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Hounslow's Conservative Council Group has issued a severe reprimand to Cllr Robert Oulds for his lack of judgement and indiscretion in posing with guns and circulating photos. The Group considers that it was a totally inappropriate action for someone in the public eye. They have accepted Cllr Oulds' admission that he was 'naïve and foolish' and his sincere apology for any trouble and embarrassment he has caused.

Cllr Oulds has also been removed as the Group's crime spokesman and the Chiswick representative on the Police Consultative Group as it was felt that in the immediate future his position would be untenable given the nature of his actions.

However it was decided not to withdraw the whip from Cllr. Oulds as his actions were not illegal. Slough CID have confirmed that all the guns he was pictured with were legally held.

Conservative Group Leader Cllr Peter Thompson said, "We viewed this matter very seriously and gave it much time and thought. Politicians have to be seen to be acting responsibly and must except to be censured when they are not. Robert fully accepts this.

"We also recognise that Robert was instrumental in bringing about the end to Labour's domination of the Police Consultative Group and ensuring fair, democratic representation throughout the borough. We know that his removal from this Group will be a particularly serious blow to him."

Cllr. Thompson praised Cllr. Oulds' work for his constituents in Chiswick Homefields and pointed to his attendance rates for Council meetings which was one of the top in the borough.

He blasted comments from the leader of the Labour group at Hounslow Council, Cllr. Colin Ellar as "the most pathetic and contemptible that I have ever heard in my political career."

Cllr. Ellar issued a statement condemning Cllr. Oulds' 'volatile' behaviour and called for him to resign as "his fixation with guns does not set a good example to the youth of this borough."

Cllr Thompson responded by saying, " The notion that Cllr. Oulds action in any way could contribute to the spiralling increase in gun crime in Britain - an increase that has happened whilst his [Cllr. Ellar's] own party is in power - is laughable and reflects a truly petty mind that seeks to make cheap political points and thereby turn the public glaze away from his own inadequacies as a third rate leader of a fourth rate Labour Group. Cllr. Oulds acted foolishly and he has paid the price. Cll.r Ellar and his inept cronies regularly act like fools both in and out of the Council Chamber."

January 26, 2005