Thought for the day - Could you imagine Labour ever doing this

We read daily hysterical reports and critiques by Labour leaders and supporters, clearly disturbed by the publics rejection, Labour politicians are insisting on and foisting their own judgements on a government which has been in office less than three months. It really is too early to judge the coalitions economic performance, Labour having made a pigs breakfast of the economy.

Many commentators go on about Lib Dems and how could they work with the Conservatives and here is still one aspect of government we can judge thus far, the morality of this government, handling right and wrong, well so far we've seen David Cameron make a quick and formal apology for "unjustified and unjustifiable" killings of Bloody Sunday, after Lord Savilles inquiry reported, which was probably, not necessarily the easiest thing to do, given the bitterness and prejudice of Northern Ireland politics.

This week David Cameron announced a judicial inquiry in this countries involvement, in torture and rendition, since the al-Qaida 9/11 attack, we're told that rewritten advice has been recently issued to our security services.

I'd like to think Labours recent leaders would also have apologised for Bloody Sunday but just wonder if either Blair or Brown would have thought an inquiry into torture necessary.

In these most important issue's which reflect this countries morality, I feel that whatever your political stance David Cameron, has underlined Britain's core trait, fairness and honesty, something to make us all proud of being British except of course with our right wing press.

Conservaties Big Campaign idea “Mrs Cameron’s day out”

Blimey, I always viewed the current crop of Tories as a lightweight bunch of chancers, and a quick visit to the Conservatives website does nothing to change that idea, as the front page is dominated by Mrs Cameron who as far as I know is no more a politician than my own Mrs Me.

Also heavy weight Michael Caine is featured on the site’s front page, whom appeared to be somewhat  less than clear with his political endorsement earlier this last week.

David Cameron spouts on Fat Cats maybe he should checkout Tory Kent’s Gilroy Payments

There is little more embarrassing than a party leader taking the moral high ground with worthy tosh about “value for money” and “tightening belts” when his own party are possibly the worst offenders.

As I waited for my Chinese I chanced upon this article in the Sun, apparently David Cameron has pledged to “out” town hall fat cats “I’ll shame £60K council fat cats” and I couldn’t help but think what a load of Bull , does this bloke ever ask around before spouting.

I’m not going into detail but Peter Gilroy KCC’s retiring Chief Exec has been trousering around £200,000 plus (even I understand selling back his holidays), in addition he will be bagging an additional £200,000 bonus for doing his job and working up to retirement age.

Clearly council staff are not stupid and KCC have made similar Gilroy type payments to senior officers, for just doing the job their paid to do, last year creating another embarrassment when it was revealed that top bods had been getting bonus payments for god knows what, since I don’t think we were told.

Paul Carter leader of Kent’s ruling group seems out of step with thinking at the top of the Tory party, isn’t it time he just stepped down and stopped giving away our money and wasting it on rubbish projects like Kent TV & Health watch.

If Cameron does win the election it will be interesting to see if he does sort out fat cats, my feeling is it will be business as usual

Cameron’s Election Liability - Kent’s PR Health Watch snow job

As many of my readers will be aware from time to time, here at Bignews Margate we like to spotlight some of Kent Tories more er superfluous money wasting schemes, one such is KCC’s Health Watch which has hit all the buttons as far as Tory members and officers are concerned.

Most will agree its pointless, little known, incredibly expensive, overlaps professional run services, has no popular public backing and of course just like the recently debunked and now thankfully defunct Kent TV is rarely known of outside of KCC’s establishment.

By a snow job I mean of coarse, the way KCC press bods package info, here is a perfect example, I asked Kent council’s press wallahs first by phone and then emailed “I wonder if you could please either get me information or point me in the right direction as to how Kent council can a spend a budget of £300,000 pounds to process around 500 calls made to its Healthwatch help line. (excuse the typo I’m sure they knew what I meant).

Anyway a week rolled away and a few more reminders, then I got sent this bit of PR or maybe waffle, that didn’t answer the question how did they spend (or even waste the money) 300 grand on the Health Watch scheme.

KCC Cabinet Member for Public Health Alan Marsh said: "Kent Health Watch is our safety net and was set up to cost 1p per family per week and we have worked well within the allocated budget.
"I believe it is a small price to pay for the reassurance that any time of the day or night, every day of the year you can call and speak to a real person about any worries you have about health or social care.
"Kent Health Watch was set up after the c.difficile outbreak in Maidstone Hospital to stop tragic headlines like that appearing in our county again.
"Is there an equivalent to Kent Health Watch and are they open 24/7, 365 days of the year? There is no other scheme like it and that is why we've attracted national recognition. In its entirety, Kent Health Watch has been adopted by the shadow minister for health as the Conservative Party will roll out the scheme country-wide should they win the election.
"The battle to improve patient care for the people of Kent is what drives us and Kent Health Watch is a powerful weapon in our armoury. "

(Nice reference to Conservative party just what you like to see on publically funded press releases)

Kent Council spends millions of pounds on pointless PR, advertising and for little while longer “TV” lets hope David Cameron sorts out this ego massaging waste.

Cameron’s Election Liability – Kent Conservatives Health issues and the £600 phone calls

Crikey, you’d think David Cameron has all the advantages facing up to the election with a discredited Gordon Brown in government but you just wonder what might happen to David Cameron’s chances, if the press got there teeth in to Kent Conservatives bloated “Health Watch” project.

It seems to me that Conservatives in Kent just can’t add up, a bit like our incumbent Prime Minister, who’s continuing to spend, when the countries on the verge of Bankruptcy.

Here in Kent, the county council led by the Conservatives who have a history of big money, er incidents like Icelandic Banking, commissioning art galleries in the North Sea, Kent TV, non-existent flights to America and now Kent Health Watch costing £300,000 in a year for no apparent benefit.

Just ask Paul Carter how much does it cost to answer a phone? Well if its for KCC’s pointless Health Watch Advice line the cost of dealing with each call is an astonishing £600 pounds and what do they do precisely, well it seems they jot down your details and pass them on to the NHS and er themselves.

You might just think this is just an aberration on the part of Kent’s “County Tories” but no, it seems according too the influential “Local Government Chronicle”* that David Cameron is going to use this as a model, to set a new tier of national bureaucracy to rule over that other crazy expensive bureaucratic nightmare the NHS.

Its easy to blame weak and feeble politicians for wasting huge amounts of money but at the end of the day many, like I guess our Kent Tories, are bereft of ideas, and take the advice from advisors or “officers” who earn their money often from inventing pointless tasks for themselves and public sector colleagues.

What’s the solution, this country has an unsustainable raft of public sector workers, and its time politicians like Paul Carter (KCC Leader) and David Cameron, started to distinguish between those we need like refuse collectors, medics, police, frontline staff and bloated overpaid council bosses who seem obsessed with finding new ways to spend money. How about politicians say to their Chief Execs cut costs by say 10% for the next five years or find a new job.

PS Just for a laugh I thought I’d ask how KCC spends £300,000 on dealing with 500 odd calls to their Health Line, I’ll update you if KCC press office ever get back to me.

Suggested reading from Kent on Sundays report which I missed back in December which includes some fine quotes from Cllr. Trudy Dean Leader of the Liberal Democratic group on Kent County Council.

*(a magazine I think, for local government bods seeking either new jobs or some BS phrase or idea to justify their current job)

Cameron's Kent Tories "commonsense" approach deprives children in East Kent

Unless I am going completely deaf, I understand that BBC radio Kent, are reporting on news bulletins this morning, that Cllr. Paul Carter leader of Kent conservative administration believes depriving children in East Kent of grammar school places as being commonsense or as its describe as moving places I think.

Some background to this issue can be found on page one of this week's Kent on Sunday, also it has been reported in some detail here on Bignews Margate.

Essentially the situation is this, schools in West Kent, have in the pursuit of some might say excellence and others might say league tables been applying a tough selection process designed for and selecting only the brightest students, now this may seem OK but the net effect is children of Kent, who have reached grammar school standard, as laid down by KCC, are finding it difficult to obtain the grammar places despite they having earned the right to a place through hard work and diligence.

Simply put Kent Council is subsidising children from outside of Kent, probably to the tune of hundreds of thousands of pounds, therefore depriving children Kent, the education that we pay for and they're entitled to (I understand that Paul Carter resides near Maidstone).

Of course most of us, would consider it commonsense if Paul Carter the leader of Kent Council, tried to sort out this mess, where local taxpayer funded schools, act against the interests of the communities that fund them as is the case of those in West Kent. Also you might think Paul Carter would have the "smarts" in an election year to look after Kent taxpayers rather than take the easy option.

Perhaps David Cameron's team might like to have a word with Paul Carter on some of Kent council's rather contentious issues, like millions wasted on advertising, Kent TV which is yet to establish itself into Kent mainstream, health watch, etc. and of course the above.

PS I don’t agree with Kent’s Grammar Schools since they have been consistently cited as favouring middle class kids and have resulted in poorer performance than other areas.

Tory Sleeze ?- Cameron in Communications error?

Former News of the World editor Andy Coulson, according to the Guardian was editor at a time, when staff on the paper, were involved in illegally intercepting phone messages of some 3,000 politicians and celebrities according to the Guardian Newspaper.

David Cameron has taken the brave if stupid move to confirm that Mr Coulson’s job as communications director is safe “Yes of course” says Cameron.

Of course its rare, that politicians think before speaking but perhaps one of Mr Cameron’s colleagues could have just pondered on this, what sort of Editor or even communications director, wouldn’t know what his staff were working on.

Surely as Editor of NOTW, you might expect Mr Coulson to ask colleagues “got anything for this weeks paper?”, you’d think a reply “I’m just going through phone intercepts of 3000 top knobs” might just ring a bell.

Cameron’s loyalty might well go down well with a few traditional gin swilling Tory boys but mainstream opinion wont be so generous.

Maybe Cameron has arrange for Mr Coulson to take a break or resign later in the day, and maybe he’ll be calling for an inquiry into more corruption in the Metropolitan Police.

Vote for Change (An Inconvenient Truth)

So says David Cameron, as he stares out of the conservatives European Election Campaign leaflet, which although not addressed to me, I thought I best take a butchers at.

At first I didn’t realise he was referring to the Euro elections and assumed he had come to the conclusion that he got a right load of wrong uns running things in Kent but clearly not, I doubt Kent Tories wasting millions of your money on crazy failing schemes and lavish advertising would even touch the sides up at the Westminster palace of sleaze.

Still on that subject, Cameron has as many of us know been calling for an early election, as if his own crowd haven’t been up to their ankles in the trough or as in some cases the moat or lake.

Now I believe if you just take our dire economic circumstances and the extraordinary social changes that have occurred in the last five years, then the conservative party could afford to hang fire but for the fact that most of us take a superficial view of politics.

Cameron would have to go some, to not to lead the Tories into power at this point in time but how about, Labour wake up and dump Brown (which I think they might) and we get, maybe Alan Johnson or someone who at least can manage a smile rather than the Brown grimace.

Again on purely a superficial level as I type this I’m looking at the leaflet and there’s Cameron looking in control, making a decisive gesticulation with his hand but hang on a minute, has his Barnet moved north.

Blimey I reckon David’s hairline is receding faster than the polar ice sheet in Al Gore’s documentary now I’m no climatologist but I’d take a guess that by this time next year, we could be looking at a full blown comb over.

Harold Wilson I think, gave us the “Weeks a long time in politics” Labour could still their rewrite the political landscape they have a year left and with some help from the Tory leader, things could still turn chilly for the conservatives who knows.

Superficial? Yes but most of us more influenced by headlines and hairlines, than facts and detail, so I would image there is a sense of urgency in the Cameron camp before Vote for Change is effected by “ A Wind of Change” and David’s sporting a comb-over.

Sandy’s Tories Guilty of Feeding TDC Fat Cats

No surprise for readers of Bignews Margate Feb 24, when I suggested that staff would be receiving 2% and bosses a few grand more, was I right with "lets hope TDC don't have some sly deal, on the side where top knobs get some ridiculous bonus"

Last week Simon Moores chair of the general purposes committee was quoted as saying "This is a difficult and sensitive time for all pay negotiations", well he's not wrong there except when he presides over a free for all, with our money.

Particularly annoying for many in the private sector, who have either lost jobs, lost hours, had no increase, must be the fact that those in the most secure jobs locally, are to receive a two per cent increase.

Rather misleading was the suggestion that a pay award of nought percent had been made to the corporate management team, now whilst their strictly not telling porkies, there is however a smokescreen surrounding just how much, TDC top knobs have managed to snaffle from us, long suffering tax payers.

Probably the only group more furious than us the taxpayer, would be the those referred to as a senior staff, since their increase was less than 2%, offered to others, and presumably the reason for this would be to help finance TDC fat cats.

Just why old Sandy, would want to reward the corporate management team, is presumably something we will never know, but maybe it's for their competence in handling the Northdown house fiasco when they wasted thousands, rather than just check what everyone else knew (that covenants prevented the sale), or maybe not issuing a TDC press release in the style of a drop it and cop it, which is reserved for us taxpayers, should we drop litter, but not apparently when the Leader of the Council is censured for the second time in as many years for rather bad and boring behaviour, which does nothing to enhance Thanets reputation.

If our local council was reflective of the local economy, then harsh as it might sound, local councils staffing levels ought to be reduced by something of the order of 10%, however since our Sandy and his deputy Roger rarely seem to initiate policy, it's no surprise that the local Tory Group seem to have been led into a situation in Thanet ignores economic reality.

The Conservative party used to be regarded, as the party that would deliver cost effective services, if the Tories are as lazy in protecting the taxpayer across the country, as they are in Kent it will be interesting to know what David Campbell will have to offer us to voters in any future elections.

Post office closure

This week has seen, the announcement of post office closures in Thanet, which has given Laura Sandys much to get her teeth into.

It's an ill wind that blows nobody any good, and this week has seen, the Tories make plenty of capital out of the post office's announcement of local closures. It appears to me that Laura Sandys has almost been omnipresent in our local newspapers.

I am frequently mean to her opponent, Stephen Ladyman so for balance, I examine this week's PR performance. It certainly looks like local Tory functionaries, have got their act together as far as making good use of the local press (if only David Cameron were as competent in the coming up with some solid policies, it would be game over for Labour).

Now if you care to visit, Laura Sandys website, you get the impression that the main motivation for her condemnation of the post office proposals is a good sense of community and public service, which as far as I suspect may well be a genuinely held sentiment although the cynic in me, believes this to be purely a politically motivated stunt.

Still if this is part of a new softer caring, Tory party, I just wonder what or how the old guard of Mrs. T's generation feel, I imagine they're spinning in their retirement homes, let's just consider why these post offices, are being closed, unless the Tories know different, we're told that it's to do with making the post office more competitive (something which conservatives when in government have never had a problem with).

Like it or not, Tory or Labour, in the real world, tough decisions are made by people & businesses every day, and since the conservatives have always claimed to represent the interests of a free market, then regrettable as these changes are, wholesale condemnation seems out of place coming from a Tory candidate.

I doubt when push comes to shove, that David Cameron will have the stature or substance to produce a convincing win for the conservative party in the next general election, but on current form labour candidates in marginal constituencies, ought to be updating their C V's.

PS Local Labour party activists ought to take, a close look post-haste, at how the conservatives are running their campaign in Thanet South and contrast that with their apparently non existent efforts to unsettle Rodger Gale let alone unseat him at the next election.

David Cameron hands-off approach

How refreshing to see, David Cameron's pronouncement yesterday, calling for a of revolution in responsibility. In which with some justification, he criticised the Labour Party's knee-jerk reaction, of bringing in new legislation, every time there is a bit of bad news.

We often hear criticism of politicians being more about presentation than substance, well it looks like David Cameron has made a quantum leap, I think he may well be the first leader of any political party to be all presentation and no substance.

I don't follow politics in any great detail, as much as I might comment on it, but one thing is for sure, that since taking office as leader of the opposition, David Cameron has yet to come up with the goods as far as a political purpose or focus for his government in waiting.

It's all very well for him to witter on about less state interference, but unfortunately we live in a very complex society, there are certainly areas of our society which could do with a damn sight more state interference, I like the idea of trusting people more, I'm sure that it would work a treat with some of the feral adolescence roaming around Dane Valley, Newington, Cliftonville.

Plain and simple David Cameron's idea of civility seems to revert to a nostalgic vision of the 1950s , ignoring the evolution of British society, which became 'liberal' in the Sixties and Seventies with Labour, 'greedy' during the Eighties and Nineties under the Tories and now with Tony Blair, no clear cultural identity.

Still it's nice see, that a Conservative leader acknowledges society, remember the great Mrs T, once quoted as having said ''there is no such thing as society'' well it looks like Mr Cameron has his work cut out, particularly if recent local news is representative of his colleagues' attitudes, which appeared to exude more of a ''are you looking at me'' attitude than Mr Cameron's more affable ''give us a hug'' mood.

Tony Blair joins in with establishment hypocrisy?

Not surprisingly Tony Blair is albeit belatedly the latest member of this country's establishment to join in the hypocrisy directed at those recently returned captives from Iran.

There seems to have been an endless parade of tinpot politicians, journalists and others who have joined in the sickening condemnation of British service personnel who've recently been released from the clutches of Iran, a country which appears to be won by religious fanatics.

Since men and women of the country's armed services, are supposedly defending democracy in Iraq, it seems ironic to me, that these same men and women who risk their lives, should now be surrounded by controversy fuelled by the likes of David Cameron.

If you check former public schoolboy David Cameron's career in Wikipedia, you'll find an absence of his military career there's reference to Eton, Oxford and even the Conservative Research Department. Similarly with Tony Blair another public school boy Fettes College and Oxford again no military career.

So who are these leaders really, to cast doubt on those who have experienced something a little sharper, than some smart remark from a political opponent.

To me most of this debate seems to be coming from upper-class toffs, who can quite easily turn down a few thousand pounds, I'm sure both these twits will attempt to cash in on their political careers at the earliest opportunity, will anyone object of , I doubt it.

David Cameron's green flight tax

This weekend's papers are full of David Cameron's green agenda, as with all issues Green for some reason it involves paying more tax, although to be fair to him in a some sort of patronising way, the effect will be minimal on us proles, since allowance will be made for the once-a-year package tour traveller.

Now David Cameron is being a bit more conciliatory to the great British public, than the likes of Gordon Brown, however why is it that the green solution, involves the public dipping into their pocket to pay more tax.

Many people who have worked all her life and are now enjoying the freedom to travel that budget airlines have bought, I suggest David Cameron and Gordon Brown keep their hands out of our pockets.

Who are politicians, to restrict the general public from the freedom to travel by taxation. If any of these politicians were genuinely concerned about the environment, there would naturally be other suggestions coming forth apart from fuelling the Treasury.

Here's my solution for greener air travel, outlaw first class/business class cabins allowing more passengers per plane and less fuel wasted and shake-up the system that allows airlines like British Airways, to hog routes at our major airports, allowing more open competition for budget airlines.

Access to our roads should be regarded as a right and also a privilege (one that has been earned). Road congestion could be tackled by more stringent enforcement of speed limits and other traffic regulations, thus forcing bad drivers off the road also resulting in greater safety, this would be as effective and would not involve extra taxation.

Our politicians are lacking imagination, put simply we could have a greener planet, without more taxation, it's possible but unfortunately our politicians are addicted to taxation.

TORIES AREN'T ALL BAD!

I'm not sure, but I have found since I started at this blogging business, that my blood-pressure has risen, now I don't think that this is necessarily due to blogging, but more likely my age, perhaps a case of acute "grumpy old man" syndrome. Having started this blog I now feel somehow obligated, to serve up fresh insight into our world every day, even thinking maybe I ought to offer an excuse, on those days when I don't blog, as if to return to my teenage years, when improbable events occurred almost on a daily basis, preventing delivery of my school homework. Still sod it, I write these posts to relax .

What is it that makes me grumpy, is it the passing of the years, lack of achievement or the realisation that I as an individual can't influence anything more significant than whether I have tea or coffee for breakfast. Any how perhaps once in a while I should try to be positive.

This in mind I have been fairly mean to politicians of the Tory variety. So just to redress this, I would like to applaud David Cameron's, swift sacking of his colleague, who's ill judged comments on racism in the military , were out of keeping with acceptable standards.

Roger Gale's "view" in the Thanet extra is concerned as he is, unlike Tony Blair, with the high demands placed on Britain's men and women serving in the armed forces and the lack of support with materials to do their job. Additionally I see that Mr Gale has tabled a question with the Secretary of State for the Department of International Development, concerning the welfare of livestock belonging to refugees from Darfur, in Chad. This commendable indication of concern for all living creatures would certainly get the vote of many including, Mr Puss the Flaig family cat whose not easily influenced, except with a tin of tuna.

I hope it to report more positive items soon.

TORY PARTY WEBCAM
Lightweight David Cameron slips in to centre-ground

David Cameron creator of the Tory 'A' list of parliamentary candidates, some of whom, appear to have had little experience of politics or even the Tory party, prior to the selection, as would appear in the case of Adam Ricketts, is facing this week's party conference with big ideas, but little substance.

Earlier this weekend, we have seen the launch of WebCameron, (this is a sort of video diary (not for the squeamish) ) in which David Cameron presumably is hoping to reach out to the British public, although clearly he and his advisers, are unaware of the public's aversion to home videos, this looks like a big mistake to me but make your own mind up and click here.

Mr Cameron is an optimist, and God knows he needs to be, and clutching at straws he is urging the party to 'let sunshine win the day' , all I have seen so far are clouds today, but when you've yet to come up with any policies, what else can you say.

And just like a motorist, with no idea of their route, with just the determination to get their destination, Mr Cameron is to park his party in the middle lane, er sorry centre ground.

I think it's one thing to occupy the centre ground of politics, because your convictions and aspirations, match those of the majority, but to operate in the centre ground of politics, for opportunistic reasons is not going to be a vote-winner.

Having looked at David Cameron, as leader of the Conservative Party, I feel that new Labour have little to lose sleep over.

It's certainly not, difficult to see why on the week of their conference, they are once again losing ground to the Labour Party, at least Labour seem to have a common passion to serve the people of this country, unlike the Tories who, if they get into power will only serve themselves (generously)!

Paul Carter announces policy change?

Reading Kent on Sunday newspaper, I was rather surprised to see that Paul Carter leader of Kent County Council is apparently suggesting that transport infrastructure should be in place before major housing projects, this sounds like he might become a good ally of opponents to Westwood Cross Housing and also perhaps opponents to the destruction of Wye village by Imperial College and their Tory mates in Ashford and the KCC.

He even goes as far as to suggest, that if you don't have the infrastructure you're going to have chaos. Call me a cynic but last week I pointed out, David Cameron's pitiful campaign entitled Labour's Garden Grab was at odds, with Kent Tories policy of destroying, part of the garden England around Wye, surprisingly I see no mention anywhere of Paul Carter, renouncing that particular destructive policy. In fact to me this article in which Paul Carter is criticising government housing policy, looks little more than political point scoring.

Finally Paul Carter suggests that the government will have to come up with ways of improving the road network, saying the South East will become a miserable place to live in, this seems a bit rich coming from the leader of Kent council, whom are backing, apparently without reservation, the wholesale destruction of countryside around at the village of Wye.

For Kent on Sunday follow this link

Wye Kent Tories are bad for us

embarrassment for David Cameron!

If you think Kent Tories have screwed up in Margate, with the Turner centre, just consider this David Cameron's main policy initiative appears to be targeted at what Tories call ''Labour's garden grab'', therefore it must be rather ironic that one of the key developments in Kent involves building a significant new town, slap bang in the middle of ''the garden of England'' backed by leader of KCC Paul Carter and his colleague Ashford council leader Paul Clokie.

Now the development I refer, is Imperial College's plans to build what they call a science park, the bulk of which just happens to involve building 4000 new houses, presumably the science involved is in part psychological (an experiment to gauge how stupid or gullible the public are) and economic (just how much money can you make when converting agricultural land into prime residential land).

It will be of some interest to those who treasure areas of outstanding natural beauty, whether Paul Carter's KCC Tories and Paul Clokie's Ashford Tories consider a change of heart and back their leader or continue to back the destruction of the garden of England.

I have yet to see an explanation, or a reason that a science park needs to have 4000 houses adjacent, I suggest the great minds of Imperial College take a look at Pfizer Sandwich which would probably be aptly describe as a science park and note the lack of housing estates.

Does Imperial College or any of its advisers, really think that the public are so stupid as to believe that Imperial College are only interested in building a science park, I would imagine that anyone with half a brain would assume that Imperial College are seeking to make vast amounts of money from agricultural land call me a cynic, I prefer to think of myself as a realist.

Kent we all know, is one of those bastions of Conservatism in England, where you can literally put up any candidate for election, even Cameron's A-list lightweights and be sure they'll be elected. Kent Conservatives have seen leaders come and go (quite a few in recent times), and they'll still be running Kent long after David Cameron has been forgotten, so what are the chances of Kent Conservatives having a rethink and backing their leader on the environment and protecting an area of outstanding natural beauty, I'd guess zero.

Tories ironic Garden Grab Campaign

KCC's backing for Imperial College

Save Wye

PS Get yourself a Garden of England T shirt or souvenirs, before its concreated from where else you got it KCC online shop

Before the construction or distruction starts Download this handy guide to Wye Pdf format guide

Is David Cameron tough enough?

Just a quick thought, I see David Cameron has a recently taken a view that we should hug Hoodies, and even Roger Gale's View concurs.

I just think that it is a sad reflection on the state of their political health, that the leader of the opposition has not got something more significant to witter on about.

There are number of significant events at the moment for which David Cameron could show some leadership or interest, the looming energy crisis, the Middle-East, at the very least you might expect the leader of the Tories to perhaps put the knife into Tony Blairs back, given the potentially explosive money for honours situation.

Personally I do not like my leaders to be, to ruthless, but I do like to see competent people and right now it looks as if he is being to touchy feely where Blair is concerned.

Tony Blair is as close as any other prime minister in recent times to having his collar felt by the law, so unless Mr Cameron is about to give Tony a big hug, I think he should reveal whether he has the balls to make capital out of this situation.

Gales view TV interference
I have often supported Mr Gale, but in Gales view on Thanet Life and elsewhere I think the extra ( as you may know Extra is no longer free to the Flaig household but a miserley 45p so Im not sure) but this is where I draw the line.

Mr Gale appears to be with that element that concerns itself with whether the BBC, is to free to independant. I understand from his comments that Jonathan Ross another of our generations political heavy weights, has somehow upset Mr Gales sensibilities by asking Tory leader David Cameron if he had teenage fantasies about Margaret Thatcher,

What I would suggest is that Mr Gale; should really be asking himself whether his leader is up to the job, The whole point of The Jonathan Ross show is that it is frequently off colour, impertinent, lewd whatever if politicians dont want to look ridiculous or be humiliated I think they would show great judgement and maturity by not appearing on this sort of show.

If politicians dont have the depth to distinguish between politics and showbizs thats their problem not the BBC s, So please keep your mitts off the BBC Mr Gale, I'm sure the world would be a better place for politicians if we only had the likes of Sky broadcasting and other media trash like it, but in the mean time good bless the BBC and its independance.

Who?

As I think I mentioned before, I frequently work at the weekends thus I'm deprived of being shocked and horrified over a mug of Earl Grey tea and lashings of toast on Sunday morning. Good thing to, judging by this week's Sunday Times, page 2 carries this story "Tory A-lister, urges well-off to avoid burdening NHS".

Adam Rickitt, is quoted as encouraging people to use private health care if they can afford it. All well and good but you might just ask who this political heavy weight is (check it out for yourself click here), apparently he's a former star of Coronation Street.

So what you might ask yourself, but apparently this chap is one of 104 high-flyers selected by Conservatives for safe or winnable seats, David Cameron Tory party leader wishes to broaden the Conservatives appeal. I just hope this isn't indicative of the depth of political thinking that we can expect from David Cameron in the nightmare scenario that he ever gets elected as Prime Minister.

Coming back to local issues, North Thanet has been represented in Parliament, by Roger Gale for many a year and he has been a good representative for his party and constituency, but surely he must be a considering retirement at the next election and I just wonder whether the Tory party have anyone as competent as he to take his place.

Maybe it is a generational thing, perhaps Adam Rickitt, coming from a TV background might make an ideal replacement as I believe Roger Gale was in that industry as a producer himself, personally I am not convinced.

Still I haven't got anything planned for the latter half of the decade, perhaps Mr Cameron might wish to contact me (by nature I'm a liberal but I'm easily led).