Knight of the long knives

Published 12 Mar 2010 16:00 9 Comments

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THE man who blew the whistle on a Royal Borough political adviser is refusing to come out of the shadows after exposing an alleged smear campaign.

Andre Walker resigned from the Royal Borough on Friday after a secretly recorded telephone conversation in which he conspires to oust the council's deputy leader Alison Knight was posted on YouTube.

The whistleblower, known only as 'Robert Bobbin' as refused to confirm his identify and disclose details such as his age, occupation and residence.

When contacted he feared the conversation was being recorded and agreed only to speak on a mobile phone.

He said: "All I did was record the call which I thought sounded horrendous and he sounded like a nasty guy. I'm happy that I've done my bit and will leave it to the relevant authorities."

'Mr Bobbin' was seating near Mr Walker on a train from Waterloo to Windsor and Eton Riverside at around 11pm on Tuesday last week and says he was so disgusted by what he overheard he decided to record the comments.

'Mr Bobbin' said: "I overheard him making sexual and very rude remarks. I thought this was rather outrageous. I just couldn't believe his behaviour.

"I must state that I am in no way political but the way in which this man was talking absolutely repulsed me and is everything that the public hates in politicians."

As 'Mr Bobbin' went to get off the train he took a photograph of Mr Walker and says he was threatened with violence.

He said: "He blocked my way out of the train and threatened me with violence unless I handed over the phone to him. A couple of passengers had to step in and push him out the way."

The recording was posted on YouTube and sent to councillors in the Royal Borough and London area.

'Mr Bobbin' said: "People like Andre Walker cannot be allowed to work in politics and drag down the good people I know do try their best. Our view of politicians and politics has already been destroyed by the expenses scandal and every party has the responsibility to make sure that they rebuild the trust in politics we need. We must weed out those that seek to pervert due process and use underhand tactics, smears and lies to further their own ambitions."

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Peter Hooper
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Mar 12, 16:40
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Having read a transcript of the alledged mobile phone conversation on YouTube, I next looked up Mr Andre Walker's Facebook page to see what "Friends" he had listed.

There I found the following Conservatives - Cllr DAVID Burbage (and a Helen Burbage), Cllr PHIL Bicknell (twice), Cllr Liam Maxwell, Cllr Catherine (CAT) Bursnall and her husband Cllr TOM Bursnall.

Other "Friends" included George BATHURST ((Windsor Link Railway?), Nigel Farage (UKIP), the Pink Gentlemwns Club and Gay Berkshire.

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Peter Hooper
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Mar 12, 16:44
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Having read a transcript of the alledged mobile phone conversation on YouTube, I next looked up Mr Andre Walker's Facebook page to see what "Friends" he had listed.

There I found the following Conservatives - Cllr DAVID Burbage (and a Helen Burbage), Cllr PHIL Bicknell (twice), Cllr Liam Maxwell, Cllr Catherine (CAT) Bursnall and her husband Cllr TOM Bursnall.

Other "Friends" included George BATHURST ((Windsor Link Railway?), Nigel Farage (UKIP), the Pink Gentlemwns Club and Gay Berkshire.

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Mr Average
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Mar 12, 19:25
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Whats your point?! Lib dems love smeer!!

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Peter Hooper
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Mar 12, 20:06
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I wasn't expressing an opinion, just reporting the facts!

Anyway, why is Mr Average (a non-de-plume) trying to smear the LibDems, when Mr Bobbin stated on YouTube that he had previously voted Conservative?

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Mr Average
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Mar 12, 22:04
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First time voter here and i certainly wont be voting lib dem as its clear to all that you lot locally just love a slip up by anyone else .It makes you look very very petty.

Disagree or not i'm sure others will agree!

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Peter Hooper
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Mar 13, 08:40
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I really don't know why you hide behind the name "Mr Average" and try to implicate the LibDems, when the only people directly involved in this disgraceful episode are a group of self-interested Tories.

Personally I think the general public will see through your political smears and work out for themselves that the Conservative Party has not changed one iota.

Having an Eton schoolboy head up their election campaign will not alter a very nasty party from its core values.

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Richard Coe
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Mar 13, 22:59
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I assume Mr Hooper that Mr Average is a Tory as the love to suggest that you are a Lib Dem.

Mr Average as a leading Lib Dem activist in Windsor over the last decade and a half I have to point out to you that Mr Hooper is not a Lib Dem. Nor has he been at any time the period I allude to.

We certainly don't love slip ups by anyone else, but you are correct to allude to the fact that the current Conservative administration have made a great many.

Why don't you write under your true identity Mr Average? What have you got to hide?

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Mr Average
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Mar 15, 15:16
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Because sir you used to be my school teacher!

Hope you've got rid of that old banger!! Imagine the carbon footprint of that blue 'box'!

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Joshua Dobson
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Mar 25, 21:59
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As someone who, at this present moment, has the misfortune to work for the local authority and has done so under 2 different administrations both parties are as bad as each other. However, under the Tories we are constantly threatened with job losses and service cutbacks whilst they can pay out £10,000 for office refurbishments and for Burbage to complain about not getting fresh milk for his coffee at windsor leisure centre a couple of weeks ago!Instead of asking for fresh milk, he emailed the head of leisure services to complain!!!

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