So how will you vote in the European elections, do you care
about them enough to vote and all that type of thing? I have put one of those
voting things on the sidebar, not really sure if anyone will bother to vote,
vote loads of times or what will happen. Nor am I sure what if anything
the results would mean.
This post has really come up because of the comments about
local politics on Friday’s post http://thanetonline.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/ramsgate-tidal-surge-pictures.html
I guess a lot of this comes down to whether you think the
lack of a working majority both at parliamentary level and at district level makes thing better or worse.
I have been getting a certain amount of flack for saying
that there is some progress with some of the long term issues, particularly the
Ramsgate ones at TDC and that this may be partly to do with the lack of a
working majority.
One aspect that did interest me is the European election
Conservative candidate Julie Marson was selected before Laura Sandys announced
she wouldn’t be standing in the parliamentary elections and I wonder does this
mean that Julie Marson is likely to be selected for the parliamentary election
if she fails to win the European elections.
I know when Mark McGregor stood and lost the Thanet
South Conservatives held the then Conservative administration at TDC at least
partly responsible.
I wonder if the ongoing saga of TDC perceived as not fit for
purpose and my guess is perceived as not fit for purpose under both
Conservative and Labour administrations has any effect on how people vote in either
the European or the Parliamentary elections.
It’s pretty obvious if the national government is unpopular
and the usually are then this is likely to cause a swing towards the other
major party at local level, but does it work the other way round? By this I mean
does just having a majority at TDC make people more likely to vote the other
way?
I will ramble on here.
Julie who?
ReplyDeleteInteresting piece on the new issue of Thanet Watch about why Laura Sandys REALLY decided not to stand again, apart from "family demands"....
ReplyDeleteWhy not spell it out instead of hinting at some mystic cause.
DeleteTW claims there is some link between Laura Sandys and dubious political characters. But it seems quite a stretch to claim that this has anything to do with her decision not to stand again.
DeleteSadly, Joe, every time I start to think Thanet Watch is providing a service by holding local politicians to account they come up with a dubious story like this, of little substance and even less relevance to their claims, seeking to try and discredit a decent person who happens not to subscribe to their left wing ideology. Then the same group who produce this paper wonder why few on the right of politics ever attend their Red Hall debates.
DeleteSeems to me like a random stab in the dark. Doesn't seem to me to justify a claim that they 'REALLY' know why she decided not to stand. Clearly they don't know and are just trying to spread a bit of muck.
DeleteSpot on, Joe, for Laura's reasons are genuine family ones as she said in her announcement. No doubt the smears and innuendo will get worse as we get closer to election time, but such is the left I am afraid.
DeleteDon't knock the TW or the Red Hall too much chaps for they are more harm to the left wing cause than they are damage to the right. Their antics, grotty little mag and nasty muck spreading tends to devalue those who associate with them in the eyes of all but the most diehard Trots.
DeleteIn case anyone cares, I find many Tory policies utterly repulsive. Even so, claiming you know something when you don't seems to me to be the worst kind of journalism.
DeleteHolding my nose admittedly, I tend to agree with the unpleasant right winger Mallinson on Thanet Watch. It's really just Christine and Norman venting their own one-sided and rather nasty opinions. One day they'll be sued.
DeleteNorman?
Deletemind you for Ian to state councillors cannot run Legoland is a touch silly as it is very successful and makes good money.
DeleteNorman Thomas, 6:43, Christine Tongue's cohort in the Red Hall film making duo.
DeleteI agree, I can imagine running legoland is quite a difficult job. Thanet councillors cannot organise proper services in a smallish place called Thanet. No need to compare them to anyone else.
DeleteRunning Thanet is more difficult than Legoland but the councillors are still crap. How do we get rid of them? Hart has proved useless after two years.
DeleteThis is a rather late reply to dear Bill. Everyone is welcome at the Red Hall debates - and I'm sorry Bill that illness prevented you coming to the Question Time meeting. Bob Bayford and Martin Wise came along and I consider them big hitters on the Conservative side. and they sat next to two Labour party organisers! So the spirit of Mandela's truth and reconciliation policy is alive and well in Thanet.
DeleteChristine
Thanet Watch
Has any MEP ever done anything for Thanet or Kent? The EU costs are out of control and animal exports continue.
ReplyDeleteMichael, firstly to deal with candidate selection, the Conservative party has an approved list of candidates who apply to constituencies where there is a vacancy. These applicants are then considered by the local party executive and one is chosen. Most candidates will apply to one or more before they get adopted and many have to fight and lose a no hope seat before getting a safer one. I do not know if Julie Marson is on the candidate list for Westminster, but, if she is, she may well apply.
ReplyDeleteOn the Mark McGregor situation, if you recall, just before the 2005 election, which he was supposed to win, Norman Tebbit came out publicly condemning him which appeared in the national papers. I think that would have done him far more harm than any local council performance.
On the central government effect, that depends on how they are viewed at the time of the election. If the swing was always against the government in office no party would ever get two or more terms which, of course, is not the case.
So as with Laura a constituency can be represented by someone who has no connection with the area at all? That's the exact opposite of what is meant to happen isn't it? And as with Laura the MP would simply be a lapdog for the central party? Cllr Epps is useless but at least he is local.
DeleteIt is the system employed by political parties, 5:15, and few MPs are local to start with although some move to their constituencies once adopted. After all, you would hardly expect the party hierarchy, of whichever party you choose, to fight a no hope seat if that is where they happen to live.
DeleteYes 6:36 but it is not the system created for representative democracy created by the public ie local people representing their area. Why would Laura bother about Thanet if she does not live her and now on completion of her MP role will no doubt leave? Similarly we have Alan Poole living in Broadstairs but on Ramsgate Council etc.
DeleteThink you will find it has pretty much always been that way, 6:49, Ted Heath was from Broadstairs, but represented Bexley. Steve Ladyman was not really from Thanet, just came here from up north to work for Pfizer. Mind you, it is still representative democracy because they have to get elected wherever they are from originally. Is Bonking Bob really from Beckenham or was Gwyn Prosser from Dover?
DeleteYes 7:02 but the system was not created to be used in that way. Party politics are undermining democracy and turning it into a career path. Young Will is much the same: representing an area he is not from. The residency requirement should be introduced say 5 years prior to an election?
DeleteWhy, 7:17, as long as local people get to choose their candidates does it really matter where the candidate comes from. Theoretically you could have an area where everyone was so inbred they were all a bit low on IQ so far better they be represented by a brain from elsewhere.
DeleteYour five year residency requirement would indeed rule our many, including in this instance, Will Scobie who, until recently moving in with his girlfriend in Cliftonville, lived in North Thanet. He even represents a North Thanet ward on the district council.
Fair point 7:25 but inbreds can be imported too: Laura has hardly proved brilliant. The point of the political system is that the local people are represented. Of course the 5 year residency rule would rule out many especially those effectively hired by Party Central.
DeleteAn area should be represented by its people. If the representatives are then so bad they can be changed by exception. Your way is to have nominal democracy where representatives are effectively imposed on the public.
I meant to add, I'll be standing for election myself. Time for change.
DeleteAre you a "none of the above" on a ballot paper Anon 8:55
DeleteOnly this week Thanet was given a EU grant of £161,000 to improve the facilities at the port of Ramsgate. I am not sure whether this has come a bit late to do any good but it is typical of grants that have been received by Thanet from the EU.
ReplyDeleteBut grants and TDC have been surrounded in secrecy in the past and have not always been put to good use. Your may remember the story of the £5.5 millions intended to improve hotels etc, only for many of them to be closed or knocked down.
Take a look at the 2011 story TDC grants mismanagement.
We're working on a story working title WHERE HAS ALL THE MONEY GONE? looking at examples of grants which have come to Thanet (especially from the EU) and how much they've benefited the area, Anyone with any thoughts or suggestions are welcome to get in touch....
ReplyDeleteIn other words, Thanet Watch, you do not have a clue and your post is nothing more than a fishing expedition.
DeleteI hear that aliens have been abducting people from Thanet. Anyone with any thoughts or suggestions are welcome to get in touch....
Surely you didn;t expect any better of thanetwatch....
DeletePeter, I read Thanet Watch and I also sometimes look at Tim's twitter. At least the latter is funny.
DeleteThe latest EU grant like the others will no doubt be spent on civil servant pay rises or into the reserves for the next disaster. £160k will do nothing.
DeleteIt seems there's billions being suggested for a new Dartford Crossing bridge/tunnel (when the tolls could be simply removed) and no doubt the same for the idiotic Parkway Manston station depot, yet TDC raise £160k to redevelop the Port and selling off Albion House for a worse Town Hall. Utter waste for all the construction projects. Why has the Pleasurama site not been cleared of rubble yet? The padlock on the gates should be broken and the public take over the site and invoice the Labour Party if the council can't do it.
DeleteVoting means giving consent, and for that reason, I'm out.
ReplyDeletePeter, your 0746
ReplyDeleteYou display yet one more example of your propensity to shoot from the hip and miss, your aim deflected by the barrier of your ubiquitous ignorance.
On this occasion you picture yourself cycling full gallop to the side of a damsel in distress and rescuing her with the patronising assurance that you, Peter Checksfield, will read her article.
I do not as you so risibly claim "refuse" to read Thanet Watch. There is more which I could say on this subject that would disabuse your vacuous one liner.
But I have no need to explain myself to you. Suffice to say that you have got it wrong; but then as I have told you before you always manage to get everything slightly wrong.
Or to put it into language that you might better understand: on yer bike.
I wonder how our local politicians would look if they were subject to an OFSTED type report. Some outstanding, some good but it is probably most would be perceived as inadequate.
ReplyDeleteThe very fact that Thanetwatch is fishing around for details of the grants just goes to show the secrecy that was attached to how they were spent and who received them. Such information should have been in the public domain.
ReplyDeleteAsk for the EKO invoices.
Delete