7/18/2009
Third Lib Dem Leaflet in three days - Spot the blogger
A third Lib Dem leaflet in as many days. Spot the blogger.
UKIP playing the race card in Norwich North ?
You always start to wonder if a campaign is coming off the rails when the race card is played by a party.
With UKIP also illegally flyposting on handrails on public footpaths in Taverham, one has to wonder if the fact the UKIP are now putting out a leaflet that is more akin to something the BNP would put out, whether their support is really not as good as they hoped.
NOTE - Leaflet had to be partially reconstructed on my computer due to the shine on the image. The wording has not been changed.
New Tory Leaflet Images sent to me
These images are a little blurred but they are of a Tory leaflet, unseen by me, but kindly emailed to me by a Lib Dem deliverer. These leaflets are going out largely in Norwich city wards in Norwich.
Another day, another Lib Dem leaflet (plus others)
I think, if my counting is correct, that this is the 11th Lib Dem leaflet I have received. The score, Lib Dem 11 (2 Freepost) , Tory 10 (2 Freepost) , Lab 4 (2 Freepost), UKIP 3 (2 Freepost) , Holden 1 (Freepost), Murray 1 (Freepost), Libertarian 1 (Freepost) , NOTA 1 (Freepost) , Green 1 (Freepost), BNP 1 (Freepost).
Note: One of the labour leaflets was given to me by a work colleague. There is no evidence yet of the "local" Labour leaflet being delivered in a Taverham or Drayton version.
I have also been sent a copy of the Crome Ward version of Labour's leaflet (the Mile Cross version was published by me last week). It speaks volume that Labour are still delivering this leaflet nearly two weeks after the Mile Cross version went out.
Put out the flags, phone up your friends, hold a street party, raise your glass to the Green campaign !
Less than one week until the by-election in Norwich North and we have only just received our first leaflet from the Green Party. In a seat where Green bloggers were suggesting the Green Party was set to make a stunning breakthrough, local people have been astonished by the invisibility of the Green Party who have very much taken the view that campaigning in about 30% of the constituency whilst ignoring the other 70% was somehow going to enable a breakthrough.
So yesterday (I only found it today in the pile of junk mail we receive on a daily basis) we received our first Green Party leaflet, a Freepost (therefore not delivered by the Greens themselves).
So here it is for your delictation. For me it's a little too wordy with too many "look at me" photos which don't support the articles they are with.
So yesterday (I only found it today in the pile of junk mail we receive on a daily basis) we received our first Green Party leaflet, a Freepost (therefore not delivered by the Greens themselves).
So here it is for your delictation. For me it's a little too wordy with too many "look at me" photos which don't support the articles they are with.
7/17/2009
Anecdotal evidence from Norwich North which may be important or may be not
All evidence of general voting patterns based on speaking to a small number of people really do not hold water, so what I am about to state should be taken with a decent pinch of salt.
Speaking to a group of work colleagues today, I commented that my face is making an appearance on one of the leaflets coming through their doors at the moment. Being someone who keeps politics out of the workplace as much as possible, they enquired "Which party ?" When I explained it was the Lib Dems I was met with a very positive reaction from them with many responding that they will be voting Lib Dem on Thursday for the first time.
Similarly, I have been told that the dissatisfaction within Norwich North Labour ranks has reached critical levels with some Labour people local to Norwich refusing to have anything to do with the campaign at all.
Speaking to a group of work colleagues today, I commented that my face is making an appearance on one of the leaflets coming through their doors at the moment. Being someone who keeps politics out of the workplace as much as possible, they enquired "Which party ?" When I explained it was the Lib Dems I was met with a very positive reaction from them with many responding that they will be voting Lib Dem on Thursday for the first time.
Similarly, I have been told that the dissatisfaction within Norwich North Labour ranks has reached critical levels with some Labour people local to Norwich refusing to have anything to do with the campaign at all.
Is there a market for the Libertarian Party
One of the many new parties challenging in the Norwich North by-election are the Libertarian Party, and they have been in Norwich North pushing their message on the doorsteps of the constituency for the last few days, spending much time in Taverham and Drayton today. The question from my point of view is whether there is actually a market for their message.
The Libertarian Party are all about freedoms, and I can't argue with that. However they differ from the liberal view on freedoms in that they believe in a very much reduced role for government. Now that sounds like an enticing prospect, but their views go much further than simply reducing spending by 5% and axing some QUANGOs and government offices. They believe in deeper spending cuts and effectively reducing the role of the welfare state back to something unrecognisable to all of us.
The question is though whether in these hard times, with more and more unemployed and according to recent surveys, upwards of 40% of people worried about whether they will keep their jobs, people are less open to the Libertarian Party's ideas or whether the mountain of debt this country now had might focus minds more on the fact that harsh spending cuts might be forced on us anyway and, perhaps the Libertarian Party might claim to be the only ones honest enough to make clear that deep cuts are necessary.
Certainly the share the Libertarians get will be small, but I think it will be interesting to see whether their radical ideas do have a market.
Note : I have asked the Libertarian Party if they wish to post a short article to this blog explaining what they want to offer the people of Norwich North. They have indicated that they may do this if they have time. So if I have misrepresented them in any way, they have the opportunity to put me right.
Ten years for planning mass murder ?
Am I the only person who thinks that giving someone just ten years for planning mass murder through an act of terrorism is an extremely soft sentence ?
New Tory Leaflet
I said I'd post the new Tory leaflet I received as part of the bumper Freepost pack of leaflets a couple of days ago, so here it is.I have not copied the fold out inside (which spreads to an A3 size) as it is too big and shiny to get a decent picture of.
7/16/2009
Freepost Leaflet heaven !
Here are the latest leaflets I received in Norwich North. They are from the Libertarian Party, NOTA, Peter Baggs (Independent), the Conservative and April Pond (Lib Dem).
The Tory leaflet is actually A3 (when folded out) so I copied it as best I could not including the fold out middle. I also have another Lib Dem A3 leaflet but it wont fit in my scanner.
So the leaflet score is, Tory 10, Lib Dem 10, Labour 4, UKIP 3, Murray 1, Holden 1, Baggs 1, Libertarian 1, NOTA 1. And I have still not received anything from the BNP or the Greens, not even a Freepost.
P.S. I will post the Tory an Lib Dem leaflets here tomorrow. I have not copied the Murray leaflet. Firstly, he seems to slag my blog off on a daily basis on his blog (remember though, he is the "honest man"), and secondly, its too big (shiny A3) and is elsewhere on the internet.
Eco Town Con
The quiet Norfolk village of Rackheath is to be turned in to a town (or eco-town as the government insist on calling it). It wouldn't be so bad if the town was actually going to be an eco town. However, the standard of eco friendliness required for building the houses is a lower standard than those standards expect of all new homes by 2016, and by 2016 none of the new houses will be built. So in effect the government has dumped 4000 new homes on prime farmland which will not be built to a higher standard than any other house in Norfolk or the UK.
Labour like to talk up the environmental credentials, but in reality it all a con. Roll on the General Election.
Labour like to talk up the environmental credentials, but in reality it all a con. Roll on the General Election.
No2ID Norwich North Hustings
I thought it only right to publicise the hustings debate event 'What A Flipping Liberty!' being run bu the No2ID group in Norwich tomorrow evening, particularly given the dreadful attendance and subsequent cancellation of the previous meetings held this week.
Venue: The Forum, Curve Room, Millennium Plain, Norwich
Date: Friday 17th July 2009
Time: 7.00pm for 7.30pm start until 9.30pm
Entry: Free (donations welcome)
I can't make it (last day of the school year and I am attending the staff do), but would urge anyone who wants to find out more about the candidates to attend.
Venue: The Forum, Curve Room, Millennium Plain, Norwich
Date: Friday 17th July 2009
Time: 7.00pm for 7.30pm start until 9.30pm
Entry: Free (donations welcome)
I can't make it (last day of the school year and I am attending the staff do), but would urge anyone who wants to find out more about the candidates to attend.
Radio Five Live - Iain Dale and Myself
I was on Radio Five Live a couple of days ago talking with Iain Dale and host Anita Anand about the Norwich North by-election.
I am grateful to www.by-elections.co.uk for putting the clip on their website.
You can listen to it HERE.
I am grateful to www.by-elections.co.uk for putting the clip on their website.
You can listen to it HERE.
7/15/2009
NOTA (none of the above) on the campaign trail in Norwich North
I had an interesting little chat this afternoon with the rather pleasant duo from NOTA (None Of The Above) who were out leafleting in Norwich North today.
NOTA are something of a rarity in today's political system. They are a small group of people who are prepared to spend a lot of their money in order to publicise and gain support for a principle. That principle is that people ought to vote, rather than not turn out, and that they should be given the option to put vote for "None Of The Above".
I am, of course, a Lib Dem voter, but I have to applaud their courage and their willingness to go out on to the streets and spend their cash in support of a principle. I would urge people to vote on the issues and remember that somebody has to be elected in 8 days time and that choosing a hardworking candidate who really does have the credentials to stand up for their area will serve Norwich North well. I believe April Pond is the person to do this. But if there are people who feel that they don't want to vote for any party at all, they could, perhaps, do worse than to consider the message that NOTA are publicising.
NOTA are something of a rarity in today's political system. They are a small group of people who are prepared to spend a lot of their money in order to publicise and gain support for a principle. That principle is that people ought to vote, rather than not turn out, and that they should be given the option to put vote for "None Of The Above".
I am, of course, a Lib Dem voter, but I have to applaud their courage and their willingness to go out on to the streets and spend their cash in support of a principle. I would urge people to vote on the issues and remember that somebody has to be elected in 8 days time and that choosing a hardworking candidate who really does have the credentials to stand up for their area will serve Norwich North well. I believe April Pond is the person to do this. But if there are people who feel that they don't want to vote for any party at all, they could, perhaps, do worse than to consider the message that NOTA are publicising.
Second hustings meeting cancelled in Norwich North
For the second night running all the candidates gathered (except the Tory this time who only seems to bother if the press will be there) for a hustings meeting and for the second night running it has been cancelled due to lack of interest.
It says something about the excitement this election is generating that nobody seems to want to attend hustings meetings.
From my perspective this bodes ill for Labour as it suggests a general dislike of politics and that hits governing parties most in elections.
It says something about the excitement this election is generating that nobody seems to want to attend hustings meetings.
From my perspective this bodes ill for Labour as it suggests a general dislike of politics and that hits governing parties most in elections.
7/14/2009
2nd Labour Freepost in Norwich North
Labour's second Freepost leaflet is doing the rounds. This is their 4th leaflet in total, but only two of those have actually been delivered by hand (with only one going out in Taverham).
This leaflet is, quite astonishingly, only A5 in size. Have Labour got that little to say that they are now shrinking the szie of their leaflet ?
Which party candidate wasn't going to go to the hustings tonight ?
I have it on good authority that the Tory candidate in Norwich North was not going to go to the hustings held in Norwich tonight. Then, when it was known that Reuters and The Mail on Sunday were going to be there, suddenly the Tories were less busy than they thought and did attend.
The funny thing was only three people turned up for the hustings so the three members of the public were interviews by the press.
The funny thing was only three people turned up for the hustings so the three members of the public were interviews by the press.
Independent Bill Holden Leaflet (in high quality)
The Independent candidate Bill Holden put out a leaflet last week in Norwich North. Unfortunatly the copy of the leaflet I got was not that good and the version I put on this website was not readable. Having searched his site I thought it only fair to display a higher quality version of his leaflet so people can actually read it.
7/13/2009
New record in Norwich North
I saw what must be a new record for posters in one garden today. If my camera hadn't died on my Blackberry I would have taken a photo (and will at some point if I remember my camera). But in a reasonably standard council house garden in Mile Cross, Labour have erected six poster. Yes, six on one garden.
I guess it allows them to say they have 6 posters up !
I guess it allows them to say they have 6 posters up !
Radio Five Live tomorrow - Me versus Iain Dale
Tomorrow I am on Radio Five Live's Drive show, live from Norwich, giving an opposite view of the Norwich North by-election from Iain Dale who will also be on, from a link in London.
It is scheduled to be on at 6.10pm and I would love to say "It promises to be lively".
It is scheduled to be on at 6.10pm and I would love to say "It promises to be lively".
7/12/2009
Labour MPs preparing the ground for a "putch" after the Norwich North by-election
The news today that female Labour MPs are complaining about the "laddish" culture in Number 10 Downing Street should be seen as preparing the way for the Labour Party to kick Gordon Brown out after the Norwich North by-election.
On the ground here in Norwich, it is clear Labour are having problems getting literature out, getting posters up and getting local activists to want to help after the way Gordon Brown's henchmen kicked Ian Gibson out of the parliamentary Labour Party.
Further evidence of the lack of enthusiasm for Gordon Brown can be seen from the lack of Labour MPs visiting Norwich, and why would they want to come when they know Labour may well end up in 3rd place (I have been told that one online betting company have now opened a book on Labour coming third) and many Labour MPs want Gordon Brown out anyway.
So expect more stories over the coming days from Labour MPs, upset ex minsters and various insiders who will start providing the ammunition for a challenge to Gordon Brown after 23rd July.
On the ground here in Norwich, it is clear Labour are having problems getting literature out, getting posters up and getting local activists to want to help after the way Gordon Brown's henchmen kicked Ian Gibson out of the parliamentary Labour Party.
Further evidence of the lack of enthusiasm for Gordon Brown can be seen from the lack of Labour MPs visiting Norwich, and why would they want to come when they know Labour may well end up in 3rd place (I have been told that one online betting company have now opened a book on Labour coming third) and many Labour MPs want Gordon Brown out anyway.
So expect more stories over the coming days from Labour MPs, upset ex minsters and various insiders who will start providing the ammunition for a challenge to Gordon Brown after 23rd July.
How to waste money by the bucket load
Craig Murray, in another of his "the whole world is against me" statements, is apparently having 80,000 DVDs made for his election address.
He states that the reason why the Post Office had refused was, in part, because nobody had ever issued a DVD as their election address before. He refers to paper and ink as a 14th century thing and seems to think that the DVD is the way forward. Perhaps I should point him to a few campaign realities.
1) The six second rule - This rule states that on average, you have six seconds from the typical front door to the nearest bin. You have, therefore, six second in order to get part of your message across.
2) DVDs have been used before - Brent East saw Labour using a DVD and video combination whilst Iain Dale distributed tens of thousands of DVDs in North Norfolk at the last general election. The Lib Dems too used them in Harborough. Guess what ? They didn't work and in each case the party that used them lost.
The reality is that most people do not have the time to sit down and watch a DVD, but more than this, they don't want to be tricked in to wasting their time to watch a DVD by a politician.
Perhaps he will prove us all wrong, but in my own experience of peoples reactions in North Norfolk to Iain Dale's DVD, I suspect not.
P.S. I should add, I spoke to Iain Dale about his DVDs after the election and he stated that he felt they did not work.
He states that the reason why the Post Office had refused was, in part, because nobody had ever issued a DVD as their election address before. He refers to paper and ink as a 14th century thing and seems to think that the DVD is the way forward. Perhaps I should point him to a few campaign realities.
1) The six second rule - This rule states that on average, you have six seconds from the typical front door to the nearest bin. You have, therefore, six second in order to get part of your message across.
2) DVDs have been used before - Brent East saw Labour using a DVD and video combination whilst Iain Dale distributed tens of thousands of DVDs in North Norfolk at the last general election. The Lib Dems too used them in Harborough. Guess what ? They didn't work and in each case the party that used them lost.
The reality is that most people do not have the time to sit down and watch a DVD, but more than this, they don't want to be tricked in to wasting their time to watch a DVD by a politician.
Perhaps he will prove us all wrong, but in my own experience of peoples reactions in North Norfolk to Iain Dale's DVD, I suspect not.
P.S. I should add, I spoke to Iain Dale about his DVDs after the election and he stated that he felt they did not work.
How to get your roads repaired - Have a parliamentary by-election
Withing hours of the by-election being called in Norwich North, something strange started happening in Norwich North. All over the constituency County Council vans and lorries started appearing with high visibility vested men carrying spades, driving various types of digger, rollers and other contractors vehicles, and suddenly long waited for road repairs started happening.
In Taverham the road is up, in Drayton action is being taken to reduce speeds, in Hellesdon pathways are being redone (again) and in Mile Cross all the holes in the road that have been there for months have been filled in.
Now I expect that it would take weeks, if not months, to do all this scheduled work, but it does seem odd that all over the constituency the Tory run County Council are doing the things that should have been done a long time ago.
It certainly stops the opposition from running petitions and doing leaflets about the road problems.
I know, I'm being cynical, but I've had other people ask me, with my political knowledge, if there is any link between the by-election and the sudden flood of roadworks being done.
In Taverham the road is up, in Drayton action is being taken to reduce speeds, in Hellesdon pathways are being redone (again) and in Mile Cross all the holes in the road that have been there for months have been filled in.
Now I expect that it would take weeks, if not months, to do all this scheduled work, but it does seem odd that all over the constituency the Tory run County Council are doing the things that should have been done a long time ago.
It certainly stops the opposition from running petitions and doing leaflets about the road problems.
I know, I'm being cynical, but I've had other people ask me, with my political knowledge, if there is any link between the by-election and the sudden flood of roadworks being done.
7/11/2009
Two Tory leaflets (one posted) and one Lib Dem
If I get the chance I will post up the leaflets I received today. The Tories, who seemed keen to slag of April Pond and the Lib Dems for delivering a magazine style leaflet responded with an almost exact copy today and I also got a freepost leaflet from them.
The Lib Dems sent me a hand written style leaflet aimed at my postal vote. I This wasn't their freepost. This put the leaflet count (for me as a postal voter) as 8 Lib Dem, 8 Tory (including one freepost), 3 Labour (inc 1 freepost), UKIP 2 (inc 1 Freepost), 2 indies, and that is it.
The Lib Dems sent me a hand written style leaflet aimed at my postal vote. I This wasn't their freepost. This put the leaflet count (for me as a postal voter) as 8 Lib Dem, 8 Tory (including one freepost), 3 Labour (inc 1 freepost), UKIP 2 (inc 1 Freepost), 2 indies, and that is it.
Iain Dale boosts Lib Dem hopes in Norwich North
Lib Dems in Norwich North were given a welcome boost today after hearing that former North Norfolk Tory candidate and political blogger Iain Dale was back campaigning in Norfolk after his humiliating defeat in North Norfolk in 2005.
Iain said "I hope to bring to Norwich North everything that I brought to North Norfolk." Lib Dem commentator and former North Norfolk Councillor Nich Starling said "Iain contacted me to say he was in my area of Norwich North canvassing this morning. Last time Iain campaigned in the area I live in he managed to increased the number of Lib Dem vote by several thousand so I am hopeful he will be able to repeat again".
(Note - Iain and the Tory team were canvassing in Taverham today - I was going to meet up with Iain to say hello but family commitments come first. I am sure Iain will see the joke, especially after his anti Lib Dem rant in his EDP column today, which further shows how Tory biased the EDP has become that they should allow this sort of thing during an election campaign).
Iain said "I hope to bring to Norwich North everything that I brought to North Norfolk." Lib Dem commentator and former North Norfolk Councillor Nich Starling said "Iain contacted me to say he was in my area of Norwich North canvassing this morning. Last time Iain campaigned in the area I live in he managed to increased the number of Lib Dem vote by several thousand so I am hopeful he will be able to repeat again".
(Note - Iain and the Tory team were canvassing in Taverham today - I was going to meet up with Iain to say hello but family commitments come first. I am sure Iain will see the joke, especially after his anti Lib Dem rant in his EDP column today, which further shows how Tory biased the EDP has become that they should allow this sort of thing during an election campaign).
Unreliable Tory data in Norwich North ?
A Lib Dem poster team out yesterday in Norwich North were surprised to see a lady with a bundle of Tory leaflets under her arm walking up the driveway of the house they were putting the poster up in ask them what they were doing.
"Putting up a Lib Dem poster", they replied
"But I have her down as a Tory pledge", said the Tory
"Well one of us is wrong", replied the Lib Dem team, adding "The owner of the house is a Lib Dem member and deliverer and asked for the sign."
"Well one of us is wrong" replied the Tory lady, and she retreated quickly.
"Putting up a Lib Dem poster", they replied
"But I have her down as a Tory pledge", said the Tory
"Well one of us is wrong", replied the Lib Dem team, adding "The owner of the house is a Lib Dem member and deliverer and asked for the sign."
"Well one of us is wrong" replied the Tory lady, and she retreated quickly.
Does the Tory Chloe Smith know that Cromer is not in Norwich ?
According to the Conservative Party canvassing leaflet in Norwich North, Tory candidate Chloe Smith seems to think that Cromer is in Norwich North.Looking at the quotes from the leaflet she says she is pushing the council to address road problems across the Cromer area. Cromer, that is, in North Norfolk. Presumably too the council she is pushing (note they are not doing it voluntarily as they should) would be Tory run Norfolk County Council. Spot the headline "Tory candidate says local Tory Council won't do it's job and have to be pushed to do it."
The reason for highlighting the second quote is simple. The recent housing scandal in Norwich was indeed something that people deserve answers over. But when the Lib Dems proposed and independent enquiry in to what happened the Conservatives voted with Labour to prevent this. Yes, the Tories voted for secrecy and no justice. Where was Chloe when this was happening ? I don't remember anything from her on the issue.So how does this fit with the campaign pledge Chloe signed ?
7/10/2009
Independent Leaflet in Norwich North
I received this leaflet yesterday. Sorry about the print quality but the original is very difficult to read in the first place. It looks like it was printed on an old photocopier.
I also received the Craig Murray leaflet today but this had been widely posted elsewhere so I won't publish it here.
The score ?
Lib Dem 7, Tory 6, Labour 3 (including one freepost), UKIP 3 (including one freepost), Green 0 Still not seen in large parts of Norwich North (friends in Mile Cross, Sprowston, Drayton and Taverham have all not got it), Holden 1, Murray 1.
Labour Freepost in Norwich North
Here is the Labour Freepost from the Norwich North by-election.
Interesting fact is that the "ordinary voter" in Mile Cross is someone I know and a person I know to be a long term friend of the Labour candidate.
UKIP Freepost in Norwich North
We received out UKIP Freepost leaflet for the Norwich North by-election yesterday. I've been busy (working) and travelling to Fakenham (my old council ward) to get my computer fixed so have been rather busy. So the person (brave soul, posts anonymously) who keeps implying I am holding back in UKIP leaflets ought to perhaps get a job, a family and a busy life before criticising my lack of time to post every leaflet up to this site immediately.
Both my wife and I received the same leaflet so it must be assumed that UKIP will have only one Freepost. An opportunity wasted.
Craig Murray - Honest campaigner ?
A couple of days ago Craig Murray posters mysteriously started appearing on lamp posts and road signs around Norwich. As anyone with knowledge of politics in Norfolk would know, this is not acceptable as a legitimate means of campaigning. It might work in Scotland (somewhere Mr Murray has more experience of), but in Norfolk, indeed throughout most of the country, it is fly posting.
After some protests I gather Broadland District Council and Norwich City Council had to go around and remove Mr Murray's posters.
Now as someone who claims to be an "honest" man, will he reimburse the council tax payers in these areas for the costs of clearing his street litter ?
Mr Murray likes to attack political parties with a very broad brush approach intimating that all people in political parties are the same, but it ought to be noted that none of the political parties go out fly posting causing unnecessary expense to the taxpayer.
If campaigning and fly posting rules can be so easily flouted by Mr Murray it does make you wonder.
After some protests I gather Broadland District Council and Norwich City Council had to go around and remove Mr Murray's posters.
Now as someone who claims to be an "honest" man, will he reimburse the council tax payers in these areas for the costs of clearing his street litter ?
Mr Murray likes to attack political parties with a very broad brush approach intimating that all people in political parties are the same, but it ought to be noted that none of the political parties go out fly posting causing unnecessary expense to the taxpayer.
If campaigning and fly posting rules can be so easily flouted by Mr Murray it does make you wonder.
Iain Dale's selective reading
I was fascinated to see Iain Dale had linked to THIS story on my blog yesterday with a rather poor attempt to link April Pond (Lib Dem candidate for Norwich North) with the greed and cynical Tory grandees who claimed excessive expenses whilst ignoring my story that directly related to him and his time in North Norfolk.
It seems odd that coastal defences and flood protection, something Iain was always keen to claim the Tories would help the residents of North Norfolk with, seemed unwilling to comment or link to that story.
Come on Iain. What is your opinion about the Tory cuts for flood sirens and the way the Tories cynically campaigned on this issue in the County and Euro elections just five weeks ago only to break their pledges now.
Or what about the big story of the week Iain, the Andy Coulson story ?
Oh, let's close our eyes and sling a bit of mud at the Lib Dems. I have no problem with Iain's Tory bias and despite previous political clashes in Norfolk, I rather like the man and his blog. It's just that his inability to hide his blue rosette even when it is the big news story of the week that he is ignoring.
This really does throw up a lot of questions about what will happen to Tory leaning blogs under a Tory government when Tory good news stories will be harder to find.
It seems odd that coastal defences and flood protection, something Iain was always keen to claim the Tories would help the residents of North Norfolk with, seemed unwilling to comment or link to that story.
Come on Iain. What is your opinion about the Tory cuts for flood sirens and the way the Tories cynically campaigned on this issue in the County and Euro elections just five weeks ago only to break their pledges now.
Or what about the big story of the week Iain, the Andy Coulson story ?
Oh, let's close our eyes and sling a bit of mud at the Lib Dems. I have no problem with Iain's Tory bias and despite previous political clashes in Norfolk, I rather like the man and his blog. It's just that his inability to hide his blue rosette even when it is the big news story of the week that he is ignoring.
This really does throw up a lot of questions about what will happen to Tory leaning blogs under a Tory government when Tory good news stories will be harder to find.
7/09/2009
Norfolk Tories manifesto pledge on flood sirens broken in just five weeks !
Five weeks ago the Tories were campaigning across Norfolk promising to "fight Environment Agency plans to shut down the flood sirens", yet just a few short weeks later the Tories have broken their manifesto pledge and are unilaterally going to remove flood sirens along the Norfolk coast. Whilst no decision has been made yet, the proposals to do so have been put before the committee and it seems highly unlikely that the Tories would throw out their own proposal.
What is more. as can be seen from this extract from one of the Tory Euro election leaflets, they cynically used the threat of flooding in North Norfolk in order to attract votes in Norfolk whilst seeking to blame cuts on the EU. As we now know, it is Norfolk County Council, run by the Tories, that will actually be to blame for the cuts.
These Tory plans will hit the coastal areas of North Norfolk hard, particularly those in the Walcott area who were so badly affected by flooding in recent years. More than this though it will prove to be a disaster for North Norfolk Tories who now know that their own party's promises on flood defences can be so quickly broken. Norman Lamb has been seen for years as the most consistent advocate of those coastal communities affected by potential flooding and one wonders what Iain Dale must think about this too. Iain tried very hard to find out a great deal about coastal erosion and coastal flood defence issues in his tiome as Tory PPC in North Norfolk. One suspects that he would have felt extremely hacked off by what the Tory County Council has done if he had been PPC at the time and he probable shares my frustration at their attitude towards the people of North Norfolk.
One wonders if this might also have an effect on the truthfulness of the Tories campaigns in Norwich North. If the Lib Dems, and others (not the Greens as they appear to be working hand in glove with the Tories) point out that the Tories can break a promise in five weeks it might make people wonder if the Tories can be trusted in Norwich to keep their word.
What is more. as can be seen from this extract from one of the Tory Euro election leaflets, they cynically used the threat of flooding in North Norfolk in order to attract votes in Norfolk whilst seeking to blame cuts on the EU. As we now know, it is Norfolk County Council, run by the Tories, that will actually be to blame for the cuts.
These Tory plans will hit the coastal areas of North Norfolk hard, particularly those in the Walcott area who were so badly affected by flooding in recent years. More than this though it will prove to be a disaster for North Norfolk Tories who now know that their own party's promises on flood defences can be so quickly broken. Norman Lamb has been seen for years as the most consistent advocate of those coastal communities affected by potential flooding and one wonders what Iain Dale must think about this too. Iain tried very hard to find out a great deal about coastal erosion and coastal flood defence issues in his tiome as Tory PPC in North Norfolk. One suspects that he would have felt extremely hacked off by what the Tory County Council has done if he had been PPC at the time and he probable shares my frustration at their attitude towards the people of North Norfolk.
One wonders if this might also have an effect on the truthfulness of the Tories campaigns in Norwich North. If the Lib Dems, and others (not the Greens as they appear to be working hand in glove with the Tories) point out that the Tories can break a promise in five weeks it might make people wonder if the Tories can be trusted in Norwich to keep their word.
EXCLUSIVE - New Lib Dem "Magazine" Style Leaflet to hit the streets tomorrow
I've been sent (by the Lib Dem team) the newest Lib Dem magazine style leaflet that is to hit the streets tomorrow.This leaflet would put the Lib Dems one ahead of the Tories with seven leaflets to the Tories six. Still, this is some way ahead of Labour (two) and UKIP (two - of which one arrived in the post today - more on this later). Still no Green leaflet delivered although I have seen it on the internet.
Note - For the idiot who keeps sending me messages complaining that I favour the Lib Dems. Firstly, I am a Lib Dem. If you want a Tory bias read Iain Dale's Diary. And secondly, if other parties want to give me the digital versions of their leaflets I am willing to post these up to this site too. At the moment they are not taking up this option.
Shock Horror - Second Labour leaflet in Norwich North !
Don't fall off your seat but Labour have started delievering a seond leaflet. This is the Mile Cross variant of it.
7/08/2009
This is the way the Green Party campaigns - Telling the truth at all times ?
The Greens yesterday got some publicity, with their Tory friends, for claiming to have signed up for a campaign pledge where they apparently promise to tell the truth at all times.
Interestingly the Green Party candidate in the Norwich North by-election likes to take the moral highground on this issue, but it is clear from his own blog that he really is the last person we should look to for lessons on not telling lies in campaigns after he was caught out during the recent Euro elections where he was the Greens lead candidate.
Telling the truth at all times ? Green hypocrisy ? Politics and cynically winning votes ?
Make up your mind.
Interestingly the Green Party candidate in the Norwich North by-election likes to take the moral highground on this issue, but it is clear from his own blog that he really is the last person we should look to for lessons on not telling lies in campaigns after he was caught out during the recent Euro elections where he was the Greens lead candidate.
Telling the truth at all times ? Green hypocrisy ? Politics and cynically winning votes ?
Make up your mind.
6th lib Dem Leaflet
The score on leaflets I have seen is now 6 Lib Dem, 5 Tory (but that does not include one that is going out but I have no evidence of it in either digital or paper form), Labour 1, UKIP 1, and zero for all the others.
I am aware of two independent leaflets going out but have not seen them yet. Still no evidence of a Green leaflet.
This latest Lib Dem leaflet is A4, folded length ways.
7/07/2009
Will Chloe Smith sign this campaign pledge ?
With regard to my story below about the Tories signing up to a campaign pledge, can Chloe Smith assure us all in Norwich North than neither she nor any of her team were responsible for delivering possbily one of the most disgusting leaflets in recent years, shown below, which appeared to attempt to mislead people in to beleiving that the Lib Dem MP for Cheadle was a rapist ?
Of course, if any of her team were in Cheadle delivering this leaflet, wouldn't it imply a massive degree of hypocrisy from the Tories ?
Of course, if any of her team were in Cheadle delivering this leaflet, wouldn't it imply a massive degree of hypocrisy from the Tories ?
The Tory plan in Norwich North revealed
It has been clear for some time that the Tory campaign in Norwich North has been to "play it safe", and hope that their core vote turns out over as evenly split an opposition as possible. However, it seems that their plans are becoming unravelled.
From what I have been told the Lib Dems have got clear traction in this campaign, clearly evident from the number of leaflets being delivered and the number of Lib Dem posters going up, and this has clearly got the Tories worried. One party breaking clear from the pack behind them is their greatest threat. So what is their response ? To talk up the Greens.
I had two emails at the weekend from Tories trying to convince me that the Greens were doing well despite the evidence on the streets being clearly the opposite. It was clear that these Tories wanted be to believe something that as a local, living and working in the constituency, was obviously untrue.
So today, the Tories signed the Green's campaign pledge pledging to fight clean campaigns. This would be a great idea were it not for the fact that the person behind this pledge is the Green candidate who tried to disrupt a visit from the Leader of the Lib Dems to Norwich at the last general election. Hypocrisy, it appears, is a word the Greens to not understand, unless this pledge is meant to be ironic.
The reasons behind the Tories signing this pledge ? In my opinion it was about trying to get the Greens some much needed publicity because they have shown themselves completely incapable of campaigning across the whole constituency with leaflets still only seen in two city wards.
What is clear to me is that the Tories are starting to worry. The fact that their campaign pledges so far (and the pledges that they have joined in with the Greens on) are, in many cases, actually the law already (like declaring donations over £1000) seems to highlight that either the Tories are deliberately misleading the public in to believing that the Tory Party are doing something that they are not already obliged to do (and therefore breaking the terms of their own pledge) or they simply don't understand the law.
In any case, the piece on TV tonight on BBC East devoted more attention on the Lib Dems than on any other party and in my opinion actually boosts the Lib Dem campaign.
From what I have been told the Lib Dems have got clear traction in this campaign, clearly evident from the number of leaflets being delivered and the number of Lib Dem posters going up, and this has clearly got the Tories worried. One party breaking clear from the pack behind them is their greatest threat. So what is their response ? To talk up the Greens.
I had two emails at the weekend from Tories trying to convince me that the Greens were doing well despite the evidence on the streets being clearly the opposite. It was clear that these Tories wanted be to believe something that as a local, living and working in the constituency, was obviously untrue.
So today, the Tories signed the Green's campaign pledge pledging to fight clean campaigns. This would be a great idea were it not for the fact that the person behind this pledge is the Green candidate who tried to disrupt a visit from the Leader of the Lib Dems to Norwich at the last general election. Hypocrisy, it appears, is a word the Greens to not understand, unless this pledge is meant to be ironic.
The reasons behind the Tories signing this pledge ? In my opinion it was about trying to get the Greens some much needed publicity because they have shown themselves completely incapable of campaigning across the whole constituency with leaflets still only seen in two city wards.
What is clear to me is that the Tories are starting to worry. The fact that their campaign pledges so far (and the pledges that they have joined in with the Greens on) are, in many cases, actually the law already (like declaring donations over £1000) seems to highlight that either the Tories are deliberately misleading the public in to believing that the Tory Party are doing something that they are not already obliged to do (and therefore breaking the terms of their own pledge) or they simply don't understand the law.
In any case, the piece on TV tonight on BBC East devoted more attention on the Lib Dems than on any other party and in my opinion actually boosts the Lib Dem campaign.
7/06/2009
5th Lib Dem leaflet in Norwich North
A target mailing today from the Lib Dems. The score ? Lib Dems 5, Tories 4, UKIP 1, Labour 1, Others nil.
Update : The Tories also have a target mailing going out. You can link to it HERE. This makes it Tories and Lib Dems level on five leaflets each.
7/05/2009
Libertarian Party - How to annoy potential voters by picking on the wrong issue
Let's assume that a decent percentage of the population do not like the nanny state and support a smaller government. So from that, let's assume that there is a % of the electorate who might be prepared to support the views of the Libertarian Party (Yes, I know I am making bug jumps but stick with me).
So why do they then undo this by making an issue of the smoking ban ?
The most stupid quote they use is "Smoking is healthier than Fascism".
True, but smoking is less healthy than democracy, and we do have democracy in this country.
If we compare everything to fascism then even the most unhealthy things become healthy in comparison. It's like saying "Compared to black, a very dark maroon is a light colour".
Anyway, if you want a laugh, watch the Libertarian party's video (it's amazing what you can knock up with a very basic video package on a PC at home using some stills and some dance music) for the Norwich North by-election.
So why do they then undo this by making an issue of the smoking ban ?
The most stupid quote they use is "Smoking is healthier than Fascism".
True, but smoking is less healthy than democracy, and we do have democracy in this country.
If we compare everything to fascism then even the most unhealthy things become healthy in comparison. It's like saying "Compared to black, a very dark maroon is a light colour".
Anyway, if you want a laugh, watch the Libertarian party's video (it's amazing what you can knock up with a very basic video package on a PC at home using some stills and some dance music) for the Norwich North by-election.
Why are the Greens so political ?
The Green Party like to make out that they stand aside from mainstream politics and they are not professional politicians. They want to be seen as something different and stand out for that. Yet whenever they get involved in anything non political they seem to want to politicise it.
Take a planning meeting, held in public in North Walsham a few months ago. This non political public meeting was chaired by the local County Councillor, local representatives turned up to hear what was being said along with more than 200 people. They all accepted it was a local issue and nothing at all to do with Party politics. So which Green Euro candidate chimed up from the back of the hall to speak announcing "I am from the Green Party". Instantly the chairman intervenes to make clear that it was not a political meeting. Then in solidarity with the chairman some of the public started booing the Green. An opportunity to speak wasted, a chance to prove that party politics could be ignored was lost.
Then yesterday in Taverham we had our annual fete. The Tories were in attendance, but as I saw, not wearing rosettes and generally speaking, chatting and joining in with the fete's activities. Well done to them. It's never nice for those who organise events to suddenly have them hijacked by party hacks. But not everyone went down so well. Who turned up in his Green rosette playing the role of the party candidate ? The good people of Taverham were not so impressed with a certain failed Euro candidate. Still, at least some people in Taverham have heard of him now, after all, we have still yet to see a leaflet from them.
Take a planning meeting, held in public in North Walsham a few months ago. This non political public meeting was chaired by the local County Councillor, local representatives turned up to hear what was being said along with more than 200 people. They all accepted it was a local issue and nothing at all to do with Party politics. So which Green Euro candidate chimed up from the back of the hall to speak announcing "I am from the Green Party". Instantly the chairman intervenes to make clear that it was not a political meeting. Then in solidarity with the chairman some of the public started booing the Green. An opportunity to speak wasted, a chance to prove that party politics could be ignored was lost.
Then yesterday in Taverham we had our annual fete. The Tories were in attendance, but as I saw, not wearing rosettes and generally speaking, chatting and joining in with the fete's activities. Well done to them. It's never nice for those who organise events to suddenly have them hijacked by party hacks. But not everyone went down so well. Who turned up in his Green rosette playing the role of the party candidate ? The good people of Taverham were not so impressed with a certain failed Euro candidate. Still, at least some people in Taverham have heard of him now, after all, we have still yet to see a leaflet from them.
Public Sector Pay - How much does Steve Bundred (the head of the Audit Commission) get paid ?
The head of the Audit Commission is apparently urging the government to impose a public sector pay freeze this year. Whilst I can see the logical arguments in favour of this (even as a public sector worker), I do not accept his justification for making this statement.
Apparently he feels that the health and education sectors are ripe for public sector pay freezes because he felt that public sector workers had "done well" in the past 10 years and would "tolerate" modest reductions.
Now if this were true, I would be even happier. However my last four pay rises have all been less than inflation increases, and the current three year pay deal (which we have only had one year of) would, if the government had met its inflation targets, have ensured another two years of less than inflation rises.
Now by a strange quirk, the government decision to impose an anticipated less than inflation deal on teachers has backfired and it might actually mean a genuine pay rise because inflation has dropped below the 2.35% that teachers were due to get in September, the head of the Audit Commission feels that he can spout off about how well teachers have done.
As I said, I cannot argue with the logic of pay restraint at this time, but please don't be fooled by this fool Steve Bundred telling people that teachers have "never had it so good", because if he failed to understand that teachers have had years of real terms pay cuts, he really cannot be trusted to be telling the truth on anything else.
The daft thing is that according to the Audit Commission's own press releases, they paid their staff a 4.9% increase this year because of the high level of inflation. Perhaps they should note that when inflation rocketed last year, teachers got 2.4%. So how can they pay 4.9% to their staff (whilst also consolidating bonuses in to pay levels, thus increasing management salaries even further) but demand restraint for teachers and nurses ?
Apparently he feels that the health and education sectors are ripe for public sector pay freezes because he felt that public sector workers had "done well" in the past 10 years and would "tolerate" modest reductions.
Now if this were true, I would be even happier. However my last four pay rises have all been less than inflation increases, and the current three year pay deal (which we have only had one year of) would, if the government had met its inflation targets, have ensured another two years of less than inflation rises.
Now by a strange quirk, the government decision to impose an anticipated less than inflation deal on teachers has backfired and it might actually mean a genuine pay rise because inflation has dropped below the 2.35% that teachers were due to get in September, the head of the Audit Commission feels that he can spout off about how well teachers have done.
As I said, I cannot argue with the logic of pay restraint at this time, but please don't be fooled by this fool Steve Bundred telling people that teachers have "never had it so good", because if he failed to understand that teachers have had years of real terms pay cuts, he really cannot be trusted to be telling the truth on anything else.
The daft thing is that according to the Audit Commission's own press releases, they paid their staff a 4.9% increase this year because of the high level of inflation. Perhaps they should note that when inflation rocketed last year, teachers got 2.4%. So how can they pay 4.9% to their staff (whilst also consolidating bonuses in to pay levels, thus increasing management salaries even further) but demand restraint for teachers and nurses ?
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