Flowers turned away!

[cheshunt seagull]

London Calling and I attempted to deliver flowers at 26 Whitehall at about 12.30. After about 10 minutes JP's Private Secretary (John Crout I think?) came out to see us and told us that he could not accept the flowers. The reason given was that, as this is a judicial process, gifts like this could be viewed as a bribe. He said that JP was fully aware of the strength of feeling ('on both sides') and that he, John Crout, had listened to coverage of it on 5 Live on Saturday.

He said that they would accept letters, emails etc and he took the notes and letters on our cards .

When asked if they would pass the flowers on to local hospitals etc. he said that he couldn't. When asked when the decision was likely to be made, he said he genuinely didn't know.

 

[DTES]

Not good.

 

[dwayne]

hate to say it but...told you so, this was so obviously gonna happen. Also how irritating would it be to get thousands of flowers on your doorstep, the secretary would have to put them in water or chuck them, they just create work, no matter the sentiment.

On the flipside it's great they have been listening to the coverage.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

But a good story.

Leave them outside the building, piling up.

 

[Eastleigh Seagull]

So if they arent going to officially accept the flowers then we should leave them outside the front entrance on Whitehall, giving us a better profile, rather than the back door they were directing people to earlier?

 

[dwayne]

But a good story.

Leave them outside the building, piling up.

stupid idea, it will wind JP up blatantly disregarding what they've requested. We will just have to accept defeat on this one.

 

[Row Z Creased Shirt]

At least it has been noted. That is the whole point after all. Even if they do turn them all away, they will know who sent them and why.

It's another reminder of the passion we feel for this cause, and the main man himself has got to know about it.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

On the specific "bribery" issue ...

This is not the Football Club doing anything.

It is members of the public, who care about the outcome.

 

[balloonboy]

I am a Brighton Fan - I do NOT accept defeat, EVER

 

[fatboy]

I am a Brighton Fan - I do NOT accept defeat, EVER

 

[dwayne]

I am a Brighton Fan - I do NOT accept defeat, EVER

well it's not total defeat, they have noted acknowledged it

 

[cheshunt seagull]

But a good story.

Leave them outside the building, piling up.

I didn't leave them. The bloke was pretty pleasant about it all
and I had no desire to piss him, or his boss, off.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

I haven't got time to deal with another incident of a dwayned thread. So I won't get personal.

I'll just ask whether anyone can remember a previous occasion in the last ten years when "accepting defeat" ten minutes into a campaign proved to be the sensible thing for Albion fans to do.

 

[lost in london]

Please don't carry on sending or taking flowers down there. We have got a very strong case. The opposition now have something on our side, but on the balance of things and the wider political picture we will still get our ground. If we carry on giving these flowers it will only piss them off, take time and give our opponents something to use against us. Prescotts office have made their position clear and we should respect that.

 

[CHAPPERS]

I haven't got time to deal with another incident of a dwayned thread. So I won't get personal.

I'll just ask whether anyone can remember a previous occasion in the last ten years when "accepting defeat" ten minutes into a campaign proved to be the sensible thing for Albion fans to do.

Not in my memory.

Keep em going people.

 

[balloonboy]

I asked Martin Perry what to do about it and he said - There is no Plan B!

Aha, I said, don't worry - I'm not a NIMBY.

He then took me to one side, and said - well, actually, there is a Plan B, but we don't want to tell anyone. I suggest you take the flowers to No. 26, then give them out to passing pedestrians, together wit a leaflet which explains what you're trying to do.

Aha, I said, good idea!!

 

[lost in london]

And this isn't accepting defeat, we haven't been defeated. We have to wait and hear what the deicision is. Blindly doing controversial stuff that we have been told is unwelcome is going to bring about what we all don't want to hear.

 

[fatbadger]

And there is no way you will be allowed to leave the flowers there - they would be considered a "security threat".

And LordB - members of the public can bribe politicians, you know...

I like the idea of handing them out to people walking down the road, mind.

 

[DTES]

I suggest you take the flowers to No. 26, then give them out to passing pedestrians, together wit a leaflet which explains what you're trying to do.

Aha, I said, good idea!!

I like this. Not as noticable afterwards, but with TV cameras could be good.

 

[balloonboy]

The opposition now have something on our side, but on the balance of things and the wider political picture we will still get our ground. If we carry on giving these flowers it will only piss them off, take time and give our opponents something to use against us. Prescotts office have made their position clear and we should respect that.

Ah, I can just see the headlines now: "Pro Falmer lobby in flower delivery outrage"

Why don't we just offer to clear them up at about 4pm tomorrow afternoon. We can then give the to a charity ourselves - that would then get even MORE positive publicity.