The Bay of Bengal disaster

I am a great admirer of India. It is a nation that I have travelled in and done business with for a number of years. Their only problem is bureaucracy, which believe it or not, is worse than ours. I suppose they did get it from us after all. I once remember being on a train where I had bought the right ticket but had not paid my cancellation fee, even though I did not cancel the ticket. The attendant then proceeded to fill out a form as long as my arm that asked for questions such as my Mother’s maiden name; all for 30 rps (about 50p).

So, it is with great sadness that I hear of the devastation around the Bay of Bengal, especially near Chennai (Madras). I had a warehouse and office at Parrys Corner just across the road from the beach and have no idea whether it has been flattened or whether those I know have perished.

There is however an indomitable spirit about those who live in Asia. Despite glaring poverty there is obvious wealth and as the world’s fifth richest nation I know India will survive and take little aid to do so.

But what was Blair thinking of? I have heard Jack Straw trying to defend his decision to stay in Egypt and not return home. The excuse went something like he is in constant contact and there is no need for him to return. The problem is this is not about whether the Government can run with or without him? This is about showing solidarity with the nation he leads who at the time of him sunning himself was embarrassingly outbidding his Government in the amount of aid that they are giving to what is such a worthwhile cause.

I think 2004 has demonstrated, if nothing else, that like all Prime Ministers, Blair is slowly losing touch with reality and the people he serves.

Blogger down

Merry Christmas to all. apologies for my tardiness in not blogging for the last few days. This is partly due to Christmas (good excuse) and the fact that I went down with tonsilitis Boxing day evening and only just emerged (probably not that good an excuse).

Great Christmas with the children. Went to a crib service Christmas eve at All Saint's Kingston. Lots of young angels, Shepherds and Kings. Sang midnight mass that evening and then got to bed eventually at about 2. Santa works fast as there was no sign of him, even at that time of night.

Chidren were up at about 7.15. I probably woke them attempting to stuff a turkey; never the greatest job in life. 9.30 we were all back at All Saint's for Christmas morning mass and what a beautiful sunny, but chilly, morning it was.

Christmas day was with parents and in laws in Berrylands. Long lunch, attempt to listen to the Queen and then even more vain attempt at a snooze.

Boxing day at my parents with brothers and nieces (2 of ) and my four children. Started to deteriorate that evening and by Monday morning felt like death with swollen tonsils. Collapsed and spent two days on sofas/bed watching classic black and white movies including some great Pink Panther films!!

On the mend now and preparing for New Year.

Will write shortly on the Asian disaster. An area I know well at the front of the troubles there but difficult to find out details. More later........

Heard today of a dreadful accident on Christmas Day when a driver wrapped themselves around these silly new traffic calming measures the Council has installed in King Charles Road. Think a combination of traffic calming and blindingly low winter Sun were a dangerous mix. What a way for them to spend Christmas Day; dragged from their car wreck with blood all over! All courtesy of Kingston Council traffic calming measures.

Lib Dems and ID cards

Would you believe it!

They rattle on about integrity and have a go at Howard over his backing for ID cards but at least he has been consistently for them. Seems the only reason they changed their minds was because it was not their idea. We need some honesty in politics and you cannot always go around chasing votes and be serious at the same time.

Howard preferred ridicule to being thought soft on terror

I have had a few comments on my blog about the ID cards issue and I thought that that those who had not seen this alternative view from the Telegraph might find it interesting. I hope that the link works because sometimes the Telegraph needs you to log in to see archived material!

ID cards in perspective

There are times when politicians can get things out of perspective and I think this may well be one of those times.

It is clear the public want these cards (80% approval rating apparently!) and the Government is determined to give them. I accept that having cards will never make it impossible for terrorists to strike but it will act as another barrier they would have to pass through. But there are other aspects of this policy that many of us already use. All teenagers, when reaching sixteen, are issued with a plastric ID card that bears their National Insurance number. It is not an enormous step away from that to a full ID card.

However, more importantly, I believe that a large number of people believe that it is right that you should have a card to present when you want to access public services, such as health and benefits. People I speak to on door steps tell me they are fed up with hearing about people who gain benefits when they are not entitled to residency or are the supposed "health tourists" coming here for emergency treatement because it is free. I do not know whether these tales are true or not but I guess an ID card will give them some security that it is being made a lot more difficult.

But there is the problem? The card is being used for two purposes; security and access to services. Each of the uses probably gets a different response from different people.

Still, how much a step away from "chip and pin" credit cards, and all their apprent problems. will an ID card be?

Richmond Park Friends

Had a very interesting and constructive meeting with members of the Friends of Richmond Park. We had a useful debate about the future of Richmond Park after the decision whether to make the closure of Robin Hood Gate, amongst other changes, is made permanent. They also raised some interesting issues around what the local Councils responsibility is to not use the park as an escape valve for traffic problems in the vicinity. I have also asked soem wuestions of Council Officers as to what duty we have to consult when we have large developments planned for Kingston that will inevitably have an influence on Richmond Park traffic flows.

Clearly the Royal Parks Agency handled the original consultation badly and I shall be discussing with coleagues on the Council what form of debate we now want to have about the park and what form of a relationship we wish to develop with the RPA and the Friends.

He's Gone

How long does it take for a politician to resign? Well I sometimes wonder whether it takes as long as it takes for the press to get the stories that may, or may not, be true.

I am not one to preach that any human being, let alone a politician, is perfect. But when you start abusing your position to give some advantage over others as a means of impressing those who you want impress then I think there is an issue. I could not care less who a Home Secretary sleeps with but a politician runs into difficulty when he seeks advantage for either a member of his family or another. In reality what is the differnece betwen an MP who pursues a visa case for a constutuent and what Blunkett has done; probably not much except that not all MP's are Home Secretary!

Should a politician be entitled to a private life? Maybe his family is entitled to it but should those who choose to put themselves in the public eye complain when it goes wrong?

Council debate on charging for domicilliary care

What a bunch of mad fools the Lib Dems looked tonight. In a Council debate they spent an hour trying, feebly, to justify their evil means testing and charging.

No one can understand why they are doing it but the people on the streets are moving away from them fast. All for the sake of £250k the funding of which we found in a single afternoon with no cuts to front line services. They are foolish as this could be the beginning of a bigger campaigning unless they pull back during the preparation for next year's budget.

No politics in this actually. Just simple to understand that this is unnecessary. The Lib Dem MP? He stands on the sides and does nothing and when I ask for a private meeting to discuss how we help these vulnerable people he plays silly games. Trouble is that Lib Dems do not understand that not everything is about politics. There comes a time when you need to do things for people and this Lib Dem MP and council is failing in that simple priority.

Another busy weekend and Christmas preparations

Friday we held a Christmas dinner for the officers of the Conservative Association. A really good event.

On Saturday morning we were out again, this time in Kingston, helping Kingston Centre for Independent Living collect signatures for their petition against Davey's Council Lib Dem policy of massively increasing charges and introducing means testing for domicilliary care. No one understand why these Lib Dems are attacking the most vulnerable in Kingston when there is not a budget pressue to do so. Finding savings in the budget should be a walk in the park considering since 2000 they have presided over a rise in staff numbers of 22%. Yes - can you believe their incompetence - 22%!!! We wonder why they have stuck up Council tax so much.

The rest of the weekend was a little quieter although Sunday was spent putting up the Christmas tree and decorations. Bit of a family tradition to have carols at full volume when doing this! Also putting out this weeks In Touch leaflet in Berrylands.

Today had a big business meeting working on how we can reform the provision of IT in schools which to date has been poor and unsustainable. Spent the day in a data centre in Docklands.

We have both sets of parents coming to us for Christmas so better get on with planning the menu over the Christmas weekend.

The internet and elections

This article has some very interesting perpspectives on the role of the internet in elections. It will never win an election for you but increasingly voters are becoming "webbed" and the time will come when it will be a major medium for politicians to communicate.

Brave and cold souls

''
Brave souls on New Malden High Street. Members of the Kingston Centre for Independent Living with syampathetic Conservative Councillors protesting at the Lib Dem Councils charges for personal care and the introduction of means testing.

If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.

The blog system has been a bit blocked over the last few days so things tended not to get posted that quickly. The system seems back to status quo so hopefully you will see more of these as I write them.

Anyway, thought this was an interesting piece from the Director at Wave Network.

Cold New Malden on a Saturday

Out on the streets of New Malden helping collect signatures for the petition against domiciliary care charges organised by Kingston Centre for Independent Living. He public are horrified by all this. Surprisingly some even argue they would rather pay a little more than see this nasty and punitive tax on elderly and disability be implemented.

The Conservative group on Kingston Council submitted a motion to Council on the 14th December attempting to get them to change the Lib Dems to change their minds. This is now all beyond simple politics and is about the simple rights or wrongs of the policy. It is clearly wrong!

Also had a team out delivering in New Malden during the course of the day. Quite a lot of work going on.

Was at home this evening which is the first Saturday without some function for quite some time.

Still time for a drink

Last night, before the neighbourhood meeting, I had a meeting with members of the campaign trying to get the administration to overturn the punitive Lib Dem domiciliary care charges. They are very angry with this and many of them are Lib Dem supporters.

This evening was spent with my team working on image and press as well as helping restart activities around central Surbiton. Very good meeting and a list of activities now taking place to raise profile and get more press interest in the campaign.

Had a drink this evening at the White Hart in Hampton Wick. Good pub actually although it is attached to a hotel; one of the best we have near Kingston.

King Charles road traffic calming and Council Tax

Finally I got a chance to have a meeting with traffic engineers to discuss a ludicrous traffic planning scheme they have installed in King Charles Road, Surbiton. The scheme is full of chicanes placed at awkward places to the junctions. A real mess. They even managed to plant a new tree in a kerb build out, directly under the canopy of another mature tree. We will see where it leads and what the Council officers decide to do this time.

Another Council neighbourhood meeting this evening with very little on the agenda apart from some planning issues and concerns from residents about speeding cars down Villiers Road, Kingston.

The Government announced the grant awarded to Kingston for this year’s Council Tax. The Lib Dems have predicted a 9.5% rise in April and this grant does little to convince it will be much less unless the Lib Dems take some serious action. This all comes on a day when figures I have gained from the Council demonstrate that Kingston Council has increased the number of staff it employs by 22% since 2000. This is ridiculous. Some will be teachers and some will be grant given directly to fund the post, but no one could possible believe this accounts for all the increases. And whilst staff numbers rise we see the Lib Dems forcing means testing and increased charges for the most vulnerable elderly and disabled of Kingston. I heard from some of the protesters that even the Lib Dem MP refuses to argue their case for them, even though he apparently agrees with them!!

Thatcher warns of 'Iron Curtain'

A real blast from the past, but what glorious memories! This is an interesting intervention considering how little we have heard from her. In the words of another... "Blair is 'no Margaret Thatcher'".

The new 'Iron Curtain' is the left wing hegemony of Labour and the Lib Dems. But times change and it will become obvious to many that this is a Conservative constituency in a Conservative country. The questions is not if, but when that change will come.

Another busy weekend

The end of another busy weekend.

Saturday had a meeting with some party members who are thinking of standing for the Council in 2006. Good meeting with good turnout. Then it was back to the deliveries. Concentrating down in Old Malden this weekend.

Saturday afternoon spent catching up on a growing mail bag and also attemtping to balance this with help for children and their homework and piano practice.

Sunday was "Advent". The beginning of the church year. Busy day with a carol service in the evening. Interestingly this has been painted as the season awaiting the arrival of Christ at Christmas. However it is also about awaiting Judgement Day and the "end of time". A bit of low darkness before Christmas probably a good thing anyway....bah humbug!!

This is such a good picture I thought I would upload. Taken from recent half term holiday in Wales. Kids are Cameron, Jemima, Martha and Emily. My wife is behind the camera!!

Diary up date

Been another very busy week to date.

Tueday I had a meeting with Senior Officers of the Council and discussed a number of issues around the future direction of the Cuncil. Also heard that they have suspended one of the senior officers due to lack of performance. This worries me enourmously but until the "process" has been gone through it would be wrong to comment too far.

On the work front we today launched the Social Enterprise at Schools project I have been working on. This follows on from Enterprise week last week.

On Wednesday I met one of the Conservative Parliamentary Candidates in Reading who has quite a fight on his hands defeating the Labour party who have deselected their sitting MP.

In the evening I attended a trustee board meeting of the Citizens Advice Bureau. CAB is really a great orgainsation doing tremendosuly good work advising the most vulnerable, and the not so vulnerable, through what are at times are extremely difficult personal circumstances.

Tonight I had a meeting of the campaign team just to set our plans for now up until the calling of the general election. Setting weekly targets for delivery and canvassing.

Synagogue, elderly and disabled

Another busy weekend.

Good meeting on strategy and policy on Friday evening with a good number of St. Mark's members, all under 40!!!

Saturday busy with delivery in St, James's ward and a very moving visit to the synagogue for Remembrance day. Fascinating service and from my religious perspective I can see great and warming similarities to the style of the muslim religion as opposed to that of the christian tradition. I am a regular church member and appreciate the religious diversity of us all.

Saturday evening was spent at a fundraising dinner for Berrylands ward and about 60 or so members to which I spoke.

Sunday was spent tiling our porch (pretty porr DIY from me) and singing in the evening at Kingston Parish Church.

This evening spent at a reception for elderly and disabled groups and staggered at how, unprompted, they were prepared to express their anger over the Lib Dem policy of means testing and charging for domicilliary care. What a cruel world the Lib Dem world is! We need to act on this and do something outside the politics to help these people. Can it really be true that some of these disabled people would rather end their lives than pay these charges - I hope not!!?

Liberal?

This article is on a different issue but is it not rather odd that in this article Kennedy claims that the government is in danger of "eroding civil liberties unneccessarily" and yet then votes for the Governments Civil Contingencies Bill that gives a huge range of powers to ministers in the case of a very wide range of so called national emergencies, without reference to Parliament.

Economic slowdown 'highly likely'

Have been at a conference in Newscatle for last two days so having to cathc up with blog.

This is a worrying development on the horizon. Funny how economic indicators can sometimes be predicted by visible spending behaviour. Kingston shops 'appear' less busy. Trains 'appear' less crowded, but then that might just be increased capacity from the arrival of the new trains on SWT.

Certainly from an election point of view a downturning economy is no good for Labour but it is pretty difficult for the Conservatives to portray the fear of a downturning economy! Whatever else a Labour third term means higher tax and were it going to be a close run thing then the Lib Dems would join them in Government to force tax even higher.

We shall see what happens. Polls not great at the moment but then I remember the US presidential election polls six months out and Bush was a complete no hoper. The fact he even got close was a miracle!

Busy day ahead

Life settling down again after the Grove by election. Great weekend with people to dinner on Saturday and a Sunday spent remembering the dead of the war. Always very moving in Kingston to see those who experienced such horrors.

This evening had a reception for community organisations which went very well. The COnservative group has run a series of these as part of our responsibility to ensure we are outward facing as a Council.

Really busy week ahead, just hope I keep up.

Grove results in win for the humility by-pass party

A good fight in the end with all sides working hard. The Lib Dems held the seat but with a 14% swing away from them to the opposition. As I predicted most of that went to Labour who actually put in a good effort in this election. There is a quite well known Lib Dem who runs a Political Betting website. He has argued and worried for the Lib Dems about tactical voting unwind as former Labour voters who switched to the Lib Dems started to vote in their natural home and go back to Labour, this would particularly happen if at anytime a Labour voter saw the Lib Dems as a more potent force. It may well be we saw some of that last night.

We have had a comment about the result on the blog which I thought it worth bringing to greater exposure. This is clearly from a Lib Dem activist and I thought it important to give his remarks some airing.

Well well well - your usual Tory boy campaign of lies and distortions in Grove Ward have gone down well.Lib Dem win - 52% to 28%. Keep up the good work.For once you were right the Labour vote went up - they fought back from fourth place to claim a creditable third with a massive 11% of the vote. Probably helped by that master of the local political scene and Tory infiltrator - Councillor Steve Mama - maybe if he keeps it up just one day Tory boy might make him Mayor so he can dress up in the frock he so clearly has been drooling for since he became a fixture of the local political scene in about 1867.

The trouble with these idiots is that they think that politics is just a game. They think politics is a bit like football and it is all about running around all over Grove knocking omn doors and winning. Politics is far more serious than that because having won you have to do something. It is about how you affect peoples lives and how you use the trust they gave you to do things to improve things for them. That is the problem with Lib Dems, they do nothing when they get power and squander their majority with arguments, splits, high tax and fiddling around the edges rather than tackling the real problems. It is not about the stupidity and the lack of humility at the heart of the Liberal Democrats. Thankfully people are beginning to recognise them for what they are and as the result shows last night they are returning to parties that can represent them with some dignity and the skills with which to run public services.

There, got that off my chest, but doubtless there will be a stream of Lib Dem activists who will now comment on this and prove my theory further!! Actually maybe I should print the comment above in a leaflet?

Busy weekend ahead as have to restart deliveries elsewhere this weekend.

Grove goes to the wire and stem cells

Lots of work in the last few days. Two leaflets and a targeted letter in 4 days. Amazing how we have coped with this level of activity at a stroll. We are a different force from where we were a few years ago. Good news for the General Election when it comes. Whatever else we are doing well and Labour seem to have an increasing vote. Juts a matter now of whether the appalling Lib Dem record in Kingston sticks or not.

Going through a period of parents evenings at the moment. The children are really pleased when they do well and it is really pleasing for a parent when they perform above their expectations.

I see today that Michael Howard is backing stem cell research as a positive way forward to finding a cure for a host of diseases. I am in a quandry over some of this. There is a part of me that believes that Michael is right and that we should take whatever medical reasearch initiatives we can to prolong life and make life better for those with serious diseases. There is another part of me, the part that believes in a religious and spiritual dimension, that questions whether expeimentation with an unborn foetus is the right way forward for medical research. Once again I am reminded of the 'Yes Minister' salami tactics. Where do you stop? Is any form of medical research acceptable? We as 'born' humans have the right to say that our bodies can be used for medical research but who is the voice for the unborn foetus?

I am not yet sure of my position on this but I have found this US site interesting, especially the role of the use of adult stem cells in developing cures for these many diseases.

A North East Assembly?

It's been the last weekend of the by election and as busy as hell. Couple that with fireworks for the children on Saturday (or is it for me really) and you get a really busy couple of days.

Sunday was a combination of sweeping leaves in the garden and more deliveries. Going to be a busy week ahead.

Article of the weekend is this one by Matthew Parris in the Times arguing that the referendum on a NE assembly has done us a favour. Absolutely right. The whole thing is a total nonsense and it has been fun watching the Government and Lib Dems squirm. Even heard my opponent here on the radio saying that he had seen spoilt ballot papers that voters had scrawled: "We would like more popwers before we vote for it!" Yeah right!!

A great campaigner

When it came down to the popular vote there was no contest. Whatever else we might think about Americans they are not stupid and Kerry was not a good candidate. We also forget how good a campaign organisation the GOP is. We forget that in 2000 Bush was so far behind Gore 9 months from election day. Bush was not even supposed to be close. The miracle of the GOP campaign in 2000 was not so much they won but they got even within range of winning.

I don't think the democrats learnt their lesson and because of that they lost. Still I remember the original line up of Democrat candidates, when their were 12 of them. Apart from a General and Kerry they even had Al Sharpton on the platform!!

Mark Barker

Had to attend a funeral this morning of a great Chessington man. He was a member of the party and I had spent many an hour discussing with Mark the problems of the world. Had not seen so much of him in recent times. He had a real passion for young people and sport and giving opportunities for all to participate in sport. It was a genuinely happy funeral remembering the nature of the man.

Its make your mind up time in the US

I was on busines in the US during the last presidential election. I had planned to be in Washington DC for election day which was a mistake. Everybody had left to go back to their constituencies and it was no fun. By my good fortune I then had to go down to Fort Lauderdale in Florida (next door to the hanging chads of Broward County) and caught up with the excitement down there. On arrival at my hotel I was acosted by journalists offering $5k a night to buy my hotel room. It was tempting but I knew that the only place I woiuld be able to sleep would be the beach; and I had meetings to go to!!

Many people say we are like Americans, that we have things in common. I have travelled there often and whilst I agree it is a great nation I have to say we do not understand them, nor are we really like them. Take politics. There is no way that wearing religion on your sleeve, in the way Bush does, would be acceptable to British voters. Religion permeates and is an intrinsic part of politics in a way that would not be possible here. Even connecting politics and religion in this country is not acceptable.

Is it because they do not have the history of this nation to cling to that they use religion to give them identity? Who knows? It certainly gives a new meaning to 'God and country'.

Had a very good celebratory dinner this evening for one of our Councillors who has just completed 21 years of service on the Council.

Grove campaigning and a good lunch

Been a busy weekend. Saturday morning was spent catching up with domestic issues having been away for the past week and no food in the house with four children. Saturday afternoon was spent canvassing in Grove ward for the by election. Things going very well. 3 leaflets and pledge letters so far and the same to come again. This by election has been superb in settling down the campaign team and getting us all to understand what there is still to do.

Sunday was at church in the morning and in the afternoon attended a Conservative lunch (50 guests) with Sir Paul Beresford coming to speak to us.

Have to say the weather has been great this weekend. So mild for the time of year.

Had a fair amount of trick and treaters this year. I cannot remember halloween being this popular when I was younger. I suppose it is part of the American cultural globalisation at work again!

Yet more cathcing up with the mail bag and phone messages in the evening.

He's back to 400 emails and an early recycling problem

Fantastic week, very relaxing. Refreshed for the Autumn of campaigning and the closing stages of the Grove by election. Cannot believe the amount of work that has gone on since being away and I am very pleased that my last posting on smoking prompted such a debate. Have 400 emails to wade through (very few junk) but came across this early comment on the new recycling leafet that the Council has published in Kingston. Looks like another mess. Will check it out and let you know what happens!

The information provided by the council says that we should not include
perfectly easily recyclable plastic (bags, trays, etc.) in the box we leave out
every fortnight. Why not? If the LibDems were serious about recycling they
would encourage us to leave ALL plastic. The irony is that we USED to!! So now,
we are actually putting MORE plastic in or dustbin to be added to the rubbish
going off to landfill!

Cigarettes and Prince Harry

Cannot believe this article about European requirements for cigarettes. I really doubt that this is going to turn the dedicated smoker, or even the young new smoker, off smoking. Still, Europe is Europe and it is amazing the strange ideas they can come up with. Not related, I except, but given the row over MP's expenses if you really want to see extravagance then have a look at what they allow MEP's to spend.

As for this article where Prince Harry left a photographer with a "split lip". Can you blame him? I do not necessarily condone this incident but I can understand the circumstances where the press would put themselves in a situation where they were threatening and menacing. Look what happened to his mother!

I am now away for the next week as it is half term. I am off to Cardigan and expect a wet and wild week.

If I get internet access I will keep you up to date with thoughts etc. If not then see you in a week! Double deliveries for me in Grove next weekend as penance!

St. Marks campaigners meeting

Had a house party in St. Mark's this evening. Went exceptionally well. About a dozen people. New faces as well as old friends but a significant number of new and under 40 members. All keen to get involved and help shape the campaign and me. Set up a date for a subsequent meeting to discuss how they get involved and how they help me write my personal manifesto. Very encouraging and exciting that at last we might be getting somewhere in a ward we held until 2002.

Found this on the internet, surprises me that there are so many minority parties claiming, like the Lib Dems, that they are the only alternative Government.

Another Grove evening

Spent another evening canvassing in Grove followed by a campaign meeting to update us on where we are and what e are doing in the future. For those Lib Dem who love browsing this site sorry I will not divulge details. More fun to keep you guessing.

Had a good meeting this afternoon on the future of social franchising.

Turning into a busy week

Had a busy Monday evening with a meeting with environmental and horticultural groups and trying to understand how they might be able to help a future Conservative Council improve services. Very good meeting with some really positive ideas around social enterprise and the provision of public services. I cannot believe the lack of entrepreneurial spirit of this Council. Not only does nothing happen but they do nothing to encourage others to provide services for them.

Tuesday evening was spent canvassing. Difficult job on dark evenings in October as the elderly are clearly less keen to even open the doors. Good reception when we did speak to people.

During the day had a fascinating charities round table at the Centre or Social Justice, the new think tank started by Ian Duncan Smith. Discussing the new Charities Bill.

MPs set for expenses storm

This is going to be something to watch.

Peter Hain (Labour Leader of the House) was yesterday urging all MP's and candidates to tread carefully about using the information from this review. Our own Chief Whip was also urging caution during the Summer, as reported in The Times. I have not heard what the fringe parties think but I suppose they probably feel the same.

For myself there is clearly a fine balance between genuine expenses, expenses that could be construed and twisted into appearing controversial and those that are just outrageous. The first two should not be used under any circumstances but there are real issues when it comes to the third category.

I am no expert in MP's expenses (I am not that sad!) and whatever else I am not about to go looking for dodgy expenses in my opponents expenses (and I would think hard before using them against him). I just hope, for his sake, that there is nothing that other less scrupulous types might consider using against him.

Campaign weekend for Grove Ward by election

Actually the weekend has not been as bad as I feared it might. Yes it rained whilst delivering but still managed to get some family stuff done as well. Actually late Sunday afternoon was really rather pleasant on the streets. Have been suffering as well from this bug that never seems to go!

Some very interesting leaflets have gone out from both Labour and Lib Dems. Apparently they are both in the lead and one or the other is going to come third! All I know is that a lot of people are fed up with this Lib Dem Council and all the talk and no action. Even their own activists are fed up with them. One I spoke to would not vote for us but was sure as hell not going to vote Lib Dem. I would rather they vote than not vote because the greatest threat to democracy is the lack of interest. The same goes for the General Election when it comes. If nothing else I will be pushing every one I meet to exercise their right to vote; whether it be for me or anyone else.

I suppose this is the danger of running dodgy bar charts with erroneous figures; it can be a real turn off. One party shows the figures based on some distant past when they won it and the other starts saying what might be the result in ten years time were this and that to happen! All sad really. Still I suppose the Lib Dems are the past masters at the exaggeration game. There are numerous examples of the phoney bar chart department held on Lib Dem watch - here is one more recent story.

Still lots of work still to do and lots of delivery to make.

Left Labour and Short Brown

Apparently Michael Howard is announcing that Labour are going to "lurch to the left" once Blair stands down. It is honestly amazing that he has to say this because it is so obvious that this will be the case. Once Labour start running out of ideas, and as they become more unpopular, it is what all parties do. Even the fringe parties like the Lib Dems will revert to hammering the wealthy and spending like mad. Actually of course, the Lib Dems are already doing that so perhaps it will be Labour lurching to the left that will bump into the Lib Dems and force them off the political planet - fun and frolics on the left.

I am not actually certain that it is impossible we might get a leadership fight in Labour this side of the election. I see the mistress of subtlety, Clare Short, has popped her head above the parapet to argue that Brown should make his move for the leadership now.

Oh well, back to the streets of Grove for more delivery and a long weekend of street pounding. Nothing worse than a by election in bleak, dark November to test your dedication.

NHS madness on IT

This is an outrageous waste of public money. Why is the Government, of both parties, not able to implement IT programmes. This has happened through all parties and is ludicrous.

Couple this with my experience with A&E at the weekend and the announcement today that the NHS is almost hitting its target of treating all patients within four hours (which is still ridiculously long).

The farce of local Government

I supported the Local Government Act and the reform of council processes away from committees to the separation of powers between the executive councillors and backbenchers. I was very wrong!

The fact is that this Government has removed the power for all Councillors to have a say on the issues of major importance to the Borough. The new licencing act is just such a case. It will give the impression to the public that Councillors have real powers to determine when and where alcohol is consumed. It will not! Instead we will have the farce of having all the responsibility heaped on us by the public and yet none of the power to do anything about it.

I am pleased that the Conservatives have committed to allowing Councils to return to the committee system. The committee system needs changes but it should now be bought back and these ludicrous so called 'reforms' dropped.

I presented two petitions to Council this evening concerning the Post Office closures in Berrylands. The rest of Council passed without incident.

Grove candidate

Busy day today with business meetings but also a meeting to finalise the Grove campaign having got a candidate in place. Not able to tell you who it is at moment but suggest you keep an eye on the website for further infomation. Whatever else we will select a local person who lives in the ward. Anything else would be a slap in the face to Grove ward residents. Clearly the Lib Dems will choose a ward resident as to do anything else would betray all they say about being 'local' campaigners!

I also had a very good group meeting prior to Council on Tuesday evening. The group in good hearts as we start the Autumn and Winter campaigning.

Family pretty much over the flu virus floating around but now looking forward to a break at half term.

Accident and Emergency

I had to spend a substantial amount of my weekend in casualty with my youngest daughter (2). We feared she had done something stupid and needed an x-ray to confirm or otherwise. Having not been to a hospital for years I have now had to go twice in three months with different children. I find them the most frustrating service imaginable.

I accept that hospital staff do a fantastic job but I will never understand why we had to wait 2 hours to be seen by a Doctor. We arrived, the triage nurse tells us that we need to see a doctor and he will tell us we need an x-ray. We waited an hour and fifteen minutes to see the Doctor who told us (guess what?) that we needed an x-ray. We had the x-ray done in fifteen minutes and the staff told us there was nothing wrong. We then had to wait another forty five minutes to see the Doctor again who told us there was nothing wrong. It seems the health service is divided into those who know what to say but do not have the power to tell you and those who have both the power and the knowledge. Why can't the triage nurse send my daughter for an x-ray?

However, only when you have sat in casualty do you begin to understand the problem. The sheer number of cases that came through the door that could have gone to a Doctor on the Monday morning was huge. There were grazed knees and stubbed toes where the nail had gone a funny colour. It is clear that the NHS has a long way to go on the reform path and there is also a big job to be done in changing the culture of the patients to understand what is and what is not a casualty case. That probably includes me as well because I discovered talking to someone in a pub last night that I could have taken my daughter to the minor injuries unit in Teddington and saved myself the wait!!!

The Past Week and atrocities in Iraq

The past week has been a slow blogging week for me and I hope that things can get back to normal in the week ahead. Apart from the party conference almost all the family have had varying degrees of catching this pretty ferocious bug that seems to be going around.

On the local political front we have also had a by election called in Grove. The good news is that we were intending to concentrate some fire at Grove over the next few weeks so our wider campaigning is not too disrupted. There are also a lot of issues around Grove that I am sure our opponents are not too pleased with at the moment.In any case the first job is to select a suitable candidate. I suppose the fact that out opponents were caught somewhat on the hop helps us a little.

I was saddened by the death of the hostage in Iraq. I am horrified by the cruel and barbaric way his life was ended I have become alarmed by the metaphor he has come to represent. There were times in the past few days when the method of his death became the focus rather than the sadness of his death. There have been many deaths over the war in Iraq but should The City of Liverpool and the England football team be holding two minute silences for him? I am not demeaning his death but it does worry me that they held these memorials when they never knew the man. What of those soldiers who died in Iraq and they never knew? What of the Iraqis who are dying? Who holds two minute silences for them?

Still on a happier note I spent an excellent Saturday morning delivering in St. Mark's ward along with 8 colleagues. We have an excellent organisation in St. Mark's that can deliver the entire ward in two days - pretty good going.

MORI have got it right?

It's not often that you come across an article that backs up some of what you had been saying.

In an earlier blog I had suggested that some of the fringe parties, like the Lib Dems, had been puffing up their expectations as to what they might achieve in a General Election. Now Bob Worcester of MORI, not my favourite pollster, has backed me up. In an article he has claimed that:

"(The Lib Dems) will put on about 20 seats, but I'm afraid the way the British electoral system works they are just a sideshow........When you ask people which party has the best policies on the issues they personally think are important to them the Lib Dems run a poor third on everything apart from the environment.

Questions: In your experience when a party gets bigger, as is the case with the Lib Dems, do policy contradictions and closer scrutiny inevitably lead to problems and a drop in support?

Bob Worcester: That's very possible and that would be consistent with the fact they are doing more poorly in areas where they have control of local councils."

As for the Conservatives he believes that:

"On virtually every issue the current Tory frontbench have eaten into the Labour lead. It is an important development because issues represent about 40 per cent of the determinant of which way floating voters vote. Image is about 60 per cent split between the image of the leader and the image of the party.

There's no easy answer to the Tory's problems but having said that the in-roads they are making into Labour's lead on policy is bound to have resonance.

I say that because those people on the margins, the floating voters, say those policies will attract them and that's where elections are won."

"When I can I will cut taxes"

Good speech by Michael Howard yesterday.

Finally we are getting to a core message that the public will understand. Getting the Government out of people's lives is a important thing to do. Cutting taxes is what we should also be about because it is clear that regardless of how committed you are to public services pumping more and more money into them is clearly not working. They need reforming and reshaping to serve the world of the 21st century and not the ideals of the post war consensus.

Was in Bournemenouth today for the Party Conference and was happily surprised by the upbeat mood and the belief. Particularly interested that pollling in our 130 top target seats has us winning 103 of them. It is clear that with a good national mood and hard work locally we can win Kingston & Surbiton.

Scary Kilroy-Silk

I listened to the highlights (if that is what they are) of Kilroy-Silks speech and I have to say that for an ordinary voter he must come across as a little scary. I am not sure that the electorate warms to politicians wanting to kill each other.

Redwood has made the point, and Kilroy Silk being a former Labour MP proves the point, that being anti Europe is not right wing.

Blair to undergo heart treatment

"If I am elected I would serve a full third term. I do not want to serve a fourth term."

How long before he is seen as a lame duck Prime Minister? I wish him good health tomorrow but the fight for his succession starts now. When he loses at the next election the Labour party will implode and who knows what will happen to the party then as the choice becomes between a right of centre party and two left of centre parties.

The Postage Police

I see there has been quite a bit of a fuss about the Post Offices in Norfolk that are going to be allowed to handle crime complaints over their counters - basically acting as a reporting point.

I actually can see some sense in this. In my own ward where they are trying to close Post Offices because of the decline in over the counter trade. I can't help thinking that if some of this joined up thinking had been applied earlier then perhaps we would not be in such a mess. I do think you would need to seriously consider what function the Post Office should then retain and also find what things the Council could equally provide through the Post Office network.

I see my own party is arguing that whilst this is fine it should not be seen as a replacement for police officers on the beat. I gather that David Blunkett has today announced he wants to recruit more community support officers. I have said this before but community support officers are great for a small and clearly defined set of priorities. They are good at building police/community relations and as a day time presence for kids to interact with. However, PCSO's do not operate at night. Some go into the evening but all are finished by midnight. They also have no powers of arrest.

Why is Blunkett increasing the numbers of PCSO's and not real officers? Probably because of the cost as they are considerably cheaper. My view is that we should not have cheap policing but good policing and visible policing. That means paying for more police officers; the Conservatives estimate we need another 40,000 police officers to really begin to tackle crime and start increasing the arrest rates.

....and when we have arrested them apparently David Blunkett says today that he wants to have weekend only prisons and part time sentences. Sorry, that is not good enough. Criminals need to be punished and no array of liberal nonsense will change my view of that. For too long we have been worried about the criminal and what we can do to help them. I am not saying we should not do what we can to rehabilitate prisoners but under this Government we seem to have forgotten about the ordinary, law abiding, citizen who has to put up with the anti social behaviour, burglary and violent crime.

Straw justifies Mugabe handshake

What is it that makes our politicians get to Westminster and then find it so hard to say "Sorry" I got that wrong?

Chocolate Bars

Ok, I know I have mentioned this particular subject before but really this nanny state that Labour has created is going too far. Now they have it in for chocolate bars as they apparently make large size bars and they are not good for us.

What annoys me is that people are entitled to make this decision for themselves rather than have Nanny Blair go around telling us what we can and cannot do. In the past month we have had an attack on sugar, salt, smoking, drinking, chocolate and now chocolate bars. If people choose to eat chocolate and get fat, or even zits, then that is a choice for them. (Zits - yuk - sorry about that!)

Are we now to deprive everyone of any pleasure in life of which the Government does not approve? Are we treat everyone as idiots? Are we now to say that pubs can refuse to serve you beer on the basis that you have had a pint and the next one would push you over what they determione to be the maximum number of calories you are allowed?

Had back to back meetings today and tomorrow looks no better although have a meeting tomorrow evening with Michael Howard at the Campaign for Social Juctice.

The Surrey Comet

The local newspaper, Surrey Comet, is currently celebrating it's 150th year. I have had quite a history with the paper.

I can clearly remember it when the offices were in Church Street, Kingston. You could see the presses from the window although I am sure they never actually worked. Somewhere in the Surrey Comet archives must still be pictures of me from around the late 70's or early 80's when I was Oliver at Wimbledon Theatre with what was known as the New Malden Operatic Society (NEMCOM). No idea whether they are still around. They were fun days with some fun people and really started off my fascination with music and theatre.

Never knew where the nickname came from but the Comet became colloquially known as the "Vomet" but where or who started that I have no idea.

As papers go it has changed a fair bit but still has that local edge. In fact there has been some good stuff I have helped with over the last couple of weeks. Helping bring the issue of affordable housing to the fore when approached by some nurses at Kingston hospital was one. Another has been the issue over the actions of our militaristic parking wardens, good to see others have picked up the fight as well. I was told by the Councillor responsible that there was nothing wrong; well that's not the perception!

Another busy day ended with a reception and a dinner for some Council visitors from Oldenburg, Germany. Links have been forged with them over a number of years and it would be good to see it move beyond the rather informal position we have now.

Busy day tomorrow with delivering in the morning.

Lib Dem Claims

What a dull conference the Lib Dems have had. As befits a small third party they have had little coverage having been forced off the news a number of times by events around the world.

One thing puzzles me though?

In 1996 the Lib Dems controlled 55 Councils across the country. Today they control 30! I know they are told by their campaign handbook to exagerate but are they so out of touch with reality that they believe their own press when they say the party is making advances? So for the record:

The Conservatives control 152 Councils compared with Labour's 92 and the Liberal Democrat's 30. In addition, the Conservatives have 8052 councillors, Labour has 6680, and the Liberal Democrats 4695.

In the European elections the Lib Dems came fourth and in the June local elections they lost control of more Councils than they gained. Yes, they may win Parliamentary by elections but let's have that in perspective as a couple of elections fought on the single issue of Iraq does not make a Goevernment.

What the elections in June told us was that as the Labour Government becomes unpopular the Lib Dems are beginning to lose their way in the Conservative South. The Councils where they lost control in the main they lost to Conservatives.

The Lib Dems are a protest party and if you really want to rid this country of the Labour Government then voting Lib Dem is a waste of a vote.

What would you do?

I have included this link but there are a number of different links that tell the story of Ken Bigley.

This story is that of the Mother's plea. In the last days we have heard the son, the brother, the wife and Ken's pleas himself.

During the course of this I, like many, have been distressed by the public beheading of the two Americans and the awful anxious wait of Ken's family. During the course of the day I have tried to imagine myself in their position were it my son, my father or my wife in this awful position. The simple fact is that it is unimaginable.

And what of the position of Blair? This is very difficult. As leader of this country, whatever the rights or the wrongs of the war, he cannot give in to the threat of terrorism, even if he had the power to do so. Like me he probably imagines the awful position he would be in were it his family in that position. It is the weight of office and not the weight of the decision to go to war.

It has been a bit of a sombre day as I have thought of this situation and it has played on my mind. I get the feeling that all in the UK's thoughts are turned to the Bigley's and Iraq. Even those of no faith are I hope praying tonight.

Welfare Society not Welfare State

I support this idea.

I have been following the establishment of the Centre for Social Justice with some interest. Working in the Charity Sector I see some of the real damage done by social security hand outs as well as the very real benefits they can bring.

The poorest will always need supporting but their needs to be a conversation as to whether that is done by central Government, the expensive way, or by the voluntary sector, the less expensive way. Indeed it may be that what IDS's think tank is suggesting is a return to the delivery, properly funded, of social care by the same bodies who started the whole social care movement pre Beveridge.

Still there is a long debate to be had on this subject and it is something I will return to at some point. However, I do like the phrase "Welfare society not welfare state!".

Finished off the day with an interview for Radio Jackie. My eldest daughter was typically scathing as to why a pop music station listener would want to listen to a boring politician!!

The truth about the Lib Dems!

OK, I know this is going to get a stream of Lib Dems complaining under their 'anonymous' non de plume. But, I would be failing in my duty as a Conservative candidate were I not to report a mass market newspapers view of the Lib Dems.

Click on the title for the editorial or click here for the "snake" article.

Have fun reading!!

The truth on affordable housing

It is emerging that my fears on affordable housing are being found to be true.

If you recall I was contacted by some nurses who were finding they could not afford the newly built "affordable housing for key workers" because the prices were too high to start with. New flats in Kingston are now apparently costing £230k. Even with 50% shared equity schemes nurses and teachers cannot afford the mortgage of £115k on a salary of £25k. I raised the midwives concerns at a Council meeting and lo and behold two days later the Council officers consult legal Counsel on their position and instruct the developer and Housing Association to stop selling until they could determine what was an 'affordable house'. To make it worse the rumour is that city lawyers are buying the reserved key worker housing because the allocation gets released when no 'real' key workers come forward.

The Council appears on the surface to have made an awful mistake but we shall have to work through what can be done. Were it found that the Council had not determined what was meant by affordable housing then it really does cast into doubt the whole handling of this issue. As I have said elsewhere this Council has really got no policy to encourage keyworker housing. I am not even convinced that Government has yet sorted out what they mean by the definition.

We all need these people to live, work and stay in Kingston. Kingston is an expensive place to live. We know that to live here the cheapest accommodation needs a salary in excess of £55k per annum to gain a mortgage. I will not even start on the issue of the damage of Lib Dem local income tax on any house with a joint income over £35k!!

Busy day today. Long group meeting with some important items. It is starting to be an interesting Autumn. I look forward with hope.

Lib Dem lies on free personal care

Cannot believe they are at it again.

Charles Kennedy has put out another press release saying they will have free personal care when they in power. They will never be in power at Westminster but they are in Kingston.

What do they do here? - introduce 1000% increases in charges and means test. They not only now say one thing on one door step and another on the next door step but they even allow their Leader to make claims they know they have already betrayed.

Sugar, Spice and the Nanny state

It has been a busy few days what with Association meetings, deliveries and good news at work on future contracts.

However the most startling news has been the growth in people coming back to us from the Lib Dems. The reception on door steps has been good but the returns on surveying against how people pledged at the last election has shown a marked increase in those happy to declare they will vote Conservative.

I am fed up with this nanny state Government. Means tests, form filling, telling us to do this and to do that, the monitoring, the evaluation, the target setting etc etc etc. But now it has reached a point of no return.

Last week the Government told us we were all eating too much salt. This week they are launching a campaign to stop us eating sugar. One almost wonders what the point of being alive is if there are pleasures that we can no longer enjoy.

I do not smoke, and I never have. But there is something idiotic about trying to ban smoking in public places. I have been in the US where smoking is banned in roof top retaurants and where one side of the street is for smokers and the other non smokers. The reality is that this suppression, like that of hunters, should not be what Government is about. But it is the contradictions that are the most striking. Whilst some talk of banning smoking the Government encourages drinking by extending opening hours; is there a difference between smokers lung and drinkers livers? Someone, not sure whom, said that 'all actions have a consequence' and I am afraid that sometimes Government would be wise to heed this advice. For every decision to give up one habit there is always the human desire to start another. Habits are comforting and sometimes people need a comfort zone. So 'leave our sweet teeth alone!'

Still, one thing did make me laugh. The Lib Dem spokesman on health claimed that the Government was ignoring binge drinking that was damaging health and fuelling violence and saying that the Government needs to do something about it. What was the Lib Dem solution? - "Clear labelling with numbers of units should be mandatory." What are they talking about? If they have nothing to say it would be better to say nothing!

The Westminster Hunt

Today we had the ban on hunting with hounds forced through the commons. There are two aspects to this issue and I object to both of them.

The first is that a Government with a huge majority are forcing through a ban on an issue for which there is no public interest and all the while the public services are not improving and we are being taxed to the hilt. The Countryside Alliance will argue this is urban MP's forcing through a ban on the country; they may be right. But actually the urban dweller does not care less about the issue. No one I have spoken to in Kingston & Surbiton in the past few months has raised with me their passion to have hunting banned. Instead this is a desperate Blair offering slops to the backbenchers of his party. But it gets worse...Blair then complains that the House of Lords might overturn it and he will have to force it through using the Parliament Act. Well excuse me but who made a complete mess of the House of Lords by half reforming it? If he had done what the Conservatives had argued for, a fully elected Lord's, then their objections would have been legitimatised.

But what of the real issue? I am against a ban on hunting. The simple reality is that destroying the way of life of our countryside when not understanding the delicate balance that exists is ridiculous. I am an urbanite. I visit the countryside but would not have the knowledge to know what is best for it. I am also prepared to accept the advice that a ban on hunting will lead to much more cruel and slower deaths for the foxes through poisoning, gassing, snaring and shooting where death can be slow. Those who believe that the fox will no longer be killed are deluding themselves because they are vermin.

But this subject will divide parties. The two major parties did not have 100% support either way and the smaller parties such as the Lib Dems were split down the middle, although being cynical you needed to look at where their seats were as that may well have determined the way they voted!

Lib Dem Utopia

The Lib Dems annouced their pre, early, draft manifesto. Being cynical I wonder whether they rushed it out to try and clear up the confusion of some of the more junior MP's declaring they wanted to privatise the health service.

In any case my slamming of their policies would be construed as political so instead I will take you to a national daily newspaper that tells it as it clearly is:

"All that was missing was a promise that under Charles Kennedy's benign rule, chocolate truffles would sprout from every tree, and elves and fairies would bring us our breakfast in bed."

Ticket the elderly

Had a busy day today.

Early morning photocall at the Post Office in Chiltern Drive and then lots of catch up on post during the course of the day. Constant stream of letters from residents with all nature of issues.

Meetings in the afternoon and then a meeting of one of the Conservative Group think tanks at the Council. This was followed with a ward meeting in Old Malden looking at action days and events over the next few weeks. Great enthusiasm for really getting things moving, inspired by good results at the June elections.

In an earlier blog I talked about traffic wardens being too rigid in the issuance of tickets and that some flexibility needed to be built into the system. Lo and behold I find that the Evening Standard have run a story that says a Kingston traffic warden was sacked because he refused to give a ticket to an elderly couple who he allowed to park on a double yellow line whilst the disabled husband got out of the car! If this is true it is absolute nonsense and the Council should be questioning whether it should be connected with such a lack of compassion.

Post Offices

Busy few days. Saturday had an Association lunch (60 people) and today had a family lunch with my parents-in-law. I also sing in the choir of Kingston Parish Church and this was our first Sunday back after the Summer hols.

The bad news is the proposed closure of three post offices in Kingston & Surbiton; one in Old Malden and two in Berrylands (Chiltern Drive and Berrylands Road). The really crazy closures are those of Old Malden and Berrylands Road, which both serve the elderly communities around them.

We will of course fight this closure as it is clearly mad. Given these campaigns are sometimes(though rarely) won it does make me think though that maybe the solution should be to make other provision, maybe from the Council, as a service to their residents. Stamps can now be purchased anywhere but what of the community feeling for the elderly pensioner who does not want their pension paid into a bank account?

One would hope that this type of campaign could be cross party, as no one agrees with the closure, but I suppose that will not happen. Interestingly the Lib Dems policy on the Post Office is to privatise it; something neither the Thatcher or Major Governments attempted. Trouble with the Lib Dem policy is that the reason they are closing thse Post Offices is they are losing money. Do the Lib Dems believe that privatising them will make them less likely to close non profitable Post Offices?

I believe that we need to find a new way of providing community services that are truly local and local authorities need to be given the power to innovate and attempt a birth of a new type of lcoal delivery of services.

Housing and crack dens

I heard today that a Kingston crack den that had been closed for three months under new legislation has reopened because the Council did not evict the tenants. I hope to God this is not true because the Police have invested a good deal of time telling residents around the den that the occupants would not be returning. Given the council Leaders stance on this it appears that he will have a good deal to answer for should this prove to be true.

Investigations continue and I will let you know what happens.

Eastminsters

You really could not make this up Blair soap opera stuff up! Clearly the very thought of Gordon Brown taken over made Blair break into a sweat and hardened his determination until someone other than Brown could be lined up to take over.

It's funny but my childhood recollections of when Margaret Thatcher reshuffled were that she really went for large scale changes. Again, it may be rose tinted spectacles but I am sure we never had only one Chancellor and two Foreign Secretaries in Thatcher's first two terms. But there we go, suppose it is the price of making deals in restaurants! (Of course having checked my facts I note thee Conservative Chancellors were in post for approx four years, with the exception of Nigel Lawson who was longer. As for Foreign Secretaries there were 6, including the short time John Major had the job)

Long day at work today. Had three meetings to attend; Conservative association, Citizen's Advice Bureau and Surbiton Neighbourhood meeting. The Neighbourhood meeting went on interminably. There must be something that can be done to speed these things up. If the length of meeting was commensurate with the amount of power we have then that would be fine but our power is pretty limited.

The minister for families and parking in Kingston

Having lost one member of your cabinet because they want to "spend more time with their family" is it not odd that you bring back another who only a short while ago resigned to "spend more time with his family". The people of this country are not stupid. What they see is a divided and confused Government more concerned with their own internal rows than running the country.

Tonight we had a council meeting debating car parking in Kington. The Lib Dems would have us agree to their being no new parking spaces in Kingston despite them signing up with a developer who wants to add 20% extra shops in Kingston. Madness, do we really want to kill retail in Kingston? The most complaints I get from Kingston residents is that shopping in Kingston is a nightmare because you cannot park. Facts and figures are one thing but a reputation is another!!

Good day but far too late to bed because catching up with correspondance.

Pensions Crisis or Taxation Grabbing?

I am fairly young - just - on the cusp - as it were!!

I put away money in a pension every month like a large number of people do. But the political agenda that appears to be emerging at the moment is around the punishment of those who took the sensible approach of saving all their lives.

Pensions have been hit massively by the changes Gordon Brown brought in; raiding pension funds by £5bn. As if to make matters worse they also then means test so that those who have saved and paid taxes in their working lives get hit again in their retirement lives. Is there anything more demeaning to a proud elderly person than having their affairs raked over through means testing?

Then look at what the Lib Dems did last week. Not only charge higher amounts to those with savings but also means test to check what they claim they have as income.

But what is at the root of all these claims is taxation. The simple fact is that Gordon Brown would not have needed to raid pensions if he had been honest on taxation and told us that all his extra spending would need taxation through income tax. So he charges pensioners for his spending.

The Lib Dems in Kingston would not need to create a new tax through charging if they were not spending on other things such as their local comic - Livin' Kingston. All the while the Lib Dems go on about a Local Income Tax. But a discusson on local income tax would not have begun if taxes were lower and Council tax had not been fraudulently abused by this Government. By arguing Local Income Tax you hide the penalising level of taxation we are having to pay generally. But then the Lib Dems are a party of high taxation and high spending, as we have seen in Kingston.

Do not get me wrong, I believe there is a strong argument for the ability to pay to be taken into account in Council Tax, but a Local Income Tax is not the answer. I have given my position on this before which you can follow through this link. I also gather that the Lib Dems want to give pensioners over 75 an extra £25 a week. This is not properly costed, rushed out a soon as they heard the Secretary of State for Pensions was resigning and amounts to an electoral bribe that they know they will never have to deliver. Most of all it does not end the pain of means testing for all pensioners.

Whatever else the link between inflation and pensions needs to be re established and a long hard look needs to be made at what encouragement can be given to help people save. I know there has been some discussion about schemes where the Government puts in a pound for every pound you put in. Maybe that is the way forward, but whatever scheme it is what we all want is certainty in retirement. As yet I am not sure we have that; young or old.

Back to work

I am back!

Great weeks break with some good weather. Children had a great time before they return to school tomorrow.

Also have had an eventful and action packed weekend. In amongst some delivering also visited a Chariot festival in Chessington - brightly coloured festival organised by the youth of a new Hindu temple in Hook.

On Sunday afternoon I acted as the civic representative at the induction of a new priest at St. John's Church in Grove ward. Good size congregation and Bishops there to welcome a new priest and family into Grove. The church in Grove really is at the heart of its community.

Saturday evening was at a supper party held by one of our Councillors on Kingston Council. They have served some 21 years as a councillor in Kingston. Being a councillor is reqarding but hard work and it is remarkable that someone should give this much of their lives to serve the community in which they live.

I noticed that another Government Minister has resigned to spend more time with his family.

I am not going to make the obvious point about him going before being pushed. However the more serious aspect is why it is that he needs to spend more time with his family - like a procession of Ministers going back 15 years have seemed to want to do. Are we suggesting that politics is for single people only? If we are then I fear for this country because we do need a mixture of people in Government who understand the pressures and demands of modern life and have bought up families and used schools, or had elderly or ill relatives who have needed hospital care. Only with those experiences can Government policy respond to the real needs of real people - and not career politicians who have only ever 'done' politics and only ever had responsibility for themselves.

Long day and sign off for a break

I'm signing off for a few days. Taking a holiday till next weekend with the family so 'maybe' no blogs but keep the comments coming and I will catch up on my return. See how the internet access goes. Sure lots will happen next week so some good blogs to come.

Long day with a long delivery this morning that seemed to go on for ages.

Great evening with some stunning Olympic results.

Crime and Punishment (Except if your a Lib Dem!)

My son came to work with me today. He is 5 and we do this a couple of days a year. Changes the office actually although he insists on a long lunch!!

We have had quite a lot from the Conservatives on local crime in the last few days.

We firstly had Theresa May announcing the launch of the Conservative Urban Alliance. Now that we are by far the largest, and growing, leaders of local government we are well placed to really tackle the issues of graffiti, vandalism and crime. I was staggered to read that fly tipping has rocketed by 43% in the past two years. They also have good examples of Conservative Councils restoring respect on the streets and launching new initiatives such as Westminster's Civic Renewal Scheme.

We also had Tim Yeo arguing for our policies to crack down on the yob and drink culture and illustrating how crime has boomed under Labour. Just look at the crazy increases in crime we have seen on the railways - 14% increase in violent crime and a 12% increase in sexual assaults

From the Lib Dems we have had another announcement of them going soft on crime.

Apparently the BBC is reporting the Lib Dems are considering a new policy to decriminalise crime for those under 14. They also want offenders to 'pay back' by doing work chosen by local people, face to face meetings between offenders and victims and reparation orders for adults. Of course, as the BBC points out, the children who killed Jamie Bulger were 10! They would not have gone to court. According to the Lib Dems Social Services should have dealt with them. I leave it to readers to decide whether Social Service are the right people to look after murderers, even at 10? But what happened to giving them a fair trial to demonstrate they actually did it because if this is 'decriminalisation' then trials are out!!

This whole thing is absurd and I know will anger many who believe that in fact what child criminals need is not being soft and cuddly but to understand the severity of their crimes. Where is the evidence that being soft on criminals has ever stopped re-offending because not imprisoning burglars is also a Lib Dem policy?

But the really odd thing is this issue of age. On the one hand we have the Lib Dems saying they do not want to criminalise those under 14 and yet they are also desperately keen for those of 16 to watch and participate in pornography - another awful Lib Dem policy.

I wonder if there is any connection between equalising these ages to conform with Europe as this was another issue the Lib Dem have been on about during the last week saying "we cannot influence EU law from the sidelines". If equalising laws mean the UK accepting you cannot be a criminal till your 14 (who ever you burgle or murder) then there are many who will say UKIP has a point! No wonder the Lib Dems do not talk too much to the public about their policy on Europe.

School Playing Fields

You really get fed up with this Government. Year on year the same policy is being announced again and again as if it was new. They hope that the public will forget they announced it the first time.

The latest is the apparent ending of the sale of school playing fields. Now I expect a ton of mail saying the Conservatives started this policy - we did and it was wrong. It ws particularly wrong in London. It was not just wrong because it deprived children of access to sport but it also deprived communities of the opportunity to use the facilities that during the 70's and 80's were closed to those who lived near them.

As I said what really stinks about this Government is the fact that the minute Michael Howard criticises the ridiculous political correctness of not having competitive schools sports, Blair and Charles Clarke unveil (read 'rehash') a policy they were supposed to already have!

The 2001 Labour manifesto said:

We pledge a sports entitlement for all children, giving them access to at least two hours a week of sport in or after school. Thanks to our ban on the enforced sale of playing fields and a commitment of nearly £1 billion to new sports facilities and 1,000 school sports co-ordinators, all children will be offered coaching and competitive games. This is a pdf so only go if you really want to


A cynic could ask why if they had introduced a ban on the enforced sale of playing fields (prior to 2001) that the sales of fields have continued. See this Guardian report (Aug 2004)which says:

The association claims that since 1998, more than 200 field sales have gone ahead, with only six rejected through the vetting procedure.

This same report also quotes the Education secretary as saying he will offer the:

"toughest-ever protection for school playing fields".

I am no avid sports fanatic. I cycle quite a bit but that is really because it is often easier to get around Kingston by bike than run the gauntlet of traffic humps and menacing wardens. In fact at school I frankly disliked sport. I was never really into rugby and cross country running used to go down the dreaded "pig farm alley". Never did know why it was called that as there were no pigs! However, this nation is becoming less healthy, as are many developed nations across the world. To halt that we do need to provide the opportunity to access as many forms of sport and healthy sport advice. Now maybe that is not through having school sports fields but through sports facilities being built on school sports fields. But if that is the strategy then the Government should be honest and not pretend that merely offering bullet proof guarantees about the sanctity of school sports fields will really improve the health of the school population.

In any case, the only kids at my school who enjoyed going out on a school sports field in the freezing cold of winter were in my view slightly mad!! They were good friends but I still doubted their sanity!

Charging for Personal Care

A few weeks ago I ran a blog item on the Lib Dem Council charging for personal care. I have a bit of an update on the hypocrisy that exists within the LibDems on this matter.

The proposal they are making is that those who currently receive personal care for very small charges would in future be means tested and a range of charges applied; up to 50% of disposable income. It is a monstrous suggestion. Made even more monstrous by the fact that the Lib Dems nationally are going round telling people they will not charge for personal care.

Charles Kennedy in a speech on public services on June 29th 2004 said:

"Yet when it comes to care of the elderly, Labour too support a right to charge. For the frail elderly in need of basic care: feeding, dressing, washing - for them dignity comes at a price. Dignity in old age should not be determined by the size of your bank balance. That is why Liberal Democrats would scrap the charges for personal care, wherever it is provided."

A Lib Dem MP, Sandra Gidley, and spokesman for Older people said:

"Britain's elderly should receive free personal care, unrestricted by discriminatory criteria."

Even the local MP, Ed Davey, said in January 2003:

"Personal care should be free on the basis of a person's need not the size of their bank balance. We are not talking about luxuries here: we are simply saying that for people who need this help, with feeding, dressing, washing and intimate care, it should be free at the point of delivery."

This is all great but why then is the Leader of the Lib Dems and the MP for Kingston & Surbiton allowing the Leader of Kingston Council to introduce this shameful policy of charging for personal care and letting him insult the elderly of Kingston who did the right thing and saved for their retirement:

"This isn't going to drive elderly people into poverty. You are not talking about the little old lady living in a rundown house. We are talking about people who are comfortably off and will still be comfortably off." Leader of Lib Dem Kingston Council in Surrey Comet

We will be doing all we can to get them to reverse this hypocrisy.

Pensioners in distress after failure of pension payments

This is really depressing. There seems to be hardly a person in the land, who is not in the Labour Government, who really wants to scrap pension books if pensioners want to retain them.

I accept that it may well be an outdated way of paying benefits to people but if pensioners are happier collecting money from the post office and controlling their 'cash' expenditure rather than having to control a bank acccount then what is the problem? The two main parties go on a lot about 'choice' so why does the Government not give pensioners the 'choice' on whether they have a pension book or not.

Now we hear that the computer, that doubtless cost us billions and was delivered late, locked up and refused to pay pensioners any money. Quite rightly the Conservatives are asking questions and I hope we get some answers fast!

The Compensation Culture?

Had a great weekend. Saturday spent delivering and a very good function in Berrylands with party members. All tremendously buoyed up and enthusiastic following the good results in Kingston from June. Sunday spent catching up on the small jobs around the house that do not get done during the rest of the year due to time commitments of Council.

Escaping from the fantasy politics of Saturday, Monday was about the compensation culture. David Davies followed up his speech of last week with some flesh to the policy.

It is notable and interesting that the former Master of the Rolls had recently commented that the compensation culture was a growing and dangerous path.

Like many things I can only relate personal experience. Five years ago I was involved in an accident at the lights at Tolworth roundabout. The lights changed green and the car in front moved forwards and then stalled. At 2 or 3 mph I went into the rear of the car scratching the bumper. Within weeks the insurance company was faced with a claim for a ‘written off’ car and driver whiplash injuries. Because of the way insurance companies work they settled for about £8k rather than fight an expensive case. Fighting it would be expensive in costs if not in the final outcome. Frankly that is an abuse and a shining example of the compensation culture.

However I think David is talking of wider issues to do with the review of the Human Rights Act. I believe it good practice to review all legislation some time after implementation to ensure that it does what it set out to do. All I have heard today is a procession of highly paid barristers, who undertake this work, saying how this is not acceptable. Still, I suppose we all get defensive when a proposal threatens our livelihood, no matter how good it is for the people we serve.

There are obviously genuine cases where compensation is due and it is the job of all of us to find a way where the rights of the genuine claimant can be preserved whilst curtailing the rights of those who abuse the system. Seems a pretty good mantra for a number of areas of life and politics.

Laugh a Minute Labour

I though I had to bring you this wonderful piece of news. The Labour party are getting so desperate they clearly intend to go into the next election saying "a vote for the Lib Dems is a vote for the Conservatives". Clearly sending Mandelson to Brussels was a big mistake if this is the best strategy they can come up without him!

This is taken from the Daily Telegraph. I have felt moved to add my own editorial comment.

Warning over Tory-Lib Dems alliance

The Labour candidate in the forthcoming Hartlepool by-election has accused the Liberal Democrats of forming an alliance with the Conservatives.
In an email to party members Iain Wright said Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy would serve in a Government under Michael Howard. (Not that he will get the chance - ed)

He also accused the Liberal Democrats of moving closer to the Tories by following a right wing policy agenda. (Excuse me but since when has 'tax and spend' been right wing? - Ed) The email, which was released officially by the Labour Party, said the "real choice" in the forthcoming by-election was between the Labour Government and a Conservative administration.

Mr Wright, who is a Hartlepool councillor, wrote: "It is pretty clear that the Lib Dems and the Tories are moving together - Charles Kennedy's hostility to the Labour Party is so great it is easy to imagine him serving in government under Michael Howard. (Just one problem, amongst many, is that Charlie wants us to be a federal Europe - Ed)

"That is why the choice in Hartlepool remains between Labour and the Tories - in what ever guise they appear." (Now he is talking sense - Ed)

The married father-of-three added: "Here in Hartlepool the Lib Dems are desperately trying to pick up the Tories' votes. Their leading figures are proposing ever more right wing policies - including the destruction of the NHS and its replacement by a social insurance system." (Yes, but that is today's policy. In Brent East they changed their Council Tax policy as soon as they won - Ed)