UKIP IF YOU WANT TO, BUT DON'T BE CAUGHT NAPPING

UKIP IF YOU WANT TO, BUT DON'T BE CAUGHT NAPPING.

Did I mention that there are to be a number of Elections on May 2nd. next ? Even those who do not get excited about such things may have noticed that the Party Leaders have appeared on Television to treat us to Party Political Broadcasts, each advising how splendid things will be if only we elect their respective candidate to Local Governance next month, and Parliament in 2015. Unfortunately few are impressed by promises of there being 'a lovely day tomorrow,' so one may wonder whom Politicians think will be taken in, by all their nonsense, because tomorrow wont be a lovely day

'just you wait and see'.*

If there is indeed to be business as usual, possibly it doesn’t matter which lot form the majority at County Hall, since all its doings are controlled by Central Government. Even so it is regrettable that Local Government was ever Politicised, especially where applicable, at District Council Level.

Such is not the case in Wiltshire for the Conservative County Council abolished our Salisbury District Council, and converted to Unitarianism. At District level local Political Party Branch Committees oft became so desperate to find candidates willing to stand for them, that any candidate was deemed better than no candidate at all. What better maybe though than a Councillor willing to Nod his or her head on demand. Thus it was with the imprimatur of Branch Committees many became Councillors who just sought to find something to do in their retirement. Such jiggery pokery displaced many valued Councillors with parvenus. One hears that the Liberal Democrats are fielding fewer Candidates for the forthcoming Election than is UKIP. At our last Unitary Authority Election UKIP seemingly had to import would be Councillors from far and wide, possible this time around its candidates are locally rooted. Even so some will wonder which the role of UKIP in local governance ? So far as I can see it has no role to play other than ensure that the Party it protests against wins the seat. Surely that is what happened in Wilton and Lower Wylye Valley in 2009. UKIP's Candidate enabled a competent Conservative to take the Wilton Seat from the serving incumbent. This Conservative will now be contesting the Mere seat. It will be interesting to see whether the Conservative will dislodge the sitting Independent Councillor Jeans there, a man who in 2009 retained the seat in a contest with a fellow well Established Conservative District Councillor.

It is unfortunate that the' Sins' of ones Party Political Fathers, have to be born by those seeking but to represent the interests of local Electorates, but such is the price that has to be paid for Patronage.

How does it benefit any would be Councillor to have his or her Political Master spouting tired platitudes ,that we the Electorate realise to be at best but unrealisable aspirations, and at worst excuses for both Coalition's and Opposition's inadequacy in Governance. One knows of Blair and Brown, but have the last couple of years been any better? A while back there was a children's toy motor car which would race along until its path was blocked, thereon it would set off on a different tack until the same thing happened, and the toy would repeat what it had done before. Possibly the Lady wasn’t for turning but this our Government has done little else, today for example it had to redefine the pickle it got into over planning. How has this country benefited from Coalition Government ? All this Quantitative Easing is but a devaluation of our currency. Again there is 'Wilsonian' suggestion that it doesn’t mean the pound in your pocket etc. Well it does the pound in your pocket is worth a lot less than it used to be. Only yesterday a second 'Rating Agency' downgraded our credit worthiness to AA+ , which is marginally better than France's Aa1 and the BBBs and lower ratings of many of our neighbours.

I really feel sorry for all Candidates standing for election to our Unitary Authority whether they are successfully elected or not. MAYBE WE SHOULD DO THEM A FAVOUR BY VOTING FOR THE MAN OR WOMAN RATHER THAN FOR A PARTY.

http://www.whosdatedwho.com/tpx_91935/vera-lynn/tpx_8099523

The Force's Sweet Heart.

but is this not Salisbury's Phil Knapping ?

POPE'S  ESSAY  ON  MAN,  or  SQUARING THE CIRCLE .

Way back in the early 1950's the Parting Shot from my Headmaster as he sent me to flounder in the world was that, 'I was inclined to be too kind.' He was the same Headmaster who having dismissed an allegedly dishonest Storekeeper gave him the reference 'That he was inclined to take things too easily.' Though one understood the good intent of the latter reference, I was never sure what to make of his comment concerning me, indeed presumed it was not so much an accolade as a criticism. As if teenagers' didn’t have enough to worry about without being damned with feint praise, let alone in my case having to deal with my father's Trustee Solicitors who for another seven years liked to refer to me as' The Infant'. Only weeks ago a local Guru told me that he kept telling others that I was 'A Pussy Cat'. To whom had he been speaking, and what was it that they had been telling him of me, and why had any bothered to mention an asocial hermit such as I at all? Could it be that after all some people read my blogs or my interminable comments to the 'On line Press'. Indeed confirmation of the latter came only this week from one of my Blogsters who wrote by way of response to my conciliatory comment on 'The Thatcher Affair '

' I think you sound like a nice person but I must take issue with '..... surely all would respect her Leadership, and strength of character'. No all don't. I respect nothing about her. I have profound disrespect for her, everything about her brings on tears of anger. But apart from that, your comment reminds that a gentler and kinder Britain still exists. But no more Thatchers.'

'Oh dear in spite of everything seemingly ' I'm still too kind.' What a discerning person that Blogster must be. I suffer a quadrennial disturbance at Local Governance level, for I'd oft thought to try and become a Councillor myself, not because it was my ambition to be one, but because I was for ever bemoaning the efforts of others. Way back in the 1950's and 1960's I saw no reason to presume that I had anything better to offer than those who stood for election. It wasn’t until the 1970's that I presumed to voice my dissent. That was on the basis that though a long term Conservative Voter and member of not only the Young Conservatives since the 1950's, but later the Conservative Party, I really didn’t care for the path it was then on. But preferring it to anything else on offer, voted for it and have ever done so at every General Election. However I never disguised my feeling of dis-satisfaction concerning much of its policy. Despite being a one time member of a Branch Committee I found that one had no input . Year upon year the majority imported the next batch of superannuated personnel to fuel the committee I served. After having twice stood to be an Independent District Councillor, I threw the towel in on the day Mrs Thatcher was elected to Office. Being then still in my forties I had better things to do with my life, one of which has been maintaining a watching brief on Politics, both Local and National.

What of those superannuated personnel mentioned? Mostly they were Ex Military or Ex Colonials . Every man jack of them ' seemingly under ranked' my contemporaries, all be it not me. Are such persons responsible for the perceived inadequacies of some of those whom they cause to be elected to Office? Predominately our Committee Members had no interest in either Radical Conservatism, or saw any need to provide for the morrow, preferring as they did to maintain the status quo.

I recognise that in the forthcoming Hampshire County Council Elections The Conservative Party will undoubtedly be returning two New Forest Area Councillors, who have served as not only District but too County Councillors for circa forty years. Obviously men of great experience, but both are older than I, so their re-adoption must be bad news for the wannabes.

I have not the slightest doubt that the two referred to above are talented persons, as too are the Majority of Councillors elected, but do too many owe their initial emplacement to one of the Party Political Machines rather than their own efforts ? If so does the same thing apply to some members of Parliament, and does nepotism or its like still have a part to play in selection processes ?

Rather than becoming a Political Apostate, should I too have stood as a Conservative and mentioned that ancestors had spawned two Prime Ministers, and one of the Fathers of the Confederation of Canada; or that my father by his first marriage had been an Uncle in Law to Mrs T's famed 'Stalking Horse', well maybe not that. Possibly had one mentioned that my family had owned and run father to son the same business for two hundred years, or that one of my grandfathers had been a French Mining Engineer, at the time Germinal was written by Émile Zola or that one of my half brothers had actually worked down coal mines making films for the National Coal Board. What of my Kinship to Edith Cavell and more directly the splendid lady depicted in the Illustrated Five Dollar coin issued by the Canadian Mint last year.Georgina Pope. Probably not, for all such facts are as irrelevant to my capabilities as would be the running a Grocery Store or Wall Paper Factory, However as ones DNA will out , I'll have to carry on Blogging , for those who can do, those who cant Blog.

In the midst of Death is there Life ?

An occupational hazard of the ageing is attendance at other persons' funerals all be it as a bit part player. One hears mention from fellow mourners that they have another to attend next week. Come to think of it so have I, so there comes a time one wonders in which capacity one will be attending the funeral after that. On the way to 'our' funeral we happened on a' road kill' hen pheasant whose remains were attended by her obviously distressed partner. The day before there was a piece on the Television that showed a swan which some cretin had killed with the bolt from a cross bow. A funerary arrangement following that incident, was ensuring that the bird's partner should view the body, so that he or she might move on, for seemingly Swans are monogamous for life.

Guilty of Manslaughter verdicts were recorded yesterday in the case of those six children killed in an house fire, and all will grieve for the children's circumstance, as too for the pointless slaughter of others none of us know, at every internecine conflict. Things always were so since the days of 'Cain and Abel' so who can doubt they ever more shall be so, for what can the like of us do to make things better? Fraternise and participate more, donate what one can to the Poppy Appeal or innumerable good causes, attend places of Religious Congregation, Help out at the Trussell Trust, OXFAM, Save the Children , Tend the sick and visit the Imprisoned, or write opinionated Blogs etc. etc. ? Yes of course, but all such things are but as the application of analgesia and sticking plaster to running sores. Much though such relief is welcomed by the recipient and eases the Social Awareness of those so generous with their time and effort, the root causes of such suffering are ever fuelling the despair of the innocent. Regrettably we are all implicated in such oppression by what some term 'Sins of Omission' rather than 'Of Commission.'

If such is so, what might one encourage ? Possibly for Starters all these different Shades of Christianity should get their Acts together for severally, they have already become Sectarian irrelevances in the Western World. Praying for unity is but procrastination, for the need is for

'Jam today not Jam tomorrow.' There are signs that the New Archbishop and the New Pope have laced their Spirituality with Practicality. Pomp and Circumstance is a wondrous sight to behold ,but be it in Church or State its akin to a Theatrical Presentation. One that hopefully will enhance the credibility of those holding high office, in the eyes the Majority from 'Central Casting' whether we realise ourselves to be of that ilk or not . The days of deference are no more and gold braid and its like, mind one if not of decorations on a Christmas Tree, then the content of the children’s dressing up box.

One is promised that wondrous things are to be performed ' After the next Election' that might be so, but we were promised the same things would come about after the last Election. Little changed for promises were reneged upon. I don’t suppose those we elect to Parliament stand for Election with anything other than good intent, however it is regrettable that we live in the age of the Career Politician, be he or she Parliamentarian, or Councillor, too few seem willing to rock the boat, for being in Government becomes more important than one's Personal Mission Statement. Politics is the art of the possible, since such is the case why do so many politicians campaign on Manifestos of Smoke and Mirrors ?

I suppose as usual Parish Councillors will remain unelected because too few stood for Office, but that our Unitary Council Nominations List, and too those of County and District Councils elsewhere, will be over stocked with No-Hopers standing in protest about this that or the other. Unfortunately despite their good intent, all such Swansongs will do, is slew election results to favour the Political Party each is protesting against.

PLEASE DO NOT WASTE YOUR VOTE, IT ONLY DISCREDITS YOUR CAUSE.

.

MIRROR HATCHES CURATE'S EGG IN WILTSHIRE.

I wouldn't suppose too many Tisburians get to read The Mirror Newspaper, but one heard tell that like the Curate's Egg it is good in parts. One of my Blogsters has brought an article from it to my attention, an article I commend to you.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/right-to-buy-housing-shame-third-ex-council-1743338 (BR)

Way back in 1978 and again in 1979 when offering my services as a District Councillor in the New Forest, I did so as an Independent, on two specific counts. The first was that I cared for neither the Conservative's idea of selling off the Council's housing stock, ( nor approve of Mrs Thatcher's similar error, the enfranchisement of Leaseheld Property, the Freeholds of which were owned by others.)

My second was that I did not wish to the Ampress Works Site in Lymington given over to the building of heaven only knows how many new houses for retirees. Such planning permission was granted. However happily was never put into effect, so now the Old Ampress Works as owned by Messrs Wellworthy ( Same as was in Salisbury), is a splendid Light Industrial Area, providing work for many, and the Site is shared by The Lymington District Hospital.

Here in Tisbury there are not disimmilar rumblings concerning the Station Works, old Parmiter Site, and our Government is again encouraging the sale of Social Housing (Council Housing).

This May 2nd 2013 there should not only be elections to the Parish Councils but too to the Unitary Authority. No doubt other well meaning persons will offer their Services to our community, however if all any wish to do , is sit in Council and nod his or her head in agreeance, why bother?

Our Parish isn't the Parish it was when I arrived here thirty three years ago, certainly not the Parish it was when a Distant Cousin was baptised in St. John's Church in August 1799.( Unfortunately she didnt survive the experience).

The Picture above is of Wroxton Abbey.

Hopefully this below will show The New Forest Lymington Hospital.

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Lymington+District+Hospital&hl=en&ll=50.787272,-1.539459&spn=0.244832,0.44838&sll=50.861366,-1.267591&sspn=0.264812,0.44838&t=h&hq=Lymington+District+Hospital&z=11&layer=c&cbll=50.7695,-1.545727&panoid=XKXhwL38N-iF-9fHFLP7sA&cbp=12,165.38,,0,26.59

Papalscope.

For he himself has said it, but alas since no one read it, Here is another chance for you to read the pearls of wisdom PAPALSCOPE entrusted to The Independent Newspaper over the last three weeks, I know it reads longer than that, so thought too you might enjoy this u.tube video. from an Australian production of HMS Pinafore.

http://y­outu.be/z2r9t6l_eE8

This seems to work better if cut and pasted into a new window.

• You posted a comment in The stately homes built on the back of slaves · 3 hours ago

  When is Government to compensate all those Private Landlords whose Freeholds each was deprived of for negligible compensation, when such leasehold properties were enfranchised ?

• You posted a comment in Eastleigh by-election: Ukip inflicts major setback on David Cameron · 2 days ago

  Certainly, will tell you after the next general election!

• You posted a comment in Family of RAF's finest who shot V1 rockets out the sky forced to sell medals to pay for care home · 5 days ago

  What a splendid record. Fortunately one doesnt lose title to the Decoration when disposing of the hardware , nor deprive oneself of honour attaching there to, nor of the possibility of wearing its ribbons or miniatures.

  Many years ago it was reported that the late Lady Winston Churchill  had been forced to sell off, for not dis-similar reasons
  one of her late husband' s own paintings.When the suggestion was made that The Telegraph might buy the picture, and loan it to her as a token of appreciation, seemingly she thought the picture better sold. ( as might have been the Graham Sutherland?)

• You posted a comment in Mike Lynch issues immigration plea · 7 days ago

  It would have been a better idea to educate our own skilled workforce rather than send the potentially skilled to some second grade University where at to attain a useless Degree.

  Bring back those Technical Colleges, bring back those Grammar Schools. Re-establish home based Light Industry even though  old skills were abandoned in favour of the now discredited Financial Sector. The machinations of which  precipitated our country in the Financial Mess it is now in.  Our Government's solution of so called Quantitative Easing is but another name for the devaluation of our currency.

  As current Governance seemingly  isnt up to the Job that needs to be done, maybe its shelves need re-stocking.

• You posted a comment in Birds Eye withdraws three types of beef ready meals · 8 days ago

  What then of sausages ? Are they not the' Bags of Mystery' whose name none care to mention ?

• You posted a comment in Green Deal warning for buy-to-let landlords · 8 days ago

  What a splendid  idea, knock down all the sub standard housing after evicting the tenants ? There is a great demand for accommodation now,  so why not keep the houses we already have but build new ones as well ?

• You posted a comment in Green Deal warning for buy-to-let landlords · 8 days ago

  Typical nonsense from Government ? We are short of accommodation. People need somewhere to live, whether it is efficiently heatable or not is neither here nor there. These surveys that Vendors of Houses now have to pay before selling a property are but jobs or the  boys as were those HIPS that hitherto one had to provide. However if one puts fools in Government one gets nonsense legislation. It puts one in mind of France where Vendors have to pay for a Survey that would reveal whether a house has either Termites or Lead paint. Whether a house there has either or both is of no consequence as there is no requirement for  Vendor nor Purchaser to attend the matter. Fortunately now Listed Houses here are excused the idiot expense of efficiency surveys. Its High time that heads rolled in Government.

• You posted a comment in Ministers should tell the truth about those immigration figures: they exist, and here's what they say · 10 days ago

  Understandable that Immigrants wish to send their wages back to their families, however don't suppose Sterling is useable elsewhere, so such wages have  be changed into the currency of an Immigrant's Homeland, which currency is financed by our exports. 

• You posted a comment in Over-60s are told: go back to university and retrain ·10 days ago

  Probably that is so, did have a chap at school, a while ago now, who got a scholarship to Kings Cambridge before he was eligible to sit his 'O' Level as they then were, not sure what became of him after he edited a monthly publication, certainly didn't become PM.

• You posted a comment in Over-60s are told: go back to university and retrain ·10 days ago

  What ever will become of the University of the Third Age, if all are to dream of Spires? However University was always wasted on the Young. In general it would be a far better thing if more  Undergraduates first entered employment, and only after a year or so sought a Degree, because maturity would add a certain something to the process.

• You posted a comment in Nick Clegg: Elderly should sell homes or pay mansion tax · 11 days ago

  I dont own a million pound house but ,but can share empathy with those who do, for house prices have been creeping up as the value of money has diminished over the years. What I can not understand is how  Nick Clegg ever became the leader of a once respected Political Party, let alone our Deputy Prime Minister.

• You posted a comment in Duchess of Cambridge shows off baby bump at first official engagement · 12 days ago

  How Splendid Berksire Girls are, God Bless.

• You posted a comment in Mansion tax: Labour shows its true colours with this spiteful tax on homes · 13 days ago

  Alas  Conservative Governments are as responsible for our housing debacle as are any. It was such Government that gave the right to buy,not only to Council Tenants, but too through the enfranchisements of Leaseholds, to Tenants of Privately owned Property, both classes of purchaser got to pocket money which rightly belonged to others.

   It was  Conservative Government that abolished the old Rating System, which it replaced with the Poll Tax. Not such a bad idea as it happens, as it distributed the burden of taxation amidst the many rather than the few. However that Tax soon gave way to the Community Charge, which Tax is based on all manner of absurdities. However the alleged valuations then made on houses were supposed to take into account whether the property was an Hovel or a Mansion. There is nothing new there then. Why the suggestion of yet another new tax with the army of parasites who will be hired to collect it, when all that needs doing if so minded is to adjust the banding system currently in existence. A separate' Mili-band' is uncalled for. Incidently those who have since thought to do their Hovel up are still required to pay no more than the Community Charge on the Hovel for even then re-valuations do not occur.Where was the Lyons Report buried a while back ?

  The French Government recently introduced a Wealth Tax, so no doubt Labour Government will wish to follow suit

• You posted a comment in Trevor Baylis: I've wound up broke despite inventions · 14 days ago

  All very Sad, hope it doesnt come to that, but was not this radio but a Gimmick, or representation of similar technology ?

• You posted a comment in Frances Andrade: A culture of abuse, denial and cover-up · 15 days ago

  Possibly yours wasn't a Boarding Grammar School ?

• You posted a comment in Frances Andrade: A culture of abuse, denial and cover-up · 15 days ago

  Have no knowlege of how things may have been at Gresham's but ' yesterday was indeed another country' for surely most Boarding Schools tended to boast an errant Staff Member or more Senior Boy, who to some degree or another offended propriety. Laity apart such over familiarity wasn't restricted to the Clergy of any particular Denomination.

  Maybe if such reminiscences are only now coming to light, its to give credibility to the tales of others, whose woes some would deny. Never understand how such hurts are to be compensated for financially.

• You posted a comment in David Cameron pledges to overhaul benefits system for immigrants · 18 days ago

  Apart from Benefits sought, the problem is the number of immigrants arriving, and the dependents so many bring with them. That being so where are so many to be accommodated? One has noted when holidaying in France that there is overt begging both in the streets and outside  Supermarkets.  Maybe  because France doesn't treat  its immigrants as generously as we do, that Country has become but a Staging Post for the UK.

  We have an housing shortage and under employment ourselves, and read reports of pressure on both our Schools and Hospitals, and of the sums of money paid to Translators.
  Even so cutting Benefits will do little to help, for the problem isnt Benefits, but the enhancement of our population whether incomers receive Benefits or not. One has heard tell of nett Migration, but one may wonder what that is supposed to prove.

• You posted a comment in Axe inheritance tax - it causes too much economic damage · 18 days ago

  Great to read such intellectual comment.

• You posted a comment in Axe inheritance tax - it causes too much economic damage · 18 days ago

  Inhertance tax is one thing, but executors finding the money to pay for it another. Most frequently there is a need to sell a property to release Equity, and the Property can not be sold until the Inheritance Tax is paid, and Probate can not be granted until arrangements to pay the Inhertance Tax have been made. In the meantime the property which might house the homeless remains empty.Government would do well to better organise Probate Arrangements.

  I've seen one such house empty since May last year which only today a contractor is being paid to clear of its excellent, clean, quality remaining furnishings and white goods. This because the Executors havent even been able to give the goods away for free. They tried The Salvation Army, and received back but an Invitation to drop into their Sunday Service. There was another item they wished to donate  for exhibition/ fundraising purposes. Tried everyone from the National Trust, Museum of London, The Toy Museum which is believed to be part of the V&A, and The Dickens Museum, but no takers.

• You posted a comment in Tory candidate accused of looking up Wikipedia for her Eastleigh campaign · 19 days ago

  Is this not what Wikipedia is for?

• You posted a comment in Demand from 'grey lodgers' up by 35pc · 20 days ago

  What a very sensible idea it is for compatible people of  any age to 'House Share'. There is every financial incentive so to do. Shared heating, and other services, community charges and all the rest of it. The young have flat shared for ever, why then should not the elderly do the same, providing all have their personal space , for elderly persons other than my good self do tend to be tiresome!

  Conveniences apart there is the matter of Inheritance Tax which is to remain with us. Remember that all Estates in excess of £325,000 are taxed at 40% and that there are fewer and fewer houses valued under £200,000. If one has sold such a house and dispersed the money along any legitimate Avenues, one can avoid paying Inheritance Tax.

• You posted a comment in Chris Grayling's rape comments raise fury after abuse victim's suicide · 21 days ago

  Unfortunately its our confrontational system of Justice that is to Blame. One understands that our Legal Process is the finest in the World, if it is heaven help everyone elsewhere.

• You posted a comment in Stafford Hospital carer accused of dragging 73-year-old by collar · 23 days ago

  Humanities Degree into an MB.

  'Things aren't what they used to be'.

  A
  further nail in everybody's coffin is the requirement that Nurses
  qualify through some University or another. Has this attracted recruits
  to the Profession who are more interested in attending University than
  working in an Hospital Ward? Alas now there are too many other
  attractions to be found at University, whilst Hospitals have turned
  into failing Businesses.Abolish The University entry, bring back Matron
  and expel any contractors who fail to perform.

  There was a time
  Nursing was seen as a pinnacle of achievement for any woman,(Chaps
  didn't do it much then) especially any trained at one of our famed
  Teaching Hospitals.

• You posted a comment in Home ownership falls to lowest level since 1987 ·23 days ago

  Happily one owns a home, however I know of one couple who find it very hard to find a house to buy. It is not even because they cant afford to buy, just that there are too few houses for sale. Scarcity encourages putative vendors to demand prices that their property doesnt merit. Possibly because they paid too much for it on what was seen to be an ever rising market each can not afford to sell for less than now demanded

  Regrettably much more land needs to be designated for House building whether the rest of us like it or not. Further more we should be making better use of the housing we already have. I believe the BBC has moved to Salford where ever that is, others should so diversify. Shift Parliament and the Offices of State to the Midlands and let London become as a Theme Park for Tourists.

  If we are now housing increasing numbers of persons from the EEC and Immigrants both legal and illegal they too will need a place to live. It is useless for Government to keep wringing its hands and weeping crocodile tears, and bringing in discredited schemes such as Hips, and Thermal Efficiency Ratings, when all people want is accommodation. If that means upsetting the Apple Cart, then that is what it needs to do.

• You posted a comment in Gay marriage sketch: A House divided - but mostly dignified · 25 days ago

  Which is the point of the Conservative Party ? It most certainly needed modernising but why throw basic principles out of the window too ? If there was to be an Election today I'd probably abstain from voting

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Election Fever Hits Hampshire and Wiltshire

'Pope carries out final engagements. ' writeth The Guardian. 28.02.2013.

Suppose none know the day nor the hour, but in the ineffectiveness of elderliness, the least one can do is carry on blogging self righteously, being dispirited by all one sees about one, for things used to be done differently. If the Meek are to inherit the Earth ,it will only be because others having so messed it up, will have abandoned it.
Today the outcome of the Eastleigh Election will be decided, judgement made on all of fourteen candidates, each a man or woman of integrity. However the possibility is that should any of them have figuratively appeared out of the woodwork, one wonders whether their candidacy is counter effective, by which I mean that probably such candidates will be aiding the Candidate each would least like to see elected, for all too often that is what happens, especially when it comes to Our Unitary Authority Elections. These are next scheduled to happen here about on May 2nd.
Last time around twenty six Salisbury area Parishes had no Election due to an in sufficiency of candidates, so for the last five years no Councillors have been called to account. Why should they be ? I am sure all do the very best they can. Possibly though there comes a time sitting Councillors should have said all they had to say on local affairs, and might consider stepping down, especially those Councillors who habitually fail to attend Council Meetings.
It is always exciting, for those expressing an interest in Local Governance, to see whom the various Party Political Machines are to serve up for the Electorate's delectation when it comes to our Unitary Authority. There was once a natural progression through Parish/ Town/ Borough Councils, on through County to Parliament, and thereafter the good boys and girls landed themselves a Sinecure Seat in The House Of Lords. Since Ted Heath's Local Government Reforms of circa 1964, such natural progression doesn't occur, and the local Independent has been displaced by the Party Political Whiz Kid Nominee.
The town of Lymington in Hampshire is always close to my heart. One reads of splendid happenings there. The Conservative Hierarchy having nominated a Candidate whom it seems displeases at least the Chair of the Lymington Branch Conservatives, resulted in her being suspended. Oh why oh why have we no such fun here about?

LAST ORDERS PLEASE

UNIVERSAL DISCONTENT ?

Government Minister Mr.Willetts, inexplicably nick named two brains, is quoted as saying:

'Universities will be told they should recruit more white, working-class boys in the wake of figures showing a massive slump in applications from men for courses.'

Very PC! How did Governments manage to massacre not only our Universities, but in the process all those fine Technical Colleges? There was a time one went to University or College on Merit, not for fulfillment of an ethnicity or gender quota, nor because having attended an inadequate Secondary School one wasn't able to Matriculate. One reads in the Press this Sunday Morning that an Oxford University Academic has criticised its whole entry technique. Maybe he has a point for as previously mentioned three of my immediate neighbours children failed to be selected at  Oxford interviews, but then gained First Class Degrees at Bristol and Edinburgh, whilst the third could be presumed would have got a first from Edinburgh, if Medical Degrees were rated.

'One way working class students got to University was through the Grammar Schools. All might have hoped that the Conservative element of our coalition Government would be in favour of the restoration of Grammar Schooling, however it isn't.

It isn't a matter of too few attending University, the problem was that too many inadequate' brains' have been kidded into the belief that scraping through Modular Exams and doing Course Work equipped them for a University Education. Too many sought entry to one, at a time Tuition was free, and basic living allowances were given.Who wouldn't want some of the action ? Most who made it had one hell of a time, and all too many of them came out with either an exceedingly poor Degree, or an over inflated Degree from Haunts of Coot and Hern. ( This is not a cryptic reference to any particular University.)

Conservatives used to tell that one couldn't 'level up' in life only 'level down''. How right that opinion was, and how unfortunate it is that such a truism is now ignored. When I was younger fewer went to University, and most young men did National Service, and then found themselves a job at the going rate. If such a pittance meant living at home or abstaining from the pleasures of life, worse things were said to happen at sea. In those days one didn't reach ones majority until the age of 21.

WHAT RELEVANCE IS THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND ?

Mine is not a Partisan Comment, for I have long been dissociated from anything other than Ecumenism. However when one reads that a whole Phalanx of Nuns defected from a Cof E Convent in Wantage and associated themselves with the Catholic Church, one wonders why that should be, can it be because the Church Of England is a discredited concept ? It has of course always been a very Broad Church, but there is comes a 'tipping point' where at members may think the best thing to do is 'Jump the Ship and Flounder.'

Take this business of Gay Bishops. Either the Cof E. has a disregard for those who practice Homosexuality, or it doesn't.  If it does then surely 'fessing up' to having been a practicing Homosexual, or even stating ones intent to be a non practicing one in future, should preclude one from being either a Priest or a Bishop. Leopards do not change their spots. People are different in life and I am happy that others should be allowed to do their own thing. What I find objectionable is the Mealy Mouthed approach of the Bishops' Conference. Tts attitude  is so different from the attitude of RC. Archbishop V. Nicholls, who seemingly isn't prepared to compromise over his Church's attitude to  Doctrine. The Church of England puts me in mind of that apocryphal joke of the Sailor, who  after hearing a recitation of the Ave Maria in a Catholic Church, thought that what had been said was   'All my eye and Betty Martin.'

May 'God' be with practicing Christians, and those who follow all other Faiths, and attend their appropriate places of Worship. HOWEVER  THOSE WHO REMAIN LOYAL TO THEIR FAITH SHOULD RECOGNISE THE POSSIBILITY THAT DIMINISHING CONGREGATIONS MIGHT NOT BE AS A MOTE IN THE EYE OF OTHERS.

CIVIL PARTNERSHIPS VERSUS MARRIAGE ?

Neither are matters unrelated to the above. However my Law Lexicon defines marriage as the Status of a man and a woman conjoined in matrimony.( Marriage Acts 1811-1934.) It makes no mention that the term applies to the partnership of either two men or two women. One can not doubt that Parliamentary Opportunists can amend any law they choose to amend, however opportunism isn't any excuse for unnecessarily debasing the Status Quo . Civil Partnerships rightly gave the same concessions to those in the Partnerships as are enjoyed by those who are married.Whichever tune opportunists play on their fiddle, Marriage will remain Marriage, and Civil Partnerships Civil Partnerships. Governance is not about semantics, nor to misquote the late Robin Day, the plaything of ' here today and gone tomorrow Politicians' As if we'd be so lucky! Our Prime Minister is a pleasant enough chap, however if what we have seen of his Government so far, is as good as we can hope for in the second half of his administration, possibly he'd do better to move on. Our  Shambolic Government in its inadequacy, is touching on Shoddiness. As an example, this mess up that has been made concerning Child Allowances. Whosoever was responsible for the mathematics of that, should be the first for the chop.