News

Cooke defends Brent library; no word from Hunt

17.10.11 | Benedicte Page

Literary agent Geraldine Cooke is calling on members of the book trade with links to Brent to join demonstrators in their vigils outside the north London borough's closed libraries.

Speaking from outside Preston Park Library in Brent this afternoon, Cooke said local residents had prevented the removal of books and computers from the library building on three occasions today (17th October). She said: "There was one 78-year-old author, here at 8am, when people came to take books and computers away, and he asked them to leave, and they did. When they called me to come in at 10.30am, the head of libraries Sue McKenzie and big white vans were just leaving, after another attempt.

"Then about 1pm an enormous white truck with two young men arrived, and they told us 'We've only come for the computers.' A young man in builders' clothes came up, spread his arms out, and said, very gently, 'No, man, no. Phone your bosses and tell them you must go.' It was just wonderful."

The vigil is continuing for a fifth day today to prevent Kensal Rise Library, one of the six to be closed following the failure of a legal challenge in the High Court last week, from being boarded up. However, Cooke said Cricklewood library was boarded up in the night last night, while at Barham Park library, another of the Brent six, books and computers had been removed.

Meanwhile, it has emerged in Mr Justice Ouseley's judgement on the Brent closures, delivered last week, the onus was put back upon the Secretary of State, Jeremy Hunt, to intervene over library closures. Ouseley said he should do so unless something has "gone seriously or obviously wrong in law in the information-gathering or analysis process", in which case the court should address the issue.

A spokesperson for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said the department was "studying the judgement" and would respond "as quickly as we can".

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By J Bloom

Cook or "Cooke"??

Mon, 17/10/2011 - 15:40
By Benedicte Page

thanks J Bloom, corrected now.

Mon, 17/10/2011 - 15:59
By Shirley Burnham

Most of us must read from afar about the heroism, dignity and spirit of the people defending their libraries in Brent. We are witnessing events that seem to be a bizarre throwback to the film 'Passport to Pimlico'. But rather than this being a 1949 Ealing comedy of the absurd, it is a deadly serious effort on the part of residents to defend their democratic rights and all that is dear to them. The crass behaviour of Brent's councillors and officers, and the woeful failure of government ministers to respond, bring utter shame upon our country.

Mon, 17/10/2011 - 18:34
By Fiona Kirton

A spokesperson for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said the department was "studying the judgement" and would respond "as quickly as we can".

Well considering the lack of response from that department to so many missives from an aggrieved public, we will not be holding our breath. Basically they do not give a toss.

Mon, 17/10/2011 - 19:49
By daveq

You expect Jermey Hunt to stop quaffing his champagne just to carry out what is after all part of his statutory duty? You must be joking. When the DCMS say thay are studying something and will reply as soon as possible it means wwhatever they claim to be looking at will be passed down the chain of command, ending up on the desk of the lowest dogsbody in the department in several months time! As for the reply- don't hold your breath! I do speak from experience, those of us on the Isle of Wight who visited the DCMS earlier this year are still awaiting a full response!

Tue, 18/10/2011 - 07:04

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