Write-Place

Gordon Brown, PM, has announced that he is going to bring in a Statutory Code of Conduct for MP's. Excuse me while I fall about laughing a while longer, but this really is a joke. I have a feeling it's something to do with MTC and the implementation of their Code of Conduct that amuses me so much in this matter - but then, surely the Prime Minister must get it right even if MTC and RMBC can't manage it ? He is proposing big changes in the House of Commons… "...people want to think that their MP is accountable to them. I will be leading this debate. I want to clean up the system." he says.. Hmm..." There needs to be a link between the constituency and MP. People want to feel that their geographical area is represented. " He wants to be involved in his constituency too. Hmm... (clearly hasn't met Rt Hon Kevin Barron, MP for Rother Valley) "We will have a big debate on a new constitutional settlement." Great ! But, hang on a minute - who is g...

Are you in a dilemma over who to vote for in next Thursday's election? Have you only had 3 campaign leaflets through your door, but you have a suspicious feeling there may be more parties with cabdidates available? Have you been turning the TV off at 6.55 to purposely miss those party election broadcasts and now wonder if you are going to waste your vote? Don't worry, help is at hand.... http://www.votematch.co.uk/europe (thanks to http://rothervalley.wordpress.com for the site info) Try this and you can find out the best place to put your X on June 4th ! (apparently I should vote for Libertas, so now will have to do some reading up on them to see if they really do represent my views ) Disclaimer: I do not accept any responsibilty for anyone voting for a party which turns out to do the exact opposite of what they said they would do. This is, after all, the way of political parties in this great country of ours, it seems.

I have been considering the views of The Jury Team party. This is in an effort to find some party that I can vote for whose policies I can believe in. The party leader is Sir Paul Judge. Surely someone with a name like that can make a success of a new political party, especially as he is a "multimillionaire businessman" and intends to "clean up politics". The Guardian thinks that announcing that your leader is a multimillionaire business man is not, in current times, the best way to inspire confidence - and I think I agree on that one ! But I suppose any party needs money to get going - though apart from leafletting and hiring halls to speak to people in, I can't see what else you would need to spend money on.Has anyone any views on The Jury Team? I am still "out" on this one, which is sort of appropriate given the name.I hope I am not going to waste my vote because there is no one worth voting for.... then I would have to keep my views to myself until...

Two Maltby constituents went to see Kevin Barron at his surgery at Dinnington, on Saturday 23rd May. They are concerned about the situation in Maltby Town Council and want Mr Barron’s advice and support about what can be done to sort out the problems. Mr Barron acknowledges that the situation is bad, though appears to think that the only problems are due to the ex Town Clerk, David Morton, scenario. As we well know, this is a sorry state of affairs, but there are numerous other problems too. So guess what the Rt. Hon. Kevin Barron MP is going to do to help these two constituents help the residents of Maltby ? If you think “nothing” then you are absolutely right. Mr Barron states that he has many views on what is happening in MTC and he will speak of these views “when the time is right”, but to him, that is not now. In fact, the time will be right according to him only when he knows for sure that tax payers money is being spent incorrectly, or too much is being spent. A commendable st...

Much has been said about Maltby Town Council over the past couple of years, much of it showing the decisions and actions of some to be wholly inappropriate. Much has been discussed and written and some of us have been wrongly accused of postulating. Whatever I am accused of, I can place my hand on my heart and say that I never lie, cheat or fabricate. I have and will continue to follow through my words with actions. This is not a “holier than thou” attitude – it is me. Democracy is non existent in MTC. What are you, the reader of this, doing about it – if you care ? A few quotes on this subject: “Take time to deliberate; but when the time for action arrives, stop thinking and go in.” Andrew Jackson “An idea not coupled with action will never get any bigger than the brain cell it occupied.” Arnold Glasgow “The shortest answer is doing.” Lord Herbert of Chirbury “People may doubt what you say, but they will believe what you do. “Lewis Cass “We cannot do everything at once, but we c...

A year since the local elections, where two BNP councillors gained seats from long standing Labour councillors in the Rotherham Borough. John Gamble took the Brinsworth and Catcliffe seat from the Mayor of Rotherham and William Blair, Maltby, from long standing Labour councillor Glynn Robinson. Headlines then were “Labour Disaster”, “Damning Indictment”, “Shock Results Outcry at BNP”. I have recently commented that then, there was debate about how BNP policies might affect Rotherham and that concerns were shown by many. So, almost a year to the day, I again went to interview Cllr Will Blair at his home in Maltby, where his pigeons still flutter in their lofts in the garden and his poodles still seek attention around visitor’s legs. Previously, I had asked him if I could quote directly from a list of BNP policies. This time I asked him if I could put questions from residents of Maltby directly to him. His answer was the same “Ask me anything you want - I am here to help the people of ...

In a discussion this morning on TV, it was suggested that : “Having a conscience is knowing that someone may be watching you”. What nonsense. That surely, is having a guilty conscience. Conscience is, in my opinion, being able to distinguish between whether your own actions are right or wrong and it is then your own choice to decide what further actions you take. This is an individual ‘s decision and based on that individual’s own judgement of their own moral code. It might be that this code is based on religious views, culture, society’s persuasion or a personal philosophy, but conscience is something that is there or not, regardless of outside opinion. It is the outside opinion versus our conscience that informs our attitude. If we feel that “someone is watching us” (in this context) then it shows that our conscience is in conflict with our morals, but is does not define it. My conscience often gets me into situations that could have been avoided, but then I would have been going ag...

I do not wish to quote newspaper articles - you can read those yourselves in The Advertiser, Maltby News and others. Currently, there are numerous people concerned not only about the fact that the school may become an Academy Trust ( I say may, because there are many who do not intend to let this go ahead without further discussion) but also that the consultation process has not been carried out in a satisfactory way. Despite what RMBC and Mr Sutton say, the consultation has been proven, and acknowledged, to be flawed (ref. Graham Sinclair and Cllr Shaun Wright) Today, a number of people have spoken to "the public" on the High St, and it is clear that there are very many that would like a further consultation on the issues.So, a group went to see Cllr Amy Rushforth at her surgery at the Services Centre. They explained their concerns about the consultation and asked that she support the people of Maltby in getting a further, more accurate public consultation. Cllr Rushforth...

This blog was not started with the intention of being “political” but I am finding more and more that what I am feeling and want to write appears so. I have, of course, said many times that I am not “party political” but to me “politics” is something that by nature, is a large part of our daily lives. It is not just about the activities of the government or law making organisations, but about how we try to influence the way we are governed. My philosophy on the way I try to live my life, is that if I believe that something is not “right” then I challenge it, and of course try to influence change. If I do not do this, then I am not doing my duty as a citizen in a democratic society. This is my opinion. (For the benefit of my MP Kevin Barron, this is perhaps rhetoric, but not “anti-Labour rhetoric” as he labels my opinion). I was asked this question the other day : “Why put yourself on this mighty crusade to right every wrong in this town?” Now, this was on a forum “chat” and the questi...