The opening of Turner contemporary's latest offering the sculpture by Rodin "The Kiss" was apparently enlivened by a group of animal rights protesters seeking publicity in their campaign to stop live animal exports from Ramsgate Port.
Details of which can be found on the this is Kent website by Gazette reporter Andrew Woodman and if you are prepared to poke around there is insight from Cllr Ian Driver's twitter stream and Stop live exports group on facebook .
Seeing Ian Drivers name pop up in connection with the protest, I was curious to find out about his status with the local Labour party, with that in mind I thought I would give him a call, unfortunately he was unable to verify whether he was still in the Labour party or outside.
I suppose whether this is good or bad news for Labour is a moot point, certainly I can only imagine that Labour leader Clive Hart, assuming he is still leader, must be regretting the day that labour selected Ian Driver rather than the former councillor Mark Nottingham to represent the Northwood constituency.
Still perhaps it is a perfect time for Clive Hart and Thanet Labour to let bygones be bygones to decide, who if any of them is prepared to kiss and make up.
Assuming Labour could bury the hatchet, we could have a marvellous publicity shot of a group hug, in front of Rodin's Kiss, which might just go some way to redress, the cheap negative publicity bought about by a recent or current member of Thanet Labours council group.
No one in their right mind would endorse the squalid trade of exporting live animals on long journeys to god knows where, however this has nothing to do with the Turner Contemporary, the staff or indeed us locals who have seen an encouraging boost bought about by the gallery, to our own conditions, culturally economically and perhaps local pride morale.
Which seem's to count for nothing, on Cllr Ian Drivers (Labour ?) agenda thanks! Let's just hope this isn't all about Ian Driver!
Details of which can be found on the this is Kent website by Gazette reporter Andrew Woodman and if you are prepared to poke around there is insight from Cllr Ian Driver's twitter stream and Stop live exports group on facebook .
Seeing Ian Drivers name pop up in connection with the protest, I was curious to find out about his status with the local Labour party, with that in mind I thought I would give him a call, unfortunately he was unable to verify whether he was still in the Labour party or outside.
I suppose whether this is good or bad news for Labour is a moot point, certainly I can only imagine that Labour leader Clive Hart, assuming he is still leader, must be regretting the day that labour selected Ian Driver rather than the former councillor Mark Nottingham to represent the Northwood constituency.
Still perhaps it is a perfect time for Clive Hart and Thanet Labour to let bygones be bygones to decide, who if any of them is prepared to kiss and make up.
Assuming Labour could bury the hatchet, we could have a marvellous publicity shot of a group hug, in front of Rodin's Kiss, which might just go some way to redress, the cheap negative publicity bought about by a recent or current member of Thanet Labours council group.
No one in their right mind would endorse the squalid trade of exporting live animals on long journeys to god knows where, however this has nothing to do with the Turner Contemporary, the staff or indeed us locals who have seen an encouraging boost bought about by the gallery, to our own conditions, culturally economically and perhaps local pride morale.
Which seem's to count for nothing, on Cllr Ian Drivers (Labour ?) agenda thanks! Let's just hope this isn't all about Ian Driver!
Still maybe Local Labour Leader Cllr Clive Hart could just sack him from the Labour Party pronto, if he'd like to maintain any credibility.
Hi Tony. Nice to talk to you today. Linking our campaign to the Kiss was inspired. We will do more and more of this. Why? Because something cruel and barbaric is happening in Ramsgate. It needs to be exposed and stopped and getting publicity is a important way to do this. This is a non-party political campaign and it is backed by the RSPCA and Compassion in World Farming I call on your readers to sign our petiton
ReplyDeletehttp://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/16024
regards
Ian Driver
Ian, Either your a Labour councillor, or not, nobody outside of farming and the food industry condones the vile practice however.
ReplyDeleteThe stunt pulled today will impact negatively on Margate and thanet.
Another day another issue last week it was social housing, assuming you represent your ward and those who live and work on these parts, you might have some consideration for people who contribute to allowance and status as a councillor.
I hope your concern for animals does not go to that extreme, which negates humanity and sympathy for a worthy cause.
I was there, & many people passing just assumed it was an art "event".
ReplyDeleteTony sorry you have a negative attitude to pro-active campaigning. my interests as a indvidual and politican cover human rights, animal welfare, social housing, fairness and justice for all I will continue to raise this issues even though you seem to think i am pulling stunts. We will have to agree to disagree
ReplyDeleteI suppose the real point, Cllr Driver, is that the vast majority of us already oppose the transportation of live animals so one wonders who you are demonstrating to impress. Surely the change on rules has to come from Brussels so maybe you should be over there with your banners.
ReplyDeleteHas nothing to do with TC, great cause but badly thought out publicity stunt though.
ReplyDeleteanonymous if you oppose sign our e-petition. For your information there is a lot the UK parliament can do and we have already got the support of several Euro MEPs. Its easy to crticise and stand back and do nothing. A lot of people in Thanet are working very hard to change the law including demonstrating outside the Turner. Where were you I wonder - sniping from the sidelines i bet
ReplyDeleteAs a Margate resident I agree with the comment that it will actually bring more publicity to The Kiss and Turner so I don't see it as negative.
ReplyDeleteI'm not an animal rights activist but have got to say that I think that this was a very good bit of thinking to draw attention to their campaign.
With the general apathy on so many fronts it's good that people are willing to take peaceful action for a cause they believe in.
10:36 One can abhor the ill treatment of animals without necessarily taking to the streets or, as you put it, sniping from the sidelines. I have written to my MP, to newspapers, made donations to animal charities but I don't do street protests on the basis that the police have enough to do without adding to their workload. To each his own.
ReplyDeleteSee 10:36 is a typical furry hugger. Big on animal rights but unpleasant to his fellow huiman beings.
ReplyDeleteYep 11:57, same as the green marxist global warming nazis.
ReplyDeletehttp://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/jamesdelingpole/100107476/killing-ugandans-to-save-the-planet/
Peter, go over to Nethercourt roundabout in Ramsgate and see the coppers wasting their time in cars when these huggies are trying to intercept the lorries. All public demonstrations have to be monitored just in case so it follows they waste police time.
ReplyDeleteAgreed 12:47 and next they will be campaigning for sheep hugging as a life style choice!
ReplyDeleteTony, if you click on Thanet Lab on your side bar it seems that cllr Driver has been removed from the list of councillors but he is still Lab on TDC web site and on Thanet Labour web site.
ReplyDeleteAnyone checking Driver's past could have predicted he would be a problem to the party except, it would seem, the Thanet Labour leadership. Whatever did poor old Mark Nottingham do, apart from showing a bit of ambition, to be cast aside for this rabble rouser.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion Mark Nottingham never did show ambition. He always made it clear he did not want the labour leadership - In fact he supported Clive Hart (bad judgement there methinks!). What he wanted and dared to stand up for was to make the lazy councillors do their share of work for their constituencies and allowances. Unfortunately he also uncovered a load of corruption in the process which Labour have been busy burying ever since...
ReplyDeleteBy ambition I meant that he showed an interest in becoming a parliamentary candidate, something covetted by you know who. Hence his demise.
ReplyDeleteI find this bickering about who is Labour,who is not and the sniping about it really tiresome when there is something happening in Ramsgate that should cross all party lines.
ReplyDeleteHumanity surely comes before a vote here and a vote there.
I think most of the people of Thanet abhor the trade of live exports but Ian has connected with Thanetians who are willing to stand up and be counted rather than just whinging about something that they could change if they supported him.I don't care if it's Labour,Tory or the monster loonies,this wrong must be righted.
This is not a time for sitting on the sidelines whining about politics,it is far bigger than that.
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/16024
Ann, if you troubled to read the post, it refers to Ian's standing with the local Labout party hence the various comments on that issue. Whether he has connected with certain people in Thanet on the issue of exports maybe, but it would appear that he had disconnected with the local Labour group on the council for he is now exluded on their Thanet Lab list.
ReplyDeleteAs to your protest, you need to get the message across the water to Brussels for it is EU policy that would have to change and lobbying MPs and MEPs could be more effective than shouting at lorry drivers who are just doing a job.
Mind you, does protest ever work? Years ago I was at demos where the then Labour faithfull supported CND and the likes of Benn and Wilson spoke sneeringly about our nuclear deterrent. What happened when they were elected to government? They kept the jolly old nukes and we still have them today. It is all about vote winning whether you like it or not.
Would be a better idea to exit the [i]verduiveld[/i] EU altogether.
ReplyDeleteHere is why:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdb5YT8RPDA
Tom,
ReplyDeleteYou still do not seem to understand,this NOT POLITICAL and I have read the posts very carefully,hence my comment.
Moreover if you checked further you would see that this fight is being taken to Brussels with the help of Peter Skinner MEP for the South East,MP's are being lobbied and contact has been made with Dutch authorities.
Going back to the regeneration issue what would be better for Thanet than to be recognised countrywide as the place that finally put a stop to this evil trade !!
[quote]The stunt pulled today will impact negatively on Margate and thanet. (quote)
Tonybignews- The stunt as you call it hasn't done damage to Thanet as it was received very well by all of the visitors spoken to.
The damage to Thanet's reputation is being broadcast worldwide via social media as an area that is associated with the live export trade.
The Council now support us and we need every person in Thanet to speak out against it without political dogma coming into it.
Ann, I do appreciate you mean well and I support your cause but, perhaps the passage of time has made me cynical. I do recall those huge demonstrations of the
ReplyDelete60's and 70's, followed by the Greenham Common ladies long vigil, to what purpose. Politicians who lined up with CND when in opposition did nothing when in power.
Like I said, you may well be apolitical and people across the spectrum support your campaign, but do not trust politicians who appear to be with you. They only are as long as there are votes in it for them.
Peter, would not dispute what you say but does it make any difference? Like I said with CND they never did get nuclear disarmament despite Harold Wilson, Tony Benn, Bruce Kent and sundry others lining up with them. Us little folk just get used for our votes - end of story.
ReplyDeleteNot because of the ladies, Peter, but because a change in the cold war scenario made land based missiles no longer necessary. They are now fired from submarines, surface ships or plane launched. Ask the Iraqis?
ReplyDeletePeter Checksfield - Tom Clarke is right for Thor ICBMs are no longer at Hemswell, Vulcans no longer at Scampton or Waddington, nuclear artillery has been dispensed with and the TSR2 never got operational. All decision driven by changing strategy and cost but not public protest. Protestors mind as well stay at home watching the telly for all the good they do.
ReplyDelete