I SAID at the start of June that the Pleasure Beach would be the secret beneficiary of a five million pound loan from Blackpool Council and despite some readers casting doubt over the issue and others claiming that people high up the food chain had laughed off the idea, it turns out I was right.
Given the clandestine nature of this deal at the time it was impossible to quantify what the purpose of the loan was, but I was informed that there would be new rides constructed. I also heard that a small scaffolding company owned by Deputy Council Leader Cllr Ian Fowler had conveniently snagged the scaffolding contract for the construction of these rides.
Apparently I was right again. According to a commenter on the Gasjet today, Boxer Scaffolding Ltd is putting up scaffold at the Pleasure Beach as I write this.
So, lets put this in plain terms. If this commenter is correct, one of the six council executive members that awarded the Pleasure Beach their secret £5m loan is set to profit by doing so. If you take it down to the bare bones it equates to Cllr Ian Fowler approving a council payment of ratepayers’ money, which after laundering itself in the Pleasure Beach accounts ends up crisp, folded and whiter than white in his own bank account!
What is it, Cllr Callow? £4.5m for the Pleasure Beach, and £500k to split between the council executive whilst on the other hand sending P45′s out to distraught Town Hall employees?
The news about the loan deal had been knocking about the town hall for months and you would have thought that opposition parties would have been queueing up to score points on this issue. But it was kept under wraps until very recently when Liberal Democrat Cllr Robert Wynne upped the ante by firing questions at Cllr Callow. Even Cllr Simon Blackburn knew about it but said nothing until after the loan was formally announced.
Champagne socialist Blackburn makes good points about the seasonal nature of the jobs created by this loan: what’s better, 100 full time jobs occupied by local people or 274 seasonal jobs taken by transients?
Why did the Pleasure Beach go to the council for this money? Is it because all their assets are securing other loans and no bank would lend to them? We are told that this is a commercial loan, but what is it secured on? Is it a knock-down interest rate?
There are many questions and we will not find out the answer until we get the figures at the end of the year, but what raises my suspicions the most is that there always seems to be a councillor benefiting from these decisions.
Who was it that accepted the donations from Kensington? Who was it that banked £180,000 as a result of a Council project to buy up homes on Crystal Road? Who is allegedly profiting from the decision to grant a £5m loan to the Pleasure Beach?
It doesn’t even stop there. There is another rumour that the same scaffolding firm is waiting in the wings for another knockout contract from Kensington Developments following the Conservative block vote battering ram that granted permission to decimate one of few green spaces left in Blackpool South.
We all remember it. Well, it’s still ongoing. But the Kensington issue is one which has defined this Callow administration. It seems so simple: bung a donation to the party and get the planning permission. But it all went wrong when the public found out about it.
Despite this and the fact that the Government house building targets that had driven the planning application were scrapped by the government, Peter Callow was unrepentant as his council got it’s way in the end. On Monday they signed, sealed and delivered the multi-million pound planning permission on a plate to Malcolm Hawe’s housebuilding company.
Is Boxer Scaffolding Ltd in line for another payday from this council decision?
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Hooray !!!!!hes back,bigger and better than ever, theres only one PHILTHEONE!
Brilliant article marking the start of another era in which shitbags like Callow will now live in fear as the truth is out there,in fact its here but only at PHILTHEONE,the worlds no1 site for political discourse!
Callow, next erection,sorry election, you are OUT!
You are an abject failure and disgrace,retire to your rathole with your cronies.
If Fowlers company is involved, then a complaint to the local government ombudsman is in order,Callow you can buy the Gaggedzette,you can buy a first class rail ticket,but you cant buy PHILTHEONE!
PHILTHEONE………………….PRICELESS!
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welcome back
they all seem to look after each other in the town hall and sod the little man
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When ran away from the Conservative Party in Slumpool I did so with the high moral ground after a clash between the charity work I was doing and the arseholes I was having to mix with had destroyed the last vestiges of charity within myself. Five years of writing to councillors for help for my clients resulted in not a single reply and severe admonishment from lazy and overpaid council exectutives.
Now everything is falling into place – don’t mind the spelling but £3 for a pint of bitter in town yesterday has unhinged my equalibrium, and emptied my purse – and this creeping expansionism of councillors self interests is the net result of the apathy of decent people over the entire nation.
Where are the independent auditors, the whistleblowers and the honest people to scream enough is enough?
Question. Can a man seriously sanctioned for financial impropriety remain a JP let alone a councillor?
Answer. In Slumpool not only can they but it seems they do.
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Glad to have you back,notareargunner,yes slumpool is festooned with scummy coucillors,starting with the abominable callows!!
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Blackpool’s Cabinet seem to be forcing things through in secret just like the Coombes administration did in Fylde. He even stood for the PPC to try to be the MP candidate for Fylde on Michael Jack’s retirement – but strangely didn’t get it. Damaging declining poll results when the Tories were surging ahead nationally and (presumably more than one) comments to Conservative Central Office that they wouldn’t vote Conservative if Coombes was the MP candidate from previous party members and donors didn’t go down well. Other councillors eventually took heed from the abuse they were facing on the doorstep and with a little pressure from the PPC Coombes was eventually ousted and the Conservative party behaving a lot more like Conservatives and less like the Politburo.
If Cllr Callow carries on this fashion there won’t be a Conservative leadership at Blackpool council – just like there wasn’t a Conservative MP voted in for Blackpool South. Mud sticks and there’s certainly enough to throw at this lot. That doesn’t mean they are doing a worse job than the Labour lot – who are no doubt hoarding ammunition for the next election rather than trying to stop these things actually happening. Too much politics and not enough looking after the electorate and getting their respect.
Great to have you back where you belong Phil.
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Champagne socialist Blackburn makes good points about the seasonal nature of the jobs created by this loan: what’s better, 100 full time jobs occupied by local people or 274 seasonal jobs taken by transients?
To be fair, those seasonal jobs are probably far more productive than the council ones. Do we yet know what those jobs are? My assumption is that they are roles that could be considered ‘superfluous’ in times of financial restraint.
If the Nickelodeon park is successful, then I presume it will enhance the town’s tourist offering, increase the net flow of cash from taxes on jobs (income tax and NI), increase spend by visitors, increase visitor stays, sustain ancillary businesses and jobs blah blah blah. I can’t imagine the 100 public sector workers being as beneficial to the town.
That doesn’t mean that I think the loan is right, though – I just think that, out of the two choices, the 274 seasonal jobs is the better option, for those of us who hold the town’s best interests at heart. Ideally, I’d choose ‘neither’.
The appalling way in which the loan has been handled in public is an indictment of Callow’s level respect for the people he is meant to serve.
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The Council are still refusing to divulge the interest on the £5 million loan, even with a freedom of information request from a senior Councillor. Talk about the tail wagging the dog! This Council is completely out of control.
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Then the council needs to have its attitude re-adjusted through MOATivational means,Bring on Raoul Moat, Lol!
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It’s nice to see philtheone back online this should be a particularly interesting time for Blackpool with all that is going on with national and local politics. This article demonstrates way in the next local elections this council should be voted out. They have done nothing for Blackpool brought forth no new ideas lent rate payers money to their friends and then sacked council workers because there is no money. I know that people will say there has to be major cut backs because of the deficit (that’s why most of the AAs have been given their notices for September when the government can steel their redundancy pay from them) but its gives our local MPs a chance to see what they are MPs for Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre or Conservative MPs. However I do feel that the next council will be Conservative for two reasons one Conservative voters seem to be a bit blind to the failings of other conservative so they will always vote for them and two people in general don’t seem able to see the difference between national government and local government.
I have to say this however that philtheone stating that the council lent money to PB is wrong because John Hovis (Complete and utter hokum. Garbage. Piffle. Not a grain of truth. Not. A. Grain.) and PETER MOWBRAY (but I have it on very good authority from the somebody within the council offices and from the Pleasure Beach that this story is just a loud of Bullshit..) say so. Unless these two don’t know what the fuck they are talking about.
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I disagree on some points there, it is Labour supporters who are blind they vote Labour no matter what, not Conservatives. I am a Conservative supporter but I think about who I vote for, if I am not happy I would happily vote for someone else but not Labour. The Conservative council has done plenty for Blackpool repairing the damage done by Labour and that useless Roy Fisher. Many of these failed ‘grand schemes’ are Labour-led as Labour supporters are so keen to claim credit. Then when things go wrong they blame someone else. The last thing Blackpool needs is a Labour Council. What Blackpool does need is a new MP, Gordon Marsden is the most useless MP we have ever had and sheep vote him back in every time. Paul Maynard is doing a great job so far in Blackpool North. I really care about Blackpool and I think it is a travesty for Blackpool that Marsden was re-elected. He doesn’t live in Blackpool and never has done and he is never here. He has done nothing for our town. MARSDEN OUT!!!
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I agree about Rof Fisher TB but Callow is the same;I think local politics regardless of party is generally weak.
The news that Widnes is getting 4.5 BILLION investment is proof enough,Blackpool’s ‘progress’ is terrible.
I am 41,I cant see the town turning round before I am 60 at this rate, no way.
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I agree, I don’t believe any Council is perfect but Labour really were the worst of the worst and they were allowed to wreck our town for 16 years before people saw sense and much to my great dismay Fisher is still in a well-paid public job (although hopefully not for much longer!!!). Labour should never be allowed to rule our town hall or Parliament ever again. That Wirral Waters project looks fantastic, I only wish we had something like that in the pipeline and best of all it is completely privately funded.
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I see no regeneration prospects under Callow or Fisher,both are/were clueless.This is beyond politics,the person or party with ideas to regenerate Blackpool would get my support,regardless of party.
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I think TrueBlackpeian post demonstrates two points I made about core conservative voters (and I am sure it could also be said about core Labour voters).
As for Paul Maynard MP for Blackpool North and Cleveleys it’s too early to say if he is a good MP for Blackpool North and Cleveleys yet. I am not saying he is a bad MP in fact his opening address for Coastal Towns shows a understanding of the situation in Blackpool and the fact he referred to a left think tank report on this issues shows (at least in part) that he is open minded and is willing to get information from any source. What I am saying is Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre are in for a difficult time and we need strong MPs for the area and not Conservative MPs.
When I talked about MPs for Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre I wasn’t just talking about Blackpools MPs. I was also referring to Ben Wallace, Eric Ollerenshaw, Mark Menzies and Paul Maynard. Even if you agree with the government cuts Blackpool, Fydle and Wyre MPs are here to support the areas that they were elected for and they should use what influence they have (which includes publically being critical of the government) to make sure these jobs cuts doesn’t happen here. I somehow don’t think this will be what these MPs will do that but I could be wrong hopefully I will.
I do agree that some of the Labour council policies for Blackpool failed but at least they had ideas (they did have a plan A if no plan B) this conservative council seem absent of any ideas and seem to feel corruption and helping themselves and there friends seem to be more important then looking after the people of Blackpool. Well that’s my view anyway and I could be wrong but it’s the conservative council own fault that I view it this way.
As for TrueBlackpeian anti Labour rant a open mind is important in all things and I can’t help but be impressed with Champagne socialist Blackburn (although I am not sure if Champagne socialist bit fits).
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fair points Callow didnt ask about a plan B in opposition;hes just as guilty as Fisher and as inept.
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Fair points interested, but if you read the Gazette comments from Labour supporters they are anything but open minded. Personally I can’t stand Simon Blackburn and not just because he is Labour, but I find him cocky, arrogant and smarmy like his predecessor Roy Fisher. I think champagne socialist is a perfect description of him and virtually all Labour councillors and especially Labour MPs. Also the Labour Council did not have the ideas, it is teams of highly paid consultants and architects that do all the thinking, the councillors just give them the green light.
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and pay em a fortune!
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I think champagne socialist is a perfect description of him
WHY?
Also the Labour Council did not have the ideas, it is teams of highly paid consultants and architects that do all the thinking,
Do you know anything about management (which in essence councilors and MPs are) the best will come up with concept of ideas and employ experts to evaluate how to implement these ideas. Or do you think we should have a revolving door into our council offices where an architect will be a councilor then he would resign and an expert on traffic management would come in do his bit then resign then a builder would come in and do his bit and then leave ect? Or do you think the conservative councilors and MPs only use their own intelligent to come up and implement ideas?
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I think Blackburn is a champagne socialist because like Marsden and the Miliband brothers to name just a few examples he acts like he is the ‘ordinary working’ man and all that but he isn’t. He represents one of the poorest areas of Blackpool (Queens Park estate) and acts like he is one of them but far from it. He lives in a nice area of Marton, has a well-paid job (from what I have heard).
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So basically you are saying people shouldn’t try to better themselves. In other words no your place a very conservative attitude. One of these days the class system will disappear one day and I think the world will be a better place for it.
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That is not what I am saying at all, you are twisting my words. I am saying he is a champagne socialist because like pretty much all Labour MPs he acts all ‘working class’ when is far from it. I strongly support bettering yourself, I believe strongly in aspiration and ambition, two values socialism opposes.The Labour Party punishes people that want to better themselves.
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Well our MPs were voted for to help us first (their constituents) and second to represent the political views of the party they are aligned to which we all voted for (not that anyone really got what they voted for, but that is another matter altogether).
So I expect Mark Menzies to support aerospace jobs and nuclear jobs – and he seems to be doing just that – regardless of whether there’s money in the pot for it or not (because in politics it’s never a case of there being no money – just choices being made as to where to spend it).
Similarly Paul Maynard (an excellent MP in my view so far) seems to be sticking up for Blackpool school rebuilding projects – and having some success given the number that have been culled nationally.
I haven’t heard much about Gordon Marsden since the election but I assume he’s standing up for his constituents as well.
People that vote for one party no matter what are the reason why the country’s in such a mess. If the party you have general agreement with puts up a sleazy candidate then I hope they won’t be voted in (Blackpool South?) because some things are more important than the colour of a rosette.
There’s more to life than politics and image – do a good job and people SHOULD vote for you – but unfortunately that’s not always the case, hence the infantile name-calling politics of the kindergarten that the House of Commons seems to have descended to.
I don’t think we have real democracy either – if you look at the main party leaders (and I mean Labour and Conservative) both are really elected in stitch-ups. A limited list of leaders is presented and the parliamentary party whittle it down to two and usually refuse to work with one of them even if elected in the Conservatives and the big union chiefs and parliamentary party decide the Labour one – the main party members don’t get much of a say though it’s rigged to make it look like they do. This stitch-up system at all levels means we get people who spin and deceive well – rather than those good at results. Just how many “ministers” have any experience at all in something even vaguely connected to their departments?
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Excellent comment Frustrated but I can safely say as a Blackpool South resident as usual Marsden is doing bugger all for the constituency, it is deja vu. I think it is a travesty for Blackpool and the constituency he was re-elected. You haven’t heard much about him because as has always been the case he is never here, he doesn’t live here and only comes to Blackpool on his holidays to get his mug in the Gazette. He is a useless MP and I am ashamed our town re-elected him. MARSDEN OUT
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Hes not even usefull at being useless, lol
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Lol, that’s a good one Harold. It makes me laugh all thaty tripe on his campaign leaflets ‘I will be your full time MP’, the sheep re-elect him and nothing’s changed, he is still never here, doesn’t have any connection with the town or people nothing but another champagne socialist like most of the Labour frontbench. I want an MP who will work for our town and fight our corner as both a local MP and a national MP. Its like David Miliband. He holds an extremely safe seat in South Shields (NE England) ie proper ‘working class and proud of it’ turf and yet he has no connection with the area or people whatsoever. He lives in a million-pound townhouse in a leafy London suburb but the gullible people of South Sheilds re-elect him everytime with a massive majority, why don’t people think about who they vote for?
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They dont think period TB,”Its fortunate for governments that most people do not think” Adolf Hitler.
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You are right True Blackpoolien what we want is corrupt conservative MPs like the one you voted for.
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He is not ‘corrupt’ he was cleared of wrongdoing, I voted Conservative as a tactical vote in this election. I couldn’t vote UKIP because of them going pro-smoking and that muppet Hamish being candidate, I was considering Integrity UK but I felt a protest vote wouldn’t get Marsden out so I was torn between Doreen Holt and Ron Bell.
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err… no he wasn’t!!! read the standards board report carefully TB.
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You want to be very careful making such bold statements like that calling people ‘corrupt’, that could be classed as libel.
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I think my point is proved about conservative voters not being able to see the failings of other conservatives.
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You haven’t proved anything. It is Labour supporters who do that. They will always loyally defend the party and blame the Tories no matter Labour does.
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People from both sides vote for the colour of the rosette unthinkingly. “Tory Cuts” always follow Labour economic messes and so on.
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Not really – I voted Conservative but I’m far from happy with them. I knew I wouldn’t be delighted but thought they were the best of a bad bunch because the Labour strategy of spending money we hadn’t got was only storing up worse and worse problems though I liked what they did for some public services (but there was waste too).
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Everyone excepts that at present the economy is in a mess but it would appear what a lot of economist said would happen if the spending cuts came in to fast and to deep it would drive us back into a recession. Latest figure suggest this is happening.
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I agree, partisan loyalty to a politcal hue has undermined our democracy,I am sick of the 2 party state and the coalition shows that more people are coming round to that way of thinking.
For Blackpool we need individuals who will do their best for the town first and foremost and not party first.
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TB said no such thing about not wanting people to better themselves. In fact he’s constantly saying the reverse and how he wants to go back to university to become a doctor. What he is saying is that many “socialists” are not living the sort of lives those they represent are (which is of course true of all parties but the Conservatives don’t claim otherwise).
The class system will never disappear. It’s as strong today as its ever been. Democracy is constantly being weakened and all that is happening is that the middle class are being brought down to working class level whilst the working class aren’t getting any richer and when you’ve spent years of your life training for the job you do (earning nothing and having to financially support yourself through the process and not going out and enjoying yourself like others) it really hacks you off. The really rich aren’t affected at all and are living a completely different life. I know several public school boys and they never have to worry about money – because even if they have none one of their own will help them out with a well-funded job. Ability isn’t necessary. And that’s as entrenched today as ever.
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This is true, under labour inequality grew,(Gini coefficent) manufacturing diminished and we have 2 new classes to add.The ultra-uber rich (venture capitalists like Philip Green) and benefits scroungers (like the Pollitts).
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Thank you Frustrated, I have just posted a similar comment but you have put it much better than I have. As you say my article ‘Socialism and aspiration in the same sentence?’ is a perfect example of how I believe the opposite of what interested is insinuating. As Frustrated rightly states I was attacking these faux pas ‘working class’ MPs like Ed Balls, John Prescott, Tony Blair and the Miliband Brothers to name just a few examples. These hypocrites go around blasting ‘Tory toffs’ yet they are just as much ‘toffs’ themselves. I vote for politicians based on the candidate and their politics not their background. Here in Blackpool South the Labour MP is a prime toff but all the other candidates are ‘ordinary people’ (one of them is a pro-smoking fruitcake however) but that is meaningless to me. I never ever vote based on background, I think it is petty and childish.
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I don’t mean to correct you TB but I asked how you can call councillor Blackburn a champagne socialist and you said “because he lives in a nice house and that’s why Miliaband is one to”. So it seems I was wrong you do feel working class people can improve themselves but once they have done this they must shed their working class roots. Miliaband comes from a very modest background but because he won a scholarship to a grammar school and later on to a very good American university he improved himself. What he did then is not forget where he came from and felt that the Labour party was the best way to support people. The trouble with class most of its in the mind it use to be about how much you earned and where you lived. However my dad was a plumber and I left school when I was 16 now I earn a 3 figure salary live in a 5 bed detached house on a private road and send my children to private school but I still think of myself as working class and am a bit of a socialist because this is my background. I am sure my children will not consider themselves working class (with the money I am pouring into their education) they will have good professional jobs and think they are middle class. However this doesn’t mean they will not have a social concern and have left of centre political views and couldn’t understand working class needs. I think the word I am looking for is empathy and I don’t know about you class isn’t a issue and just because you are working class it doesn’t mean you can’t empathies with people who are middle class and the other way round.
To end this post I just like to remind you what I said about conservatives confusing national and local politics, I asked why you called a local politician a champagne socialist and you went on to talk about a national politician.
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Fair comment interested, but David Miliband did not come from a ‘very modest’ background he was born to a very well off family in a leafy London suburb. As I say I believe strongly in aspiration as a very ambitious person myself and that is why I despise socialism. I don’t believe everyone should be equal. I feel you make your own wealth in this world and I don’t feel people who do well should be penalised. You are right though I do have a habit of overlapping between national and local politics but nationally and locally I hate the Labour Party full stop.
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I earn a 3 figure salary live in a 5 bed detached house on a private road and send my children to private school
You can afford all that on a 3 figure salary? Bloody hell!
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Once again you seem very determined to misrepresent Miliband he came from modest surroundings admittedly not a sink estate but far away from silver spoon. His family would be without doubt described as working class immigrants and he only went onto university because of a grant.
Yes JB I can or should I say we can because my better half works and in fairness her wage goes on school fee, trips, extra circular activities and every fucking thing the school can rip out of you I mean to accommodate the teaching needs of the children.
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It will be interesting to see if labour can redesign themselves and learn from their many mistakes.Their first time was fine,they did a lot of good but lost it for the 2 other terms,especially with the advent of the gulf war.
Whose your money on for leader interested Milliband or Balls?
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Neither for me, I never ever want to see a Labour Government ever again. They’re both smarmy self-satisfying champagne socialists. We need to keep Labour out, I hope they never get back in. They have wrecked this country, I hope they are confined to the political wilderness for decades. Good riddance to them.
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They may well be out for years but the big issues like the EU and immigration,Afghanistan remain.The truth is no-one wants a tory or a labour government, thats why there is a coalition.I want to see mainstream politics change, I am sick of both parties, I hate them both equally.
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I don’t blame you at all Harold. I despise socialism so I will never ever vote Labour. The Lib Dems have grown on me since the formation of the coalition. I dreaded the thought of a Labour-Lib coalition. However choices at the moment are relatively limited. Normally UKIP would be ideal for my right-leaning eurosceptic views but with pro-smoking fruitcakes like Hamish and Nick Hogan being brought in they lost my vote a long time ago. I would have liked to have seen Integrity do much better than they did and the English Democrats. I never want to see another left-wing Government though. The Coalition I can live with but I don’t want a left-wing Government.
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Yes UKIP is my ideal as well,wanted them to get mps but alas none!
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The Miliband brothers are the sons of Ralph Miliband, a prominent marxist left-wing intellectual in the 1950s, and Marion Kozak, a feminist and historian of the early 20th century. Born in London, Miliband was educated at Haverstock Comprehensive School in Camden, North London.
David studied Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, and took a masters in Political Science at MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Ed also went to Corpus Christi to study PPE and got an MSc in Economics from LSE.
Quote from the Times:
“But it was at the local school, Haverstock, as much as around the dinner table, that their politics was formed. Haverstock was a comprehensive where 64 different languages were spoken and both brothers will cite it unprompted as a crucial influence. What they found there, coming from their comfortable middle-class intellectual circle, was that children more able than them, but from poorer backgrounds, were doing less well, or even leaving school without taking any exams. Both brothers were shocked, and it has propelled them towards the Cabinet ever since.”
Hardly working class.
The person I’d like to see win the Labour leadership election is Andy Burnham. I don’t think it’s likely but he seems to be the only one with common sense and integrity.
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isnt he more “old” labour, ie more to the left???
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So? At least he believes in something other than helping himself and his cronies out and wouldn’t be all spin. Whatever happens there is no party that’s going to help those trying to help themselves (unless they’re connected to a political party or the old tie network) – that’s becoming abundantly clear. Cameron is a disaster so far.
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I think Andy Burnham is smarmy as well, I want the Labour Party to die out full stop personally. What did it for me was when Burnham was on Question Time blasting the previous Tory Government saying they the higher education system was ‘elitist’ and Labour has made it easier for people from less-well off backgrounds to go to university. Yes of course they have by making university much more expensive. This is coming from one of the very few working class Labour MPs and yet it the Tory Government ‘elitism’ never stopped him going to Cambridge did it. I can’t stand Burnham. Another reason is when I watched a BBC documentary about obesity when he was Health Secretary. A BBC journalist caught him in the street in his constituency and asked him for an interview. At first he seemed like a decent bloke and said ‘You can have an interview no problem after my surgery’. His surgery had finished and Burnham vanished into thin air. The journalist then contacted his office and was then met by a very snotty office worker saying ‘He is not doing an interview for anyone’ something to that effect. Personally I want Ed Balls to win, he is the biggest champagne socialist hypocrite out of the lot and he would make Liebour unelectable.
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My real fear is that slime Balls wins and gets elected. You can imagine the massive rebuilding at Number 10 to get his own “contemplation suite” in there whilst cutting jobs and services everywhere else.
I think we could do to go back to a left and a right. No wonder Cameron is ok sharing power with Nick Clegg – it’s hard to tell them apart when it comes to the speeches. He’s a very rich public school boy isolated from real life (like many Labour MPs and Lib Dems too) and he has a guilt complex. The very rich never really suffer from recessions (they go abroad if necessary to avoid them or even profit from them like the bankers), but the middle classes pay up for every problem every time whilst having a much worse standard of living as a result. And Cameron thinks he is middle class and all that wealth he feels guilty about is similar to those he’s taxing like mad and cutting all the services from. He doesn’t get it. We haven’t even got a real Conservative party anymore. “Aspirational Socialism” is what they all stand for – and make the middle clases pay every time for it. And aspiration is all any will ever get. His “sharp-elbowed middle class” comment along with dishing out aid to Pakistan over and above our EU contribution and telling Turkey they should be in the EU has annoyed me so much I’m not voting Conservative at the next general election if he’s still there as leader. He’s a disgrace to us all.
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Hes never been a conservative,fuck knows what he is.
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I never said Miliband was working class I just don’t think he fits in with True Blackpian champagne socialist label but I feel he is a typical myopic core conservative voter.
I do agree however Burham is the labour leader that the Labour party needs. I personally don’t think it is a coincident that new Labour started hitting the rocks in their second term. Must of their first term office had been planned out before they got to power and I do think it was a shame that the country lost John Smith before he had a chance to be PM.
I also agree with you it would begin to appear that the worst fears of Cameron are coming true. Cutting all spending is driving us back into a recession his government must be a great disappointment for the conservative voters much like the LDs are for the LD voters.
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I am not ‘myopic’ I think about who I vote for unlike the people of South Shields and many other ‘safe’ Labour seats, I feel Miliband is a champagne socialist. He represents one of the poorest areas of England but has no connection with those people whatsoever. He has never lived in South Shields and lives in a million-pound townhouse in an upmarket London suburb, as far as I am concerned that is champagne socialism, feel free to disagree but that is my view. The reason I am so keen to prove Miliband is from a well-off upbringing is because I am sick to death of equally privileged hypocrites like Ed Balls, Harriet Harman and most of the Labour cabinet blasting ‘Tory toffs’ with this pathetic class war when they are no different. And to make matters worse gullible people fall for this rubbish. In ‘safe Labour areas’ people will vote based on class and I think that is pathetic. It makes me sick hearing classist comments like ‘I want a working class Labour MP not some millionaire Tory toff’. I am sick of these outdated and misguided stereotypes. I am a staunch Conservative and I am not an upper-class millionaire, far from it and I feel Labour punishes people like me who dare to aspire to a well-to-do life. People who vote based on class are what is wrong with the electoral system. You should vote for MPs based on politics not what school they went to.
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I agree TB you should vote for policies and persons not unbringing which you seem to want to do.
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I agree totally, I never ever vote for an MP based on class or upbringing. I voted Conservative in 2010 because I support the party’s policies, I like the candidate and I feel Gordon Marsden is a terrible MP not because he is a toff while the Conservative candidate is from a very modest upbringing. That has no bearing on my decision.
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Sorry True Blackpiean you are a myopic core conservative voter (just like the core Labour voters you mock and sneer at your just the same but blue and not red) I feel this because you voted for a candidate when he had been caught and found guilty of using his position to get money (and when I mentioned this you called me a lair and said I could be sued for libel which means one of two things you don’t know anything about politics or you where covering up for a fellow Tory either way this tends to say you will vote Tory no matter what), when I asked why you called Blackburn a champagne socialist your response was “because he lives in a nice house in Marton or so you have been told” (not know so you don’t know how nice this house is just name calling because he’s Labour) then because you may realise that this statement couldn’t stand you went moaning about other Labour politicians (sort of suggesting to me you don’t think Labour supporters shouldn’t have good representatives). You are the first to say this or that Labour person or policy is bad for Blackpool but very reluctant to do the same for Conservatives if all else fails you fall back on the old argument that they are putting thing back together from the pervious administration. This council is appalling they are sacking people because they don’t have money but they appear to be lending it to there mate happily and buying property from their mates happily to. This all sniffs of corruption but we will not say such things because they are conservatives and after all the only choice to conservatives is communism and social slavery or so myopic conservatives would have people think.
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Is it myopic? Or voting for the party you wanted nationally at the expenses of getting someone you didn’t want locally. I don’t think in the current climate I’d blame anyone for voting for any candidate. There’s just no-one really worthy of a vote (maybe excluding Paul Maynard there at a local level, but of course you get Camera-on as a result). We all use our vote for who we think best. At least TB voted knowing what the issues were – I’d say the myopic voters are the ones that take no interest at all in events but still turn up to vote no matter how uninformed they are.
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Thank you Frustrated. interested I am not myopic, I think about who I vote for. I considered alternative votes and I voted for Ron Bell because I wanted a Conservative Government and I felt he had the best chance of removing Marsden, whom I despise. I do know where Blackburn lives (near Booths in Marton) in a middle-class area. I do not vote Tory no matter what, I felt I had no alternatives in this election. I was not voting UKIP on account of the joke of a candidate they had, I didn’t feel Integrity or the Lib Dems could get Marsden out so I went with the party that best represents my views. I do know a lot about politics so I will thank you not to insult me. Remember this is a right-leaning site.
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All right I see what you are saying its alright to vote for a candidate to get the party in Westminster you want even if the candidate is less then ideal. That is unless he is a Labour candidate then he has to be from the area and from working class background with no ambition to improve himself. Now because this is a right leaning sight are you saying my views are not welcome because I have never said that right politics is wrong in itself?
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You are twisting my words yet again. I never said you are not welcome, I simply informed you this is a right-leaning site as a matter of fact. I was not saying ‘go away leftie’. I was also not saying Labour MPs have to be working class and live in the area. I was saying how they are hypocrites for blasting ‘Tory toffs’ when they are no different, I despise childish socialist class war tactics. I think all MPs (any party) should live in their constituency. But I am simply pointing out how it is a fact it is mostly Labour MPs who don’t live in their seats. Quite a few Labour MPs hold very working class seats like Ed Balls, Yvette Cooper, David Miliband and Keith Vaz and all live in millionaire townhouses in leafy London suburbs.
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The Kensington Clanger, Scaffolds and her with the short memory for her Treasurer, Tar and Brushes come to mind. As for the absent MP; as I is not a homosexual, have served -and been wounded in action- and believe that the office is that of service not master, then he absolutely refuses to reply to any of my letters.
Politicians of every level seem to lose the capacity to think for themself the instant they wear the mantel, but then appear to think that everyone else is so afflicted.
I voted for the little, coloured quack as the two uses for a ballot paper are unthinkable, arsewipe and pissmop. Both tasks are two good for some of those who dare put themsleves forward to public office.
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I do sympathise with the Blackpool South election positions the main two candidates you have one Labour MP who has little or no interest in the town or a Conservative who has used his position to get money so sort of suggest he is out for what is good for himself and not for the town. You wasted your vote in the present electoral system but you new that anyway what this country needs is electoral reform so people don’t waste votes.
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Ron Bell made a mistake, he does care about Blackpool unlike Marsden who has never lived here (despite lying he does) and is never here. I voted for him because I wanted a Conservative Government and I felt he was the best positioned to depose Marsden. UKIP was out of the question for me due to this pro-smoking rubbish and I felt tactically a protest vote for the Lib Dems, Integrity or BNP would be helping Marsden. I am NOT ‘myopic’ like most Labour supporters, I think about who I vote for and I feel Marsden being re-elected is a travesty for my town.
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I also gave you another reason why I thought that you are just as bad as Labour voters you complain about that’s you support conservatives no matter what they do or how incompetent they are. Now you say Bell does support Blackpool I only have your word for this as there seem to be no other evidence out there, also every impartial viewer says Bell was the wrong candidate to put up at the election because he was found using his influence to get money but still you seem blind to what he did somehow if it was a Labour councillor doing it this would be a difference in your opinion.
Frustrated I don’t blame anyone for voting the way they do even Harold who voted BNP (if they ever got in I would emigrate) but when someone is completely insulting to people who vote opposite him, complaining about their sheep like mentality and how they don’t understand who or what they vote for and yet the same arguments could be put forward against them they seem to think it is unfair at best its double standards.
By the way Bell took money twice so to mistakes.
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I do not insult people with opposite views, it is true that most Labour supporters will vote without a thought. I know this from experience both personal and comments I have read on other forums. You get these sheepish people who vote Labour ‘because its in the blood’ and all that. I became a Conservative because they best represent my views and if I am unhappy about something they have done I will happily criticise them. I do not vote blindly, I think about who I vote for. I voted for Ron Bell mostly as a tactical vote to try and get rid of Marsden and sadly for Blackpool it didn’t work. Now please stop making generalisations about me.
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Whilst I am sure my views will not be welcome here on this “right leaning site”, I have been directed here by a friend who is annoyed ( as am I looking at the comments) that the person calling himself ‘True Blackpudlian’ seems to think that because my family live in a ‘middle-class area’ and my partner of 15 years has a ‘well-paid job’, his is somehow not fit to represent the people of Brunswick.
I would just like to set the record straight. Yes, we live in a nice (rented) house, and yes Simon has a good job ( he has just passed a Masters in Social Work, something that we as a family had to make a lot of sacrifices for) but to imply that he is not the person who should represent Brunswick because of this, is frankly ridiculous. It is precisely because of Simon’s experience, both as a politican and social worker, and the life we have shared together that he is EXACTLY the right person for the job to be both Brunswick councillor, and the Labour Group Leader. So, True Blackpudlian,BEFORE you think you have the right to call people “cocky, arrogant and smarmy”, (I believe you have used ‘slimy’ on occassions as well) I would thank you to remember that is the man I am proud to share my life and three beautiful children with, and suggest that you are wrong to make judgements about people and their situations when you don’t actually know anything about them. You may have a problem with Simon and frankly that’s absolutely fine,( I know he couldn’t actually care less) but can I just point out that you don’t like it when people insult you or your views. If you want this site to consist of only people with your viewpoint and political bias, I suggest it is made a members only site….
Oh, and just to let you know, I myself am standing for the Labour Party at next Mays election for Grange Park. If you would care for a biography of my life before then, just to see if you deem my working-class background suitable enough to be picked for this position, just pop into the house, you know, the posh one down by Booths.
Champagne socialists – my arse.
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You are misinterpreting my comments. I did NOT say Labour people have to be working class. I was criticising the hypocrisy of Labour politicians (especially nationally) like Ed Balls (a public school boy) for calling Conservatives ‘toffs’ when they are no different. There are plenty of Conservative MPs and local councillors who are from modest backgrounds and socialists tar them all with the same brush. I am a lifelong Conservative supporter, I come from a successful family (not millionaires) and I am far from an upper-class millionaire and I am fed up of such outdated stereotypes being peddled because of my political leaning. I work hard for a living, I have worked hard to get where I am and I have further career plans ahead of me and I do not feel Labour have done me any favours I feel they punish hard-working people like me. I must admit I do feel Simon and indeed most Labour councillors are cocky. I once went on the Blackpool4Me Labour site and there is a ‘x number of days UNTIL WE BOOT THE TORIES OUT’ counter, I find that very cocky and arrogant.
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Also when I call him ‘slimy cocky, arrogant’ etc I am speaking about him as a councillor not as a person.
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TB does make valid points about labour politicians being champagne socialists, more typical of nulabour, especially.Probaly one reason why so many people gave up on labour.
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Harold some Labour politicians not all and some conservative politicians are toffs.
Harold you have to remember that True Blue say all Labour voters are sheep so how can these sheep be leaving the Labour party unless True is wrong with his insults. That can’t be right True can’t be wrong after all its only socialist that tar people with the same brush True wouldn’t be that low.
True you do insult people with different views as yours look how you talk about Howitt. You say you are willing to be critical of conservatives but you never are Bell is the best example he did a corrupt thing yet you have denied it and keep excusing him for it after all it was a mistake!
As for your comments that Blackburn is ‘slimy cocky, arrogant’ aren’t personal oh come on. Then there is the comment “I must admit I do feel Simon and indeed most Labour councillors are cocky” and conservative councilors are full of humility talk about being sheep like.
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I am NOT a sheep, I do criticise the Conservatives when I am unhappy with. I do not insult people with opposite views at all. I am entitled to an opinion. Yet again you are twisting my words. I never said ‘Conservatives are all perfect, I simply said in my experience I find most Labour councillors to be slimy and smarmy. Stop calling me a ‘sheep’ because I am NOT, I think about who I vote for.
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Hi What will you do in respect of regeneration Gillian (if elected)?
Roy Fisher made a mess (Labour) and Callow (Conservative) is just as inept.Blackpools progress in respect of regeneration is abysmal when you look at other towns.
What are your views on regeneration please?
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True a lot of Labour voters think about how they vote but you call them sheep. As for your view of Labour councillors look at the conservative lot if anything they are worst.
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A lot of them don’t think in my experience. I know people that vote Labour blindly for ridiculous reasons like Mr Cameron’s background which I find very petty and childish and ‘because Labour is in the blood’ that’s not thinking, that is sheepishness. I am NOT a sheep so stop calling me one. I do think about who I vote for.
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Well I know conservatives who vote that way for reasons such as their tough on crime (yet they are talking about shortening prison sentencing) their for the army (don’t make me laugh) their voting blindly and like sheep but somehow I feel you are blind to this. But then again its hard for core voters to talk about politics.
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I cant and wont vote for either labour or tory, lol.
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They are tough on crime, they are not talking about shortenting sentences, that is Ken Clarke, he does not speak for the whole party. They are there for the Army, Labour does nothing for our underappreciated and underequipped armed forces. I AM NOT BLIND, stop saying that. I am knowledgeable on politics so please stop generalising about me. I vote Conservative because I feel they are the party that represents me, I am not a ‘sheep’.
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I don’t blame you at all Harold, but in 2010 I felt left with no choice. I desperately wanted Marsden out as I care about Blackpool but I felt noone else had a chance of getting him out and I was never voting UKIP.
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Look at Kensington Clanger’s expenses declaration for the year 2008. Strange how his telephone account is identical to his brothers’? I wonder what the odds of that ever happening are?
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Oh no Bell has been cleared of all wrong doings or so core conservative sheep would have you think.
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I am NOT a sheep, stop insulting me or please leave the site. This site is a friendly community we don’t insult each other.
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Just a foot note when True says Ken Clarke Minister for Justice doesn’t speak for the conservative party when he talks about reducing sentencing for prisoners I do think he does speak for the Conservative government I think that’s how the political system works.
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I know how the political system works, when I say that I am referring to that fact that he is often a very controversial figure within the party because of some of his views. He has a tendency to be slightly left-wing on some areas like Europe and law and order which often leads to clashes with more traditional members like myself. I like Ken Clarke he is a fantastic MP but I disagree with some of his views like on smoking, crime and Europe.
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He wasn’t talking as a local MP but as Minister of Justice part of the Government how they where going to save money. This is nothing to do with Ken Clarke personal views but the view of the conservative government but again politics of personality and not policy are being talked about.
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You are misinterpreting my comments yet again. His personal views do matter because his views do not represent the Government. His left-wing stance on crime has been frowned upon by most Conservative MPs and members like myself. I am not looking at ‘personality’ please stop saying that.
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Clanger was not cleared but admonished. That means guilty in real English. A reprimand can only be offered to those committing offence.
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I do know where Blackburn lives (near Booths in Marton) in a middle-class area.
To be fair, TB, that area is anything but ‘middle class’. It’s just an area that’s like most of Blackpool, except it’s not as run down.
I think that, in Blackpool, we are prone to thinking that anything that isn’t blighted by crime, deprivation or the welfare culture is somehow ‘middle class’. It’s really not, when you consider what ‘middle class’ means to the rest of the country. Mediocrity is so ingrained in this town’s collective psyche that anything above it is treated as being unusual.
There are lots of things to pick Blackburn up on, but claiming he lives in a middle class area when he doesn’t isn’t going to make your points any more credible.
And whilst I’m here, I might as well say something on the ‘left’ and ‘right’ thing. It’s pointless. Completely pointless. It has lost all meaning. We can talk in broad terms about being to the left or the right, but it no longer conveys any useful context. I consider myself to be of ‘the right’, but it means little when you look at the track record of those calling themselves ‘left-wing’ or ‘right-wing’.
The left/ right label is just a pejorative term these days. It’s much more useful (and less misleading) in a discussion to use the political compass or the Nolan Chart. Whilst not comprehensive, it’s not as vague as ‘left’ or ‘right’.
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“The left/ right label is just a pejorative term these days. It’s much more useful (and less misleading) in a discussion to use the political compass or the Nolan Chart. Whilst not comprehensive, it’s not as vague as ‘left’ or ‘right’.”
Spot on John, a political party is judged on 2 aspects,social and economic policies and how much there is state intervention with regards to those areas.
The BNP is called ‘far right’ but their economic policies are very old labour i.e left wing.ie more state control, less private control.
I want to see what ideas Simon has with regards to regeneration as Callow is clueless beyond measure.The person who has a visoion and is able to implement it for Blackpool deserves the vote (imho) REGARDLESS of political hue.Blackpool is in a desperate mess and needs sorting.A useless tory= a useless labourite = useless period and that goes for both Callow and Fisher.
Contrast that with the economics of the Thatcher tories who advocated the opposite, a minimal state and more private enterprise.
Left wing and right wing came form the french parliament,(looking towards the river Seine), those on the left were the liberals and socialists who favoured reform and change, whereas those on the right were the conservatives who resisted change, ie traditionalists,monarchist, nationalists etc.
left wing and right wing have lost all meaning,the terms are too confusing and should be scrapped.
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Fantastic comments Harold and John B, I do agree to some extent but the left-right argument is still so often seen. If you look at the Labour supporting Gasjet commenters and other websites they act as though ‘left wing’ is some kind of positive, complimentary term ie a good thing and ‘right wing’ is some kind of perjorative, negative term which really annoys me.
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Cutting 20% of the law courts and prison service is really going to be tough on crime. And Maggie was really proud of the army to the extent if you were injured see didn’t want to know if you lived after the Falkland’s war. But best forget this lets not let facts getting into a political debate.
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lol heres another thought, what if these cuts actually cause another recession, due to reduced demand, unemployment rises,tax revenues diminish,social security spending soars and we may get stagflation, given the price of oil etc;do the condems have a plan B?
no plan B, have we heard this before, lol?
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Your are right Harold with the fear of Norcross and Warbreck closing and all the redundancies that would lead even on a local level you can see way people are not going to spend on any money. Many people said this that if you cut to hard and to deeply recovery will stop and go in reverse and it simple to understand this isn’t a perfect economy if people get sacked they aren’t going to find a job else where at present because the private companies are still trying to get out of recession. Their not expanding therefore their not employing. Incidentally this is a very serious political debate but of course its being ignored because its not a debate on personality.
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Gordon Marsden MP will be holding one of his regular advice surgeries for constituents in Blackpool South this coming Friday August 13 between 4-6pm at his 304 Highfield Road Office in South Shore. People wanting to see Mr Marsden then should make an appointment via his office on 01253 344143.
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The one time a month when Marsden is actually in Blackpool. He is a useless MP, doesn’t live here is never here and I feel it is a great tragedy for Blackpool he was re-elected. I really love Blackpool and I really care about my hometown and Marsden does us no justice, I want someone who will represent us and fight for the town not for his ego. Also I want someone who is not Liebour.
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TB make an appointment to tell him just that, lol, he will be pleased to hear you lol.
GM is useless at being useless, lol.
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I would love to do that but he would try and spin me some pro-Labour rhetoric. He will probably spout that rubbish off his leaflets ‘I am your full-time MP’ yeah full time living in Brighton.
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hes a full time waste of time, lol
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Lol, Too right he is.
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I dont know why he bothers, any mp regardless of party ,who doesnt live near to or in the town they are supposed to represent ,has demonstrated perfectly why they should not get voted in: lack of committment to their constituents.
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Precisely, in contrast look at Paul Maynard, he is not originally from the Fylde Coast but when he was selected as the candidate for Blackpool North he moved to the area and has campaigned hard in the area working with the people before he even became an MP, that is true committment. Marsden is typical of the metropolitan elite of the Labour Party like the Milibands, Balls and many others he holds a seat and wins with a landslide everytime despite having no connection with the area.
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I agree, Paul does seem to be working hard, what more could constituents want?
Marsden got in, due to Ron Bell-end; he gave it to him on a plate.
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Paul does seem to be doing well at present but in fairness he hasn’t been MP for long so he has got a long way to go. As I said on my first post this area is potentially in for a rough time is this government carries on with its current policies and its how Paul reacts to this which will show how much of a local MP he will be.
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Good point interested;its early days yet.Would be nicely amazed to find at the end of 5 years he has obrtained A585 improvements,meanwhile his tory friends in WBC via that cunt Gary Payne are determined to gridlock the area.I fuckin hate wyre council and I hope that cunt Gary Payne gets cancer;he deserves it for his planning crimes.
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Ken Clarke MINISTERY OF JUSTICE for the Conservative government said it was the POLICY of the GOVERNMENT to look at reduces the number and time that people went to prison as prisons don’t work. This is the conservative government position and unlike many ministers statements it hasn’t been refuted by number 10.
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Even if that is the situation I don’t agree with it, I am a centre-right/right-wing Conservative and I believe in punishment, tough sentencing and no early release. Like I said I AM NOT A SHEEP, I will happily criticise the party when I am unhappy. As a Conservative I believe in being tough on crime and I feel Ken Clarke is the wrong man for Justice Secretary, he should be put to better use in another area.
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You may not be a sheep but it took a bloody long time for you to admit this government is doing something you feel is wrong even now you are not being critical of the government policy but of the man who implementing it.
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Probation service? lol
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I bet you’ll find most voters didn’t know this before voting Conservative though. The coalition seems to be an excuse for all sorts of policies no-one wanted but our “political elite”.
How about a new party – loads of jobs, no unemployment, low taxes, fantastic public services open to only UK citizens, lots of green spaces, very low immigration to ensure only people that are an asset to this country are allowed to live here, lots of wealth and exports as an aim.
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That is a good point I never considered Frustrated. One of the million reasons why I vote against Labour is because they are soft on crime. I had no idea there was going to be a coalition. When the results were announced I feared the worst (ie a Labour-Lib coalition) and I had no idea Ken Clarke would become Justice Secretary. I greatly admire Mr Clarke he is an excellent MP but has quite strident left-wing views on some areas like europe and law and order, so really I don’t like the idea of him being Justice Secretary as I have strong right-wing views on crime (ie I believe in tough punishment, tough sentencing etc). 3 jobs Ken Clarke should not have in a Conservative cabinet; health secretary (strong pro-smoker), foreign/european secretary (europhile), justice/home secretary (left-wing on crime), that’s just my view but I feel he could be put to better use in another department. I would like to see another Michael Howard as Justice Secretary.
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I agree Michael Howard would have been a better choice – though PR wise (and for some reason we all have to be PR savvy with no thought for real action rather than having people that just do the job well) Ann Widdecombe rather did for him. I too believe in tough sentencing – combined with help for those genuinely wanting to get out of crime be that drug/alcohol addiction help, education and training, help relocating out of their current circle and so on. Too many turn up with “I was drunk at the time” or high at the time as an excuse as if it exonerates their actions when it makes no difference at all to the victim.
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Precisely Frustrated, I am sick of hearing ‘my client had been drinking at the time of the incident’ so that makes it alright then? But the one that really makes my blood boil is when the defence solicitor says ‘My client is deeply ashamed of their actions’ and then they get a lenient sentence. This is after they have been ‘ashamed’ 24 times before on the same offence.
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in the 80s we had lager louts and using drink as an excuse got you punished even more!
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So I guess we all agree there is a myth that the conservative government is tough on crime. Much like it is a perception that the previous Labour government was soft on crime. The last government sent more people to prison for longer then any previous government, they built more prisons to do this, they made the right for judges to give longer custodial sentences, they made it easier for people to get custodial sentences, they invented new laws to make it easier to send people to prison, they eroded civil liberties to such a extent you can’t even demonstrate outside the houses of Parliament and not let get into the Cameras in every street. In fact if a conservative government did what the pervious Labour government did then the core conservative voters would be jumping up and down with joy the fact that none of this worked and turned out more aggressive criminals then ever before wouldn’t alter their views.
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But Labour were soft on crime. I have seen several cases of persistent offenders, one in Blackpool with 550 previous convictions and he got ‘one more chance’ and that is not an isolated incident. There are cases where murderers are being given 5 years instead of proper life sentences. Proper police have vanished into thin air (unless you go to a football match and there’s hundreds) and we have useless PCSOs. The Conservative Party is tough on crime. Labour wants to let people off with soft sentences, they don’t want to punish crime.
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totally agree there interested labour was the most authoritarian government i can rememeber, they wrecked civil liberties, unless you were in a minority group in which case you had human rights.
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I do agree there Harold, I despise Labour’s ‘positive’ discrimination and double standards culture. Like these stupid ‘all women shortlists’ these sort of practices should be outlawed as they are discrimination against the majority. Jobs should ALWAYS be awarded on the basis of merit NEVER PC.
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True I think you are confusing things here (for example fact and opinion).
“Proper police have vanished into thin air” there are more police employed now the ever before, on a personal note in London there all over the place and in Thornton Clevleys there more visible then I have ever seen them. So it’s your opinion that there are less police about but in fact there are more if they are being utilised correctly isn’t down to the government but the local police authority.
“and we have useless PCSOs.” Again that’s your opinion however factually it does seem when you look at crime figures when PCSOs are utilised in semi-rural areas this seems to bring crime down.
“550 previous convictions and he got ‘one more chance’ and that is not an isolated incident. There are cases where murderers are being given 5 years instead of proper life sentences.” This is actually not down to the government but Magistrates and Judges they are given guidelines on sentencing and it is up to the individual Magistrate or Judge how they apply these guidelines.
“Labour wants to let people off with soft sentences, they don’t want to punish crime.” That’s just opinion again facts state otherwise but as I have said before core party voters don’t look into facts.
Harold you are right the last Labour government have been awful as far as civil liberties are concerned nationally and internally for UK citizens.
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well said TB!
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I am entitled to an opinion and I feel PCSOs are useless in my experience and hope they will soon be scrapped. In my area I never see proper police unless I am at Bloomfield Rd where there are 100s of them. Also of the proper police officers that are there I find them to often be poorly trained and ineffective.
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[...] been greeted by a letter from Cllrs Fowler advising me that some things I said in the article named Boxer Scaffolding’s big erection were defamatory. So I am going to clarify and correct them, as requested by Cllrs Fowler, in the [...]
more politt like scum!
http://news.uk.msn.com/uk/articles.aspx?cp-documentid=154412624
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Nobody says you can’t have an opinion True but you can also say the sky is green the facts will say your wrong and you just end up looking stupid.
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I do not look ‘stupid’ I get my facts straight unlike the Labour supporters who will believe anything they are fed. Also while you are on here I want to know why you said a while ago ‘TB once had a whole Gazette comment thread stopped because he disagreed with comments’. I do not know to which thread you are referring but in any case that has NEVER happened. I have never had any threads stopped, so please get your facts straight before you accuse me. I just thought I would clear that one because I was very annoyed by your comment at the time.
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True you haven’t got your facts correct about many things on this thread all you reamed off is opinion, which you do have a right to have, but many of your opinions have facts contradicting them.
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I have not seen any evidence of PCSOs being effective, I have seen strong evidence they are very ineffective and I have experienced this myself. I can say this on most other ‘facts’ you have disputed.
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What particular facts are we talking about?
Whilst we’re on this subject I miss “dustin from fleetwood” – no matter how badly the Labour government screwed up he’d come up with a suggestion as to how wonderful they were and how they’d fix every single ill. It’d be really nice to believe any party capable of that.
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He was a pain in the arse that guy, his comments were hilarious at first because of how loyally blind he was to Labour’s failings and he would constantly change his opinions and backpeddle. But he turned very nasty and personal with his comments shortly before he disappeared, I say good riddance to him.
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Facts point out Labour haven’t been soft on crime that this strong line of locking people up has failed to stop violent crime seem to suggest that the traditional way of being tough on crime isn’t working.
True says that PCSOs are a waste of time while I am willing to understand this point of view there is a lot of evidence out there which does suggest that in areas PCSOs work well.
Ken Clarke was not speaking for the Conservative government about proposals to reduce sentencing. He is the Minister for Justice and he was speaking for the conservative government.
I could go on but needless to say True offers opinion as fact when they are not the same.
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I do NOT offer opinion as fact, I do know the difference, so please stop saying that and please stop talking about me like I am not here.
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True you said Ken Clarkes view of the justice system “views do not represent the Government.” They do he is the Minister for Justice. Its your opinion they don’t which is wrong the fact is they do.
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I admitted I got that one slightly wrong, but I do not agree with his views. I have very traditionally Conservative views on crime and I believe Clarke is the wrong man for Justice Secretary.
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That’s a opinion you have every right to have, I do think your wrong but that is a whole separate debate, and your traditional view on crime is also what the pervious government did. Bang them up and keep them banged up on the whole.
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I don’t agree Labour introduced ‘early release’ so murderers and brutal thugs were being let out for ‘good behaviour’ in 3 or 4 years from a ‘life sentence’. I believe Labour are soft on crime which is one of the million reasons why I don’t vote for them.
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For years Labour put more people in prison for longer when they sure this was not making a lest bit of difference in violent crime and they could not build enough prisons to hold everyone they were locking up they panicked. Soft on crime no useless yes.
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I agree frustrated there are some very myopic Labour supporters out there who will never change there views no matter what happens. But I like reading Cardy’s comments I don’t always agree with them but on balance they are well thought out and I can respect his view point.
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I don’t feel cardy’s comments are though out at all. He constantly changes his opinion. For example when the Central Drive college campus was being built he credited it as a ‘triumph for the Labour Government’ then when LABOUR lost the funding he blamed it on the Conservative Council. He is a myopic Labour voter in my view and he is very insulting to me as well.
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That’s slightly misrepresenting what Cardy said which was the council acted rashly to demolish properties before funding was in the bank which it was.
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That was only one example of him changing his opinion. He has done that many times over on a variety of issues. This was not the council’s fault it was the Government that lost the funding but he was blaming the Tories.
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He was blaming the council for demolishing buildings before having funding in the bank not for them losing funding for it.
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I am referring to other occasions where he and a group of Labour supporters were saying ‘The Tories lost the funding’. In his view the Tories are always wrong Labour is always right. Like he claims he supports university tuition fees (brought in by Liebour) then when Labour commissioned a review to look at raising fees he is blaming the Tories claiming they are making it harder for people to go to university. He has also attacked Conservatives as ‘toffs’ but then when confronted with the fact Gordon Marsden is a toff he says ‘background is not important’. That is pure hypocrisy.
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I am not saying I agree with Cardys views on many subjects but I can see where his arguments are coming from. Unlike some of your comments which seem to me somewhat confusing take this postings for example you began by referring cardy changing view on the college Blackpool never got and now you seem to be saying your not.
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I have not changed my view. I was saying about how he always changes his opinion so the Tories are to blame. You challenge him about how Labour lost the funding and because he is too myopic to admit Labour are wrong he will find another argument to twist it back on the Tories, that’s what I was saying.
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But the best example of this now is Alfred Huckett and his pro-smoking bully brigade. They strut around blasting every comment I make in favour of the smoking ban acting like they know everything about everything. Then when I dare to challenge them I get bullied and abused. If I post links to scientific/research studies, opinion polls etc proving support and the success of the ban it is ‘anti-smoking propaganda’ according to them. Then they will produce some flawed poll from Ceefax (who in god’s name uses Ceefax these days?) or some pub trade rag claiming it is ‘the truth’. They are a joke.
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I didn’t say you were changing your views but your comments (postings) where confused.
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I am not confused. I was saying cardy always twists things so the Tories are always wrong. Like he will happily claim credit for projects like Talbot Gateway claiming it is Labour’s legacy and now because it is in stormy waters he is blaming the Tories and he does this all the time.
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I didn’t say you were confused but some of your postings are. Didn’t Cardy mean that funding for the TG was secured by the pervious council but due to the incompetence of the present council TG has become a joke and should be dropped?
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Why do you keep trying to defend cardy’s hypocrisy? It is not because of the current council it is facing being dropped it is because funding is on the brink of collapsing because of the dire state of the economy left by Labour. I also questioned him about Brown kicked Blackpool in the teeth promising us a ‘substantial compensation package’ for the casino and gave us nothing. He just defended Labour and refused to admit they are wrong because he is a myopic Labour voter.
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TB Karl Oyston has resigned!
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I’m not a massive football fan TBH, it would be better for Phil to write an article on that. But I do support BFC as an ‘armchair supporter’ as they are my home team.
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I would take much more satisfaction from hearing Roy Fisher had resigned as NHS Blackpool Chairman although hopefully he’ll get the boot anyway.
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Lol i agree and Peter Callow going would have been good as well.I believe Karl was not happy with the players wages culture,something you regularly decry!
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Oh really, thanks for that Harold. If that is the case then I can’t blame him to some extent. But the BFC squad aren’t earning the same sort of exorbiant sums the big players are getting.
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TB: But the BFC squad aren’t earning the same sort of exorbiant sums the big players are getting. Obviously! They have a second job at the Opera House as Cinderella’s dwarfs. Don’t you just luv’ Panto?
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Agghh! My eyes!
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For what it’s worth, I have now seen for myself the Boxer Scaffolding hoardings at the Pleasure Beach.
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Baia danke, Maneer. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjnkmNyArNg&feature=autofb
and a tribute to a worthless bunch of self gratifying nobodies!!
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Love it!
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