Blackpool Aloud has managed to coax an interview out of Blackpool Labour group leader Simon Blackburn who reflects on his previous life in a squalid junkie infested council estate in Edinburgh, his family’s unionist background and the policies that he hopes will revitalize the flattened Labour party and propel him into the council chamber hot-seat.
Interviewer Paul Galley poses the questions that see the boisterous Labour mouthpiece power out of the traps to slice the local council policy into more pieces than there are cliques within Blackpool Conservatives with his “back to basics” agenda, promoting sustainable employment and properly maintained local services. Drunks and louts are also firmly in his sights as he calls for the police to ‘come down hard’ on any miscreants.
He pledges to cut bureaucracy and six figure salaried desk jockeys and goes on to form a direct assault on Peter Callow’s obsession with big capital projects, casting doubt over the Talbot Gateway but continuing that he backs the acquisition of the Winter Gardens and Tower. Blackpool South station is also backed by Simon and labelled an ‘asset’.
He concludes by ruining it all and saying he is a Blackburn Rovers supporter.
Read the full interview here.
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I fear for Blackpool if Liebour ever gets the Council back and especially with Blackburn at the helm. I find him very smug, arrogant and slimy, like a young Gordon Marsden/Roy Fisher. Peter Callow is not perfect by any means but I don’t want some socialist Labour mouthpiece like Blackburn in charge instead. KEEP LABOUR OUT 2011
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Bless you True Blackpudlian. I was starting to lose my street-cred, given some of the uncharacteristically nice things that had been said about me on here – and I’m glad to see you working to restore the status quo!
Seriously though, I’m not sure that I can be BOTH a socialist mouthpiece AND a Labour mouthpiece (Socialism having fallen out of favour in the Party a wee while ago…) Slimy, arrogant and smug I can cope with.
Perhaps the problem is this whole notion of who is “in charge” – Nye Bevan (who I imagine you hate as well, but bear with me) said that the only point of pursuing political power was to give it away – and this is something that we are keen to do. Properly constituted and funded Area Fora (with indepedent Chairmen/women), more openess about Councillors allowances and expenses – more public involvement in Council meetings, and a Council Leader who is happy to debate and listen to anyone (even those who call him smug, slimy and arrogant) actually means that it would be the people of the town who would be in charge – rather than power being concentrated in the hands of one individual. I would have thought that this ought to appeal to you?
If you ever want to drop into the Town Hall and have a brew, and get all this frustration out of your system, I’d be pleased to have a chat with you. That way, at least you’d be able to say that you’ve met me, and that you can say, at first hand, what a tw*t I am…
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Perhaps you’re too young to remember Michael Foot, TB. He was incredibly scruffy (his wife despaired, with noted comments that she bought him nice clothes and he still looked terrible) and more importantly he was elected Labour leader in 1980, in 1981 the gang of four defected to form the SDP and in 1983 Labour received its lowest share of the vote since 1918. In a poll of Labour party activists in 2008 he was voted the worst post-war Labour party leader. And this is Simon Blackburn’s hero? I think he may be out of touch not only with Conservatives but Labour supporters too if this is the case.
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Wonder what Simon thinks of Blackpool having a BNP,UKIP,libdem or even a non political party council, I know thats extremely unlikely but I have no faith in either the current council nor did I with the previous one.Calllow is a conservative in name only and when Roy Fisher was making his faux pas, Callow wasnt screaming about a plan B either,in fact all these years on, he can only go back to what Roy Fisher suggested: a CASINO!! lol
For me Callow = Roy Fisher = 0
Its seems that a good council regardless of political persuasion is one that is in touch with the concerns of the local population and addresses those concerns, is such a council possible and if it is, is Simon the man to do just that,lead a council that will address the issues in Blackpool?
I welcome anyone who can bring a debate on the town’s future, regardless of their political party,as Calllow is jaded and without vision;he should retire.
I am not a fan of Labour nor Tory,in the past I voted BNP and more recently UKIP, such is my despair with mainstream politics.
Lets see a vigorous debate on Blackpool, but also areas like Wyre, which ajoin Blackpool.
Bring it on.
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Hooray,Phil is back! who needs the world cup when we have Philtheone!
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Hah, only put the site on because I had pictures linked elsewhere and they all disappeared when I got rid!
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Is the site back for good?
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In short, no
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why not mate? (super gutted………….)
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Because I dont want threats from councillors!
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Callow sucks shit in hell! lol
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I thought this was the mch awaited return of Philtheone. Sadly not!
Some people have alot to answer for.. not Phil by the way!
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Phil is like Jesus, hes comin back,lol
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What’s going on here, is the site back online?
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I hope you continue with the site. I’m sure even Peter Callow would agree. You said something that was inaccurate and you have more than put the record straight. In all reasonableness no-one can expect any more. I believe that you treat all of the parties with disdain in equal measure with the notable exception of one or two contributors who are vociferously anti-liebour. Sites like these are essential in order to maintain freedom of speech and I for one look forward to a return to normality and am anxious to read more about how we have sold our soul to the devil (coalition) lol.
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I support that Jon,there was no other site (apart from NQH),and I have yet to see one like this site.
PS I am on the verge of changing my political views from the centre right i.e. UKIP to anarchism, such is my unhappiness at the current situatiion, lol.
Scrap the whole system, lol
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I agree – what you have done should more than satisfy Mr. Callow, and i’m sure he’d relook at the situation and be happy for you to continue. If you don’t want to contact him, I will happily do it for you phil. philtheone is unique and allows people to express their views; something little and not very often.
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phil is back?
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come back phil, all is forgiven, lol!
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