BACI FROM PERUGIA.
Used to come my way every Christmas in the 1960s.
Thus despite the disgusting times we live in, this horrific murder of Meredith Kercher caught ones particular notice. Meredith if one may so refer to Miss Kercher, was in Perugia for a year as a part of her degree course, much as a daughter and a niece of mine were in France and Germany respectively, several years prior to her. One had ones misgivings, but never envisaged what happened to this young lady might happen in our family, may time bring healing to Meredith’s, for everyone is supportive of them.
What does one know of this affair, or of those now condemned, other than has been reported in the Media? Obviously one knows nothing, however the reportage invites some doubt as to whether Justice has been done, let alone been seen to be done. Whether or not one approves of Miss Knox’s lifestyle is irrelevant to the case.
Without wishing to make light of the tragedy, the Trial minds one of the Caucus-Race in Alice in Wonderland. When query was made of the Dodo as to who had won the race. It was a question the Dodo could not answer without a great deal of thought, and it sat for a long time with one finger pressed upon its forehead (The position in which you usually see Shakespeare, in pictures of him), while the rest waited in silence. At last the Dodo said ‘everyone has won, and all must have prizes’.
Awarding all, prizes; or in the Kercher case convicting all participants, seems equally injudicious.
Saturday, 5 December 2009
Friday, 27 November 2009
CHILD ABUSE .
CHILD ABUSE.
Concern is expressed for the well being of children. If all one reads in the Press is as reported, all manner of abuse is still perpetrated against them. I use the word still, for it is now as ever was so.
When I was at a Catholic Preparatory Boarding School some sixty five years ago, few there escaped the sanction of cane or strap delivered by one of the Priests on the slightest pretext. Being then more naïve, such punishment was accepted at face value. With benefit of hindsight one suspects that corporal punishment was probably but the exercise of its perpetrator’s suppressed libido. If now one puts the word ‘Caning’ into ‘Google’ it offers choice of 407,000 entries, and at a glance few refer to Craft Wicker Work. Possibly celibacy of the Priesthood was never its own sacrifice, so much as it was the sacrifice of others? Matters were no better at many a Church of England or other Public School, where the antics of some Headmasters have become the stuff of legend, all of which accounts for corporal punishment being now verboten.
Children tend to be open to all manner of recurrent abuse. Some Boarding Schools had more than a fair share of paedophiles on the Staff. I know of a then twelve year old boy at my aforementioned Preparatory School, upon whom one of the Lay Masters preyed. It was only later in life that he told of being intimately ‘touched up’ by that man. Seemingly it wasn’t the physicality of the experience that affected him, but the burden of secrecy he saw fit to carry. It had driven a wedge between him and his friends which turned an average middle of the road chap into an asocial, under achieving loner, who throughout his adult life never involved himself with others more than strictly necessary, being neither clubbable nor a team player.
The boy should of course have complained to another staff member or his parent, but he did neither. Puberty comes at an awkward age and what then would a boy have known of Paedophilia, or of the Stockholm Syndrome? His parent noticing something afoot had some sort of a hoo-ha with the head Master of which hthw boy knew little; however it was the Lay Master who moved on rather than him. One might wonder how that man had come to leave his previous school which was run by the Christian Brothers, and too, where he worked after his few terms with us?
One reads reports of Court Cases, where some plaintiff equates alleged abuse with a need for monetary recompense; and too hears tell of Institutions running short of the ‘where with all’ to financially compensate claimants should Court judgement go in the Claimant’s favour.
Sweeping things under the carpet was never an answer, for the
suppression of the facts perpetuated abuse; which together with any defence of the indefensible has done incalculable damage to the Catholic Church. So far as Dublin is concerned maybe someone should sue the Irish Government if dereliction of duty is alleged.
HIS LATE HOLINESS WAS SORRY FOR THE CRUSADES. THE PRIME MINISTER IS SORRY FOR DEATH IN AFGHANISTAN AND NOW SEVERAL ARHBISHOPS ARE SORRY FOR CASES OF ABUSE IN IRELAND. ARE MAINLANDERS SORRY TOO?
Better still the old Maxim ‘Confession is good for the Soul’
MAYBE IT’S TIME FOR THE UNITED KINGDOM AND EIRE, TO EMULATE SOUTH AFRICA’S
‘TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSION’.
First hear confession of historic child abuse, and only then grant Amnesty. I suspect that Child abuse has been far more widespread than any of us would credit. Would it not be better to ‘clear the air’ for only then can things move on? Lives were damaged ,‘Tea and Sympathy’ would be more effective than thirty pieces of silver.
Concern is expressed for the well being of children. If all one reads in the Press is as reported, all manner of abuse is still perpetrated against them. I use the word still, for it is now as ever was so.
When I was at a Catholic Preparatory Boarding School some sixty five years ago, few there escaped the sanction of cane or strap delivered by one of the Priests on the slightest pretext. Being then more naïve, such punishment was accepted at face value. With benefit of hindsight one suspects that corporal punishment was probably but the exercise of its perpetrator’s suppressed libido. If now one puts the word ‘Caning’ into ‘Google’ it offers choice of 407,000 entries, and at a glance few refer to Craft Wicker Work. Possibly celibacy of the Priesthood was never its own sacrifice, so much as it was the sacrifice of others? Matters were no better at many a Church of England or other Public School, where the antics of some Headmasters have become the stuff of legend, all of which accounts for corporal punishment being now verboten.
Children tend to be open to all manner of recurrent abuse. Some Boarding Schools had more than a fair share of paedophiles on the Staff. I know of a then twelve year old boy at my aforementioned Preparatory School, upon whom one of the Lay Masters preyed. It was only later in life that he told of being intimately ‘touched up’ by that man. Seemingly it wasn’t the physicality of the experience that affected him, but the burden of secrecy he saw fit to carry. It had driven a wedge between him and his friends which turned an average middle of the road chap into an asocial, under achieving loner, who throughout his adult life never involved himself with others more than strictly necessary, being neither clubbable nor a team player.
The boy should of course have complained to another staff member or his parent, but he did neither. Puberty comes at an awkward age and what then would a boy have known of Paedophilia, or of the Stockholm Syndrome? His parent noticing something afoot had some sort of a hoo-ha with the head Master of which hthw boy knew little; however it was the Lay Master who moved on rather than him. One might wonder how that man had come to leave his previous school which was run by the Christian Brothers, and too, where he worked after his few terms with us?
One reads reports of Court Cases, where some plaintiff equates alleged abuse with a need for monetary recompense; and too hears tell of Institutions running short of the ‘where with all’ to financially compensate claimants should Court judgement go in the Claimant’s favour.
Sweeping things under the carpet was never an answer, for the
suppression of the facts perpetuated abuse; which together with any defence of the indefensible has done incalculable damage to the Catholic Church. So far as Dublin is concerned maybe someone should sue the Irish Government if dereliction of duty is alleged.
HIS LATE HOLINESS WAS SORRY FOR THE CRUSADES. THE PRIME MINISTER IS SORRY FOR DEATH IN AFGHANISTAN AND NOW SEVERAL ARHBISHOPS ARE SORRY FOR CASES OF ABUSE IN IRELAND. ARE MAINLANDERS SORRY TOO?
Better still the old Maxim ‘Confession is good for the Soul’
MAYBE IT’S TIME FOR THE UNITED KINGDOM AND EIRE, TO EMULATE SOUTH AFRICA’S
‘TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSION’.
First hear confession of historic child abuse, and only then grant Amnesty. I suspect that Child abuse has been far more widespread than any of us would credit. Would it not be better to ‘clear the air’ for only then can things move on? Lives were damaged ,‘Tea and Sympathy’ would be more effective than thirty pieces of silver.
Sunday, 8 November 2009
afghanistan TWO HUNDRED AND COUNTING
TWO HUNDRED AND COUNTING.
One needs to heed the word of the Military in the matter of AFGHANISTAN, but too remember that 'Theirs is not to reason why' ,or to otherwise quote; 'T-he-Y would say that wouldn’t t-he-y.' The trouble is that we are not at war either with Afghanistan or even Pakistan, but have set up the equivalence of an Aunt Sally Stall in their midst. The only effective alternative to leaving the Afghans and the Pakistanis to sort the matter for themselves, is to carpet bomb both areas. Obviously that is not the sort of thing one does anymore, so the sooner we leave the better.
It is not a matter of having been involved in Afghanistan for ‘just’ eight years or so, but we have involved ourselves there for over a Century. Is our Government obdurately naive or just totally incompetent? The best support this country can give to its fighting Services is to speak out and rescue them from the debacle that a discredited Government has precipitated them into, and fervently pray that ex Prime Minister Blair, does not become President of Europe.
One reads all this rubbish about the Afghan Campaign being a first line of defence, against terrorism in our country or elsewhere. Terrorism is home grown I live in the immediate vicinity of tons of E.U fertiliser that some might put to other use. I am told that those who seek recipes may find them easily enough. I recall seeing such a book on the open shelves of a Hampshire Public Library presumably there for those without web access.
During the second world war we guarded the Home Front against 'Fifth Columnists' maybe we might better now do so again.
Sunday, 8 November 2009
One needs to heed the word of the Military in the matter of AFGHANISTAN, but too remember that 'Theirs is not to reason why' ,or to otherwise quote; 'T-he-Y would say that wouldn’t t-he-y.' The trouble is that we are not at war either with Afghanistan or even Pakistan, but have set up the equivalence of an Aunt Sally Stall in their midst. The only effective alternative to leaving the Afghans and the Pakistanis to sort the matter for themselves, is to carpet bomb both areas. Obviously that is not the sort of thing one does anymore, so the sooner we leave the better.
It is not a matter of having been involved in Afghanistan for ‘just’ eight years or so, but we have involved ourselves there for over a Century. Is our Government obdurately naive or just totally incompetent? The best support this country can give to its fighting Services is to speak out and rescue them from the debacle that a discredited Government has precipitated them into, and fervently pray that ex Prime Minister Blair, does not become President of Europe.
One reads all this rubbish about the Afghan Campaign being a first line of defence, against terrorism in our country or elsewhere. Terrorism is home grown I live in the immediate vicinity of tons of E.U fertiliser that some might put to other use. I am told that those who seek recipes may find them easily enough. I recall seeing such a book on the open shelves of a Hampshire Public Library presumably there for those without web access.
During the second world war we guarded the Home Front against 'Fifth Columnists' maybe we might better now do so again.
Sunday, 8 November 2009
Thursday, 5 November 2009
LEST WE FORGET AFGHANISTAN
‘LEST WE FORGET’
Remembrance Sunday is a chance for us to acknowledge the sacrifice made by too many.
All are aware of the casualties of conflict both Military and Civilian, but too we should not forget the bereaved, Widows, Widowers, Children, Parents, Fiancés or Fiancées, Nephews and Nieces, Uncles and Aunts, Cousins, Friends and Neighbours.
Even current septuagenarians weren’t old enough to have been sent to WW2. but older siblings fought the good fight. It is too easy for me to think that ‘my lot’ lived to tell the tale, but they didn’t, for my father’s elder daughter lost her first husband in the Arnhem Campaign, thus their then baby son scarcely knew him. Each War Memorial records like sacrifice.
Even current septuagenarians weren’t old enough to have been sent to WW2. but older siblings fought the good fight. It is too easy for me to think that ‘my lot’ lived to tell the tale, but they didn’t, for my father’s elder daughter lost her first husband in the Arnhem Campaign, thus their then baby son scarcely knew him. Each War Memorial records like sacrifice.
If our Nation sends its Services into Battle, or as oft euphemistically describe on a ‘Peace Keeping Mission’, then we have a collective obligation to provide aftercare. That has nothing to do with the righteousness of the cause, nor with the obdurate naiveté of some of those elected to Parliament.
Undoubtedly buying a poppy provides some financial help, but doing so doesn’t abrogate Government’s responsibility for the supply of proper equipment, and for after care. Financing both takes precedence over fiddled Expense Accounts, Banker’s bonuses, payment of excessive Welfare Claims, and the plight of illegal immigrants be they from Afghanistan or elsewhere. Maybe some of the former now in the UK might be enlisted into their country’s Police Force.
********************************
Writing in the Guardian, (a Newspaper) Mr. Howells – who had ministerial responsibility for Afghanistan until 2008 – said:
"It would be better to bring home the great majority of our fighting men and women and concentrate, instead, on using the money saved to secure our own borders [and] gather intelligence on terrorist activities inside Britain."
____________________________________________________________
********************************
Writing in the Guardian, (a Newspaper) Mr. Howells – who had ministerial responsibility for Afghanistan until 2008 – said:
"It would be better to bring home the great majority of our fighting men and women and concentrate, instead, on using the money saved to secure our own borders [and] gather intelligence on terrorist activities inside Britain."
____________________________________________________________
The first picture is one of the founder of the Canadian Army Nursing Corps, the colour photo borrowed from the Army Web site is of the RAMC treating a casualty. The Canadian Army is fighting alongside the British Army in Afghanistan.
Friday, 9 October 2009
Papalscope Winter Wheat
GLEANINGS SOWN ELSEWHERE.
RURAL HOUSING.
It was interesting to hear David Butterworth on the Farming Today Programme 8TH.October 2009 speaking of the need for Rural Housing. Everyone is entitled to have decent accommodation. Two pieces of Government Legislation did immeasurable damage to the availability of housing to rent. There was the ‘Sale of Council Housing’ and The ‘Enfranchisement of Leasehold Property’ Acts.
The Village whereby I live used to have not only Council Houses, but too MOD owned housing. Much of this was sold off , most often at a concessionary price, with little money initially changing hands, as the where with all to purchase the Property, as likely as not was loaned to the purchaser by the Vendor Council. Such housing hereby is re-selling for close on £200,000.Thus once affordable housing is no longer affordable, either to rent or to buy, and fragmented Estates are difficult to redevelop.
When it comes to NIMBYISM there is an ‘I’m all right Jack’ syndrome prevalent, mention was made of ‘the wrong sort of people moving in’ not sure whom such persons might be, unless of course the suggestion is that affordable housing is likely to go to persons not indigenous to the area. That is a fact, ‘our’ village and ‘its’ remaining Council Housing, in South West Wiltshire will be as liable to have new tenants from Salisbury Swindon or Trowbridge as anywhere more local. This is because the houses are not the property of our Parish, but belong to the Unitary Authority. One may wonder who the people are who should be entitled to local affordable housing. Should it be available to the children of relative newcomers such as myself of thirty years standing, or to the children of the current tenants of Social Housing, who were themselves often enough more recently shipped in from elsewhere? We all have to move on in life, there is no way I could afford to buy any sort of a house in the Village from whence I came, and if my children have not sought accommodation locally, it is because their own and their husband’s careers have dictated that they live two to three hundred miles away.
It is no good providing any sort of affordable housing for young persons, unless there are jobs to provide them with a living. All too often it can be the newcomers to an area who have no wish to re-accommodate, let alone newly accommodate workplaces in their Retirement/Dormitory area. One hears of the need to support the Village Shops, Two neighbouring Villages have started their own Community Shop. Long live all village shops, albeit a forlorn cry, for the reality here, is that the majority of us shop in the near by towns at Tesco or Waitrose etc, or even shop on line, which oft occasions delivery within 24 hours.
One of the most important things for the ‘Dispossessed’ if they will excuse the term, is that they volunteer their Services to their Local Parish or Town Council. Our Village has had two vacancies for months on end.
Two local villages had no one at all standing at the last Parish Council Election. Things are much the same elsewhere there is a Village outside Henley that has four Councillor vacancies.
‘Get on your bike’ is I believe the technical term.
******************
CONSERVATIVE PARTY CONFERENCE.
Inspiring though it was to see the prospective Conservative Cabinet troop on stage at the behest of Mr.William Hague, prior to Mr. David Cameron’s speech yesterday afternoon; was that ensuing speech another of a sort that would mobilise the English Language and send it into battle, or but a re-expression of where so long the Party’s heart lay buried?
Was that premature annunciation of the Dramatis Personae, including the new role to be played by General Dannatt well advised, or did it smack of misjudgement somewhere along the management line? Nothing should be taken for granted when there is such a bumpy road ahead.
*********************
HOW FARES THE WILTSHIRE UNITARY AUTHORITY
Southwick Division of the Wiltshire Unitary Authority, (its ‘up North’ of the County , Trowbridge Way should any wonder), duly held its By-election on September 3rd. The Turnout was 30.66% and the seat was won by an Independent with 385 votes, The Liberal Democrat came second with 315 votes, and the Conservative third with 273 Votes. UKIP too fielded a candidate who gained 61 Votes. It is splendid that all those candidates are willing to stand up and be counted for what each believes in, but the successful candidate was the Independent, not the Liberal Democrat, not the Conservative, nor the UKIP Candidate.
What is the message of that ?
SOUTHWICK VOTED FOR THE MAN NOT THE PARTY.
What a shame that Party Politics has intruded into Local Government, Give me an Independent any time. One knows nothing of any of the Southwick Candidates, but all too often Political Parties offer but ‘Johnnies come latelies’, many of whom would never be elected on their own recognisances.
There was a letter in the Valley News ( The Voice of Wilton etal.) this month written in the name of a UKIP supporter concerning the Wilton Seat contested last June. The Gentleman who wrote it was disappointed that an earlier correspondent had failed to understand why anyone would vote for UKIP in the recent ( June) local elections. The letter goes on to explain a number of good reasons why anyone might.
I was the writer of such a letter . Regrettably I did not make myself clear. It wasn’t that I didn’t see why anyone should vote for a UKIP Candidate, for the point I had hoped to make was that I didn’t see why UKIP would want to stand in a local election, when its causal platform is surely either the European or the Westminster Parliament. Does UKIP have an Agenda for Local Governance? I have noted that since such correspondence the management of UKIP, has changed.
*****************
ELECTORAL REFORM.
REDIRECTED LETTER FROM
the Chair of POWER2010.
Dear (one and all)
When Gordon Brown moved into 10 Downing Street, he promised us he'd make democratic reform a priority of his premiership.
He didn't.
It just goes to show that if we leave change in the hands of the politicians - we'll get nowhere. Brown may not have acted - but together we will.
POWER2010 is picking up exactly where Make it an Issue and the Power Inquiry left off - and once again we need your help.
We're looking for ideas about how we fix our democracy. Tell us your idea for change.
The ideas with the most support will become the POWER2010 Pledge. Together, we will then work to get every candidate standing at the next election to commit to supporting those ideas.
That's how we'll bring change to Britain.
Because of your experience with Make it an Issue and the Power Inquiry, you already know this ground. You know what's wrong with our politics, and no doubt you want change.
So do you want cleaner funding? Fairer voting? More accountability?
It's up to you. Click the link below and tell us your ideas.
http://power2010.org.uk/yourideas
This is our last chance for change. I am confident we can meet this challenge together.
Thank you and best wishes,
Helena Kennedy
POWER2010 Chair
*********************************
CONDUCT UNBECOMING TO OFFICERS OR A GENTLEMEN.
Possibly those who purport to live virtuously, are necessarily less successful , than any who have a devil may care attitude? Was such a thought the inspiration for Catherine Tate’s ‘’Am I bovvered? ’’ Possibly those who aren’t bothered, regard as naïve, others whom conscience has made cowards of.
This business of Parliamentary expenses was nothing short of disgraceful. Much of the expenditure claimed, being within ‘The Rules’ is legitimately refundable, but one may ask, is all such expenditure within the spirit of the law? Where the self respect of the claimant, where his or her sense of honour. One doesn’t have to be a Member of Parliament to work away from home, is it now customary in the workforce to claim the price of a cup of tea if one misses out on the passage of the Office Tea Trolley, off which ones biscuit was never free? Why are we expected to pay £7000 to re-roof a man’s house, or if reports are correct pay £44,000 to the Tory Party, in lieu of a member’s ‘Office Expenses’. Would a rose by any other name smell as sweet?
What of all this excused Council Tax? Seemingly if one is a member of Parliament, that comes free at ones secondary place of alleged residence. As an MP is excused such expense, hopefully the deficiency in local Governance funding is made up by central Government rather than the MP.s neighbours.
Is there a shortage of applicants wishing to become Members of Parliament, that there is now a call to pay them more salary, on top of extravagant allowances? One may wonder what sort of a Salary some Honourable Members might attract in the job market. I suspect in most cases, relatively little, always assuming he or she can find employment.
Why have so many Members of Parliament? Few were ever worth their salt. One is given to understand that Parliament’s Authority is now outsourced to Europe. In 1831 an adjoined village then Borough Hindon returned two members to Parliament, as did Old Sarum, Downton, Heytesbury and Ludgershall, all those seats were abolished in 1832; whilst Wilton and Westbury were reduced to one member a piece. There is nothing new about Parliamentary pruning, now is time enough to have another go.
It is too, time to make alternative arrangements for the other place. There in, the Hereditary principle is an anachronism. Maybe there was a time when everyone loved a Lord , or at least his affluence, but the title ‘Lord’ now has vestigial connotations inappropriate to our twenty first century Society. God bless them every one, but fortunately the World has moved on.
RURAL HOUSING.
It was interesting to hear David Butterworth on the Farming Today Programme 8TH.October 2009 speaking of the need for Rural Housing. Everyone is entitled to have decent accommodation. Two pieces of Government Legislation did immeasurable damage to the availability of housing to rent. There was the ‘Sale of Council Housing’ and The ‘Enfranchisement of Leasehold Property’ Acts.
The Village whereby I live used to have not only Council Houses, but too MOD owned housing. Much of this was sold off , most often at a concessionary price, with little money initially changing hands, as the where with all to purchase the Property, as likely as not was loaned to the purchaser by the Vendor Council. Such housing hereby is re-selling for close on £200,000.Thus once affordable housing is no longer affordable, either to rent or to buy, and fragmented Estates are difficult to redevelop.
When it comes to NIMBYISM there is an ‘I’m all right Jack’ syndrome prevalent, mention was made of ‘the wrong sort of people moving in’ not sure whom such persons might be, unless of course the suggestion is that affordable housing is likely to go to persons not indigenous to the area. That is a fact, ‘our’ village and ‘its’ remaining Council Housing, in South West Wiltshire will be as liable to have new tenants from Salisbury Swindon or Trowbridge as anywhere more local. This is because the houses are not the property of our Parish, but belong to the Unitary Authority. One may wonder who the people are who should be entitled to local affordable housing. Should it be available to the children of relative newcomers such as myself of thirty years standing, or to the children of the current tenants of Social Housing, who were themselves often enough more recently shipped in from elsewhere? We all have to move on in life, there is no way I could afford to buy any sort of a house in the Village from whence I came, and if my children have not sought accommodation locally, it is because their own and their husband’s careers have dictated that they live two to three hundred miles away.
It is no good providing any sort of affordable housing for young persons, unless there are jobs to provide them with a living. All too often it can be the newcomers to an area who have no wish to re-accommodate, let alone newly accommodate workplaces in their Retirement/Dormitory area. One hears of the need to support the Village Shops, Two neighbouring Villages have started their own Community Shop. Long live all village shops, albeit a forlorn cry, for the reality here, is that the majority of us shop in the near by towns at Tesco or Waitrose etc, or even shop on line, which oft occasions delivery within 24 hours.
One of the most important things for the ‘Dispossessed’ if they will excuse the term, is that they volunteer their Services to their Local Parish or Town Council. Our Village has had two vacancies for months on end.
Two local villages had no one at all standing at the last Parish Council Election. Things are much the same elsewhere there is a Village outside Henley that has four Councillor vacancies.
‘Get on your bike’ is I believe the technical term.
******************
CONSERVATIVE PARTY CONFERENCE.
Inspiring though it was to see the prospective Conservative Cabinet troop on stage at the behest of Mr.William Hague, prior to Mr. David Cameron’s speech yesterday afternoon; was that ensuing speech another of a sort that would mobilise the English Language and send it into battle, or but a re-expression of where so long the Party’s heart lay buried?
Was that premature annunciation of the Dramatis Personae, including the new role to be played by General Dannatt well advised, or did it smack of misjudgement somewhere along the management line? Nothing should be taken for granted when there is such a bumpy road ahead.
*********************
HOW FARES THE WILTSHIRE UNITARY AUTHORITY
Southwick Division of the Wiltshire Unitary Authority, (its ‘up North’ of the County , Trowbridge Way should any wonder), duly held its By-election on September 3rd. The Turnout was 30.66% and the seat was won by an Independent with 385 votes, The Liberal Democrat came second with 315 votes, and the Conservative third with 273 Votes. UKIP too fielded a candidate who gained 61 Votes. It is splendid that all those candidates are willing to stand up and be counted for what each believes in, but the successful candidate was the Independent, not the Liberal Democrat, not the Conservative, nor the UKIP Candidate.
What is the message of that ?
SOUTHWICK VOTED FOR THE MAN NOT THE PARTY.
What a shame that Party Politics has intruded into Local Government, Give me an Independent any time. One knows nothing of any of the Southwick Candidates, but all too often Political Parties offer but ‘Johnnies come latelies’, many of whom would never be elected on their own recognisances.
There was a letter in the Valley News ( The Voice of Wilton etal.) this month written in the name of a UKIP supporter concerning the Wilton Seat contested last June. The Gentleman who wrote it was disappointed that an earlier correspondent had failed to understand why anyone would vote for UKIP in the recent ( June) local elections. The letter goes on to explain a number of good reasons why anyone might.
I was the writer of such a letter . Regrettably I did not make myself clear. It wasn’t that I didn’t see why anyone should vote for a UKIP Candidate, for the point I had hoped to make was that I didn’t see why UKIP would want to stand in a local election, when its causal platform is surely either the European or the Westminster Parliament. Does UKIP have an Agenda for Local Governance? I have noted that since such correspondence the management of UKIP, has changed.
*****************
ELECTORAL REFORM.
REDIRECTED LETTER FROM
the Chair of POWER2010.
Dear (one and all)
When Gordon Brown moved into 10 Downing Street, he promised us he'd make democratic reform a priority of his premiership.
He didn't.
It just goes to show that if we leave change in the hands of the politicians - we'll get nowhere. Brown may not have acted - but together we will.
POWER2010 is picking up exactly where Make it an Issue and the Power Inquiry left off - and once again we need your help.
We're looking for ideas about how we fix our democracy. Tell us your idea for change.
The ideas with the most support will become the POWER2010 Pledge. Together, we will then work to get every candidate standing at the next election to commit to supporting those ideas.
That's how we'll bring change to Britain.
Because of your experience with Make it an Issue and the Power Inquiry, you already know this ground. You know what's wrong with our politics, and no doubt you want change.
So do you want cleaner funding? Fairer voting? More accountability?
It's up to you. Click the link below and tell us your ideas.
http://power2010.org.uk/yourideas
This is our last chance for change. I am confident we can meet this challenge together.
Thank you and best wishes,
Helena Kennedy
POWER2010 Chair
*********************************
CONDUCT UNBECOMING TO OFFICERS OR A GENTLEMEN.
Possibly those who purport to live virtuously, are necessarily less successful , than any who have a devil may care attitude? Was such a thought the inspiration for Catherine Tate’s ‘’Am I bovvered? ’’ Possibly those who aren’t bothered, regard as naïve, others whom conscience has made cowards of.
This business of Parliamentary expenses was nothing short of disgraceful. Much of the expenditure claimed, being within ‘The Rules’ is legitimately refundable, but one may ask, is all such expenditure within the spirit of the law? Where the self respect of the claimant, where his or her sense of honour. One doesn’t have to be a Member of Parliament to work away from home, is it now customary in the workforce to claim the price of a cup of tea if one misses out on the passage of the Office Tea Trolley, off which ones biscuit was never free? Why are we expected to pay £7000 to re-roof a man’s house, or if reports are correct pay £44,000 to the Tory Party, in lieu of a member’s ‘Office Expenses’. Would a rose by any other name smell as sweet?
What of all this excused Council Tax? Seemingly if one is a member of Parliament, that comes free at ones secondary place of alleged residence. As an MP is excused such expense, hopefully the deficiency in local Governance funding is made up by central Government rather than the MP.s neighbours.
Is there a shortage of applicants wishing to become Members of Parliament, that there is now a call to pay them more salary, on top of extravagant allowances? One may wonder what sort of a Salary some Honourable Members might attract in the job market. I suspect in most cases, relatively little, always assuming he or she can find employment.
Why have so many Members of Parliament? Few were ever worth their salt. One is given to understand that Parliament’s Authority is now outsourced to Europe. In 1831 an adjoined village then Borough Hindon returned two members to Parliament, as did Old Sarum, Downton, Heytesbury and Ludgershall, all those seats were abolished in 1832; whilst Wilton and Westbury were reduced to one member a piece. There is nothing new about Parliamentary pruning, now is time enough to have another go.
It is too, time to make alternative arrangements for the other place. There in, the Hereditary principle is an anachronism. Maybe there was a time when everyone loved a Lord , or at least his affluence, but the title ‘Lord’ now has vestigial connotations inappropriate to our twenty first century Society. God bless them every one, but fortunately the World has moved on.
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