ELECTION ADDRESS

Continuing the publication of election leaflets from this years NBC Elections here is the A4 trifold election address delivered over the Bank Holiday weekend.As always click on each picture to magnify. I hope you enjoy it.

THERE NOW FOLLOWS A NON PARTY POLITICAL BROADCAST ON BEHALF OF YOU

Are we the first? Maybe we will be the last? But we couldn't resist putting our views on video.

Its a party political broadcast without any party and its NON party political (if you get our drift)

Malcolm said:

"Even Errol Flynn had to start his big screen career somewhere, and a Northampton debut never did him any harm"

We hope you enjoy watching it as much as we did making it.......................

TORYSPOTTING

"So why do they do it? I could offer a million answers, all probable. The truth is they are just bad people, and that's not going to change, Of course they say they have changed. That we have seen the last of uncaring conservatism; but the only cleaning up they do is financial and personal before moving the money on to an overseas bank, going straight? and choosing life? Only at someone elses expense. DAVE's enjoying it already. He says he wants to be just like you; the job, the family, the f*cking big television, the washing machine, the car, the compact disc and electrical tin opener, good health, low cholesterol, dental insurance, mortage, starter home, leisurewear, luggage, three piece suite, DIY, game shows, junk food, children, walks in the park, nine-to-five, good at golf, washing the car, choice of sweaters, family Christmas, indexed pension, tax exemption, clearing the gutters, getting by, looking ahead, until the day you die." But he, BORIS and GEORGE just can't pull it off. Is it a class thing? You bet your b*llocks it is.

Not smart, not funny, sickly and sometimes just plain unconscious, DAVE is a true blue rinse hero of our times. Set in an underbelly of West London the city fathers always dreamed of, TORYSPOTTING is the story of DAVE and his so-called friends - a bunch of losers, liars, psychos, tax dodgers and flunkies. Hilarious but harrowing, the film charts the disintegration of their friendship as they proceed, seemingly inevitably, towards the self destruction of themselves and the whole f*cking country. DAVE alone says he has the insight and opportunity to escape his fate and be just like you and me but then again, does he really want to "choose life as we know it"?

If so he should choose leisure wear and matching luggage. Choose a three piece suite on hire purchase in a range of f*cking fabrics. Choose DIY and wondering who you are on a Sunday morning. Choose sitting on that couch watching mind-numbing spirit-crushing game shows with Ant and Dec whilst stuffing f*cking junk food into your mouth. Choose losing your job because someone has to pay off the deficit created by your mates at the bank. Choose rotting away at the end of it all, pishing your last, in a miserable care home that can't even afford to feed you after they have taken their profit out of the reduced monies coming from a Tory Council, until your nothing more than an embarrassment to the selfish, screwed-up brats you have spawned to replace yourself. Choose your future. Choose the Tories.

IS TRUE EQUALITY ONLY EVER REALLY ACHIEVED BY DEED AND ACTION?

A little break from the election!

Now don't get me wrong, pitch invasions are not to be condoned, they can of course  lead to further unrest and further trouble, and the host club is often fined, but once in a while they are accepted as just part of footballs rich tapestry.

So when around 50 Cobblers supporters last night raced onto to the pitch to celebrate a wonderful 92nd minute injury time equaliser by Liam Davies, the stewards were cool enough to realise that this was just such a moment, no arrests needed, just a stern shepherding back into the Dave Bowen Stand. You can almost imagine the stewards saying

"Come on boys you have had your fun, now get off the pitch, before we need to get heavy"

All's well that ends well you say ! But this particular pitch incursion had not ended.

You see Northampton Town Football Club has far more disabled supporters than most teams, and it one of a handful of grounds that a wheelchair user can watch their football from any of the four stands, at ground level, or elevated, and one of our disabled fans (Derry?) complete with motorised wheelchair wanted part of this particular celebration.

He set off therefore from his position in the East Stand to join all  the happenings in front of the Dave Bowen (North) Stand, but by the time he and  his motorised wheelchair had made it onto the pitch the rest of the crowd had been cleared, The ball had been returned to the centre circle and the ref was waiting to restart the the last few seconds of the match. But there was Derry stranded in the middle of the pitch! The crowd took a double take:

 "is that"

"no it cant be"

"why is there a guy in a motorised wheelchair in the middle of the pitch?"

Having the time of his life was the answer, and also knowing that every second he took to clear the pitch would bring the final whistle and a well earned point for the Cobblers a few seconds nearer,so  he decided that instead of going back to the East Stand where he came from (10 yards) that he would make it all the way to the Dave Bowen Stand (60yards) at any cost.

The rest as they say is history, recorded by mobile phone for us all to enjoy,  he was given a heroes welcome by the Cobblers fans in the Dave Bowen Stand and a standing ovation from every other Cobblers supporter at Sixfields. The stewards were powerless, after all they could hardly go on and lift him and his wheelchair off the pitch! and given that every other incursion of the pitch a few moments before had gone unpunished then how could they get heavy with this new found Northampton Town hero?

The game eventually restarted and then finished as the crowd celebrated the well deserved point.

But another point had been made.

"All football fans are equal, but at some clubs some fans are more equal than at others"

Another first for Northampton's strong Independent nature and history, the first pitch invasion by a supporter in a motorised wheelchair.

Derry, as much as I shouldn't, I have to say

"Well done sir, I salute you"

ELECTION LEAFLETS

As always to keep people in the loop as to our local campaigning I copy below jpegs of our election leaflets so far. Please click on them for bigger pictures. These were our draft sheets for proof reading prior to print so no wise cracks on the typos please!

In addition to Castle Ward the little Risograph in the back room has also been churning out material by the Independent candidates in Delapre & Briar Hill (Graham Walker) Semilong (Steven Richards) and St James (Derek Jones)

All leaflets are printed on paper from sustainable sources and with Soya (vegatable) Ink so even our Green Party friends who get a mention on each leaflet will be happy.

I hope you enjoy, comments always welcome, and more leaflets to come!!

A3 Intro front

A3 Intro back

Postal Vote front

Postal Vote back

Billing Road Special front

Billing Road Special back

ELECTION SHORTS

Just a few snippets from the weeks campaigning:

VOTE LABOUR - MAYBE NOT

News reaches me of another fine piece of electoral brilliance from East Midlands Labour Party who it seems are running the Northampton Campaign from their office somewhere up north.

This week they spent a lot of members hard raised cash by sending out glossy leaflets to target voter telling them all the reasons why they should vote Labour in the Local Government Elections on Thursday May 5th 2011.

And where did they send them?

Phippsville of course, one of the several seats where they have failed to stand a candidate.

What was it about fools and their money? And which of the named candidates elsewhere will this election expense be placed against?


I WILL MEET THEM YESTERDAY

Thursday's online Chron debate on Sixfields had me chuckling as the big three out bid themselves as to how quickly they would meet the Cobblers and the Saints after they took power after the election
.
"Within 50 days of taking office" said Labour Leader Lee Mason totally forgetting that she had told the Chron that the party were aiming for 15 seats of the 31 contested by the Party out of 45 vacancies. Hmmm problem there Lee, If your aiming for 15 and you need at least 23 for a majority (almost impossible out of 31 candidates) then your not going to take office are you?

"The week after the Vote" said David Palethorpe trumping Labour

"We have already met them lots of times" Said Brian Hoare on behalf of the Lib Dem's (well a lot of good that did)

I met with someone from the Saints last weekend he added getting ahead of himself

"Monday 9th of May said David Palethorpe", the first working day after the vote

"The day after the election we will be on the phone to organise a meeting with the Saints and the Cobblers" said Lee Mason for Labour still forgetting that difficulty of forming an administration on the 15 seats she hopes to win.

The oneupmanship on who could meet who first was only marginally beaten in the humour stakes though by the often off topic and nauseating one sentence platitudes posted by all three leaders. My favourites in order were:

1) Lee Mason (Lab): "Northampton Labour supports bigger sports stadiums."

2) Brian Hoare (Lib Dem)"Don't take any notice of the vote on the screen it is easily manipulated."
after his party was reduced to 8% in voting intention

3) Lee Mason (Lab) "Good luck to the Saints / Cobblers in their next match"

4) David Palethorpe (Con) "Pete - you mention parking in the town centre, that's why Conservatives would introduce the first hour of free parking in Borough Council car parks" er.... slightly off topic David

5) Lee Mason (Lab) "Sue, My view is the same as yours in that we should have had IKEA here in Northampton"securing the shopping vote

As to what each of the Parties would actually do rather than meet and hold more talks? Well that bit was as expected missing, and despite a couple of questions to them offering cross party support and a few solutions they as usual stayed silent and pretended the Independents who posted on the site were not really there!

It was like being back in the Council chamber!

THE PICKLES VOTE

Whilst out campaigning in Scholars Court, myself and Malcolm couldn't resist knocking the door of one local resident called "Eric Pickles"

Was it the man himself? Eric got himself in hot water once before with a live Question Time audience over the need for his "second home " to be paid for from his parliamentary allowances.

We wondered if we had found a third?

Unfortunately for all. the big man, if it was indeed him, was not at home.
But we may call back.


NEVER MIND THE QUALITY LOOK WHERE ITS PRINTED!

As the risograph printer in my back room goes into hyperdrive with Independent candidates all printing off their own leaflets to save cash and the environment (it uses vegetable soya ink) News reaches me of an upset in the Castle Ward Labour camp about how useless the material is being sent down to them from the Nottingham Office!

They are very poor, in fact pretty pointless, but then what should they expect from someone sitting behind a computer 60 miles away who has probably never been to the ward? 
The imprint is also interesting:

Printed by Grafton, 23 Upper Prior Street Northampton NN1 2PT, Published and Promoted by George Carr - Williamson on behalf of Mohammed Aziz; Danielle Stone and Winston Strachan, all of 23 Barrett Lane, Attenborough, Nottingham, NG9 6AD.

So apart from us not knowing who Grafton is? and there being no such place as Upper Prior Street, it also seems as if the three candidates rather than being c/o the regional office all seemed to have moved there!

In despair I now understand that my old mate Winston Strachan has decided enough is enough and he has produced his own leaflet, to counter the East Midlands Offices punt attempts?

I haven't seen one yet, but I will keep my eyes peeled.

WILL CLEGGMANIA ONE YEAR ON BE AN ELECTION ISSUE?

Do you remember a year ago this week when the Lib Dem's topped the pre election national opinion polls after strong showings by their leader Nick Clegg in the live TV debates?

"Just think how many times you've been given promises from these old parties. and when they get back into government, you find that nothing really changes at all, we can do so much better than that this time"

Said Nick

Well having signed a pre election pledge to scrap tuition fees and warning all that would listen about the Tory's VAT bombshell, he then of course went on to support the rise in tuition fees to £9000 and back the increase in VAT to 20%. It seems he was right in his pre election warning to us all apart from of course telling us that his was one of the same old parties who would do anything and say anything to get into power..

The following big dip in national support for the Lib Dem's since is therefore understandable but what effect will it have locally in the forthcoming Borough Council Elections?

Well it will have some effect of course, no local party can ride out the unpopularity of their Westminster Leaders, but some local voters may look to more local issues, but there also it seems that the picture is not too rosy for the Local Lib Dem's.

Despite there brave attempts to rewrite the local press headlines people I speak to rate their four year term in office a lot lower than they themselves do. The Focus leaflets may tell us that they saved the market and managed the books efficiently, but on the doorstep voters say they have wrecked the market and cut services to the core. The fountain is either "a wonderful new addition to the street scene" if promoted by the local Lib Dem team or "Another waste of bloody money on something which never works" if you ask the public.

Shortlisted for "Most Improved Council" they tell us and show us their certificate withe competition was only open only to Lib Dem Councils who form part of the Liberal Democrat Group at the Local Government Association.

The problem the local Lib Dems have though is that on May the 5th it will be the public at large who will be casting the votes and expressing an opinion, not just their own membership.

But local Lib Dem campaigners are if nothing else an optimistic bunch, despite all signs pointing understandably to a melt down in Lib Dem support, Two sitting Northampton Borough Councillors I spoke to were adamant that the party will hang on to power at the Guildhall on May 5th.

Others are less bombastic and point to a reduction in their overall number but "not in my seat"

The truth of course is that none of us really know how the elections will turn out, everyone expects a rise in Labour's vote given their new role in opposition to the Tory dominated coalition with the Lib Dem's. The obvious victim of any Labour rise will be those who beat them into second place 4 years ago and that leaves a lot of Tory seats as well as Lib Dem seats in the balance.

As the only Independent elected I too must see off a rise in any Labour vote if myself and Malcolm are to take 2 seats in Castle Ward, but don't write off the Independents and non aligned candidates as many did at the General Election.

Then because of those awful TV debates anyone standing as a non Tory, Lab or Lib Dem candidate were sidelined and ignored and as I have said elsewhere, many voters went to the polling station to vote Brown, Cameron or Clegg without a thought as to who their local candidateswere . How else can anyone explain the ridiculously good result for Labour's Clyde Loakes polling nearly 10,000 votes and securing second place as an absent and non interested candidate?

The County Elections of 2009 are therefore probably a better measure of the support out there for the candidates and it will be interesting to see what effect the cooperation of non aligned candidates who are not standing in the same seats against each other or supporting each other in seats, has this time has on the result.

In Castle Ward in 2009 I topped the poll with 38.9 of the vote and the Green Party polled over 10.4% given that we are supporting each other this time and have 3 three candidates between us for three vacancy's then a collective vote from our supporters on the doorstep could secure over 50 % of the vote! But of course the new wards and changes to boundaries throw another unknown factor into the complex mix.

The picture I paint above is in pointing out the differences between voting habits and results at national and local levels, the 35-40% who vote in Local Government elections it would seem are less likely to be swayed by national events or trends and more likely to be strong supporters of their party's or local Cllrs.

But the Lib Dem "swingers" (no there is another blog posting, altogether) could make the real difference, will they go red? or blue? or look to the Independents and others to find a new home for their vote?

If you are an ex Lib Dem supporter I would welcome your views on where your vote may be cast this time, as always, all comments are very welcome.

TUESDAY TICKLERS

14 CANDIDATES MISSING IN INACTION

It is an absolute insult to the electorate of Northampton that her Majesty's official opposition in Government can fail to stand candidates in 14 of the 45 contested seats in this years Borough Council Elections.

The Labour Party's latest ineptitude means that in many areas of the town including Boothville, Rectory Farm, Park, East Hunsbury and Upton that voters can only choose between Conservative and Lib Dem candidates, and at a time when Local Government cuts are being imposed at our Town and County Hall By A Tory Lib Dem coallition then that choice is the equivalent of a condemned man being asked if he wants to be hung or shot.

There are also no Labour candidates standing in Parklands, Phippsville, Nene Valley or West Hunsbury, but at least in these seats people wanting to vote against the coallition can choose from Independent, (Nene Valley) Christian Peoples Alliance (Parklands West Hunsbury) UKIP (Parklands) or Green (Phippsville)

What really surprises me about all this though is that up to now we have been told that Labour's local difficulties were all my fault, and confined only to Northampton South, but as can be seen from the list above, and after less than a year without Ms Keeble (Porter) on the scene the organisation in the Northampton North Constituency seems also to have collapsed.

Well I hope the regional party don't try to pin this one me as well! Or perhaps it was John Dickies fault? or Geoff Howes or Peter Evans? One thing is for sure, it would never of happened with Anjona Roy as Agent, but of course they expelled her as well!



THANK GOD FOR RADIO FOUR

I get a lot of stick from Mrs Clarke and the kids for my car radio listening choice but I care not, as it seems this is the last vestige of the truth left on the BBC and or within the British media. This morning their was a very enlightening interview with Colonel Gaddafi's son Saif about the defection of Libya's ex Foreign Minister Moussa Koussa, remember him?

A high profile defection, we were told, organised through M16 who would now throw daylight on what really happened at Lockerbie and at the Libyan Embassy when PC Yvonne Fletcher was gunned down.

Anyhow now it seems as if Moussa Koussa actually left Libya for Tunisia on sick leave some time ago and made contact with the Brits not because he wanted to share all Colonel Gaddafi's closest secrets with us, but because he is receiving treatment every three months at the private and exclusive Cromwell Hospital in London!

As for those juicy details on past crimes of the Libyan state, as most of us imagined, Saif Gaddafi said

"We have already told the British Government everything they want to know about Lockerbie and the embassy shootings, they know everything"




THE BOLTED HORSE HAS DOOR AFTER STABLE THE SHUTTING (please re arrange)

Still on Libya, the Commons’ Committee on Arms Export Controls has just released a damning report on Britain's Arms sales to? you guessed it Colonel Gaddafi's regime in Libya. It seems that successive governments are guilty of selling weapons to Libya and other dictatorships in North Africa and the Middle East just four months before Gaddafi’s regime slaughtered hundreds of protesters, a damning report reveals today. Ministers approved the export of sniper rifles, bullets, tear gas and other ‘crowd control’ ammunition to Tripoli shortly Gaddafi ordered his military to crush a pro-democracy uprising.

Gaddafi used the UK-made arms against the rebel uprising in Libya were an estimated 1,000 Libyan citizens have been killed since his violent crackdown was launched. Since 2009, Britain approved export licences worth £2.3billion to 16 states over a 21-month period. Military export licenses to Libya alone since the start of 2009 totalled £61.3million, according to Department for Business figures.

The UK also awarded Bahrain £6million of licences covering sub machine guns, sniper rifles, CS hand grenades, smoke canisters, stun grenades and riot control agents. At least 26 citizens have been killed and 1,000 injured in Bahrain as the Gulf state cracked down on freedom campaigners.

Britain also approved arms licenses totalling £1.7billion to Saudi Arabia, £20.4million to Egypt, £276.9million to Algeria and £52.8million to the United Arab Emirates. Body armour and night vision goggles have been approved for Yemen, small arms ammunition for Syria, and sniper rifles, aircraft components and armoured personnel carriers for Saudi Arabia.

Oh, and now Foreign Secretary William Hague is hinting on arming the rebels as well.

Its a dirty and lucrative trade War! and Government!

IF ITS GOOD ENOUGH FOR SUPERGRAN!

And they're off and running................................Well almost.

Today myself and Malcolm Mildren put our nomination papers in as Independent candidates for Castle Ward in May's Borough Council Elections, once again taking on all the Party interests

So expect heavier traffic on the blog and more anonymous comments from the party hacks. Anyhow to wet your appetite and to prove that Supergrans are not just for High Street jewellers security, I paste below our first newsletter, hitting doormats as we speak.

Click on the pictures below to enlarge:

THIS IS NOT LIKE IRAQ! IT'S FAR MORE DEVIOUS

Did I dream the whole economic deficit episode? Were we not so broke last week that our County Council were sacking lollipop wardens and turning all the lights off at midnight? Did I imagine the government making newly trained pilots redundant and scrapping orders for new jets to sit on now plane less aircraft carriers?

I must have done because now all three main political party's are falling over themselves to sound out the War Clarion as Britain engages in yet another costly campaign in the desert and pretends to us all again that it has nothing to do with OIL

How stupid do they really think we are? and having armed and sucked up to Gaddafi for so long are we now expected to just forget the huge part we played, right up to the release of the Lockerbie Bomber Abdelbaset al-Megrahi in protecting his reign?

And is a civilian life taken in Yemen or Bahrain by their government forces worth less than the life of a Libyan citizen?

These are all questions we must all ask ourselves and answer before we accept any moral justification for Britain involving itself in yet another Middle East meltdown. Why o why a nation like ours supposedly bankrupt wants to jump in both feet first is any ones guess.

Gaddafi is not liked in the West and few from any side would mourn his passing but Libya is a country divided The North and West in favour of Gaddifis reign continuing under him and his son Saif and the East equally determined to overthrow the state. Therefore the UN resolution to enforce a no fly zone and to prevent attacks on civilians was just in its formation and supported by the Arab League with its votes because it made sense.

But is there anyone out there still willing to believe the British or French military when they say they are simply endorsing the UN resolution? Shots of a Libyan jet being brought down on Saturday morning were used as an example of Libyan government aggression against the rebels. Then just a few hours later when it was no longer possible to deny that the fighter jet actually belonged to the rebels and was being used against government forces the BBC changed its tune but not composer by describing its bringing down as still an act of Libyan Government aggression but this time by ground to air troops against a rebel plane!

It seems now as if the civilian rebels have tanks and planes! This has all the hallmarks of a bloody civil war with little signs of an early victor.

This conflict for the West is about Regime change. pure and simple, Gaddafi has had his day and they now need to dispose of him and interfere in the election of tommorrow puppet to the West, and the realisation today (Monday 21st March 2011) that voices in the Arab League are questioning the intent and actions of those carrying out the UN resolution paint a dark picture for the west's involvement from here on in. Already the end game is uncertain, the planning? non existent and the questions as to compliance with the UN resoltion already being questioned by the Arab League, India and others. Call me old fashioned but shouldn't we set the plan for all to see and have clear objectives laid out and decided upon before we start shooting people? Shouldn't we ensure that those plans accord with international law before we go messing around in the internal conflict of another sovereign state

I am not a pacifist. I don't like war, who does? I voted against the Iraq war in the Commons because the case was not proven and I equally supported the action on Serbia/Croatia because it was and it was obvious to anyone that only force alone would stop an humanitarian crisis from continuing, but who are our current political leaders kidding when they try and tell us that civilians dying at the hands of British supplied arms in Yemen and Bahrain are less deserving than civilians dying at the end of a British supplied gun in Libya.

But the real nasty taste left in my mouth from all the weekend news was the race by Clegg and Milliband to jump aboard any passing war horse. we are fully behind the Prime Minister and his actions they said. Well did they ask their respective memberships? of course not and it sums up all that is wrong with British Politics today. Around the Country Labour and Lib Dem candidates will be knocking on doors before the local election polls trying to defend the stances of their respective parties which they themselves had no say in formulating. as we speak a vote in the Commons will be conducted with a Free Vote (if you believe that then you really are gullible) to decide on whether or not we undertake Military action which has already begun!

Over in Palestine there will be continued confusion as to why only some UN resolutions are acted on by the West whilst others are ignored for years and years and years. And in Yemen and Bahrain families will be burying their loved ones with no hope of international support or intervention simply because their OIL flows are either not significant or they flow in a different direction!

Forced regime change in Libya? NOT IN MY NAME. Selective action to cover up the self interest of the West? NOT IN MY NAME. A Party leader telling me how to think and who to support? NOT HERE