PaulRogan

Politicians are increasingly casual with their use of the word 'billion'. The present Government deficit is 172 Billion Pounds. The cost of running the NHS is 110 Billion Pounds per year. Do we really want these politicians casually spending all this money, especially when more than half of them have ‘arrogantly and contemptuously’ claimed for expenses which now have to be repaid?

Today’s debate on Quantative Easing reminds us that already £200 Billion’s worth of new pound notes have been printed and added to the money supply. Some may ask; why didn’t they use these newly printed ‘fivers’ to pay off their own debt? Many families would love to be able to print a few quid to pay off their Xmas credit cards for sure!

A billion is a difficult number to comprehend. I am told that an advertising agency put it into some perspective in one of their releases as follows.

A.         A  billion seconds ago it was 1959.

B.         A  billion minutes ago Jesus was alive.

C.         A  billion hours ago our ancestors were living in the Stone Age.

D.         A  billion days ago no-one walked on the earth on two feet.

E.         A  billion Pounds ago was only 13 hours and 12 minutes, at  the present rate of Government spending.

It is further said that none of these taxes existed 100 years ago... And our nation was one of the most  prosperous in the world.
Council Tax
Fishing License Tax
Petrol/Diesel  Tax
Inheritance Tax (tax on top of tax)
Alcohol Tax
V.A.T.
Marriage  License Tax
Property Tax 
Service charge taxes
National Insurance tax 
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax  
Workers Compensation Tax

Stamp Duty
Tobacco Tax
Corporate  Income Tax

I’m not sure that all this is true and there’s certainly no going back to the ‘good old days’ and for some, they weren’t always so good anyway…. But… do we need to keep trudging down this present road of spend and tax? Couldn’t a few of the new tax ideas go down the road of the dog licence tax instead?

Facts I have heard today have astounded me to say the least.

Since David Attenborough made his first documentary 50 years ago the worlds population has increased THREE FOLD….. What will the world’s population eat if this carries on for another 50 years?

 Each year rain forest the size of Belgium is cut down in South America… How many Belgium’s fit into Brazil?

 Each years Britain’s immigration figure equates to a City the size of Bristol…..

What size are your Bristols?

 Worrying too I think.

I was much impressed by MP Mark Field’s points and the opinions he expressed during the televised debate on the Reform of The House Report.

Separating the legislature and government is a much to be sought after democratic goal. I would certainly vote for him on the idea of voting for the two separately too!

Cutting the numbers sitting in the lower legislature to 450 is absolutely enough provided that these members properly bring the ‘Administrations’ to account in scrutiny (have teeth) and, don’t have a whole load of 'other' jobs (besides caring for their families).

I would go further; I think the introduction of a Parliament for England (the real democratic deficit in the UK) would reform our democratic basis even more.

Government would do well to listen and please concentrate on this matter in the closing hours and months of this Parliament.

Whilst I agree this small step by the Prime Minister, I would go further.

Any salary and bonus over £100,000 combined, paid for by the taxpayer either directly or indirectly (like Bankers and BBC executives) should be approved by the Treasury. Any salary and bonus combined greater than the Prime Minister’s salary should be debated and agreed by Parliament in public.

 Why are we changing the present system at all?

 The Government in Westminster has decided that each Unitary Area (like Calderdale) will have a person at the top who will have much more control and greater powers than the present Council Leaders. This new person will either be Elected by all the residents in the area or will be appointed by local Councillors from amongst themselves. Either way, the new Elected Mayor or Prime Councillor will be in office for 4 years and will be quite different to today’s Civic or Ceremonial Mayors. The figurehead Mayors like we have today with robes and chains will continue but may be called by another name.

Presently there are 11 Elected Mayors and they are overwhelmingly popular with ‘The People’ in the areas they serve. This fact is widely hidden by their opponents (usually Councillors) who have lost out on some of the ‘Gravy Train Rides’ they used to enjoy under the old system.

 Why is it important that everyone be given a vote?

 Everybody in the Borough will be able to vote for a person, either standing as an individual or as a Party candidate, who will be personally democratically accountable to all the people of Calderdale as the Elected Mayor. This method of universal suffrage also establishes a direct bond between every resident with the person who is responsible to all local taxpayers for local services. Additionally a person who gains the most votes locally and becomes the Elected Mayor has received a majority of support from the whole local area and also, importantly a direct mandate to implement the policies they have promised in their election manifesto.

 Was it fair for just a few wealthy land-owning men to vote, as was the case at the beginning of the last centaury? The Suffragettes fought for women’s votes and trades unions and many others fought that everybody had a vote, irrespective of what property they possessed. To go back to a system where just 51 people are allowed to appoint the Leader of Calderdale’s 200,000 residents must surely be a step back into the unwanted past.

With an Elected Mayoral system it is a level playing field for everybody. All Political Parties, big or small, rich or with hardly any funds, as well as an individual with a heart and conscience who just cares about his community all get the same chance to stand and be elected as the local Mayor. It is no longer a matter of party politics or how much money you have; it will be a matter of how much you care and can persuade the people that you are up for the job.

 Why an Elected Mayor, Leader whatever you want to call them?

 The new Local Supremo, who will have such massive powers locally will either be appointed by other councillors (Prime Councillor) or elected by the people (Elected Mayor). Surely it is better to have the people decide who will have these new powers.

In the case that local councillors appoint one of their number, as councillors want to do, what would be the outcome? In Calderdale the largest Party Group is the Conservatives, although they have no overall majority of seats and certainly no majority of the popular vote, there would be more councillors voting for their candidate than for either Liberal-Democrats, Labour or Independents. (Just over 20% of those voting in Calderdale voted Conservative, over 70% voted otherwise). The Leader of the Conservatives who has a rock solid (rotten) seat would become the new Prime Councillor. That may be fine for those 1000 Conservatives in Northowram and Shelf who voted for the individual but what about the massive majority of those in the ‘Valley Areas’ who vote for a Liberal Democrat? What about those very many thousands in Halifax who vote Labour? Overwhelming 10’s of 1,000’s of voters would end up with an Appointed Leader or Fuehrer that they would never vote for and could never support. The only people possibly happy with this arrangement could be the Conservatives. But then, the only Party happy with the way politics was going in Germany in the late 1920’s were the Nazis, and look where that kind of ‘Leadership’ and dictatorship led us to?

Why Labour, Liberal-Democrats and Independents would want to appoint a Conservative ‘Fuehrer’ is beyond me, but it appears that that is what they want to do!

 The present Conservative Council Leader Stephen Baines, was quoted on Calderdale's website as saying their members are "in a strong position to make the most appropriate appointment”. I translate this to mean that Councillors (especially the Conservative ones) know best and will choose a new leader far better than the whole electorate who are deemed in a ‘weak position’ or too thick??. The response to such a patronising and elitist statement should be for the People to take to the streets and demand a voice. Demand the common right to elect their own leader, whatever this sickly superior Conservative thinks!

 Why the main Parties should want an Elected Mayor too!

 To the Conservative’s I would say, “Ever heard of Gordon Brown? Bit unpopular is he?” The present Prime Minister is suffering from the fact that he was not the Leader of a Party voted in by ‘The People’. Much of his unpopularity (and Conservative criticism of him) stems from the fact that he has been appointed by a few Labour MP’s rather than elected by the Nation as a whole. The fact that local Tories are now advocating this unpopular and undemocratic way to appoint a Prime Councillor seems to me like double standards at best or just corrupt self interest at worst. But if that’s the system the present Tories in Calderdale push through, they will suffer the backlash of massive public criticism which will surely and inevitably follow.

To the other Parties, Liberal-Democrats, Labour and Independent Group I say; How long will it be, if ever, before you get a chance of equal representation for your voters? After the Blue Tsunami in the Rotten Tory wards which will bring in a few new Tory Councillors, this will consign Calderdale to the control of a few ‘Blue Meanies’ for the next decade? Can you live with this prospect? Are you prepared to inflict the dictatorship of the ‘Blue Meanies’ upon the electors in your wards for many, many years to come?

At the special Council meeting on 16th Dec I hope all councillors who believe in democracy rather than dictatorship, and who really care for their communities will join with me in supporting an Elected Mayor in Calderdale.

 As a final word of warning, if you do not allow ‘The People’ to speak now, you will have to contend with Chris Haddock’s petition which will force you to put this question to all the taxpayers and electors of Calderdale. The resulting egg which will be on your faces will stifle your breath.

Did you ever see the film “Alien”?

The following is from the Calderdale Website:-

Calderdale - everyone different, everyone matters

Leader or Elected Mayor?

Tell us what you think. The Council needs to choose a new way of taking decisions that affect us all. The Government says that by December 2009 we should choose one of two new ways of running the Council. Have your say: Leader or Elected Mayor consultation

Interesting use of words I thought…...

‘Leader’… the German translation of this word, as we all know is Fuehrer…. Dictators, wars and turmoil spring to mind. Oh my God do we want one of these?

On the other hand, ‘Elected Mayor’….. Sounds so friendly, democratic and absolutely English. It also feels like you could un-elect one if they are no good!

‘Have your say’ … indeed??…. The People are only to be consulted it seems. Only Councillors views will ‘matter’… Yep, we are ‘all different’ and some more different than others!

• George Monbiot (Guardian newspaper and environment campaigner)
• Peter Facey (Director: Unlock Democracy)
• Paul Kingsnorth (author of 'Real England: The Battle against the Bland')
• David Wildgoose (vice-chairman The Campaign for an English Parliament)

It is eleven years since the 1998 devolution legislation. Scotland and Wales now have their own Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly. They have forged ahead since, re-creating and expanding their own distinct national identities and achieving major benefits and advantages for their peoples. But England has got nothing from devolution. Why should English students pay tuition fees and emerge from university laden with debt while Scottish students don't? Why should Welsh people pay no prescription charges while English people do? England still has no constitutional existence of its own and no national institution of any kind as 'a forum where the concerns of the nation can be debated' (the Welsh White paper). England is disadvantaged. The situation is gravely unjust to the people of England. Scottish MPs can now take part in legislation that concerns England only, can even be ministers of departments which deal only with England, without being accountable to any electorate. The Union is dangerously unbalanced. There are massive cultural, environmental and political issues involved. From many angles the people of England are being left out and overlooked. It is a situation that cannot continue. Nor should it. The Union should be a Union of equals or it is no Union.'

We are looking for an open debate. We want your contribution.

Anyone wishing to attend please phone

Scilla Cullen (CEP Charman) on: 01438 833155 or email: scilla.cullen@dsl.pipex.com
Or Mike Knowles on: 01260 271139 or email: michael-knowles@tiscali.co.uk

Put it in your diaries... 5th November.

Doncaster's directly elected Mayor, English Democrat Peter Davies, has agreed to visit our area to answer questions about the new way we will be governed locally.

The English Democrats, true lovers of democracy and allowing the people to speak, are in favour of directly elected mayors like Peter Davies in Doncaster and Boris Johnson in London. The local Conservative Cabinet have decided that the Council should recommend that Councillors only should choose the Mayor, keeping things in the family, so to speak... Many feel they dont 'trust' The People to make the 'right' choice. Goodness me, having a Maverick Mayor who does what The People want would never do!

More details later.

as they switch to the English Democrats!

 Peterborough City Council Conservative Councillors Stephen Goldspink and Graham Murphy today announced that they are leaving the Conservative party and joining the English Democrats with immediate effect. 

Robin Tilbrook, Chairman of the English Democrats, in welcoming Stephen and Graham to the English Democrats said, “I am delighted that these two Councillors have decided to join us.  I urge all other disaffected Conservatives to take David Cameron at his word, because the English Democrats offer real change.  I expect other Councillors across the country to join us soon.”

Councillor Goldspink, former deputy leader of the Council and Member for East ward and Councillor Murphy, who represents Orton Longueville ward and has held several cabinet posts, said that the Conservative Party appeared to have abandoned England as a country and that locally, the new Conservative administration had shown that it was ready to spend money on bureaucracy and clamp down on any dissent, even where it was justified as a legitimate scrutiny function. 

Graham said, “I believe in democracy, not a one party state for Peterborough, and the English Democrats offer a real alternative for this city and the country as a whole.  Their recent electoral successes are testament to this and they are the fastest growing political party in the country.  They are clear that those with power to affect our way of life must be answerable to the people – and that means locally as well as nationally.” 

Stephen added, “I believe in Councillors properly and fairly representing their constituents and their views, so it has angered me to see huge additional costs being loaded on the people of Peterborough since May this year, against their will, with additional money being paid to some Councillors without any proper justification, and new posts and offices being created to support senior Councillors.  Many people see these payments, which amount to almost a quarter of a million pounds, as some sort of payback for supporting the new leader in the local Conservative Group annual elections.  Whatever the truth, it is clear that they have no place in a Council that has previously prided itself in maintaining lean administrative structures.  I do not believe any of these changes will improve local democracy.”

Graham said, “I think that a Council should be run democratically and openly and so I was deeply disappointed that no Councillors from the Peterborough Constituency were selected for Cabinet posts in May 2009 and that all those chosen were from the North West Cambridgeshire constituency – which is where the new Council leader is from.  This has effectively excluded the wards in Peterborough from getting proper representation in the body that controls all the funding for local schemes.  I was attracted to join the English Democrats because I believe that they would never allow personal issues or petty infighting to get in the way of fair representation.”

Councillors Goldspink and Murphy will now form a new “English Democrats” Group on Peterborough City Council, with Councillor Goldspink as Group Leader and Councillor Murphy as Group Secretary.  They will seek to promote a number of issues that are important for the recognition of England and the English over the coming months, including:

• England to be treated as a unified country as befits a “proud and historic nation”, rather than bogus and meaningless regions,
• a Parliament, First Minister and Government for England with at least the same power as the Scottish ones,
• the abandonment of the Barnett Formula which institutionalises discrimination against the people of England by ensuring that public spending in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is higher per head of population than in England (the House of Lords has recently reported that this is costing the English taxpayer £49 billion per annum – that’s £2,500 per taxpayer!),
• the withdrawal of funding and closure of all political correctness quangos, which provide no vale for taxpayers, and
• an immediate referendum on this country’s relationship with the European Union, with a view to withdrawal. 

Graham said, “Our country is crying out for change from the tweedledee and tweedledum parties that have dominated politics in this country for so long.  They have all shown that, if given power, they know how to abuse it, with the Parliamentary expenses scandal at a national level and the recent extra monies awarded to Councillors by themselves at a local level being prime examples of this. 

Does anyone really believe in their heart of hearts that David Cameron’s Conservatives will prove any better than John Major’s sleazy government or Gordon Brown’s opportunist public fund raiders?  Does anyone believe that the closer ties with Europe that will come if the Liberal Democrats achieve any influence in the next Parliament, will benefit England?  The English Democrats offer a unique opportunity to abandon the “left-right” see-saw and aim for pride in England, through real democracy.” 

Stephen concluded, “I know that we will be joined by other local Peterborough Councillors in the next few months as they start to understand the true nature of the administration that now governs Peterborough.  I believe that the interests of some businesses will be promoted above those of residents, who can expect to be asked to open their wallets and purses to cough up at least an extra 4% Council tax next year to fund the burgeoning bureaucracy that is being created.  Also, they will look at how the Mayor of Doncaster, an English Democrat, is making real changes in his area and will want to be part of this fresh start.  Let’s put England and Peterborough first, by voting for real change through the English Democrats!”

Any residents interested in joining the English Democrats can visit www.englishdemocrats.org.uk, telephone 09070-041066 or text “England” to 88886.  

Councillor Stephen Goldspink can be contacted on 01733-340066 or 07846-544230. 

At 10.00am on Monday 12th October the Police are having a Street Briefing in Rastrick, outside of the Field Lane Shops, where residents are invited to meet the Police and local officers from other organisations. The Police will give a view of crime trends in the area, and discuss any issues raised.

Any further information, contact Sgt Johnson on [mailto:anthony.johnson@westyorkshire.pnn.police.uk]

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