The Minister Elliot Morely asked to resign

Originally from: Farmtalking
                        
Nick Green has just sent me the following message in which he demands Elliot Morely's resignation.

24th February 2002

HEART OF CUMBRIA
“Campaigning for the Truth!”

To Mr Elliot Morley Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Commons).
 
 
A More Grown Up attitude!
 
On the 15th November 2002 I sent the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Commons), Mr Elliot Morley, a letter accusing him of lying and challenging the legality of the 3km cull and the firebreak cull and whether they were voluntary or compulsory. I did this confidently as Heart of Cumbria had been sent a leaked document. This document was addressed to, among others, Morley, dated 6th November 2002 and authored by Mr Roy Hathaway, Head of FMD, Page St. London.

Before writing to Morley I spoke to Mr Hathaway at length. Hathaway said that Morley was in fact wrong to suggest that the 3km/firebreak culls were voluntary.

On November 11th 2002 Morley states that:-
Nov 11~ (Mr Morley) ........ At the present time, we do not have powers for a fire break cull. There was the three kilometre cull in Cumbria but that was a voluntary cull and people were invited to participate in that. Just a little confusion here I think! Morley continued to defend this position vigorously during the ensuing weeks and months. But at the Select Committee hearing shortly afterwards when Mr Morley said his memory played him false. The farmers in Cumbria were certainly invited" to give up their sheep to be killed – but if they refused they received a letter that curtly informed them that MAFF had arbitrarily termed them DCs.
 ..."According to our records you were not willing to give up your sheep. This letter is to advise you what arrangements are now being put in place to include your sheep in the cull. In the infected area, sheep, goats and pigs within 3 km of infected premises will be treated as Dangerous Contacts. This means that the Ministry of Agriculture will make arrangements for your sheep to be slaughtered on the farm."

All of this detail can be located on www.heartofcumbria.co.uk .
Morleys reply to me, described as “an astonishingly patronising and arrogant letter from the rural death minister Elliot Morley.” By the Sunday Times was received 21st November 2002. This can be read in detail on www.heartofcumbria.co.uk. Morley writes:-
“You are entitled to be as bad mannered and exhibit your own prejudices and free to rant away as you see fit. I can't say it does much for your credibility.” “What we should be doing is looking forward for the future and examining the possibility of alternatives. It's a pity you seem more interested in witch-hunting than thinking about the many serious issues surrounding this epidemic. I really think a more grown up attitude is called for. “

“There was a ‘voluntary’ element to the initial implementation of the cull, when farmers who were willing to cooperate with the 3km culling policy had their farms dealt with first, and this has given currency to the term "voluntary cull" as a shorthand description. But this does not justify the intemperate accusations in your email.”

On Friday 23rd February 2002, it was revealed that Morley had written to Mr David Maclean MP, Penrith & Borders. Morley writes:-

'Some owners of animals subject to the 3km Cumbrian cull on grounds of FMD may have been informed that there animals were culled on a voluntary basis ... they may also have been informed that they had no right to dispute the valuation of their animals ... the Department considers that all such culls, carried out under the supervision of its officials, were in fact compulsory and that in all such cases there was a right to dispute their valuation within 14 days.'

Now then lets look at the facts.

1. Leaked Memo from Page St. on 6th November 2001 stating there was no voluntary cull. To Elliot Morley. 2. Morley states 11th November 2002 to Select Committee that they did not have the powers to conduct the 3km or firebreak culls in Cumbria so they were voluntary. 3. 23rd February 2002, some 14 weeks later and having completely misled members of the Commons and the public Morley writes to David MacLean MP stating that the 3km cull was compulsory! 4. Morley did not have the guts to make this announcement in the House of Commons!

There is absolutely no doubt that this extraordinary climb down by Morley was as a result of continuous pressure by The Heart of Cumbria and others.

So what does all this mean? Read on!

Sunday 24th February 2002, Sir David Frost stated on National TV that if Mr Stephen Byers had lied, he must resign immediately.

IT IS A FACT THAT Mr Elliot Morley, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Commons), LIED! FACT!

I therefore draw the conclusion that Morley must resign immediately!

Mr. Morley, you accused me of dubious credibility! You called for a more grown up attitude. You stated that my intemperate accusations were not justified!

I would suggest that lying shows low credibility, that your attitude is far from grown up, you lied and clearly my accusations WERE justified.

Mr Morley, you are quite simply a disgrace. You have shown a complete lack of integrity and you are not fit to serve this country.

Mr NICHOLAS GREEN
HEART of CUMBRIA
“Campaigning for the Truth!”