Owlsmoor council by-election campaign update

I have been campaigning in Owlsmoor for 3 weeks now following my selection as a candidate to fight for the borough and town council seats for the Liberal Democrats.

I have done plenty of door-knocking and canvassing in the past both in the Bracknell constituency and also more widely in surrounding areas but this is the first time that I have been the candidate too. It has been an enjoyable experience so far. I have been pleasantly surprised at how many people are willing to talk to me about issues. Although I have tried to make sure they understand that I can only represent them regarding local issues they often want to talk about national issues too which I am happy to do.

The message that seems to be striking the loudest chord with people is that we really need to have some more opposition voices on the council. The borough council here is dominated by the Conservatives who currently hold 38 seats, Labour hold 3 and there is no-one else. This is not a healthy state for any local council to be in to be so dominated by one party. I would say this about any party having that much dominance and indeed I have seen similar situations in northern England with councils dominated by Labour.

I have also been struck by how little the people I have spoken to have seen of their councillors in the last few years. Not one person to whom I have asked the question "Have you seen your councillors around here in the last few years" has responded yes. The Lib Dems I know who are councillors in neighbouring council areas (Guildford and Reading for example) never stop going around their wards and talking to people. The idea that the people of Owlsmoor never see their councillors is just wrong and is definitely something I would remedy if I was elected.

I have knocked on hundreds of doors so far but there are hundreds more still to go between now and the 25th of February!

This post is cross-posted from Mark Reckons.

Should Andrew Mackay work for a political lobbying firm?

It has been reported that Andrew Mackay, Bracknell's current (and soon to be former) Conservative MP has accepted a position with political lobbying firm Burston-Marstellar.

The Times reports that:

The chief executive of BursonMarsteller is Matt Carter, who was Labour’s general secretary during the cash-for-honours affair. Mr Carter issued a press release on the appointment shortly after he was approached for a comment when The Times learnt that the lobbyists had been holding secret negotiations with the Tory MP.

The company said that it had announced the appointment in ad- vance “in the interests of transparency and so there can be perceived to be no conflict of interest in his current role as an MP”.

Mr MacKay, one of the casualties of the expenses scandal, is said to have negotiated a six-figure salary. “He’s been told to keep close to the Cameron team,” an insider said.

This is interesting because David Cameron in a speech only 3 days ago railed against lobbying of this kind. This is what he said:

"We all know how it works. The lunches, the hospitality, the quiet word in your ear, the ex-ministers and ex-advisers for hire, helping big business find the right way to get its way. In this party, we believe in competition, not cronyism.

"So we must be the party that sorts all this out. Today it is a £2bn industry that has a huge presence in parliament. The Hansard Society has estimated that some MPs are approached over 100 times a week by lobbyists.

"I believe that secret corporate lobbying, like the expenses scandal, goes to the heart of why people are so fed up with politics. It arouses people's worst fears and suspicions about how our political system works."

So Mr Mackay's reported move seems directly at odds with the direction his leader wants to take.

I thought it would be interesting to see what our readers think about this move and whether Mr Mackay is right to take on this role. I have put a poll in the sidebar at the top of the blog. It will run for a week and asks whether he should do it. The options are "Yes", "No" and "It's none of our business".

Please feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments below too.

MP Andrew Mackay gets a job

I am away on holiday but I have just picked up on this story, On Andrew Reeves Running Blog

Cameron declares war on lobbyists then top Tory Andrew Mackay MP accepts new job as a lobbyist

Please do read the link above

It appears MP Andrew Mackay, has admitted he will be joining Burson-Marsteller after considering a number of agencies when he stands down at the forthcoming general election.

Holiday

Dazmando is on holiday for a few days to visit his mum in Spain. I will be back Wednesday next week. I do have some cover for the blog for any major events.

Feel free to discuss any local or national issues in the Comment box and I will reply back to the comments when I return.

Thank you all and I will soon return.

Climate Change IPCC Must Use Science

The recent IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) failures which includes admitting that they got the figures wrong on the Himalayan glaciers proves how important it is to use science. If you don't have science to back up your claim then don't make the claim, commission more research instead.

These recent failures of the IPCC to get the figures right on climate change has increased the scepticism in the public see the figures on Letters from a Tory blog Bye bye climate change consensus?. See the poll below says it all really;

People think there is some massive Left conspiracy to tax us all. I still believe that is just a crazy idea, as they will be found out if it was true.

There is also talk amongst Greens of going back the old mantra of reducing fossil fuels and fuel security and power. This would really just fuel the fire of the conspiracy believers as it would simply be viewed as a change of tack and then IPCC reports would appear to be some kind of dodgy dossier. If you have the proof of climate change and believe it then stick with it unless proven otherwise.

Andrew Neil is fast becoming a good source on climate change as he is covering both sides of the story with a skeptical eye. Andrew is being fair in this developing story and reporting on both the sceptical debate and the details of recent rising temperatures in January accross the world see here and the dam is cracking here.

So because Andrew Neil is being fair to both opinions, im going to read with interest on what he reports. The problem with climate change is there are too many people on both sides who appear to have agenda's personally im only interesting in find out the truth of the matter.

So please in future IPCC when you say its based on science, make sure it is otherwise you will lose all credibility and the stats will move further away from a public consensus on climate change.

Local Blog: Cut Councillors Pay to Save the Look In Cafe

Bracknell Council Labour Leader Anne Shillcock has called for a 5% cut in allowances to help pay for the Look In Cafe.

To pay for the Look In Cafe the reduction in allowances would have to be more like 10% because it costs £60,000 to run the Look In Cafe. I spoke to the former Lib Dem Councillor and current PPC Ray Earwicker and he confirmed that the Lib Dems would be willing to take a cut if they were on the council. He also informed me that he did not accept a rise in allowances while he was a councillor.

I do think councillors should be paid for their time and agree with Paul Bettison (council leader on this point) for this reason its not fair of Bettison to simply state that claiming an allowance is down to the individuals. It would be better to have a free vote on taking a cut in allowances and fairer. Why should one councillor pay for the Look In Cafe while others don't?

This is also why we need more opposition on the council and other points of view. Because the current Tory council have too much power.

A March is planned in Bracknell Town on Saturday 13th February from 10:30 to 12:00.

This links into my blog here which includes links to the Facebook campaigns.

Does Being Famous Equal Role Model

Whenever I hear a radio discussion on the ongoing revelations over the John Terry colourful private life the same subject keep’s on coming up again and again. John Terry is a role model so he should behave like one.

Well I’m not sure anyone who gets into a position of fame using talent should actually be a role model or indeed can be a role model.

When John Terry set out to become a professional football player (he joined the Chelsea youth team at 14 years old). He surely joined to live his dream of being a top class football player and playing for England. I doubt that being a rich famous star was at the forefront of his mind, and indeed all the negative trappings of being a star such as press intrusion and greater temptation.

I don’t see how many of todays famous, talented people are role models, many remarry, many have been involved in drugs and many have been involved in marriage scandals. Just of the top of my head I can name Tiger woods, Amy Winehouse, Pete Doherty, Britney Spears, Chris Brown, Michael Jackson the list goes on and on.

There has been plenty of famous people who were not role models (or not good ones) in the past you can think of the antics of many a famous rock band like the Who or the Sex Pistols or the Stones and other stars like Oliver Reed and George Best, or perhaps further back to Henry VIII.

These days we have plenty of untalented celebrities, do you want them to be a role model? I don’t?

Famous people should not be our role models, people are people and some will behave well while others will behave badly. We can’t expect these people to be role models. We may enjoy their talent and admire there skill but the real role models out there are the commutity workers the soldier who saves a life on the battle field and the person who jumped in a river to save a life and also the people in your life know help you out be them your parents, doctors or teachers.

Andrew Mackay MP for Bracknell has a Crime Registered Against Him

Goodbye Andrew Mackay have registered Andew Mackays second home payments as a crime see here.

After the news that Andrew Mackay has made a payment as per Sir Thomas Legg Report and after the news that three Labour MPs and one Tory peer will face criminal charges over their expenses.

I will follow this story closely to see if anything results from this. It will also be interesting to know if this has or is happening to any other MP's around the country?




Meanwhile....

In other news I note that Bracknell Green Party Blogger Green Gabbles has written an interesting blog on Phillip Lee Tory PPC called Phillip Lee To the Moon and Back here.

He makes some excellent points on safe seats and notes the questions I raised on Political Letters in the Press‏ and Alvin's rebuff of my blog here.

News Flash Andrew Mackay Repayment

Here is an extract from Sir Thomas Legg Report.

''Rt Hon Andrew Mackay MP
Bracknell
Mr Mackay is married to another MP. He designated his London flat as his second home, while his wife nominated it as her main home. He designated his constituency home as his main home while his wife nominated it as her second home. This meant that, between them, the couple had no main home which was not funded by the ACA. Throughout the five years of the review period, they both claimed at or close to the full allowance to support their two homes. These arrangements obtained a financial benefit for the couple which appears unintended under the Green Book rules, and as such contrary to the principles governing it. Had they made different
designations, each MP might reasonably have claimed up to two-thirds of the full allowance on a shared second home. On this footing, each of them was overpaid by one-third of the maximum ACA for each year of the review period. This is £29,243.

He was also paid £9,950 for cleaning over the four years 2004-05 to 2007-08, thus
exceeding the allowable maximum by a total of £1,950.'

Total repayment recommended: £31,193.00
Total repayments received since 1 April 2009: £31,193.00
Balance recommended to be repaid: £0.00

So Andrew Mackay has made a payment, it is at the higher end of other MP's repayments. However many believe he should pay more (£170,000) see here

His wife, Julie Kirkbride, MP for Bromsgrove, has also been asked to pay back £29,243.

What I find amazing about this is that both MacKay and his wife have appealed against these claims, they failed. Does this not prove that they infact believe that their claim was not false?

The full report can be read here

Goodbye Andrew Mackay also reports here

Super Injunction More Trouble Than It's Worth

It appears to me after the recent revelations about John Terry's private life and after his super injunction failed that an injunction can make things worse for the subject in question.

The Newspapers have now really got it in for him perhaps because they were gagged. It just builds up a torrent of anger. When unleashed which is much worse than letting the story come out. Its like cutting your nose off to spite your face.

Also look at the Trafigura affair. I think that would of gone almost unnoticed if it wasn't for the super injunction. Where social media sites reported that the guardian and parliament were unable to report on/discuss the oil companies toxic-dumping incident in Ivory Coast.

It is surely wrong that an injunction can be used in this way in a democracy where we should have free speech and freedom of the press.

Trafigura Guardian story can be found here

The latest revelations on John Terry can be found at The Sun site here

Local Blog: The Look In Cafe Campaign Grows

I do understand that it can be hard to be in power as you have to make hard decisions that you don't like, but closing the Look In is the wrong decisions as there are other ways of finding the money. As reported on this blog here and here. It looks like the council could have a real fight on there hands.

The users of the cafe are mobilizing and are prepared to hold a march to the council offices and the petition already has 1000 names. Look In campaigners have and will be attending the council budget meetings

There are two Facebook campaigns which can be found here and here.

This will be an interesting story of people power and I for one would not want to say 'NO' to this strong group of campaigners. If the council do back down of course this could also give hope to future campaigns, lets see if they listen.

By-Election In Owlsmoor Includes Mark Reckons

A Borough Council By-Elections in the Ward of Olwsmoor will be held at the Owlsmoor Community Centre from 7am to 10pm at Yeovil Road on 25th February. This by-election has be called because of the the sad death of Councillor Ray Simonds.

The candidates standing in for the position of Borough Councillor are;

Norman William Bowers - Conservative
Peter Martin Forbes - Green Party
Guy Alexandar Gillbe - Labour Party
Mark James Thompson - Liberal Democrats

And this election also includes Town Councillor;

Wallington Philip - Conservative
Peter Martin Forbes - Green Party
Guy Alexandar Gillbe - Labour Party
Ian James Simmons - UK Independence Party
Mark James Thompson - Liberal Democrats


I find it odd that UKIP are only contesting the town council, did they fill in the wrong form? Why not both seats?

Interestingly both the Liberal Democrats and the Labour Party did not contest this seat in May 2007 only one UKIP and one Independent stood (in a seat which requires two councillors). To find results for the Liberal Democrats and the Labour Party you have to go back to May 2003 when the Liberal Democrats received 2% more votes than the Labour Party and each Conservative received 32% of the vote.

Results for both years are as follows;

May 2007
David James Worrall
- Conservative 754 37% Elected
Raymond Simonds - Conservative 716 35% Elected
David William Vousden - Independent 347 17% Not elected
George William Barrand - UK Independence 245 12% Not elected

May 2003
David James Worrall - Conservative 582 32% Elected
Richard Hugh Thomas - Conservative 580 32% Elected
David Mohammed - Liberal Democrat 348 19% Not elected
Brian David Wilson - Labour 309 17% Not elected

Of added interest in this local election is that top Lib Dem blogger Mark Thompson (see Mark Reckons) is standing in this election. So expect some extra insight and blogs from Mark on running for a borough Council election. It will also be worth seeing if a national blogger effects a local election. This is not the first time a top political blogger has been a candidate in Bracknell, Iain Dale came 3rd in the Conservative PPC Primary, which was won by Phillip Lee.

So all that remains to be said is good luck too all the candidates. I also think its a good and brave thing to put yourself up for election, to represent the local people on the council and indeed to be involved in local democracy.