INDEPENDENCE DAY!

THE POLITICAL INTRIGUE inevitable christened 'Angelgate' rumbles on. Now it seems that former Conservative stalwart and poster boy for  integration in Wisbech, Aigars Balsevics, is no longer a member of the party. No, not the party that never happened (and even if it did, Steve Tierney wasn't there) but the party with a capital 'P'. With neither fanfare, leaving presentation nor emotional farewell speech from fellow Councillor and Conservative Party 'grand fromage' Samantha Hoy, Councillor Balsevics now appears to be an Independent.

Does this mean that he will now be subject to the endless scorn and derision from certain quarters that was once directed at former Councillors Virginia and Michael Bucknor, and is still heaped on Councillor David Patrick? Perhaps Councillor Balsevics has crossed the floor in protest at the shenanigans  revealed to have been going on in the gardens of No.10 Downing Street? Surely not, since lockdown-flouting gatherings seem to be rather Mr B's thing.

Have the local Tories finally found a moral conscience and said, "Sorry Aigars, but you no longer represent our Party values"? This seems unlikely, too, since the notorious South Brink Gunman remains a local favourite, and recently stood again for Council in another party of the county.

Could it be that Mr Balsevic's past has finally caught up with him? Someone on Facebook recently did some social media archaeology and discovered that a few years ago, our man was in trouble with the Old Bill and was facing extradition back to Latvia for various misdemeanours. He appealed against his extradition on various grounds.

Mr Justice Calvert-Smith was having none of it however, and effectively said, "Sorry Mr B, but you've been a bad lad and back to Latvia you must go!" What happened next, however, is unclear. This appeal was held in 2011, so was Mr B sent back to Latvia, tried and then acquitted, or - for some reason - were the charges dropped? Whatever the truth is, none of this has a good look as far as Wisbech is concerned. Still, as the prophet Jeremiah once wrote, "There is balm in Gilead", and the news isn't all bad for our lovely town. We won a national award! Yes, we actually did, and here it is!

Sadly, however, one of the folks who worked day and night to win the award wasn't happy. Still, there's no pleasing some people. Tim Minogue is a veteran journalist who edits the Rotten Boroughs column in Private Eye. He is still in shock at being blocked by Steve Tierney. Approached for comment, Mr Minogue's family asked for "privacy and the chance to grieve at this difficult time."

But amid the merriment, the Dynamic Duo who run Wisbech politics, and their Flying Monkeys (see foot of page) have a problem. If they have fallen out with Mr B, they will have to find a new venue for their unofficial council meetings, those exclusive gatherings where they agree what the council is going to decide before "debating" it at the actual meeting. The Angel is out, and so, obviously are The King's Head and The Three Tuns. So, if any enterprising publican would like to host the Star Chamber, Politburo, call it what you will, please contact Wisbech Town Council as soon as possible.