As a life member I've long been aware of Mr Liversidge & his stentorion tones
Therefore the findings of the tribunal come as no surprise
The sad loss of Nich Brown & the other two stalwarts
Leaves me feeling that MAG central do NOT represent my views on this matter
http://www.visordown.com/motorcycle-news--general-news/...24651.html
I was a MAG member for many years and have known Neil personally for a lot longer, i think i was about 14 yo when i first met him. He is known for his political stance, his booming tones, his tact and diplomacy skills (which have always been somewhat dubious) and of course the fact that he is always RIGHT, even when he isn't!
It is disappointing that this has happened within an organisation that supposedly works to protect and promote 'riders rights'. It appears those rights did not extend to staff, hopefully this will be a wake up call, although i somehow doubt it.
It will be interesting to see how many members continue to be part of an organisation that has treated its staff so outrageously.
20 year MAG member here. As a serious organization to protect rider's rights they are one of only two games in town. Having said that I'm under no illusions, any large group will have it's political infighting and that is what we have here. But to continue MAG really does need to get it's act together. The world has moved on and the biker public perception is that it has become a Dinosaur chasing 70's ideology (helmet law anyone?). In reality MAG still does a lot of valuable work although there is a very real danger that this will become lost in the inevitable bunfight and recriminations that will now follow. What it the alternative?
I would like to put my perspective on this debacle based on a similar experience to the MAG Three with the BMF but starting with some general comments.
It seems that the two UK riders' rights organisations periodically spend more time infighting with their volunteer 'leaders' flashing their egos for all to see effectively tearing these bodies apart in the process. A colleague from my days with the BMF questioned why in the greater scheme of things such tinpot bodies' hierarchy spent so much effort into being the top dog. It seems that they lose sight of the raison d'etre to serve and represent motorcyclists and just tear these bodies apart for their self aggrandizement. Unfortunately, with volunteer run bodies, this is par for the course so they should leave it to the professionals. Steve mentioned two games in town but from what I hear of the BMF now, it seems to have gone down the toilet which, presumably, is what the protagonists for leadership wanted. Now MAG looks set to follow. So who or what will care for the interests of we the motorcyclists?
After some years as a volunteer, I was employed as a lobbyist for the BMF from late 1992 to mid 2007 when I resigned as I could see it going into terminal decline. Fairly early in my tenure a particularly unpleasant faction took control and, because my face didn't fit, made life extremely unpleasant for me, effectively preventing me from doing my job. It was classic industrial bullying in which I could do no right, I was constantly being criticised for something, regularly receiving snotty fax messages (e-mail was not so common then) and at one point had my pay and expenses withheld. With their propaganda, I was vilified as quite reprehensible as certain MAG directors have with their three employees. I had over a year of this Hell until some sanity returned with the members of this faction ousted, frustrated that events did not go their way or just bored and they began to go their separate ways. By this time I could never feel the same loyalty that I had before these events took place. Nevertheless, if I say so myself, I believe I did a good job and remained involved with the lobbying in Europe and at home working with other motorcycling organisations with the most significant achievement being the Government's Motorcycling Strategy and going before the Select Committee to discuss its progress. I did, on occasion, work with Nich Brown who represented the Motorcycle Industry Association of whom I developed a great deal of respect which hasn't diminished. I was also at meetings with Neil Liversidge and everything that GBNP said about him is true with him often alienating allies and potential sympathisers by playing to the gallery.
After leaving the BMF, I eventually joined MAG, when I met Paddy Tyson with whom I was also impressed. My partner, Moonstone, even started a local MAG Group. However with recent events with which you can see I strongly empathise, someone else can run the group and we won't be renewing our membership. As a footnote, with the change in company that MAG has undergone since the tribunal verdict, it seems that the direct debits for membership fees need to be renewed with the new company since ours was due at the beginning of March and we are receiving reminders to renew or take out a direct debit. MAG has shot itself in the foot by squandering this resource of loyal and effective employees and we can no longer support an organisation which has treated its staff so appallingly and neglected its duty to defend UK motorcyclists' interests. Apologies for the length of this, but there were some things that needed to be said.
I'm a MAG member of several years standing and currently Branch Rep for NE Lincs. I was present at last years AGC when Neil Liversidge and Pete Walker were appointed to try and resolve the issues at central office, which had apparently been going on some time and the existing board member with responsibility for HR issues was at the end of her tether. The comments above are obviously from people who've only heard or taken account of one side of the story. MAG is a very democratic organisation. The paid staff should be responsible to and accept instructions from the elected board, who in turn report to the National Committee and the membership. In a nutshell, what was happening was that paid staff were skipping external meetings they were supposed to attend but reporting the proceedings as if they had attended. Two of them were spending excessive time on a separate business venture, in time MAG was paying for. They were also refusing direct requests to provide information and reports and making a total hash of a database project but hiding their failure. The change in company name was started months ago on legal advice to both protect the name and protect the organisation's funds for the objects of the organisation, not payouts to wrong-doers. MAG are appealing the tribunal decision on the basis it disallowed evidence of the original wrongdoing. The board and NC are firmly of the belief they are morally in the right. I've met Mr Liversidge a couple of times, while it may be true he would win no prizes for tact and diplomacy, his commitment and determination in pursuit of MAG's objectives cannot be faulted. I would recommend individuals to seek out and read the statements from the MAG side, they're all over facebook, before doing anything rash like resigning membership etc? A new, smaller and more effective permanent staff is now in place and working much better. With the addition of former MP Lembit Opik as a full-time campaigner beside Dr Leon Mannings the organisation will survive and be stronger.
Ive read all the stuff on facebook, but because i dont really know exaclty what happened or the people involved i am not sure i can comment.
The only thing i will say is it seems a downright shame to lose MAG, what other organisation do we have that fights for things such as bus lane use, manhole covers being made unslippy and generally speaking out for the motorcycle??
I guess i just worry that this will completely spoil everything and there will be a lot of peeps out there who would love motorcycles to lose everything and have no voice where it matters in politics and decision making.
i dont really know what to do or think, but unless i truly feel there is an alternative organisation who stand for us against the politicians an decision makers, then i think i have to remain a member or we are i think... but that is just my opinion and i would be glad to hear from anyone who can offer an alternative way that we ensure motorcycles are ALWAYS taken into account and things like the new MOT or compulsive hi-viz are fought against.
The reason they celebrate the Fred Hill for not wearing a helmet is not an old dinasaur... it is totally related to the idea of "freedome of choice" which surely is what all bikers want??? the minute we forget this then there is no point belonging to an organisation that fights to keep our freedokm as much as possible....
Whoa there Suzi, and anyone else similarly confused! It's only a change of name being done on legal advice. MAG UK ltd will be wound down and all activities taken over by Motorcycle Action Group ltd. All existing creditors will be paid in full. The change of name is for 2 reasons: 1) to protect the new name from anyone else using it, possibly with malicious intent; and 2) to protect future funds for the purposes they are raised/donated. All current campaigns, regional and branch activities, rallies etc. will contine unaffected.(or improved!)
It is unfortunate that much comment on the recent events in MAG, (generally, I mean, not just in this forum) is based on rumour, guesswork, personal predudice, deliberate mis-information and on some one-sided online articles. I am assured by those present at the tribunal, and who heard the evidence, that the judges verdict was perverse, based partly on Neil Liversidge's voice and physical size (!) yet failing to take into account any historical factors leading up to the events complained of. Oh, and that Neil & Pete were expected to respond to a dossier of allegations which they were not allowed to see!
I would urge anyone who wishes to comment on this sad situation to take a look at what the "accused" in this case have to say, and especially read Ian Mutch's impartial take on the matter. If you still feel a Slaughter of the Innocents has occured, then so be it. But please don't jump to conclusions based on a limited understanding of a complex situatiuon. (One access to such items is on Neil Liversidge's own Facebook page. Mutchie's take is posted on 16 March)
As someone who also jumped ship from the BMF around 2007, I sympathise with Cataraptor. He correctly identifies a situation where "a particularly unpleasant faction took control and, because my face didn't fit, made life extremely unpleasant for me, effectively preventing me from doing my job. It was classic industrial bullying in which I could do no right, I was constantly being criticised for something, regularly receiving snotty fax messages ..." but in this case, I ask him to consider that he may have identified the wrong culprits. Whilst Nich Brown and Paddy Tyson have in the past contibuted greatly to MAG, and motorcycling in general, it would seem, from the evidence produced in this case, that latterly they had sadly become the opposite of "loyal and effective employees", by continuously obstructing MAG officials (i.e. their employers) and spending much time in the MAG office producing an independant magazine and running an overland travel company. Bear in mind that their salaries were being paid from the subscriptions of MAG members, and the long, hard, unpaid work of organisers and marshals at MAG rallies & events, who believed that their efforts were helping to contribute to the furtherence of bikers rights. The "bullying" alleged would appear to no more nor less than employees being told to do what their employers required of them, after months of failing to do so when asked. Far from being an ego trip, destroying an efficient central office, it seems Neil & Co have wrested the control of MAG back, for the benefit of its members. I am told that the office is now running far more smoothly with less employees.
As an aside, note that whoever is right, this problem has been dealt with openly by MAG: I still have no idea what all the BMF in-fighting was all about back before 2007!
Finally, I would ask any members – and potential members – to stop carping about "dinosaurs", etc., and look at the new central office setup: Leon Mannings & Lembit Opik form the strongest team any UK riders rights organisation has had in years. If we don't want to be legislated off the roads, we need their skills, and they deserve our support.
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