Month: April 2011

Votes for prisoners – Why does the Labour Party falsely claim it is a Lib Dem policy when our Lib Dem MPs voting against votes for prisoners?

Labour pose the question in their leaflet, “Are you aware that the Liberal Democrat Party has long been in favour of votes for prisoners?” On 10th February 2011 the House of Commons voted on a motion to continue denying prisoners the vote. The following Lib Dem MPs voted against votes for prisoners. If as Labour … Continue reading “Votes for prisoners – Why does the Labour Party falsely claim it is a Lib Dem policy when our Lib Dem MPs voting against votes for prisoners?”

Labour pose the question in their leaflet, “Are you aware that the Liberal Democrat Party has long been in favour of votes for prisoners?”

On 10th February 2011 the House of Commons voted on a motion to continue denying prisoners the vote.

The following Lib Dem MPs voted against votes for prisoners. If as Labour state it was party policy do you think MPs would be voting against their own party?:-

Stephen Gilbert
Mike Hancock
John Pugh (MP for nearby Southport)
Bob Russell

The motion was won by 234 votes to 22. The full debate and how individual MPs voted is a matter of public record here.

Labour Rose: Election Special

Whilst out today with my wife, I spotted Cllr Harry Smith on Worcester Road and sure enough when I returned home there was a Labour leaflet delivered.

It seems both the Lib Dems and Labour agree that the nearly £2 million spent on Cathcart Street Primary School is a good idea. The very spot Cllr Smith and former Cllr Cocker are standing in in a photo on the leaflet was where we were told by a caretaker that photos couldn’t be taken! I have also listened to the concerns of John Cocker and the headteacher which they have aired at a number of public meetings when the future of the school was under threat.

It was however not Labour’s decision to make. It was Liberal Democrat and Conservative councillors that decided to close Cole Street Primary School, save Cathcart Street Primary School and invest money into Cathcart Street Primary School (in fact they will be making a decision on the contractor on Thursday).

Onto the second story in the leaflet, as Cllr Smith knows it was Liberal Democrats that campaigned for road safety measures on Fender Way. We were the ones who handed in a petition over over a hundred residents. We lobbied the local councillors, showed them photos and kicked up such a fuss we were told (after Cllr Smith complained to Cllr Roberts) never to bring a petition to an Area Forum ever again!

His claim that he "made sure resources were allocated from local Area Forum funding" is a strange one to make. The decisions over the local Area Forum funding allocation for road safety for this financial year were made by Wirral Council’s Cabinet (comprised of Conservative and Lib Dem councillors). We have an email from Wirral Council stating that no decisions are made by the Area Forum panel in respect of this. Wirral Council may have it wrong, so we will look into the matter and report back in a later more detailed post.

Cllr Harry Smith then takes credit for "more than £250,000" allocated to road repairs on Wirral. Going by a press release about pothole repair, the figure is £625,931 and judging by the large difference in the amounts, Cllr Harry Smith seems to be referring (despite writing "the recent cold spell" to not last Winter, but the Winter before when a Liberal Democrat Cabinet member for Streetscene and Transport Cllr Jean Quinn decided to put extra money towards potholes.

Cllr Smith then goes on to mention the Liberal Democrat Party. He states "Are you aware that the Liberal Democrat Party has long been in favour of votes for prisoners?"

Jeremy Brown, Lib Dem MP for Taunton and spokesperson for the party said in the House of Commons, "It was said that my party favours votes for prisoners, but that was not in our manifesto and the Leader of my party has made it explicit that he does not favour them."

In February MPs voted 234 to 22 against giving prisoners the vote. I will write an article further on this. However if you wish to view the debate in the House of Commons on this issue it can be viewed on the BBC’s website.

Clean Campaign Pledge – What’s that?

I read with interest on Cllr Ian Lewis’ blog that the Conservative candidate there has signed a Clean Campaign Pledge. It did take me a while to find what that pledge meant which I found on the Conservative’s website.

It seems this is the Tory’s reaction to what went on in Oldham East and Saddleworth regarding the Phil Woolas trial and subsequent byelection over misleading campaign literature designed to “make the white folk angry”.

There may be those who know me and read this blog that may think I am currently too harsh on Labour’s candidate Harry Smith. However anyone who chooses to stand in an election realises that they open themselves up for criticism on what they’ve done in the past, haven’t done, what they’ve said etc.

As the only candidate for Bidston & St. James that has a vote in the election here, I naturally have an opinion about Harry’s record as ward councillor over the past four years from a voter’s and candidate’s perspective.

It is Cllr Smith’s policy and record that will mean I will not be voting for him or his party on May 5th. I am thankful for the years that Liberal Democrat and Labour councillors on Wirral Council worked together for the people of Wirral, but I genuinely feel people have been let down here by Labour.

On the doorsteps and streets of Bidston & St. James I have heard the views of many voters (of all party political persuasions) and I’m not giving away any secrets at all here or breaking confidences to say that:-

a) the people of Bidston & St. James have benefitted (and so have Labour and the Lib Dems) in this area by “healthy” dialogue between the two political parties as to what is best here. “Safe seats” and “jobs for life” for politicians encourage politicians not to reflect the public’s views but that of their political party,

b) the more voices and viewpoints involved in the political process the better, nobody’s vote is “wasted” unless they choose not to vote and everyone was pleased that (partly thanks to the General Election on the same day) last year thousands more people voted.

c) there are people that have a loyalty to a particular party and will vote for that party’s candidate, however much they may dislike the person they’re voting for.

d) it is a two-horse race between the Lib Dems and Labour here and in the hands of people who haven’t yet made their mind up.

Reasons to Vote Liberal Democrat in Bidston & St. James ward on May 5th – Day Seven

Reasons to Vote Liberal Democrat in Bidston & St. James ward on May 5th – Day Seven

                                          

Following on from my blog post about the voluntary, community and faith sector I was out delivering on the Beechwood today and passed the Beechwood Community Association (which has a large sign pointing out Cllr Harry Smith is one of its trustees).

Its stated activity is “to work for the benefit of Beechwood residents” (which to me sounds very much like a job description for a Bidston & St. James ward councillor!). According to the Charity Commission, its accounts for 2005/2006 are over 4 years late! The accounts for the financial years ending 2008 and 2010 were both received over a month late and the accounts for 2009 are overdue by a year.

Its annual return for 2006 was submitted nearly a year late, the 2009 one was 23 days late and the 2010 annual return is currently over 2 months late. Cllr. Harry Smith is not the sole trustee, there is also a Mr. John Bernard Fletcher. Yet how can the public have confidence in a charity spending over ten thousand pounds most year when it can’t comply with the Charity Commission requirements?

You can read more about the Beechwood Community Association on the Charity Commission website.

Cllr Harry Smith is also a trustee of the Gautby Road Play and Community Centre Joint Management Committee. Although this charity with an income of over £100,000 a year has its paperwork up to date, it has come under a great deal of criticism from local residents for keeping its playground locked and not available to be used by the children of Bidston of St. James.

So vote Lib Dem because:-

a) Your Lib Dem candidate is in favour of healthy exercise for children in local play areas and against padlocking them (which doesn’t to my knowledge happen anywhere else on Wirral).

b) Your Lib Dem candidate believes in openness and transparency when it comes to local charities. Everyone should be able to view a charity’s accounts and annual report. There are also strict rules on charities and political parties.

European update – Chris Davies MEP

Like many in the Lib Dems I receive a regular email from Lib Dem MEP for the North West Chris Davies about all things European. A short quote from him seemed very apt to these elections. It’s something any candidate and agent should take on board. For those who don’t know what canvassing means it refers to going door to door, whether asking people for issues they’d like tackled or if they have made their mind up over who to vote for.

“A nervous candidate told me last week that he was about to start canvassing and asked what reception I was getting on the doorstep. I was happy to tell him that my experience to date had been a lot better than might have been expected from the opinion polls. Sure, there are some who accuse us of betraying trust by forming a coalition with the Tories, and we are losing some votes to other parties in consequence, but a lot of these people never voted for us in the first place. There are still a great many electors out there who like the Liberal Democrats and wish us well. I’m spoilt of course, because I tend to go canvassing with candidates who have worked hard, communicated effectively and have a good track record, but my impression to date confirms the old adage: “where we work, we win.”

Chris Davies also wrote about the rise in the European interest rate and Portugal, Greece and Ireland. He also wrote about upcoming changes to fishery policy. He also wrote about former North West Conservative MEP Den Dover being asked to pay back £345,289.

Here’s the breakdown of some of what your former Conservative MEP is being asked to pay back

Dover made the following illegitimate payments from the allowance paid to MEPs to meet the costs of paying for staff:
£101,068 for three cars
£15,404 for office supplies and equipment, £89,235 for postage and stationery, £100,735 for the costs of rent and renovation of Den Dover’s ‘office’, which just happened to be in his private home, and £20,767 for telephone costs
£17,880 for ‘entertainment expenses’
£200 in donations to the Conservative Party (certainly wrong, but possibly mean too!)