Photo: Nick Cobbing.

News and other Busyness

Show Us An Ankle

Squall 13, Summer 1996, pg. 6.

On local government election night, May 2nd, members of the Exodus Collective visited the Luton count. They handed out a leaflet revealing that, according to a 1982/83 Masonic Handbook, leader of the Labour Council, Roy Davis, had been a Freemason at Leighton Cross Lodge.

When confronted, Davis admitted to being a Mason, but said he resigned when he became a councillor in 1983. He has produced no proof of leaving. Both his father and brother were listed in the same handbook, although his father is now dead. When asked if his brother was still a mason Davis replied: “That’s his business, not yours.” The day after polling, Luton Borough Labour group reappointed Davis leader.

As council leader, Davis has opposed setting up a working group to help procure a suitable licenced venue for Exodus’ community centre, the Ark, where monthly dances would fund the centre’s other activities. “We have no confidence that they’d run the rave events according to the rules,” he commented. Davis also backed the recent injunctions against named Exodus members to stop them attending unlicensed parties, as well as the failed attempt to imprison Glenn Jenkins for breach of injunction, citing ‘public safety’ as the reason; this despite Exodus’ confirmation of an unblemished safety record. These moves were described as “the sort of behaviour you find in fascist countries,” by David Franks, leader of the Liberal Democrat group.