Monday, September 29, 2008

Time for David Cameron to come clean on donations...

Tonight's Channel Four expose put David Cameron under serious scrutiny over the secrecy and sources of millions of pounds in donations which bankroll his bid to become Prime Minister.

Despite Cameron's spin and withering claims that he promotes 'openness and transparency', Cameron stands accused of blatant hypocrisy and repeatedly refusing to answer legitimate questions surrounding Lord Ashcroft's status.

For example, Lord Ashcroft made a clear pledge to return to live permanently in Britain when he was made a Conservative Life Peer eight years ago. But is the man who is pouring literally millions into key marginal seats for the purposes of influencing voters resident in the UK. Is he even on the electoral register in this country and if he is, how long has he been so?

The Dispatches investigation raised concerns about where Lord Ashcroft's Bearwood Corporate Services makes its money.

For example, does Bearwood generate all the revenue it uses in the UK to fund the Tories? Or are foreign profits being channelled to the Tories via Bearwood through a string of 'shell' companies?

Another Tory peer, Lord Laidlaw gave firm undertakings to normalise his tax status within the UK before he was awarded his peerage. He has failed to do so and now lives in Monaco...but Cameron's Tories still take donations from him.

Same Old Tories eh...?

UPDATE: If you missed tonight's Dispatches investigation - or want to see it again -you can catch it HERE at the C4 site where it will be posted for the next month.

Who's bankrolling Cameron's bid to be PM...?

Interested in how David Cameron's Conservative Party is bankrolled by city slickers who stand accused of disgraceful practices which helped spark the world banking...?

Tune into Channel Four's Dispatches programme, tonight at eight...

Tory Spin and the Small Print: Spot the Difference...

Wee Georgie Osborne showed once again why he can't be trusted to run the economy in his speech at the Tory Party Conference today. With no answers on the world banking crisis, he went for a headline grabbing announcement .

These were his exact words now running across the airwaves:
I can tell you today that the next Conservative Government will freeze your Council Tax for at least two years.
A good splash for tomorrow's Daily Mail. But the boy Osborne - and the media who took the spoon fed headline entirely at face value - failed to mention the small print of the Tory Press Notice released at the same time. Titled 'A Two Year Council Tax Freeze' it reveals the following:

Each council will be completely free to accept or reject the contract. Councils that reject the contract will be free to set their own council tax levels.
So not exactly a freeze at all then Georgie?

And no mention either that councils would only be able to buy into his pledge if they made huge cuts to vital public services.

In other words, another Con.

Same Old Tories eh...?

UPDATE: Channel Four News have just picked up on the difference between the spin and the small print and put George Osborne through the wringer. Thanks Jon Snow!

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Ex Labour MP to face trial...

Former Labour MP Helen Clark is to stand trial on charges of drunken and abusive behaviour, according to the Peterborough Evening Telegraph.

I don't know if the charges relate to the same incident which appeared on u-tube a couple of months ago.

The ex-MP for Peterborough who lost her seat in the 2005 General Election - and days later announced she was defecting to the Tories - threatened legal action against U-tube and the video was removed after a couple of days.

If you're determined, you can still find it on the internet...

Why the Tories want less regulation in the City ...?

Today's Sunday Times reveals that city 'short sellers' bankroll David Cameron's Conservative Party.

Same old Tories, eh?

UPDATE: True to form, Boris Johnson today attacked Labour's sensible plans to regulate the greedy city slickers who have caused so much misery with their disgraceful practices.

Boris called on the Government to 'go easy' on those he described as 'the Masters of the Universe'.

He says his actions as Mayor of London show what would happen if the Tories were to win the next General Election.

Quite so.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Callous thieves steal from wheelchair...

Just before eight on Monday morning, a mother was getting her severely disabled son ready for school at their home on Eastgate, Deeping St James. She set his wheelchair up at the end of their driveway and went inside to get him ready.

But while she was inside, a car pulled up. A young man, probably aged between 17 and 19, then emerged from the car, removed the rucksack, wrapped it in his jacket, and returned to the car which was driven off towards Market Deeping.

The vehicle is thought to be dark grey in colour and possibly an estate car.

The rucksack contained the child’s ‘Communications Passport’, which gives personal details and information on his disability.

Anyone with any information, please call Stamford Police Station on: 01780 752222, quoting incident number 61 of September 15.

UPDATE: Stamford Mercury has an update, an interview with the boy's mother - and this photo.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Neil comes home to Lincolnshire as top police officer...

Lincolnshire Police Authority has today appointed 49-year-old Neil Rhodes, presently Assistant Chief Constable of Cumbria, to the post of Deputy Chief Constable of Lincolnshire.

Neil was born in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, and joined Lincolnshire Police as a constable in 1986.

He later served with Humberside Police and was appointed Assistant Chief Constable (Territorial Policing) for Cumbria in 2005.

A Lincolnshire resident for the past 29 years, Neil is married with three children. Away from work he is a keen fell walker and village cricketer.

Welcome home Neil.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Deeping lad strıkes gold...

Congratulations to 21 year old Market Deepıng lad Rob Welbourn who has won a gold at the Paralympics in Beijing.

Rob was part of Team GB in the 4x100m freestyle relay team which smashed the world record by seven seconds.

The Stamford Mercury reports that Rob had already broken the European record in his heat of the 100m freestyle (S10) on Tuesday morning after swimming 54.57sec.

Speeding bikers in court...

Nine bikers face magistrates today charged wıth speedıng at up to 136 mıles per hour after a crack down by Lincolnshire Police.

The nine were booked on the county's roads in one day of a high profile operation aimed at reducing the number of people killed and seriously injured on motorbikes on the county's roads.

Operation Evidens, along with the related Stealth campaign, targets red routes and known motorcycle routes, with the aim of improving the safety of these roads.

The nine in court thıs afternoon are alleged to have been doıng between 90mph and 136mph.

Lincolnshire Police are keen to convey the message that any motorist who exceeds the speed limits in the county, particularly the high end offenders, will be targeted on their red routes in particular, caught and prosecuted.

Sound like some of them at least will be walkıng home!

Watch out there's a thıef about...

A house has been burgled ın Brıdge Street, Deepıng St James and a laptop and wallet stolen.

Poılce say the theft happened on eıther September 4 and September 5 when the burglar sneaked into the house through an unlocked door.

Anyone with any information should call Stamford police on 01780 752222, quoting incident number 172 of September 8.

Tuesday, September 02, 2008

Robbers beat up shop assistant...

Two young thugs beat up a female shop assistant in her fifties last night in a robbery at our local newsagents, Sam's on Rycroft Avenue, Deeping St James...

Info released this morning by Lincolnshire Police:

This incident was reported at about 2210hrs on Monday 1st September 2008. At about 2155hrs two men ran from the corner of Broadgate Lane and pushed the 53-year-old woman shop assistant back into the above newsagents shop as she put the unsold newspapers out for collection. She was threatened with a knife and assaulted before the men escaped after snatching cash from a cash register.

The offenders ran off down Broadgate Lane and then towards Spalding Road.

Descriptions

1. Male, 20-25 years, 5'6" to 5'8" tall, slim build, with a white cloth covering his face. This offender had a knife.

2. Male, very short with a cloth covering his face.

The victim suffered leg and arm injuries and was very shaken by the attack. She was treated at Peterborough and District Hospital and released.

A 17-year-old youth was later arrested and will be interviewed later today.
Police appealling for witnesses.

Monday, September 01, 2008

Millions more Government cash for learning disabilities in Lincs...

The Government has announced an extra £4.3m for Lincolnshire County Council to improve services for those with learning disabilities.

I hear from county hall that there will be an extra £636,000 for this year, an extra £1.4m in 2009/10 and an extra £2.3m in 2010/11.

Good news.