Reinstate Cllr Gatland

Cllr Maria Gatland gives an interview to The Times saying she is "disappointed" at being ousted as a Cabinet Member as a result of revelations about her IRA past. She said:

"I am disappointed in the way the local party acted but I do understand it was a great shock to them. Perhaps I should have said, 'Here is the book, this is what I did, make up your own minds'. They should not have reacted so quickly but I can understand they were worried about their reputation."

Of course she didn't hell her Council leader about her past - she didn't even tell her husband. She had been under death sentence and naturally enough wanted to "move on." An accompanying article makes clear that she was malicously outed by a left wing activist called Peter Latham, that the police have contacted her to advise on safety procedures. It also details how her book, To Take Arms,  was highly damaging to the IRA detailing among other things links with Senator Edward Kennedy and how one hunger striker secretly ate steak.

I hope she is reinstated.