Lib Dem - Sex = Stripper

The woman who is a stripogram, kissogram and a Lib Dem councillor

When it comes to serving her constituents, Liberal Democrat councillor Myrna Bushell goes further than most.

But her evening jobs as a stripper and sex chatline hostess take the definition of liberal way beyond the comfort of some of her colleagues.

The married 34-year-old is now at the centre of a bitter party split which has seen three of her fellow Liberal Democrat councillors resign from the party.

Scroll down for more...

Myrna Bushell was elected onto Bideford Town Council in Devon as a Lib Dem candidate in the local elections, however her job as a stripper and kissogram has led to three colleagues resigning

The rebellion came when the three discovered Mrs Bushell was still running her 'personal services' when she was elected to the town council in Bideford, Devon, in May.

They are also angry that she had not officially joined the party when she stood for election, and that party officials gave her their backing.

Her advertising describes her as 'Jessica - Kissogram, Stripagram and Stripper Entertainer'.

Scroll down for more...

Bushell operates a £1.50-per-minute sex phone line from from home and advertises herself as 'Jessica - Kissogram, Stripogram & Stripper Entertainer'

Her website, which is linked to the Xanadu Entertainment Agency, calls her as 'a very sexy auburn professional Devon lady', and proclaims that she can cater for 'special niche markets such as novelty party adult entertainment'.

The website includes a price list which reveals that she will act as a kissogram for £85 or a stripagram for £110, while her 'top of the range' strip show with two changes of costume costs £160.

The site boasts how she is 'especially suited for stag days, birthday parties, charity functions, business occasions, office leavings, anniversaries, and surprises'. Scroll down for more...

Any other business: Councillor Bushell in stripagram pose

On top of all that, Mrs Bushell earns more than £100 a week from a £1.50-a-minute chatline in which she has admitted taking calls after 9pm and 'talking dirty' to strangers.

But her extra-curricular activities have infuriated former local mayor Tony Inch, his brother Simon, and current deputy mayor Caroline Church. They will now sit as independents on the Torridge District and Bideford Town Councils. In a

statement, they said: 'It is with the greatest regret that we have decided to resign as members of the Liberal Democrat Party.

'This is due to irretrievable differences that we have with some leading members of the local branch. We believe that our integrity and principles will be compromised if we stay.'

Scroll down for more...

Quitting: Caroline Church and Tony Inch

Yesterday Mrs Bushell defended her decision to continue with her chatline business. 'I've got to earn a living somehow,' she said.

'The reason I do it is to pay my bills and be able to spend quality time with my family. It's not incompatible with being an elected councillor and it's not illegal. This has become

a bit of a hate campaign. Three people seem to be upset but no one else is. Councillor Caroline Church hasn't liked me from the beginning. There are elements here that run deeper. The issue has been going on for a while.'

She says her husband Mel, 34, also newly elected as a Liberal Democrat councillor, is fully aware of her businesses.

The couple also run a shop in the town which sells 'new age' gifts and products.

The councillors who have quit complain that Mrs Bushell had not even officially signed up to the join the party in May when she and Mr Bushell appeared on ballot papers in the North Bideford ward as Liberal Democrats.

They received 468 and 518 votes respectively. Last night Noel Thompson, chairman of Torridge and West Devon Liberal Democrats, told how vetting procedures had broken down at branch level. 'This is something we are looking into,' he said.

'People acted in good faith, and the Bushells might have intended to join the party, but they are still not paid- up members.

'We are examining the situation to make sure correct procedures are followed in future.' He added that he was hoping the three councillors would reconsider and rejoin.

George McLauchlan, clerk to Bideford Town Council, said Mr Inch had spoken about Mrs Bushell's case to the monitoring officer of the Standards Board for England, the ethical watchdog for local government.

But he added: 'As far as we are concerned, there has been no contravention of the code of conduct, because this does not impinge on her duties as a councillor.'

Tags: Lib Dem, Stripper, Sex, stripagram

Labour Paedophile

A Wigan councillor has been arrested on suspicion of having child porn on his computer.

Police swooped on Coun Joe Shaw minutes before he was due to attend a planning meeting at the Town Hall on Tuesday afternoon. They had received a tip-off that there were indecent images on the computer at his home in Avondale Street, Standish.

Officers initially tried to arrest the 40-year-old father there but discovered that he was out on site visits with the committee, so they went to the Town Hall to await his arrival.
Continued

http://www.wigantoday.net/wigan-news?articleid=3043032

Labour Violence

A former deputy leader of Sefton Council has been jailed for 14 years for repeatedly stabbing a love rival. Edward McEvilly, 44, a former Labour councillor, was convicted of attempting to murder Alan Harrison in February at Liverpool Crown Court.

McEvilly was a lodger at his ex-partner Elaine Smith's house on Railton Road in Norris Green at the time of the attack.

The court heard he stabbed Miss Smith's new partner, Mr Harrison, 44, while he was unwell in bed at the house. Judge Mark Brown said he had attacked Mr Harrison "in a vicious and horrific way."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/6285344.stm

Lib Dem - Fraud

Councillor's fraud hearing

A FORMER Kirklees councillor tried to claim benefits by fraud, a court was told this week.

Tabasum Aslam, 33, is charged with four counts linked to benefit fraud on behalf of his mother and himself.

Leeds Crown Court heard that Aslam allegedly made four false representations, although no payments were actually made.

Aslam, formerly of Common Road, Batley, denies all the charges.

The court heard that Aslam’s mother, Mahmooda Khanum, received housing and council tax benefits while a tenant at a property in Lobley Street, Heckmondwike.

In November 2002, Aslam bought the house, along with his mother, with a £10,000 discount under a council tenant right-to-buy scheme. This meant she was no longer entitled to benefits.

Prosecuting, Howard Shaw said Aslam made a fraudulent claim on behalf of his mother who ’had little understanding of English’. Mr Shaw said Aslam ’blatantly lied on the form’ by saying his mother did not own the house.

The prosecution also alleges that Aslam made a claim for council tax benefit for himself, at a time when he was a Lib-Dem councillor for the Heckmondwike ward. The court heard he said he had only £300 in savings, but the prosecution allege his bank account contained £2,155.

He then made another false claim, the court heard.

The fourth charge concerns a letter he sent to Kirklees council claiming he was the sole landlord of the Heckmondwike property.

Aslam said he never tried to deceive anyone when he completed the housing benefit form for his mother. He thought the council simply wanted up-to-date information from his mother, who was not happy writing in English. He often filled in details and left her to sign documents.

As tenant of the Lobley Street property, she paid £30 a week in rent to the landlord, TJ Qureshi of Common Road, Batley.

Aslam said this was his real name, which he used as well as Aslam. Common Road was where he lived with his wife.

The name Aslam was used on most of his financial dealings.

Defending, Richard Clews asked Aslam: "By using the name Qureshi did you intend to deceive anyone or be dishonest?"

"No," said Aslam, who was said not to have had any financial advantage from any of the claims.

The trial continues.

Tags: Lib Dem, Fraud