Sunday 20 September 2009

Abdelbaset Ali Al-Megrahi Update

Abdelbaset Ali Al-Megrahi has published his defence case for the appeal that never was, online.

It can be accessed by clicking HERE.

Previous story HERE.

Nick Clegg, Leader of the Lib Dems Speech

Nick Clegg spoke to this year's Liberal Democrat Conference today, read it HERE.

This pep talk to Lib Dem delegates at this year's conference, is a softening up exercise to get them to vote for unpalatable policies that they have been opposed to for years.

Sugar-coating the bitter pill will not change the fact that, in a war over cuts, the Lib Dems cannot win and will result in a similar confusion in the public's mind as to what they stand for, as labour is now experiencing.

Clegg's main speech will come at the end of conference, let's hope he doesn't make the same mistake as previous leader, David Steel, when he told his party to "go back to your constituencies and prepare for government", some hope!

Tuesday 15 September 2009

Brown's speech, TUC 2009 - a wasted opportunity?

Gordon Brown has today spoken for the first time of cuts to come. This speech is the first salvo in, what will be, the longest election campaign this country has ever seen. All major pronouncements from now on should be analysed against that backdrop.

I am not surprised at Brown's lack of support nationally when I can't bear to watch him on television any more, He just doesn't convey that he is in touch with public sentiment. Opinion research published recently indicates that almost any other labour leader would have a better chance than this dour, unappealing Scot.

The brothers and sisters were far from impressed with him, applause was polite rather than enthusiastic.

Read the text of the speech HERE and weep.

Yorkshire labour MP Barry Sheerman has spoken of his concerns for the future and last night 'gave Gordon Brown two weeks to save his premiership', serious stuff indeed!
Read the Yorkshire Post article HERE.

We can expect much more of this as we move towards the labour party conference, revolution will be in the air by then!

If Gordon Brown loves the labour party as much as he claims then even he should be able to see the game is up for him! If he has the stature claimed for him by his supporters the he must step aside gracefully and quickly!

Update John Cruddas gave this speech at this years Compass conference, not good reading for Brown loyalists as John may yet manage to get a serious challenge going that will force Brown out.

Sunday 6 September 2009

MP's Expenses - What's on the web!

First post on the sorry saga of the expenses row here in Rotherham.

This is when the internet comes into it's own, the links below take you to the main sources of information.

The Rt Hon. Kevin Barron MP. Parliament, Daily Telegraph. Does not have web site, and has provided no extra information. Why not? We have paid through the nose for it!

The Rt Hon. John Healey MP. Parliament, Daily Telegraph. From his own site HERE and HERE

The Rt Hon. Dr Denis MacShane MP. Parliament, Daily Telegraph. Own site on epolitixs, devoid of any extra useful information.

They make interesting reading! Have fun!

Saturday 5 September 2009

Maltby Academy! Who wants it? Sign the Petition!

If you are concerned that these proposals are not all they seem and want to protest at them, please sign the online petition on the No10 website. It just takes a moment, click HERE.

More info to follow.

Update
You might also want to look at this site, the proposed Maltby Academy, which appears to present the academy as a done deal! It is jointly run by
RMBC and U-Explore. Funny, I can't seem to find any links to it from the RMBC site, are they not proud of it? Or, is this just another example of bogus consultation?

Friday 4 September 2009

Rally For Common Sense - Rotherham Town Centre 10th Oct. Be There!

Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council ruling Labour Group has form for treating opposition to their views with contemptuous arrogance and derision.

In recent times opposition to the ending of 'Meals on Wheels' and the Bramley traffic scheme as well as the closure of the Laundry Service was handled by those who made the decisions in the most dismissive of fashions.

It it time for us to make them listen!

Peter Thirlwall, the Independent (but socialist) Councillor for Wickersley Ward has issued an invitation, to all Rotherham people to join together on the 10th of October, at Rotherham Town Centre, to tell this Council that it is time that they listened for a change.

If you are interested in helping with the organisation of this event please get in touch with Peter.
Contact details as on RMBC Website or by email to peter.thirlwall@talktalk.net

Revolting Rotherham - Web now part of Rotherham Political Campaigns

The web is now being used by protest groups in Rotherham to keep residents informed and get them involved in practical campaigning to change minds in the Town Hall.

The Town Hall has proved impervious to all previous attempts to change politicians minds. On earlier occasions, most notably recently, when a 6,000 signature petition was dismissed out of hand by Roger Stone (RMBC Leader) because "anyone can get signatures on a petition"!

The latest cause for concern by Rotherham residents is the Council's Consultation on the Local Development Framework Core Strategy, a rather anodyne title for a document that contains the bombshell that it is proposed to build 24,500 new houses on largely Greenbelt land!

This consultation commenced without fanfare in May, it was little known about and by the time anyone realised the implications, the consultation period was due to close on Aug 7th, during the peak holiday time. Pressure caused the period to be lengthened to the end of August to allow time for responses. Still in the holiday period, locals have made strenuous efforts and a significant number of objections are now in.

The Rotherham Advertiser has also played it's part, acting as a voice for local opinion and an organ of sensible debate through it's vibrant and very well supported letters pages, frequently publishing three pages or more of letters. This means it is now the only place where open debate flourishes in Rotherham and they should be congratulated not pilloried by self-aggrandising politicians who believe they are always right like Iain St John in his intemperate and illogically argued missive of last week, available HERE if you haven't seen it yet.

Residents across Rotherham are angry and dismayed at the Council's proposals to build an enormous number of houses, largely on greenbelt land.

The full extent of the Council's proposals (View them HERE) is only now becoming clear, the sheer number of houses is incredible over 24,000 of them! The knock-on effects on communities all round Rotherham will be significant. Very few of Rotherham's residents will remain unaffected, should these developments take place.

Make no mistake, every person who lives in the Rotherham Borough has a stake in this!
Do not protest at the problems when they happen, it will be too late! Get involved now!

Action groups have already formed, or are in the process of forming, that cover some of the areas most affected, they intend to link up in order to fight these proposals as effectively as possible. Click HERE to access their web sites

It is now clear that this is everyone's problem!
It is obvious that this issue requires the collective voice of us all. We must not let this happen!

Rotherham Borough Labour Councillors are used to getting their own way - this time it must be different! We can't let them destroy what we hold most dear, the breathing places that Rotherham needs now and for our children and grandchildren!


Wave of protest grips Rotherham following email!

Rotherham residents are quite literally in a state of open revolt on almost all fronts after being insulted and ignored when trying to influence council decision making, surely a fundamental democratic right? (Details to follow)

The public having been referred to variously as riff-raff, rabble, stupid and short sighted when opposition to council decisions develops.

The Rotherham Advertiser has stepped into the fray (Councillor's rant sparks war of words) after being attacked in an email for bias and lack of rigour when reporting on council matters by Iain St John (RMBC Labour Councillor for Anston & Woodsetts Ward). Read the full text HERE. Read Peter Thirwall's reply HERE.

Doug Melloy, the Advertiser's editor, gave a wonderfully robust defence of the newspapers political stance, reporting and of the publication of letters from readers.

St John's egregious and unwarranted attack is an alarming demonstration of hubris. In his view the voters are always wrong when they wish to influence council decisions. The underlying message here illuminates the sad fact that Labour Councillors in Rotherham no longer seek to represent those who put them there.

The Rotherham Labour Group is a self-serving elite only interested in themselves.
Their organisation would be one that Stalin would have admired.
Their discipline and cohesiveness is described by some commentators as owing more to Freemasonry than to Socialism.
They are virtually devoid of real accountability even by the few Labour Party members left.
The Labour Party in Rotherham now have so few members that they can't even give us any decent candidates. Those we get are largely time-served apparatchiks with little or no ability and with the quota system it pays to be female, no brain necessary!

It is now time for Rotherham folk to stand up and be counted! We all deserve better than this!
We want councillors who will listen to us and represent our concerns properly, rather than giving craven loyalty to a party that has so badly let us down!