STANDARDS BOARD LATEST: 'I'm a fighter - not a fireman!"

LIB Dim leader Warren Bradley takes the stand today as a 'character witness' for fellow fireman Steve Hurst, who is accused of breaking election law.
This is likely to provide a courtroom dress rehearsal for Bradley, who is set to be hauled in front of a separate court to face charges from the Standards Board that he repeatedly and flagrantly broke the Code of Conduct for councillors.
Both Bradley and Wavertree Lib Dim Parliamentary candidate Colin Edridge have decided to give public support to Hurst in court (see previous posts for the utterly outrageous and totally untrue explanation for their presence.)
Meanwhile the secret Standards Board report continues to exercise members of the Lib Dim group who are terrified that it will sound the death knell for their 10 years in power.
(Okay then, 10 years in office, if not in power).
Bradley has been going around in the last few days, insisting to worried Lib Dim colleagues, who have been asking what's going on: "I'm a fighter!" (Not a fireman, apparently.)
Which means, as we exclusively predicted ages ago, that he is set to resist all attempts by the Standards Board to bring him to book.
Which means also, that he will heap more shame and disgrace on the city of Liverpool with a public appearance in front of the Adjudication Panel for England.
They will hear evidence in public that the Lib Dim council leader tried to lure former Events boss, Lee Forde, into a plot against The Harbarrowboy.
The Panel will also hear evidence that he undermined the Harbarrowboy's position after the Mathew Street fiasco.
Hopefully both Mr Forde and Mr Harbarrowboy will be called as witnesses to give their side of the story.
All of which will make a fascinating spectacle as Fireman Bradley tries to wriggle off the hook.
Bradley has already hired a team of expensive lawyers to try and escape the rap - we wonder who will be footing the massive bill for this?
Meanwhile, we confidently predict that the Standards Board's long-awaited report on Bradley will be finally made public within the next few days - probably before the end of the week.
At which point, even the Oldham Echo, having sacked 43 journalists, may take a dim view of the leader of the city council.
(If there is anyone still left in the newsroom to report it.)
Quite what the judge in the Hurst trial will make today of Bradley as a 'character witness' remains to be seen.
Especially since, within just a few days, his character is likely to be roundly, comprehensively and officially condemned by the Standards Board.
With friends like this for the accused Hurst, who needs enemies?
Meanwhile Liverpool subCulture is forced to reluctantly issue an official apology to our loyal reader. (That's you in the back!)
It seems, if you believe the rumours sweeping the city, that Bradley's accomplice, The Storeyteller, may actually escape censure from the Standards Board!
We know this is difficult to believe, but please bear with us...
Seems The Storeyteller may have managed to persuade the ethics watchdogs (complete numpties) that he had nothing at all to do with leaking details of Jase's heart trouble to the Oldham Echo.
And that, similarly, he is prone to spending regular Sunday evenings sipping Peroni around at Bradley's gaff - and that his presence there had nothing at all to do with trying to get dirt from Lee Forde on the Harbarrowboy.
So even though he may have been found in the library with a dagger, a bottle of poison and a pearl-handled revolver while Jase's sun-tanned body lay face down on the carpet, it had nothing at all to do with him.
Honest guv.
We know this is laughable - but then, so is the Standards Board.
Which means that The Storeyteller may yet live to fight another day - what price a future leadership challenge to Flo Clueless?