presence in this Blog’s STOP PRESS column. But no one had anything to say. Just as on the CIIP’s Blog: nobody cared to reply with their own seasonal greetings.

While the CIIP-led Town Council spends more public money on an attempt to rebrand itself with a Website make-over, which still remains to take effect, the party has attempted nothing similar on its own political sites, which remain barren and unused.

Last year, CIIP councillors filled their comments sections by talking to each other – and Anne Wood, the party’s Deputy Leader, even went so far as to create an imaginary friend whom she could talk to – but all to no effect. The few genuine comments that were achieved, unfortunately, were critical – and that led to CIIP members piling in on the unfortunate individuals and shouting them down.

The CIIP’s scorn was then directed here and at the Methane, Mud and Memories Blog, attempting to disrupt both discussion forums and attract readers away to their own sites. Colin MacLean remained stoic in the face of a furious attack by Anne Wood who resorted to threatening legal action against him and myself for having dared to publish a ‘private communication,’ and the CIIP’s few party activists and right-wing colleagues spent hours on the Canvey Beat’s old WordPress site commenting on old comment threads in an effort to twist their previous conclusions.

Those CIIP antics were largely successful in their objective. Rather than face the public venom accompanying any critical remarks, Canvey Beat readers now prefer not to use the readers’ forum or letter pages of this Blog to record their comments. Instead they email me direct – asking not to be published.

As a result, and largely as a response to Tom Jea’s recent tirade in these pages, the Canvey Beat now requires all readers to have a valid public account before being able to comment on its posts.

For those whom had not noticed, it appears that the CIIP’s long campaign has begun. Its activists are already engaged in belittling regular Echo column commenters in an effort to persuade its readers that CIIP support is far greater than it actually is. As usual, the CIIP will be forced to concentrate most of its efforts in achieving Echo coverage and ensuring its activists leave numerous friendly comments for its readers to see – because its own sites are devoid of supporters…

… (09/01/2011) - CIIP Resorts To Removing The Evidence