tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18364249291407385242024-03-13T01:18:00.086+00:00The Ginger Liberal from MedwayNational and Local politics from a Liberal Democrat from Gillingham, KentChris Samshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06042471123646388825noreply@blogger.comBlogger588125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836424929140738524.post-2799083362531289982020-03-13T15:02:00.001+00:002020-03-13T15:02:37.918+00:00Diary of a Plague year (Entry 2)
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Well, Day 2 is bringing a mixed bag of emotions and news. <br />
<br />
The Prime Minister’s announcement brought no real information and, for me, has
sewn more seeds of confusion.<br />
<br />
On the one hand we as a Nation are being told that we are moving to Phase 2 of
the Government plan which is “Delay” Basically “Keep calm and carry on.”<br />
<br />
In the same breath the Prime Minister is saying that “many more will lose loved
ones before their time”</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6uBbV73lquo/XmugUkEjPnI/AAAAAAAAGVg/N8uu3JWcbSou9e6DEWVyZ0kkIeyykEeuACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Coronavirus-UK-Boris-Johnson-warns-we-039may-lose-loved-ones039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="883" data-original-width="470" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6uBbV73lquo/XmugUkEjPnI/AAAAAAAAGVg/N8uu3JWcbSou9e6DEWVyZ0kkIeyykEeuACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Coronavirus-UK-Boris-Johnson-warns-we-039may-lose-loved-ones039.jpg" width="339" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So is this really that serious?<br />
<br />
The Leader of the House of Commons, Jacob Rees-Mogg has said that this is a
critical pandemic and Parliament will debate it… On the 23<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">rd</span></sup> March
so ten days’ time. If this is <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THAT
CRITCAL </b>then surely it should get priority?<br />
<br />
Ireland and Scotland have banned public meetings, Ireland has also closed
schools. The US has closed borders with Europe (not us for some reason… maybe
Trump thinks because we left the EU we are no longer part of Europe. The World
is talking about postponing the Olympics, the FIFA European finals. If you
watch the media this could be up there with plague or Spanish Flu.<br />
<br />
This country’s plan? Stay at home where possible and in your house you have to
stay away from other people – if you have the ability sleep in a separate room
and use another bathroom, use the kitchen separate to everyone else but it’s
cool to go to a football match (Breaking, these are now banned.).<br />
<br />
How serious is this outbreak? Apparently 1000 dead in Italy, 3000 dead in
China, 10 dead in the UK, Tom Hanks isolated, Justin Trudeau isolated, Katy
Perry Isolated, Nadine Dorries Isolated, staff urged to work from home, people
to stay away from Doctors or hospitals – self diagnose where possible. Sounds
frighteningly serious but at the same time no one seems that bothered in other
ways.<br />
<br />
Shops are selling out of things, last night Aldi in Gillingham had meat
shortages and bread as well as a few other things. Since I moved out of home I’ve
had to start again with a lot of things including that I no longer have access
to a large source of tinned goods and pasta which we had stockpiled over the
years. My flat is a bachelor/student style larder of what I will eat that week.
I need to lay down supplies for a possible isolation.<br />
<br />
I continue to muddle through. Maybe next week will bring more coherent news.</span></div>
Chris Samshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06042471123646388825noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836424929140738524.post-2970030043606324792020-03-12T14:46:00.001+00:002020-03-12T14:56:30.019+00:00Journal of a plague year (entry 1)<div style="border-image: none;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0pcxsmrStCk/XmpJcHiO69I/AAAAAAAAGU4/G-GCVvR968IrCFXS11kea0HMk9P2EJTuwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/covid-19-1330px.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="370" data-original-width="1330" height="110" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0pcxsmrStCk/XmpJcHiO69I/AAAAAAAAGU4/G-GCVvR968IrCFXS11kea0HMk9P2EJTuwCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/covid-19-1330px.jpg" width="400" /></a>Ok, so I have not written in this blog for four years apparently! I guess I've moved away from politics by quite some way.<br /><br />What a time to reignite this blog eh?</div>
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<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
I've not really been paying attention to the news over the last few months. Those of you who know me personally will know that I've been going through things in my personal life which have taken up a lot of my attention and time. I'd heard snippets of a new illness coming over from China and of quarantine but frankly that was pretty low on my list of concerns.<br /><br />In my new flat I must admit that I don't have television. I have a pile of DVDs to watch but to be honest I have had no inclination. I am in the process of researching a book on pre-Dreadnoughts during World War One and so I have a literal pile of papers and books to be reading but again, I've not always got the inclination to do that either. I am more likely to be reading about World War One battleships than the news.<br /><br />I work at the Imperial War Museum for the Security department... well the company that was outsourced to look after the security. As a public building and manned by civil servants there has been regular updates for Museum staff but I've been kept so busy that I have not had time to read all of them. My company has also released updates but beyond skim reading them and passing them to my staff I've not read all of them. In a way I have been blissfully ignorant of it.<br /><br />Today though is the first time that I have really started to worry. <br /><br />I've watched a lot of movies.<br /><br />Probably too many movies.<br /><br />Today I felt like I was in a zombie apocalypse movie. <br /><br />These sort of movies have a certain archetype of characters including the person who saw it coming, the female victim, the loving couple and the guy who had no idea that anything was happening - suddenly I realised I was that guy.<br /><br />I had noticed people wearing face masks from time to time in the streets in London but not really thought much about it. <br /><br />I had heard of cases in other countries especially Italy as my manager had to cancel her journey home to see her family. <br /><br />I had heard that Covid-19 was coming but so what?<br /><br />Suddenly I have a moment of clarity when stood next to a man on the train reading the metro with a headline that read something like "159 dead in Italy"<br /><br />I sat down at work and started reading the updated plans and statements and found myself asking;<br /><br />Is this really as bad as they think it is?<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7beBhu40Cys/XmpMhQB_bII/AAAAAAAAGVE/IEpA3trLhP4l6fbOjS_1UwHAbXQe_PZiQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Walking-Dead-Zombies-Article-201909091840.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="372" data-original-width="620" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7beBhu40Cys/XmpMhQB_bII/AAAAAAAAGVE/IEpA3trLhP4l6fbOjS_1UwHAbXQe_PZiQCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Walking-Dead-Zombies-Article-201909091840.jpg" width="400" /></a>The news hasn't helped with borders closing (Trump closes European travel but not the UK - </div>
dumbass), schools closing, workers being advised to stay at home where possible. Then there is the death rate - currently 4300 (3000 in China) which is steep but not on a Bubonic plague level.<br /><br />Then I caught a brief part of the Q&A on the BBC with the Deputy Chief Medical Officer who said that around 80% of the British population will contract the illness but should recover - oh and you can get it multiple times.... <br />
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I'm not worried for me. <br /><br />Probably famous last words but - I don't get ill. My constitution is frighteningly robust (and can be augmented with rum).<br /><br />I am worried for my mother who is pushing 70 and more importantly I'm worried for my son, <br />
George.<br /><br />You may or not know but George has a rare heart condition which has left him with half a heart, some epic surgery scars and a prederiliction to contracting illnesses which will hit him hard. Should he get a cold he can be laid up for a week, the flu maybe a fortnight, Covid-19 who knows? We had been originally told that Chicken pox could kill him (thankfully it didn't) or hospitalise him (again, he was fine). <br />
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<br />I don't know what the future holds over this. It could be another SARs, it could be another plague, I don't think anyone really knows at this stage.<br /><br />I don't think this will be a Dawn of the dead sort of thing but the way people are panic buying toilet rolls and hand sanitizer you wouldn't be blamed for believing it might be.<br />
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I'm hoping to form a bit of a weekly blog/journal of what is going on for posterity and also for my own joy.... Let's see what will happen.Chris Samshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06042471123646388825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836424929140738524.post-34706405473713007112016-08-14T16:23:00.001+01:002016-08-14T16:29:24.388+01:00Star Wars Rogue One trailer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/frdj1zb9sMY/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/frdj1zb9sMY?feature=player_embedded" style="clear: right; float: right;" width="320"></iframe>Friday saw the release of the new trailer for this year’s
Star Wars offering; Rogue One a Star Wars story and needless to say I am
excited.</div>
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The movie is set just before the events of Episode IV (A New Hope) and is about
the theft of the Deathstar’s plans and getting them to Princess Leia who of
course is caught carrying them at the beginning of the first Star Wars movie
when Vader aboard the ISD <i>Devestator</i>
engaged her.<br />
<br />
In the old Expanded Universe they were taken from the planet Raltiir whilst the
Deathstar was constructed over the Penal prison at Despayrre which was
destroyed during the test firing. Of course…. That was then… this is now.<br />
<br />
With Disney’s takeover of the Star Wars universe the old lore is gone ( I may
have mentioned this every time I have blogged about the new Star Wars
developments and I promise I will stop moaning about it!). <br />
<br />
So what makes Rogue One an appealing concept. Well for me it is an unknown –
these characters are not the main canon characters and they are going up
against the Empire’s best in a commando style mission to save the galaxy in the
same sort of vein as Where Eagles Dare, Dirty Dozen or Heroes of Telemark which
really appeals to the Role Player in me. Also as they are not canon characters
it means that there is no guarantee as to who will survive and who will be
killed off – there’s not even a guarantee that Jyn Erso, Felicity Jones’ main protagonist
will make it to the role of credits. This makes the movie so much more
enjoyable the first time you watch it. Let’s be honest, Family guy nailed it
when they stated in “Something, something Darkside,” that “Don’t worry we have
a ship of four of the main characters, I’m sure we’ll be fine.” <br />
<br />
There have been complaints about having a female lead in some corners of
Youtube which I find as confusing as those who complained about a black
Stormtrooper (John Boyega’s Fin in Episode VII). It is good to see a strong
female character in the lead in a Galaxy which up until recently was lacking
serious female characters within the movie branch of the franchise. Jyn looks
to have the edge and combat skills of Han Solo with just as much balls.
Ultimately I cannot judge until that great day when I get to watch the movie in
full – and review it – but let’s give her a shot. From the trailer’s I don’t
think she is going to disappoint. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PMa7P9e-Lnk/V7CMMRQf2RI/AAAAAAAAF-I/K-mZIR9lgu8WUnIzaoDLrroDt8HREjeoACPcB/s1600/IMG_4883.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PMa7P9e-Lnk/V7CMMRQf2RI/AAAAAAAAF-I/K-mZIR9lgu8WUnIzaoDLrroDt8HREjeoACPcB/s400/IMG_4883.PNG" width="225" /></a>There are also people who are complaining that this is not Star Wars and there
are no Jedi (except Lord Vader) but to be honest – yes it is. The Star Wars
universe is vast with a multitude of different species and backgrounds all
trying to live their lives and force users were always in the minority and of
varying strength. The draw of Luke Skywalker, Vader, Yoda, Palpatine and
Obi-Wan was that they were a minority and put them above the other warriors.
The prequels almost overdid the Jedi aspect with them pretty much everywhere
making them somewhat less special. Rogue One offers us someone else’s story in
the same vein as the old “Tales of:” books from the EU. To quote the old
Wizards of the Coast advert “What’s this guys story?” I want to see someone
else’s struggle against the Empire, their motivations, their perils, loves,
losses – it is a huge galaxy let’s see other aspects and explore new worlds and
possibilities. Rogue One has vast potential here.<br />
<br />
The Imperial hardware is, as always, very impressive looking with the
ubiquitous Stormtroopers, a new version of stormcommando(?) and AT-ATs,
armoured speeders and TIE/LN fighters with the rebels running around with
cobbled together and “appropriated” gear showing the desperation they face
against unrelenting Imperial materiel. <br />
<br />
I love the piano and slowed down Imperial march building into the Star Wars
theme which compliments the cinematic shots and art including the Deathstar
eclipse of a sun. It looks really well shot and I’m hoping that it will play
out into a two hour movie but I am excited.<o:p></o:p></div>
Chris Samshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06042471123646388825noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836424929140738524.post-26912869363886004692016-08-13T15:23:00.000+01:002016-08-13T15:23:20.799+01:00The return of the EU<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yesterday revealed more interesting developments in the new growing history of Star Wars under Disney as I stumbled onto the trailer for Star Wars Rebels season 3.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://gingerliberal.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/disney-have-destroyed-star-wars.html">Last year I wrote in horror that Disney </a>had officially announced the death of the EU (Expanded Universe) so that they would be free to create without being tied to the books and sequels written and approved by Lucasfilm back in the 90s until fairly recently.<br />
<br />
Basically my entire life appeared to be wasted and in a Deathstar style blast all my favourite characters, all my favourite starships and events were all wiped out with the click of a "send" button.<br />
<br />
But it appears that this was not the end.<br />
<br />
The EU had many great ideas and fan favourites like Starkiller, Grand Admiral Thrawn (the only alien Imperial Commander), Dark troopers, Mara Jade and many more. There was such a large number that it was some what inevitable that some might slip in to the new Star Wars canon. At first it was in small ways with Starkiller base in Episode VII, that Han and Leia's son turns to the darkside (Ben rather than Jacen Solo as it was in the original EU), the end of the Empire/New Republic conflict but now a whole character is back:<br />
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Grand Admiral Thrawn.<br />
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His <a href="http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Mitth%27raw%27nuruodo">biography</a> is well known to fans of the old EU, especially the original trilogy by Timothy Zahn (Heir to the Empire, Dark Force rising and The Last Command) and he was one of the mourned lost characters as he had so much to offer and such a rich history and was a definite fan favourite.<br /><br />The Disney Channel's Star Wars Rebels has already reached its third season (airing this autumn) and has been broadly excellent. It has used stereotypical characters from the old West End Games Star Wars Role Playing Game (Brash pilot, Bounty hunter, fallen Jedi, Warrior and Kid) and pitched them against the Empire who have slowly escalated their response in dealing with them starting with local commanders (Commandant Aresco and Task master Grint) up to ISB (Agent Kallos) and an Inquisitor (another nod to the EU which made great use of the Inquisitors) up to Grand Moff Tarkin. For season two it was escalated to Darth Vader.<br /><br />I've not seen Season Two yet, I'm waiting for the DVD and a weekend off with the kids but from the clips I have seen on Youtube it looks quite dark with the return of characters from the Clone Wars cartoon series (Captain Rex and Ahsoka Tano) and Darth Maul as well as the Empire forcing the rebels to leave Lothal.<br /><br />Season Three looks just as intriguing but with Vader seemingly taking a back seat, maybe he was to powerful a bad guy or as a busy Sith may have been called to another part of the Empire or it might have something to do with a dual between him and Ahsoka?!?<br /><br />Thrawn appears to be as he was originally written by Zahn with his calm intellect using art and history to understand his enemy's method of thinking so that he can predict their reactions with his attacks being surgical rather than the usual Imperial blunt clumsy sledgehammer attacks.<br /><br />His return gives me, and hope that the EU is still acknowlegable with the desperate hope that my favourate may return (although unlikely) but able to settle that a Legend of the old EU is back possibly opening the way for Pelleaon, the Captain of his Star destroyer <i>Chimera</i> but who knows, will have to wait and see!<br /><br />Any way here is the trailer, what do you think?<br />
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Chris Samshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06042471123646388825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836424929140738524.post-88158632473754845592016-06-14T13:46:00.002+01:002016-06-14T14:34:33.114+01:00Dear Tracey - why I'm voting remain.<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.3px;">Dear </span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.3px;">Tracey,</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999; line-height: 21.3px;">Hi, how are you? It's been a while since we've spoken over social media but I saw your post on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TraceyCrouchMp/posts/808034249333560">Facebook</a> and wanted to respond at length and felt a blogpost was a better format than a comment.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999; line-height: 21.3px;">My regular readers, if there are any left, and yourself will know that I am a supporter of yours across party</span><br />
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lines. I've always admired your hard work in the constituency and that all of your decisions have been well thought out. At the heart of all of your decisions is your heart, conscience and your constituency even if it goes against your party's position and that, in my mind is what a MP should do and why you have my support and admiration - if I lived in Chatham I would have, secretly, voted for you.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999; line-height: 21.3px;">I'm pretty much in the same position as you. When I moved house some four months ago I lost all television signal. I also try to avoid newspapers as it is far to easy to gravitate to ones you agree with and dismiss those you don't as scaremongering and hokum. A prime example is yesterday's Daily Mail headline about the ten million Turks coming this way - a headline that hasn't been seen since the crusades.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999; line-height: 21.3px;">I have also had some serious personal problems which almost cost me my marriage and I gave up my Liberal Democrat activities so lost that line of information.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999; line-height: 21.3px;">I have spent a lot of time listening to my friends and colleagues and their opinions and beliefs, weighed things in my head and come out with a side that I am mostly happy with. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999; line-height: 21.3px;">I agree with you that both sides are guilty of scaremongering and manipulating figures and I've tried to ignore them as well - it isn't good for my stress levels.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999; line-height: 21.3px;">Let me bring you to where I'm at.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999; line-height: 21.3px;">Firstly, and I'm sure you know this, but Medway is more than likely going to vote out. Just a cursory glance at the last round of Euro elections and the Police commissioner's election you can see UKIP surging ahead. This shouldn't have an impact on your decision as I believe it has a local colleague but it is something you may have to contend with in time. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999; line-height: 21.3px;"><br style="line-height: 21.3px;" /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.3px;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999; line-height: 21.3px;">Immigration is a problem in Medway, sometimes I feel it seems a bigger problem than it is. Although international is a problem, one that always arises when cultures collide and it is a separate debate that needs to be had. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999; line-height: 21.3px;"><br style="line-height: 21.3px;" /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.3px;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999; line-height: 21.3px;">The concerns are very real though with the first being jobs. It is easy to gloss over and say that a foreign worker in a job is a Briton out of work but that is not always the case. I remember seeing a segment on the South East's Politics on Sunday about Romanian Fruit pickers. The reporter went to a local job centre to ask Britons if they would pick fruit only one person said yes. It seems no one wants to clean streets, work in supermarkets or at McDonald's - all valid careers (I've worked at two of the three).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999; line-height: 21.3px;"><br style="line-height: 21.3px;" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999;">I think blaming immigrants for the strain on services has also got flaws. When I was born in 1980 there were three hospitals and Canada house, now we have one that is struggling to meet demand. On the rare occasions I go to the GP with the children it is not a swarm of foreigners in the waiting room but white Britons with minor ailments that my parents would have self medicated. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999;"><br style="line-height: 21.3px;" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999;">Successive British governments have cut hospitals and other services including the police and fire brigade as well as selling off social housing. It was only a matter of time before we reached this point and although it is easy to blame Europe for reaching it now it is hard to believe it could be avoided.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999;"><br style="line-height: 21.3px;" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999;">On the subject of cuts the EU also invests money into many projects and businesses across the nation and in Medway including youth and tourism projects. The BREXIT campaign would argue if we weren't in Europe and sending £Xm a year (whatever the final figure is) then the British government would invest in them. I find that a bit of a tall order especially in these times of austerity and the government would find "better" places for the money to go.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999;">It is true the EU is far from perfect and there are many things that need reforming but there are also some great bonuses too.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999;"><br style="line-height: 21.3px;" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999;">As a member of a family of Police officers I cannot tell you how excited I am about the EU policing treaties that allow us to share information and issue warrants for those who commit crimes and try to hide abroad, no more buggering off to the Costa Brava after a jewel heist. A good example was a man who posted indecent images of children on the Internet. Within hours the Danish police had picked them up and using location and search tools were able to pin-point his residence and the following day the Leeds police raided his home.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999;"><br style="line-height: 21.3px;" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999;">There are other things, which you have listed including cleaner beaches, moves to enforce greener fuel, safety etc...</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999;"><br style="line-height: 21.3px;" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999;">For me, I worry about economic uncertainties. Britain is no longer a global Empire that produces the majority of the world's ships or refined cotton. Should Britain leave we'll have to negotiate our own trade treaties with the EU, America and Far East but what do we trade? We can't fall back on the Commonwealth.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999;"><br style="line-height: 21.3px;" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999;">When I look at the Brexit I think of the first game of Connect 4 I played with my daughter. When she lost she folded her arms and refused to play any more. It is a priceless look that I'm sure you'll see it on Freddy's face in the near future - it is a priceless expression.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999;"><br style="line-height: 21.3px;" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999;">If I could use a football analogy;</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999;"><br style="line-height: 21.3px;" /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.3px;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999;">You're playing in the Euro 2016 final against Germany, Thomas Müller takes a dive as he passes you and the Ref calls you over for a yellow card. Do you walk off the pitch, hang up your boots and refuse to play anymore OR do you protest the decision, fight to clear your name and carry on with the game?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999;"><br style="line-height: 21.3px;" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999;">I personally believe if our MEPs embraced the EU rather than refusing to do anything, as our current UKIP MEPs do, we might get more of a say. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999;"><br style="line-height: 21.3px;" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999;">I look back at the state of Britain and Europe over the last century and there is a declining Empire, distrust of minorities, finances wrecked by bankers and general strikes as well as a continent ravaged with world war twice. I see a lot of what has happened before still happening now but things are improving especially with international cooperation.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999;"><br style="line-height: 21.3px;" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999;">I can't help thinking it is better the devil you know.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999;"><br style="line-height: 21.3px;" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999;">I want to make a sound decision for my children and their children and I hope that I have made it.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999;"><br style="line-height: 21.3px;" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999;">I know that you will make your decision after many hours of consideration with your heart and conscience without being pressured. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999;"><br style="line-height: 21.3px;" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999;">I hope all is well with you and your new family.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999;"><br style="line-height: 21.3px;" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999;">All the best, and good luck making your decision.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999;"><br style="line-height: 21.3px;" /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.3px;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999;">Chris</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999;"><br style="line-height: 21.3px;" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #999999;">P.s. Remember me when you are Prime Minister and you want a biography written - my publisher's always after new ideas and I'll write a very good one! </span></div>
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Chris Samshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06042471123646388825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836424929140738524.post-2664065607384198032016-04-21T08:17:00.000+01:002016-04-21T08:17:45.970+01:00My Last goodbye. <div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iMpD6WQdi2A/UcwqQSqjczI/AAAAAAAAE2w/zdl4czsC4cUprP8x4hG6JwNhQfTdS0wKgCKgB/s1600/MA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iMpD6WQdi2A/UcwqQSqjczI/AAAAAAAAE2w/zdl4czsC4cUprP8x4hG6JwNhQfTdS0wKgCKgB/s320/MA.jpg" width="320" /></a>I
realised yesterday that I had made no grand announcement and didn't want groups
like Medway yet again.<o:p></o:p></div>
Labour jumping to the wrong conclusion. (<a href="https://twitter.com/medwaylabour/status/722819185953386496">1</a>)<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I
have indeed left the Liberal Democrats.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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It
was not a political decision or a disagreement or because of local issues - it
was due to mundane selfish reasons.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I
joined back in 2009 and supported my party proudly, stood in two local
elections and a by-election, represented the party at hustings and school
debates. I believe in Liberalism to my very core and truly believe Tim Farron
is the leader to take the party forward.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I
was deeply disappointed last year with the results. I grew up in Gillingham
South and love the area as much as I love Liberalism. Whatever I say will be
interpreted as sour grapes by some so it's best I say nothing more.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I
have now moved out of Gillingham South to another part of Medway, a part I know
very little about and it is against my belief to stand for a ward I don't live
in.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A
new house, new life and personal problems at home mean I need to dedicate my
time and resources elsewhere. I also have another book to write which is
dominating my spare time. I've got some eight months and 80,000 words to write so as you can imagine I'm more than a little busy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I
also tire of the political sniping on Twitter. Every time I made a political
statement or dared to question a Labour member all I got was "The LibDems.
Blah blah" or general crap (thank god for the mute button!) and
frankly can live my life without it. Man I can live without it. The sniping is one of the things I hate about politics - it isn't about issues its all about one-up-man-ship and it is all really childish. I really won't miss that.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When
my subscription ran out a few months ago it made sense to let it slide.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I
didn't announce it before because... Well I didn't think it was worth
mentioning as being a LibDem was not my defining facet - I always thought that
was being Sophie, Ollie and George's dad.... I quietly changed my bio on Twitter to just be about my writing and went about my life retweeting political comments from all parties and thought that was it. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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By
the by I'm not interested in joining any other parties, sorry. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Oh
by the way, I cancelled my White Dwarf subscription too if any one is interested...<o:p></o:p></div>
Chris Samshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06042471123646388825noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836424929140738524.post-43148020170423730702016-02-28T14:10:00.000+00:002016-02-28T14:10:02.726+00:00Raising money for British Heart Foundation<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Last year my wife, Sam, did a sponsored De-Chox to raise money for the British heart foundation.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">For a whole month she gave up chocolate in all its forms which for her is a HUGE deal but she was strong and succeeded in raising many monies.</span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TeHb-XwT-pg/VtLakt-5_xI/AAAAAAAAF24/YRSbGdNw9tY/s1600/IMG_3586.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TeHb-XwT-pg/VtLakt-5_xI/AAAAAAAAF24/YRSbGdNw9tY/s320/IMG_3586.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">This year she is taking Sophie along and our little five year old has vowed to be as strong as her Mum - even though her chocolate in take is fairly low anyway.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"> For those of you who aren't regular readers my son George (14 months old) was diagnosed with Pulmonary atresia before he was born. The left atrium was non-existent and the ventricle that pushes blood to the lungs massively under developed. At three days old he had heart surgery to put a shunt in his heart and again at 8 months to turn his heart from a defective four chamber heart to an effective two chamber one. In three years he has to have a final surgery to complete this.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">The British heart foundation were a great resource of information for us to research the condition and what needed to be done, meet other families who have gone through what we were about to go through. </span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">Commonly you think Heart problems and you think of over weight people suffering heart attacks but it really does strike many. There are conditions that I'd never even dreamed of let alone thought one of my children would be struck with.</span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">Sam has joined a couple of the support groups where parents with Heart babies can get together to talk, socialise and help each other through and there are some truly heart breaking stories with children, some only a few days old, in life or death states and sadly - not all are as lucky as George.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">The Heart Foundation does so much good work in research and support to try and help sufferers and their families and is deserving support.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">Sam's target is £75 and I believe she's almost made it - please help her, even if it is a few quid.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">Do it for the kids, do it for yourself in case you get heart problems, do it to make my life hell... Whatever floats your boat!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">Here's her <a href="https://www.justgiving.com/dechox2016samsams?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=fundraisingpage&utm_content=dechox2016samsams&utm_campaign=pfp-share-mobile">Justgiving </a>page if you want to help.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">Thanks</span></div>
Chris Samshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06042471123646388825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836424929140738524.post-27234381352549139062016-02-22T08:04:00.002+00:002016-02-22T08:04:57.008+00:00My wager on the Brexit referendum<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WKXtvwxa2cY/Vsq-CS5CmcI/AAAAAAAAF2o/HGXWB8YaBn4/s1600/brexit-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="185" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WKXtvwxa2cY/Vsq-CS5CmcI/AAAAAAAAF2o/HGXWB8YaBn4/s320/brexit-3.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 17px;">With the announcement that the UK is to hold a referendum all the political parties are drawing up lines.</span><br />
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<br /></div>
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The Liberal Democrats are united as part of the IN choice and will be joined (eclipsed) by elements from the Tories and Labour against UKIP, George Galloway and elements of Labour and the Tories.</div>
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For me it is a no brainer and the EU membership offers vast opportunities if we led and tried to reform it rather than follow the UKIP line of voting "No" to everything if they turn up at all. Also with my belief structure a united Europe with a strong Germany at the heart is always an appealing notion!</div>
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Any way I won't try and sway your vote (just yet) as this isn't today's scope.</div>
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My big question is why are we IN parties going to bother? Brexit will win hands down.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: uictfonttextstylebody; font-size: 17px;">
I caught a few minutes of Murnighan earlier and someone was comparing the two line ups and suggested the Out camp needed to work on their image and that got me thinking....</div>
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<div style="font-family: uictfonttextstylebody; font-size: 17px;">
Yes, George Galloway (possibly the most hated person in British politics by politicians) is a liability, yes there will be infighting by Tories and Labour unhappy with being on the same platform and then there is the UKIP scion which no one wants to openly admit working with.</div>
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<div style="font-family: uictfonttextstylebody; font-size: 17px;">
Ultimately though their disunity and infighting will not damage their campaign at all as the vote is all about the issue not how they go about it.</div>
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For years the British press has been filling their headlines with stories of Europe with not all of them true, after all stories of the EU investing in community projects, forming international police task forces to combat major crimes or getting rid of those pesky data roaming fees just doesn't sell papers as blowing up little stories into chaos.</div>
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In the last fifteen years I've seen British sovereignty under threat more times than in the fifty preceding years. We've had X million Poles, X million Romanians, X many Hungarians and now a wave of countless ISIL terrorists are coming via Greece and Turkey disguised as refugees all granted citizenship by Germany and allowed to come here to steal our jobs and benefits! The EU have attacked our Chocolate, our bananas need straightening, our laws, our way of life and their courts (which are separate to the EU) have over ridden the decisions of our judges on our crimes etc... Bastards.</div>
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Brexit is seen as the only way to stop these countless waves and raise the drawbridge guaranteeing British people their money and jobs for hard working Britons (Though I look forward to the waves of former unemployed fruit picking or manning the grills at MacDonald's), make Britain Great again and restore sovereignty to the country before returning it to its former glory.</div>
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There is such a web of half and untruths to fight through and deep seated fears that ultimately the "In" campaign have a veritable mountain to climb and the victory we're all smugly thinking isn't as achievable as we think (though I pray that it will be) and come the end of <a href="x-apple-data-detectors://1" x-apple-data-detectors-result="1" x-apple-data-detectors-type="calendar-event" x-apple-data-detectors="true">June </a>we'll be saying good-bye to our European buds and isolating ourselves further.</div>
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This is all before you say "The Lib-" (usually when doors close or interest is lost). Farrage still has a lot of support from grass roots who think he can do no wrong.</div>
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I fear that it is so unachievable that I'm close to asking why bother? It isn't like the plucky Rebellion vs. the Empire with its Death Star - it's the same number of fighters vs five a Death Stars and a fleet of Stardestroyers... </div>
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So confident am I in my defeatist prediction that I will make this wager - *if* the UK votes to stay In I will put in the Acknowledgments of my next book; "Thanks to Nigel & George for pulling a Porkins" </div>
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Come on Britain... It's worth voting "In" for that!</div>
Chris Samshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06042471123646388825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836424929140738524.post-69303713764852518022015-12-28T11:46:00.002+00:002015-12-28T11:46:19.372+00:00Southeastern and Wettons lost property<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: 'Droid Sans'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I'm not one to complain *chortle* but this morning I had a very concerning incident involving my beloved Gillingham football scarf which I in haste left on the train at Victoria station. (it was the 8.58 from Gillingham to Victoria arriving on platform 8)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: 'Droid Sans'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I was frantic as it could not be found and I was resigning myself to filling out the lost property and, to be honest, its total loss to oblivion when I saw it. </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Droid Sans'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Arial;">It is unmistakable and to be honest there are not that many Gillingham fans! It wasn</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Droid Sans';">’</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: 'Droid Sans'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">t on the chair I'd been sat on or in the floor - it was cruising past the window in a rubbish sack! </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: 'Droid Sans'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I jumped off the train and politely asked for its return before scuttling off. I thanked the barrier staff again and they asked me if the cleaner had given it to me.</span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Droid Sans'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Arial;">I'm very grateful for the return of my scarf and for the help provided by the Southeastern staff but I am concerned that the lost property was in fact thrown away and when it was given back to me it was wet and covered in cold coffee and it worries me that other lost property may be being disposed of rather than being taken to lost property.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Chris Samshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06042471123646388825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836424929140738524.post-49957354664099468372015-10-03T14:31:00.000+01:002015-10-03T14:31:22.669+01:00English Democrat "Reprisal" is murder<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There has been some interesting fall out (excuse the pun) from my last <a href="http://gingerliberal.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/english-democrat-calls-for-nuclear.html">blogpost</a> about the suggestion by English Democrat candidate for the Crime Commissioner post Steve Uncles that the Western powers should threaten Daesh (ISIL) with a Nuclear strike on Mecca the next time there is a terror attack in the West.<br /><br />In the follow up of the debate on Twitter there were questions about my ancestor’s political affiliations and what I would do with Cyril Smith… The most disturbing seems to be Collective punishment. <br /><br />A simplistic way of putting it is what happened to my Grandfather at school when the head teacher caned an entire class because someone had drained the radiator to fill their water pistol and as he lined them up he said “The innocent will suffer with the guilty.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I will let you interpret the tweets for yourself and see if you come to the same conclusion as I have;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /><br />What do you think?<br /><br />My interpretation, added to the original post about nuking Mecca during the pilgrimage as punishment does concern me greatly and leads to this “Collective responsibility” and took me to thinking about other examples of this in the past.<br /><br />First one that popped into my head was the village of Lidice in the Czech Republic. Three Czech “terrorists” assassinated the German governor of Bohemia & Moravia Reinhard Heydrich on the 27<sup>th</sup> May 1942 (he died on 4<sup>th</sup> June). In reprisal for this terrorist act and to try to stamp out similar acts the German authorities liquidated the village of Lidice including executing all of the men, most of the children and sending the women to concentration camps. Buildings were flattened, animals were executed and even the dead were disinterred and their remains destroyed. In total 1300 people in the protectorate were killed in these reprisals.<br /><br />Another example, sadly again from the World War Two era, are the executions of civilians for each German soldier killed ten local civilians would be shot. This happened in Greece (where whole male populations were liquidated) and notably in Russia with these duties falling to regular Wehrmacht troops not just the Nazi SS.<br /><br />Although Mr Uncles has distanced himself by saying <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">We can all agree that National Socialism is a terrible thing.</i> I still cannot see the difference in the reprisal by nuclear weapon killing innocent civilians and the Karbiner 98 rifle shooting innocent civilians… <br /><br />In the United Kingdom we have our own sordid past with the rounding up of women and children in South Africa during the Boer War, their property burnt and their internment at concentration camps where many died from disease and poor conditions. There is the reaction to the 1857 rebellion in India which saw British subjects, military and civilian being murdered and brutalised was avenged by British troops bayonetting civilians (including women and Children) in Delhi;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">These were not mutineers but residents of the city, who trusted to our well known mild rule for pardon. I am glad to say they were disappointed</i> reported the Bombay Telegraph.<br /><br />Another report stated;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The orders went out to shoot every soul… It was literally murder… I have seen many bloody and awful sights lately but such a one as I have witnessed yesterday I pray I never see again. The women were all spared but their screams on seeing their husbands and sons butchered were most painful… Heaven knows I feel no pity, but when some old grey bearded man is brought and shot before your very eyes, hard must be that of a man’s heart I think who can look on with indifference.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">All in the aim of ending “Terrorism” and protecting British/English citizens and rule.<br /><br />In my mind, and I leave it up to the reader to make a final decision, there is little difference between these lamentable periods of history and threatening to launch a nuclear strike on Mecca as a reprisal for a terrorist action in the West. <br /><br />The one constant between the Lidice, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Feldpolizei</i>, Indian Mutiny and Boer War examples <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">AND</b> a strike on Mecca is that a large/extreme number of people face or have been <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">MURDERED</b> in reprisal for actions carried out by a few.<br /><br />My family have been involved in Policing for over a century with my Great Grandfather Walter joining the Metropolitan Police in early 1914 and the immutable faith in the notion of Justice has been passed down from generation to generation and the ultimately the biggest nuggets of knowledge have been –<br /><br />1.) Don’t make idle threats<br />2.) Two wrongs do not make a right<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Murdering civilians in their hundreds of thousands during a pilgrimage in Mecca is ethically and morally abhorrent and is on the same scale as the terrorist who blows up a bus of commuters and the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Oberleutnant</i> who orders a nearby village levelled because one of his men was shot by a terrorist. <br /><br />As far as Mr Uncles is concerned, the only difference is that ISIS are not signed up to the Geneva Convention so are seemingly exempt from its protection. I'm sorry to say that this is not how the convention works a</span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></div>
Chris Samshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06042471123646388825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836424929140738524.post-77086637176314582552015-09-30T08:53:00.002+01:002015-09-30T08:54:36.561+01:00English Democrat calls for Nuclear strike on MeccaI have studied war and all of its incarnations since the age of eight when I first picked up the Ladybird book of "Soldiers" and<o:p></o:p><br />
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started asking questions of my grandfather. <br />
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War is undeniably one of the great evils that mankind has unleashed upon the world and sadly the one thing at which we as a species excel at. Aggression breads technology and at the very top of the tree are the nuclear weapons.<o:p></o:p><br />
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Many people argue that Nuclear weapons are necessary. <o:p></o:p><br />
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They have never been necessary. <o:p></o:p><br />
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The excuse of ending World War Two quickly is touted too quickly but the truth of the matter is everyone knew Japan could not physically hold out much longer and that conventional bombing methods would have sufficed. Indeed the RAF and USAAF had proved that over Europe where 25,000 people in three days in Dresden of saturation bombing in 1945 and Hamburg had suffered 42,600 killed in the firestorms of Operation Gomorrah in July 1943. With Germany defeated the bomber fleets were free to relocate to the Pacific. <o:p></o:p><br />
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At the turn of the 20th Century the greatest weapons were Artillery (and Dreadnoughts) by 1915 the horror weapon was poison gas, by the 1930s it was the Bomber especially if carrying gas and by 1945 it was the A-bomb. The only reason to use it in 1945 was to show the Russians that the West had them and was not afraid to use them should they be pushed as Churchill (succeeded by Atlee) and Truman knew that Stalin would not have hesitated to use them if he thought he had the upper hand.<o:p></o:p><br />
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In modern times though there is a small clique of states who have nuclear weapons all eyeing each other suspiciously... However who is the major threat?<o:p></o:p><br />
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A lose alliance of Islamic extremists who have no state and whose ability to use a nuclear device is, for the moment, limited to a dirty bomb for which the only defence is keen Military intelligence.<o:p></o:p><br />
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Should one of these devices go off in central London the effects would be ugly and a lot of people would be irradiated and killed with many dying from the effects for years afterwards. <o:p></o:p><br />
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English Democrat and former Kent Police Commissioner candidate (I think I heard he is running again in 2016) Steve Uncles has an answer to this... A retaliatory Nuclear strike on Mecca after <em><b><u>ANY</u></b></em> terrorist attack on the West.<o:p></o:p><br />
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Mr Uncles argues in his <a href="http://steveunclesenglishdemocrats.org/2015/09/30/massive-nuclear-retaliation-on-mecca-saudi-arabia-for-next-islamic-attack-on-the-west/">blog</a> that the heart of Islam, within Saudi Arabia, will be full of Muslim pilgrims. He states:<o:p></o:p><br />
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<em>Massive retaliation works on the same principles as Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD), with the important caveat that even a minor conventional attack on a nuclear state could conceivably result in all-out Nuclear retaliation</em>. <o:p></o:p><br />
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and...<o:p></o:p><br />
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<em>This threat to of massive retaliation of 1 million Muslims and the destruction of the most holy Muslim site in the world, if a further "civilised" life is taken on respective sovereign territory, may be the only answer to eliminate Islamic Terrorism.</em><o:p></o:p><br />
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My first response upon seeing this was...<span style="color: orange;"> <em>What... the... actual.... F**k?</em></span><o:p></o:p><br />
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My more reasoned approach is this;<o:p></o:p><br />
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First off the bat: <o:p></o:p><br />
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In 1914 the Sultan of Turkey decreed a Jihad against Britain and her Allies, for all Muslims to rise up against the West and come to the aid of Germany and her allies. Apart from a few scattered uprisings including some rumblings in Persia and in the Far East the majority was limited to just the Ottoman Empire.<o:p></o:p><br />
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In 2015 the same is true. Despite the call for a universal Jihad the number of Muslims fighting the West is, on the grand scale of things, a small number. Should the Holy shrines of Mecca be destroyed by the West then there will be a massive uprising of Muslims worldwide and who could blame them? Their Holy places destroyed in one blast would cause horrific hatred and rightly so.<o:p></o:p><br />
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As would the slaughter of a million innocents. How can anyone legitimise the murder, and it is murder, of all of these people? How many will be terrorists or support terrorists? These people will have come from around the world and may even be citizens of your state on a religious pilgrimage - how can you kill all these people? <o:p></o:p><br />
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If it happened we would be no better than the terrorists.<o:p></o:p><br />
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Thirdly is the prickly ball of Saudi Arabia. Yes there are sections of their society who probably funding terrorism but they are also pro-West and supply a vast swathe of the much needed crude Oil. Should anyone Nuke Saudi Arabia then that vital line is lost and the West is somewhat dependent on it at the moment. There is also the Saudi investment in the West and its business, their withdrawal could cause absolute chaos in the business world and financial markets.<o:p></o:p><br />
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The terrorists and their strategists know this and know any threat on Mecca is a paper tiger - it would cause more harm than good and is morally and ethically wrong. It is akin to General Amherst reported suggestion that blankets from Smallpox hospitals be distributed to the Ottawa indians to quell Pontiac's Rebellion.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<br /><br />What frightens me the most about all this though is that there will be many who agree with him.</div>
Chris Samshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06042471123646388825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836424929140738524.post-26319520692870462802015-09-16T16:41:00.000+01:002015-09-16T16:41:15.887+01:00Corbyn ushers in new style of PMQs<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cvewOxNo4Zc/VfQqstn8YwI/AAAAAAAAFx4/T_S6KKlv4lw/s1600/untitled.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" closure_lm_925602="null" height="192" hva="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cvewOxNo4Zc/VfQqstn8YwI/AAAAAAAAFx4/T_S6KKlv4lw/s320/untitled.bmp" width="320" /></a>Today marked the begining of the Corbyn era of Prime Minister's Questions and I must say that I have been really impressed. <br /><br />Many of my regular readers will know that I have not a big fan of the Labour party over recent years and am still dubious of many of their policies/MPs etc however I thought Mr Corbyn hit the nail on the head.<br /><br />Charles Kennedy wrote in his book "The Future of Politics" that the House and indeed PMQs was stuck in a rut of like a Rugby game with two sides vying for supremacy and scoring points. Indeed over recent years it has become about bluster of;</div>
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<br /><span style="color: blue;">"Thireen years of Labour government.... blah blah."</span></div>
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<span style="color: red;">"More of Flashman... Same old Tory Party."</span></div>
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<span style="color: orange;">*knod* *knod* *knod*</span><br />Ultimately it did nothing to encourage any support for either party and was generally seen as an out of date process with people who should know better acting like school children on a long bus trip and being paid a large amount of money to do so. There also became a penchant for commentators of stating who had won or lost PMQS and often with a goal line in publications like the Evening Standard which trivialised the whole process<br /><br />Mr Corbyn had a very different approach and had asked the General Public to submit questions which he and his staff (more likely the latter) had whittled down to a much smaller number of the most numerous.<br /><br />Siting examples he asked calmly and collectidly about housing policy and benefits caps. The Prime Minister was forced to abandon his usual flashy displays and spouting and had to answer in a similar style. <br /><br />Although I am always distrustful of siting an individual's experiences and passing them off as fact, something my Historian trained mind rejects as dangerous. One person's experience is not always everyone's nor is it fact. In this case however it does make the point that he has asked the public and real people are speaking through the new Labour leader.<br /><br />It was a much more refreshing and dare I say it "grown up" approach to actually conducting business and actually holding the Government to account from the electorate rather than Political point scoring.<br /><br />It is a style of politics that the public (myself included) can get on with and I look forward to more of the same in the future.</div>
Chris Samshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06042471123646388825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836424929140738524.post-9949220619696440752015-09-12T14:48:00.001+01:002015-09-12T14:48:53.789+01:00Corbyn as leader is definitely a good thing!<span lang="">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A new direction for Labour under Corbyn?</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">In case you have missed the news Jeremy Corbyn has been elected as leader of the Labour Party and this is something to be celebrated.<br /><br />Celebrated? Really Chris? Why would a LibDem be celebrating this?<br /><br />A fine set of questions to which the answers are; Yes, really and it is a long complicated rant so buckle up....<br /><br />Firstly, I am a big fan of democracy and political theory - it is one of my vices and I'm a HUGE fan of Hobbes "Leviathan". I studied the evolution of Political theory at university for a semester and found this evolution fascinating and for a time I flirted with Marxism. To be fair I worked for MacDonald's at the time and it seemed to be a fair leap. <br /><br />Anyway - at this point I was ripe to be attracted to a strong Labour movement and the Labour Party there was just one thing in the way.... New Labour.<br /><br />New Labour has always struck me as a Diet Tory movement which was geared to winning elections and that was it. Throw in my opposition to the Iraq War and other policies such as ID cards etc and I found myself realising that beyond my radical reaction to my employer I had no real socialist beliefs and that liberalism was where my heart truly lay.<br /><br />However I have always maintained that the Labour party should be a working class party and that for me and many others it had long ceased to be that.<br /><br />Can I back up this assertion? <br /><br />Why yes.<br /><br />The rise of third (and fourth) party politics is a massive clue to this. In 2010 the Liberal Democrats attracted a large amount of votes from people who were looking for something different rather than the two same old parties who seemingly offered us nothing different. In 2015 following the Coalition that saw us being lumped into the same boat as Labour and the Tories the working classes flooded to UKIP seeing Farage as someone new and out of the Westminster bubble. Indeed according to our intel, streets that had been historically Labour were turning to UKIP instead. Why? Because Farage seemed to be voicing the working family's fears and beliefs rather than Westminster protocol and edited press statements.<br /><br />What has this got to do with Corbyn?<br /><br />Jeremy Corbyn is of the old school of Labour, a genuine Left winger who will (hopefully) steer the party away from the middle ground and actually represent the working classes again. No more of this abstaining on key votes as they did under Harman recently. The Party membership are obviously vexed with this New Labour fad and want to return to their old core values, the values the party were founded on, the very values and voters who were that much more extreme than the Old Liberal party back in the 1920s that saw the party rise to prominance. This is the same shift again almost a century on.<br /><br />Finally there will be a gulf between Right and Left which will give the voters something to get behind.<br /><br />There have been a lot of smug Tory tweets claiming walkover in 2020 and that we are looking at another five year term of Conservative government based on today's Labour leadership result. I wouldn't be so sure... After all <i>if</i> Corbyn can steer the party left and actually start representing the working classes again then they will draw a massive amount of support away from UKIP (always a good thing) and if he stands on anti-austerity (and means it) then he will gain even more votes and we could see the rise of the Labour party.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">It also means that dissatisfied centralists in the Labour party may come looking for a centre party and join the LibDems(?).<br /><br />So what about Medway?<br /><br />Well on the council level it is too early to say. Many people have predicted the Conservatives losing seats in the last two elections and they've still walked away with a massive majority. I think it is too early to say for 2019.<br /><br />I will predict that Corbyn's tenure (if done right) coupled with the absence of Mark Reckless, will see the end of Medway UKIP's showing on the council and (hopefully) see a massive fall in their vote share across the wards.<br /><br />For the LibDems locally it won't make that big a difference with us still campaigning on our strengths and strong work ethic.<br /><br />As for the 2020 General election - it is way to early to call that... <b>IF </b>the right candidate (and my money is on Naushabah Kahn) is against Rehman Chishti then we could see a swing to Labour. Sadly I fear the same might be true in Chatham & Aylesford <b>IF</b> the right candidate comes along and the voters of Chatham go back to Labour rather than UKIP then not even Tracey's record could save her but that is a pretty <b>BIG </b><i>IF</i>!!!!<br /><br />Though these predictions are, as Joey from Friends once said; Moo ("Its like a Cow's opinion - it doesn't matter"). I stand by my belief that Labour will now return to its roots and represent its core supporters - the workers which can only be a good thing for British politics having a clear divide between Red and Blue.</span></div>
</span>Chris Samshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06042471123646388825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836424929140738524.post-60292808844049602962015-07-29T08:50:00.001+01:002015-07-29T08:50:09.690+01:00Forrester's & Livingston Planning continued...There are many times where an original text goes before an editor and is changed for numerous reasons and although I agree with changes I also feel I should post the original article in its original tone. Here is the text that went onto the <a href="http://medwaylibdems.org.uk/en/article/2015/1099160/forresters-hall-planning-application">Medway Libdems webpage</a>.<br />
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This weekend there has been a furious response to Tony’s letter in the Medway Messenger regarding Planning Committee. They feel it is an unjust personal attack on and that events did not play out the way they are described.<br />
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First off the bat I should describe the planning issues.<br />
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Forrester’s Hall on Sturdee avenue had been abandoned not long after my daughter’s third birthday in May 2013, the caretaker said that when we booked the hall that it was for sale. Since then it has been boarded up and derelict. Neighbours on Sturdee Avenue and Valley Road had noticed that it had been used by local youths as a squat come drug den and has not only been vandalised but also set on fire. I was deeply saddened to have to report this to the Police myself back in January when I found it broken into and the level of damage inside. The property has been since been bought by a developer who is proposing to build four bedroom houses on the site. The big concern for residents on Valley road is that these new houses are set back on the land and will now be overlooking their gardens and back windows effectively compromising their privacy.<br />
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The second issue was the now derelict British Legion building on Livingstone Road which is likewise to be demolished and have houses built on it. The big problem with Livingstone road though is parking. Although to Council officials and enforcement officers will note that during the day time there is no excessive parking they will not notice that in the evening and weekends the pavement becomes impassable with cars parked upon it. It is something I have written about extensively on my blog and is a constant annoyance for families like mine who cannot pass the parked vehicles with a pram or indeed with my disabled daughter’s walking frame and we are forced to cross the road on the bend to get to an easier path. Basic road safety tells you that that is not a good idea and with the rate of knots that some people drive down Livingstone road it is only a matter of time before there is an accident. I raised my objection for the development based on a worry that there would be less adequate parking and that pedestrians like myself would suffer. It was a complaint echoed by other residents.<br />
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Both issues were discussed at length at the Valley Road PACT before the election in May and objections logged with the council before the deadline in April.<br />
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The big complaint that Labour have got is that no one told them and that they had not attended the meetings prior to the election and that the issues were not discussed after the election.<br />
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Firstly, the candidates would have known about the PACT meetings as the first meeting I attended was chaired by Gillingham North’s very own Pat Cooper of Labour, who was invited to subsequent meetings but failed to attend. I would have thought it would have been in the interest of any prospective candidate to attend such meetings and get a feel for their area and with the open nature of the forum I’m sure they would have been more than welcome. The other issue is of course the planning complaints were not brought up at the last meeting (the first since the election in May) as the deadline for lodging concerns had passed and it was “old business.”<br />
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Secondly; I find it hard to believe that the new Councillors didn’t have the ability to look at the upcoming planning proposals before the meeting on 30th June. All upcoming planning proposals were on the website with complaints/comments posted and would have been available to Councillors by officers beforehand. If, again, they had done their homework they would have seen what was proposed in their ward, what issues were raised and by whom and they would have had the ability to contact residents with issues.<br />
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There will no doubt be accusation of “Sour Grapes” because we/I lost the election in May but in all honesty I and the resident who helped Tony draft the letter and gave their approval, are just annoyed that genuine complaints have not been addressed because of seeming apathy.<br />
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I welcome any positive feedback from the Labour group answering these concerns.<br />
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There are a couple of criticisms that have been levelled that I should clarify. <br />
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There is a lot of history between the Medway LibDems and Councillors MacDonald and Stamp and I'm sure that there will be claims of personal attack and part of an ongoing hatchet job.this of course is untrue in my case. I joined the group after whatever happened happened and I can count the number of exchanges I have had with them on my hands.<br />
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I have no interest in what happened nor in continuing any perceived grudge.<br />
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The other thing is that I have been accused of hypocrisy for not lodging a complaint about not lodging a complaint about the Forrester's hall development - ignoring the one i put in about Livingston. Also that I am supposed to be representing my community.<br />
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Well first - I didn't lodge a complaint for the simple reason - I forgot. Working 39 hours a week, a 4 hour commute to London & back every day, three children and a ton of proof reading meant it slipped my mind. Had I been elected though I would have quit my job in London and I would have looked at the concerns on the planning application.<br />
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As for representing the community - I was not elected and do not pretend or attempt to represent anyone but the Sams family. Representing the community is your job Councillors.<br />
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I'm guilty of many things; Poor memory, putting the rubbish out in my pants and a t'shirt, loving Runaway bride and having a guilty love of the music of Taylor Swift but hypocrisy is not one of them. I was brought up with a strict moral code and belief in honour which I think has come out in my blogging - if someone does soomething good I'll commend them. If they do something bad I'll criticise no matter which party they are. I got into politics not because I wanted power or to be a councillor but to do good and help people, if I had wanted to be a Councillor as my primary goal I would have takne Vince on his offer and joined Labour back in 2012 or the offers I had to join the Tories... I am a man of principle <br />
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Take this on the chin and learn from it. Chris Samshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06042471123646388825noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836424929140738524.post-48049402797844428482015-06-24T09:57:00.002+01:002015-06-24T15:56:08.232+01:00Daggers down pleaseYesterday I managed to see a snippet of Norman Lamb and Tim Farron's discussions with LibDems and members of the public on BBC. We have got two very good candidates for leader and although I know who I will be voting for I'd be more than happy serving under the other should they win.<br />
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Unfortunately there are some ruptions on social media between hardcore members of each camp. The leadership contest is something that is meant to bring members together in healthy debate and discussion on where we want the party to go and what we want to achieve. </div>
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Sadly I have seen rival factions arguing on Twitter (yes there is a difference between arguing and debating) and there can be a lot of pro X or Y tweets fired about. Yes I am a little guilty of the latter but I made the conscious choice to take down my banner and keep the pro X or Y tweets to a minimum concentrating on other things... Did I mention I've written a book? </div>
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This is not the time for petty infighting and squabbling. We were almost were destroyed in Westminster a month ago and were in councils across the country like Medway. </div>
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Yesterday's TV segment proved the scale of the uphill battle we will have with the tumour of Tuition fees still festering in our chest and the big question being;</div>
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"How can we trust you again?"</div>
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I think Tim hit the nail on the head about trust needing to be early and this is definitely going to be the long game with no rapid turn around in five years and it is going to take <b>A LOT </b>of hard work together.</div>
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So let's put the daggers away and concentrate on the future of the party we all love and think of her future. Yes debate, no to squabbling and let us all decide as adults, get this done and move on together and rebuild.</div>
Chris Samshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06042471123646388825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836424929140738524.post-17291746628606658222015-05-18T09:10:00.001+01:002015-05-21T22:29:42.525+01:00My post election introspectiveOn the 7th May as we all sat down to the count in the usual venue I hurriedly began sorting out a problem I had forgotten about - my membership to the Liberal Democrats had lapsed a couple of weeks previously. I'd been meaning to renew but the election had eaten up so much of my time I forgot.<div><br></div><div>At 11PM all seemed right with the world and none of us believed the exit poll and although expecting losses never in our darkest moments imagined the levels that were to pass. The Local election just added to the woe as we were wiped out.</div><div><br></div><div>After 19 years of service Cllr Geoff Juby fell and 21 years Diana Smith. Even in Gillingham South a ward where a Conservative vote was considered a wasted vote the blues scored high, not as high as UKIP and Labour but higher than us.</div><div><br></div><div>I looked at my rosette and began to wonder if my renewal was a little premature.</div><div><br></div><div>Though I pride myself on a near Teutonic rigidness to follow orders mixed with the Pullen stubbornness and Sams pigheadedness of not admitting I'm wrong I, like rational human beings have to question my course from time to time.</div><div><br></div><div>Maybe signing up was a little premature and the party <i>was</i> dead. Suddenly the family motto of <i>Dum Sperro Spirro </i>(Whilst I breathe I hope.) wasn't enough.</div><div><br></div><div>Whilst at the Local count I was offered a Labour membership form twice which I politely turned down, mainly because of who asked me, had it been someone else I may not have been so polite(!). There are many things that could attract me to Labour but the parliamentary group really put me off, they had no policies, no direction and no charisma and failed to provide a credible opposition.</div><div><br></div><div>As for locally... Well what really got under my skin was a leaflet put through my door the night before the election calling on people to oust Clegg and his acolytes who had voted for tuition and bedroom tax before urging them to vote for the Gillingham South team. That poisoned the well for me. Geoff, Tony and I had absolutely bugger and all to do with those issues and neither did Medway Council. If anything I almost quit the party in the wake of tuition but after much soul searching I thought I should invest in our work locally.</div><div><br></div><div>Then I looked right. As the saying goes; If you can't beat 'em...</div><div><br></div><div>It is true that I am a big fan of Tracey Crouch's work and the idea of a new caring Liberal Tory party was quite alluring. The grey lines of the Coalition had got very confusing...</div><div><br></div><div>Problem was that as I looked around the room there was a lot of smugness and self congratulation and if there is one thing worse than a bad loser it is a bad winner (this includes you Cllr Bowler (Lab) strutting onto the stage and air punching is a tad undignified). It is enough to put me off, I can be quite shallow sometimes, but ultimately though with the direction this new Conservative government is taking... It is probably a "nah, you're alright" from me.</div><div><br></div><div>My beliefs and membership is not up for grabs sand despite the pros (and cons) of the other parties I cannot abandon my principles, there are more important things than being elected.</div><div><br></div><div>The Liberal Democrats are where my heart lies and where my beliefs are strong. I have been a member for six years through quite literally the best of times and worst of times and will still be knocking on doors and delivering Focuses for years to come even if I'm the last LibDem standing in Gillingham. </div>Chris Samshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06042471123646388825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836424929140738524.post-53575667710898645702015-05-12T16:41:00.003+01:002015-05-12T16:52:51.272+01:00The LibDems' Titanic revival Five years ago I made a <a href="http://gingerliberal.blogspot.co.uk/2011/02/interpretation-of-2015-election.html">prediction</a> about the fate of the party in the General election in 2015.<br />
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Sadly, I was right.<br />
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Early last week I made a prediction about the fate of the Medway LibDems in the local elections which drew heavily on a metaphor of von Spee's fleet with the two Councillors leading the three candidates and despite wild inaccuracies from our opponants we were out gunned despite a valiant show went down with all hands.<br />
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Sadly I was right again.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-14No_q65M6A/T4ySDulC9nI/AAAAAAAAAc8/y-_U4h_4A6g/s1600/Titanic%2Bsinking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" closure_lm_176803="null" lua="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-14No_q65M6A/T4ySDulC9nI/AAAAAAAAAc8/y-_U4h_4A6g/s1600/Titanic%2Bsinking.jpg" /></a>Last Friday night as we sat waiting for the Local vote mulling over the General election the <i>Titanic</i> soundtrack came onto my I-pod and I pictured the scene where Thomas Andrews, <i>Titanic'</i>s</div>
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designer was explaining to Captain Smith, Bruce Ismay and collected deck officers how the vessel would sink.<br />
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She would go down by the head with water flowing over the water tight bulkheads - There would be no stopping it.<br />
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This got me thinking about the National party. Clearly we have hit a big 'burg and after the loss of a swathe of very talented MPs we were going down by the head and it would only be a matter of time before people were abandoning ship enmasse and only a few loyal members would go down with the ship still tirelessly working in the Engine room.<br />
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This prediction is looking, thankfully, to be unfounded.<br />
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Over the weekend whilst I was mulling things over and having these dark thoughts the strangest thing happened. <br />
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Out of nowhere thousands of supporters rose up and joined the party, including my friend Caz and I'm working on my wife still. These people are angry at the treatment of a party who had given so much in government and was being punished for Tuition fees and for putting party before country and joining the Tories in a Coalition to reverse a horrendous financial deficit. They were also the compassionate side of the Coalition for the most part having passed many reforms and measures (such as 20 free nursery hours, free school dinners, income tax threshold etc) to help working families.<br />
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The big question of who to lead us is also hanging over us. With so much talent lost to the parliamentary <br />
party there was an inherent fear that there would be a vacuum but this is not the case. Tim Farron, former president and one of the leading lights is being touted as a serious leadership challenger as is Norman Lamb who has worked closely with Nick Clegg over the years. Behind the scenes as well is Greg Mulholland who is tweeting frantically about change within the party and getting leaner, keener and meaner as well as getting up out of the dust immediately and pushing forward with all its might - a sentiment shared by many of us!<br />
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This party is not deceased, nor is it mortally wounded. It has escaped the fate of <em>Titanic</em> and is looking like the engineering crew will get her back afloat and going again and I am very excited to be a part of this!</div>
Chris Samshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06042471123646388825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836424929140738524.post-25898160997136254922015-05-08T13:40:00.001+01:002015-05-11T15:23:46.143+01:00Bye-Bye Liberal Democrat dreams<div>
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<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: white; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">I reworded Don McLean's "American Pie" a few years ago so that it would be about the possible dissolution of the party in the 2015 election.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: white; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Last week I tweaked it in case of... Well... What happened on Thursday night.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">Any way, here it is...</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">A long long time ago</span></span>
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<span style="color: white;">I can still remember how Nick Clegg made me feel,</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">An' I knew that if I had my chance,</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">That He could make a difference </span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">An' maybe we'd be happy for a while.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">But 2015 made me shiver</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">With every Focus I deliver</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">Bad news on the doorstep</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">I couldn't take one more step</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">I can't remember if I cried </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">When I read of the rise of Nige,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">But something touched me deep inside,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">The day our party died.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">So bye-bye Liberal Democrat dreams</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">Got the party into power </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">But it all got messed up</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">And Labour lords were drinking whiskey and rye</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">Singing this will be the day that you'll die.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">This will be the die that you'll die.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">Did you read the Orange book?</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">And do you have faith in Clegg and co?</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">If Libdemvoice tells you so.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">And do you believe in liberalism</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">Can Gladstone save the country's soul?</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">And do you still lament Lloyd George?</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">Well I know that we all agreed with Nick,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">Because I saw it on your Twitter feed,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">We wanted him to win,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">Cos' we're not sure of Cameron's blues!</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">I was a lonely Liberal Democrat</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">With a yellow rosette and orange book,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">But I know I was outta luck in May in 2015,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">I started singing,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<div>
<span style="color: white;">So bye-bye Liberal Democrat dreams</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: white;">Got the party into power </span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: white;">But it all got messed up</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: white;">And Labour lords were drinking whiskey and rye</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: white;">Singing this will be the day that you'll die.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">This'll be the day that you'll die.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">Now for five years we've been on our own,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">And Labour have been throwing lots of stones</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">But that's not how it used to be,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">When Nick Clegg was on our TV</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">With a speech he borrowed from Paddy</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">And a voice which came from you and me,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">And while Gordon Brown was left to frown,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">Nick Clegg stole Cameron's thorny crown,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">The country was adjourned,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">No Government was returned!</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">And while Liam Bryne wrote that note</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">The Tories gave us a ruling part</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">We started cheering for Clegg</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">The day, the Coal'tion came</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">But they were singing</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<div>
<span style="color: white;">So bye-bye Liberal Democrat dreams</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: white;">Got the party into power </span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: white;">But it all got messed up</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: white;">And Labour lords were drinking whiskey and rye</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: white;">Singing this will be the day that you'll die.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">This'll be the day that they die.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">Helter-skelter </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">in that summer swelter </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">Some of us fled to a fall out shelter</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">The deficit was high and raising fast</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">We pulled unemployment to the grass</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">The Tories tried for a tuition rise</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">With Nick Clegg on the sidelines in a gag</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">The outside world held its breath</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">Surely we'd uphold our pledge?</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">We all got up to shout</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">But the MPs never threw it out</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">As the students tried to take the field</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">The Tories & Clegg refused to yield,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">Do you recall how you felt,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">The day that Cleggo lied?</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">Labour were singing;</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<div>
<div>
<span style="color: white;">bye-bye Liberal Democrat dreams</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: white;">Got the party into power </span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: white;">But it all got messed up</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: white;">And Labour lords were drinking whiskey and rye</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: white;">Singing this will be the day that you'll die.</span></div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: white;">This'll be the day that they die</span></div>
</div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">And there we all were in one place</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">Liberal Democrats lost in space,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">With no time left to start again,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">So come on Clegg be nimble,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">Clegg be quick,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">Nick Clegg lost out to Nige's UKIP</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">'Coz of the whole student thing</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">An' as I watched Nige on the stage,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">My fists were clenched in balls of rage,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">No angel forged in hell,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">Could break Farrage's spell,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">An' as their polls rose high on the night,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">Our party was a sacrificial lamb,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">I saw Labour laughing with delight,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">The day, our party died</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">They were singing;</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<div>
<div>
<span style="color: white;">bye-bye Liberal Democrat dreams</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: white;">Got the party into power </span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: white;">But it all got messed up</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: white;">And Labour lords were drinking whiskey and rye</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: white;">Singing this will be the day that you'll die.</span></div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: white;">This'll be the day that they die</span></div>
</div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">I met a girl who ran for the Blues,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">And I asked her for some happy news,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">But she just smiled and turned away,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">I went down to the Gunwharf count,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">Where we would see if we'd got in,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">But the council result was already out,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">In the street the children played</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">Whilst the Liberals cried and tried to dream,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">Not a word was spoken,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">They say our pledge was broken,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">And the three men I admire the most,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">Clegg, Danny and Doctor Vince</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">They found themselves outta luck</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">The day, the party died,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">And they were singing</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<div>
<span style="color: white;">So bye-bye Liberal Democrat dreams</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: white;">Got the party into power </span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: white;">But it all got messed up</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: white;">And Labour lords were drinking whiskey and rye</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: white;">Singing this will be the day that you'll die.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">This'll be the day that they die</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;">And we were singing;</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<div>
<span style="color: white;">So bye-bye Liberal Democrat dreams</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: white;">Got the party into power </span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: white;">But it all got messed up</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: white;">And Labour lords were drinking whiskey and rye</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: white;">Singing this will be the day that you'll die.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
Chris Samshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06042471123646388825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836424929140738524.post-62412386751503358472015-03-19T21:07:00.000+00:002015-03-19T21:31:22.996+00:00Two more local Tories defect to UKIP
<br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eWULMiSRVpg/VQs5lYWucVI/AAAAAAAAFhI/cDpZ-PWWWy0/s1600/UKIP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eWULMiSRVpg/VQs5lYWucVI/AAAAAAAAFhI/cDpZ-PWWWy0/s1600/UKIP.jpg" height="193" width="400"></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Today the Medway UKIP were proud to announce that they are
now the third biggest party in the Council having leapfrogged us (LibDems)
having gained two new councillors via defection. <br>
<br>
Yep, Councillors Vaughn Hewett and Tom Mason, both former mayors, have joined
UKIP. No one seems too surprised at Mason but Hewett has raised a few eyebrows.
<br>
<br>
The big question is; Is this a prologue for May’s elections? <br>
<br>
Hard to say at this point, all that can be said is that two people have swapped
party, they were not selected by the people and their constituents in their
wards will not get a choice until the May local elections. <br>
<br>
The other thing is that these two former Conservatives have been close to the
cabinet and the failings of the Conservative administration in Medway over the
last God knows how many years. UKIP like the rest of us opposition parties is
to defeat this incompetence with fresh voices and faces not bring those same
faces back under another label.<br>
<br>
Some might say that they have swapped sides because they saw which way the
winds were blowing but that is just probably the ramblings of a bitter cynic
isn’t it? After all if you are going to defect you should do so for your
convictions and beliefs and that the new party represents our outlook more than
your old party right? I’m sure that was for that reason, there has been quite a
bit of desquite in the Local Conservative party with a long running split
between the Rainham and Rochester branch and definitely between backbenchers
and the cabinet. <br>
<br>
It also makes me wonder about the disinterest and/or distrust of traditional
parties that has grown to the point that people will vote UKIP even if they
stood a pot of lard. <br>
<br>
All that I can say is that Medway’s political landscape is going to change,
maybe not the personnel but the colour of their ties and rosettes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Chris Samshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06042471123646388825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836424929140738524.post-46811368478091209602015-03-19T10:30:00.001+00:002015-03-19T10:35:38.077+00:00Enough of this Tories are bad with railfare BS<span lang="">With my book deadline pushed ack to the end of the month and still a lot of work to do <b>but </b>I have taken ten minutes (odd) to question this latest Labour Tweet, the second of which I've seen in the last two weeks:
<br /> <blockquoteclass lang="en-gb" twitter-tweet=""></blockquoteclass></span><span lang=""><br />Rail season tickets in Chatham have gone up by 100% since 95. Tory complacency on economy as real pplfeel sting >> <a href="http://t.co/fkBTzUDAd2">http://t.co/fkBTzUDAd2</a></span><br />
<span lang="">— TrisOsborne (@cllrtrisosborne) <a href="https://twitter.com/cllrtrisosborne/status/578260189171855360">March 18, 2015</a></span> <br /><script asyncsrc="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<br />
Firstly I should state when it comes to rail fare I am completely neutral as I have been commuting for the last seven years and have watched my monthly Season ticket raise exponentially to the point that I am losing 33% of my wage which is somewhat unsupportable. It is something<a href="http://gingerliberal.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Southeastern%20trains"> I have written about at length over the last five years feel free to browse</a>.<br />
<br />
I, like many commuters (the people that the tweet is aimed at in the hope of garnering support) know the history of the rising railfare.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OBBYFmNeEec/VQqkgJEZ1HI/AAAAAAAAFg0/UQoZDOtZztM/s1600/ticketet.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OBBYFmNeEec/VQqkgJEZ1HI/AAAAAAAAFg0/UQoZDOtZztM/s1600/ticketet.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The good ol' days of Cheap travel only 20 years ago!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Yes - the Tories privatised the railway. Was that a good move? Debateable. The people of Kent have had some bad franchises - Connex were awful and Southeastern, although debatably *improving*, are still not a British company and a lot of their profits are being ploughed into the German railways and seemingly not into ours. Other franchises have been more successful on other networks. The reason for privatisation are at this exact moment beyond my memory and as mentioned earlier if it involves reading something that doesn't have a vessel sailing under a flag with an Iron Cross and Eagle on it then it is a waste of my time until the 2nd April.<br />
<br />
The big point is that yes since 1994 the fare rise has gone up a significant rate but is it the Tories fault?<br />
<br />
Let's consider who was running the country between 1995-2015. So John Major was Prime Minister up until 1997 (2 years) and the Coalition from 2010-2015 (5 years) which comes to 7 years of Conservative rule. From 1997-2010 we had 13 years of Labour Government in which the fares really started to go up with the introduction of RPI+3<br />
<br />
Now when the government decided to construct HS1 from Ashford to St Pancras, you know that really expensive way to get to the wrong side of London that wasn't quicker than the other services from Medway (that's why the fast service to Victoria now stops at Meopham), you know the one that you can always get a seat on as it is too pricey? Anyway, they decided to spread the costs and so Labour came up with the escalator of RPI+3 (like they did for petrol) which ultimately is the Rate of inflation plus 3% so roughly your train fare would come up by 8% a year and they wrote it into the franchise contract so it could not be easily removed. <br />
<br />
There was a fare freeze in 2010 (election year) I grant them. What did the Gillingham-Rainham MP do about it? Bugger and all as Paul Clarke (their candidate for 2015 for the same seat by the way) was a junior transport minister at the time. Thanks.<br />
<br />
I'm not saying this government has been perfect either. Despite the remonstrations of Mark Reckless, Tracey Crouch and Rehman Chishti the government has done not much to improve it. Indeed the letter I received form the minister at the time Theresa Villiers basically was the written version of a shrug and a meh.<br />
<br />
Yes prices have still gone up (though not always at the full RPI+3) this government but it hasn't been as bad. In fact for a percentage break down of 2004-12 which is telling check <a href="http://gingerliberal.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/rail-fares-political-football-and.html">this out</a>.<br />
<br />
Basically to effect a movie/Star Wars metaphor -><br />
<br />
John Major's government came up with the idea of making Prequels to the popular Star Wars trilogy an arguably good/bad idea but sadly we got Phantom Menace.<br />
<br />
Tony Blair/Gordon Brown's regime came up with the idea to make Phantom Menace that bit more appealing and make more money to fund episode II so they came up with the idea of the highly marketable Jar Jar Binks which ultimately made everybody's life gradually more unbearable.<br />
<br />
Cameron's government have basically said Well it is made now and we're releasing this but we'll throw in some more R2D2 will that make it better? No ah well....<br />
<br />
<br />
So what are the solutions? I have no answers the only thing I can say is that;<br />
<br />
1. This is a problem that <em><u><strong>ALL</strong></u> </em>governments, both Labour and Tory, are responsible for this mess and something needs to be done and agreed on by Parliament as a whole before <em><u>everyone</u></em> but the rich are priced off the railways.<br />
<br />
2. This kind of patronising political comment not only insults commuters, who are painfully aware of how we've got to this level of pricing, and is so opportunistic it actually stings my eyes to read it. <br />
<br />
I had responded to a similar tweet a week ago asking about RPI but got no response. There is no need for this kind of BS and it is why people are turning away from blame the others style of politics of the big parties and turning to *Shudder* UKIP... <br />
<br />
Right back to work, I have 6000 words on SMS <em>Konigsberg</em> to write before Saturday.Chris Samshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06042471123646388825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836424929140738524.post-22844073373674829542015-02-18T20:16:00.001+00:002015-02-18T20:16:18.973+00:00Poor economic recovery in Medway???<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: #f3f3f3; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: large; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Today the Medway Labour twitter feed posted the following tweet and graph.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<span style="font-size: large;">Economic recovery for whom? No. of people on dole in Medway rises 153. Largest rise in Kent >> </span><a href="http://t.co/xZUvtRdkx7"><span style="font-size: large;">http://t.co/xZUvtRdkx7</span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><a href="http://t.co/qW8xq5I7IJ"><span style="font-size: large;">pic.twitter.com/qW8xq5I7IJ</span></a><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">— Medway Labour (@MedwayLabour) </span><a href="https://twitter.com/MedwayLabour/status/568039607075508224"><span style="font-size: large;">February 18, 2015</span></a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-eqGA8Z3oMpo/VOTcFJ9U5QI/AAAAAAAAFe8/eT-z4vmAUJU/s640/blogger-image-413076936.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="151" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-eqGA8Z3oMpo/VOTcFJ9U5QI/AAAAAAAAFe8/eT-z4vmAUJU/s400/blogger-image-413076936.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: large;">Now I'm not an economist, nor am I a mathematical whizz especially as it took me 3 attempts to get a C at GCSE having wracked up two Ds on the higher paper. One thing I did learn was graphs, in fact I love graphs and they can be used to show anything without resorting to dull tables.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: large;">What I see when I look at this graph is falling unemployment in the Medway towns across 2014. See the Orange line slowly descending? </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: large;">When we get to January '15 it does raise, I'll give them that, but only a small amount considering the number from which it fell in January last year.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: large;">What can we tell from this? Not much. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: large;">We don't know if this is a continuing trend as February's figures aren't out yet. It could be a case of seasonal workers who were employed in retail expressly for the Christmas period, which now apparently starts in August or September, have been let go. I certainly would not say that this was a true indicator of a poor economic recovery in fact looking at this graph alone all you can say for certain is that unemployment is still down on what it was last year.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: large;">Is Labour trying to find a cloud on a silver lining? </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />Chris Samshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06042471123646388825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836424929140738524.post-4843923231817776512015-02-13T14:31:00.000+00:002015-02-15T09:04:01.405+00:00Letter to the Messenger about Policing in Gillingham South<div>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: white; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">My letter to today's Medway Messenger regarding the anti-social behaviour and policing in Gillingham. This is the letter in its original format.</span><br />
</div>
<div>
<hr />
<span style="color: white;"><span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><i><i></i></i></span><br /></span>
<span style="color: white;"><span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><i><i>There is growing anger in the Residential areas of Gillingham where residents are feeling abandoned by the local police. Time and again there is antisocial behaviour on Sturdee Avenue, Valley road, Franklin road and on the High street. Alleyways are haunted by youths smoking and under aged drinking and sometimes worse.</i></i></span><i>The Forrester's hall on Sturdee Avenue was broken into and vandalised regularly and this has been reported to the Police on more than one occasion including by myself on 5th January.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><i><br />However it took the neighbourhood watch meeting, which I attended as a resident, and the pressure of LibDem councillors Diana Smith and Geoff Juby that the council has acted. More importantly a WPC and PCSO were spotted securing the property on the 28th January the day after the meeting!</i><i>I tend to agree with one of the residents that if we were living Rochester then the Police and indeed Council officers would have acted more swiftly and attended the neighbourhood watch meeting in the first place!</i></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: white;"><br />The people of Gillingham South ward deserve better from both the council and police.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: white;"><br />Chris Sams, Sturdee Avenue</span></i></div>
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Chris Samshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06042471123646388825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836424929140738524.post-85067713065760183022015-01-28T21:30:00.000+00:002015-01-28T21:30:01.020+00:00Anti-social behaviour in Gillingham South<div class="s3" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: start;">
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15">Last night I attended the Valley </span></span><span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont15">R</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15">oad neighbourhood watch at the Sturdee </span></span><span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont15">C</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15">lub on Sturdee </span></span><span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont15">A</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15">venue. Though I don't live </span></span><span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont15">i</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15">n Valley </span></span><span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont15">Road, </span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15">it was suggested I went along by </span></span><span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont15">Lib Dem </span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15">Cllr</span></span><span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont15">.</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15"> Diana Smith as I knew about a couple of the issues from first hand experience. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15">Forrester's </span></span><span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont15">H</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15">all sits opposite the Cricketers pub and has been used in the past as a polling station and general hall for hire, indeed two of my daughter's birthday parties were held there. In June 2013 the caretaker told me that he hoped to sell it but I never heard more than that until January 5th this year. On my way home from work I noticed the side door open and the lights on. Further investigation showed the extent of the damage with windows smashed, floor boards ripped up and evidence of a fire and alcohol consumption. I duly dialled 101 and informed the police. In the following week I saw students of Robert Napier school (in uniform) entering the hall before school though being</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15"> </span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15">late for work </span></span><span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont15">I did not have time</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15"> to confront them and the hall has since been locked.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15">On other occasions I've encountered groups in the alleyways and garages between Sturdee and Valley who have either been confrontational or exceptionally sheepish but never thought much about it</span></span><span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont15">,</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15"> except on </span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15">one occasion when I was walking my children home from Woodlands. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15">Last night proved the situation </span></span><span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont15">has become much</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15"> worse. According to the residents of Valley Road, a street I had experienced as quiet and sleepy, </span></span><span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont15">a</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15"> group of youths were causing mayhem. There was vandalism to vehicles, property, theft, dangerous driving of scooters, foul language</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15">, under aged smoking </span></span><span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont15">and</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15"> drinking and even drug abuse. They use the alleys and garages as a rat run away from the main roads and escape route from the police should they turn up. The </span></span><span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont15">sense of outrage among residents</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15"> was very clear to see and action is being demanded.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15">Gillingham South </span></span><span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont15">Liberal Democrat </span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15">Councillor Geoff Juby</span></span><span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont15">, together with his two fellow ward candidates for the forthcoming 2015 Local Elections</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15"> and</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15"> </span></span><span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont15">Cllr.</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15"> Diana Smith</span></span><span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont15">,</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15"> </span></span><span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont15">with</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15"> </span></span><span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont15">her</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15"> </span></span><span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont15">fellow Lib Dem candidate for Watling ward </span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15">listened and </span></span><span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont15">contributed to the meeting by promising to look into </span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15">the cost of gating up the alleyways and the </span></span><span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont15">effectiveness of the </span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15">consultation process. The </span></span><span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont15">C</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15">ommunity </span></span><span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont15">W</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15">arden for Rainham North</span></span><span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont15">,</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15"> who was </span></span><span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont15">also </span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15">in attendance</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15"> </span></span><span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont15">at the invitation of Cllr. Diana Smith also agreed he would pursue the matter and was a useful source of information.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15">Residents have been advised to report ALL anti-social behaviour on 101 and all public property damage to the council on <a href="tel:01634%20333333" x-apple-data-detectors-result="0" x-apple-data-detectors-type="telephone" x-apple-data-detectors="true">01634 333333</a>. There were a lot of individual experiences of the antics of a small minority of youths but as a community everyone needs to stand up and say </span></span><span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont15">‘No’ </span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15">and this is what happened last night.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15">There was no police </span></span><span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont15">attendance at the meeting</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15"> last night and despite the </span></span><span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont15">PCSO</span></span><span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont15">’</span></span><span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont15">s</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15"> </span></span><span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont15">letter of apology stating</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15"> that not only was it his off duty </span></span><span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont15">night </span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15">but he had prior plans (all understandable)</span></span><span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont15">,</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15"> there was anger that no </span></span><span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont15">stand-in</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15"> would come. The residents are feeling abandoned a</span></span><span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont15">nd</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15"> not important enough</span></span><span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont15">,</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15"> </span></span><span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont15">strongly suggesting that</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont15"> if we were living in Rochester then this would have been sorted out very quickly. </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s5"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We will be following these matters up and collectively updating residents at an early future meeting.</span></span></div>
<br />Chris Samshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06042471123646388825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836424929140738524.post-12012868369767246912014-11-21T20:59:00.000+00:002014-11-21T21:14:53.553+00:00Rochester and Strood by-election results<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well, after a very long night and a couple of hours snatched sleep I thought I’d
write about what the heck happened yesterday.<br />
<br />
Firstly the <span style="color: #a64d79;">UKIP</span> victory in the Parliamentary By-election. To be honest it was
no big surprise. A month ago when it was announced there was a belief that it
was all flash in the pan and that Mark Reckless would be handed an embarrassing
defeat at the hands of his former masters or even Labour.<br />
<br />
As the time has gone on the amount of UKIP activists, doners and support has
grown (or been bussed in) and Rochester has been worked hard. This was met by
the Tories and Labour who have had MP after MP down and even the Prime
Minister. This was never going to be a normal election. <br />
<br />
Ultimately the majority attained was nothing to significant. With a turnout of
over 50% Mark only managed to get a majority of 3000 over Kelly Tolhurst (his
majority back in 2010 was 10,000). The Tories were celebrating this last night.
They know that come May when UKIP will be spreading their activists and money
over a larger area of North Kent, especially if Farage is going to stand in
Thanet, that Mark will see this lead eroded. <br />
<br />
What does this mean for Medway politics in the local election (held on the same
day as the General)? Well it could lead to one of two outcomes. <br />
<br />
The first is that this victory may buoy up the local party and they will make a
valiant charge snapping up council seats drastically altering the shape of the
local authority. This is their aim.<br />
<br />
The second is that with the removal of resources could force them to make tough
decisions. As Mark’s lead is fairly tenuous they may be forced to through what
resources they have available to keep him at the cost of local councillors. <br />
<br />
This of course is fairly hypothetical we’d have to see.<br />
<br />
Needless to say that the Tories are stung and will be coming for them. <br />
<br />
As will the <span style="color: red;">Labour party</span>. Naushaba Kahn fought a tough campaign with a lot of
support from the local party and Westminster elect. If anything there was a belief that this was Labour's chance to regain the swing seat with the usual right of centre voters torn between UKIP and Tories.<br /><br />Although they worked hard and attracted a lot of support they failed to make much of a media imprint and ultimately ended well shy of Mark scoring only 6.713 votes. <br /><br />This has massive ramifications for Ed Miliband and the Labour party, not necessarily the hard working local party. <br /><br />Labour's main definition at the moment is not the Coalition and let's face it the Tories (and we've signed off on them or are guilty by association) have pushed through some really nasty stuff - badger culls, ATOS, cuts to services, tuition fees... the list is exhaustive and all along, week after week we have to suffer Ed saying he and Labour would never agree to any of this and Ed Balls promising that Labour's economic plan (whatever it is) was much better. <br /><br />With the extreme views of UKIP and the unpopularity of the Conservative Government you would have thought the swing seat may have swung back to Labour. The fact it didn't suggests another two things.<br /><br />The first that voters saw the Conservatives with Kelly Tolhurst's Local girl, local issues campaign as the best alternative and didn't want to split the anti UKIP vote or, and perhaps more alarmingly for Labour, that there is a serious problem with their message.<br /><br />The whole situation must be even more concerning for the <span style="color: blue;">Conservatives</span>. They <em>threw the Kitchen sink </em>at UKIP and although performed really well coming short by a small margin in both the parliamentary and the Hoo Peninsula ward by-election (Ron Sands (CON) got 1965 against Chris Irvine's (UKIP) 2850) they still failed, despite the resources flung, to make it closer. <br /><br />As I've said, this could be a temporary blip or it could be the opening of the flood gates. Already some of the old stalwart supporters of the Medway Conservatives have already jumped ship and it might be the beginning of a landslide. There is also a general malaise against the local Tories and should UKIP erupt like a tumour with a handful of Tory Councillors going purple between now and May it could change the face of Medway's Council. <br /><br />Now with heavy heart I turn to the <span style="color: #ffd966;">Libdem</span> result. It looks awful. Geoff Juby got under 1% in the parliamentary and I gained just over 1% in the Hoo by-election. Geoff's share of the vote collapsed by 15% of its 2010 share. It is being hailed as the worse performance of the Liberal Democrats in a By-election ever...<br /><br />Now this will sound like a lot of excuses but here is the truth. <br /><br />Geoff worked hard, and I mean damn hard with a dedicated team of local activists with a few visits from Westminster but this was not Eastleigh. This was not to be our battle ground, not a target seat this time around and Clegg et al did not appear with armies of Libdems busing in from across the country bank rolled by HQ and shadowy donors. This was a local battle led by a local candidate backed up by local activists. <br /><br />This was always going to be a battle between the Tories and UKIP.<br /><br />As for me. I am ecstatic about my 1% after all I did absolutely no canvassing or campaigning. Hoo was never a seat we could have won, nor did we have any presence out there. As many regular readers know my son was born on 10th October, had his first operation on 13th and I have been busy with my family settling in George. I'm amazed I got that many votes by doing nothing and I would like to thank everyone who did vote for me, next time will be definitely different.<br /><br />The two great stories to come out of this election was firstly -<br /><br />Britain first only got 56 votes. This, although depressing that they got more votes than some of the Independents is uplifting (I got more votes than them in one ward by election!!!) because even the Monster raving loony party did better than them! Truly a laughing stock.<br /><br />The other is the results of the <span style="color: lime;">Green </span>party. They fought a good campaign with a good candidate and scored a respectable fourth place with (1692 votes) in the parliamentary and local (314 votes). This was a great result for them and I've already sent my congratulations via Twitter. <br /><br />Not to take anything away from them but the rise in support may be because they are now the non-UKIP protest party. Ten years ago that was the Libdem party (though my Mum always voted Green!) but with the Coalition we've become part of the establishment so people tend to vote for a non-governmental party. If you don't want UKIP then the next best choice is Green. We could see some serious gains by the Greens next year if UKIP continue to develop in the towns.<br /><br />I know a lot of this is all speculation bolstered with educated guesses but there is so much that could happen that at this moment in time (with four hours sleep) I'm not prepared to tie my colours to the mast until February or even April. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I will however close with a warning however to the other parties. The results of last night belay how strong we are in our wards, getting rid of the Libdems in Medway is going to be a tough proposition.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span>Chris Samshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06042471123646388825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1836424929140738524.post-1561992725787745452014-11-17T12:00:00.000+00:002014-11-17T13:47:18.604+00:00Imperial War Museum to close its library and sell collection<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A story lost? </td></tr>
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I may have mentioned in previous posts that this year is the Centenary of the start of World War One.<div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); "> This was a conflict that changed the world in many ways politically and socially but most of all it was responsible for the deaths of millions of young men across Europe.</span><br><br>The Imperial War Museum was established to tell the story of those who were sacrificed on the alter of Nationalism and in a fight against a perceived evil. This was done with exhibits and collecting a library of books, documents, photographs and sound recordings which have combined into a great resource.<div><br><em><span style="color: #e69138;">I fear this blogpost might cost me my job or at least find me in a disciplinary but sometimes, just sometimes you should stand up for what you believe in and this is one of those times.</span></em><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#e69138"><i><br></i></font>The Museum has been caught up in the cuts issued by Government and had to try and make savings where they can and have brought in someone to evaluate the operation and cut away dead wood.<br><br>Recently the Library has been identified as dead wood. As I understand it (I missed the meeting as I was on Paternity leave) the Library will be closed, the librarians let go and the books (not the documents, photos or Sound recordings) will be sold to other libraries and institutions. Basically scattered to the winds though this is under review as some books were donations.<br><br>For me, a historian and lover of books, this is an atrocity. The average person probably thinks; what's the big deal?<br><br>The big deal is that the collection is there to augment the galleries. In fact many people are now being directed to the new (Only a three or four years old) open library to look up answers to queries. It is also very popular (especially this year) and the amount of telephone enquires per day and walk in enquires is phenomenal. In the last year the museum was closed for six months whilst the refit carried on but the Library was open and attracted a roaring trade.<br><br>By closing the library and getting rid of this vital resource in favour of a website service is a massive disservice to the founding belief and purpose of the museum. </div><div><br></div><div>Former Director General Dr Sir Alan Borg wrote;<br><br>As a former Director General of the Museum I am horrified by the suggestion that the Library might be closed and dispersed.<br><br>If you agree with him, and me please sign <a href="https://www.change.org/p/rt-hon-george-osborne-mp-urgently-reverse-current-and-future-cuts-to-the-uk-imperial-war-museum-s-annual-operating-grant-in-aid-so-that-it-can-maintain-services-and-preserve-its-standing-as-an-international-centre-for-study-research-and-education">this petition</a> to make them rethink.<br><br>Thank you.</div></div></div>Chris Samshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06042471123646388825noreply@blogger.com0