Friday, December 12, 2008
Lib Dems win Stannington by-election
A brief bit of news here, but one I am delighted to report:
When I won my seat I only got 49.9%. Given that Councillor Condliffe is my other half, I doubt I'm going to hear the end of this any time soon. ;-)
Parish of Bradfield - Stannington Ward:Yes, you read that right - that's a whopping 79.2% of the vote.
CONDLIFFE, Katie (Liberal Democrat) - 762 votes
DIXON, Matthew (Conservative) - 200 votes
When I won my seat I only got 49.9%. Given that Councillor Condliffe is my other half, I doubt I'm going to hear the end of this any time soon. ;-)
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Labour hypocrisy over "civil liberties" issue
Your starter for 10: what do you think Labour's Emily Thornberry is getting upset about here?
No - this "civil liberties issue" is a completely anonymous analysis of the mixed rubbish disposed of by 1,000 local residents to see what they were actually throwing away, and which actually helped improve recycling facilities within the borough.
This is just another example of how Labour in opposition are capable of manufacturing faux outrage about just about anything. This is rich indeed coming from a party that collects innocent people's DNA, bans protesting outside Parliament, tracks our cars' every movement and wants to put every man, woman and child in this country on an immense, intrusive national database.
I wholeheartedly support my colleagues in Islington - they must be gritting their teeth in sheer frustration at having to waste their time dealing with this ridiculous non-story.
Labour - you just can't trust them.
Labour MP for Islington South and Finsbury Emily Thornberry described the council's move as "absolutely outrageous and completely unjustified".Sounds pretty serious. What on earth could Islington Council have been doing? Selling people's rent statements perhaps? Putting CCTV in people's back gardens? Naming and shaming those who don't vote, even?
She added: "They said they didn't need permission. It's extremely arrogant.
"I'm concerned about the intrusion into people's private lives. It's a civil liberties issue."
No - this "civil liberties issue" is a completely anonymous analysis of the mixed rubbish disposed of by 1,000 local residents to see what they were actually throwing away, and which actually helped improve recycling facilities within the borough.
This is just another example of how Labour in opposition are capable of manufacturing faux outrage about just about anything. This is rich indeed coming from a party that collects innocent people's DNA, bans protesting outside Parliament, tracks our cars' every movement and wants to put every man, woman and child in this country on an immense, intrusive national database.
I wholeheartedly support my colleagues in Islington - they must be gritting their teeth in sheer frustration at having to waste their time dealing with this ridiculous non-story.
Labour - you just can't trust them.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
If he were British he'd be a Liberal Democrat
Saturday, May 03, 2008
Duly Elated
Just in case anyone is wondering why I haven't been around that much lately - this is why: today I was elected as a Councillor for Hillsborough Ward in Sheffield!
Joe Taylor (Liberal Democrat) - 2739
Robert MacDonald (Labour) - 1620
Eric Collins (BNP) - 491
Chris MacMahon (Green) - 346
Neil Everest (Conservative) - 292
The experience itself was rather hectic. The count was easy enough - it was obvious after the first two boxes that we had won substantial majority. News started filtering through from our other target wards that things were going well. Then came the exciting bit!
The candidates were all called up onto the podium - which is quite an intoxicating experience as you are looking down on a sea of people many of whom are cheering for you!
The votes for each candidate were read out and I was declared elected - I was then whisked off to the side to be sworn in by the Council's chief executive (which involves reading some lines from a book and then signing it).
I then had my photo taken for the Council website in front of the infamous tie-dye blue background - I think they take them just after you've won to make sure you'll actually be smiling!
Following that I was collared by photographers from the Star and Yorkshire Post who wanted me to repeat my victory pose - presumably so they could get a better photo of it for the next editions. I've told my mum to go out and buy the papers tomorrow... ;-)
Then I was taken to see some student journalists who pointed a TV camera at me and did a short interview - hopefully not for consumption by too large an audience!
Then it was off up to the Town Hall for a big photo shoot with Nick Clegg on the front steps - with lots of curious shoppers milling about wondering what on earth we were doing!
The result in full:
Joe Taylor (Liberal Democrat) - 2739
Robert MacDonald (Labour) - 1620
Eric Collins (BNP) - 491
Chris MacMahon (Green) - 346
Neil Everest (Conservative) - 292
We now have two out of the three seats in Hillsborough Ward and more than doubled our majority from last time. We also gained five other seats plus control of the Council and wiped out the Tories in the process - so I couldn't be more pleased!
The candidates were all called up onto the podium - which is quite an intoxicating experience as you are looking down on a sea of people many of whom are cheering for you!
The votes for each candidate were read out and I was declared elected - I was then whisked off to the side to be sworn in by the Council's chief executive (which involves reading some lines from a book and then signing it).
I then had my photo taken for the Council website in front of the infamous tie-dye blue background - I think they take them just after you've won to make sure you'll actually be smiling!
Following that I was collared by photographers from the Star and Yorkshire Post who wanted me to repeat my victory pose - presumably so they could get a better photo of it for the next editions. I've told my mum to go out and buy the papers tomorrow... ;-)
Then I was taken to see some student journalists who pointed a TV camera at me and did a short interview - hopefully not for consumption by too large an audience!
Then it was off up to the Town Hall for a big photo shoot with Nick Clegg on the front steps - with lots of curious shoppers milling about wondering what on earth we were doing!
In short, I am now absolutely knackered - but I couldn't be more pleased. Congratulations to our team, and remember - the real hard work starts now!
Monday, April 28, 2008
Sigh!
Have just been listening to Nick Robinson on Radio 4's Today Programme giving an analysis of what the leaders of the various parties need to do to avoid embarrassment in next week's elections.
Apparently it's all about how we do in the London Mayoral election.
Nice to know that the BBC thinks the Council seat I'm running for in Sheffield is irrelevant!
Another blinder from the London-obsessed Beeb - cheers!
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Paddick amuses all with typo
Well, it amused me, anyway.
I refer of course to the bit in bold:
Is it just me, or does that ring rather true about Ken?
Note for the slow of wit: Do not try to take the Tube to New York. You'll get lost at Ealing Broadway, and no-one wants that.
I refer of course to the bit in bold:
It is cheaper per mile to fly to New York than it is to travel by tube, according to new research conducted by the Liberal Democrats.
The latest figures show that the cost of travel on London’s tube, already one of the most expensive forms of public transport in the world, can be up to £40 per mile.
Commenting on the figures, Liberal Democrat Mayoral candidate Brian Paddick said:
"It’s over 120 times more expensive per mile travelled to take the tube from Embankment to Charing Cross than it is to take a train from London to Birmingham. It’s even cheaper per mile to fly to New York.
"What king of Mayor charges Londoners the earth and provides them with a cattle class service?
"London needs a Mayor who can deliver the real changes London wants, and that includes a decent, affordable transport system."
Note for the slow of wit: Do not try to take the Tube to New York. You'll get lost at Ealing Broadway, and no-one wants that.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Get your Wikileaks here
For those who like their freedom of speech served uncensored, Wikileaks is alive and well and living in Stockholm despite being stripped of its URL by freedom-hating lawyers.So I'm doing my bit to stymie the corporate censors by posting a nice link for Google to find. Here it is again: Wikileaks. It's currently in second place, so clearly this works...
I highly recommend that you infuriate the litigants by reading something on there you otherwise wouldn't have read...
Hat tip: Guido
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