Op-ed: Thursday this blogger will be out voting in local council and PCC elections. Paula Baxter, Labour, a local woman who knows and understands the many challenges voters face on a daily basis will get my vote in Boothferry Hull Ward. Humberside PCC candidate Keith Hunter, Labour, will also be my choice. In 2016 local council and PCC elections are more important than ever to Labour voters. The Conservative party is tearing itself apart over the upcoming in / out EU referendum but unless you look closely you may miss that; the mainstream right-wing section of the media is concentrating on Labour party woes which are part of a Tory smear campaign. So first the Tories who are:
But when they are on the ropes the so-called Nasty Party, the Tories, run true to form. In the House of Commons Thursday Chris Grayling, Tory and Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons since 2015, used and abused parliamentary privilege. He made vague allegations against Labour's Humberside PCC candidate Keith Hunter. The Yorkshire Post reported Thursday "Mr Grayling was responding to a question in the Commons today from Brigg and Goole MP Andrew Percy over whether former police officers standing to become PCCs should be forced to make public their service records.The Leader of the Commons responded: “I am aware of allegations about the Labour PCC candidate in Humberside. “If the stories alleged about that candidate are true, he is unfit for public office, and it is a matter of public interest that the truth should be known before election day."” So there the 'allegation' sits festering in the air ahead of the election. Andrew Percy later tried distancing himself from Grayling's naming and news channels reported Thursday night that Grayling's office had not responded to requests for comment. He has still not responded. Sunday the affair was mentioned on the BBC morning political shows along with the John Mann and Ken Livingstone row that has been grabbing headlines since Thursday. Helped along by backstabbers within the party, those wanting to oust Jeremy Corbyn as leader, the right-wing is having a field day; and that includes the right-wing of Labour. As I type BBC lunchtime News again has Jeremy Corbyn, John Mann and Ken Livingstone as the lead story this time with London Mayor candidate Sadiq Khan thrown in for good measure. The top billing spot should tell you all you need to know; it is a smear campaign pure and simple. In Humberside the current PCC and up for re-election is Tory Matthew Groves. Mr Hunter has accused Groves of failing in the role he has held since 2012. Grayling and his colleagues have a vested interest in ensuring Groves is re-elected and follows the party line on policing. A spokesman for Mr Hunter said: “Keith has an exemplary record from 30 years’ service for Humberside Police with Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of the Constabulary stating he made ‘an outstanding contribution to performance in all his posts’. And Sunday the smear hangs in the air possibly affecting how some people will vote. If you are a Labour supporter in Humberside voting locally has never been so important. Tory and Ukip voters will be out in force and we must follow suit. If you support Jeremy Corbyn as Labour party leader ignore the hype, smears, right-wing media manipulation and backstabbers in the party and send a message to the Parliamentary Labour Party and the Tories. Labour often lose out to voter apathy but not this time if you play your part. PCCs are a fairly new and Tory concept. But like it or lump it they are here to stay at least for the foreseeable future. Thursday May 5 get out and vote and make that vote count. Under the terms of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011, PCCs must: http://www.labour.org.uk/pages/how-we-work
http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/grayling-raises-labour-candidate-allegations-1-7882517 http://www.apccs.police.uk/role-of-the-pcc/
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Op-ed: Westminster parliament finally got back to work Monday after a long Easter break. High on the agenda was the fall out of the panama leaks scandal. It was a damage limitations exercise for PM Cameron, his Chancellor and most of his MPs. As slippery as an eel Cameron slithered on and off the hook a few times but his reputation is forever tarnished and he has lost the trust of many people around the UK. Many like me never had any trust in 'Call Me Dave' in the first place. The Commons debate was a mixture of many things with double standards and hypocrisy riding the crest of a wave. Veteran Labour politician Dennis Skinner was thrown out of the chamber for calling a spade a spade or rather PM David Cameron Dodgy Dave. Skinner's 'red card' highlighted Commons' hypocrisy when the PM is allowed to disrespect Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn by telling him by proxy to do up his shirt, put on a tie and sing the national anthem and simply attracts hoots of laughter. That incident was reported by the Guardian as follows "Dave let rip: “I know what my mother would say. I think she’d look across the dispatch box and she’d say: ‘Put on a proper suit, do up your tie and sing the national anthem’” in a piece that was aptly titled "David Cameron lets his mask slip with 'do up your tie' jibe at Corbyn." When a Tory backbencher and his pals looking and sounding for all the world as if they are in a drunken football thugs stupor attacked Mr Corbyn with 'Who are ya Corbyn' they were allowed to continue. We reported at the time "It is sickening to read in the Independent that Tory backbenches opted to try once again to drown out the words of the leader of the Labour Party, the official political opposition in the Commons but this time they overstepped the public school bully boy mark. Chanting 'who are ya' as Mr Corbyn began to speak shows the Tories in all their despicable glory. A bunch of hoodlums who do not respect democracy or our parliament. Neither do they respect the electorate many of whom will have tuned in." House speaker John Bercow, Conservative, was the speaker of the day on both of those occasions but he failed to hold Cameron or his MPs to account. Perhaps calling Cameron Dodgy Dave was a step too far and not really funny as it had more than a ring of truth to it. It certainly hit the mark for many people as Dodgy Dave has become a well-known description of Cameron over the last few years. Either way Mr Skinner, 84, left the chamber like a naughty schoolboy after Bercow spoke to him as we would address a three-year-old child. Dennis Skinner is a giant of a man in all but stature. He has served his constituency well over many years and has humble roots in a coal mining community and as a former coal miner. If you want a glimpse into this man who still refuses to cosy up to the establishment and British royals check out his book "Sailing close to the wind." This is not the first time Mr Skinner has called Cameron Dodgy Dave to his face. In July 2015, during a heated Common's Exchange, as Skinner tried to discuss the closure of Doncaster's Hatfield Colliery, one of Britain's three remaining deep coal mines Mr. Skinner shouted "No wonder they call him Dodgy Dave... A man who went to Eton.." The rest of the MP's pronouncements were drowned out by jeers as Speaker John Bercow tried desperately to restore order reports the Daily Mirror. "It's very good to see the Labour party in full voice cheering on Jurassic Park," joked David Cameron. "I would stick to the movie." So it is OK for Cameron to respond to a jibe with an ageist comment? Monday one low-life MP stood out and that was Tory Sir Alan Duncan. His assessment of low achievers as judged by a lack of wealth really says it all about the British Tory party. If you are working or middle class and fall for the hype shame on you. Monday and into Tuesday #lowachievers and #DodgyDave trended on Twitter and social media as people vented their fury. Has Cameron and his government reached their 'let them eat cake' moment yet or have they raced past it? Saturday a long planned national protest in London will go ahead; it will be supported by last weekend's 'resign Cameron' protesters and more. Alan Duncan high achiever:- Alan Duncan claimed thousands for gardening Alan Duncan links to Libya oil cell William Hague's clumsy friend Alan Duncan Related reading: Happy birthday Dennis Skinner political hero and funny man Theresa May to heed Battle of Orgreave campaigners
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British political scene
The next General Election in the UK may not be scheduled any time soon but the British political landscape is changing. With that in mind this blog will concentrate on the political scene but with a left wing perspective. Opinion pieces and news will bring you the stories that the MSM prefer to ignore. Archives
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