Why this blog will continue to be honest
I’m afraid to say that Nick Bishop, one of the more partisan and less nice Green Party members, has been joining LibDem Cllr Simon Wright in trawling blogs to find politically embarrassing information. In the case of Mr Bishop – whom incidentally I absolutely crushed in the recent Bowthorpe poll – he failed to do so and yet has written to both local newspapers complaining that I am seeking a parliamentary seat and am a councillor. I do not see that this as problem and I would be interested in your views on the comments section. He questions if I have aspirations to be an MP – I clearly do as that is why I stood in the 2005 General Election. Perhaps Mr Bishop is also one of the less bright Green members as well?
As ridiculous as Mr Bishop and Cllr Wright continue to be, their actions throw real doubt over the future of blogging politicians. These are more than just on-line diaries; they are journals of our thoughts and ideas. I have always sought be honest here and give my views on national and local events. They should be taken as personal views not party ones. Mr Bishop and Cllr Wright are encouraging bland, pointless party-orientated diatribes that don’t move politics forward. I could have kept quiet about wanting to be a PPC again, but why do so when I can help people to understand how the system works and my views on it.
I happen to know that a large number of people enjoy reading my blog and others because you can be guaranteed that it is all 100% genuine. It shall continue to be honest, as shall I.
In 2004 one young guy who came to vote in Clover Hill said to me that he was supporting me because he could see on my blog what I was up to and I made an effort to keep in touch using IT. He said he was fed up with reading the normal party propaganda and found the blog easier in understanding what I was really about. If my blog helps to engage just that young man then it has served its purpose.
(And for the record, Mr Bishop – I got three times the number of votes than the Greens got in 2005 and five times the number you got last May. So there.)
Saturday, June 03, 2006
Friday, June 02, 2006
"Wright Watch" Part IV
Today we question Cllr Wright's political judgement. My thanks to Iain Dale for putting us onto this little gem in which Cllr Wright jets off to Germany in order to further the cause of liberal democracy ... by supporting the uber-Thatcher FDR party. Oh dear, I wonder if all those Liberals out there in Fakenham know that they have supported a right-winger who'd make even the Orange Bookers beards stand on end?
Either Cllr Wright has very mixed up political views or he doesn't understand basic political theory.
Today we question Cllr Wright's political judgement. My thanks to Iain Dale for putting us onto this little gem in which Cllr Wright jets off to Germany in order to further the cause of liberal democracy ... by supporting the uber-Thatcher FDR party. Oh dear, I wonder if all those Liberals out there in Fakenham know that they have supported a right-winger who'd make even the Orange Bookers beards stand on end?
Either Cllr Wright has very mixed up political views or he doesn't understand basic political theory.
Thursday, June 01, 2006
Ding Dong
One of the strange recent shifts in politics is that people seem much more able to make comebacks. Peter Mandelson did it, David Blunkett did it, Boris Johnson did it.
However, despite the rubber-ball nature of our senior frontbenchers, until recently very few leaders have done the double. However on councils and political groups up and down the country it seems that even leaders are getting a second chance. Former Tory Leader William Hague, the current Shadow Foreign Seceratry, is touted for a return to the leadership at some point. And today we learnt that euro-fanatic Diane Wallis is to lead the LibDem MEPs for a second time, following the decision of former Leader Chris Davies to resign in disgrace.
I say good on her - not least for beating Eastern Region MEP Andrew Duff to the leadership. Well done!
One of the strange recent shifts in politics is that people seem much more able to make comebacks. Peter Mandelson did it, David Blunkett did it, Boris Johnson did it.
However, despite the rubber-ball nature of our senior frontbenchers, until recently very few leaders have done the double. However on councils and political groups up and down the country it seems that even leaders are getting a second chance. Former Tory Leader William Hague, the current Shadow Foreign Seceratry, is touted for a return to the leadership at some point. And today we learnt that euro-fanatic Diane Wallis is to lead the LibDem MEPs for a second time, following the decision of former Leader Chris Davies to resign in disgrace.
I say good on her - not least for beating Eastern Region MEP Andrew Duff to the leadership. Well done!
Best of the Blogs
What's worth reading today? Iain Dale comes to the defence of Tory 'A' Lister and international gay icon Adam Rickett, Dizzy finds out that the government are now sacking people via the internet, James Cleverly looks at the claims made by the Bromley LibDems, Ranting Guttersnipe writes the rudest thing I have seen about John Reid in a long time (not for the faint-hearted) and the wonderful Mr Eugenides says that US soliders are to get extra training...
What's worth reading today? Iain Dale comes to the defence of Tory 'A' Lister and international gay icon Adam Rickett, Dizzy finds out that the government are now sacking people via the internet, James Cleverly looks at the claims made by the Bromley LibDems, Ranting Guttersnipe writes the rudest thing I have seen about John Reid in a long time (not for the faint-hearted) and the wonderful Mr Eugenides says that US soliders are to get extra training...
"Wright Watch" Part III
This is the biggest response I've had to anything I've done on my blog - and the good news is (well, not for Cllr Wright but for the rest of us) that I have enough for a weeks worth of this!
As we all know, Cllr Wright lives in Norwich but represents Fakenham. But has he told his electorate that? It has been kindly pointed out that on the North Noroflk District Council website he lists his contact address as being Norman Lamb's office in North Walsham! Not a problem using an office address? It is if you are the only Councillor not to publish their home address on the website and people might just conclude that he ahs something to hide.
So,come on Cllr Wright - let's be honest with the people of Fakenham about where you live and honest with the people of Norwich about who you are and where you represent.
More tomorrow!
This is the biggest response I've had to anything I've done on my blog - and the good news is (well, not for Cllr Wright but for the rest of us) that I have enough for a weeks worth of this!
As we all know, Cllr Wright lives in Norwich but represents Fakenham. But has he told his electorate that? It has been kindly pointed out that on the North Noroflk District Council website he lists his contact address as being Norman Lamb's office in North Walsham! Not a problem using an office address? It is if you are the only Councillor not to publish their home address on the website and people might just conclude that he ahs something to hide.
So,come on Cllr Wright - let's be honest with the people of Fakenham about where you live and honest with the people of Norwich about who you are and where you represent.
More tomorrow!
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Why Tim tells us a lot about Ming
Oh dear. The wonderful Lord (Tim) Razzell is no longer LibDem campaign chairman. What a shame. But one nagging question remains. Did he quit because Ming was so horrible to his old chum Charlie? Or did he go because the LibDems flatlining electoral performance and he is only the golden boy whilst they win elections?
A one seat net gain in the local elections tells me its probably the latter.
Oh dear. The wonderful Lord (Tim) Razzell is no longer LibDem campaign chairman. What a shame. But one nagging question remains. Did he quit because Ming was so horrible to his old chum Charlie? Or did he go because the LibDems flatlining electoral performance and he is only the golden boy whilst they win elections?
A one seat net gain in the local elections tells me its probably the latter.
Vic Elvin dies
I've just had a call from the EEN to say that Mile Cross Councillor Vic Elvin has passed away. Vic was a true community man, dedicated to making Mile Cross a better place to live. His shock election win - and subsequently holding the seat against a big swing to Labour - made him quite an electoral force! I know Labour were terrified of him and a good job too! He may not have done much jumping up and down in the Chamber but he worked long and hard for the community he represented and the council could do with more people like Vic Elvin.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his friends and family.
I've just had a call from the EEN to say that Mile Cross Councillor Vic Elvin has passed away. Vic was a true community man, dedicated to making Mile Cross a better place to live. His shock election win - and subsequently holding the seat against a big swing to Labour - made him quite an electoral force! I know Labour were terrified of him and a good job too! He may not have done much jumping up and down in the Chamber but he worked long and hard for the community he represented and the council could do with more people like Vic Elvin.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his friends and family.
Just what is Labour's views on Council Tax?
Just released:
Leading Norwich Conservative Antony Little has today welcomed the vast bulk of Labour’s new priorities for the City, but seriously questioned their commitment to keeping council tax down.
Commenting on the new political aims and aspirations document, released by new Council Leader Steve Morphew, Cllr Little said:
“We warmly welcome a lot of this document because it contains issues that all parties can agree on – including tackling anti-social behaviour, promoting recycling and cleaning up our communities.”
“However this document completely skirts around the issue of the council tax, failing to mention it even once. A lot of these schemes sound very expensive and Labour are coming into office without an aspiration – let alone a commitment – to keeping council tax down.”
“Unless Labour include an aim to keep down council tax in their political priorities list people can only conclude that council tax is set to rocket in Norwich.”
Just released:
Leading Norwich Conservative Antony Little has today welcomed the vast bulk of Labour’s new priorities for the City, but seriously questioned their commitment to keeping council tax down.
Commenting on the new political aims and aspirations document, released by new Council Leader Steve Morphew, Cllr Little said:
“We warmly welcome a lot of this document because it contains issues that all parties can agree on – including tackling anti-social behaviour, promoting recycling and cleaning up our communities.”
“However this document completely skirts around the issue of the council tax, failing to mention it even once. A lot of these schemes sound very expensive and Labour are coming into office without an aspiration – let alone a commitment – to keeping council tax down.”
“Unless Labour include an aim to keep down council tax in their political priorities list people can only conclude that council tax is set to rocket in Norwich.”
Diary Entries
It seems almost compulsory that I enter into an absolute rage at something Norwich City Council does everyday. Today it is the long running diary saga.
I am a City Councillor. I have a lot of meetings to attend, as a Councillor serving on committees and in the community I represent. I would rather like a small book to make a note of all the dates. Not too hard is it? Not so far. The Council provide us with diaries and they are better than the ones you buy at W H Smith because they contain all of the contact details and info about the council. Wow, two birds with one stone there then.
Apart from the fact that Council diaries seem to run September through to September and, yes you got it, ours aren't ready yet. The finanical year runs April through to April. The civic year runs May through to May. Yet the council bureaucracy runs September through to September.
Will I give in and buy one before then? Yes, clearly. Grrrrr!
It seems almost compulsory that I enter into an absolute rage at something Norwich City Council does everyday. Today it is the long running diary saga.
I am a City Councillor. I have a lot of meetings to attend, as a Councillor serving on committees and in the community I represent. I would rather like a small book to make a note of all the dates. Not too hard is it? Not so far. The Council provide us with diaries and they are better than the ones you buy at W H Smith because they contain all of the contact details and info about the council. Wow, two birds with one stone there then.
Apart from the fact that Council diaries seem to run September through to September and, yes you got it, ours aren't ready yet. The finanical year runs April through to April. The civic year runs May through to May. Yet the council bureaucracy runs September through to September.
Will I give in and buy one before then? Yes, clearly. Grrrrr!
"Wright Watch" Part II
Well, that didn't take long. An e-mail arrives to point out that Councillor Wright (LibDem, Fakenham) appears to be modeling his political career on that of his full-tine boss, North Norfolk's MP Norman Lamb.
"By that I mean living in Norwich but claiming to represent people who live miles away."
Very true. By checking the electoral roll, Mr Lamb lives just off the Newmarket Road in Norwich South but represents North Norfolk. Councillor Wright lives in Eaton, on the south side of Norwich, and represents Fakenham - that's over 27 miles away and in a completely different local authority. I wonder how many of Cllr Wright's constituents know this?
Well, that didn't take long. An e-mail arrives to point out that Councillor Wright (LibDem, Fakenham) appears to be modeling his political career on that of his full-tine boss, North Norfolk's MP Norman Lamb.
"By that I mean living in Norwich but claiming to represent people who live miles away."
Very true. By checking the electoral roll, Mr Lamb lives just off the Newmarket Road in Norwich South but represents North Norfolk. Councillor Wright lives in Eaton, on the south side of Norwich, and represents Fakenham - that's over 27 miles away and in a completely different local authority. I wonder how many of Cllr Wright's constituents know this?
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Future of Waterloo Park Pavillion
This has just been released:
Conservative Leader in Norwich, Cllr Antony Little, is to seek assurances from Norwich City Council over the future use of Waterloo Park Pavilion.
Currently the Pavilion is organised and run by Norwich Community Arts (NORCAS) but they are moving out in the summer and there are fears that the Pavilion could be lost as a community arts space. Norwich City Council will soon be looking at somebody else to take over the lease and they have not ruled out allowing the use to be converted to fully commercial premises.
Cllr Little said: “There are serious concerns that a business may wish to use this very special site and a lot of the community groups that currently access the space will lose out. I have been in touch with the Council to talk through the issue but they will not rule out a fully commercial use of the Pavilion.”
“We have very few genuine community resources of this nature and it would be a crying shame to see it lost. I would like the Council to guarantee that community groups will get first refusal in this building. Failing that, we should have a full report to see if the Council could continue to run the Pavilion for the best use of the community themselves.”
“Waterloo Park Pavilion is well worth investing time and money into – as has been the case in the past. I shall be strongly urging the Council to keep it for community use.”
This has just been released:
Conservative Leader in Norwich, Cllr Antony Little, is to seek assurances from Norwich City Council over the future use of Waterloo Park Pavilion.
Currently the Pavilion is organised and run by Norwich Community Arts (NORCAS) but they are moving out in the summer and there are fears that the Pavilion could be lost as a community arts space. Norwich City Council will soon be looking at somebody else to take over the lease and they have not ruled out allowing the use to be converted to fully commercial premises.
Cllr Little said: “There are serious concerns that a business may wish to use this very special site and a lot of the community groups that currently access the space will lose out. I have been in touch with the Council to talk through the issue but they will not rule out a fully commercial use of the Pavilion.”
“We have very few genuine community resources of this nature and it would be a crying shame to see it lost. I would like the Council to guarantee that community groups will get first refusal in this building. Failing that, we should have a full report to see if the Council could continue to run the Pavilion for the best use of the community themselves.”
“Waterloo Park Pavilion is well worth investing time and money into – as has been the case in the past. I shall be strongly urging the Council to keep it for community use.”
Support for "road safety drive"
I was pleased to see the Soapbox column in Monday's Evening News dedicated to one Norwich resident (a real, genuine, non-party alligned one this time) supporting my view about a pro-active road safety campaign. Maybe this is the start of something that could cause ripples of change around City Hall>
I was pleased to see the Soapbox column in Monday's Evening News dedicated to one Norwich resident (a real, genuine, non-party alligned one this time) supporting my view about a pro-active road safety campaign. Maybe this is the start of something that could cause ripples of change around City Hall>
Tories are challengers to Clarke in Norwich South: Poll
A new set of opinion polls has confirmed that the Tories are back to being the real alternative to Charles Clarke in Norwich South. Martin Baxter's Electoral Calculus, an extremely well respected organisation that averages out polling information, puts Clarke at 33% (down 4%), the Conservatives at 27% (up 5%), the LibDems at 24% (down 5%) and the Greens at 14% (up 7%). That roughly matches what we are seeing on the doorsteps at the moment. However, you might expect Mr Clarke to do better now he has more time to spend in Norwich. The LibDems, however, are clearly having a tougher time of it.
A new set of opinion polls has confirmed that the Tories are back to being the real alternative to Charles Clarke in Norwich South. Martin Baxter's Electoral Calculus, an extremely well respected organisation that averages out polling information, puts Clarke at 33% (down 4%), the Conservatives at 27% (up 5%), the LibDems at 24% (down 5%) and the Greens at 14% (up 7%). That roughly matches what we are seeing on the doorsteps at the moment. However, you might expect Mr Clarke to do better now he has more time to spend in Norwich. The LibDems, however, are clearly having a tougher time of it.
Who is Simon Wright?
Well, according to today's Evening News he is simply a regular resident of Norwich who just happens to be complaining about the Conservatives. However, is this an uncharacteristic lapse in the reporting of the EEN?
Simon Wright is a resident of Norwich.
Simon Wright is also a LibDem District Councillor.
Simon Wright is also Norman Lamb's full time director of communication ... a LibDem Federal Exec member ... and a party trainer.
Simon Wright is also putting himself about as the LibDem PPC in Norwich South next time around.
Mr Wright - sorry, Councillor Wright - is not all that he seems. Perhaps a "Wright Watch" feature is required? Stories to the normal e-mail address.
Well, according to today's Evening News he is simply a regular resident of Norwich who just happens to be complaining about the Conservatives. However, is this an uncharacteristic lapse in the reporting of the EEN?
Simon Wright is a resident of Norwich.
Simon Wright is also a LibDem District Councillor.
Simon Wright is also Norman Lamb's full time director of communication ... a LibDem Federal Exec member ... and a party trainer.
Simon Wright is also putting himself about as the LibDem PPC in Norwich South next time around.
Mr Wright - sorry, Councillor Wright - is not all that he seems. Perhaps a "Wright Watch" feature is required? Stories to the normal e-mail address.
Monday, May 29, 2006
Leader of the Opposition?
Cllr Morphew might be mistaken for thinking that all of his religious festivals have come at once. The word at City Hall is that the LibDems are so annoyed with the electorate for dumping them that they do not plan to oppose - or even in some cases scrutinise - the work of the incoming Labour administration. With the Green Party under Labour's table hoping for some scraps to be thrown their way, it looks like the Conservatives accumulated council mass of two will be the principle opposition in the chamber. Or, as somebody once said ... the "real opposition"?
Cllr Morphew might be mistaken for thinking that all of his religious festivals have come at once. The word at City Hall is that the LibDems are so annoyed with the electorate for dumping them that they do not plan to oppose - or even in some cases scrutinise - the work of the incoming Labour administration. With the Green Party under Labour's table hoping for some scraps to be thrown their way, it looks like the Conservatives accumulated council mass of two will be the principle opposition in the chamber. Or, as somebody once said ... the "real opposition"?
Blog roll...
What's being said by the bloggers this Bank Holiday? Well, Tory candidate for Kingston Kevin Davis looks at the Pope's diary, Guido finds a heterosexual LibDem, Ellee Seymour is nasty about our beloved Deputy Prime Minister (!), and ConservativeHome wonders why Tory A-Listers aren't applying for really tough parliamentary seats.
What's being said by the bloggers this Bank Holiday? Well, Tory candidate for Kingston Kevin Davis looks at the Pope's diary, Guido finds a heterosexual LibDem, Ellee Seymour is nasty about our beloved Deputy Prime Minister (!), and ConservativeHome wonders why Tory A-Listers aren't applying for really tough parliamentary seats.
Sir Ming: An apology
Those poor souls who make up whatever is left of the Liberal Democrats in Britain have been having a hard time of it recently. I don’t like to comment on the woes of the LibDems … actually, sod that because they revelled in it when the Conservatives were struggling. Sir Ming is turning out to be the worst leader they could possibly have had – and YouGovs work in the Daily Telegraph shows his rating continue to slide. Even the anyone-but-the-Tories Anthony King had to concede the LibDems were struggling just to keep their head above the water. Then came news that they might go bust having to repay a nice man his £2.4m, then Home Affairs Spokesman Nick Clegg did-slash-did-not criticise Sir Ming, then the fiasco over the opening shots in the Bromley by-election … and now Deputy Leader Vince Cable has mooted £6bn worth of tax cuts without demonstrating where the money will come from. The LibDems always struggle bridging the credibility gap and this will not help them. My advice? Shut up about policy, Sir Ming must get batter at PMQs and sack somebody to underline his leadership (preferably the plotting Simon Hughes).
Those poor souls who make up whatever is left of the Liberal Democrats in Britain have been having a hard time of it recently. I don’t like to comment on the woes of the LibDems … actually, sod that because they revelled in it when the Conservatives were struggling. Sir Ming is turning out to be the worst leader they could possibly have had – and YouGovs work in the Daily Telegraph shows his rating continue to slide. Even the anyone-but-the-Tories Anthony King had to concede the LibDems were struggling just to keep their head above the water. Then came news that they might go bust having to repay a nice man his £2.4m, then Home Affairs Spokesman Nick Clegg did-slash-did-not criticise Sir Ming, then the fiasco over the opening shots in the Bromley by-election … and now Deputy Leader Vince Cable has mooted £6bn worth of tax cuts without demonstrating where the money will come from. The LibDems always struggle bridging the credibility gap and this will not help them. My advice? Shut up about policy, Sir Ming must get batter at PMQs and sack somebody to underline his leadership (preferably the plotting Simon Hughes).
Middle class camping
We are back from a fantastic weekend in deepest darkest Suffolk – well, Centre Parcs actually. Our “middle class camping” holiday was fantastic. I managed to scare myself to death by abseiling (twice) and discovering the joys of archery. You see, I’m very “Middle Ages” at heart – in more ways than one! The whole experience was very comfy and the company was excellent – although as they read this blog, I’d be foolish to suggest otherwise. Emily seemed to enjoy herself and, whilst she was unable to go the more daring activities, Louise liked the get-a-way.
We are back from a fantastic weekend in deepest darkest Suffolk – well, Centre Parcs actually. Our “middle class camping” holiday was fantastic. I managed to scare myself to death by abseiling (twice) and discovering the joys of archery. You see, I’m very “Middle Ages” at heart – in more ways than one! The whole experience was very comfy and the company was excellent – although as they read this blog, I’d be foolish to suggest otherwise. Emily seemed to enjoy herself and, whilst she was unable to go the more daring activities, Louise liked the get-a-way.
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Public Meeting Announced
I miss the public meeting traditions of this country and I am pleased to advertise the fact that the "No Costessey Incinerator" campaign group (who I support) are holding a public meeting.
Where? Costessey Community Centre, Breckland Road, New Costessey
When? 7.30pm Monday 5th June 2006
Be there!
I miss the public meeting traditions of this country and I am pleased to advertise the fact that the "No Costessey Incinerator" campaign group (who I support) are holding a public meeting.
Where? Costessey Community Centre, Breckland Road, New Costessey
When? 7.30pm Monday 5th June 2006
Be there!
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Big Brother Part II
I know I shouldn't care but tonight's show was so disgusting that Louise actually walked away and wouldn't watch. One housemate - a man so awful it doesn't bare thinking about - was systemically bullied by a group of so-called adults. I know I shouldn't care and I know I'll probably be the most hated man in the country (save our beloved Prime Minister) for saying this, but I thought that pack-bullying is the most unedifying sight in the world. He was/is an idiot and did stupid things, but they tore him shread-to-shread. Locking him out, throwing his food away, stealing his clothes when in the pool and loudly shouting about how much they hate him. And this is viewing for kids too, is it? Only once have I ever seen secondary school pupils behave like that and it is shocking. They have set an awful example to the country and I hope when they watch the playback they'll be stunned by their behaviour. They set about him en masse, including walking away when he sat with them. Shouting louder and louder is no replacement for debate, honesty and reasoning. If my pupils behaved in that way no matter what the provocation, then they would be in big trouble. Two housemates - Pete and George - deserve some credit. Worst of all was that the leaders of the bully-pack were the girls, and the older ones to boot. Reality TV may just have shown me a reality of British life that I just don't like.
I know I shouldn't care but tonight's show was so disgusting that Louise actually walked away and wouldn't watch. One housemate - a man so awful it doesn't bare thinking about - was systemically bullied by a group of so-called adults. I know I shouldn't care and I know I'll probably be the most hated man in the country (save our beloved Prime Minister) for saying this, but I thought that pack-bullying is the most unedifying sight in the world. He was/is an idiot and did stupid things, but they tore him shread-to-shread. Locking him out, throwing his food away, stealing his clothes when in the pool and loudly shouting about how much they hate him. And this is viewing for kids too, is it? Only once have I ever seen secondary school pupils behave like that and it is shocking. They have set an awful example to the country and I hope when they watch the playback they'll be stunned by their behaviour. They set about him en masse, including walking away when he sat with them. Shouting louder and louder is no replacement for debate, honesty and reasoning. If my pupils behaved in that way no matter what the provocation, then they would be in big trouble. Two housemates - Pete and George - deserve some credit. Worst of all was that the leaders of the bully-pack were the girls, and the older ones to boot. Reality TV may just have shown me a reality of British life that I just don't like.
No Net Presents (sic)
I spent a little while talking to a big player in the Norwich web-scene and was very impressed with what he had to say about politics. Interestingly enough this blog is a daily read for him - and he has nothing but praise for the party website both nationally and locally.
However, he found that the LibDem ones were pretty poor. The local one is a shambles and very very out of date. The national one is difficult to navigate. He believed it was because they were trying to play with the yellow/gold theme - I believe it is because the content is so poor. He said that they should abandon party colours and go with what works best. Failed LibDem PPC AAD used to have website but it was never (and I mean, never) updated and has now disappeared. Similarly, Charles Clarke used to have a website and now I can't find that. Norwich Labour have, to our collective knowledge, never had one. Only the Green Party have an up-to-date viable website.
I am pleased that both Cameron's Conservatives and the Norwich Conservatives lead the way in this field. E-Campaigning will become more and more important.
I spent a little while talking to a big player in the Norwich web-scene and was very impressed with what he had to say about politics. Interestingly enough this blog is a daily read for him - and he has nothing but praise for the party website both nationally and locally.
However, he found that the LibDem ones were pretty poor. The local one is a shambles and very very out of date. The national one is difficult to navigate. He believed it was because they were trying to play with the yellow/gold theme - I believe it is because the content is so poor. He said that they should abandon party colours and go with what works best. Failed LibDem PPC AAD used to have website but it was never (and I mean, never) updated and has now disappeared. Similarly, Charles Clarke used to have a website and now I can't find that. Norwich Labour have, to our collective knowledge, never had one. Only the Green Party have an up-to-date viable website.
I am pleased that both Cameron's Conservatives and the Norwich Conservatives lead the way in this field. E-Campaigning will become more and more important.
Best of the Blogs
It has been a good week for bloggers around here. Iain Dale (too many entries to link to, so just scroll down) has been in full persuit of Cherie Blair and her signed copy of the Hutton Report. In fact, Iain should take some credit for the issue finally hitting the headlines (and PMQs today).
Cambridge's finest and one-woman PR machine Ellee Seymour reports on the Conservative desires to be happy. Meanwhile, Tory blogger Kevin Davis muses on the new found Cameron lead on the issue of public services. Former PPC Marcus Wood has a good story about the LibDem decapitation strategy in Torbay - on themselves.
Finally, Norwich Tory Trevor Ivory asks what the point of election expenses is.
It has been a good week for bloggers around here. Iain Dale (too many entries to link to, so just scroll down) has been in full persuit of Cherie Blair and her signed copy of the Hutton Report. In fact, Iain should take some credit for the issue finally hitting the headlines (and PMQs today).
Cambridge's finest and one-woman PR machine Ellee Seymour reports on the Conservative desires to be happy. Meanwhile, Tory blogger Kevin Davis muses on the new found Cameron lead on the issue of public services. Former PPC Marcus Wood has a good story about the LibDem decapitation strategy in Torbay - on themselves.
Finally, Norwich Tory Trevor Ivory asks what the point of election expenses is.
Cameron's eco-fundraiser
Conservative members could not have failed to be moved by Dave's latest fundraising letter. It comes with the normal gumpf - a letter from Mr Cameron, a booklet on why the Tories are great and a donation form. However, what it different is that this fundraiser is carbon neutral! Well, something like that.
Because all over ever bit of paper are the words: "Printed entirely on paper sourced from sustainable forests." The Conservatives really are changing.
Conservative members could not have failed to be moved by Dave's latest fundraising letter. It comes with the normal gumpf - a letter from Mr Cameron, a booklet on why the Tories are great and a donation form. However, what it different is that this fundraiser is carbon neutral! Well, something like that.
Because all over ever bit of paper are the words: "Printed entirely on paper sourced from sustainable forests." The Conservatives really are changing.
Prescott: Gone but not forgotten
The Tory Leader in Norwich, Cllr Antony Little, expressed concern at reports of the Labour Government’s secret plans to increase council tax bills on homes with attractive features and home improvements.
As a testing ground for England, Labour Ministers are this month revaluing local tax bills in Northern Ireland. Under their brand new system, from April 2007, local tax bills will be a set percentage of the house price and will be unlimited – like an annual stamp duty on every home. Internal documents reveal:
• Taxed for your view: Under the new system, homes with scenic or ‘premium views’, adjoining parks or green spaces, or in Conservation Areas will pay higher taxes. Ordnance Survey maps and councils’ planning departments will be used to identify these features.
• 21st Century window tax: The internal and external specifications of the property will affect the tax bill. Patios, garden sheds, double-glazing, conservatories or extensions are ‘site positive’ features that will hike bills.
• House price tax: Tax bills will be based on the house price of the property, and be unlimited, unlike the present ‘banded’ system of council tax. Local residents will be charged 0.78% of their home’s value each year - local councils can vary the precise rate. In Norwich, this would mean a tax increase of £217 per year for the average home. Only Labour heartlands – like Tony Blair’s Sedgefield and John Prescott’s Hull may pay less.
Cllr Little said:
“I am very concerned over Labour’s plans for an unlimited house price tax. The Government wants to increase the tax burden on Norwich, and turn council tax into a tax on house prices and tap into the property boom.
“Northern Ireland is now being used as a testing ground for Government tax inspectors and the levying of a new house price tax. I fear hard-working families and pensioners who have saved and improved their homes now face soaring tax bills, without any improvements in their local services.”
Former Labour councillor, Sir Michael Lyons, conducting a Government review into council tax, is to publish his proposals later this year. His interim report in December explicitly stated that he was actively considering introducing the same system of local taxation that is now being rolled out in Northern Ireland. In January, the taxpayer-funded National Institute of Economic and Social Research also endorsed this new house price tax
The Tory Leader in Norwich, Cllr Antony Little, expressed concern at reports of the Labour Government’s secret plans to increase council tax bills on homes with attractive features and home improvements.
As a testing ground for England, Labour Ministers are this month revaluing local tax bills in Northern Ireland. Under their brand new system, from April 2007, local tax bills will be a set percentage of the house price and will be unlimited – like an annual stamp duty on every home. Internal documents reveal:
• Taxed for your view: Under the new system, homes with scenic or ‘premium views’, adjoining parks or green spaces, or in Conservation Areas will pay higher taxes. Ordnance Survey maps and councils’ planning departments will be used to identify these features.
• 21st Century window tax: The internal and external specifications of the property will affect the tax bill. Patios, garden sheds, double-glazing, conservatories or extensions are ‘site positive’ features that will hike bills.
• House price tax: Tax bills will be based on the house price of the property, and be unlimited, unlike the present ‘banded’ system of council tax. Local residents will be charged 0.78% of their home’s value each year - local councils can vary the precise rate. In Norwich, this would mean a tax increase of £217 per year for the average home. Only Labour heartlands – like Tony Blair’s Sedgefield and John Prescott’s Hull may pay less.
Cllr Little said:
“I am very concerned over Labour’s plans for an unlimited house price tax. The Government wants to increase the tax burden on Norwich, and turn council tax into a tax on house prices and tap into the property boom.
“Northern Ireland is now being used as a testing ground for Government tax inspectors and the levying of a new house price tax. I fear hard-working families and pensioners who have saved and improved their homes now face soaring tax bills, without any improvements in their local services.”
Former Labour councillor, Sir Michael Lyons, conducting a Government review into council tax, is to publish his proposals later this year. His interim report in December explicitly stated that he was actively considering introducing the same system of local taxation that is now being rolled out in Northern Ireland. In January, the taxpayer-funded National Institute of Economic and Social Research also endorsed this new house price tax
Bong!
All the news you need is always on the Norwich Conservatives website...
Conservative Councillor Antony Little has pointed to new evidence that Whitehall bureaucrats are planning to concrete over back gardens across Norwich and the country.
The Government has given £2 million of taxpayers’ money to planners and academics to investigate ‘urban densification’. Their recommendations include the following proposals:
• Development in suburban neighbourhoods should be double the current density.
• There is ‘considerable potential’ for back garden development.
• Back gardens over 30 metres should be sold off for building.
• Green Belt land should be built over and any “local opposition” ignored.
The Government is already consulting over new planning rules which will impose new higher density targets on new housing developments in Norwich. In practice, this means Norwich City Council will be powerless to stop leafy suburban back gardens being ripped up and the plot replaced with blocks of flats. Current planning guidelines, drawn up by John Prescott, already classify gardens as ‘brownfield’ land, making them easier to concrete over and allowing the Government to produce bogus statistics proclaiming the ‘protection’ of greenfield sites.
Councillor Little, who represents Bowthorpe, said:
"Norwich's open spaces are now under real threat from Labour’s bulldozers. Labour claim they want to regenerate urban sites, yet sneakily they don’t even class back gardens as ‘green’ space. Norwich City Council is increasingly powerless to protect against growing suburban sprawl and ugly ‘densification’. Councillors should be able to stop blocks of flats being dumped in neighbourhoods if out of character with the area.
“It is clear that Whitehall bureaucrats have our back gardens in their sights and is bankrolling ‘garden grabbing’ studies with taxpayers’ cash. But Labour fail to understand that young couples and families want new homes with gardens.”
Conservatives are supporting a proposed new law by Conservative MP, Greg Clark, which seeks to stop back gardens being classed as brownfield land. It is estimated that two-thirds of all brownfield housing development is now taking place on gardens.
All the news you need is always on the Norwich Conservatives website...
Conservative Councillor Antony Little has pointed to new evidence that Whitehall bureaucrats are planning to concrete over back gardens across Norwich and the country.
The Government has given £2 million of taxpayers’ money to planners and academics to investigate ‘urban densification’. Their recommendations include the following proposals:
• Development in suburban neighbourhoods should be double the current density.
• There is ‘considerable potential’ for back garden development.
• Back gardens over 30 metres should be sold off for building.
• Green Belt land should be built over and any “local opposition” ignored.
The Government is already consulting over new planning rules which will impose new higher density targets on new housing developments in Norwich. In practice, this means Norwich City Council will be powerless to stop leafy suburban back gardens being ripped up and the plot replaced with blocks of flats. Current planning guidelines, drawn up by John Prescott, already classify gardens as ‘brownfield’ land, making them easier to concrete over and allowing the Government to produce bogus statistics proclaiming the ‘protection’ of greenfield sites.
Councillor Little, who represents Bowthorpe, said:
"Norwich's open spaces are now under real threat from Labour’s bulldozers. Labour claim they want to regenerate urban sites, yet sneakily they don’t even class back gardens as ‘green’ space. Norwich City Council is increasingly powerless to protect against growing suburban sprawl and ugly ‘densification’. Councillors should be able to stop blocks of flats being dumped in neighbourhoods if out of character with the area.
“It is clear that Whitehall bureaucrats have our back gardens in their sights and is bankrolling ‘garden grabbing’ studies with taxpayers’ cash. But Labour fail to understand that young couples and families want new homes with gardens.”
Conservatives are supporting a proposed new law by Conservative MP, Greg Clark, which seeks to stop back gardens being classed as brownfield land. It is estimated that two-thirds of all brownfield housing development is now taking place on gardens.
Monday, May 22, 2006
Home Office troubles, the Fox finds his feet and my diary
I was always an admirer of Dr Liam Fox, the Conservative Chairman at the last General Election. His tactic of standing as a Tory Leadership contender to position himself for the next Shadow Cabinet seemed not to have paid off when Cameron offered him Shadow Defence Secretary and offered his old Shadow Foreign Affairs position to “party darling” William Hague. However, Dr Fox has been working hard (on both sides of the Atlantic) and nobody can doubt the energy he has put in. The recent Telegraph article about fighting the terrorist threat to our energy supplies is excellent and I glad to see him broadening the horizons of his portfolio.
Meanwhile, Shadow Home Secretary David “Basher” Davis has seen off another Home Office Minister – this time its Harrow’s finest Tony McNulty being shuffle out of Immigration and into Policing. However, to paraphrase DD, why should somebody who fouled up immigration be any better dealing with police reform? Funnily enough, David Cameron thinks the issue of police reform – the last great-unreformed public service – warrants a shadow minister of its own.
We have a clutch of by-elections locally at the moment – in North Norfolk, Diss in South Norfolk and now also in West Suffolk. I’ll post reports as and when I visit each.
We’re off for our first scan tomorrow and then the Council AGM. Oh, joy.
I was always an admirer of Dr Liam Fox, the Conservative Chairman at the last General Election. His tactic of standing as a Tory Leadership contender to position himself for the next Shadow Cabinet seemed not to have paid off when Cameron offered him Shadow Defence Secretary and offered his old Shadow Foreign Affairs position to “party darling” William Hague. However, Dr Fox has been working hard (on both sides of the Atlantic) and nobody can doubt the energy he has put in. The recent Telegraph article about fighting the terrorist threat to our energy supplies is excellent and I glad to see him broadening the horizons of his portfolio.
Meanwhile, Shadow Home Secretary David “Basher” Davis has seen off another Home Office Minister – this time its Harrow’s finest Tony McNulty being shuffle out of Immigration and into Policing. However, to paraphrase DD, why should somebody who fouled up immigration be any better dealing with police reform? Funnily enough, David Cameron thinks the issue of police reform – the last great-unreformed public service – warrants a shadow minister of its own.
We have a clutch of by-elections locally at the moment – in North Norfolk, Diss in South Norfolk and now also in West Suffolk. I’ll post reports as and when I visit each.
We’re off for our first scan tomorrow and then the Council AGM. Oh, joy.
Sunday, May 21, 2006
Review of the week gone by and the week to come...
Becoming a Councillor has been a bewildering experience so far. I’ve just finished my second day of training and still feel that the inner workings of local government are still way beyond me. I have been busy making contacts with all of the officers of the Council worth making contact with. I am been to a Bowthorpe Community Partnership and suffered death by a thousand issues – can there really be this much to do? And what to do when the council just says “no” – how far can opposition councillors change things? I am an optimistic and I believe that we can change things and that is what I intend to do. I also have a varied array of invites to various civic parties, most of which I intend to do to just so that I can say I’ve done it! I have also written my first “political” letter to the Evening News, although curiously they are yet to publish my “thank you” one (see below).
The other issue about being a Councillor is that suddenly the world wants to know you – in a NOC Council we seem to be the target of disproportionate overtures by the other parties and it feels like I’ve hardly been off the phone to media, other Conservatives or Council officials. The steady stream of “well done” letters, e-mails and telephone calls continues. Not only from Bowthorpe but from far a field as London, Suffolk, South Norfolk and Eaton … it may not be odd for party workers and members to phone you, but this gentleman was just a very committed Conservative voter who was thrilled for me personally. Apparently when I was the Eaton candidate in 2000 he was very impressed and has kept half an eye on me ever since!
Tuesday is the first full Council – but it is the AGM and civic ceremony of Mayoral making. It should be generally politics-free but the Greens always try and make some mischief, normally because they refuse to refer to the Lord Mayor as being the Lord Mayor. I may not agree with tomatoes but I recognise that they are tomatoes…
Cllr Morphew, the Leader of the Labour Group, will be busy plotting a takeover. As I understand it, Cllr Couzens is set to let him because of the bruising and overwhelming nature of their defeat. I believe Morphew’s problem will be forming an executive that commands respect across the chamber. Around half of his 16 Labour Councillors will have to be frontbenchers and I am afraid that you could name on one hand those who could command the council. Interesting times!
Becoming a Councillor has been a bewildering experience so far. I’ve just finished my second day of training and still feel that the inner workings of local government are still way beyond me. I have been busy making contacts with all of the officers of the Council worth making contact with. I am been to a Bowthorpe Community Partnership and suffered death by a thousand issues – can there really be this much to do? And what to do when the council just says “no” – how far can opposition councillors change things? I am an optimistic and I believe that we can change things and that is what I intend to do. I also have a varied array of invites to various civic parties, most of which I intend to do to just so that I can say I’ve done it! I have also written my first “political” letter to the Evening News, although curiously they are yet to publish my “thank you” one (see below).
The other issue about being a Councillor is that suddenly the world wants to know you – in a NOC Council we seem to be the target of disproportionate overtures by the other parties and it feels like I’ve hardly been off the phone to media, other Conservatives or Council officials. The steady stream of “well done” letters, e-mails and telephone calls continues. Not only from Bowthorpe but from far a field as London, Suffolk, South Norfolk and Eaton … it may not be odd for party workers and members to phone you, but this gentleman was just a very committed Conservative voter who was thrilled for me personally. Apparently when I was the Eaton candidate in 2000 he was very impressed and has kept half an eye on me ever since!
Tuesday is the first full Council – but it is the AGM and civic ceremony of Mayoral making. It should be generally politics-free but the Greens always try and make some mischief, normally because they refuse to refer to the Lord Mayor as being the Lord Mayor. I may not agree with tomatoes but I recognise that they are tomatoes…
Cllr Morphew, the Leader of the Labour Group, will be busy plotting a takeover. As I understand it, Cllr Couzens is set to let him because of the bruising and overwhelming nature of their defeat. I believe Morphew’s problem will be forming an executive that commands respect across the chamber. Around half of his 16 Labour Councillors will have to be frontbenchers and I am afraid that you could name on one hand those who could command the council. Interesting times!
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Norwich Conservatives select new Leader
Following Thursday’s election results, which saw the number of Conservative Councillors on Norwich City Council double, newly elected Councillor Antony Little, will take on the role of leading the new Group.
Councillor Little, 27, who won the formerly safe Labour seat of Bowthorpe, said:
“Becoming a Councillor in the Labour heartland of Bowthorpe and Earlham has shown people that the Conservatives can – and will – win in the City of Norwich. We are now fired up, enthused and ready to take on a Labour and LibDem City Council that has fundamentally lost its way and lost the trust of local people.”
“My years of doorstep campaigning and of being a parliamentary candidate in Norwich South last year means that I bring a wealth of experience to the job of being Conservative Leader in Norwich.”
Cllr Little, who works as a local High School teacher, will also shadow the Environment and Community Portfolio holders.
Fellow Conservative Councillor Eve Collishaw, who represents Catton Grove Ward, will take on shadowing the economic affairs and transport portfolio holders. Cllr Collishaw welcomed Cllr Little to the role and said: “We have a job holding the Council to account, and we will do that with renewed vigour.”
Following Thursday’s election results, which saw the number of Conservative Councillors on Norwich City Council double, newly elected Councillor Antony Little, will take on the role of leading the new Group.
Councillor Little, 27, who won the formerly safe Labour seat of Bowthorpe, said:
“Becoming a Councillor in the Labour heartland of Bowthorpe and Earlham has shown people that the Conservatives can – and will – win in the City of Norwich. We are now fired up, enthused and ready to take on a Labour and LibDem City Council that has fundamentally lost its way and lost the trust of local people.”
“My years of doorstep campaigning and of being a parliamentary candidate in Norwich South last year means that I bring a wealth of experience to the job of being Conservative Leader in Norwich.”
Cllr Little, who works as a local High School teacher, will also shadow the Environment and Community Portfolio holders.
Fellow Conservative Councillor Eve Collishaw, who represents Catton Grove Ward, will take on shadowing the economic affairs and transport portfolio holders. Cllr Collishaw welcomed Cllr Little to the role and said: “We have a job holding the Council to account, and we will do that with renewed vigour.”
Sunday, May 07, 2006
Getting used to it all...
It is Sunday morning and whilst Gordon Brown is proving that he’ll lose the next election on the BBC, I am really coming to terms with being a Councillor. With a wife, one child, another on-the-way, Union Rep, School Governor, full time job, Tory Deputy Chairman, applying for parliamentary seats – it’s a full life. But I love it that way. I’ve been campaigning for so long that the though of not standing in elections for the next three years is quite scary. Before I’ve even got my feet under that proverbial City Hall desk, I have two requests for help from people in Bowthorpe. I want to help them now but I know how slow the machine is – we have to be sworn in on Tuesday, have our training on 19th and then have the Mayoral making ceremony on the 23rd May.
My next-door neighbour is shocked. He couldn’t believe that, of everywhere in Norwich, it was West Earlham, Larkman Lane, North Earlham and Bowthorpe that had a Tory Councillor. I’m not. Those are the areas most taken for granted by Labour and the area that is most in need of change. People used to vote Labour to make their lives better, but it always suited Labour not to improve things so that people would have more reason to vote for them next time. No longer – it really is time for a change on that front.
I wonder how the Bowthorpe Labour Party will react to all of this?
It is Sunday morning and whilst Gordon Brown is proving that he’ll lose the next election on the BBC, I am really coming to terms with being a Councillor. With a wife, one child, another on-the-way, Union Rep, School Governor, full time job, Tory Deputy Chairman, applying for parliamentary seats – it’s a full life. But I love it that way. I’ve been campaigning for so long that the though of not standing in elections for the next three years is quite scary. Before I’ve even got my feet under that proverbial City Hall desk, I have two requests for help from people in Bowthorpe. I want to help them now but I know how slow the machine is – we have to be sworn in on Tuesday, have our training on 19th and then have the Mayoral making ceremony on the 23rd May.
My next-door neighbour is shocked. He couldn’t believe that, of everywhere in Norwich, it was West Earlham, Larkman Lane, North Earlham and Bowthorpe that had a Tory Councillor. I’m not. Those are the areas most taken for granted by Labour and the area that is most in need of change. People used to vote Labour to make their lives better, but it always suited Labour not to improve things so that people would have more reason to vote for them next time. No longer – it really is time for a change on that front.
I wonder how the Bowthorpe Labour Party will react to all of this?
Saturday, May 06, 2006
Making it on the blog-o-sphere
I am grateful to ConservativeHome for their profile of me, and also East of England's finest Iain Dale and Ellee Seymour for their support.
I am pleased to say that local Tory Chairman Trevor Ivory is making it on the blog-o-sphere too!
I am grateful to ConservativeHome for their profile of me, and also East of England's finest Iain Dale and Ellee Seymour for their support.
I am pleased to say that local Tory Chairman Trevor Ivory is making it on the blog-o-sphere too!
Friday, May 05, 2006
The second horse that fell at the first fence
The LibDems won praise for the stupidest leaflet of the campaign with their "either Labour or Simon Richardson can win here" effort. This was the first LibDem leaflet in 12 months and told voters how only a vote for them could defeat Labour. When I spoke to Simon he stuck to the line that only he could win. Yet everyone in Bowthorpe knows that it is a Labour-Tory marginal. OK, so the LibDems look a bit foolish ... so what?
Well, firstly their vote halved and they came fourth behind the Green Party. So we should note never to believe one of their election predictions ever again. We should have known better from the party that claimed only Hughes could beat Livingstone (he came a dramatic third), but hey-ho.
More worryingly, secondly it reflects on all of us. The public feeling is that if the LibDems lie (and that leaflet was a fib) then all politicians lie. Blair take note - where you lead, the Bowthorpe LibDems (or should I say, LibDem) follows...
The LibDems won praise for the stupidest leaflet of the campaign with their "either Labour or Simon Richardson can win here" effort. This was the first LibDem leaflet in 12 months and told voters how only a vote for them could defeat Labour. When I spoke to Simon he stuck to the line that only he could win. Yet everyone in Bowthorpe knows that it is a Labour-Tory marginal. OK, so the LibDems look a bit foolish ... so what?
Well, firstly their vote halved and they came fourth behind the Green Party. So we should note never to believe one of their election predictions ever again. We should have known better from the party that claimed only Hughes could beat Livingstone (he came a dramatic third), but hey-ho.
More worryingly, secondly it reflects on all of us. The public feeling is that if the LibDems lie (and that leaflet was a fib) then all politicians lie. Blair take note - where you lead, the Bowthorpe LibDems (or should I say, LibDem) follows...
I won!
Dear Sir
I would like to thanks all those people who voted for me on 4th May to be Bowthorpe’s first ever Conservative Councillor as well as those who helped directly in the campaign and those who sent messages of support.
After many years of campaigning on issues such as anti-social behaviour, fly tipping, housing and increasing litter, I look forward to being able to put my words into practice and represent our community. Most importantly I want to be an open, honest and accountable Councillor – one who works hard and keeps in touch with people about my work.
I am delighted that so many people chose to make their voices heard through me. It is a deep privilege to serve as a City Councillor for Bowthorpe and Earlham and you can rest assured that I will do my best to address the concerns of local people and take action to make our community a better place to live.
Yours sincerely
Councillor Antony Little
Conservative, Bowthorpe Ward
City Hall
St. Peters Street
Norwich
Dear Sir
I would like to thanks all those people who voted for me on 4th May to be Bowthorpe’s first ever Conservative Councillor as well as those who helped directly in the campaign and those who sent messages of support.
After many years of campaigning on issues such as anti-social behaviour, fly tipping, housing and increasing litter, I look forward to being able to put my words into practice and represent our community. Most importantly I want to be an open, honest and accountable Councillor – one who works hard and keeps in touch with people about my work.
I am delighted that so many people chose to make their voices heard through me. It is a deep privilege to serve as a City Councillor for Bowthorpe and Earlham and you can rest assured that I will do my best to address the concerns of local people and take action to make our community a better place to live.
Yours sincerely
Councillor Antony Little
Conservative, Bowthorpe Ward
City Hall
St. Peters Street
Norwich
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Campaign up date from around Norwich...
Nelson Ward: Strong canvassing team out tonight around the Earlham Road, plenty of good Tory support to be had. The Park Lane and Earlham Road junction remains a big issue with a lot of people. The Green Party posters have started to go up, but far fewer than we’ve ever seen before. Interestingly one voter commented on how little the Greens seemed to be doing, whereas the Conservatives were getting extremely active. No sign of LibDem or Labour activity whatsoever.
Mancroft Ward: The double election here has put a spring in a few people’s steps. Issues regarding anti-social behaviour continue to dominate our campaign here. We were door stepping around Queens Road and Surrey Street tonight and got a good reception. Even people who weren’t planning on voting Conservative were really nice and said how pleased they were to see us.
Thorpe Hamlet Ward: A daytime excursion took us deep into the City and the blocks of flats around the Riverside. Despite the fun and games of getting into the blocks it was well worth it. Very little opposition activity. We have signed up a lot of Postal Voters today, which was good. High name recognition for Trevor Ivory, who stood here last time, which is also encouraging.
Bowthorpe & Earlham Ward: Another visit to Chapel Break and the roads around Harpsfield. A lot of LibDems switching to us, knowing that only we can beat Labour. I’ll just leave you with one comment: “For Labour in Bowthorpe, this is their 1997. I’ve voted Labour all my life but they need a spell in opposition so I am going to vote for Antony Little.”
Nelson Ward: Strong canvassing team out tonight around the Earlham Road, plenty of good Tory support to be had. The Park Lane and Earlham Road junction remains a big issue with a lot of people. The Green Party posters have started to go up, but far fewer than we’ve ever seen before. Interestingly one voter commented on how little the Greens seemed to be doing, whereas the Conservatives were getting extremely active. No sign of LibDem or Labour activity whatsoever.
Mancroft Ward: The double election here has put a spring in a few people’s steps. Issues regarding anti-social behaviour continue to dominate our campaign here. We were door stepping around Queens Road and Surrey Street tonight and got a good reception. Even people who weren’t planning on voting Conservative were really nice and said how pleased they were to see us.
Thorpe Hamlet Ward: A daytime excursion took us deep into the City and the blocks of flats around the Riverside. Despite the fun and games of getting into the blocks it was well worth it. Very little opposition activity. We have signed up a lot of Postal Voters today, which was good. High name recognition for Trevor Ivory, who stood here last time, which is also encouraging.
Bowthorpe & Earlham Ward: Another visit to Chapel Break and the roads around Harpsfield. A lot of LibDems switching to us, knowing that only we can beat Labour. I’ll just leave you with one comment: “For Labour in Bowthorpe, this is their 1997. I’ve voted Labour all my life but they need a spell in opposition so I am going to vote for Antony Little.”
Friday, March 24, 2006
Campaign starts today!
Tonight is the AGM of the Norwich Conservatives and the first day of the election campaign. From now on, I'll be blogging over at the NorwichConservatives blogspot until the election. Hope to see you there! I shall return here on Friday 5th May.
If you require a postal vote or have any election queries please contact Antony at norwichconservatives dot com
Tonight is the AGM of the Norwich Conservatives and the first day of the election campaign. From now on, I'll be blogging over at the NorwichConservatives blogspot until the election. Hope to see you there! I shall return here on Friday 5th May.
If you require a postal vote or have any election queries please contact Antony at norwichconservatives dot com
New Campaigning Blog
You should take a look at the Conservative City 06 blog - the first time that a whole set of candidates has blogged a single election. We hope for regular updates on campaign issues, stories from the doorsteps and election material!
You should take a look at the Conservative City 06 blog - the first time that a whole set of candidates has blogged a single election. We hope for regular updates on campaign issues, stories from the doorsteps and election material!
The people behind the surveys
There are three kinds of people who return party political surveys. The vast, vast majority are good, community minded people who want to have their say on the local issues that matter. We have received literally hundreds upon hundreds of these in the last two weeks.
Then there are the two surveys I received yesterday. One was filled with abuse – I cannot imagine what kind of person has the time or energy to do such a thing and then pay himself to post it back. Some of the references to Tory sleaze go back so long I had to look them up on the Internet. It was an amazing work of a seriously troubled mind.
Then there are those with genuine grievances whom we’d like to help but can’t because they’ve either ticked the DPA box and thus we cannot legally get back in touch or have ripped out their details from the letter. I find that totally bizarre as why ask for help or action and then prohibit us from giving it?
There are three kinds of people who return party political surveys. The vast, vast majority are good, community minded people who want to have their say on the local issues that matter. We have received literally hundreds upon hundreds of these in the last two weeks.
Then there are the two surveys I received yesterday. One was filled with abuse – I cannot imagine what kind of person has the time or energy to do such a thing and then pay himself to post it back. Some of the references to Tory sleaze go back so long I had to look them up on the Internet. It was an amazing work of a seriously troubled mind.
Then there are those with genuine grievances whom we’d like to help but can’t because they’ve either ticked the DPA box and thus we cannot legally get back in touch or have ripped out their details from the letter. I find that totally bizarre as why ask for help or action and then prohibit us from giving it?
QT Round Up: Sir Digby floors 'em
Sir Digby Jones is the head of the CBI and has held that job for a number of years. I had always thought that, for a business leader, he had a rather tame attitude towards the government. That was, until last night’s Question Time on the BBC.
He absolutely tore into the government, politicians, the Trade Union Movement and poor old Tony Benn (who trades on the fact that nobody opposes him).
You can always rely on good ol’ Boris for the laughs and no doubt he won Dave Cameron a dozen or so votes last night. David Laws is good value for a Liberal Democrat and Shami is rapidly becoming populist-in-chief for the BBC but always good to watch. But it was clearly Sir Digby who stole the show.
I thought that his blast on the paymaster Unions and their relationship with Labour was long overdue, and Benn’s response about the numbers involved shows a deep naivety of the way that modern Unions run themselves. For me, the best bit was the attack on politicians themselves … business leaders fall on swords right, left and centre and often do so because there is the merest whiff of something up. Politicians cling to office like limpets armed with super glue. What’s more, claimed Sir Digby, politicians scapegoat business leaders all the time whilst continuing to abuse their trust. He also took Tony Benn and Shami to task on everything they said. Well Done, that man!
Winner: Sir Digby Jones
Loser: Unusually I have to say Tony Benn – he was way out of step on the religious dress issue
Audience Member of the Week: The guy who said that school uniform was authoritarian in its nature and said that pupils should come dressed to school how they like, including as devil worshippers.
Question of the Week: Talk about Iraq without slagging off the US, Blair or Bush. If only they could do with without mentioning the word “illegal”.
Answer of the Week: Boris Johnson avoiding disclosing who the Tory donors are.
Joke of the Week: Tony Benn on the House of Lords.
Sir Digby Jones is the head of the CBI and has held that job for a number of years. I had always thought that, for a business leader, he had a rather tame attitude towards the government. That was, until last night’s Question Time on the BBC.
He absolutely tore into the government, politicians, the Trade Union Movement and poor old Tony Benn (who trades on the fact that nobody opposes him).
You can always rely on good ol’ Boris for the laughs and no doubt he won Dave Cameron a dozen or so votes last night. David Laws is good value for a Liberal Democrat and Shami is rapidly becoming populist-in-chief for the BBC but always good to watch. But it was clearly Sir Digby who stole the show.
I thought that his blast on the paymaster Unions and their relationship with Labour was long overdue, and Benn’s response about the numbers involved shows a deep naivety of the way that modern Unions run themselves. For me, the best bit was the attack on politicians themselves … business leaders fall on swords right, left and centre and often do so because there is the merest whiff of something up. Politicians cling to office like limpets armed with super glue. What’s more, claimed Sir Digby, politicians scapegoat business leaders all the time whilst continuing to abuse their trust. He also took Tony Benn and Shami to task on everything they said. Well Done, that man!
Winner: Sir Digby Jones
Loser: Unusually I have to say Tony Benn – he was way out of step on the religious dress issue
Audience Member of the Week: The guy who said that school uniform was authoritarian in its nature and said that pupils should come dressed to school how they like, including as devil worshippers.
Question of the Week: Talk about Iraq without slagging off the US, Blair or Bush. If only they could do with without mentioning the word “illegal”.
Answer of the Week: Boris Johnson avoiding disclosing who the Tory donors are.
Joke of the Week: Tony Benn on the House of Lords.
Friday, March 17, 2006
One electoral victory secured, now onto Bowthorpe & Earlham...
Good news from the key electoral battlefield of Notre Dame High School where a strong swing towards me had produced a sensational Teacher Governor result! Yes people, the masses have plumpt for yours truly, winning a 50% turnout election with bang on 50% of the vote. Two things are worthy of note.
Firstly the speed at which your life changes. New MPs always say that the speed of the transition is incredible. So too for governors it seems. The forms were on my desk before I reached it again after the result was announced. I was on committees within 6 hours and have a gallon of reading with 24 hours.
Secondly is the degree to which campaigning matters. The first two days I went for it like a madman (posters and the lot). Then I calmed down and forgot about it. When the votes were opened, my main opponent got 11 votes before I had scored a single cross on the ballot paper. The votes further down (those cast first), were 90% for me, because my supporters voted early.
Well, regular reports from the educational battleground coming up!
Good news from the key electoral battlefield of Notre Dame High School where a strong swing towards me had produced a sensational Teacher Governor result! Yes people, the masses have plumpt for yours truly, winning a 50% turnout election with bang on 50% of the vote. Two things are worthy of note.
Firstly the speed at which your life changes. New MPs always say that the speed of the transition is incredible. So too for governors it seems. The forms were on my desk before I reached it again after the result was announced. I was on committees within 6 hours and have a gallon of reading with 24 hours.
Secondly is the degree to which campaigning matters. The first two days I went for it like a madman (posters and the lot). Then I calmed down and forgot about it. When the votes were opened, my main opponent got 11 votes before I had scored a single cross on the ballot paper. The votes further down (those cast first), were 90% for me, because my supporters voted early.
Well, regular reports from the educational battleground coming up!
Disgraced LibDem quits in Norwich (finally)
Disgraced LibDem Councillor Samantha Allison has finally resigned, promoting a by-election in Thorpe Hamlet. The poll, which I believe will be called for 4th May, adds to the by-election caused by the resignation of County Council Leader Alison King in Cringleford & Colney.
Although this is clearly a personal matter for former Councillor Allison, I am glad that she has chosen to go because to hang on would merely damage the political debate in Norwich – especially as the paper would run this story day-after-day. I think, however, two issues do spring to mind.
Firstly questions must be asked about the wise ness of Council Leader Ian Couzens giving her 110% backing the whole way through. It certainly says something about his judgement.
Secondly, 24 hours ago she had a splash banner headline in the Evening News declaring “I won’t quit” and then promptly does. Pushed or jumped? Maybe Cllr Couzens threatened to disown her if she failed to go. At least a by-election on the same day as the City election saves both money and the embarrassment of the LibDems losing the seat, which I believe they would have done if the by-election had been at any other time.
The LibDems really are a shambled internally and it should make every LibDem voter think very hard about if these people are really worthy of their support.
Disgraced LibDem Councillor Samantha Allison has finally resigned, promoting a by-election in Thorpe Hamlet. The poll, which I believe will be called for 4th May, adds to the by-election caused by the resignation of County Council Leader Alison King in Cringleford & Colney.
Although this is clearly a personal matter for former Councillor Allison, I am glad that she has chosen to go because to hang on would merely damage the political debate in Norwich – especially as the paper would run this story day-after-day. I think, however, two issues do spring to mind.
Firstly questions must be asked about the wise ness of Council Leader Ian Couzens giving her 110% backing the whole way through. It certainly says something about his judgement.
Secondly, 24 hours ago she had a splash banner headline in the Evening News declaring “I won’t quit” and then promptly does. Pushed or jumped? Maybe Cllr Couzens threatened to disown her if she failed to go. At least a by-election on the same day as the City election saves both money and the embarrassment of the LibDems losing the seat, which I believe they would have done if the by-election had been at any other time.
The LibDems really are a shambled internally and it should make every LibDem voter think very hard about if these people are really worthy of their support.
Saturday, March 04, 2006
Canvassing Today
Today’s canvassing efforts were heart warming to say the least. We went with a group of 1st year students to the UEA to Chapel Break and found a very warm reception. Name recognition is still very high and, despite doing a mixture of areas, we seem to be polling well ahead of Labour. Issues ranging from dog mess to anti-social behaviour and double-parking today. Also we got the first real direct criticism of the Labour Councillors for the area. People sometimes say, “I’d not vote Labour”, but you don’t know if that means not Tony Blair, not Labour or not the local councillors. Today people directly accused them of being lazy and stay-away in their attitude to Bowthorpe. Quote of the day, from Jay Gardens, was “it doesn’t matter how many pretty pictures of them, smiling and pointing at the road they do, we know they take us for granted.” Interestingly very, very few people around Chapel Break voting either LibDem or Green – everyone polarised between the two major parties.
Nationally the LibDems seem to have taken an interesting right-turn in the first few days of Sir Ming’s leadership. Firstly he backed the privatisation of the Post Office (of which we said he would at the last general election only for local LibDems to go apoplectic … apologies can be e-mailed to me). Now ITV report that they are set to slash the lone parent benefits.
Update on those pesky LibDems
Apparently North Norfolk MP Norman Lamb is set to be Sir Ming's Chief of Staff ... a curious move there really, I might have thought a front-of-house job was best for good media-performer Norman.
Today’s canvassing efforts were heart warming to say the least. We went with a group of 1st year students to the UEA to Chapel Break and found a very warm reception. Name recognition is still very high and, despite doing a mixture of areas, we seem to be polling well ahead of Labour. Issues ranging from dog mess to anti-social behaviour and double-parking today. Also we got the first real direct criticism of the Labour Councillors for the area. People sometimes say, “I’d not vote Labour”, but you don’t know if that means not Tony Blair, not Labour or not the local councillors. Today people directly accused them of being lazy and stay-away in their attitude to Bowthorpe. Quote of the day, from Jay Gardens, was “it doesn’t matter how many pretty pictures of them, smiling and pointing at the road they do, we know they take us for granted.” Interestingly very, very few people around Chapel Break voting either LibDem or Green – everyone polarised between the two major parties.
Nationally the LibDems seem to have taken an interesting right-turn in the first few days of Sir Ming’s leadership. Firstly he backed the privatisation of the Post Office (of which we said he would at the last general election only for local LibDems to go apoplectic … apologies can be e-mailed to me). Now ITV report that they are set to slash the lone parent benefits.
Update on those pesky LibDems
Apparently North Norfolk MP Norman Lamb is set to be Sir Ming's Chief of Staff ... a curious move there really, I might have thought a front-of-house job was best for good media-performer Norman.
Friday, March 03, 2006
Another brick in the wall
Congratulations to Sir Ming Campbell for his impressive majority in the LibDem Leadership election. I wondered how foolish Simon Hughes feels after another public declaration of “I’m on the verge of winning” (a la the London Mayoralty) only to be crushed. Anyway, now all eyes turn to the Campbell leadership.
The man most pleased is, of course, David Cameron because the LibDems have chosen somebody that nobody under 55 could vote for. Sir Ming is a well-respected authority on foreign affairs but lacks the dynamism to be a forceful political leader. Pleasingly my colleagues all seem to agree, and the LibDem voters amongst them seem most angry with this choice. I always said that voting Sir Ming simply puts off the Orange Book Liberal versus SDP choice that the party must make for another few years and so it does.
Cue the bookies lengthening the odds on a LibDem victory at the next election and, more surprisingly, the decision of senior frontbencher Norman Baker to quit. Mr Baker has been the Environment Spokesman (and a jolly effective one too) for many years and claims he wants to spend more time being a constituency MP. Huh? Norman’s majority in his Sussex seat is one of the biggest in the country! Anyway, there is some speculation around Westminster that he has jumped before he was pushed as apparently Mr Huhne has his eyes on the Environment portfolio.
Compare the media hype, the opinion poll jump and the unity that surrounded Dave Cameron’s victory to that of Sir Ming’s.
Congratulations to Sir Ming Campbell for his impressive majority in the LibDem Leadership election. I wondered how foolish Simon Hughes feels after another public declaration of “I’m on the verge of winning” (a la the London Mayoralty) only to be crushed. Anyway, now all eyes turn to the Campbell leadership.
The man most pleased is, of course, David Cameron because the LibDems have chosen somebody that nobody under 55 could vote for. Sir Ming is a well-respected authority on foreign affairs but lacks the dynamism to be a forceful political leader. Pleasingly my colleagues all seem to agree, and the LibDem voters amongst them seem most angry with this choice. I always said that voting Sir Ming simply puts off the Orange Book Liberal versus SDP choice that the party must make for another few years and so it does.
Cue the bookies lengthening the odds on a LibDem victory at the next election and, more surprisingly, the decision of senior frontbencher Norman Baker to quit. Mr Baker has been the Environment Spokesman (and a jolly effective one too) for many years and claims he wants to spend more time being a constituency MP. Huh? Norman’s majority in his Sussex seat is one of the biggest in the country! Anyway, there is some speculation around Westminster that he has jumped before he was pushed as apparently Mr Huhne has his eyes on the Environment portfolio.
Compare the media hype, the opinion poll jump and the unity that surrounded Dave Cameron’s victory to that of Sir Ming’s.
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
I'm voting YES!
David Cameron today launched his Tory beliefs document, Built to Last, and with it a series of websites asking people to comment on various policy areas. This is what I have just posted on the public services site:
I am a state school teacher and a former Conservative PPC. We need to recognise that working conditions for teachers is as (or more) important than pay & conditions. School buildings, stress of inspections, behaviour management, classroom resources and time allowances all need to be addressed. Give us the tools and we'll do the job. Accept that the government was right on the Workload agreement but wrong on TLR - and work on ways to bring teaching & learning to the fore without shunning the pastoral duties of the teacher. The Conservatives are a growing force in educational thinking, let's be bold in our policies next time!
I think Dave is somewhere on the right ball park here, the document is well thought out and broad in tone. BBC's Nick Robinson doesn't miss out on the significance of some of what is said (MPH in a Tory document?!?) though I am sure that the cynical press will have a field day.<
David Cameron today launched his Tory beliefs document, Built to Last, and with it a series of websites asking people to comment on various policy areas. This is what I have just posted on the public services site:
I am a state school teacher and a former Conservative PPC. We need to recognise that working conditions for teachers is as (or more) important than pay & conditions. School buildings, stress of inspections, behaviour management, classroom resources and time allowances all need to be addressed. Give us the tools and we'll do the job. Accept that the government was right on the Workload agreement but wrong on TLR - and work on ways to bring teaching & learning to the fore without shunning the pastoral duties of the teacher. The Conservatives are a growing force in educational thinking, let's be bold in our policies next time!
I think Dave is somewhere on the right ball park here, the document is well thought out and broad in tone. BBC's Nick Robinson doesn't miss out on the significance of some of what is said (MPH in a Tory document?!?) though I am sure that the cynical press will have a field day.<
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Worse than being canvassed in not being canvassed at all...
With great apologies to one blog reader from Sheffield who e-mail to protest that the only thing worse than being canvassed is not being canvassed...
Hi there. Read your article via Iain Dale's blog. Forgive my sarcasm; I
have a very good friend who stood as the Lib Dem candidate in East
Oxford and I've already harangued him at length with much the same
points*...
> Canvassing is one of Britain’s great political traditions. We live in
a country where a near stranger comes onto your land and asks you about
your civic right to vote in a secret ballot and then leaves to record
that information on a database. *
Or they don't, as the case may be.
*> In many countries, such as France and the USA, canvassing simply
isn’t done.*
In many parts of the UK it doesn't appear to be done either. Sheffield
Hillsborough, for example.
*> However, these days there seems to have been a culture shift. During
much of the previous 50 years not voting was frowned upon and even if
you didn’t vote you didn’t admit to it. Nowadays people wear the “non
voter” label like some kind of badge of honour. It’s almost as if some
of them say, “you can’t hold me responsible for the state of the nation
because I don’t vote.” *
I vote. I'd quite like the chance to discuss candidates' policies on the
doorstep. They just don't seem particularly bothered about bringing
themselves to me.
*> Rather like the curious argument that “I’m too old to vote” (no word
of a lie, people do say that) this is a bit of a cop-out. If people like
that gentleman had voted (plus 13 more), I’d have been their Councillor
for two years and I think things would have been different.
*
Rather like the curious argument that 'this constituency's going to be
won by Labour, so we won't bother even trying to win any votes there.'*
> Also there are the people who say they don’t vote but just lie. After
elections the parties are given what is called a “marked register” which
lists who did and didn’t vote. It doesn’t tell us how you voted, just if
you did or not. During the day 23 people told us that they never vote
but had done so only last May. We know that they almost certainly wanted
to hide the fact that they weren’t voting Conservatives (in fact the
common view is that people like that vote LibDem but are utterly ashamed
to admit it) but why feel the need to lie? Canvassers don’t attack and
if you tell the truth then we don’t come back.*
If, indeed, anyone ever came round in the first place.
*> If you say, “I might vote for you” when you don’t mean it, then we
will come back! *
Promise?... :)
*> In total, we met (no word of a lie) 136 people who said they weren’t
going to vote. That is more than the total number of pledges for Labour,
LibDems and Greens added together. It seems all politicians have more
work to do.
*
Yup. So knock on more doors!
*> During our Friday and Saturday canvassing sessions we came across a
variety of issues. Youth provision needs improvement and people want
real street policing to be re-introduced. Council tax is too high but,
sorry LibDems, there was no appetite to replace it with the
higher-charging Local Income Tax. Roads and speeding came up and also
the development at Three Score was a big concern.
*
Good stuff. At least people are telling you what they think.*
*
*> We got 2 new members, one new poster site and a collection of very
angry dogs.
*
:) I hated delivering to houses with dogs when I was helping to
distribute our Village Appraisal.
*> We saw one naked woman, one naked male UEA student, two babysitters,
three builders, three people unable to speak English, one person who
didn’t know what the Conservative Party is...*
..possibly because he'd never met anybody from it....
*
> two people clearly still drunk from the night before, two of my
ex-students, one Chairman of the Bowthorpe Labour Party, one Labour
Councillor, two domestic incidents, one police van, two cleaners from
the UEA and (amazingly) three people who claimed to work for the British
Nuclear Authority – all in different houses. All we need to do now is to
get them to vote.
*
Good luck!
With great apologies to one blog reader from Sheffield who e-mail to protest that the only thing worse than being canvassed is not being canvassed...
Hi there. Read your article via Iain Dale's blog. Forgive my sarcasm; I
have a very good friend who stood as the Lib Dem candidate in East
Oxford and I've already harangued him at length with much the same
points*...
> Canvassing is one of Britain’s great political traditions. We live in
a country where a near stranger comes onto your land and asks you about
your civic right to vote in a secret ballot and then leaves to record
that information on a database. *
Or they don't, as the case may be.
*> In many countries, such as France and the USA, canvassing simply
isn’t done.*
In many parts of the UK it doesn't appear to be done either. Sheffield
Hillsborough, for example.
*> However, these days there seems to have been a culture shift. During
much of the previous 50 years not voting was frowned upon and even if
you didn’t vote you didn’t admit to it. Nowadays people wear the “non
voter” label like some kind of badge of honour. It’s almost as if some
of them say, “you can’t hold me responsible for the state of the nation
because I don’t vote.” *
I vote. I'd quite like the chance to discuss candidates' policies on the
doorstep. They just don't seem particularly bothered about bringing
themselves to me.
*> Rather like the curious argument that “I’m too old to vote” (no word
of a lie, people do say that) this is a bit of a cop-out. If people like
that gentleman had voted (plus 13 more), I’d have been their Councillor
for two years and I think things would have been different.
*
Rather like the curious argument that 'this constituency's going to be
won by Labour, so we won't bother even trying to win any votes there.'*
> Also there are the people who say they don’t vote but just lie. After
elections the parties are given what is called a “marked register” which
lists who did and didn’t vote. It doesn’t tell us how you voted, just if
you did or not. During the day 23 people told us that they never vote
but had done so only last May. We know that they almost certainly wanted
to hide the fact that they weren’t voting Conservatives (in fact the
common view is that people like that vote LibDem but are utterly ashamed
to admit it) but why feel the need to lie? Canvassers don’t attack and
if you tell the truth then we don’t come back.*
If, indeed, anyone ever came round in the first place.
*> If you say, “I might vote for you” when you don’t mean it, then we
will come back! *
Promise?... :)
*> In total, we met (no word of a lie) 136 people who said they weren’t
going to vote. That is more than the total number of pledges for Labour,
LibDems and Greens added together. It seems all politicians have more
work to do.
*
Yup. So knock on more doors!
*> During our Friday and Saturday canvassing sessions we came across a
variety of issues. Youth provision needs improvement and people want
real street policing to be re-introduced. Council tax is too high but,
sorry LibDems, there was no appetite to replace it with the
higher-charging Local Income Tax. Roads and speeding came up and also
the development at Three Score was a big concern.
*
Good stuff. At least people are telling you what they think.*
*
*> We got 2 new members, one new poster site and a collection of very
angry dogs.
*
:) I hated delivering to houses with dogs when I was helping to
distribute our Village Appraisal.
*> We saw one naked woman, one naked male UEA student, two babysitters,
three builders, three people unable to speak English, one person who
didn’t know what the Conservative Party is...*
..possibly because he'd never met anybody from it....
*
> two people clearly still drunk from the night before, two of my
ex-students, one Chairman of the Bowthorpe Labour Party, one Labour
Councillor, two domestic incidents, one police van, two cleaners from
the UEA and (amazingly) three people who claimed to work for the British
Nuclear Authority – all in different houses. All we need to do now is to
get them to vote.
*
Good luck!
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Tales from the Canvass Trail
Canvassing is one of Britain’s great political traditions. We live in a country where a near stranger comes onto your land and asks you about your civic right to vote in a secret ballot and then leaves to record that information on a database. In many countries, such as France and the USA, canvassing simply isn’t done. I think it is a great way of bringing the feet of politicians back down to earth. This month we’ve delivered a leaflet across the whole of Bowthorpe and Earlham and sent out roughly 5000 questionnaires. But nothing prepares you for the direct views of the population.
There are three groups of people who are, though, making life tough. The first are those people who simply won’t open their doors. I think that’s running at about 5% at the moment. They are in, the windows are open, the TV is blaring out and they ignore you.
Then there’s the next group, I think touching 10% who don’t care why you are there but want to be rid of you. One look at somebody they don’t recognise and it’s “no thank you,” then slam! Is that a “no thank you” to politics, the Conservative Party, me personally or simply anybody in the world you don’t yet know?
Lastly there are the group who tell you they simply won’t vote. Now I’ve never accepted the argument about not voting. The parties aren’t the same and yes your vote will make a difference (Labour majority in Bowthorpe and Earlham is 14 votes). However, these days there seems to have been a culture shift. During much of the previous 50 years not voting was frowned upon and even if you didn’t vote you didn’t admit to it. Nowadays people wear the “non voter” label like some kind of badge of honour. It’s almost as if some of them say, “you can’t hold me responsible for the state of the nation because I don’t vote.” Actually, it is those people I DO hold responsible for the state of the nation. As we went down the streets in West Earlham, two gents were washing a car. They enquired what we were doing (well, half a dozen people clutching clipboards and discussing what Thatcher would say about the state of the pavements in Earlham). When I explained who we were, they both said they never vote. Then one ventured the idea that no time or money was ever spent in Earlham whilst places such as Lakenham, Mile Cross and Marlpit get all the investment (never mind if this is true, it is what he thought). When I explained that if he felt like that he needed to change the people in charge – Labour have won the area since the 1960s – he said, “oh, no, voting’s not for me”. Rather like the curious argument that “I’m too old to vote” (no word of a lie, people do say that) this is a bit of a cop-out. If people like that gentleman had voted (plus 13 more), I’d have been their Councillor for two years and I think things would have been different. Also there are the people who say they don’t vote but just lie. After elections the parties are given what is called a “marked register” which lists who did and didn’t vote. It doesn’t tell us how you voted, just if you did or not. During the day 23 people told us that they never vote but had done so only last May. We know that they almost certainly wanted to hide the fact that they weren’t voting Conservatives (in fact the common view is that people like that vote LibDem but are utterly ashamed to admit it) but why feel the need to lie? Canvassers don’t attack and if you tell the truth then we don’t come back. If you say, “I might vote for you” when you don’t mean it, then we will come back! In total, we met (no word of a lie) 136 people who said they weren’t going to vote. That is more than the total number of pledges for Labour, LibDems and Greens added together. It seems all politicians have more work to do.
During our Friday and Saturday canvassing sessions we came across a variety of issues. Youth provision needs improvement and people want real street policing to be re-introduced. Council tax is too high but, sorry LibDems, there was no appetite to replace it with the higher-charging Local Income Tax. Roads and speeding came up and also the development at Three Score was a big concern.
We got 2 new members, one new poster site and a collection of very angry dogs.
We saw one naked woman, one naked male UEA student, two babysitters, three builders, three people unable to speak English, one person who didn’t know what the Conservative Party is, two people clearly still drunk from the night before, two of my ex-students, one Chairman of the Bowthorpe Labour Party, one Labour Councillor, two domestic incidents, one police van, two cleaners from the UEA and (amazingly) three people who claimed to work for the British Nuclear Authority – all in different houses.
All we need to do now is to get them to vote.
Canvassing is one of Britain’s great political traditions. We live in a country where a near stranger comes onto your land and asks you about your civic right to vote in a secret ballot and then leaves to record that information on a database. In many countries, such as France and the USA, canvassing simply isn’t done. I think it is a great way of bringing the feet of politicians back down to earth. This month we’ve delivered a leaflet across the whole of Bowthorpe and Earlham and sent out roughly 5000 questionnaires. But nothing prepares you for the direct views of the population.
There are three groups of people who are, though, making life tough. The first are those people who simply won’t open their doors. I think that’s running at about 5% at the moment. They are in, the windows are open, the TV is blaring out and they ignore you.
Then there’s the next group, I think touching 10% who don’t care why you are there but want to be rid of you. One look at somebody they don’t recognise and it’s “no thank you,” then slam! Is that a “no thank you” to politics, the Conservative Party, me personally or simply anybody in the world you don’t yet know?
Lastly there are the group who tell you they simply won’t vote. Now I’ve never accepted the argument about not voting. The parties aren’t the same and yes your vote will make a difference (Labour majority in Bowthorpe and Earlham is 14 votes). However, these days there seems to have been a culture shift. During much of the previous 50 years not voting was frowned upon and even if you didn’t vote you didn’t admit to it. Nowadays people wear the “non voter” label like some kind of badge of honour. It’s almost as if some of them say, “you can’t hold me responsible for the state of the nation because I don’t vote.” Actually, it is those people I DO hold responsible for the state of the nation. As we went down the streets in West Earlham, two gents were washing a car. They enquired what we were doing (well, half a dozen people clutching clipboards and discussing what Thatcher would say about the state of the pavements in Earlham). When I explained who we were, they both said they never vote. Then one ventured the idea that no time or money was ever spent in Earlham whilst places such as Lakenham, Mile Cross and Marlpit get all the investment (never mind if this is true, it is what he thought). When I explained that if he felt like that he needed to change the people in charge – Labour have won the area since the 1960s – he said, “oh, no, voting’s not for me”. Rather like the curious argument that “I’m too old to vote” (no word of a lie, people do say that) this is a bit of a cop-out. If people like that gentleman had voted (plus 13 more), I’d have been their Councillor for two years and I think things would have been different. Also there are the people who say they don’t vote but just lie. After elections the parties are given what is called a “marked register” which lists who did and didn’t vote. It doesn’t tell us how you voted, just if you did or not. During the day 23 people told us that they never vote but had done so only last May. We know that they almost certainly wanted to hide the fact that they weren’t voting Conservatives (in fact the common view is that people like that vote LibDem but are utterly ashamed to admit it) but why feel the need to lie? Canvassers don’t attack and if you tell the truth then we don’t come back. If you say, “I might vote for you” when you don’t mean it, then we will come back! In total, we met (no word of a lie) 136 people who said they weren’t going to vote. That is more than the total number of pledges for Labour, LibDems and Greens added together. It seems all politicians have more work to do.
During our Friday and Saturday canvassing sessions we came across a variety of issues. Youth provision needs improvement and people want real street policing to be re-introduced. Council tax is too high but, sorry LibDems, there was no appetite to replace it with the higher-charging Local Income Tax. Roads and speeding came up and also the development at Three Score was a big concern.
We got 2 new members, one new poster site and a collection of very angry dogs.
We saw one naked woman, one naked male UEA student, two babysitters, three builders, three people unable to speak English, one person who didn’t know what the Conservative Party is, two people clearly still drunk from the night before, two of my ex-students, one Chairman of the Bowthorpe Labour Party, one Labour Councillor, two domestic incidents, one police van, two cleaners from the UEA and (amazingly) three people who claimed to work for the British Nuclear Authority – all in different houses.
All we need to do now is to get them to vote.
Thursday, February 16, 2006
A LibDem mystery
Apparently the ballot paper for the LibDem Leadership lists the candidates names (as would, I suppose, any ballot paper) with one curious exception.
There is a surprise last minute candidature from CAMPBELL, Menzies.
Is he by some chance related to "elderly toff" (Labour MPs words, not mine) Sir Ming Campbell? Or is Sir Ming embarrassed by his knighthood fearing it might put off a large section of the left-wing of his own party?
Apparently the ballot paper for the LibDem Leadership lists the candidates names (as would, I suppose, any ballot paper) with one curious exception.
There is a surprise last minute candidature from CAMPBELL, Menzies.
Is he by some chance related to "elderly toff" (Labour MPs words, not mine) Sir Ming Campbell? Or is Sir Ming embarrassed by his knighthood fearing it might put off a large section of the left-wing of his own party?
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Following on from a LibDem defection in Suffolk to Cameron's Conservatives, news from Iain Dale's Diary is that Loughborough's LibDem candidate has switched to Labour now.
Why is it that LibDems struggle to keep hold of their defeated candidates? Or is it that those candidates, once defeated, choose to make a new political home where they can win?
Why is it that LibDems struggle to keep hold of their defeated candidates? Or is it that those candidates, once defeated, choose to make a new political home where they can win?
So the government did in fact get its ID card proposals through the Commons and with a half-decent majority too. This size victory was quite well known - if the government were really in trouble I think they'd have had good ol' Tone back from SA by hook or by crook (probably, given this government, the latter). He wouldn't want to see another piece of cornerstone legislation lost by a vote and miss voting himself! The BBC Reports 20 Labour rebels, and I fear the normal mix of lefty Bob Marshall-Andrews, former Cabinet supremo turned looney Clare Short and Hayes & Harlington's very own John McDonnell.
Today the big vote is on the smoking ban.
Today the big vote is on the smoking ban.
Monday, February 13, 2006
It’s been quite a week for poor ol’ Tony, currently stranded in South Africa. Tonight the government won a key vote on ID Cards, maybe because of the last minute appeal by co-Prime Minister and Chancellor Gordon Brown for rebels to shut up and get in line. One rather irate Westminster insider has been going around spouting off to anybody who’ll listen that Brown is about to accept a job switch to DPM, but I’m not sure I believe that. You might have though that following the slaughtering at Dunfermline that Brown would keep his head down, but apparently not! I suppose I’d better add congratulations to LibDems for that one, a good result for everybody who is anti-government. Can the Tories win any by-election? Probably, but the LibDems are now so good at it that they could started a distant eighth place with few votes than you need signatures on a nomination paper and still find a bar chart that proves that only they can win here! And they’d probably go on to do it! Over on pb.com one LibDem candidate in a by-election where the Tories score 70% to Labour’s 30% and no LibDem candidate asks how he can create a bar chart to spin that one! Answers in the comments section.
The LibDem leadership contest rumbles on, livened up only by random attacks on each other. Chris says it’s between Sir Ming and himself, Simon says it’s between Sir Ming and himself. Both Huhne and Hughes magic up YouGov polls to prove their point. One ex-colleague from Hillingdon Borough in West London tells me that Hughes “two horse race” predictions are worthless in the capital after he predicted that the last Mayoral election was between Red Ken and himself – before slumping to a pathetic third behind Tory “Shagger” Norris.
Locally we had our first major campaigning session out in West Earlham last Saturday. This has always been tough Tory-territory but the good result last time (we lost out by only 14 votes) is encouraging more and more Tories to get postal votes and pledge to vote this year. What is interesting is the number of people willing to listen to Cameron’s message – far more than last year. Labour are still ahead in the polling district but well down on where they were last year. We then spent the weekend in London seeing my new Nephew! Hurrah!
The LibDem leadership contest rumbles on, livened up only by random attacks on each other. Chris says it’s between Sir Ming and himself, Simon says it’s between Sir Ming and himself. Both Huhne and Hughes magic up YouGov polls to prove their point. One ex-colleague from Hillingdon Borough in West London tells me that Hughes “two horse race” predictions are worthless in the capital after he predicted that the last Mayoral election was between Red Ken and himself – before slumping to a pathetic third behind Tory “Shagger” Norris.
Locally we had our first major campaigning session out in West Earlham last Saturday. This has always been tough Tory-territory but the good result last time (we lost out by only 14 votes) is encouraging more and more Tories to get postal votes and pledge to vote this year. What is interesting is the number of people willing to listen to Cameron’s message – far more than last year. Labour are still ahead in the polling district but well down on where they were last year. We then spent the weekend in London seeing my new Nephew! Hurrah!
Sunday, January 29, 2006
Saturday, January 28, 2006
A week in politics
Simon Hughes and his bedroom activities aside, politics is returning to normal for those of us who can see beyond the LibDem Leadership contest.
First David Cameron takes a poll lead according to ICM, and then YouGov show him 1% behind Labour. Either way this is pretty good news for the Tory Leader as he seems to have shifted the party out of the 29-33% box and into the 38-39% one. Ideally to have a realistic majority at the next election we need to on 42% and 10% ahead of Labour so Cameron’s going in the right direction. What is interesting about the YouGov poll is that Labour have surged at the expense of the LibDems, who are just about fighting off minor parties with 13% of the vote.
Secondly campaigning is up and going from the Dunfermline & Fife by-election in Scotland. The row about job losses spilled over into the Commons this week too. The LibDems were second to Labour in this seat, with the SNP a close third and the Tories a rather distant third. What makes it more symbolic is that LibDem wannabe Sir Ming Campbell is one parliamentary neighbour and so is Chancellor Gordon Brown. The LibDems are trying to keep their shape despite a leaked letter showing them desperate just to keep second, let along win! Needless to say I’m back Tory candidate Dr Carrie. Nice!
Thirdly Peter Mandelson had made a scathing attack on Cameron by accusing him of being a carbon copy Tony Blair. Er, does that mean that even the Prince of Darkness will come out for Dave? Well, if it’s good enough for Sir Bob Geldof!
Also Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt demands health MOTs for everyone, Ann Widdecombe rejects a slot on strictly come dancing and Britain commits more troops to Afghanistan.
Simon Hughes and his bedroom activities aside, politics is returning to normal for those of us who can see beyond the LibDem Leadership contest.
First David Cameron takes a poll lead according to ICM, and then YouGov show him 1% behind Labour. Either way this is pretty good news for the Tory Leader as he seems to have shifted the party out of the 29-33% box and into the 38-39% one. Ideally to have a realistic majority at the next election we need to on 42% and 10% ahead of Labour so Cameron’s going in the right direction. What is interesting about the YouGov poll is that Labour have surged at the expense of the LibDems, who are just about fighting off minor parties with 13% of the vote.
Secondly campaigning is up and going from the Dunfermline & Fife by-election in Scotland. The row about job losses spilled over into the Commons this week too. The LibDems were second to Labour in this seat, with the SNP a close third and the Tories a rather distant third. What makes it more symbolic is that LibDem wannabe Sir Ming Campbell is one parliamentary neighbour and so is Chancellor Gordon Brown. The LibDems are trying to keep their shape despite a leaked letter showing them desperate just to keep second, let along win! Needless to say I’m back Tory candidate Dr Carrie. Nice!
Thirdly Peter Mandelson had made a scathing attack on Cameron by accusing him of being a carbon copy Tony Blair. Er, does that mean that even the Prince of Darkness will come out for Dave? Well, if it’s good enough for Sir Bob Geldof!
Also Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt demands health MOTs for everyone, Ann Widdecombe rejects a slot on strictly come dancing and Britain commits more troops to Afghanistan.
Sunday, January 22, 2006
LibDem response
As I have said on a comment here, I don't believe that voters really make political judgements on individuals like Mr Kennedy, Lord McNally or Mr Oaten. However they do help (like the Tories in the 90s) to form a general opinion of a party. The LibDems always saw themselves as above party politics and I fear that is no longer true. However, quite rightly, both the Sunday papers and the politics programmes today granted Mr Oaten his wish to sort out his issues in private. That is except the News of the World of course who go way over the top. Both Sir Ming and Chris Huhne have been exceptionally gracious in their response - I have heard nothing yet from Simon Hughes. The on-line community is always the worst on these occassions and I urge readers to get their news from Iain Dale rather than the vast number of annonymous nay-sayers who inhabit the world wide web.
As I have said on a comment here, I don't believe that voters really make political judgements on individuals like Mr Kennedy, Lord McNally or Mr Oaten. However they do help (like the Tories in the 90s) to form a general opinion of a party. The LibDems always saw themselves as above party politics and I fear that is no longer true. However, quite rightly, both the Sunday papers and the politics programmes today granted Mr Oaten his wish to sort out his issues in private. That is except the News of the World of course who go way over the top. Both Sir Ming and Chris Huhne have been exceptionally gracious in their response - I have heard nothing yet from Simon Hughes. The on-line community is always the worst on these occassions and I urge readers to get their news from Iain Dale rather than the vast number of annonymous nay-sayers who inhabit the world wide web.
Saturday, January 21, 2006
Another political day
A bizarre day all round really.
Firstly I receive a consumer questionnaire about the treatment I received whilst in an ambulance and A&E (following a nasty foot and tree-root related accident). The NHS is not a profit company and whilst I appreciate that they appreciate my views why should taxpayers (yes, Ms Hewitt, taxpayers) money be spent on this? To prove government targets perchance? Why isn’t the cost of the lovely glossy letter, survey and reply-paid envelope going into actual front line care?
Then Mark Oaten quits as LibDem Home Affairs Spokesman for “personal errors” without saying what they are. Hmmm…
UPDATE: Sky News reports it has something to do with a rent boy.
UPDATED UPDATE: Mark Oaten has confirmed he has had affairs with a 23-year-old rent boy in 2004 and 2005, which included 3 in a bed sex. Source: Sky News Website
A bizarre day all round really.
Firstly I receive a consumer questionnaire about the treatment I received whilst in an ambulance and A&E (following a nasty foot and tree-root related accident). The NHS is not a profit company and whilst I appreciate that they appreciate my views why should taxpayers (yes, Ms Hewitt, taxpayers) money be spent on this? To prove government targets perchance? Why isn’t the cost of the lovely glossy letter, survey and reply-paid envelope going into actual front line care?
Then Mark Oaten quits as LibDem Home Affairs Spokesman for “personal errors” without saying what they are. Hmmm…
UPDATE: Sky News reports it has something to do with a rent boy.
UPDATED UPDATE: Mark Oaten has confirmed he has had affairs with a 23-year-old rent boy in 2004 and 2005, which included 3 in a bed sex. Source: Sky News Website
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Sad News
It is my sad duty to report that my favourite LibDem MP, Birmingham City Councillor and one-time media "love rat" John Hemming has pulled out of the race to be LibDem Leader. It was almost worth the £6 joining fee to vote for him.
Politics Exam
The poor soulds who make up my politics class suffered their exam last Wednesday (my birthday, as it happens). They came out full of cheer but I thought the exam was either too narrow or too broad. For example, they were asked in what ways Blairism has its roots in Thatcherism (err, can that fit in one essay?!?) and also to assess the disadvantages of the Additional Member System.
It is my sad duty to report that my favourite LibDem MP, Birmingham City Councillor and one-time media "love rat" John Hemming has pulled out of the race to be LibDem Leader. It was almost worth the £6 joining fee to vote for him.
Politics Exam
The poor soulds who make up my politics class suffered their exam last Wednesday (my birthday, as it happens). They came out full of cheer but I thought the exam was either too narrow or too broad. For example, they were asked in what ways Blairism has its roots in Thatcherism (err, can that fit in one essay?!?) and also to assess the disadvantages of the Additional Member System.
LibDem Leadership udate
So the LibDem Leadership contest rolls on with little to no media coverage at all. The only people concerned are the bloggers and the LibDem enthusiast (a dwindling bunch). Without a major punch up it is likely to be off the radar until the announcement. And judging by the contest and the Sky News debate that isn’t likely to happen any time soon. So Ming is going to scrap his gas guzzling car, Hughes isn’t gay, Oaten doesn’t like taxing as much as he used to when in Kennedy’s team and people finally know what Chris Huhne is. Hardly the stuff of legend.
Still, all candidates have now launched leadership websites:
Simon Hughes
Mark Oaten
Chris Huhne
Sir Ming Campbell
No site sets my world on fire but at least they are trying. The LibDems tend to be so much better about internet campaigning than any other party – they’ve even launched their Dunfermline & Fife by-election campaign on the web – so it is good to see the trend continue.
I’ve always said that the LibDems need to make a tough choice between their Liberal and SDP roots and yet they seem to be on the verge of choosing the only candidate (Ming) who continues to believe that they can fight the next election still not defining themselves. Hello? David Cameron has stolen not so much the march as the entire calendar on LibDem issues such as the environment, climate change and world poverty and yet Ming really believes that simply by being Ming that he can continue to control that political ground. Hardly, I’m afraid, Ming. LibDem friends of mine who are leaning towards Ming I have warned. He’ll be a short-term choice to put off that tough decision. I can see why Hughes appeals to the sandal brigade, why Oaten appeals to young people and why the almost unknown Huhne appeals with that Cameron factor.
One Norwich LibDem Councillor told me he’d be voting for Ming because it was the vote that required least though and offended least people. Says it all really.
So the LibDem Leadership contest rolls on with little to no media coverage at all. The only people concerned are the bloggers and the LibDem enthusiast (a dwindling bunch). Without a major punch up it is likely to be off the radar until the announcement. And judging by the contest and the Sky News debate that isn’t likely to happen any time soon. So Ming is going to scrap his gas guzzling car, Hughes isn’t gay, Oaten doesn’t like taxing as much as he used to when in Kennedy’s team and people finally know what Chris Huhne is. Hardly the stuff of legend.
Still, all candidates have now launched leadership websites:
Simon Hughes
Mark Oaten
Chris Huhne
Sir Ming Campbell
No site sets my world on fire but at least they are trying. The LibDems tend to be so much better about internet campaigning than any other party – they’ve even launched their Dunfermline & Fife by-election campaign on the web – so it is good to see the trend continue.
I’ve always said that the LibDems need to make a tough choice between their Liberal and SDP roots and yet they seem to be on the verge of choosing the only candidate (Ming) who continues to believe that they can fight the next election still not defining themselves. Hello? David Cameron has stolen not so much the march as the entire calendar on LibDem issues such as the environment, climate change and world poverty and yet Ming really believes that simply by being Ming that he can continue to control that political ground. Hardly, I’m afraid, Ming. LibDem friends of mine who are leaning towards Ming I have warned. He’ll be a short-term choice to put off that tough decision. I can see why Hughes appeals to the sandal brigade, why Oaten appeals to young people and why the almost unknown Huhne appeals with that Cameron factor.
One Norwich LibDem Councillor told me he’d be voting for Ming because it was the vote that required least though and offended least people. Says it all really.
Monday, January 09, 2006
Organising Labour's first Shadow Cabinet
News reaches my shell like of a probably government re-shuffle tomorrow. Charlie Clarke’s number two – the wonderful Hazel Blears - is likely to become the Cabinet Office Minister, filling a vacancy left open since December. Personally I believe if a government job isn’t done for 4 weeks and nobody notices it should be abolished. Hmmm, like Deputy Prime Minister then? The recent embarrassment over the Hewitt school’s employment of a rather shady character has led to question marks over Ms Kelly’s future too. I have the personal interest of living a few doors away from the Hewitt School, but feel that Blair likes him cabinet wimmin so much she’ll hold on. Despite being useless. The greatest untapped source of female talent within the Labour Party, since the departure of Peterborough’s Helen Clark, is that of Caroline Flint. Ding dong, a minister in knee-high leather boots? Roar! Seriously though, a talent for David Miliband’s first shadow cabinet me thinks.
News reaches my shell like of a probably government re-shuffle tomorrow. Charlie Clarke’s number two – the wonderful Hazel Blears - is likely to become the Cabinet Office Minister, filling a vacancy left open since December. Personally I believe if a government job isn’t done for 4 weeks and nobody notices it should be abolished. Hmmm, like Deputy Prime Minister then? The recent embarrassment over the Hewitt school’s employment of a rather shady character has led to question marks over Ms Kelly’s future too. I have the personal interest of living a few doors away from the Hewitt School, but feel that Blair likes him cabinet wimmin so much she’ll hold on. Despite being useless. The greatest untapped source of female talent within the Labour Party, since the departure of Peterborough’s Helen Clark, is that of Caroline Flint. Ding dong, a minister in knee-high leather boots? Roar! Seriously though, a talent for David Miliband’s first shadow cabinet me thinks.
Little's choice: It's Hemming for Leader (as long as Opik doesn't stand)
The Tories could teach the LibDems a few things about how to run a leadership campaign. With the Tories, more or less every MP declares themselves a candidate before dropping out when they realise then either any of their colleagues or even their own spouse supports them. Who remembers the idea that Alan Duncan, David Willetts or Sir Malcolm Rifkind should run??? With the LibDems you have a lot of very honest “I’ll stand if he/she doesn’t” or “If nobody else does then I will”. Ming does sound like the only one who wants it at the moment – except of course Birmingham’s LibDem MP John Hemming, who is now touting for support. For what it’s worth from a would-be Tory candidate I fully support Hemmings campaign to be the LibDem Leader. You can sign up on this unofficial blog!
The Tories could teach the LibDems a few things about how to run a leadership campaign. With the Tories, more or less every MP declares themselves a candidate before dropping out when they realise then either any of their colleagues or even their own spouse supports them. Who remembers the idea that Alan Duncan, David Willetts or Sir Malcolm Rifkind should run??? With the LibDems you have a lot of very honest “I’ll stand if he/she doesn’t” or “If nobody else does then I will”. Ming does sound like the only one who wants it at the moment – except of course Birmingham’s LibDem MP John Hemming, who is now touting for support. For what it’s worth from a would-be Tory candidate I fully support Hemmings campaign to be the LibDem Leader. You can sign up on this unofficial blog!
Sunday, January 08, 2006
Blog off!
On much more of an important note I am most fed up with posts to this blog coming from various Americans promoting their own blogs! You know the sort, they read something like:
”Hi, I was searching for a blog about the length of a sheep’s bladder, when I stumbled across your blog. It’s so well written – and so funny! I have my own blog, it’s about the history of fire stations in nineteenth century Walsall.”
Does anybody have any idea how to stop this as the five seconds it takes me to delete each one is five seconds I could be dedicated to removing this discredited New Labour government, crushing the LibDems and promoting the wonderfulness of Dave Cameron and his glorious team of super-Tories.
On much more of an important note I am most fed up with posts to this blog coming from various Americans promoting their own blogs! You know the sort, they read something like:
”Hi, I was searching for a blog about the length of a sheep’s bladder, when I stumbled across your blog. It’s so well written – and so funny! I have my own blog, it’s about the history of fire stations in nineteenth century Walsall.”
Does anybody have any idea how to stop this as the five seconds it takes me to delete each one is five seconds I could be dedicated to removing this discredited New Labour government, crushing the LibDems and promoting the wonderfulness of Dave Cameron and his glorious team of super-Tories.
Kennedy quits as LibDem Leader
So farewell then, Charles Kennedy.
I am probably not the best person in the world to judge this because I have never liked Kennedy and feel that the manner in which he conducted his own bodged resignation says a lot. I have never understood why people called him funny or personable. In fact, on occasions, I found no hint of personality at all. You have to credit him his success – 62 seats in 2005 was pretty good, although not what all LibDems thought they would get. I wondered if, when Simon Hughes broke ranks and said he was disappointed by the 05 poll campaign result, that was the start of the end.
The Mail on Sunday goes for Sir Ming quite viciously today and various candidates, including the wonderfully ludicrous John Hemming, gear up their leadership campaign. The (one) good thing about the LibDem campaign is that when you vote-swap, any candidate can stand without the risk of taking supporters from other candidates. For example, people said that Sir Malcolm Rifkind would harm Ken Clarke’s (ill-fated) chances. If Oaten stood he wouldn’t harm another candidate because his supporters have a #2 vote.
Other political news is quite sad. Tony Banks, former Labour MP and a parliamentary hero of mine, is nearing death. Also Rachel Squire, Labour MP for Dunfirmline and West Fife has died. And would you believe it, according to the BBC the LibDems have started telephone canvassing already!
So farewell then, Charles Kennedy.
I am probably not the best person in the world to judge this because I have never liked Kennedy and feel that the manner in which he conducted his own bodged resignation says a lot. I have never understood why people called him funny or personable. In fact, on occasions, I found no hint of personality at all. You have to credit him his success – 62 seats in 2005 was pretty good, although not what all LibDems thought they would get. I wondered if, when Simon Hughes broke ranks and said he was disappointed by the 05 poll campaign result, that was the start of the end.
The Mail on Sunday goes for Sir Ming quite viciously today and various candidates, including the wonderfully ludicrous John Hemming, gear up their leadership campaign. The (one) good thing about the LibDem campaign is that when you vote-swap, any candidate can stand without the risk of taking supporters from other candidates. For example, people said that Sir Malcolm Rifkind would harm Ken Clarke’s (ill-fated) chances. If Oaten stood he wouldn’t harm another candidate because his supporters have a #2 vote.
Other political news is quite sad. Tony Banks, former Labour MP and a parliamentary hero of mine, is nearing death. Also Rachel Squire, Labour MP for Dunfirmline and West Fife has died. And would you believe it, according to the BBC the LibDems have started telephone canvassing already!
Thursday, January 05, 2006
First thoughs on Kennedy, Opik, Oaten and the LibDem farce
Is Lembit Opik now officially the stupidest man in politics? His performance on the ITV news at 6.30 must suggest he is.
Charles Kennedy has been caught out by an ITV investigation into his drinking problem. That is awful and as somebody who has seen the problems of alcohol abuse close up I sympathise with him. But this rubber statement (he was bounced into it) and the inevitability of the leadership contest is the surest sign that he is politically dead, no matter what the result.
Lembit, of course, leaps to him aid suggesting this was the kind of masterful, brave leadership that demonstrates why CK is best for the job. Hmmm. Maybe not. Kennedy must be feeling gutted that he was forced into this and must be holding his breath about the leadership vote. Unlike the Tories – who got a yes or no in IDS before other challengers emerged – Kennedy has the buffer of waiting for an MP to stand up to the plate. Oaten has chickened out (quelle surprise), so will Campbell, Hughes or A.N.Other have more guts? Don’t believe it, the LibDems are the most gutless of all political parties.
Iain Dale believes that Kennedy remaining leader best serves the Tories. I am unsure, as I can see Hughes driving thousands of people our way.
So let’s recap…
Kennedy had a drink problem (so what?) but lied about it. Just under half his senior team wants him out plus thousands more in an online petition. Now’s the time to be tying yourself to his coat straps, Lembit.
If CK had any political antennae, he’d resign and allow a full field of candidates, instead of forcing the weak willed Oaten and Opik to back him. This is not a Cameron moment for the LibDems and it never will be.
Is Lembit Opik now officially the stupidest man in politics? His performance on the ITV news at 6.30 must suggest he is.
Charles Kennedy has been caught out by an ITV investigation into his drinking problem. That is awful and as somebody who has seen the problems of alcohol abuse close up I sympathise with him. But this rubber statement (he was bounced into it) and the inevitability of the leadership contest is the surest sign that he is politically dead, no matter what the result.
Lembit, of course, leaps to him aid suggesting this was the kind of masterful, brave leadership that demonstrates why CK is best for the job. Hmmm. Maybe not. Kennedy must be feeling gutted that he was forced into this and must be holding his breath about the leadership vote. Unlike the Tories – who got a yes or no in IDS before other challengers emerged – Kennedy has the buffer of waiting for an MP to stand up to the plate. Oaten has chickened out (quelle surprise), so will Campbell, Hughes or A.N.Other have more guts? Don’t believe it, the LibDems are the most gutless of all political parties.
Iain Dale believes that Kennedy remaining leader best serves the Tories. I am unsure, as I can see Hughes driving thousands of people our way.
So let’s recap…
Kennedy had a drink problem (so what?) but lied about it. Just under half his senior team wants him out plus thousands more in an online petition. Now’s the time to be tying yourself to his coat straps, Lembit.
If CK had any political antennae, he’d resign and allow a full field of candidates, instead of forcing the weak willed Oaten and Opik to back him. This is not a Cameron moment for the LibDems and it never will be.
Monday, January 02, 2006
LibDem Coconuts
Today I finally had to succumb to the dreaded sales, although Riverside wasn’t too bad. This afternoon I spent brainstorming ideas for school, but mostly watching season 6 of the West Wing. Gripping! Although the thought of it without Leo is scary. Why have they only taken 6 seasons to do 8 years?
Also spent much time preparing stuff for my AS Politics group – their exam is on Wednesday 11th January. So stop reading this and start revising!
I was mugged by an old friend and LibDem activists today who spent much time bleating on about how my blog is giving away too much information! The question I posed is: where will the LibDems actually win in May? He said just one ward is considered safe. A coconut for the correct guess.
Today I finally had to succumb to the dreaded sales, although Riverside wasn’t too bad. This afternoon I spent brainstorming ideas for school, but mostly watching season 6 of the West Wing. Gripping! Although the thought of it without Leo is scary. Why have they only taken 6 seasons to do 8 years?
Also spent much time preparing stuff for my AS Politics group – their exam is on Wednesday 11th January. So stop reading this and start revising!
I was mugged by an old friend and LibDem activists today who spent much time bleating on about how my blog is giving away too much information! The question I posed is: where will the LibDems actually win in May? He said just one ward is considered safe. A coconut for the correct guess.
Sunday, January 01, 2006
In the interests of political balance – and so that every entry isn’t about another wonderful Cameron strategy or the crushing failure of Charles Kennedy’s so-called leadership – I have been trying to search out a government initiative or action to report on. I searched for much time and, apart from Blair’s holiday trip and Hain’s intellectual deficit on the NI Peace Process, there is nothing happening. So, once again, Cameron wisely fills the political vacuum.
For those of you still unsure about the tactical supremacy currently sweeping CCHQ, look at today’s issues. Tory Leader blasts Brown in a nasty personal attack – and then quotes Ghandi in his New Year message and declares himself for consensus. Tory Leader calls on Blair to get on with it and quit – and then makes six new policy statements, including poverty, climate change and the environment (the other 3 are the NHS, police reform and the economy for those who care). So whilst the Conservatives bite with one hand they reach out in a New Year gesture of peace with the other. Brilliant – modernisers happy, traditionalists happy.
Now take a look at the press today. Obviously I read all the Tory press, but it is worth noting. David Cameron has written a two-page spread for the Mail on Sunday declaring that he is moving on from Thatcherism. He has done an interview with the Sunday Times about new shifts in policy. He has a leader and front page story in the Sunday Torygraph about his leadership. Plus CCHQ have taken out a full page advert in the Sunday Torygraph today also. Our Dave clearly believes people have a lot of intelligence – the ad was meant to be a recruitment drive but only included a web address for people to sign up. No telephone number or coupon? That’s how much we trust people!
Whatever the rights and wrongs (and I personally I believe it is right) Cameron is making the political agenda. The fact that we have annoyed people like Peter Hichens is great news. Useless Tories? Just check the next opinion poll…
p.s. Have found some government news – apparently Prescott, a helicopter and a long lens camera. Doesn’t bear thinking about.
For those of you still unsure about the tactical supremacy currently sweeping CCHQ, look at today’s issues. Tory Leader blasts Brown in a nasty personal attack – and then quotes Ghandi in his New Year message and declares himself for consensus. Tory Leader calls on Blair to get on with it and quit – and then makes six new policy statements, including poverty, climate change and the environment (the other 3 are the NHS, police reform and the economy for those who care). So whilst the Conservatives bite with one hand they reach out in a New Year gesture of peace with the other. Brilliant – modernisers happy, traditionalists happy.
Now take a look at the press today. Obviously I read all the Tory press, but it is worth noting. David Cameron has written a two-page spread for the Mail on Sunday declaring that he is moving on from Thatcherism. He has done an interview with the Sunday Times about new shifts in policy. He has a leader and front page story in the Sunday Torygraph about his leadership. Plus CCHQ have taken out a full page advert in the Sunday Torygraph today also. Our Dave clearly believes people have a lot of intelligence – the ad was meant to be a recruitment drive but only included a web address for people to sign up. No telephone number or coupon? That’s how much we trust people!
Whatever the rights and wrongs (and I personally I believe it is right) Cameron is making the political agenda. The fact that we have annoyed people like Peter Hichens is great news. Useless Tories? Just check the next opinion poll…
p.s. Have found some government news – apparently Prescott, a helicopter and a long lens camera. Doesn’t bear thinking about.
Friday, December 30, 2005
Just as good ol’ Dave Cameron starts to hog the all-important mid festive season headlines, knackered old Charlie Kennedy decides to hurl himself at the press super-star destroyer and battle to save his so-called leadership. Apparently some rather annoyed LibDem candidate has launched a web petition to sack Kennedy and rather a lot of LibDem members have signed it – thousands upon thousands. Then it is revealed that 400 or so of which are elected councillors. Oh dear. However, instead of ignoring the rantings of a LibDem malcontent, Mr Kennedy decided to make himself the BBC’s number 2 story by attacking his own party. Curious still is his defence. Kennedy says that the petition of his own members in no more worthy than an attack by, say, Labour or the Tories. Yet the attack comes from within his own party. Also a LibDem unnamed frontbencher says he better be gone by New Year or there’ll be a vote of no confidence.
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
David Cameron’s decision to ask Sir Bob Geldof to be an advisor to the Conservative Party on the issue of global poverty was an interesting one. It has certainly upset Mr Blair, who has always treated the world of celebrity as his fiefdom, and is a very clever piece of media positioning. However I do fear a major elephant traps wait in the long term.
Sir Bob told the BBC News 24 today that he would speak his mind and, of necessary, oppose the policy that the Tories come out with if he doesn’t agree with it – i.e. if it isn’t his policy. I fear Sir Bob will accept nothing less than his point of view. We may have the tide behind us now, but what if Sir Bob is leading the charge against the new Tory poverty policy in a few years’ time? I wonder what he had to say about Michael Howard’s globalisation policy, launched just a matter of months ago. With most Tories talking about free trade rather than fair trade…
Sir Bob told the BBC News 24 today that he would speak his mind and, of necessary, oppose the policy that the Tories come out with if he doesn’t agree with it – i.e. if it isn’t his policy. I fear Sir Bob will accept nothing less than his point of view. We may have the tide behind us now, but what if Sir Bob is leading the charge against the new Tory poverty policy in a few years’ time? I wonder what he had to say about Michael Howard’s globalisation policy, launched just a matter of months ago. With most Tories talking about free trade rather than fair trade…
Saturday, December 24, 2005
My simple Christmas offering this year is to ask what chance I have in the Queens Speech Sweepstake. My 6 random choices, which have to appear Bingo style for me to win, are (in order of sanity...)
1. A reference to Camilla
2. A reference to natural disasters around the world
3. Queen comes out against the Iraq War
4. Queen declares herself for David Cameron
5. Queen wears something stylish
6. Queen wears something from Debenhams
I don't think I'm going to win. In fact, 2 points would be good.
Merry Christmas!
1. A reference to Camilla
2. A reference to natural disasters around the world
3. Queen comes out against the Iraq War
4. Queen declares herself for David Cameron
5. Queen wears something stylish
6. Queen wears something from Debenhams
I don't think I'm going to win. In fact, 2 points would be good.
Merry Christmas!
Sunday, December 18, 2005
Firstly the big voting news and the present Mrs Little and I are very happy with the X-Factor and Strictly Come Dancing results. When you reach a certain age and your babysitters are away in London, Saturday night television is all that keep you going.
Sunday was spent mainly at a party in Dereham, but I did get a chance to read Matthew D’Ancona’s excellent piece in the Sunday Torygraph today. Now either he has read my blog or he is indeed a very astute gentleman. The trust of his argument was that the Tories and LibDems are moving politically and personally closer together, maybe in preparation for a post-election coalition. Conservative Chairman Francis Maude and LibDem Treasury Spokesman Vince Cable have both been saying nice things about the other side. Plus who’d want to be the LibDem Leader who helped prop up a Brown-led Labour government after a poor poll showing? Anyway, since the Tory and LibDem leadership are getting on and Cameron is banging on about all sorts of libertarian and environmentalist ideas the notion of a Con/Lib government isn’t all that barking.
So, as predicted, the downfall of Kennedy – when, not if, it comes – will see the LibDems potentially choosing a future coalition partner. Now, obviously I believe that Cameron will be storming to a massive 341 seat majority, with Labour forced into sixth place behind Respect. However, if by some shock the inbuilt problem with First-Past-The-Post prevent this, you could see the Conservatives as the largest party dealing with Laws or Oaten. But perhaps not Hughes or Campbell. Anyway, the Sunday Torygraph seems convinced it’ll be Campbell so ho-hum.
On the Tory front, my little spies tell me that the diary of newly promoted Shadow Education Minister Boris Johnson is filling up with various jaunts around the nation visiting union bars and telling CF branches full of wonderful young blonde Tory-girls about the wonderfulness of Dave Cameron. Damn tough job, but somebody has to do it!
Sunday was spent mainly at a party in Dereham, but I did get a chance to read Matthew D’Ancona’s excellent piece in the Sunday Torygraph today. Now either he has read my blog or he is indeed a very astute gentleman. The trust of his argument was that the Tories and LibDems are moving politically and personally closer together, maybe in preparation for a post-election coalition. Conservative Chairman Francis Maude and LibDem Treasury Spokesman Vince Cable have both been saying nice things about the other side. Plus who’d want to be the LibDem Leader who helped prop up a Brown-led Labour government after a poor poll showing? Anyway, since the Tory and LibDem leadership are getting on and Cameron is banging on about all sorts of libertarian and environmentalist ideas the notion of a Con/Lib government isn’t all that barking.
So, as predicted, the downfall of Kennedy – when, not if, it comes – will see the LibDems potentially choosing a future coalition partner. Now, obviously I believe that Cameron will be storming to a massive 341 seat majority, with Labour forced into sixth place behind Respect. However, if by some shock the inbuilt problem with First-Past-The-Post prevent this, you could see the Conservatives as the largest party dealing with Laws or Oaten. But perhaps not Hughes or Campbell. Anyway, the Sunday Torygraph seems convinced it’ll be Campbell so ho-hum.
On the Tory front, my little spies tell me that the diary of newly promoted Shadow Education Minister Boris Johnson is filling up with various jaunts around the nation visiting union bars and telling CF branches full of wonderful young blonde Tory-girls about the wonderfulness of Dave Cameron. Damn tough job, but somebody has to do it!
Saturday, December 17, 2005
It has been an eventful end of the week. On Wednesday I was told that I have been put back onto the Conservative Parliamentary Candidates List and can start applying for seats as and when they come up! Good news! Hurrah! I thought the interview went well and it must have. We have been asked to join mobile campaigning units, which I am glad to do.
It seems like Kennedy has survived in tact, although The Sun tried their best as always. Campbell’s pledge of loyalty was fairly week willed, and Oaten’s Telegraph interview said more about where he wants to go than where he is now. David Cameron heaped the pressure on Kennedy this week. Despite his almost failed jibe at PMQs (a pretty good joke about decapitation strategies but flopped due to timing) he then went back on the attack by calling upon LibDems to defect to the Conservatives. I liked the timing and the speech content but I do wonder what Cameron’s speech expected the outcome to be. I just can’t see any LibDem MP defecting, we may get a handful of Councillors and activists but the key group is voters. We’ve seen our association membership jump by 13% since the day Cameron was elected – a mixture of new members and those who lapsed some years ago. We are particularly doing well in LibDem strongholds in Eaton and Town Close – so the results in May will be interesting!
Website of the day: www.libdems4cameron.com
It seems like Kennedy has survived in tact, although The Sun tried their best as always. Campbell’s pledge of loyalty was fairly week willed, and Oaten’s Telegraph interview said more about where he wants to go than where he is now. David Cameron heaped the pressure on Kennedy this week. Despite his almost failed jibe at PMQs (a pretty good joke about decapitation strategies but flopped due to timing) he then went back on the attack by calling upon LibDems to defect to the Conservatives. I liked the timing and the speech content but I do wonder what Cameron’s speech expected the outcome to be. I just can’t see any LibDem MP defecting, we may get a handful of Councillors and activists but the key group is voters. We’ve seen our association membership jump by 13% since the day Cameron was elected – a mixture of new members and those who lapsed some years ago. We are particularly doing well in LibDem strongholds in Eaton and Town Close – so the results in May will be interesting!
Website of the day: www.libdems4cameron.com
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
I shan’t pretend I’m in the least bit bothered about the woes that the LibDems have found themselves in during the past 24 hours but two things do spring forth of note worthiness.
Firstly are the similarities to the IDS Tory debacle. I found myself musing this morning about who exactly is spreading the rumours about Kennedy, particularly to Neill of the BBC. Today Party bigwigs Matthew Taylor and Paul Holmes have strongly come out in Kennedy’s defence, as have senior LibDem frontbencher Lembit Opik. So just who is spreading the rumours? Well, with the Tories I naively thought that the media had got their wires crossed and a few private mumblings of a few obscure Tory MPs made it onto the front-page, but of course it wasn’t. The finger of suspicion has pointed at the swivel-eyed loon of the LibDems Party President Simon Hughes and also the statesmanlike Foreign Affairs Spokesman (not, not Shadow Cabinet as they like to claim) Sir Menzies Campbell. So will they use this chance to come out and back their man? Because Charlie can’t take many more PMQs like that.
My other thought is about where this leaves the LibDems as a party. I’m not joining in the Tory gleeful rubbing of hands over this because I think it could be a worrying sign. Not of a Kennedy departure, but that the LibDems have come to maturity as a political party. All the best parties are big-tents who bring in people of various political viewpoints who can agree an end product but not necessarily the same means to will it to happen. The Tory Party contains Bill Cash and Ken Clarke. Labour has Dennis Skinner and Peter Mandelson. Enough said. Whilst the LibDems sat on the sidelines being irrelevant – which to a degree they did rather well under Ashdown – then nobody bothered mentioning that they all fundamentally disagree over absolutely everything. Now there’s a wiff of something in the air – not power, don’t be silly, but a chance of a seat in a coalition government. After years of Tory-bashing the rather dapper Vince Cable has started mending bridges by saying he could work with the Conservatives – just in case Cameron has the largest number of seats in 2009. If not, they could always throw their lot in with Labour – under Brown or another Blairite Leader. With the next poll result in serious doubt the LibDems are players. If Cameron crashes and burns or if he takes a commanding lead then the LibDems may well slink away to the fringes again. If not, this argument is important because they are fighting for the soul of the party and maybe even the soul of the next government. If Laws and the Orange Book Liberals win it raises the prospect of a Con-Lib coalition working effectively. If Hughes or Davey win then a coalition is only likely with Labour. Either way the LibDems need this leadership crisis badly, because an attempt to go into coalition under Kennedy (or in my view under Campbell) would be a disaster. It may never happen, but this crisis is in many ways good for the party and a clear sign that they may well help form the next period of British politics.
Firstly are the similarities to the IDS Tory debacle. I found myself musing this morning about who exactly is spreading the rumours about Kennedy, particularly to Neill of the BBC. Today Party bigwigs Matthew Taylor and Paul Holmes have strongly come out in Kennedy’s defence, as have senior LibDem frontbencher Lembit Opik. So just who is spreading the rumours? Well, with the Tories I naively thought that the media had got their wires crossed and a few private mumblings of a few obscure Tory MPs made it onto the front-page, but of course it wasn’t. The finger of suspicion has pointed at the swivel-eyed loon of the LibDems Party President Simon Hughes and also the statesmanlike Foreign Affairs Spokesman (not, not Shadow Cabinet as they like to claim) Sir Menzies Campbell. So will they use this chance to come out and back their man? Because Charlie can’t take many more PMQs like that.
My other thought is about where this leaves the LibDems as a party. I’m not joining in the Tory gleeful rubbing of hands over this because I think it could be a worrying sign. Not of a Kennedy departure, but that the LibDems have come to maturity as a political party. All the best parties are big-tents who bring in people of various political viewpoints who can agree an end product but not necessarily the same means to will it to happen. The Tory Party contains Bill Cash and Ken Clarke. Labour has Dennis Skinner and Peter Mandelson. Enough said. Whilst the LibDems sat on the sidelines being irrelevant – which to a degree they did rather well under Ashdown – then nobody bothered mentioning that they all fundamentally disagree over absolutely everything. Now there’s a wiff of something in the air – not power, don’t be silly, but a chance of a seat in a coalition government. After years of Tory-bashing the rather dapper Vince Cable has started mending bridges by saying he could work with the Conservatives – just in case Cameron has the largest number of seats in 2009. If not, they could always throw their lot in with Labour – under Brown or another Blairite Leader. With the next poll result in serious doubt the LibDems are players. If Cameron crashes and burns or if he takes a commanding lead then the LibDems may well slink away to the fringes again. If not, this argument is important because they are fighting for the soul of the party and maybe even the soul of the next government. If Laws and the Orange Book Liberals win it raises the prospect of a Con-Lib coalition working effectively. If Hughes or Davey win then a coalition is only likely with Labour. Either way the LibDems need this leadership crisis badly, because an attempt to go into coalition under Kennedy (or in my view under Campbell) would be a disaster. It may never happen, but this crisis is in many ways good for the party and a clear sign that they may well help form the next period of British politics.
Monday, December 12, 2005
Had a very successful Christmas event on Saturday in Eaton ward. Very well attended and raised rather a lot for the campaign fund - or in this case sending letters out to prospective new members. Plenty of mince pies and punch too!
School today was a tad dull, though I did manage to complete marking my Mock GCSE Exams and potentially ruin the Yuletide of my 'A' Level class by setting them a whopping great essay. Ho ho ho! Though my New Year is ruined by marking...
Tomorrow is our Year 8 Celebration Assembly - the theme is Oscars. Given the amount of work that my wonderful PA did today, it bought to mind a gleeful Sir Humphry declaring that all the work of any organisation is admin. Seeing her at work, one wag mused: "If the teachers all disappeared, we'd get cover. If the admin staff disappeared, the school would collapse." Quite.
School today was a tad dull, though I did manage to complete marking my Mock GCSE Exams and potentially ruin the Yuletide of my 'A' Level class by setting them a whopping great essay. Ho ho ho! Though my New Year is ruined by marking...
Tomorrow is our Year 8 Celebration Assembly - the theme is Oscars. Given the amount of work that my wonderful PA did today, it bought to mind a gleeful Sir Humphry declaring that all the work of any organisation is admin. Seeing her at work, one wag mused: "If the teachers all disappeared, we'd get cover. If the admin staff disappeared, the school would collapse." Quite.
I was quite surprised today to be flicking around the LibDem website (fear not, I shall punish myself harshly later tonight) to see that they have a button on their homepage dedicated to their position on Iraq. It got me thinking about to what degree they really now have become a series of protest issues strung together into a political party. It’s like the anti-war movement meets the anti-fees students union. They made a big deal out of Blair’s war at the last election and there is some feeling within both the local and national LibDems that they will continue to do so in the future to continue their advance against Labour in the urban constituencies. I cannot really see this working. Firstly because they are fighting (maybe) Brown in (maybe) 2009 and Gordon very cleverly sidestepped blame for the war in a way that Hoon, Straw and Clarke never did. Secondly the issue will have passed, with 90% of troops being out by the time of the next poll. So why concentrate on it then? Well the LibDems seem to be struggling for a purpose at the moment. Poor Charlie Kennedy even had his resignation plans blow by old Brillo on “This Week” and had to deny his own resignation plans. Yet the whole buzz around the LibDem camp now is on positioning to be his successor. When, and if, the LibDems do that they still have to overcome the Cameron issue. The Times runs a good article today suggesting that Cameron is the heir to liberal Toryism. Maybe, and certainly not a head banging euro sceptic (copyright, Mr K Clarke). I think we are re-entering two party politics. I can’t see the LibDems falling to 11 seats, as has been mooted over on politicalbetting.com, but I can see them falling back slightly. The LibDems will struggle to define themselves – as a party to the left of Labour under a Hughes leadership or a party fighting for the liberal ground led by Laws? Or maybe a party fighting for survival under Campbell? I know it isn’t popular to knock old Ming, but I see him as a caretaker man for the job, in both leadership and ideological terms. A great guy and good media performer but he won’t advance the argument within the party. And then, without Iraq, what does the member for North East Fife have to offer? Anyway locally LibDems continue to spin themselves in circles. One leading light told me this week that they were struggling to hold onto people because of the Cameron effect. We’ve had 17 people join since Cameron became leader, and I’ll happily run a book on the first sitting or former LibDem Councillor to switch to us. Apparently a similar book is being run on the first parliamentary defection to the Tories.
Cameron today announced his plans to broaden the base of Tory candidates, a story much missed by the BBC all day. I am very weary of this big idea. I agree I want to see more female, Asian, disabled, gay and public sector Tory candidates (though not necessarily the same person, you understand). But most importantly I want to see the best Tory candidates. I am very unsure about plans to create the so-called ‘A’ Lists of candidates. Will they guarantee that no woman on this list is worse than a man who wasn’t on the list? Why are we not compiling the best 140 Tory candidates, full stop? I want women etc. to get on the list by merit alone. I am also concerned about this headhunting proposal. Why are we dragging people into a career that requires a huge amount of passion when they didn’t volunteer for it? I stomp the streets almost daily for the party and I do expect a little reward for my work – like perhaps being considered ahead of somebody who isn’t even a member. I do despair at the throngs of pin-stripped suited lawyers queuing up to be a candidate but is this really our only answer? As the member for Maidstone said recently, she would never have made it only an ‘A’ List yet she remains one of the most formidable forces in the party. Come on, Mr Cameron, is this really the only way?
Sunday, December 11, 2005
Welcome to my new look blog! I've changed the design to fit in with our new look association website and also because it looks rather nice. I've also added the comments facility so please let us know what you think! Around (well exactly) 12 people e-mailed during the general election campaign asking me to have comments. I didn't then because of the amount of abuse that other candidates, from all parties, suffered. However under the new leadership of consensual Cameron I'm sure we can all have a reasonable debate!
If you want me to link to your site, just e-mail me using antony at norwichconservatives dot com
If you want me to link to your site, just e-mail me using antony at norwichconservatives dot com
Due to popular demand (well, my ‘A’ Level class) I have decided that it would only be right and proper to follow the example of Iain Dale and return to blogging. Now that politics is back on an even keel!
The Leadership. I have never been a huge Cameron fan, and it is quite well known that I backed Ken Clarke in the first round of the leadership. When he was voted out – the best news possible for DC – then I didn’t know what to do. I felt Cameron was very young, a bit policy light and may not stand up to the onslaught that Blair’s brigade would no doubt unleash. However, despite liking DD’s background and policies I felt that there was somebody not quite right. I read all the websites, documents and went to see DD when he visited Norwich (work stopped me from seeing DC). With the membership in Norwich South clearly swinging behind Cameron it wasn’t until the last possible moment that I voted, and did so for Cameron. In the end he was saying what I’ve said for years about fighting for the centre ground of politics. He seemed to know what needs doing to sort out the party. Within seconds of victory the website changed too! So Tuesday wasn’t a bad day, but I didn't hold my breath!
Then came PMQs. I thought Cameron did brilliantly – not because he humiliated Blair (although the “You were the future once” line was excellent) but because he out-thought the Prime Minister and was strategically the better man. His rant at government chief whip Hilary Armstrong was fantastic, and shut the Labour MPs up at the beginning so he got away with his first PMQs almost heckle-free. But then not to use the 6th question and rob Blair of his final big blast against the new Tory Leader was inspired. Poor Tony. He’ll never know when Cameron will use his sixth question now! Does he therefore use his best lines on question 5 and give Cameron the chance to come back or does he leave it out altogether? Similarly the decision to lead on education and climate change is symbolic of his change in policy attitude. Backing Blair on education isn’t just fun to annoy the Labour left, it is also practical politics. Blair is offering us an essentially conservative piece of law – why would we vote against it? By supporting Blair you marginalize the Labour left and help him to introduce the kind of legislation that we would have done. Where Blair is wrong, we’ll vote against him when where he just might be right… Anyway, PMQs laid my fears to rest. The papers and the media went over-the-top for Cameron – ITV’s Bradby in particular. I’m not in favour of building Cameron up too much, lest he falls as quickly as he rose, but the plaudits are always good to receive.
Then came the reshuffle. I was on the whole happy with it, particularly the return of William Hague as Shadow Foreign Secretary and keeping David Davis at Shadow Home Affairs. I am a bit miffed that we didn’t appoint a Deputy Leader, choosing instead to have a so-called “senior member of the shadow cabinet.” Hmmm. Anyway, it means that when Tony is off swanning around the world and can’t get back to the commons, it’ll be Prescott versus Hague! What a sight to behold. I will hold my judgement about Willetts at education, although the poor soul now has Boris Johnson and John Hayes in his team! I am glad that Maude kept the Chairmanship, Lansley kept Health and Mitchell kept International Development. I am pleased by May’s promotion back into a real job and am over the moon that Gillan and Villiers have been promoted, not because they are women but because they are very, very good at their jobs. Caroline Spelman, whom I admire, is also promoted to Shadow ODPM. I am surprised that Damien Green was left wanting and a bit frustrated at the childish antics of Sir Malcolm Rifkind. I have nothing against Phillip Hammond but I felt Rifkind at DWP put out a powerful message about the Tory view on pension reforms. Giving Osbourne time to grow as Shadow Chancellor was clever and I am also pleased that Patrick McLaughlin is now Chief Whip (although clearly John Randall would have been my choice!). I struggle to remember when Peter Ainsworth was our Shadow Environment before (apparently 3 years ago) but I do know that he is anti-nuclear. So is Cameron building up to dump nuclear or are we on for our first resignation due to policy differences? That leaves Fox at Defence, a bit of a shame given his result I suppose but he does have excellent relations with the US. Overall then, a good reshuffle.
Then came the speeches on the environment and the visit to the East London school of Leadership. Nice touch but a bit obvious going to a Labour stronghold like that. Why not visit Jarrow next time? I know the first visit as Leader sends a message but I feel there are enough inner-city marginal seats to choose from. Does anybody feel we’ll win that seat next time?
Then came this morning’s poll – 2% ahead according to ICM, never a friend of the Conservatives. Setting aside the fuel crisis in September 2000 this is the first time that the Tories have led in an ICM poll since 1993. We are ahead in YouGov too but they did show us bouncing around in the lead a few years back too. Anyway I am pleased that we have broken out of our 30-33 box but the champagne isn’t quite on ice yet.
On a personal level Emily is now 9 months old and into everything – the whole house is levitating 3 foot in the air to prevent her from grabbing things. She is on the move and pulling herself up on all the furniture! School is going fine, I have started teaching ‘A’ Level politics this year too, so god help them – first exam is on 11th January (my birthday).
Anyway must go, the papers need examining and a large pile of GCSE Mock Exams need my attention!
The Leadership. I have never been a huge Cameron fan, and it is quite well known that I backed Ken Clarke in the first round of the leadership. When he was voted out – the best news possible for DC – then I didn’t know what to do. I felt Cameron was very young, a bit policy light and may not stand up to the onslaught that Blair’s brigade would no doubt unleash. However, despite liking DD’s background and policies I felt that there was somebody not quite right. I read all the websites, documents and went to see DD when he visited Norwich (work stopped me from seeing DC). With the membership in Norwich South clearly swinging behind Cameron it wasn’t until the last possible moment that I voted, and did so for Cameron. In the end he was saying what I’ve said for years about fighting for the centre ground of politics. He seemed to know what needs doing to sort out the party. Within seconds of victory the website changed too! So Tuesday wasn’t a bad day, but I didn't hold my breath!
Then came PMQs. I thought Cameron did brilliantly – not because he humiliated Blair (although the “You were the future once” line was excellent) but because he out-thought the Prime Minister and was strategically the better man. His rant at government chief whip Hilary Armstrong was fantastic, and shut the Labour MPs up at the beginning so he got away with his first PMQs almost heckle-free. But then not to use the 6th question and rob Blair of his final big blast against the new Tory Leader was inspired. Poor Tony. He’ll never know when Cameron will use his sixth question now! Does he therefore use his best lines on question 5 and give Cameron the chance to come back or does he leave it out altogether? Similarly the decision to lead on education and climate change is symbolic of his change in policy attitude. Backing Blair on education isn’t just fun to annoy the Labour left, it is also practical politics. Blair is offering us an essentially conservative piece of law – why would we vote against it? By supporting Blair you marginalize the Labour left and help him to introduce the kind of legislation that we would have done. Where Blair is wrong, we’ll vote against him when where he just might be right… Anyway, PMQs laid my fears to rest. The papers and the media went over-the-top for Cameron – ITV’s Bradby in particular. I’m not in favour of building Cameron up too much, lest he falls as quickly as he rose, but the plaudits are always good to receive.
Then came the reshuffle. I was on the whole happy with it, particularly the return of William Hague as Shadow Foreign Secretary and keeping David Davis at Shadow Home Affairs. I am a bit miffed that we didn’t appoint a Deputy Leader, choosing instead to have a so-called “senior member of the shadow cabinet.” Hmmm. Anyway, it means that when Tony is off swanning around the world and can’t get back to the commons, it’ll be Prescott versus Hague! What a sight to behold. I will hold my judgement about Willetts at education, although the poor soul now has Boris Johnson and John Hayes in his team! I am glad that Maude kept the Chairmanship, Lansley kept Health and Mitchell kept International Development. I am pleased by May’s promotion back into a real job and am over the moon that Gillan and Villiers have been promoted, not because they are women but because they are very, very good at their jobs. Caroline Spelman, whom I admire, is also promoted to Shadow ODPM. I am surprised that Damien Green was left wanting and a bit frustrated at the childish antics of Sir Malcolm Rifkind. I have nothing against Phillip Hammond but I felt Rifkind at DWP put out a powerful message about the Tory view on pension reforms. Giving Osbourne time to grow as Shadow Chancellor was clever and I am also pleased that Patrick McLaughlin is now Chief Whip (although clearly John Randall would have been my choice!). I struggle to remember when Peter Ainsworth was our Shadow Environment before (apparently 3 years ago) but I do know that he is anti-nuclear. So is Cameron building up to dump nuclear or are we on for our first resignation due to policy differences? That leaves Fox at Defence, a bit of a shame given his result I suppose but he does have excellent relations with the US. Overall then, a good reshuffle.
Then came the speeches on the environment and the visit to the East London school of Leadership. Nice touch but a bit obvious going to a Labour stronghold like that. Why not visit Jarrow next time? I know the first visit as Leader sends a message but I feel there are enough inner-city marginal seats to choose from. Does anybody feel we’ll win that seat next time?
Then came this morning’s poll – 2% ahead according to ICM, never a friend of the Conservatives. Setting aside the fuel crisis in September 2000 this is the first time that the Tories have led in an ICM poll since 1993. We are ahead in YouGov too but they did show us bouncing around in the lead a few years back too. Anyway I am pleased that we have broken out of our 30-33 box but the champagne isn’t quite on ice yet.
On a personal level Emily is now 9 months old and into everything – the whole house is levitating 3 foot in the air to prevent her from grabbing things. She is on the move and pulling herself up on all the furniture! School is going fine, I have started teaching ‘A’ Level politics this year too, so god help them – first exam is on 11th January (my birthday).
Anyway must go, the papers need examining and a large pile of GCSE Mock Exams need my attention!
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Politics returns to normal after the summer hols:
The Norwich Conservatives have highlighted a blunder by City Hall that means every house in the City has been asked to register for an election that occurred months ago.
The letter – headed “Important Information” in bold red type – is enclosed with the voter registration form and tells people that if they register “you will then be eligible to vote at the City Council elections in May 05.”
Conservative spokesman Antony Little said the mistake was careless. “Not only has this election passed but the vote in 2005 was for the County Council,” he said. “It is clear that they meant to say “May 06” but such a simple blunder suggests that careful checks are not being made at City Hall.”
“Or maybe it is our political leadership at City Hall that doesn’t know what year it is.”
“This mistake makes City Hall look foolish to every voter in Norwich. At a time when public confidence in the Norwich LibDems is at an all-time low this will have done nothing to boost voter turnout.”
The Norwich Conservatives have highlighted a blunder by City Hall that means every house in the City has been asked to register for an election that occurred months ago.
The letter – headed “Important Information” in bold red type – is enclosed with the voter registration form and tells people that if they register “you will then be eligible to vote at the City Council elections in May 05.”
Conservative spokesman Antony Little said the mistake was careless. “Not only has this election passed but the vote in 2005 was for the County Council,” he said. “It is clear that they meant to say “May 06” but such a simple blunder suggests that careful checks are not being made at City Hall.”
“Or maybe it is our political leadership at City Hall that doesn’t know what year it is.”
“This mistake makes City Hall look foolish to every voter in Norwich. At a time when public confidence in the Norwich LibDems is at an all-time low this will have done nothing to boost voter turnout.”
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