Just a quick reminder that the Friends of Walkden Station (FOWS) have organised a “meet the manager” session with Northern Rail this coming Tuesday from 5pm until 6.30pm at Walkden station. Mulled wine and mince pies provided - more information here.
Archive for November, 2008
The usual ten blog posts which have caught my eye this week:
- Danny Finklestein has helpfully compiled a dossier for the Police about another politician in regular receipt of leaks.
- Simon Chapman on Labour’s terrorists; Damian Green MP, Walter Wolfgang and IceSave.
- Graeme Archer asks if this is the beginning of the end?
- David Jones MP gives his perspective on Green-gate.
- Even Michael White thinks that the Prime Minister should defend the rights of MPs.
- Douglas Carswell MP supports Theresa Villiers and Conservative airport policy.
- Iain Dale asks whether British bloggers can make money out of blogging.
- Michelle Wiseman has been out campaigning with GMCF.
- Ian Lewis welcomes Sajjad Karim MEP back home. I’m sure everyone is glad that Saj made it back home safely after being caught up in the horrendous events in Mumbai.
- John Redwood MP comments on Government spin and the borrowing figures.
I welcome the ruling by OFCOM - the independent television regulator - that the taxpayer-funded TIF adverts run on Granada television were biased and unsuitable for broadcast. The regulator has said that the adverts breached broadcasting rules on political advertising, which is forbidden outside of Party Political Broadcasts. The watchdog also expressed concerns about the GM Future Transport website which has featured prominently in all TIF advertising.
This ruling casts a worrying shadow over the entire referendum process. Over £3 million of taxpayers money has been spent on supposedly “neutral” advertising for the TIF bid, and now an independent watchdog has officially confirmed what we knew all along - that these were political adverts biased in favour of the TIF bid.
One can only hope that local residents across Greater Manchester decisively reject the Congestion Charge Tax in the referendum, despite the fact that £3 million of our money has been spent on biased propaganda by the Labour leadership. That advertising - and surprise surprise the “consultation period” adverts have not been removed from our stations and bus shelters - has poisoned what is supposed to be an open and democratic process. If there is a narrow “yes” vote then it will be as the result of a morally bankrupt process.
I have voted NO and I encourage you to do so as well.
I’ve just come back from a brisk walk down to Worsley Village where the Community Association were holding their annual Christmas lights switch-on. It was a great event and a large crowd turned out to join in with the fun. WVCA certainly make the most of their location and Father Christmas arrived by illuminated canal boat which was a fantastic spectacle, especially for all the children present.
Well done to all those involved with the event - I am particularly grateful for the mulled wine which kept me warm on what is a very chilly evening!
I was shocked to read last night that, in an operation of gross heavy-handedness, nine anti-terror police were involved in an operation to arrest the Shadow Immigration Minister Damian Green MP. Before we even look at the supposed grounds for arrest, are we really supposed to believe that Mr Green poses such a threat to national security that such a heavy operation was required? Ridiculous.
As for the substance, ConservativeHome has a very good summary of what has happened. Damian Green is doing his job and is manifestly acting in the public interest. I expect and I hope that any prosecution will go nowhere - anything else would be extremely worrying for democracy.
I’m grateful to a commenter over at PoliticalBetting for pointing out that one bookmaker - Ladbrokes - has taken the plunge and opened a market on the result of the Congestion Charge referendum.
They currently have a “no” vote as the odds-on favourite at 4/9, with a “yes” vote available at 13/8. I understand that the “no” price has tightened since the market went up, which suggests that the money is going heavily on a “no” vote.
I have received my ballot paper and I’ve posted it back today, so there’s one for the “no” column!
I read this morning that Neil Trafford, a Liberal Democrat Councillor in Manchester, had been killed in a car accident over the weekend. He was just 33 years old.
I didn’t know Neil personally but it is a profound shock to hear that a local Councillor of my generation has passed away so suddenly and so tragically. My thoughts are with Neil’s family, friends and colleagues.
Cllr Steve Cooke has his own tribute here.
I had sat down intending to do a short round-up of what the blogosphere have been saying about the Pre-Budget Report. My first port of call was ConservativeHome, who alas have already done an excellent round-up of what the blogosphere have been saying about the Pre-Budget Report. Too slow, Iain.
It seems our local Labour Council and the national Labour Government have much in common when it comes to dealing with financial affairs. Both are happy to waste taxpayers’ money until it is all gone.
Here in Salford, Labour have dipped into reserves so often that there is now nothing left, and our capital programme is being financed by millions of pounds of unsupported borrowing. Nationally, Alastair Darling’s plans mean that our national debt is set to double to £1 trillion. Both locally and nationally taxpayers will end up paying a huge bill for Labour’s financial irresponsibility.
Your Own Personal National Debt Counter
You may have noticed that I’ve added my own national debt counter to my blog sidebar. I doubt it’ll become a permanent addition but if you’d like to add your own counter to your site, you can do so by clicking here.