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.
Monday, November 29, 2004
Sunday, November 28, 2004
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!!
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!!
Friday, November 26, 2004
Thursday, November 25, 2004
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.
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.
Monday, November 22, 2004
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!!?
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!!?
Thursday, November 18, 2004
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.
Wednesday, November 17, 2004
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!
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!
Monday, November 15, 2004
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.
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.
Friday, November 12, 2004
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.
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.
Wednesday, November 10, 2004
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.
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.
Sunday, November 07, 2004
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!!
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!!
Thursday, November 04, 2004
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!!
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!!
Tuesday, November 02, 2004
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.
Monday, November 01, 2004
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.
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)