From One End of Kent

Should Thanet Councillors Have Free Food and Drinks?

2011-03-09T12:55:00.007Z

My previous story on Conservative Thanet District councillors receiving free alcohol and food after Council meetings has attracted a lot of comment.

I raised the issue of the cost of food and drink after Council meetings in late 2008 and early 2009. I have a number of emails from that time on which I base this post. The figures therefore will be out of date, but the principles will remain the same. My motivation for investigating was that I thought the cost could not be justified to Council Tax Payers.

I have also been concerned since my election in 2007 at the role alcohol plays for some councillors. It is my personal view that this is wrong and I have been disappointed at the ‘old school’ councillors who see alcohol as lubricating the political process.

When I first requested the cost of these meetings from Council officers I did not get a very helpful response. I then made requests under the Freedom of Information Act and still received only a partial response. I then spoke to the then Council Chairman John Kirby, and he was very helpful and transparent. As soon as he became involved the previous logjam preventing release of information fell away. I think it interesting to note that officers were defensive about this request.

He advised me (and bear in mind my memory is of a couple of years ago) that it was custom and practice that the Chair of Council provided a reception after Council meetings. The Chair is paid an allowance. They then use that allowance to buy food and drink for councillors after the meeting. So technically the money is the Chair’s personal money, but it is acknowledged that this is expected of any individual carrying out the job. This has been the case for some years. So, technically the provision of refreshments is outsourced to the Chair of Council's personal allowance but effectively as I understand it the money is expected to come from their allowance which is provided by taxpayers.

However, this food and drink are not the only costs, there are other extra costs. These are the costs the Council was reluctant to divulge. There have in the past been council staff who have ordered the drinks, collected the drinks and set up the drinks and food. There is the Chair of Council’s attendant who stays behind and then drives the Chair of Council home after the meeting. There are the security and reception staff, who keep the buildings open and have to remain being paid while councillors eat and drink. In addition there is heating, lighting, motoring and other running costs. These costs were being incurred for a couple of hours after each Council meeting purely so that councillors could enjoy free alcoholic drinks and food, what might be called a private party.

Costs clearly vary from meeting to meeting and the number of meetings in a year but an approximate cost of £2,000 a year in 2009 for all these costs of refreshments, staff and heating, chauffeuring etc seemed about right. An exact figure could not be provided due to the need for confidentiality in relation to Council staff working hours and overtime claims.

John Kirby thought this a worthwhile expense; I thought the money could be better spent in other ways. The newspaper article highlights this. John’s figure was for food and drink, my larger figure for all costs. John also was mindful of people’s perceptions and had changed arrangements. There had been cases in the past where Chairs of Council attended meetings and then had a good “session” knowing they had a Council tax funded chauffeur to take them and their friend’s home. I know John Kirby on several occasions provided his own transport to and from meetings depending on his diary commitments, to minimise costs. He also got rid of the arrangement where council staff were going out and buying alcohol and then distributing it and serving it to councillors – not an essential front line service!

He arranged to go and buy drink himself (from Tesco if my memory serves me!) and deliver it, whereas I’m told Council vehicles had been used in the past. All good reforms but still in my view insufficient.

I still took the view that as councillors we would be better off buying our own refreshments and using the clubs and pubs of Margate after meetings if we wished to socialise. I could not justify the costs of staff, heating, lighting, chauffeuring etc for what was in effect a “private party”.

If officers asked could they please keep the Town hall open for a private party councillors would say ‘No’; why should councillors regard themselves differently?

John Kirby was succeeded by Margaret Sheldrick as Chair of Thanet Council in 2009. She has been similarly transparent about this matter to John Kirby, and operated to the same high standards. She has been an advocate of modernisation and is sympathetic to the idea of Thanet allowing twitter and facebook updating at meetings by councillors. Many other councils allow this as does the House of Commons.

I think it is important to recognise that the issue is not one of the John Kirby or Margaret Sheldrick as Chair of Council having responsibility. Their role is largely symbolic and non-political. They do not authorise the money so that the Town Hall stays open for these social events. It is the Conservative cabinet Chris Wells, Martin Wise, Simon Moores and Roger Latchford lead by Bob Bayford who do so. They are the people who need to be held to political account.

All five of these plead in public there are hard times and there is no money. They then have the opportunity to go and have free alcoholic drinks and food at the taxpayers’ expense. I can only estimate that the cost they currently authorise for this is conservatively £1,000 a year for staff security, heating, lighting, staff and other costs. I think that shows how they prioritise spending for people in Thanet.

In a way it does not matter whether the cost is £100, £1,000 or £10,000 with tight financial times I think there are other priorities. I know some Conservatives agree. I know all my Labour colleagues agree. Like me they would rather see this money spent for the community.

In my Northwood ward both Coleman Crescent Recreation Area (see pictures on left) and Jackey Bakers play area need new children’s play facilities. I think this money would be better spent prioritised for children to play rather than councillors to have a free drink.

My thanks to Cllr. John Watkins who occasionally drinks in the Royal British Legion in Margate at his own expense after Council meetings, for his help researching this.

My New Website and An Expenses Story

2011-03-04T20:34:00.006Z

My new website on my work as a councillor in Northwood is available here.

Please have a look, I would welcome any feedback.

It still has a few small tweaks for me to work out but it is almost there. I still have plenty to add but have taken off the "under development" notice.

There are of course many references to subjects I have covered here. I have linked to press coverage of issues in the Northwood ward I represent. When putting it together one story on expenses caught my eye.

In 2009 Cllr. John Watkins and I complained about the free drinks and food available after Full Council meetings of Thanet District Council. I have only attended once soon after I was elected in 2007. I was surprised to see a generous buffet together with cans of beer and lager with bottles of wine, plus soft drinks. The alcoholic drinks were available on a help yourself basis.

I didn't go back because I couldn't see that having free alcoholic drinks was something I could justify as a councillor. Recently we have heard much about austerity but I argued years ago that councillors should not be enjoying this kind of generous perk.

Labour councillors rarely if ever attend these free refreshement sessions. On one occasion one of my colleagues was returning to their car after drinking in a local hostelry at their own expense. As they did so they encountered several Conservative councillors carrying several plates from the post Council buffet to the nearby Conservative Club.

As they said to me, it was pleasing to see councillors so committed to recycling as the food would only have gone to waste! It did though seem an unreasonable use of council taxpayers money. There is also the question of the staff required to keep the building open, plus lighting, heating etc all at the taxpayers expense.

This is a cost saving that is long overdue.

Labour Slackers Beware!

2011-03-04T10:38:00.004Z

Thanks to Hopi Sen for directing me to the new Univeristy of Nottingham politics blog Ballots and Bullets from Abraham Lincoln's quote:

"Ballots are the rightful and peaceful succesors to bullets."

Let's hope the Libyan people get some ballots after the current bullets.

Philip Cowley's post yesterday Labour Slackers Beware is well worth a read, click here. He looks at new Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) rules and concludes:

'The aim of these reforms, though, is to try to make it easier for the Chief Whip to target the PLP’s slackers and free-riders.'

Sounds good to me.

Northwood Traffic Problems

2011-03-01T21:39:00.014Z

Last week's Isle of Thanet Gazette had an interesting letter from Conservative Thanet District Councillor David Lawson who represents St. Peter's:

"Recently the Isle of Thanet Gazette published an article with regard to the nuisance caused by students parking their cars along Northwood Road and nearby roads, sometimes blocking the driveways of residents.

Last week I had a meeting at Canterbury with the vice chancellor and principal of the Christ Church university, Dr. Robin Barker. He was at pains to stress that he did not approve of such action by the students and would be writing to them.

With immediate effect he has instructed that further free car parking spaces within the campus are made available for the students."

This is not a very green response. However, it is a result of the Conservative Thanet District Council not planning properly for the new college buildings.

In October 2007 Your Thanet reported on my work for Northwood residents.

Gridlock fear over new campus

"A NEW campus for Thanet College could lead to traffic problems in Westwood, say councillors.

Richard Nicholson, the Labour Party’s . Thanet leader, has voiced concern that the roads around Westwood Cross could become even more congested if the college moves there, as planned, in 2011

He said: "We are concerned with what amounts to nothing more than promises and doubtless finger crossing that our infrastructure can accommodate this move to the Westwood Cross area."

The new campus, a £43 million project has been given the go-ahead by council members but awaits further approval from the Government Office for the South East (GOSE).

Councillor Mark Nottingham, who represents the Northwood ward, an area that suffers from congestion from Westwood, added: "Residents are concerned with this planned move.

"They are not against a better Thanet College but even now, before a brick has been laid, they cannot get out of their driveways because of the traffic.

"We need to ensure a properly thought out travel plan is produced to deal with this whole question."

The modern campus building has been project managed by Adam Granger who met with staff from the college to ensure the needs of each department are properly met and that the move will go smoothly."

The new state-of-the-art campus building will cater for 8,000 students and enjoy close links with the neighbouring Canterbury Christ Church University."

I remember being told that many students would take the Loop bus to Westwood Cross and then walk through to the University and College. I am sure some do, but far more as I predicted take their cars. This was always likely with a new site that was poorly served by public transport.

Today I still have residents and businesses contacting me who complain about traffic and parking problems. My picture shows an all too typical scene of traffic congestion on Margate Road. For voters in the coming elections though this is a clear lesson of a key issue in Thanet that the Conservatives got wrong and which Labour councillors called right.

Jackey Bakers Play Area

2011-02-26T19:05:00.008Z

Last week's Isle of Thanet Gazette provided good coverage of the work that my Northwood ward colleague Cllr. Liz Green has been leading on to provide better children's play facilities at Jackey Bakers. Liz and I are pictured below with local residents at the play area.

This has been a regular issue at meetings of Northwood ward's Police and Communities Together (PACT)meetings. Children need better facilities which in turn reduce anti-social behaviour.

Many Northwood residents have said to me that they want to see the same sort of play facilities as they see in Cliftonville and Dane Park in Margate. My Labour colleagues in Cliftonville East and Margate Central have worked hard to secure money from the Safer Stronger Communities Fund. Ramsgate residents understandably expect similar levels of play provision.

Jackey Bakers current facilities are unacceptable. Unlike almost every other childrens play area in Thanet there is no fence to keep dogs from fouling where childrens play. For three years Thanet District Council Conservatives could have used the £50,000 from Abbey Homes to make things safer for Northwood children. Their decision not to demonstrates that "the Big Society" is a myth. Money for children or to keep as reserves? It is clear which has been Thanet Conservatives priority over the last 3 years.

Instead they have in effect used this money as an interest free loan, so that it is part of "reserves". This is wrong, and it is time action was taken so that Northwood children have fenced off non-rusty play facilities as soon as possible.

Livestock on the Line

2010-10-18T22:13:00.004+01:00

This evening the train I was travelling on back to Ramsgate from London hit something. The driver asks for the guard to get in touch and then the guard says the train has hit some er, and then correcting himself says "livestock". The train stops, and then after a wait drives on slowly to Marden station. The guard announces that he will have to check the train for damage.

Speculation on the train is that we have hit cattle. Descending the guard carefully walks round and inspects the train.

After a further delay the guard announces the train will proceed slowly as no trace of the pheasant (livestock???) can be found. The train limps late into Ashford International.

Roy Ford

2010-10-11T08:23:00.002+01:00

I am sorry to hear that former Labour Dane Valley Thanet District Councillor Roy Ford has died. Roy was a Mayor of Margate and Tony Ovenden details here how Roy helped to preserve Margate's history.

I have heard a fund of stories from my Labour colleagues about Roy and I will ask to see if one of them will write a more detailed obituary.

Roy also served in the Second World War, notably at Arnhem I understand. We shall never forget them.

Everybody Needs Somebody to Love

2010-10-10T13:37:00.004+01:00

I started the day with an optimistic meeting of Kent County Labour Party in Sittingbourne first thing this morning. Everybody was reporting new members with Faversham pleasantly surprised at how many new members they were attracting from their innovative leaflets. Gravesham reported lots of young people joining so an optimistic mood to face up to some coming difficult political challenges.

A lovely sunny day saddened by the news on BBC Kent radio as I returned that Solomon Burke (great website) has died. Not many people write a song that is also a philosophical statement - Everybody Needs Somebody to Love. I first recall it being performed by the Rolling Stones, and the song is part of that musical movie masterpiece the Blues Brothers. Here's the great man himself, rest in peace Solomon. Love somebody, Solomon said so.

Imitation - the Sincerest Flattery

2010-10-09T22:45:00.005+01:00

I am reading Tony Blair’s book A Journey. It is far superior to most political biographies so it is easy to see why it has become the fastest selling political biography of recent times. Blair clearly divides many people but there are many nuggets of information and insights into the political process, so if you follow politics I recommend a read.

I have got a fair way to go still but was struck by what Tony Blair wrote about his speech to Labour Party Conference in 1997:

“I specifically went out of my way to pay tribute in my own political heritage to Lloyd George, Keynes and Beveridge..” p118

His actual words were:

"I'll tell you: my heroes aren't just Ernie Bevin, Nye Bevan and Attlee. They are also Keynes, Beveridge, Lloyd George."

In this year’s speech to the Labour Party’s Conference, Labour's new leader Ed Miliband said...

"I also know something else. Wisdom is not the preserve of any one party. Some of the political figures in history who I admire most are Keynes, Lloyd George, Beveridge, who were not members of the Labour Party."

Ed Miliband then generalisedin his speech, but I doubt his conclusion is that different from Tony Blair's 13 years ago:

"Division among radicals almost one hundred years ago resulted in a 20th century dominated by Conservatives. I want the 21st century to be the century of the radicals."

Time for Youth

2010-10-04T21:05:00.005+01:00

Regular readers of this blog will know that I am unhappy at how unrepresentative Thanet's councillors are of Thanet's population. At age 48 I am frequently the youngest elected representative in the room at meetings - it's nice to be young again!

Tonight I am delighted to hear that 21 years old Margate man, Will Scobie has been selected as one of Labour's candidates for Dane Valley ward in Margate for next year's District Council elections. Will is pictured here graduating from York University.

Will's outstanding academic record has lead him to start a Masters course at the University of Kent this autumn. My colleague Sandra Hart has proven herself a most effective councillor following her spectacular by-election win, after one of Thanet Conservatives regular scandals. Congratulations to Jon Edwards who is the third member of a hard working team for Dane Valley.

I hope other political parties in Thanet will be selecting similarly youthful candidates.

A Sporting Chance

2010-10-04T11:22:00.005+01:00

I recently had Sunday lunch at the Sportsman pub in Cliffsend. At a time when times are tough for pubs, hosts Steve and Nikki are showing how to innovate and adapt. It’s the first pub I’ve seen offering an Ann Summers adult evening, as well as the usual quizzes and karaoke nights. Pop in on the wrong evening and you may struggle with the “what is this object?” round of the quiz!

First impressions count and I liked the desire to sit our group in the pub, despite other reserved tables. Too many publicans seek the earliest opportunity to send you off to the annex restaurant area, where sometimes there are hardly any other people present, and the atmosphere can be fairly soulless. I’m happy to decamp if the pub is full, but it will always be second best to being near the bar.

The Sportsman is a Shepherd Neame pub so the beer is fine and the wine was too. Service is thoughtful and attentive. Those with special diets will encounter every effort to adapt to their needs. Sunday lunch is excellent value and our group sampled all 3 meats on offer chicken, lamb and beef – all quality.

Vegetarians do not have the greatest choice but will have something created to order by the chef. The bar area has sofas for coffee, tables for food, television for the sports addicts and a pool table all squeezed into a building dating back to 1750.

Steve and Nikki will soon be celebrating their first anniversary since arriving last November. Here’s to many more years of great service to the community. They certainly deserve to succeed from my experience.

Cooperatives to challenge Big Society?

2010-09-29T17:29:00.007+01:00

With the financial pressures all local authorities are facing I took the opportunity to attend a fringe meeting at Labour Party Conference on Co-operative Councils: mutuality and the new politics. These are my notes and thoughts (apologies for any mis-spellings, I'll be happy to amend any comments by participants).

Steve Reed, Leader of Lambeth Council said that Cameron’s “Big Society” was the use of language to try and stake a claim to an area of politics that has traditionally been Labour territory, mutualism. Steve said a co-operative approach should not be just a response to cuts, but rather a more flexible and responsive way for local government to respond to what people want in local services.

With British society increasingly less homogeneous a “one size fits all” big state approach cannot be responsive to communities like Lambeth where over 150 different languages are spoken. He disparaged Suffolk County Council’s proposal to privatise all its services. This was the right’s response to automatically see public provision as bad.

Steve talked about Lambeth’s Community Fresh View scheme. Here areas where rubbish is dumped are no longer dealt with by the council. Instead the Council provides the tools, the spades, the skips and the flowers for local residents to transform semi-derelict sites into a play area, or a garden, depending on what neighbours want. The local people take ownership of the problem and respond as part of Civic society, enabled but not enforced by the Council.

Meg Hillier MP chairing the meeting urged all present to read the book issued by Local Government Leadership - Co-operative Communities, Creating a shared stake in our society for everyone.

Jim McMahon the Leader of Oldham Council and one of the youngest council leaders in the country talked about the need for co-operativism to extend outside local authorities too. So Councils should hold their money with ethical bankers who did not fund the arms industry and land mines for example, not banks putting a culture of bonuses first.

Oldham Labour'sl policy was that the top earning member of staff should not earn more than 10 times the pay of the lowest paid member of staff. An excellent idea!

Jim wanted to restructure financial responsibilities so local ward councillors had a greater say in how monies were spent in their communities. He concluded co-operativism should be part of everything a Council did and not just a branding exercise.

Tessa Jowell MP believed there was a moment for mutualism politically and the packed fringe meeting with more than 70 people present with standing room only. Some people had to be turned away showing the enthusiasm for this in the Labour Party. Co-operativism with worker and user boards had transparency at its heart.

Tessa believed Council’s preparing their manifestos for the 2011 elections should look at including co-operative commitments in their pledges. This had approved by people in Southwark and Lambeth in 2010 local elections, who had returned councils with co-operativism in the heart of their campaigns.

Bryony Rudkin a Suffolk County Councillor commented on how unfair Big Society was with the prospect of Suffolk becoming a virtual council and the need for an alternative.

Neville Gregory a Swindon councillor saw the spending of money on the proposed new “free schools” was the wrong approach and could potentially allow BNP members to set up a school.

Money could be better spent continuing the Building Schools for the Future programme.

Michael Stephenson General Secreary of the Cooperative Party said there were 3 key things

1. The credit crunch meant people questioned financial arrangements.
2. Mutualism was becoming fashionable with 24 pledges in Labour’s last manifesto.
3. The Big Society is an insidious version of Thatcherism where volunteers were available in wealthier communities but not poorer ones.

He thought many councillors did not still understand co-operatives and mutualism, and those present should explain and evangelise for co-operatives. Co-operatives were an option but not the only solution. Trade unions had unfounded fears about the prospect of greater, mutualism and this needed to be robustly explained as co-operatives had been part of the Labour movement for more than a century.

The Co-operative Bank had an excellent record as an ethical financial institution without bonus scandals, and mutual housing could compliment Council provision. He also said that opportunities would only be maximised if the inevitable teething troubles were understood.

Sharon Taylor is Leader of Stevenage Council wgere every Labour councillor is also a Co-operative councillor. She wanted greater decentralisation of budgets into neighbourhoods and local communities. The principle should be to maximise decentralisation of budgets.

Ed Davey a Lambeth Cooperative councillor wanted to ensure cooperatives were not dominated by middle classes and that those in lower socio-economic groups were fully involved.

Helen Holland Bristol Council’s Labour Leader said trade unions were concerned about cooperativism and wanted to hear of strategies to explain and reassure trade unions that cooperatives could work for all.

John Smith from Surrey Youth service was very concerned about how Surrey County Council was looking at using this approach to cut youth services by replacing staff with young people volunteering to run clubs. He saw co-operativism and social enterprise as a threat to current provision.

Councillor Lambert from Rochdale responded that Rochdale were looking at a workers cooperative to run their youth service. He said that mutualism should be part of the toolkit of modern local government management.

Nick Yates from MIND wanted to see how those with disabilities might have their voices excluded from the running of cooperatives.

Mo Baylis from Heywood and Middleton CLP was concerned as to how coops could raise capital monies. For refuse collection, a new lorry is £250,000. Could cooperatives raise these monies and meet euro procurement rules. On accountability how do you vote out a cooperative board member like councillors who stand for election every 4 years?

Andy Sawford from Kettering thought cooperatives could lead to an atomisation of services and wanted to know how councils could ensure a core of services was maintained.

Tudor Evans leader of Plymouth Labour group wanted a quick guide to cooperative law so that when officers challenged the use of cooperatives he could insist on how cooperatives could be legally accountable.

Jim McMahon advised that Oldham had 40 senior managers yet not one of them lived in the borough whereas 85% of low paid staff did live in the borough. The managers mostly lived in leafier postcodes like Cheshire. He wanted standards of accreditation to stop people claiming to be cooperatives without achieving a kitemark.

Sandy Martin Leader of Suffolk Labour group said it was easier to have this conversation in opposition. There should not be division, cuts should be opposed but services should also be transformed through use of the cooperative model.

Councillor Alison Moore from "easy council" Barnet wanted to use mutualism to oppose the minimising of services which Barnet Conservatives wanted to introduce.

As a Thanet councillor I raised the issue of provision of affordable housing through cooperatives and how cooperativism could not just work for local authorities, but also nationally to help the Labour Party to win the next election.

Michael Stephenson said with coming elections Scotland and Wales could test cooperative approaches in their manifestoes and governments.

Steve Reed said an opinion poll in Lambeth had shown 80% of people were in favour of the cooperative model and called this political gold dust. However, safeguarding children should always remain a council function. Cooperativess handed power to the people an idea at the heart of Labour ideology.

Manchester had seen the return of its renowned wet and windy weather. With the meeting being in the USDAW marquee all present had battled through background noise as rain pounded the tent roof.

For myself I was most impressed by Jim McMahon and I think Labour's manifesto for the 2011 Thanet Council election should see a commitment for the highest paid member of staff to earn no more than 10 times the hourly rate of the lowest paid member of staff. The current Conservative administration has seen report after report which have increased the pay of senior officers ahead of the rate of inflation; even when the recession has meant that far more talented and able executives have been available in the job market.

I think a proposal like this would see senior officers showing a far greater interest in the issue of low pay, and would make for a more equitable society and communtiy locally.

A Modern Romance

2010-09-29T10:32:00.002+01:00

This article caught my eye this morning because it is a romance that "Brief Encounter" style commenced on Hereford rail station a place I know well, and still visit regularly. Hereford s not the most beautiful station but this story of Sarfraz Manzoor, a Muslim man romance with bridget a Christian woman in a secular society might bring a slight tear to your eye as it does for me before the end.

Traffic Lights

2010-09-26T10:42:00.006+01:00

Well yesterday's post showed I have no future as Mystic Meg! The Labour Party very quickly united around Ed Miliband as its new Leader.

I am working at Labour Party Conference in Manchester. Ed Miliband's first scheduled speech at a fringe meeting after the leadership result announcement, was at the London Labour Party reception. Word got out and quickly the room was absolutely heaving.

One of my favourite parts of Labour Party Conference is the chance to catch up with old friends. My fellow Thanet Labour councillors Linda Aldred (left) and Michelle Fenner (right) were also present and took the chance for a quick word with Labour's candidate for Mayor of London Ken Livingstone.

Michelle had a longer talk with Joe Derrett. Joe is fondly remembered and regarded for all his work in the South Thanet constituency in the 2001 general election. Joe has just successfully run Ken Livingstone's press campaign during Labour's Mayoral candidate selection.

I happily acknowledge I am not the world's best photographer. The bottom photo shows the reaction to my "great idea" that Michelle and Linda should line up with my employer Mary Honeyball, Labour's spokeswoman on Women and Cultue in the European Parliament, in "traffic lights" formation.

Perhaps against their better judgment they kindly went along with the idea.

Don't Believe the Hype

2010-09-25T08:08:00.004+01:00

If you're not that interested in the Labour leadership campaign look away now...

OK here goes, in a few hours this prediction could look very silly, but I think David Miliband will be declared Labour's new leader later today. Labour's selction is based on 3 equal electoral colleges. MPs and MEPs, Labour Party members and Labour trade unionists.

First MPs, the college with most public information on voting preferences. Here David Miliband leads Ed Miliband on first preferences. I take most Andy Burnham supporters to put their second preferences to David. Diane Abbott's nominally left wing supporters have been leaking away with a surprising proportion moving to David, but the majority to Ed Miliband. Key here will be how Ed Balls supporters vote. Wisely Ed Balls is abstaining, his supporters seem to be splitting equally between the Milibands. So I take David Miliband to win this electoral college not massively but not closely either.

Labour Party members are the trickiest part of the college to assess. There are a number of regional differences. The North West shows strength for local candidate Andy Burnham. Andy has run a sound campaign and will leave this contest positioned to be a future Labour Leader depending on what known unknowns might bring.

Similarly as a North East MP David Miliband has extra strength in that region. A weakness for Ed Miliband is that he has a rival in Yorkshire, Ed Ball,s so he does not have a region to give him extra voting strength from strong regional support.

The region with the greatest number of Labour Party members London is not supporting its local candidate. Diane Abbott's campaign has been poor. I am surprised at how few leading left wing Labour activists have been prominent in her campaign, which has been amateurish at times. I think Diane will have an even greater media career in future but politically she has underperformed.

This has left a void in London which both Miliband brothers have been filling. My sense for what it is worth is that younger Labour Party members (a post Iraq generation) are heavily supporting Ed. London though is the most multicultural part of the country and here David has strong support. I think this is perhaps a legacy of his work as Foreign Secretary when he kept in touch with diaspora communities.

There seems to be an assumption that all voters understand the Alternative Vote (AV) system being used. I don't think this is the case. Any candidate who has stood in a local election will know that the person earliest in the alphabet normally tops the poll. No matter how many times you camapign and explain that people have 3 votes, between 10 and 20% of voters only vote for one candidate. Similarly my experience of AV elections is that the same applies. Media commentators automatically assume that trade unionists and Labour Party members are somehow brighter than the general population. Would that this were so, but both anecdotally and from experience I think there will be many votes which fail to transfer. Every vote which does not transfer weakens Ed Miliband.

This is bad news for Ed Miliband whose campaign has focused heavily on securing second, third and fourth preferences. With David Miliband coming first for first prefernces in all the polls this failure to transfer may well be what wins it for him. My view is that most Andy Burnham 1st preference voters will move to David M. The reverse applies for Diane Abbott supporters with them overwhelmingly moving to Ed M. Ed Balls supporters are the voters Ed Miliband needs to switch ovewhelmingly to him. I think he will get a majority of them, but I don't sense that it will be as heavily as he needs.

Ed Balls has fought an outstanding campaign. Anyone who ever suggested he was overpromoted because of his closeness to Gordon Brown looks pretty stupid and should be eating large doses of humble pie. He will be a political heavyweight for the next two decades.

Overall this is hard to call but I call this part of the electoral college as 50/50 between the Miliband brothers.

Turning to trade unionists there is an assumption that Ed M will win here as trade union leaders are strongly supporting him. Trade union supporters are the least political part of the electoral college. Many of them would struggle to name all 5 candidates. Diane, David and Ed Balls are well known, and I expect this greater public awareness to help these candidates. There are also a large number of black and ethnic minority trade unionists who I expect to vote Diane first and then exercise their second preference.

I take David to win this section, partly because of his far greater profile amongst the general public.

I don't believe the hype. There's been a brilliant social media campaign by Ed Miliband. Twitterati and Facebook friends have been advocates for Ed, but I think this has generated lots of heat in terms of media coverage for Ed Miliband winning and little light. Older voters always have a hoistory ofhigher turnout proportionally, and I take this to favour David. It feels to me like all those predictions that the Liberal Democrats make that they will breakthrough, which but rarely come true. If David wins he should take these talents in Ed's campaign and place them in Labour Party HQ.

So in a few hours this may look like a lot of nonsense but here goes

1. David Miliband
2. Ed Miliband
3. Diane Abbott
4. Ed Balls
5. Andy Burnham

caution as a David Milband supporter, I have my biases!

Five 45s

2010-09-19T22:30:00.004+01:00

I have just added Richard T Kelly's blog to my blogroll. I have been meaning to do so for a while, he is into football and a David Miliband supporter. As a novelist his blog is far better written, do try it I think you'll like it. His latest post is 15 albums that meant something to him when he was 15 years old. In that vein here are 5 songs that meant something to me in my teenage years. I've been honest and one of them would be better forgotten. The first single I ever bought was from Sham 69, there's one for the embarassing moments file! I might inflict some more on another occasion!

Human beings too

2010-09-14T22:31:00.002+01:00

I know politicians get a bad press, it can be dispiriting sometimes as to how you are treated. This email received by a London Labour councillor gobsmacked them slightly when they received it:

"I am terrible at politics. I hope you will forgive me for the rude tone of my email. I was replying to you as a councillor and neglecting to remember you are a person too. I'm sure the situation here will resolve itself amicably and I chastise myself for letting it get the best of my manners."

Green Open Space - Dalby Square

2010-09-13T22:43:00.006+01:00

I am delighted to welcome a new guest blogger Cliftonville West Labour Councillor Doug Clark who piublishes an open letter to his fellow councillors on Thanet District Council's plans to give away an open green space to developers.

Dear Colleagues

I’m afraid I am unable to attend the TDC Planning Committee on 15th September so I would therefore like to inform you of my serious concerns regarding the development of the much loved and well used green open space in Dalby Square, Cliftonville.

Firstly, this public green open space provides opportunities for social interaction, physical activity and play and general enhancement of the local environment. It also improves the quality of life of our residents by providing space for social interaction, especially for children, in an area dominated by densely situated and internally cramped living conditions.

Fighting obesity, especially in children is a particular problem for us here in Cliftonville West. The green space currently provides physical and mental health benefits which improve the health of our residents through the ability for children to ‘let off steam’ in a positive manner and stressed adults to simply take a break, rest and unwind in the open air.

Suggestions have been made that there are other places nearby for children to play, namely the small playground at the other end of the square and the Viking Playground on the seafront. The playground at the other end of the square is small and for ‘tiny tots’ only, with small apparatus for very young children. The Viking Playground is around the corner and across a very busy and dangerous main road. Consequently it is only really suitable to be visited with parents. This playground is also covered with apparatus, indeed another open green space was lost when it was created, and so ball games would be extremely dangerous and practically impossible in both the areas suggested.

My ward colleagues and residents will no doubt expand on these matters at the planning committee meeting but as a Justice of the Peace of twenty eight years and the Chairman of the Cliftonville Police and Communities Together (PACT), I am particularly concerned about the knock-on effect that taking away the green could have on anti-social behaviour in our ward.

Groups of children from many different backgrounds come together on the large green open space in Dalby Square and iron out their differences in a positive manner using a ball and in a spirit of sportsmanship instead of ‘running gangs’ in a concrete jungle.

I simply cannot express strongly enough just how important this green is in preventing crime and anti-social behaviour in an area where it has even proved necessary to create a special Task Force!

Yours sincerely

Cllr Douglas Clark JP

Kelvin Mackenzie on Laura Sandys

2010-09-10T19:10:00.002+01:00

My felllow Labour Thanet District Councillor Peter Campbell has kindly sent me this from Thursday's Sun (which he had sent to him by a friend).

It is the column from the former Sun editor Kelvin MacKenzie regarding a meeting between him and South Thanet's new MP Laura Sandys.

“I recently sat on a television panel with Laura Sandys, the new Tory MP for South Thanet and daughter of the old Conservative Defence Minister Duncan Sandys. What a complete waste of space she is. One more brain cell and she would be a keep left sign. If she is the quality of the 2010 Tory intake, God help Cameron and God help Democracy.”

I can't find the original article on the Sun's website to link to it.

Chris Bryant for Labour's Shadow Cabinet?

2010-09-09T22:40:00.003+01:00

I have been quietly impressed by Chris Bryant, Labour MP for Rhondda in his work. He was Minister for Europe prior to the general election. After Labour's Leadership election, there will be a new Shadow Cabinet elected. If he turns in more performances like this then he must have a very good chance.

This is not just Kay Burley screwing up. It is the Sky News team, with researchers, an editor able to brief her through her earpiece and a producer who puts the whole team together. When these interviews happen, it is often overlooked that the BBC or Sky will have far more resources to prepare for the interview than the politician. Do have a watch as Bryant kebabs Burley.

Hat tip to Tomos Livingstone of the Western Mail.

Racing up the Charts

2010-09-08T11:54:00.008+01:00

I am delighted to be, as they used to say, the biggest mover in the charts. Leading Conservative blogger Iain Dale reports I am number 20 in the Total Politics top 100 Labour blog awards. Rising a massive 79 places I scrape into the Top 20, to provide another nice button to go with last weeks entry into the Top 30 councillor blogs.

I have been very touched by a number of people who have told me that they voted for me to show their support in the light of the repeated unfounded vexatious attacks this blog has had made against it by some Thanet Conservative councillors. I am humbled by such solidarity.

Congratulations to fellow Kent Labour blogger Tristan Osborne's Musings from Medway which rises from 98 to 59. I recommend this recent post which reports:

"There are also (apart from kerb crawling) incidentally further cases pending of staff bullying, problems with leading cabinet members disclosures and accusations of skullduggery over the recent primary school re-organisations. Each of these involves Medway Conservative Councillors."

Thanet Reform' Synagogue's 25th Anniversary

2010-09-06T20:12:00.003+01:00

One of my favourite buildings in the Northwood Ward I represent is the Thanet and District Reform Synagogue in Margate Road. You can find the location here.

They have an open day this coming Sunday from 11am to 3pm. Having visited a previous Open Day it is well worth a visit and you will receive a very friendly and informed welcome. This is part of the European Day of Jewish Culture and Heritage, and to celebrate the 25 years of the Synagogue there will be an exhibition entitled Art in Judaism.

Thanet's Abusive Conservative Cabinet Councillor

2010-09-04T20:57:00.003+01:00

Thanet Council Labour Group Leader Cllr. Clive Hart has written today to Thanet District Council (TDC) Leader Cllr. Bob Bayford's Cabinet member Cllr. Chris Wells. I understand Thanet District Council Leader Bob Bayford is aware of this ongoing abusive behaviour and considers it to be acceptable conduct.

Clive Hart writes...

"Dear Cllr Wells,

I write to you on a serious matter that for the past two weeks I have tried to raise in a diplomatic manner through your Conservative Group Leader and Deputy Leader. Unfortunately they appear either unable or unwilling to deal with you concerning this particular issue.

The fact is, we in the Labour Group can easily deal with the regular stream of throw-away comments you make regarding serious decisions at TDC, such as at the last council meeting where on one costly financial matter you clearly stated 'lets make this decision now and look at the detail later'.

We also have no problem dealing with the contradictory statements you make such as at the last TDC cabinet meeting where you supported giving away what is currently open green space (used by local children) for free to a developer for them to build on and around the same time you reportedly spoke on local radio about the problems of child obesity.

These kinds of comments are all part of the political process and we are more than happy to respond through that process.

Unfortunately, your are also well known for making nasty, appalling and outrageous comments in public. More recently these have included calling some residents of Thanet "inbreds" during a council meeting and also calling our Labour Shadow Cabinet a "mutual masturbation society". I find that kind of language disgusting and completely unnecessary and I believe most decent people in Thanet would too.

Now I have had it brought to my attention that you recently posted a comment through a local weblog on the world wide web that included the words "senior local labour members who have had restraining orders, or are said to be a little handy with their fists at home when they are frustrated and upset".

As Labour Group Leader I cannot ignore such derogatory comments and you can be assured that if I believed they were in any way true I would deal with the matter immediately.

I sincerely hope you agree these are extremely serious allegations. As a group we could use the standards process to deal with your comments. However, as an individual I have never used the standards process, despite on several occasions having good reason, and as Labour Group Leader I will not be drawn into wasting local rate-payers money to deal with your nasty outbursts (though I can't rule out others feeling differently on this matter and taking such action).

I therefore demand that you retract this latest appalling accusation and make a full public apology!

I also request that you keep such nasty personal thoughts to yourself and please try to temper your language in future.

Cllr Clive Hart - Labour Group Leader.

Please note: As you made all the comments I have referred to above in public I will also be making this communication public.

Blog Award and Back from Break

2010-09-03T19:51:00.008+01:00

Many thanks to everybody who voted for me in the Total Politics Top Councillor blogs run by leading Conservative blogger Iain Dale. I am delighted to have been voted Number 7 in the Top 30 councillors section. Last year I was surprised to be voted in the Top 100 Labour blogs having only blogged for a few months. I'm the highest new entry to this section - the only way is down!

Whilst this is my blog I would be unable to produce so many entries without the help of many others. Every one of my fellow Thanet Labour councillors has featured at some stage, and I greatly appreciate all the tips, advice and snippets of news they provide. Several have featured with guests posts from Clive Hart, John Watkins and Iris Johnston especially appreciated. I am also assisted by several other people who do not seek recognition, but often help out with research or provide me with information that is best in the public domain, even though they choose to remain anonymous. I welcome information and always protect my sources.

I have just had a month's break from blogging. Two weeks holiday and then two weeks harvesting. Picking, preparing and freezing beans, plums, raspberries, rhubarb, beetroot and all the other bounty is the highlight of a vegetable gardener's year. As the nights start to draw in I'll be posting more again.

Thank you again to all my readers and especially those of you who kindly took the time to vote for me, it is very much appreciated.

Beating the BNP in Medway

2010-08-03T15:18:00.005+01:00

Former Medway councillor Bill Esterson has stood down from his seat since he was elected as MP for Sefton Central. That has left a by-election in the River Ward of Medway Council. The BNP are standing and this is particularly galling as the ward covers the area where the annual Love Music Hate Racism Medway event takes place.

Vince Maple is organising Labour's campaign. If anyone has any available time between now and August 12th their help would be greatly appreciated.

You can call Vince on 07981 661 451, alternatively you can call Labour's excellent candidate John Jones directly on 07886601725. There will be activity going on every day.

Thanks to Tristan Osborne's Musings from Medway blog for the picture of Labour campaigners. A win here will also send a message to the new Conservative - Liberal democrat coalition government.

The election here in 2007 was decided by less than 30 votes so your help could really make the difference.

The Only Gay In the Village

2010-07-28T14:30:00.003+01:00

Michael Child recently posed the question on his Thanetonline blog about whether Thanet District Council was homophobic. Then David Davis MP commented that he considered the Conservative - Liberal Democrat coalition to be the “Brokeback Coalition”, referencing the iconic gay movie Brokeback Mountain. Alan Johnson MP commented on this that it was all a degree of trust, and that for some it was the “bareback coalition”.

Here in Kent the Conservative Party has a long tradition of homophobia. It took a hard line on Section 28 that made it the backwoodsmen’s backwoods. Enough of these outdoor allusions!

Things have got better. This has been due to the legislation and attitude of 13 years of Labour government. Some Thanet Conservative councillors such as Sandy Ezekiel, Chris Wells and Margaret Sheldrick have a strong record on gay rights. Others though remain uncomfortable with the idea of lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGBT) equality. You’ll not find them racing to photo opportunities for Margate Pride.

This matters. Thanet District Council is unrepresentative of the community it serves. As far as I can find out, no out LGBT councillor has ever served Thanet. There are subtle and informal barriers to gaining selection and election. I am saddened to hear that a LGBT individual who wishes to become a Conservative councillor is encountering difficulties.

This individual has good press contacts and can attract media coverage. They have a record of serving their community and voluntary activity. They would be superior to several serving Conservative councillors. But they face a problem. A notable Conservative individual is uncomfortable of any idea of a civic partnership. Perhaps they misheard and are confusing civic with civil! A subtle campaign is being waged to make it harder for this candidate to become a councillor.

So I hope those Conservatives with a sincere commitment to equality will intervene. This individual deserves their support so they are judged on their political views and competence, not their sex life. I hope that the first out LGBT councillor is elected to Thanet District Council next May.

I will not post any comments that seek to identify any individual’s sexuality.

Minster Show 2010

2010-07-26T21:24:00.005+01:00

I'm a fan of Minster Show and went again last saturday.

Whilst it threatened to rain, a quick spit was the worst it got and once again it was well attended.

The excellent Minster-in-Thanet website has developed a comprehensive mini-website with many photographs which covers the show. Well worth a click.

The parade had the usual floats with several Kentish princesses attending.

I enjoyed the exhibits in the marquee especially the vegetables. Once again Fred Fright (pictured at the bottom) dominated.

He saw off strong competition from Tom Debonno and Tracy Northrop. The crafts, flower arranging and encouragement of children are all that a show like this should be about.

Entertainment flowed from one stage with a range of musical acts.

On the other side of the show children raced and the "Red Wheelies" Scooter formation team paraded and then displayed, raising awareness of multiple sclerosis.

My thanks to members of Minster and Monkton Horticultural Society for their time and tips. It's good to know that everyone's beans seem to be behind this year!

Their autumn show is on 18th September at Minster Village Hall.

Click on any photo to enlarge.

And the winner is...

2010-07-24T20:07:00.007+01:00

Friday evening saw a packed Ramsgate Custom House with late comers having to stand holding a hustings for the Labour Party Leadership contest. South Thanet Labour Party had opened up the meeting to our neighbours. We were delighted to be joined by Labour Party members from North Thanet and Dover and Deal.

South Thanet Constituency Labour Party Secretary Michelle Fenner (right of top table) had invited representatives from all 5 candidates. Regrettably despite ample notice neither Ed Balls nor Diane Abbott were able to provide representatives. I could not find anybody present who was considering voting for them. This inability to put their case to 3 Constituency Labour Parties 90 minutes from London brings into question the organisation of their campaigns. Was there nobody they could ask who could spare a Friday evening to press their case?

South Thanet constituency chair Alan Poole (second right) ran the meeting. He handed over to Cameron Miller (centre) who was representing Ed Miliband. Battersea based Cameron was a leading Labour students activist and worked for Martin Salter MP until the General Election. Perhaps a little earnest he was devoted to "Ed" and recounted stories of how he had been inspired by Ed's ability to relate to voters on the doorstep. Cameron saw Ed Miliband's Living Wage campaign as a key reason to support his favoured candidate.

The expenses scandal has damaged all people in politics. At a local level the commitment is often above and beyond the call of duty. Most impressive of the advocates was longstanding Aldershot Councillor Keith Dibble (second left). Keith had only had a few hours sleep so had been driven from Hampshire by Howard Linsley who fought Meon Valley at the last General Election. Both were then due to drive back with just the propsect of stopping for a sandwich somewhere to break the journely up. Keith used the S word, socialism advocating Andy's aspirational socialism. He also argued that with his northern working class roots Andy was the candidate best placed to appeal to the wider electorate.

An informal survey suggests that the most famous person to visit the Custom House since Ramsgate Town Council moved in is David Miliband's representative David Rowntree (far left) Blur drummer, trainee lawyer and losing candidate in the Cities of London and Westminster seat at the general election. David kept to a short prepared speech emphasising David Miliband's experience and standing with the electorate.

All three took questions from the audience and there was some debate followed by drinks and nibbles. Several of those present in the audience talked about becoming more involved with the Labour Party and possibly standing as candidates in next year's local elections. It was a very successful evening raising funds.

As to a result, Diane Abbott and Ed Balls both missed an opportunity and trailing in the polls need better organisation. All three representatives came out well. The winner from those who were new to the venue was the Customs House. Several people said what a brilliant vista it provides. Ramsgate Harbour can be taken for granted perhaps by locals, but seeing it through other eyes the Customs House is a pearl of a venue.

My thanks to Dave Green for the photograph.

Please Vote for Me

2010-07-23T10:00:00.004+01:00

Please vote for me, that's what we politicians like to ask you. Last year I was very pleasantly surprised to receive so many votes - thank you to everybody who supported me. Many of you will not share my views, but if you are visiting hopefully you will find my ramblings occasionally worthwhile.

It's that time of year again, when Total Politics asks you to vote for your Top 10 favourite blogs. This is the fifth year of the poll and it covers all the political parties.

The rules are simple.

1. You must vote for your ten favourite blogs and ranks them from 1 (your favourite) to 10 (your tenth favourite).
2. Your votes must be ranked from 1 to 10. Any votes which do not have rankings will not be counted.
3. You MUST include at least FIVE blogs in your list, but please list ten if you can. If you include fewer than five, your vote will not count.
4. Email your vote to toptenblogs@totalpolitics.com
5. Only vote once.
6. Only blogs based in the UK, run by UK residents or based on UK politics are eligible. No blog will be excluded from voting.
7. Anonymous votes left in the comments will not count. You must give a name
8. All votes must be received by midnight on 31 July 2010. Any votes received after that date will not count.

Goodbye Charlie Gas - Mr. Ramsgate

2010-07-20T22:52:00.005+01:00

I was sorry to hear of the death of Charlie Goldsmith. As Charlie was leaving Thanet politics when he stood down as a councillor in 2003, I was starting to become involved so I did not know him. Yet like anybody involved in Ramsgate life his reputation was readily learnt.

Charlie represented the Eastcliff of Ramsgate for many years as a councillor. He lived much of his life in Flora Road. I spoke to Labour's current longest standing Thanet councillor Mike Harrison. He said that if you asked Ramsgate people who Charlie Goldsmith was they might not know, but talk about Charlie Gas and everyone knew who you meant. Charlie's nickname came from his job when he worked on Ramsgate's street gaslights. His death flashes a light on a barely recalled world more than half a century ago.

Although a Labour man, Charlie was not always a Labour Party man and he was at times an Independent and Independent Labour. In the end though he came back to Labour. He served in many roles but everyone I have spoken to has talked about what a superb Mayor of Ramsgate he was in 1988, 1992, 1997, 1998, and 1999.

The only other Mayor of Ramsgate to serve for 4 years in modern times Steve Ward talked about how proper and thorough Charlie was. Serving from 2004 to 2008 Steve said that Charlie had built a reputation for Ramsgate that extended across Kent and beyond.

He was Mr. Ramsgate.

Labour Bouncing Back

2010-07-19T23:21:00.003+01:00

Normally when a new government takes power they have a honeymoon period. This is reflected in good local council election results. So this analysis by Mark Senior makes for interesting reading....

There have so far between 18 English major council byelections in July . It is interesting to look at the accumulated vote totals ( over 28,000 votes ) and the vote share changes from when the seats were last fought in the 2006-2009 period .
Conservative 27% minus 3%
Labour 31% plus 8%
LibDem 22% plus 3%
Others 20% minus 8%

In case the results were distorted by the very high BNP vote in Barking , Goresbrook and Green vote in Brighton St Peters , I repeated the exercise without those 2 seats , the vote share changes were almost identical
Conservative 30% minus 5%
Labour 31% plus 9%
LibDem 26% plus 3%
Others 13% minus 7%

500% Over representation

2010-07-19T12:44:00.002+01:00

Sometimes figures say it all...

From “The House” magazine

“A tenth of all MPs were educated at just 13 schools, 12 of which are public schools. This means that over 60 of the nation’s parliamentarians were educated at a tiny percentage of its schools.”

“54% of Conservative MPs attended fee-paying schools, 40% of Liberal Democrat and 15% of Labour.”

“7% of the population is educated at public schools, compared to 35% of MPs.”

That's 500% over representation.

The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats are stopping the Building Schools for the Future programme which benefits 93% of the population.

An Inspiration

2010-07-13T13:01:00.004+01:00

I was sorry to read of the death of Basil Davidson. I was an avid reader of his articles on Africa and decolonisation in newspapers and magazines in my teenage years. As the obituary relates with a distinguished war record and considerable academic achievements including 27 books on Africa he lead an impressive life.

I was inspired by him when he came to give a talk at my school when I would have been 14 or 15. In a less international world it seemed amazing that this man who strode the world was in Herefordshire. He gave a fascinating talk particularly about Portuguese decolonisation and brought moden history to life. I have thought since that I wish had his talents. Reading his obituary he left school at 16 - life is what you make it!

Racial equality is the norm now but it wasn't by any means in my youth. I remember discussing Basil Davidson's visit with my father. Dad told me how unpopular he had found it in the 1960s supporting African independence at work or in the pub. Many of his friends cleaved allegiance to white settlers especially in Northern and Southern Rhodesia based purely on skin colour. He talked about the "sins of our fathers". In recent years with the increases in overseas aid, we are perhaps repaying some of the debts on which the wealth of Britain was based.

Decades later I am grateful that Basil Davidson gave up an afternoon to explain that in Africa, there wasn't a "white man's burden", but rather as his book title puts it so well a Black Man's Burden that was the legacy of colonisation.

Gallumping Gove

2010-07-09T16:52:00.005+01:00

Guest blog by Jim Parrish who is a Kent Labour Party activist in the west of the county:

"The arrogant but accident-prone education secretary, Michael Gove, has had to own up to 25 errors on his documentation spelling out the details of how he would axe Labour’s Building Schools for the Future programme, which he announced just four days ago. Several schools have found to their horror that schemes they had been assured were safe are now for the chop. Tonbridge and Malling is largely untouched by the plans, although residents in Sevenoaks are concerned about the planned new Knole Academy. Paul Carter, KCC leader, says he is: “Surprised and disappointed”.

In addition, Gove’s mad-cap Free Schools scheme, which – if it ever sees the light of day – threatens to deprive local authorities of funds in order to appease middle-class zealots who the state system is not good enough for their offspring and want taxpayers’ cash for their often harebrained or sinister plans.

Now, Gove is moving with indecent haste to whip schools in Kent into opting for academy status this September. In barely eight weeks’ time – while schools are closed for the summer and without consultation, least of all asking parents what they think – some schools will be able to leave local authority control, choose their own curriculum and set their own entrance rules. What’s more, they will be beyond the reach of Freedom of Information requests and so able to disregard local opinion altogether.

This is by any standard government by diktat and Kent County Council should resist Gove’s proposals. If implemented, grammar schools designated as outstanding by Ofsted will drift further from the community they were set up to serve. Already grammars in West Kent are skewing the system against East Kent children by selecting pupils from outside the County, depriving our children of places they deserve.

Labour believes in a root and branch overhaul of secondary education in Kent to provide a fairer system for all. The Conservatives who run Kent County Council are gazing in horror at the prospect of losing control of a substantial number of schools they now control. “It’s too fast”, cries Cllr Sarah Hohler, cabinet member for education. Perhaps the Tories loyal supporters who go through fire to get their children into the existing grammar will take against it all anyway. After all, weren’t those academies designed for the oiks?

Secondary schools designated “outstanding” by OFSTED in West Kent who have made preliminary enquiries about becoming an academy include: Tonbridge Grammar School; Hayesbrook School and The Judd School. Others considering applying are: Bennett Memorial; Hillview School; Mascalls School; Tunbridge Wells Girls’ Grammar and Wrotham School. If they all leave local control, education in Kent will become a free-for-all where only the well-off take the best at public expense."

Wanting It Both Ways

2010-07-08T12:15:00.005+01:00

Listening to Radio 4 Today's programme this morning Conservative MP Ian Liddell Grainger complained 6 schools due to be built in his Bridgwater constituency by the Labour government's Building Schools for the Future (BSF) have been cancelled. Amazingly he says right at the end "this is not political".

Ian appears to be the Tim Nice but Dim of the Conservative Party. It is simple, vote Conservative and you get shoddy schools. Schools were run down into a terrible state by Mrs. Thatcher's government, and now schools are to be run down again. Labour spent to improve schools, the Conservatives want to stop this. It is political Ian, Vote Labour and you get better schools, Vote Conservative and you don't.

Local South Thanet Conservative MP will be letting down her constituencts. She's part of the Conservative Party committed to stopping the building works needed at Clarendon House Grammar and Chatham House Grammar schools in Ramsgate, and the Northwood Centre in my own ward. Bankers I note will not have increased taxes until next year, a choice of priorities which says it all. I would bring the tax on bankers forward, and increase it. Instead the priority is to cut schools.

If Ian Liddell Granger is sincere he should leave the Conservative Party, you can listen to him wanting to borrow more money, and trying to avoid responsibility for his actions here. His non-political comment comes right at the end.

Dutch Win The World Cup That Matters

2010-07-07T18:29:00.005+01:00

Here's a story which shows how utterly useless and lazy the British media can be. The Commonwealth Fund is a private American foundation that aims to promote a high performing health care system that achieves better access, improved quality, and greater efficiency, particularly for society's most vulnerable. It independently audits the world's health services and has concluded that the Dutch have the best system.

World Cup Runners Up? The United Kingdom! Have a look at the key indicators. Britain has the most efficient health service. Look at the figures in detail and our health service is remarkably cheap with the lowest expenditure on health as a proportion of gross domestic product. One of the reasons we're so efficient is we spend less time on paperwork. In other words you turn up and go and do not have to fill in forms and insurance claims as in other countries, although my dentist seems to revel in finding pieces of paper now they're being run by a private company.

In 2007 we spent $2,992 per head on health. That's less than half the United States ($7,290) and substantially less than Canada, Germany and the Netherlands.

Where does Britain do poorly? Life expectancy. That in part is a legacy of the Thatcherite economics which threw so many people on to the scrap heap and ran the NHS down.

So here's independent evidence that Britain has a brilliant health service, yet I've not seen anything in the papers mentioning this. The fact that a Labour government has achieved the most efficient health service in the world surely deserves wider mention?

I've done a google news search for the Commonwealth Fund. In the last 2 weeks there are dozens of stories in the United States and several in Canada. In the United Kingdom the Press Association sent the story out so all the papers and television channels will have seen this, yet none worked this up into a story.

I only found out because I receive all the Labour Leadership candidates emails. My thanks to Andy Burnham who summarises the truth the British media dare not name:

"This is a magnificent achievement for all who work in the NHS and vindication of our (Labour's) commitment to and investment in our health service. It destroys the Tory claims of inefficiency and waste as an excuse for cuts."

Give the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats a year or two and they will cut that achievement down to size.

Brenda Blethyn Ramsgate's Finest

2010-07-06T16:28:00.003+01:00

Brenda Blethyn Ramsgate's finest star was on Radio 4's Woman's Hour this morning talking about her new film London River. It tells the story of two seemingly unconnected people who travel to London to search for their children who are missing in the aftermath of the 7/7 bombings. Brenda plays Elizabeth, a widow searching for her daughter.

You can listen to Brenda talking about her French lessons, Ramsgate and the film here. Her interview starts 1 minute in.

Hythe Carnival Alive

2010-07-05T21:28:00.005+01:00

On Saturday I went to Hythe Carnival part of the Hythe Festival.

Hythe's High Street has weathered the move into the internet age of shopping better than most. It has several charity shops but they fit in well, and the partial closure of the High Street every Saturday provides encourages retail trade. I recommend the Demelza House book shop especially which always has interesting finds.

The Carnival Big Parade included many floats one featuring the town's councillors. An interesting idea that perhaps could be copied in Thanet. Personally I think I would get a better response as a councillor if I volunteered to go in some stocks to have wet sponges thrown at me to raise money for charity!

With a band, street performers, Punch and Judy for children there was something for everybody. Better still were the afternoon events on Hythe Green. Vintage Kentish buses provided free tours of the town. A great idea to show off Hythe's charms to new visitors, and encourage them to return.

Dozens of classic cars were on display, and there were many other stalls for gardening, football and all the other things a town wishes to show off. Best of all were all the free rides for children. There were half a dozen giant inflatables, a carousel, and other classic rides. A giant slide, a land train, a Pirates Adventure and a stage with songs and comedy. Best of all and the only attraction with long queues was the simulator with its trip through space whilst being thrown around as if you were on a big dipper.

Clearly Hythe Town Council had spent several thousand pounds to provide a great free day out for local children. Ralph Hoult, Ramsgate's Deputy Mayor was present, and I hope that Ramsgate's Town Council will look at creating a similar event. I have briefed Ramsgate Mayor Dave Green and I know he is keen to provide a series of summer events.

All the volunteers, sponsors, organisers and councillors in Hythe deserve a big thank you for putting together such an impressive event.

College of Crime

2010-07-02T17:26:00.006+01:00

Thank you to regular reader Louise for sending me this letter from Stephen Wakeford of Deal in today's Independent:

"Kenneth Clarke's insight into penal reform, pointing out that prison is more costly than Eton, is most welcome. The obvious answer is to send all prisoners to Eton. As well as the cost saving, enhanced uniform, the upgrading of criminal patois with Latin and providing useful rugby skills, it could extend the social base and life experience of future governments."

Plus just like prison "insiders" at Eton do drugs, as David Cameron can confirm.

Afghanistan behind the Headlines

2010-06-27T12:06:00.003+01:00

I don't normally venture into foreign affairs. The story of how General Stanley McChrystal was sacked by President Barack Obama has been one of the main foreign news stories this week. I want to recommend full reading of Michael Hasting's outstanding (award winning?) journalism for Rolling Stone. Yes there's the story of McChrystal bad mouthing people but there are several other insights too.

The casual homophobia, dinner with a male French minister is so expletive deleted "gay".

The gentle derision of Britain whatever we think of the special relationship....

"The job instead went to British Ambassador Mark Sedwill – a move that effectively increased McChrystal's influence over diplomacy by shutting out a powerful rival. "In reality, that position needs to be filled by an American for it to have weight," says a U.S. official familiar with the negotiations."

Generally it is enlightening to have an account of the war in Afghanistan from a non-British perspective, which examines whether counter-insurgency (COIN) is working. So I thoroughly recommend a read here, and wish such detailed reporting was more frequent in the British media.

The Merits of Andy Burnham

2010-06-23T13:56:00.003+01:00

I believe David Miliband will make the best Leader of the Labour Party. Like a number of friends my regard for Andy Burnham MP for Leigh during the campaign has increased. Three thoughts.

First, Andy's call for government increases in NHS spending to be looked at in the context of wider social care is wise. The government will increase NHS spending whilst cutting other services which allow people to remain in their homes longer when they are unwell. People being cared for in their own home have a better environment and also cost the taxpayer a lot less.

Second, I happened to be talking to a journalist in Lancashire who covered Andy's constituency. He talked about what a good constituency MP he was. The journalist covered a number of safe Labour seats in the North West. He said that whenever there was a story or an issue Andy was always responsive, giving local journalists an equal priority with national journalists. This was particularly well regarded as Andy had the commitments of being a Cabinet minister. By contrast some backbenchers with less commitments were clearly not as attentive to this journalist. I find it is often unexpected stories like this that give a true indication of the merits and qualities of a politician, shock horror, journalist sings praises of senior Labour politician. This commitment and level of hard work is the style of leadership Andy could bring as a leading Labour politican in the coming decade.

Third, with the crunch game against Slovenia starting soon Andy has published this celebrity endorsement from England's Jamie Carragher, who talks about Andy's work for charity. I do not expect Andy to win, but I hope he will find a place in one of the top positions in the Shadow Cabinet after Labour's Leadership election.

Clegg and Cable Tell It Like It Is

2010-06-21T22:01:00.001+01:00

Hat tip to Tom Harris MP and poignant for all those seats where people voted Liberal Democrat rather than Conservative...

A Small Event in Margate This Weekend

2010-06-18T13:45:00.006+01:00

I will not be supporting Margate's Big Event this weekend. Some readers will know that I object to thousands of pounds of public money being spent on an airshow.

Last year I wrote

"Thanet Council are due to support the Nottingham Declaration. This is the top local authority acknowledgment that Climate Change exists and needs to be addressed. It is disappointing that 340 local authorities have already signed, so Thanet is one of the last to do so.

The Nottingham Declaration recognises the central role of local authorities in leading society's response to the challenge of climate change. By signing the Declaration councils pledge to systematically address the causes of climate change and to prepare their community for its impacts. You can find out more about the declaration here."

The events in the Gulf of Mexico with BP's massive oil spill, surely demonstrate that we need to reduce our demand and enthusiasm for oil, not promote it. It is fine by me for petrolheads and dieselheads to spend their money as they will. It is different for public organisations that should spend our money wisely.

Thanet Council's Conservative adnminsitration was elected on the slogan Vote Blue Go Green. The hypocrisy of promoting an event like this reinforces why the public are cycnical about politicians.

There is an environmentally friendly event in Margate,the Tom Thumb Theatre will be open on both days this weekend for visitors to have a look around. I am told Frankie Jordan will be telling the odd story, and the Smugglers Records musicians will be playing on Sunday.

It also gives me the chance to feature the Grateful Dead's Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues as a song to enjoy for the weekend whatever you are doing.

Two Good Men

2010-06-17T20:10:00.002+01:00

My fellow Thanet District Council Labour councillor Mike Harrison should blog more. I thought he may have transferred to the national stage when I read this article by Mike Harrison on the Progress website. This Mike Harrison I think is a Yorkshireman and his conclusion is one I would like to see all the Labour Leadership candidates having more regard for his conclusion..

"We need clearer, distinctive and more coherent messages supporting our polices in government which has made the difference to people's lives; but yes quite rightly we should apologise or acknowledge where we got it wrong - but it has to be the right balance and we have to strike it now."

Shosholoza - Go Forward South Africa!

2010-06-16T17:31:00.005+01:00

The World Cup is the greatest sporting occasion. Tonight South Africa play Uruguay. I hope with all the brilliant new stadiums South Africa win to almost secure a second round place. Their team song is the old mining song Shosholoza (Go Forward). I would love to hear more crowd singing of this and other songs. Here's evidence that vuvuzelas are given a rest from time to time by Bafana Bafana.

The Ultimate Spinner

2010-06-09T14:08:00.005+01:00

David Cameron is the best spinner in British politics. His career was spinning for Norman Lamont and then spinning for Michael Howard. His private sector experience was spinning for Carlton Communications. He has started his Prime Ministerial career with magesterial spin. Apparently the deficit is bigger than expected. It is not true. It is a big lie but that does not mean that he will demean his office by trying it on.

This morning the Financial Times' Tim Harford exposed David Cameron's lies on BBC Radio 4. You can listen to it here, or read a transcript here. The key part is here..

"The politicians weren’t talking about but everybody else was, especially the big numbers, the national debt, £770 billion. The projected debt in 5 years £1400 billion. They haven’t changed. David Cameron also pointed to lots and lots of little numbers throughout his speech and we’ve actually tracked down all but one of them and that every single one that we’ve tracked down was available in a published document often an official document before the election."

It is worse because David Cameron if he was being honest would actually say the figures are better than he expected. On 21st May the Office for National Statistics announced these nice figures which David Cameron is choosing to ignore because they do not fit the distorted picture he wishes to paint.

• Deficit down by £11bn on Alistair Darling's forecast
• April shortfall is record £10bn but still below predictions

The truth is the figures were better than expected, not worse. This wilful misrepresentation means that David Cameron is leading Britain to a double dip recession like Greece.

The "consultation" of the British public is a pointless farce if the government presents fiddled figures. This morning David Cameron was exposed telling lies, he should apologise. Nick Clegg should hold him to account as well.

Roger Gale Fails Again

2010-06-08T22:13:00.006+01:00

I see North Thanet MP Roger Gale failed today to be elected as Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons. This follows on from his failure to be elected Speaker of the House of Commons. What is the point of Roger Gale continuing as a MP? A Conservative friend (yes they keep it quiet too) told me that Roger would not be adverse to a peerage. There are reputedly 100 Conservatives to be appointed by the Con-Dem government. Previously when Roger Gale was evaluated by the Conservative Party, I understand one feedback was that he was "Mr. Angry," and hence he was overlooked. As a supporter of David Davies MP, it is hard to see why David Cameron would want to reward him.

Conservatives were also embarassed by his staunch defence of expenses abusing friend Derek Conway. My colleague Cllr. Iris Johnston has exposed Roger Gale's poor judgment in providing a character witness for Conservative kitten killer Ted Watt-Ruffell:

“I’m very surprised he decided to furnish someone facing such charges of animal cruelty, who has now been found guilty, with a character reference. Mr Gale has built his reputation on being an animal-lover.”

Cllr Watt-Ruffell was a former chairman of the North Thanet Conservative Party, which selected Mr Gale as its candidate.

Unlike many people Roger Gale has the option of a generous retirement. Last November I wrote
"Aged 66 he is eligible for the state pension. With 26 years in Parliament he is eligible for a leaving payment of £64,000. He would also receive a pension of 26/40 x £64,000 = £41,600. He may well have other personal pensions, plus the state pension of £4,900/year. "

These figures will continue to increase the longer Roger continues as a MP. Roger Gale's retirement package is double the average earnings of his constituents.

At a time when Roger Gale is calling for cuts he has the chance to put Conservative Party policy into action rather than resorting to rhetoric. He could stand down as a MP. He could then use his knowledge of the local area and generous pension provision to work on a volunteer basis in the North Thanet constituency. He could undertake work for the community building the Conservative's "Big Society". Wouldn't that be a far more productive use of his time? He would also free up a vacancy to stimulate the economy by providing a well remunerated job.

If we are "all in it together" as Conservatives claim, I think Roger Gale should resign and give back to local people after having been so well paid over many decades.

I still hold to my prediction in January 2009.

"My money is for him to go on and on and on and on."

Crikey! It's the Tories on Europe

2010-06-08T12:02:00.001+01:00

At the Heart of Going Green

2010-06-02T21:19:00.003+01:00

I have had some larger items to donate to charity shops recently. It's not easy to do so, there are double yellow lines outside all the Ramsgate ones, or the shops are in pedestrianised streets. This means awkward carrying or having someone sit in the car on gthe yellow lines, whilst one of you tries to carry the furniture in, when you really need two people to carry larger or bulkier items.

You run the risk of being exposed as breaking the law like Thanet District Conservative Cllr. Roger Latchford was recently. He parked his car on double yellow lines when he was delivering an addition to Birchington's Christmas lights. I was sorry to see him condemned for his act of kindness. It was disappointing that there was nobody who wanted to help him in the Birchington community, but his explanation should have been greeted more sympathetically than it was.

A friend recently told me of a way to avoid the problem of difficult delivery of large items, which also works for those without access to a car. The British Heart Foundation (BHF) offer a free collection service for furniture and electrical items. They will also pick up other items when collecting the furniture or electrical item. Click here to go to their form. You need to be within 15 miles of the BHF's Margate shop, or one of their other furniture and electrical stores which are listed here. Congratulations to the BHF for helping us all go green as they resell our unwanted items.

I Won't Back Down

2010-05-29T18:08:00.004+01:00

A grotty weekend’s weather for the Bank Holiday needs some cheer so here’s some music from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Apart from Tom Petty’s great music, he’s man from the left. He stopped George W Bush from using the song I Won’t Back Down in his campaigning.

Peter Bogdanovich’s film on Tom Petty, Runnin’ Down a Dream is well worth a watch - it is almost 4 hours long!

The soundtrack is constant classics but it highlights how Petty has never been afraid to stand up for himself. Early in his career he threatened to file for bankruptcy to get out of a very poor record deal

and he wrote this song in response to having his music ripped off and standing up to bullies.

Well I won't back down
No I won't back down
You can stand me up at the gates of hell
But I won't back down
No I'll stand my ground, won't be turned around
And I'll keep this world from draggin me down
gonna stand my ground
... and I won't back down

Chorus:
(I won't back down...)
Hey baby, there ain't no easy way out
(and I won't back down...)
hey I will stand my ground
and I won't back down

Well I know what's right, I got just one life
in a world that keeps on pushin me around
but I'll stand my ground
...and I won't back down

Chorus
(I won't back down...)
Hey baby, there ain't no easy way out
(I won't back down)
hey I won't back down
(and I won't back down)
hey baby, there ain't no easy way out
(and I won't back down)
hey I will stand my ground
(I won't back down)
No I won't back down...

Left High and Dry

2010-05-27T08:03:00.005+01:00

On the radio and television this morning there is rightly widespread coverage of the 70th anniversary of Operation Dynamo when the little ships rescued British soldiers from Dunkirk. I highlighted local plans last week.

Michael Child has more photos available here and I am grateful to him for the use of the top photo which shows Ramsgate's own Sundowner left high and dry by Thanet District Council.

At every event commemorating Dunkirk since 1965 Sundowner has been present. Hundreds of hours of volunteer time has gone into restoring and maintaining her. She's often to be seen in Ramsgate and is made freely available to visitors. Yet because Thanet District Council Conservatives' failure to sort out the mess that is Thanet's maritime heritage Sundowner is left high and dry. Whilst radio, television and newspapers rightly honour all those little boats and the people who served and died, Sundowner sheds a tear stuck on the side of the harbour as she is left stranded.

Almost a year ago Sundowner volunteer John Watkins detailed problems with East Kent Maritime Trust (EKMT)...

"More than £40,000 spent on consultants in recent years, whilst paying their own local permanent staff poverty rates of pay. £75,000 in fees, plus £62,000 penalty, paid over to the legal profession, for the mediation concerning their hugely expensive and totally unnecessary squabble over the tug Cervia.

In addition to all this, the EKMT inexplicably failed to produce any annual reports and accounts for over three years, until November 2008, contrary to Charity Commission rules. This was whilst still continuing to receive, with no questions asked, their regular annual £80,000 grant from Thanet District Council, funded by the local rate payers.

At the start of 2008 the East Kent Maritime Trustees, who included three senior local Tory politicians among their number, were able to carry forward funds of almost £223,000. This sum included money from bequests, donations, grants and sales. However, in spite of this they still found it unavoidable to make every one of their loyal staff members redundant, thus depriving seven local workers of their livelihoods and tipping them all out into a very uncertain future."

We hear much of the supposed Big Society that the David Cameron Conservative government wishes to see brought about. Yet here are volunteers giving their time freely frustrated by a lack of local political leadership, to ensure charities which have councillors involved with them and which have received public monies act in the community's best interests.

Sundowner the boat the Nazis couldn't stop has been left high and dry.

Clive's Choice - Rachelle Ferrell

2010-05-21T21:48:00.002+01:00

Here's an end of the week selection of soulful music recommended to me by my fellow councillor Clive Hart. Turn on, tune in, chill out.

Time to Remember Dunkirk

2010-05-17T19:03:00.008+01:00

Guest blog from my fellow Labour councillor and Volunteer Boats Officer at Ramsgate Marime Museum John Watkins:

"Ramsgate’s famous Little Ship Sundowner is due to be hoisted out of the inner marina to undergo routine hull maintenance, prior to joining around sixty vessels of the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships (ADLS) on their cruise to Dunkirk to commemorate the 1940 Operation Dynamo. The flotilla will be accompanied by HMS Monmouth a Royal Navy, type 23 Duke Class Frigate and HMS Raider an RNR fast patrol vessel, together with an escorting RNLI lifeboat.

Sundowner has been present on the regular five yearly voyage, on each occasion since the 50th anniversary event in 1990, having arrived at the Royal Harbour in 1987, when she came under the care of the Ramsgate Maritime Museum. The Association of Dunkirk Little Ships hold a World War 2, Dynamo commemoration cruise and service every year at the end of May, choosing a different south east harbour each time. Last year the vessels attending the event assembled in the West India dock in London Docklands (see picture). The previous year’s event was held on the River Medway at Chatham Marina, next to the dockyard.

With a fair wind and a following sea, Sundowner, having been built for the Royal Navy in 1912, could well be the oldest vessel taking part in the event this year. However, she has recently completed a thorough refit, conducted by a team of skilled Ramsgate harbour shipwrights and engineers (Messrs. Parrish, Mace and Barton). Her six naval trained, local volunteer crew members are now looking forward to her work up sea trials, prior to sailing for France with the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships on Thursday May 27th., then returning to Ramsgate on Monday the 31st.

A Tribute to Steve Ladyman

2010-05-13T22:02:00.010+01:00

It is hard to believe Thanet will see another MP to match Steve Ladyman for a long time. Steve’s commitment to the area provided him with an understanding and intuition which made him loved on the doorstep. Steve gave up a successful and lucrative career with Pfizer to represent local people, first as a councillor then as MP for South Thanet. The contrast with North Thanet’s Roger Gale’s whines about the need for money and expenses to recognises his, and his families merits could not be greater. Steve gave up a greater income and share options for longer hours, more pressure and less appreciative feedback than he would have received in his original career. At a time when many politicians have low regard and esteem it should be noted what Steve Ladyman chose to do for the people he lived amongst. He did not look for especial recognition, for it is within his DNA to represent and look after people, and I am sure in whatever he goes on to do he will again be looking out for others.

A good example of Steve's integrity is the way that he followed his beloved Liverpool. Steve's being supporting his beloved Reds for half a century and can recall when Liverpool were a Second division team and lost to non-league teams like Worcester City. So all the more reason to savour Liverpool reaching the European Champions League Cup Final. As a minister he was provided with the opportunity to go and watch the game all expenses paid. Yet he chose to watch the game at home on television. Some people would trumpet this, but Steve just saw it as the right thing to do.

When campaigning on a Saturday or Sunday morning it was notable that starting and finishing times for Steve might change if Liverpool were ont he television. I hope one benefit of him losing his seat is that he gets the chance to watch a lot more football.

Consistently in the years I campaigned for Steve I heard people say that they were voting Labour because Dr. Ladyman had helped them with housing, their autistic child, their health problem. I have been electioneering for 3 decades and there’s another remarkable to note about Steve’s commitment. Normally when you knock on a door and ask if someone wants to meet their MP the answer is yes, as they often have not met them. Time after time the answer for Steve has been no. “I’ve met him already”, “I know him through this organisation...”, “I’ve seen him at this event..” His consistent hard work meant a genuine pleasure in campaigning for Steve as people understood the high level of service and commitment he had provided.

So if he was so good, why did he lose? Well greater love has no man for his constituency than that he lays down his Parliamentary seat to make Thanet a better place. I first sensed that Steve was in danger of losing his seat 4 years ago. A friend 10 minutes walk from Ramsgate station sold their average semi-detached house. They had 15 prospective buyers view. 14 of them came from outside of Thanet, all from in and around London. Not every new arrival would be a natural Conservative voter, but the demographics of people moving into South Thanet to take advantage of the fast trains would generally be against Labour. There's many other factors here, boundary changes, and national trends too.This did not stop Steve consistently strenuously arguing at all times and levels of the government that Thanet must have fast trains as soon as possible.

To any outside observer it is clear that Broadstairs continues to quietly prosper, Margate’s decline has still not been arrested, yet Ramsgate is starting to quietly boom. In the last decade Ramsgate house prices have had the 3rd greatest increase in the country, a whopping 181%! So dear reader, if you are a former constituent of Steve Ladyman and you own a property you will have benefitted compared to national trends. A direct consequence of Labour government action. It is quite possible to answer to the question, what has my MP ever done for me? The answer is that Steve Ladyman’s campaigning, and consequent delivery of High Speed 1 fast trains increased the value of your home by tens of thousands of pounds. The Conservative government had the option before 1997 to provide fast trains for Thanet but dismissed the idea that public investment would regenerate Thanet. Steve always understood how fundamental improved transport links were, and ensured Labour delivered.

Trains alone do not begin to cover what Steve won for his constituents. Sure Start centres, lower crime, the QEQM hospital with all the new wards built in the last decade. Plenty of new NHS facilities eleswhere and many new buildings for GP practices. Schools refurbished and rebuilt. The High Speed trains are named after Olympic champions, it would be more fitting and appropriate if one of them was named after Dr. Stephen Ladyman – their greatest political champion.

Again the contrast with Roger Gale’s speculative plans for a Manston Parkway station could not be greater. There’s no demand to justify the tens of millions a new station would require. Plus if ever built Manston Parkway would take even more investment and people away from Margate accelerating Margate’s decline, not addressing it. Realism dictates that improved signalling between Canterbury and Ramsgate would cost less and improve rail services far more than a vanity project for an airport whose geographical position on a peninsula always means it will always struggle to become even a minor regional passenger airport.

I will miss also the frankness and insights Steve provided when briefing party activists. He answered the most difficult and awkward political questions with candour and directness. His reports gave political insights and information with a level of tact and discretion that meant that you understood quickly how influential Steve’s views were in Parliament. When Meg Hillier visited the Northwood ward I represent last month, she was just the latest minister to comment on how ceaselessly Steve lobbied for Thanet.

There are criticisms to be made of Gordon Brown. One misjudgement he made as Prime Minister was to fail to recognise Steve’s talents. I know several Conservative MPs were baffled as to why Steve was overlooked. You can insert here sadly the names of several Labour MPs who were Brown’s ministers but were less worthy.

Look at the shameful embarrassment Shahid Malik, Phil Hope, Jacqui Smith, Ann Keen and Tony McNulty brought forward with their unjustifiable expense claims. It is no wonder the electorate chose to vent their feelings by ejecting these and others from Parliament. It was a failure of Leadership for Gordon Brown’s to tolerate these MPs as ministers in his government, and then to allow them to stand as Labour candidates. The integrity of Steve Ladyman and many others stands in marked contrast. Note too, that where those with shoddy records were rightly not allowed to stand again Labour held seats in Livingston, Scunthorpe and Luton South. Steve was not the only Labour MP vindicated during the expenses furore who Gordon Brown overlooked. Future political students will write papers wondering how on earth Gordon Brown thought it was right to retain ministers who had failed the test of public opinion, and allow them to continue to sully Labour's name.

I make this not as a party political point. All the current parties had individuals who the electorate found wanting, David Heathcoat-Amory’s hundreds of sacks of horse manure in Wells and Lembit Opik’s £2,500 plasma television in Montgomery were judged too.

One thing Thanet can be certain of is that Steve’s commitment to Thanet will remain undiminished. It’s home and where his heart is. I hope he will take the chance to take an extended break. Even during recess, so often I saw him working in his constituency. All those snide pieces about the length of MPs holidays were irrelevant to Steve, as they are to most MPs I know. When he wasn’t working in Westminster he was on duty on Thanet working long, long hours. He has made an incalculable difference to life in Thanet today, and it is only with him no longer a MP that he will perhaps begin to get the recognition his endeavours have deserved.

I hope there will be ways for his knowledge, contacts and skills to still be available to public life in Thanet and elksewhere. For now though I know I speak for thousands in Thanet in thanking Steve for all that he has done.

Fat is a Political Issue

2010-05-12T13:50:00.009+01:00

Steve Ladyman rightly identified Alan Johnson (pictured) as a man who could make an excellent Leader of the Labour Party. The quality of the man is shown in Alan's view of his propects of leading the Labour Party

"There is a role for me to play but we need to come back and regroup, reform. That is a big job - for five years in Opposition and however long after that. It is a 13 or 14 year job and I just think my talents are best served supporting whoever gets that job rather than going for it myself. It's probably best if the baby boomers do something else, particularly as we have such an exceptional pool of talent there. I think David (Miliband) is the best."

I hope all possible contenders will look at how they can serve the best interests of the Labour Party as Alan Johnson wisely has. As everybody says Labour needs a proper contest with several candidates. John McDonnell will fail to secure enough nominations, but will strive to represent the further left end of the Labour Party. For the rest of the possible candidates John Cruddas, Ed Miliband, Andy Burnham, Yvette Cooper, David Miliband and Ed Balls all bring different qualities. Harriet Harman and Alastair Darling would be welcome if they change their minds on standing in the contest.

There's a new criterion for candidates to consider when putting themselves forward. John Mann MP identified this saying

"I think it would be extremely important that we have a TV leadership debate between the candidates," he said. "For better or for worse that is one of the things a party leader is going to need to do in the future, and I think that it would open it out to the wider public, including the wider membership. And I think that is essential."

He's perceptive even though this makes for a shallow test.

You dear reader, like me are probably interested in politics and vote in every election. Yet in general elections two thirds of people vote, whereas in local elections only about a third of the population do. Amongst this third of the poulation who tend to vote in General elections but not local elections, there are some who come to their voting decision largely on the basis of events like the television debates. Would that it were tax, education or health policy, but knock on enough doors and you will find this is not always the case. On opinion polling of Radio 4 listeners to the leadership television debates Gordon Brown's performance was always higher than polling of television viewers.

It is unfair that his appearance and especially his jowls, should reduce his performance rating by a few percentage points. Nonetheless the genie is out of the bottle, and television debates will become the norm. So all political parties now need to reconsider whether at least for their leaders,

"Politics can be showbusiness for ugly people"

as Jay Leno quipped.

This General Election showed how even a percentage point here or there can make all the difference. 2% more votes for Labour and there would probably not be Prime Minister Cameron. So does this mean that highly able people like Liam Byrne may not be able to reach the highest post because they are balding? Regrettably, I think the more Presidential or X-factor style of British politics means this may now be the case.

For all the possible candidates for Labour Leader above, it is something they need to consider. When I was young in the 1970s I remember a cartoon I think in the Observer which played on the fact that Wilson, Healey, Callaghan and most of the leading Labour figures were portly, whereas Tony Benn was thin. Wilson saying to Benn in the cartoon that you couldn't get on in politics if you were wedge shaped, punning on Wedgwood-Benn. Now we see politics turned around in a few decades, so that obesity is less acceptable.

Fortunately, almost all Labour's propspective candidates will look good on television. And for Ed Balls if he is deciding to run, my sincere and comradely advice would be that he spends more time in the gym, and recaptures the days when less work and family commitments meant he played football regularly.

Size and appearance shouldn't matter, but it does.

Gordon Gone, David to take on Goliath's £Millions?

2010-05-10T17:26:00.005+01:00

Gordon Brown resigned as Labour Party Leader within the last hour. It was the right thing to do. Harriet Harman, Alastair Darling, Alan Johnson and others have ruled themselves out as potential Leaders.

Of those that who might stand and talking to people on the doorsteps, the person best placed to be the next Leader of the Labour Party is David Miliband. It will be interesting to see who stands.

Steve Ladyman's Record of Achievement

2010-04-24T20:24:00.003+01:00

Knocking on doors with Steve Ladyman is always a pleasure. So many people know him, know things he has done for them or their friends. You frequently have people say I normally vote for X Party but I know Steve so I will be voting Labour. He has done more for South Thanet than any other MP before. As this video shows, he has a record to be proud of.

Rest In Peace Audrey Pickering

2010-04-20T22:05:00.006+01:00

I am sorry to hear that Audrey Pickering a great servant to the people of Minster has died. As I wrote when she resigned from Thanet District Council just over a year ago

"Audrey had a strong personal vote in Minster for all the work she had carried out over many years. She was first elected as a Labour councillor in 1974, and became an Independent councillor in 1999. Audrey was a Minster parish councillor for over 35 years!"

Many people will be paying tribute to her life, her dedication to Minster and her public service at Audrey's funeral which will be at 1pm on Thursday 22nd April at Minster Church. When Audrey stood down from Thanet District Council many fulsome tributes were made. I know this will again sadly be the case at the Council meeting this coming Thursday evening. My condolences to her family.

Crampton Tower Museum A Growing Success

2010-04-17T20:39:00.008+01:00

Today I visited Crampton Tower Museum in Broadstairs for their Hobbies Exhibition weekend. I would recommend a visit on Sunday which is the last day of exhibition. Crampton are fortunate to have many volunteers, almost 40 I was told, most of whom actively particpate.

There is an excellent website (whoever has put this together deserves particular thanks). It has a photo gallery which comprehensively covers the site far better than my snaps do.

The soldiers paraded, shot and showed off their historic artefacts. I do like the image of them with Broadstairs train station behind which just about shows one of the High Speed 1 trains at the station. Ancient and modern together.

Children could have rides on the electric railway, and there is more track ready for installation to extend the length of rides. There was also the opportunity to play with the several large model train sets.

Talking to several of the enthusiastic volunteers a quite success story unfolded. From 3 days a week now the museum opens 7 days a week for half the year, and there is now winter weekend opening too. Numbers of visitors grow each year. There is disappointment that Thanet Council uses Crampton Tower as part of its advertising strategy, but does not support the museum as it could do.

With the sad news that Ramsgate Maritime Museum may now have been finally closed by Thanet's Conservatives, assets like Crampton Tower Museum need a secure future. I'll make the pont again that a long term viable tourist strategy should be based on year round attractions like Ramsgate Maritime Museum and Crampton Tower Museum. One off 'flash in the pan' events are not sustainable, nor are they an efficient use of Council taxpayers money.

The exhibition also offers the chance to play with scalextric cars so many a childhood can be recreated. Crampton Tower is a little treasure, long may it continue growing its reputation.

Eddie Izzard - Brilliant Britain

2010-04-16T16:28:00.002+01:00

I've been an Eddie Izzard fan for a long time and his campaigning during last year's European elections was impressive. Here's his take on the current election.

Laura Sandys breaking the rules again

2010-04-13T21:12:00.008+01:00

Last year Laura Sandys apologised unequivocally for failing to follow planning rules following an article I wrote.

Last week I wrote on how she had been asked to leave Ramsgate train station for infringing rules.

Now a "Labour activist" writes on Laura Sandys latest misdemeanours....

The 'Ubiquitous Blonde' doesn't know where the South Thanet and North Thanet constituencies are so has billboards in North Thanet in various farmers' fields presumably with their consent. One at Minster, one near Hornby Hobbies, one near QEQM Hospital on St. Peter's Road. Probably more but I haven't seen them all.

Now, I've been on to Richard Samuel Thanet District Councils Chief Executive and planning expert Steve Albon who say 'Nothing we can do' but....

A planning expert tells me advertisements are not allowed on roads considered 'accident blackspots' which St. Peter's Road, Margate near the QEQM Hospital is. That's why there is a 50mph speed limit.

So, technically, one breach of convention (posters in someone else's constituency) and one breach of other rules, advertising on a black-spot road thereby causing a distraction for motorists.

If this woman doesn't know the rules how can she expect to be taken seriously as a political candidate?"

I do hope Cliftonville and Margate Conservative County Councillors Chris Wells and Michael Jarvis, and Villages Conservative County Councillor Charles Hibberd will look into this, as I understand this is a matter for Kent County Council highways.

Time for another "unequivocal apology" Laura Sandys, but can you give an unequivocal apology a second time on the same subject??

Good Luck Tom Thumb

2010-04-13T07:34:00.005+01:00

Last week I was fortunate to receive a guided tour of the Tom Thumb theatre in Cliftonville by Frankie Jordan. It doesn't take long with the theatre only having a capacity of 60 including standing. Every piece of space is critical. Frankie is unsure whether to remove the organ which takes enough space for 2 or possibly 3 more people to join the audience. Next to the stage there is a little space to knock through and create a kiosk for improving bar sales. Frankie was pleased the theatre was sold out that day but is keen to attract other productions. Tom Thumb would welcome any local performing groups to get in touch about staging their performances. I have been to some local amateur dramatics where the audience has been lost in a larger venue. The small size and intimacy of Tom Thumb means a relatively small audience creates a great atmosphere. What greater prospect to book a performance can there be than that satisfying feeling of a producer in saying "sold out" for a show, which is a realistic prospect for any show. My thanks to Frankie for her kind and generous attention and best wishes for future productions.

Leave it, it's not worth it

2010-04-08T20:37:00.006+01:00

One of my earliest stories on this blog was about South Thanet Conservative candidate Laura Sandys not knowing the law. Reader Claire from Eastcliff writes with details of another incident of Laura’s arrogant approach towards life in Thanet.
Last week Claire was meeting a friend at Ramsgate station and Laura Sandys was leafleting passengers as they returned home to Ramsgate with two helpers; an older man and woman. They were approached by a man in a suit who took a leaflet. He walked a short distance away read the leaflet, and then returned to talk to Laura. He politely asked her to stop leafleting in the main hall by the entrance to the platforms.

Laura responded that she did not need permission as it was a public place. The man advised her
that it was private property. Interrupting him Laura said it was not. The man respondd that he was advising her because he was the station manager.

Laura blushed and went silent. He then advised her that he would give a minute or two for her to get her things together, but she must then leave if she wanted to continue leafleting.

Laura and her helpers then went outside the station under the canopy, continuing to hand out leaflets. The man helping her was worked up and unhappy about the situation. He started to head back into the station appearing to want to sort things out. As he walked in Laura called out no, no and ran into the station asking her helper to leave putting her hand on his shoulder and saying “leave it, it’s not worth it”.

The thing that struck Claire most was the way Laura Sandys attitude changed. When she thought the station manager was just a man in a suit, she was most insistent that she was right and the man did not know what he was talking about. When the truth dawned upon her she changed her approach.

The other thing Claire noticed throughout this time was that two young women dressed in jeans and t-shirts who were also waiting at the station for some time, were not offered leaflets and were deliberately ignored. Claire got the impression the two women did not look like the right kind of people to Laura and her helpers.

The Bright Side of Margate

2010-04-02T12:49:00.009+01:00

Guest blog by Margate Central Councillor Iris Johnston, do watch at least the first 2 minutes of the video.

Many residents thought it was an April Fool's joke when we heard the BBC were coming to film Margate on 1st April. Others groaned and thought ‘More shots of closed shops despite the Governments 40 million into the area’ However we were all very pleasantly surprised.

I understand the presenters, Adrian Chiles and Christine Bleakely, arrived by helicopter into Hartsdown Park and I got to speak to them as they wandered through the town. They were absolutely lovely with everyone they met and chose several people to dress up in Easter Costumes. They ended up in the Old Town meeting the Mayor and Mayoress Mick and Shirley Tomlinson who ‘loaned’ the carnival float for the day and presented a prize for the best costume.

It was very good for them to see Margate bright and sunny and my long requested spring clean of the town before the holiday season was implemented just in time. The programme is expected to go out on Monday evening and they took away a Kiss me Quick hat and bucket and spade I gave them from Teresa on the sea front.

A special thanks to Richard Spillett at the Isle of Thanet Gazette who went around the traders the day before with leaflets advising of the visit and to everyone who participated. Good fun and cheered everyone up!

To continue the good cheer here's my granddaughter Niamh shaking her beautiful booty to KC and the Sunshine Band Best Easter wishes Iris

Clive's Sound for Easter

2010-04-01T20:13:00.003+01:00

A guest blog from Thanet Labour Group Leader Clive Hart. Happy Easter everybody.

"Here's an absolute classic. A voice from heaven and a truly magical pianist. Randy Crawford and Joe Sample with a jazz version of the all time classic 'One Day I'll Fly Away'. I promise you will not hear anything more beautiful over the Easter period".

Blair is Back

2010-03-30T12:06:00.003+01:00

Nobody in British politics gives a better speech than Tony Blair and this morning he gave a cracker at Trimdon Labour Club. The full text is on the Guardian's website.

Labour does not talk enough about its record in government nor get the credit it deserves. Here's the passage I liked most...

"Thirteen years of power has seen its share of bad times and good, for the people and for the government. That's for sure.

But just cast our mind back and recall the change for the better. Not just the pledges on the famous pledge card back in 1997, every one met and more.

Remember how people used to wait 18 months queuing on a hospital waiting list. Now it is a maximum wait of 18 weeks from GP to operation. Delivered by a Labour Government.

Thousands fewer deaths from heart disease and cancer. Delivered by a Labour Government.

In 1997 half of all schools got fewer than 30% of their pupils 5 good GCSEs. Today it is only 1 in 12. Delivered by a Labour Government.

And the biggest schools and hospitals re-building programme since the Welfare State began. Delivered by a Labour Government.

New services like Sure Start.

New frontline workers.

Help for families through tax credits and the winter allowance.

Delivered by a Labour Government.

Crime down, having doubled in the 18 years of the last Tory Government, the chances of being a victim lower than at any time since the Crime Survey began.

Delivered by a Labour Government.

Then the changes that we delivered and that would never have happened under the Tories: a minimum wage, flexible working, devolution, a ban on handguns. And how do we know they wouldn't have happened under the Tories? Because in each case they opposed the change.

Then there are the things done which define the spirit of the society we believe in: civil partnerships, the Human Rights Act, the boost for arts and culture and yes even bringing the Olympics to Britain in 2012."

The Greatest Ramsgatonian

2010-03-29T22:41:00.007+01:00

This week's Economist magazine has a review of a new book by Abigail Green about Ramsgate's greatest ever citizen Moses Montefiore. There's a booklet to be written about electoral areas named after great citizens. In Thanet there is the ward Sir Moses Montefiore (does any other place use the term Sir in designating an electoral area?)

In Lewisham I was a councillor representing (John) Evelyn Ward named after the 17th century gardener. There were also wards named after the wood carver Grinling Gibbons and Samuel Pepys the diarist.

The Moses Montefiore Health Centre opened in 2007 is one of the latest ways his achievements have been marked in Ramsgate. How suitable that a free modern health centre for all commemorates the work of a philanthropist.

The review alone of Moses Montefiore: Jewish Liberator, Imperial Hero told me several new things including a foible or two. The book is available here.

Tally Ho! - Fox Hunting (Again)

2010-03-29T13:05:00.006+01:00

I make no apologies for returning to the subject of foxhunting. Demonstrators outside South Thanet Conservative offices were surprised to find them empty and unclear whether the local Conservative campaign is still being run from there - I wonder if anybody can clear this up?

I am bemused why the Conservatives seek to make this an issue in the election. The vast majority of people oppose foxhunting by tearing animals to pieces. Shooting them is different but chasing to exhaustion is not an effective or efficient method of pest control. It is an histoircal anomaly but one which David Cameron sees as a priority for Parliamentary time. It is hard to argue there is a desperate need for change if one of the changes you prioritise is the return of foxhunting. Of course if a vocal minority of your friends and family see it as akey issue then that would explain this disproportionate choice, and that is the case for a Shadow cabinet packed with people who have hunted and whose families see it as their traditional right.

Locally this is not an issue in North Thanet where Roger Gale's views opposing foxhunting are clear, honourable and consistent. I have commented for over a year now that Laura Sandys struggles to give a clear view and to answer questions on policy. Typically on foxhunting she refuses to provide a clear view of what her views are, as last week's Isle of Thanet Gazette reported. Foxhunting is a pretty simple issue to make your mind up on. If Laura is unable to come to a view on this how will she be able to represent the South Thanet electorate on more complex issues? It is becoming increasingly clear why in June 2006 the safe Conservative seat of Folkestone and Hythe did not select her. Laura was rated top of the applicants on paper, but as soon as it came to talking to 300 Conservative members and thinking for herself on her feet she was the first candidate eliminated.

Today's Independent reports that hunting activists are primed ready to support Conservative candidates....

A letter from one Tory candidate, while thanking the huntsmen and women for their support, pleaded with them not to invade his constituency like the cavalry, "cantering into town in pink chinos and Barbours

and

The East Kent Hunt, operating south of Canterbury, urged its supporters to "do everything in their power" to help the Conservative candidate in Dover, Charlie Elphicke, unseat the Labour MP, Gwyn Prosser, who has a 4,941 majority to defend."

It also notes Steve Ladyman has been targeted for his anti-foxhunting position representing the vast majority of his constituents.

The questions people need to know the answers to are...

1. Have the hunt supporters written to Laura Sandys?
2. Does she want them to come and work for her in the election campaign?
3. Foxhunting with hounds - is she for or against it?

From previous experience Laura Sandys will continue to treat the people of Thanet as if they were mushrooms and keep them in the dark.

Hever Castle - The Other End of Kent

2010-03-28T16:34:00.010+01:00

I visited Hever Castle yesterday on a sunshine and showers kind of day. I was fortunate to get tickets through Kent County Council's excellent Big Day Out scheme. This provides 18,000 free tickets for Kent residents to local attractions. This year there were major problems with the website repeatedly crashing when issuing tickets. Dozens of people I know who tried to book tickets failed so I count myself fortunate. Next year these problems need to be sorted out so people don't have their time wasted, and the uncertainty of whether they have tickets or not. Previously I have enjoyed browsing the site to see where to visit. This time visiting after hearing of the previous crashes I just took what came up and was very pleased with Hever Castle.

Most famous as the childhood home of Anne Boleyn I only wished the gardens were later in the year, and will probably revisit when in full flower. The Italian Gardens had been recommended to me and did not disappoint with swathes of hyacinths generating generous amounts of scent.

The model exhibition is well worth a visit and the Castle itself provides a clear well organised history. It must struggle to cope with numbers on busy days. Sudden rain sent everybody inside and it seemed close to capacity. An early start after a walk around the lake I am told is the way to beat the rush. Next time.

Click on any of the photos to enlarge them and apologies I'm unable to format this post better!

For the Many, Not the Few

2010-03-26T16:48:00.005Z

Today's Financial Times headlines with only part of the story: "Rich hit hard by 13 years of Labour budgets". From what I observe the rich have done pretty well over the last 13 years.

Go to the Independent and they write in more detail:

"The richest households in Britain are about £25,000 a year worse off as a result of changes to the tax and benefits system introduced by Labour since 1997 – while the "working poor" are better off by almost £1,700, or 13 per cent of their income.

The very poorest sections of society – those with a typical annual income (after tax) of £9,000 or so – are about £1,200 better off."

One of the big lies widely told is that all the main political parties are all the same. The independent evidence from the Institute of Fiscal Studies is quite clear, Labour has redistributed wealth from the richest to the poorest over the last 13 years.

So when the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats talk about "change" it is clear that it will be for the financial benefit of the wealthier few.

Beware the Ides of March - Backstabbers about!

2010-03-22T18:56:00.015Z

Since I started this blog I have hopefully established some themes. One is a desire for openness and accountability. Another is my concern for how poorly the current Standards system for councillors works. Set up for members of the public to complain about councillors’ misconduct, it has repeatedly been misused in Thanet by Conservative councillors. For new readers the Conservative Leader Sandy Ezekiel has twice been censured for misconduct by the Standards Board and his Deputy Roger Latchford once. Despite incontrovertible independent evidence to support these decisions, the fact that both complaints came from Labour councillors has in my view resulted in an organised campaign for revenge by some Thanet Conservatives. Other Labour colleagues have received a number of unpleasant experiences. For myself I have been subject to 3 standards complaints from Cllr. Martin Wise Conservative Cabinet member for Finance. Further standards complaints have been made by Cllr. John Worrow Birchington Conservative councillor, and the Conservative Mayor of Margate and Chief Whip Ted Watt-Ruffell. I note he has finally lost these posts following his criminal conviction.

All of these “complaints” have either been withdrawn or proven to be unfounded. However, their processing has cost Thanet District Council thousands of pounds. They also serve to send out a clear signal. Anybody who criticises Thanet Conservative group will be targeted. Even if it does not stop me, I know that others are understandably unprepared to put their heads above the parapet. That weakens democracy, the less people that are prepared to come forward, the lower the quality of representatives and in Thanet we have some shockers.

People see this and become even more cynical about politics and disconnected. The local “leaders” of the Conservatives endorse this conduct and do not criticise it. Both Parliamentary candidates Laura Sandys and Roger Gale rely on the same people to campaign for them. Throughout this process Thanet Conservative blogger Simon Moores (pictured) has staunchly supported this (mis)conduct of politics. I have been a critic of Simon Moores’ refusal to acknowledge the errors of his colleagues. Before an anonymous Conservative commenter criticises me in comments I have clearly stated that I do not condone misconduct by Labour representatives, and that can be found through this blog on the record including criticism of named individuals.

Simon Moores has now complained formally with Complaint TDCSC 40/10 (I think that may mean there have already been 40 complaints this year!) that I have failed to comply with Thanet District Council’s Code of Conduct in relation to comments I have posted (presumably about Cllr. Moores). Now the absurd thing about this process is I do not know what my supposed offence is. I won’t find out and have no opportunity to defend myself. And yes I know this ridiculous procedure has been set up by the Labour government, but I have been opposed to it since it was set up, but those of you with a blue tinge might enjoy the irony.
As the Private and Confidential letter states....

“the allegation will be considered solely based on the information provided by the complainant”

This “evidence” will be considered in secret, and I cannot rebut anything because I do not know what I am accused of. It is a bit like The Prisoner, or Catch 22.

The great thing for Simon Moores is that you dear reader are paying for his complaint.

Hundreds of pounds will already have been clocked up as council officers including lawyers receive his complaint, consider it, investigate, process it and write reports on it. Then all this paperwork relating to his complaint goes to a secret committee meeting. After that it may be thrown out, or it can be further investigated so that the costs go into the thousands.

Whilst all this goes forward these comments on the web that I have made remain there. The usual complaint is that I have failed to treat the appropriate person with “respect.” So let me assume this is the case. There is a “disrespectful or inaccurate” post out there somewhere which you can go and find and which in Simon Moores eyes is false/wrong. Now in my view of a situation like this I would ask that the comment was withdrawn or suspended. A complaint can still be made but at least the comment that has caused offence is no longer visible, and this has happened in other cases Simon Moores is familiar with.

Indeed he is aware that on varying occasions I have withdrawn or amended posts on this blog in relation to his 3 cabinet colleagues Cllrs. Martin Wise, Sandy Ezekiel and Roger Latchford. So he knows that if he has a reasonable position it will be treated reasonably by me. He also knows that all the posts I have suspended have since been reinstated because his judgment was wrong and that his colleagues had wasted thousands of pounds of Thanet District Council’s money.

Have a look at this post on 15th March 2009 (the Ides of March) from Simon Moores Thanet Life with its implied threat at the end

"I support, irrespective of party, the notion of proper standards in public life and blazing away with a constant stream of unsupported and defamatory allegations runs against the very concept of a standard of public behaviour.
Should Winston Churchill have happened to have read Cllr Nottingham’s weblog this weekend; it may have led him to make that famous remark: “Everyone has his day and some days last longer than others.”

To remind you my posts which Simon Moores judged wrong were

Cllr. Sandy Ezekiel was Reasonably Aggressive - true, found by Standards Committee
Laura Sandys would refuse to condemn Thanet Conservative misconduct - true, sadly still one year later she remains staunchly with the wrongdoers
Sandy Ezekiel and Roger Latchford would fail to attend the hearing about their misconduct - true
Simon Moores would refuse to condemn Sandy Ezekiel's abusive behaviour - true, but perhaps understandable a few weeks later Simon Moores was offered a Cabinet job and accepted

So not unsupported and defamatory as Simon Moores wrote but all true. What a bad judge of character Simon Moores is. 0 out of 4 must do better!

To see what all the fuss was about read the details of the guilty verdicts on Council leader Sandy Ezekiel and his Deputy Roger Latchford go here

Now there is no way that my conduct has been comparable to Sandy Ezekiel's (repeatedly) or Roger Latchford.

I have not

Abused and sworn at pensioners
Asked my policial opponents "outside" for a fist fight
Made false complaints to the police wasting taxpayers money
Circulated racially offensive emails
and I could go on....

At the same time Simon Moores posted the comments above, his good colleague and friend Cllr Martin Wise issued 3 Standards complaints against me all matching the description given in his post. I would judge Simon Moores either helped prepare the false complaints or had sight of them before they were received at Thanet District Council's offices.

The problem for Simon Moores is that his judgment was proven wrong 6 months later at Thanet Standards Committee, apart from loyal member of Team Ezekiel Zita Wiltshire who was in a minority of one. The committee voted to reject Martin Wise’s invented view of history and preferred the evidence I supplied, but not before thousands of pounds had been wasted.

So my criticisms of Sandy Ezekiel and Roger Latchford were found to be reasonable, not as Simon Moores falsely portrayed them “unsupported and defamatory”. (If I lived by the Standards of Team Ezekiel I would have excellent grounds to issue a Standards complaint against Simon Moores). Simon Moores of course has not amended his post nor admitted his factual errors.

We now face a situation where an email or a conversation between the respective political parties' Chief Whips could probably resolve matters. It is of course Simon Moores right to issue his complaint, but I question his judgment in spending taxpayers money rather than his own. Of course any lawyer looking at Simon Moores Thanet Life’s many comments about me would suggest there was no case to take forward. Simon Moores knows this so he is going to spend your money, not his own.

I also do not understand why he can complain, and yet leave whatever comment that has caused him to complain, out on the internet where people will continue to read it. I would suggest he really is not that bothered, and this manufactured complaint may be tied in with the coming elections for leading positions in Thanet Conservative group which I understand are this week.

After all a year ago a fierce condemantion of this blog coincided in promotion and extra income, perhaps he thinks the same tactic will work again?

For my part I will continue to criticise people directly and as is said in politics “stab them in the front.” For Simon Moores and his friends there’s a different way. I give you Simon, with Martin Wise and Ted Watt-Ruffell on backing vocals....the backstabbers! (and you’re paying thousands of pounds for them to do it!)

Conservative Party Airbrushing Black Candidates

2010-03-22T12:59:00.005Z

The Conservative Party remains a party which struggles with issues of race. I have highlighted here and here difficulties in Kent

Yesterday's Observer highlighted the Conservative Party in Barking and Dagenham only having white candidates on Council election literature.
Today the excellent Left Foot Forward blog provides the 3 election leaflets here, here and here. They show all 3 black candidates missing from election leaflets, and question with the BNP candidate in Barking being Nick Griffin whether this is a coincidence.

Pictured is the Conservative candidate Simon Jones who has some questions to answer on why only white Conservative candidates appear on election literature with him. Of course he's happy to have the master of airbrushing David Cameron pictured with him. Click here to see David Cameron on white candidate only literature only here.

Michael Ashcroft does not get the recognition on Conservative literature his tax-free money deserves so here's an airbrushed image from MyDavidCameron.

Thanet Council bottom of the table on Housing

2010-03-20T17:37:00.011Z

Shelter the housing charity have carried out a survey of Councils across England. Here's what Shelter found on housing in Thanet

"There are 4,697 households on the waiting list for affordable housing in Thanet – at current letting rates this will take 9.38 years to clear.Independent experts say Thanet needs to build 1,544 homes per year. Thanet District Council planned for 70 new affordable homes to be provided last year.

This was less than the number of new affordable homes needed.

Despite this, only 63 new affordable homes were delivered on average in each of the last three years, even less than the number planned and less than was needed."

This is a shockingly bad record. Compare Thanet to the rest of the country and it comes 309th out of 320 councils with returns. In the South East only Shepway (Folkestone) was worse out of 64 Councils.

My previous post highlights another bottom of the league table Thanet District Council performance on Ramsgate Marina. There's no doubt after 7 years it has to be time to sack the manager, Thanet Council Leader Sandy Ezekiel. On housing Cllr. Zita Wiltshire has held the Cabinet portfolio for three years and her performance leaves a lot to be desired.

One aspect of the housing portfolio is tackling issues of anti-social behaviour. On this like her fellow Thanet Cabinet members Martin Wise and Simon Moores she has a very poor record, readily tolerating and defending anti-social behaviour when carried out by Conservative colleagues. In particular at Standards Committee she has sadly striven to run the line that Sandy Ezekiel and Roger Latchford are innocent, even when finding herself in a minority of one. If only she had shown the devotion to her portfolio that she does to her Leader.

The point is made very well in this week's Isle of Thanet Gazette by Eastcliff Richard and I've taken the liberty of copying it here. (go to Eastcliff Richard for an enlargable version)

My thanks to Cllr. Iris Johnston Labour's Shadow Cabinet member for Housing for highlighting this information.

Ramsgate Marina - Weak leadership from Thanet Conservatives

2010-03-19T13:23:00.004Z

There's a very good letter in today's Isle of Thanet Gazette from my colleague Cllr. John Watkins...

Dear Editor,

For anyone who has watched the decline of facilities at Ramsgate during the last seven years of Conservative control of TDC, the downgrading of our Royal Harbour to the bottom 6 out of 91 UK harbours, by the Yacht Harbour Association, will come as no surprise.

The 'jewel in the crown' today is in a sorry state, due to years of Tory neglect. In 2000, under Labour's TDC management, the harbour saw the addition of the brand new 100 berth Western Marina and by 2003 it was equipped with a new port control room, it's own dredger, the new 40 tonne boat hoist and a new fuel barge facility, plus new security gates and a CCTV system, together with two new amenity blocks for visiting boat’s crews.

Now, due to adverse reports in the national boating press in recent years regarding departure delays and vessels grounding on the sand banks at the entrance, some yachtsmen are avoiding our harbour. Less leisure vessel visits were recorded during 2009 and less permanent berths were occupied. There have been reports of accidents caused by unstable and poorly maintained pontoons and due to the build up of silt, the inner marina gate has had to remain closed for longer periods in order to prevent boats grounding in their berths.

In the outer basin the long eastern marina breakwater and pontoon has been out of use since last October awaiting major repairs, with no firm date for when it will be available for mooring large visiting vessels this year, and there are rows of smashed light fittings on the pier. Meanwhile,the listed Maritime Museum building stands closed and forlorn, with boarded up broken windows and rain water pouring in the roof, putting the artefacts at risk.

The Tory cabinet member for Ramsgate Marina said last week “We are not complacent about our wonderful historic harbour, and we are restructuring".

He deserves a golden rivet for complacency - what is badly needed is a change of administration at Thanet District Council.

Cllr. John Watkins, Labour Shadow Member for Ramsgate Marina.

I would add that one of the problems here is that the Thanet Conservative administration have had 3 different councillors in charge of the marina in the last years Cllrs. Mike Roberts, Roger Latchford and John Kirby.

Roger Latchford especially is quick enough to claim credit for other matters, I wonder who he holds responsible for this damningly poor performance?

I would far rather see all the effort and money that is put into the annual air show put into sorting out the Marina. I'll say it again, Thanet does not need one off events, it needs long term sustainable tourism and Ramsgate Marina should be the cornerstone of this, not the neglected afterthought that it has been over recent years.

Mixed messages on foxhunting from Laura Sandys

2010-03-18T16:39:00.006Z

Work commitments meant I was unable to attend this morning's anti-foxhunting demonstration. My thanks to Councillor Alan Poole for the photograph and others present for their help in putting together this report.

"In King Street, Ramsgate outside an apparently deserted, derelict Laura Sandys' campaign office a large group of animal welfare activists gather to draw attention to the proposal by David Cameron to allow a free vote on the repeal of the hunting ban should the Conservatives gain control in the forthcoming election. The peaceful and legal demonstration was organised by those concerned at Ms. Sandys' persistent refusal to say publicly whether or not she would, if elected, support the lifting of the ban on hunting with dogs.

Had she left town to avoid speaking to the large contingent with placards outside since her latest advertisement promoting her new website lists the King Street address as her HQ?

As the numbers angered at the proposal to allow hunting even to be put on the political agenda grew it became clear that Thanet residents and others visiting the area oppose any suggestion that blood sports once again be permitted in this country.

'Why do the Tories want to turn the clock back?' was a typical question asked by those queuing up to sign the Keep Cruelty History petition.

One member of the demonstrating group had recently managed to get a statement from Laura Sandys' Personal Assistant who did say, when pushed by the campaigner, that Ms. Sandys would, if elected, vote to repeal the hunting with dogs ban. Odd then that Ms. Sandys has released a press release saying she has no interest in hunting with hounds.

Slight problem here with being consistent, Ms.Sandys. It was clear from the numbers who supported Barbara Woodrough and her fellow anti-animal cruelty supporters that South Thanet wants an unequivocal statement that shows you do not intend to vote, if elected, to support any attempt to bring back hunting with hounds."

Oh Lord Won't You buy me a Mercedes Benz?

2010-03-17T12:42:00.004Z

I am pleased to see the government drop its proposals on an insurance scheme for dangerous dogs. Interestingly this was something criticised both on this blog and that of Thanet Conservative councillor Simon Moores.

One thing that we do not agree on is the tax dodge money from Michael Ashcroft for the Conservative Party. I want the billionaire to pay the £127 million tax he should have done, so we all have to pay less tax. Blogger Beau Bo D'Or is in great form at present and has created a possible Conservative Party election campaign song....

The Blog is Dead, Long Live the Website

2010-03-16T22:23:00.002Z

Herne Bay blogger Phil Rose is closing his Save our Downs blog. I've noticed he's been posting less frequently. That's partly because he's been busy setting up a new website Herne Bay Matters which aims to....

•celebrate the great, good and quirky things that our town has to offer, and to make that information readily available to all the people who live here, and everyone who visits
•highlight the things that need fixing, improving, or stopping
•provide a contact point and discussion forum for anyone with ideas and actions that will help with either of the above.

Good luck to Phil in his new endeavour.

A Night at the Opera

2010-03-12T21:44:00.003Z

My infatuation with the new High Speed 1 trains and St. Pancras train station continues. When it first opened I wrote about the need for initial teething problems to be worked through. The station's free wifi is occasionally unavailable at peak times due to so many people using it, and can be slow. It also bars several sites on a somewhat random basis - several of the blogs on the blogroll on the right hand side cannot be accessed.

On the upside for a busy hub there is a relaxed feel to the Southeastern trains part of the concourse. Recently, I heard this group of young singers doing a wonderful marketing exercise. I know very little about opera but the sound was like the old BA advert, and a tranquil contrast to the sounds of the station. These young singers were busking and advertising that University College Opera will be performing Robert Schumann's only opera Genoveva at the Bloomsbury Theatre from 22nd March.

What an ingenious idea to combine a rehearsal with fundraising and raising the profile of the production whilst entertaining. I only wish they perhaps could video an extract as the clip of the opera below does not do justice to their singing. I hope their production is a success, and with the theatre 10 minutes walk from St. Pancras perhaps they will attract some visitors from East Kent.

Anti - Foxhunting Demonstration in Ramsgate

2010-03-11T12:36:00.006Z

Regular readers will recall my post on foxhunting and on South Thanet Conservative candidate Laura Sandys refusal to state her personal views on the subject. I have been advised of a demonstration to protest at Laura Sandys failure as on so many subjects to give a clear line of her opinions on foxhunting, as she hides behind a Conservative Central Office standard letter. Mrs. Thatcher would have said she was "frit."

The demonstration is being organised by Barbara Woodrough, a long time anti-fox hunting and animal welfare campaigner. It will be at 11am on Thursday 18th March outside the Conservative offices 7-9 King Street, Ramsgate.

An overwhelming majority of the British population oppose foxhunting, in a democratic society elected representatives should reflect this, not favour the views of a small minority of people just because they are members of their friends or family.

Potholes - Paul Carter's slow response

2010-03-10T12:53:00.004Z

Further to my posting on potholes I have received this letter from Kent County Council

As you are aware, following the coldest and wettest winter for many years the road network in Kent has suffered unprecedented damage. Record numbers of potholes have been reported to us since the beginning of the year. Kent Highway Services has fixed over 31,000 potholes since the start of the year, but there is still more we need to do.

From Monday 8 March we will be dedicating all available highway maintenance resources to fixing the potholes and carriageways. This will be on a ‘find and fix’ basis and means we will be able to get the potholes repaired as soon as possible. A schedule of works to be carried out will be published by district on the Kent County Council website.

While Kent Highway Services are concentrating on this issue, other non-urgent highway maintenance issues such as kerbing, footways and vegetation will be rescheduled to a later date. Safety critical incidents will continue to be attended to as a matter of urgency and this does not affect our maintenance focus on street lights and drainage.

In addition, Paul Carter (Leader of Kent County Council) has already announced that Kent County Council is to spend at least an extra £1million on fixing the potholes. Small and medium sized firms were invited to tender for this major piece of work and contracts will shortly be awarded with work starting from mid April.

Kent Highway Services will be working closely with parishes in your district and they have been encouraged to report any pothole related problems in their area.

I am disappointed it has taken Paul Carter so long to realise that there was a need for extra money and the promise to start work in April is disappointingly slow. Similarly the decision to prioritise resources has come late in the day. As a cyclist I especially find potholes a difficult challenge and have had extra flat tyres. I hear local garages have extra demand for suspension work too!

If you want to report any potholes call 08458 247 800
or email kenthighwayservices@kent.gov.uk

Muzzle It

2010-03-09T19:15:00.004Z

I think today's government proposal for compulsory dog insurance is well meaning, but flawed. Most councillors will have encountered issues around anti-social behaviour involving dogs. The last time I did so, I was advised the problem was bad owners not bad dogs. Yet all too often when a child is savaged or killed we hear that the dog had never acted like that before.

There are bad dogs and worse dogs trained to behave badly. The Conservative response that this is a "Dog Tax" is ill thought out.

Nick Herbert, Tory shadow environment secretary, said:

“The problem of dangerous dogs is growing and the current legislation is clearly not working, but the Government's proposals risk penalisin millions of law-abiding dog owners with the blunt instrument of a dog tax. We should be targeting the minority of irresponsible dog owners, not the vast majority who are responsible dog lovers.”

That will not solve the problem. How many children is Nick Herbert prepared to see killed/maimed so that millions of people do not have to pay a dog tax? 5? 10? 15?

In my book the life of 1 child comes before 20 million dog owners being inconvenienced by a dog tax. I would suggest a different way forward, compulsory muzzles. When I visited Czechoslavakia as it then was 25 years ago this was the law. People were so much more relaxed around dogs. So there's a small one off "tax" - you have to buy a muzzle. But then everybody knows you have complied. The very visibility ensures that the policy is easily policed or reported by members of the public. No need to check for an insurance policy or microchipping, neither of which will stop dogs killing/maiming children. Does it help after your child is maimed/killed that there is a way of tracing the offending animal? I can't see it would be much comfort.

We all know the worst people will be most resistant to any legal proposal. Yes every dog owner is slightly inconvenienced, but it allows our children to play freely and safely in our public areas, and that for me must be our first consideration.

Firkin good beer

2010-03-08T22:52:00.007Z

Reading the Campaign for Real Ale's Beer magazine I noticed a letter that brought back a few memories. Simon Nicholls from Deal wrote:

"I started my ale appreciation as a young man in South London and drank frequently in the Fox & Firkin. I have fond memories of Dogbolter and was pleased to see it mentioned. However, I was surprised there was no mention in the Firkin article of the Ramsgate Brewery. Eddie Gadd (blog here) is still brewing Dogbolter (now Faithful Dogbolter). It is still a blindingly good ale."

I fondly recall the Fox and Firkin in Lewisham and also frequented the Goose and Firkin in Borough. Best of all for me was the Phoenix and Firkin which sat on top of Denmark Hill train station, avoiding any need for drinking and driving! I too can recommend Gadds' beers. Although my current favourite bottle of choice would be Harviestoun Brewery's Bitter and Twisted which has a delicious lemony tang.

It seems a good opportunity to mention that the Planet Thanet Easter Beer Festival (the biggest yet with over 200 different brews) will be at the Winter Gardens, Margate on 2nd and 3rd April.

Election Battle in Coastal seats

2010-03-08T12:35:00.006Z

There's an interesting article in today's Independent "The Fight on The Beaches" about "the seaside seats that really count." The Independent looks at Hastings, Weymouth and Blackpool North

This paragraph on Hastings resonated

The trust the locals have set up to save their pier is "non-party political", says Felix Robinson. "But it has to be said that Labour has done a lot for Hastings over the past decade, whereas the Tories have been pretty useless locally."

Maybe a Cameron government would come down and kick the local Tories into shape?

"I'd like to think so," Robinson says, "But I'll believe it when I see it."

In South Thanet there's the High Speed 1 fastest trains in the country, rebuilt schools, masses of new buildings at the QEQM hospital, new doctor's surgeries from the Labour government...and the Conservative record?

Bertie Biggles latest posting shows how ineffective local Conservatives have been.

Change remains the same

2010-03-07T12:49:00.003Z

Hat tip to The Audacity of Pope (what a great name for a blog) for this image.
Still no news from Laura Sandys of how much money she has had from Michael Ashcroft.

How much tax avoided (evaded?) money has gone into her campaign? Steve Ladyman MP can tell you where every penny of his campaign money comes from, why can't Laura Sandys do the same?

She should publish a clear statement and accounts now, not keep thinking she is still in public relations and can keep her head down and hope it goes away.

"Sunshine is the best disinfectant" - David Cameron. Pass the sick bag.

Patching Potholes Pouring Money Away

2010-03-06T15:23:00.007Z

A guest blog from Jenny Matterface of Broadstairs...

"You might be mistaken for thinking the photographs with this posting are of some farm track, unadopted road or country lane but you'd be wrong.

These photographs were taken this morning and show Beacon Road, Broadstairs.

OK, it's been a harder winter than normal, and Kent Highways did send a team to patch this busy road a few weeks ago.

Oddly the workers only filled in one or two and left the rest.

As it was raining I said to them it seemed an odd day to chose but was told....

'We've been told to do it, but we know it's a waste of time'.

You can see quite clearly where the gravel used to fill the holes has been squeezed out by the traffic, and has sprayed up on to the pavement.

What I find odd here is that the Thanet Way, the A299, is down for resurfacing this month.

I can't say I have spotted any lumps, bumps or holes on the A299 but can show you plenty on Beacon Road.

Drivers and cyclists have to play dodge the parked cars, the potholes and debris in the road.

Cyclists beware if you come along here after dark as some of these holes could swallow a small child or animal."

Laura Sandys new supporter....Robert Mugabe

2010-03-05T12:28:00.004Z

Over the last few years many Conservatives, including some Thanet Conservative councillors who are backing Laura Sandys as the Parliamentary candidate in South Thanet, have made disgusting comparisons about Labour representaives and Labour's record to corrupt tyrannies. Today though the corrupt Robert Mugabe has come out in support of the Conservatives saying:

"We have always related better with the British through the Conservatives than Labour, we have a better chance with David Cameron than with Brown."

Read the full story here.

Will Laura Sandys who claims to have foreign policy expertise, find some principles and reject this endorsement? Or will she stay silent as usual in the hope of courting Mugabe supporters in Thanet?

Cabinet Minister campaigning in Ramsgate

2010-03-04T12:29:00.010Z

Jim Knight MP is a name to put fear into the heart of any Conservative campaigner. In Labour's 1997 landslide he failed to win Dorset South. Undaunted he continued campaigning and in 2001 was Labour's only gain with a majority of 153. Working harder than had ever been seen before by a local representative in Portland and Weymouth, Jim again won against the national trend in 2005 increasing his majority more than tenfold to 1,812. When people predict elections the change in demographics and the effect of having a hard working MP is often overlooked, and like Jim, Steve Ladyman MP in South Thanet has consistently outperformed national trends.

This morning Jim was in Margate at a meeting of Thanet Works where Labour government money has been establishing and safeguarding jobs. It is regrettable that when it is often Labour held wards that have the highest unemployment that Thanet District Council chooses too only have Conservative representatives on the board.

In Thanet Council Chamber I often hear rhetoric from leading Conservative councillors wanting to work together. The reality is that they choose to take a partisan approach and ignore that it is Labour government money providing the resources.

The first door I knocked on this morning in Northwood wanted me to pass on their thanks to Steve for all his work in helping them as a young family with their housing problems. The bottom photo shows Northwood Ramsgate Town Councillor Emma Poole on the door. Emma always enjoys canvasing and she reduces the average age of Ramsgate Town Council by about a decade! Jim Knight gave people the chance to communicate their message to a man at the heart of government, as he is Minister of State for Employment and Welfare Reform at the Department for Work and Pensions, and attends Cabinet. I was surprised at how many were content and happy to decline the opportunity, but many others told him how it is in Ramsgate. It helped on one doorstep where schools were an issue that Jim had visited Marlowe Academy when he was Schools Minister.

Thanks to my fellow Thanet councillors Richard Nicholson, Alan Poole, Clive Hart and Dave Green for coming to Northwood and to Broadstairs activist Jenny Matterface and Corinna Huxley from Cliffsend. We were all wonderfully worked hard by the stakhanovite Nigel Singh. The response on the doorstep was very interesting. I encountered real people wanting to talk about real issues. No mention of Gordon Brown or David Cameron, several of Steve Ladyman (all positive) and one of Michael "I like the Conservative Party so much I bought it" Ashcroft. Shouldn't we all stop calling him Lord until it is clear that he properly deserves this title? Has he bought his title or did he properly meet the conditions required of him?

Local residents were talking about jobs, schools, housing, the NHS, the economy and immigration. The response was that whilst Labour was not perfect (who is) but it had delivered for them and they wanted more investment in schools and hospitals from a government that had a record of delivery. On anti-social behaviour residents had noticed an improvement since I was last knocking on these doors and that is great to report. Amongst all the scare stories there are more police and police support officers and crime has fallen.

A lot done, a lot more to do but lets not hear the scare stories that talk our communities down.

Michael Foot - My Debt of Honour

2010-03-03T12:33:00.006Z

It is hard to know where to start in appreciating Michael Foot and all that he did to make the world a better place. I first bumped into him in Traflagar Square when a student in the early 1980s when he was Leader of the Labour Party walking towards Parliament. Walking with his stick at speed he readily allowed me to accompany him and to talk politics. My main message I recall was to thank him for all the work he had done for the Labour Party. It is hard to imagine today that a Leader of a Political Party would be walking in central London without and security.

I was brought up in the certain knowledge as to what a worker Michael was. In 1963 he was very seriously injured in a car accident at St. Owens Cross in Herefordshire. His life was threatened but he was nursed back to health in Hereford General Hospital by the NHS. The NHS founded by Nye Bevan his predecessor as MP for Ebbw Vale. Michael was on his way back to London late on a Sunday night after a weekend in his constituency. In an age before the motorways of today he was on a journey of several hours on A roads back to London for a week at Parliament. This was a regular journey for him and puts into context the moaning of pygmy Conservative representatives who complain about their need for first class travel.

When the accident happened Michael was with his wife Jill Craigie. I was fortunate to meet them and see them on a number of occasions and it was transparent to the most casual observer what a deep and enduring passion they shared together over decades. Michael Foot leaves behind an immense bibliography. He is best known fittingly for his 2 part biography of his predecessor as a MP Aneurin Bevan. If you want a short sharp read Guilty Men. Michael co-authored this evisceration of the Conservative appeasement policy in 1940, and it resonates through the years. People forget that a man who later came to be known as a strong supporter of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, was a strong advocate for violence if neccessary to defeat fascism rather than appeasement.

A lesser known book but one which has brought me great pleasure over the years is Debts of Honour which he dedicated to his wife Jill "the biggest creditor of the lot" - how many in politics owe so much to their partner. In it he pays tribute to an eclectic selection Disraeli and Beaverbrook from the right. William Hazlitt, Jonathon Swift, and Thomas Paine plus more. He writes of Daniel Defoe the feminist, Michael was a feminist when many men in the Labour Party were still chauvanists. First in the book is his father Isaac Foot part of the famous family which has provided so much patriotic public service to our country.

I saw him speak on many occasions and in terms of oratory in my time only Tony Blair in British politics has equaled his ability to educate, enthuse and excite. Michael was a great loyalist to his beloved Plymouth Argyle and the Labour Party says the BBC. Yet they overlook his role at the Tribune newspaper as was and now a magazine. A former editor and regular contributor, Michael advised, cajoled and fundraised for it over decades.

As an ordinary Labour Party member in 1983 I recall with despair the ineptitude around the Bermondsey by-election campaign and a more senior campaigner advising me that part of the problem was that Michael was too nice to sort out some of the problems. When history judges us better surely to have been considered too nice! There were too many fellow travelers in the Labour Party at this time, most notably Militant. Michael Foot it always struck me thought he could defeat them by the power of argument. Two problems - not all of us had his powers of persuasion, and Militant never played by the rules! Like many others I resolved to address this through organisation as well as debate.

Michael failed in the 1983 General Election but at the time it was hard to see who else could have held the Labour Party together through such fractious times with the SDP splitting off to the right and Trotskyites to the left.

Michael never retired and was an activist to the end. I was privileged to have his entusiastic support when I paid tribute to people from Lewisham who supported the anti-fascist forces and I have written about this elsewhere. Michael readily opened his contact book and ensured the presence of many distinguished figures. He spoke with passion and fervour, and but for his health would have fought in Spain for the Popular Front.

How wonderful that a man who suffered more than his share of ill health in his life should live to the age of 96.

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

2010-03-02T14:34:00.007Z

Will Laura Sandys South Thanet Conservative candidate say how much money she has had from Lord Ashcroft and his "front" companies?

Could she/he return some of the £127 million tax he has avoided paying to you and me please?

Laura Sandys Shoddy Lack of Opinions

2010-02-27T21:57:00.007Z

As we get closer to the General Election people's views are firming up. Nationally the opinion polls are closing, and I detect locally people who are critical of some parts of Labour's record, recognising that overall and on the big matters - health, education and the economy it is the best choice.

Many people though vote on other issues, sometimes single issues. Some of these have been contacting local prospective candidates to find out their views. As I have recorded previously South Thanet Conservative Candidate refuses to respond to difficult political questions.

Local people have advised me recently that one issue she finds difficult to address is animal rights. Like David Cameron she comes from a family background which strongly supports fox hunting. Local people writing to her on this issue have had varying responses. One had no response. One advised me that she said she would ask North Thanet Conservative MP Roger Gale. An odd response as Laura Sandys should be able to formulate a view on fox hunting without needing to "phone a friend". Credit to Roger Gale who has taken a clear and prominent line on animal rights over many years.

Like many prospective Conservative candidates Laura is finding the process of the public scrutinising her performance difficult to handle. The League Against Cruel Sports report that

Up and down the country, our supporters have contacted the Prospective Parliamentary Candidates (PPCs) of all parties to seek their view on repeal of the Hunting Act. The responses are forwarded to us, and the current figures show that 69.8% of Conservative PPCs support repeal, as do 5.7% of Liberal Democrat PPCs and less than 1% of Labour PPCs.

But what’s most telling is the language used in the PPC responses. Most argue their point eloquently and effectively, but we’ve noticed a trend amongst some Conservatives to all use exactly the same wording. For instance, we now have twenty Conservative candidates all using the following line:

“I was also struck by the recent comments of Jim Barrington, the former Executive Director of the League Against Cruel Sports, who said…”

The quote itself isn’t important, and anyway, we’ve all heard Mr Barrington’s arguments before. The key point is the very personal comment that “I was struck by…”. Now, we’re not politically naive enough to think that standard responses don’t exist, but we think it’s pretty shoddy that such a personal statement, loaded with feeling, should be used, word for word, by at least twenty candidates.

Now Laura Sandys could clear this matter up easily by acknowledging her error, it should be "A Conservative Central Office researcher was struck by, not I"

Like abortion and the death penalty, fox hunting is an issue of conscience with different views by individuals in every party. So Laura Sandys should as somebody who wants to be a MP have her own views. She should be able to think for herself and formulate her own views.

Every other candidate standing in Thanet is able to do this. Why as the League Against Cruel Sports puts it, is Laura Sandys acting so shoddily?

Chinese for Labour Campaigning and Fundraising

2010-02-24T13:06:00.009Z

Yesterday evening I was honoured to be Thanet Labour Group’s representative at Chinese for Labour’s slightly belated Chinese New Year celebration. Compered by the inimitable Simon Fanshawe, who kindly posed mid quip to catch his best side in the photo shown. Simon kept the evening flowing, but also took the opportunity to celebrate Labour’s achievement on lesbian and gay rights. Pointing out several people present with civil partnerships, he said this had only happened because over three terms of Labour government there had been a confidence and commitment to equal rights for everybody in our community. David Cameron of course opposed gay rights. He now supports them. Has he genuinely changed his mind, or is he just expressing a view that he thinks will win him more votes?

Home Secretary, Alan Johnson highlighted David Cameron’s commitment to tax credits for married couples, not for those living together. He asked where the £4.9 billion this commitment will cost is coming from. No explanation from the Conservatives. Like their commitment to cut inheritance tax for millionaires they are promising money to people, without any explanation of where the money will come from. I would like to see Conservative candidates having to declare whether they personally would benefit from the inheritance tax cut. Declaring interests is a fundamental principle of British democracy. My understanding is that Laura Sandys in South Thanet and Charlie Elphicke in Dover and Deal, and their families would benefit by hundreds of thousands of pounds if this proposal they strongly support ever went through. Leaving ordinary working people paying to subsidise this millionaire’s glee club, we’re all in this together? Pass the sickbag.

Sonny Leong Chair of Chinese for Labour warned people to understand that if they woke up with a Conservative government there would be no morning after pill to put things right. He called upon the Labour Party to secure greater representation of Chinese people. This was endorsed by Keith Vaz who praised Lord Gulam Noon for his work in ensuring better representation of Black and Ethnic Minority people in public life. I have rarely seen so many government figures at a dinner, with International Development Minister Gareth Thomas, Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw and many other Parliamentarians present.

As Alan Johnson said in his speech, that’s because this dinner is one of the highlights of the year. Host restaurant the Phoenix Palace in Marylebone has the best Chinese food I have ever tasted, and a range of dishes which puts many other restaurants to shame. So there is never any problem in attracting speakers for cuisine of the highest quality.

Ed Miliband has to be one of the sexiest people in politics from the comments from the diners with many women and men shouting out their lust for his looks! Ed emphasised that the more Conservatives came under scrutiny the more their poll ratings fell. He called for more publicity for Conservative proposals as they were helping Labour narrow the opinion poll gap every day. The key distinction for him was that Labour took an optimistic view of the future, where a 1930s style Depression emanating from America had been avoided. He contrasted this with a Conservative outlook based on talking Britain down.

When the Conservatives compare Britain to Greece they scare off potential investors and call upon them to put their money and our jobs elsewhere in the world. A personal observation here. David Cameron thinks Ed Miliband is a second class citizen. Ed’s brother David is married with children. Ed and his partner have a child, but are unmarried. In David Cameron’s Conservative world David should have more money through tax breaks than Ed why?
David Cameron does not understand that everybody I know has a couple in their family who have a long term commitment but are unmarried. David Cameron believes they are second class citizens. In my own extended family there is a couple who have been together longer than the other married couples of their generation. They have children and have been committed to each other for many years. They are saving to have the kind of wedding they would like, not just a quick visit to the registry office. Should they now just get married for a tax break, or shoyuld they be able to plan towards their dream wedding without being penalised.

The Conservatives do not understand modern British society.

Two examples from the speakers to illustrate this. Sonny Leong talked about the Conservative mindset that resulted in top Tory Lord Norman Tebbit assaulting a child because they had a different culture to his.

Alan Johnson explained that you had to have a contemptuous and utterly out of touch view of the world to believe 54% of 15-17 year olds had children rather than the correct figure of 5.4%. However, that's what dozens of Conservative Parliamentarians and officials thought was modern British society. They do not go to where ordinary people live and look down upon ordinary working people as an underclass.

My thanks to Mee Ling Ng and her hard working team of organisers for a superb evening. Congratulations on the thousands of pounds raised for Labour's General Election campaign against the Conservatives tens of millions of pounds.

How an Elected Mayor can lead to crises

2010-02-23T18:10:00.003Z

I have written before that I am agnostic about whether an elected mayor would be better for local government in Thanet. I am tending more and more against this idea. There are good examples, where it has worked well. The more I see and read about Doncaster though, the more I think it can lead to problems. After the well documented child abuse cases in Doncaster, now there is gridlock on the budget.

Those who advocated this system in Thanet have been quiet about this subject of late. I think reading here will give them interesting food for thought.

South East Region Labour Party Conference

2010-02-21T19:51:00.010Z

Another excellent South East Labour Party regional conference, which makes me realise that I have been blogging for over a year now and had not noticed the anniversary. Top marks to Regional Director Malcolm Powers and his team for securing the Reading Hilton as the venue with extremely advantageous room rates. Family and work commitments meant I only attended the second half of the Conference. Fellow East Kent delegates Anne Belworthy from Thanet North and Wendy Mitchell from Folkestone and Hythe who attended for the whole weekend were most impressed with the attentiveness and thoughtfulness of the Hilton staff. The Reading Hilton is just one building in this area of Reading where there has been regeneration. Just off Junction 11 of the M4 close to the single windmill and the Madjeski stadium. They demonstrate how Labour has rebuilt this part of the country after the years of Thatcher’s destruction.

Delegate numbers were down for the very good reason that many who would normally attend had decided that campaigning in their constituencies was a greater priority. My Thanet colleagues were out campaigning and it is great to welcome Nigel Singh to South Thanet as our new campaign organiser. Nigel's friendly enthusiasm has already been an instant hit.

John Prescott at the Conference dinner inspired everybody. When many people leave senior office they sometimes are seen infrequently on the front line. John’s been the exact opposite. I have seen him in my day job commuting on the Eurostar to Strasbourg where he leads Labour’s Council of Europe delegation. More frequently he is at Labour Party campaigning and fundraising events. Here he gave a keynote speech and the conference dinner speech bringing the house down on several occasions. He then did something that is not so regular. He did not shoot off back to relatively close London. Instead he went round very table, talking to everybody present, stayed for as many photos as delegates wanted, and he was back at breakfast inspiring people to GoFourth and campaign. Read his latest blog here

First thing Sunday morning before appearing on Adam Boulton on Sky News, Harriet Harman warned of how the Tories plan for early cuts threaten a double dip recession. She stressed how important it is to rebut the Tory lie that Gordon Brown created the recession. As she said, if that was the case, how did he create the recession in America, France, Germany Spain, Greece etc? It is clearly nonsense, and a sign of how desperate the Conservativees are that they have to resort to this repeated misrepresentation rather than outline a clear policy agenda.

At the end of her speech, Harriet present several awards. Oxford East was constituency of the year. The award was received by Labour national Executive Chair Ann Black. Ann is one of the constituency representatives on Labour’s governing body. Many of the delegates present told me of how much time she spent garnering their views, and feeding back national party strategy. Ann said that although Oxford was only a short distance away, the vast majority of the Labour Party had chosen not to come and receive the ward, but were as she spoke knocking on doors in the rain.

Janet Sully (seen addressing Conference) received the Year round campaigning award on behalf of Crawley Labour Party. Laura Moffat MP has the smallest majority in the country, but Janet promised that will not be the case after the next election

Margaret Rose of Maidstone and the Weald Labour Party who only joined the Labour Party two years ago after a lifetime of being a Labour voter, won virtual campaigner of the year. She is heading towards a thousand voter contacts on the phones assisting Paul Clark MP in Gillingham and Rainham. During the weekend there were canvassing sessions in both Reading seats and telephone canvassing by delegates.

Peter Skinner MEP conducted the fundraising on Saturday night, and on Sunday morning explained why David Cameron is so keen to keep quiet about his extreme Conservative MEPs and their appalling friends in their new ECR political grouping. He explained how this had lead to decent ant-fascist Conservatives like Edward McMillan-Scott being forced out in favour of Michael Kaminski from Poland. Delegates welcomed his frankness about the unseating of many hard working County Councillors across the South East in local government elections last year; lost as he put it in a sea of expenses. Peter called for work from now to win those seats back in 2013.

Peter took plenty of questions, but modestly omitted to mention the excellent revamp of his website, well worth a look, click here.

At the end I attended one of the workshop sessions on the manifesto. Ably chaired by Martin Phillips of Guildford, a delegate to Labour’s policy making body the National Policy Forum. Activists welcomed the opportunity to discuss policy with Sarah McCarthy-Fry MP for Portsmouth North and a junior Treasury minister. Sarah provided an insight of government thinking.

There's no doubt Labour's "fightback" campaign is coming together with the polls closing again this weekend down to a 6% gap. The one consistent voice I heard from those present I talked to was that things were far better than 6 months ago. People were still ready on the doorsteps to listen to Labour and come out and vote. Change was not enough for the Tories, change to what? On that nobody seems to have an answer. In my view Labour could do worse than consider using a theme like Walter Mondale's "where's the beef?" question, to see if there are real worked out Conservative policies that can be debated between the parties.

Ted Watt-Ruffell still a Conservative Councillor

2010-02-16T22:49:00.010Z

I received disturbing news this evening. Despite his apparent statement that he had left the Conservative Group, Ted Watt-Ruffell remains a Conservative Councillor on Thanet District Council. Since Ted Watt-Ruffell's conviction for animal cruelty following his guilty plea, the Conservative Group have acted in a bizarre fashion. Instead of a clear written statement there has apparently been a series of telephone calls by Simon Moores. It is unclear why he is making telephone calls rather than issuing a clear written statement.

The Conservative Group Leader should issue a statement something along the lines of

"There is no place for breaking the law in the Conservative Party and we are appalled that a poor defenceless animal has been allowed to suffer. Cllr. Ted Watt-Ruffell has been immediately expelled from Thanet Conservative Group.

A member of Thanet Conservative Group will be issuing a Standards complaint against Ted Watt-Ruffell if he remains a councillor. I have asked for this statement to be published as widely as possible."

A clear simple message. Instead unclear phrases like stand aside are used. In order to resign from a political group or the Council, a councillor has to write to Thanet District Council's Chief Executive. So the various statements reportedly made by Ted Watt-Ruffell have no effect, and I am reliably informed that no official communication has been received to remove Ted from the Conservative Group. Now you could say this is a procedural oversight. Except exactly the same problem arose only a few months ago when Conservative councillor Stephen Broadhurst's resignation was delayed due to the failure to communicate it properly. Stephen Broadhurst was Ted Watt-Ruffell's fellow ward councillor, and remains his employer and friend. So Ted would be well aware of how to resign, or rather how to not resign and continue receiving allowances. I wrote then on 5th September...

"Why do the Conservative Group on Thanet Council not take disciplinary action against Cllr. Broadhurst and suspend/expel him? Why do they tolerate this situation? Are there any circumstances in which they will take disciplinary action against one of their own?"

The same could be said again today.

Thanet Conservative Group should have taken action, but have chosen not to do so. Now why would this be? Well could it be that Ted is intending to remain a councillor, and the Conservative Group want to continue to work closely with him? If Ted resigns he will become an Independent, but I would be surprised if the current Independent councillors would want him as part of their group. Perhaps he should sit as an Independent Conservative, although I think he should resign as a councillor following his guilty plea and conviction.

As Thanet Conservatives buck national trends by losing by-elections and now possibly losing a councillor, majorities on committees become tighter. In particular the Margate Charter Trustees has become finely balanced with 8 Labour, 9 Conservative, 2 Independent councillors and Ted. The poorly run Margate Charter Trustees website run by Margate Conservatives continues to list Stephen Broadhurst as a councillor, months after his eventual resignation.

Independent Leader Cllr. Dean McCastree has tended to vote with the Conservatives. The other Independent Cllr. Tom King has not always voted with the Conservatives. This potentially brings a vote for the Mayor of Margate in 2009/10 in the next few months to almost deadlock. Potentially 9 people supporting a Labour nominee, 10 supporting a Conservative nominee with Ted as Mayor maker with the casting vote.

I understand local Conservatives are petrified at the prospect of a by-election in Dane Valley ward following their humiliation at the December 2009 by-election by Labour's Sandra Hart. Some of them are keen to keep Ted Watt-Ruffell as a councillor and to avoid a by-election.

So what could explain why Thanet Conservatives have gone easy towards Ted Watt-Ruffell and have kept him as a member of their group? The only explanation that fits for me is as follows. It requires a powerful individual with considerable influence who wishes to be Mayor of Margate in 2010/11. This could be their final year as a councillor prior to elections in 2011. Only one individual fits this scenario, Conservative Group Leader Sandy Ezekiel. He was particularly close to Ted, making him his Chief Whip and securing for him not just one additional allowance but as Bertie Biggles demonstrates two, when many other Conservative councillors received none. This is I note just a theory.

Cllr. Ezekiel is not just Conservative leader, he is Thanet District Council Leader. At a time when politics has a very poor reputation, he should not hesitate or bottle this decision. He should unequivocally publicly condemn Ted Watt-Ruffell's conduct as found by the courts. That would be real leadership. I think he should stop hiding, and express the views of the people of Thanet and remove Ted Watt-Ruffell from the Conservative Group. The longer this goes on, the more dubious it looks.

Margate Conservatives should be clear they are not seeking to rely on Ted Watt-Ruffell's support to ensure they select a Mayor of Margate.

UPDATE 17.02.2010 I am pleased to advise that a proper written resignation has now been submitted by Cllr. Ted Watt-Ruffell and has been recieved.

Thanet District Council Conservative Group continue to refuse to comment on this matter.

Wikio Ratings - Eastcliff Richard and Thanet Strife top

2010-02-15T18:50:00.006Z

I've just received an email from Wikio rating my blog as the 680th most influential blog in the country. I have to say I doubt this as they rate not just blogs on politics but on all subjects. They also cover factual blogs on sport, technology, gastronomy, fashion and wine and beer.

Wikio says .....

"How are these rankings compiled?
The position of a blog in the Wikio ranking depends on the number and weight of the incoming links from other blogs. These links are dynamic, which means that they are backlinks or links found within articles.
Only links found in the RSS feed are included. Blogrolls are not taken into account, and the weight of any given link increases according to how recently it was published.

We thus hope to provide a classification that is more representative of the current influence levels of the blogs therein.

Only links found in RSS feeds are counted. Blogrolls are not taken into account.
Our rankings are updated on a monthly basis and also include Top Blogs for several categories: Technology, Politics, etc. New categories will be added on a regular basis.

I thought I would have a look at other local blogs ratings to see how accurate this rating is. I found (sorry to any I have missed)

554 Eastcliff Richard

599 Thanet Strife

680 From One End of Kent

747 Thanet Press releases

957 Thanet Star

2181 Thanet Coast Life

2275 Village Voice

2672 Naked in Thanet

2857 Promote Thanet

3817 Old Woman of Margate

6770 Zentelligence (Simon Moores technology blog)

14869 Thanet No2ID

16330 Thanet Galaxy

16331 Thanet Scaly Wag

Thanet Life, Thanet Online, Big News Margate - unrated

I think it is great that Thanet has at least 5 blogs in the top 1,000 blogs across the country, making the Isle very influential for its size. I would certainly agree that Thanet Strife and Eastcliff Richard are more influential than this blog. I am surprised that Big News Margate and Thanet Online, other blogs I would estimate as more influential than mine do not feature, so this casts some doubts on the accuracy of the ratings.

On the other hand the ratings say that Simon Moores technology blog is uninfluential. They also do not rate Thanet Conservative councillor Simon Moores blog Thanet Life, preferring Cllr. Ken Gregory's Village Voice for a right wing view. That seems very accurate, although it is unfortunate for Simon that Wikio does not rate fiction and fantasy.