Looking forward to voting in the 2015 General Election

[megilleland]

First published Friday 12 September 2014 in Hereford Times News by Adam Knight

UKIP hope it's second time lucky for North Herefordshire candidate

 

UKIP has announced its 2015 candidate for North Herefordshire, their unsuccessful 2010 runner Jonathan Oakton

 

Campaigning on a platform of increasing pensions and doubling the territorial army Mr Oakton won 2, 701 votes, good for fourth place in the constituency at the last general election.

 

Finishing behind the 'big three' traditional parties, he saw off Green Party candidate Felicity Norman (1,533) who last month announced that she would be passing the torch to her 27-year-old daughter Daisy Blench ahead of next year’s election.

 

However with UKIP enjoying a surge in popularity since 2010, Mr Oakton will be hoping to mount a serious challenge to unseat Conservative incumbent Bill Wiggin.

 

The 56-year-old hopeful will be meeting and greeting at Kington Show tomorrow, where UKIP have a stand.

 

Full result for 2010 Herefordshire North General Election

 

WD Wiggin (Conservative Party) 24,631 votes - 51.8% votes won

LA Hurds (Liberal Democrat) 14,744 votes - 31.0% votes won

N Sabharwal (Labour Party) 3,373 votes - 7.1% votes won

JP Oakton (United Kingdom Independence Party) 2,701 votes - 5.7% votes won

FM Norman (Green Party) 1,533 votes - 3.2% votes won

EJ King (Independent) 586 votes - 1.2% votes won

 

Looks like a tall order with all the votes split between other parties.

[Jonny]

I for one hope ukip do not get in, It would be a disaster for herefords agriculture based economy which relys so heavily on cheap immigrant labour, If that labour supply was taken away our farmers would not be able to compete in a global economy.

 

That part about increasing pensions worrys me too, In my personal experience of meeting people in the county, and i know this does not apply to everyone and is a generalisation but the retired pensioners do alright for themselfs. Its working famillys that really struggle. Problem is the grey vote is lucrative and its a cheap way to get more votes as younger people are less likely to vote.

 

The idea of every getting the cons out of north herefordshire is just a dream, I personally am a socialist and the green part seem to best represent my views so good luck to them.

[megilleland]

This article which Cambo drew attention to in this post, doesn't put UKIP in a good light.

[megilleland]

Monday 15 September 2014 in Hereford Times News by Gary Bills-Geddes

Green Candidate Named

 

DIANA TOYNBEE is the Green Party 's parliamentary candidate for Hereford and South Herefordshire. Further education teacher Diana Toynbee, of Ruckhall, says she is campaigning for young people and urging them to make their voices heard.

 

She said: “Thousands of our young people are starting their working lives with the weight of debt on their shoulders because of this government’s policies.

 

“As a mother of three children in their twenties, I am sad to hear some young people say they will never vote. I am campaigning for the young to get more involved and speak out over the decisions that affect their lives."

 

Full result for 2010 Hereford & Herefordshire South General Election

 

AJ Norman  (Conservative Party) 22,366 votes - 46.2% votes won

SJ Carr (Liberal Democrat) 19,885 votes - 41.1% votes won

PL Roberts (Labour Party) 3,506 votes - 7.2% votes won

VJ Smith (United Kingdom Independence Party) 1,638 votes - 3.4% votes won

J Oliver (British National Party) 986 votes -2.0% votes won

 

A lot of Lib Dems votes will be up for grabs for siding with Cameron over the last five years. Let's see if we get many young people making their voice heard here on Hereford Voice.

[dippyhippy]

Yes, I would love a few more youngsters to get involved on here. It would be great to hear things from their perspective.

 

That said, there are plenty of folks I know who are my age - 40's -and they don't vote. Apathy is the enemy of change. If folks of any age decide to sit on their backsides, and NOT vote, we may be stuck with this lot quite a while longer.

 

Both the local and national elections are going to be hard fought.

[megilleland]

Both the local and national elections are going to be hard fought.

 

Yes Dippy but for whose benefit - The people or politicians.

[Biomech]

All as bad as each other.

It's like being asked to vote on which way you'd rather be executed.

[megilleland]

Monday 29 September 2014 in Hereford Times News by Bill Tanner

Herefordshire UKIP Commons candidate stands down slamming "personal vendettas" within the party

 

UKIP loses county parliamentary candidate to "personal vendettas"

 

KIP Waistell, UKIP parliamentary candidate for Hereford & South Herefordshire, has quit citing “personal vendettas†within the party amongst his reasons for doing so.

 

In a resignation letter sent to the Hereford Times , Mr Waistell, currently in France and due back home in Vowchurch later this week, offers “sincere apologies†to his constituency supporters.

 

 He writes: “There are those within UKIP who have sought from day one to manipulate people against each other in this constituency. I feel a deep regret that as a party we could not rise above such behaviour.â€

 

UKIP has responded by saying “lacklustre† Mr Waistell “jumped before he was pushed.â€

 

Behind the scenes, Mr Waistell was known to be at odds with UKIP activists in the county over the targeting of seats on Herefordshire Council. He thought it counterproductive for UKIP to try and eject Independent councillors he respected and split the vote where Independents were, in turn, targeting seats.

 

He stands down saying that Hereford and South Herefordshire will be a missed opportunity for UKIP.

 

“With good, sensible  teamwork and working for the stated main aim of the party - quitting the EU - UKIP could have won this seat,†said Mr Waistell.

 

But there were, he said, a “few in particular†whose primary aim did not seem to be getting out of the EU but to engage in personal vendettas, be utterly disruptive and divisive, and not to accept democratic decisions.

 

In full, Mr Waistell’s resignation letter reads:

 

“With sincere apologies to those who support me and to those who have  encouraged me to continue the fight, I declare that I will no longer contest the Hereford and Herefordshire South constituency for UKIP in the 2015 Westminster elections.

 

Since my adoption as prospective parliamentary candidate back in March, I have spent less time campaigning than I have trying to counter unproductive issues within UKIP itself, and with a few people in particular whose primary aim does not seem to be getting out of the EU (something I started campaigning for in 1971) but to engage in personal vendettas, be utterly disruptive and divisive, and not to accept democratic decisions.

 

We will never exit the EU without a good presence of MP's in Westminster. UKIP MEP's and local councillors will not get us out. 2015 is the best chance UKIP will ever have of getting MP's, yet the final straw for me was that I was being pressurised to back fighting for local council seats in this constituency at the same time as trying to win the Westminster seat.

 

In  Herefordshire, we are lucky to have excellent Independent Councillors who are there by virtue of personal hard work and commitment. I therefore made it clear that in THIS constituency it would be counter-productive to support efforts to eject those Councillors, and to split the vote where Independents were trying to oust Tories Liberals or Labour. My opponents were not prepared to accept this logic, and were insisting that I  change my mind (even though UKIP were not paying a penny towards my campaign, which was to be financed entirely by myself) or they would move to get me deselected.  I will not change my mind.

 

With good, sensible  teamwork and working for the stated main aim of the party - quitting the EU - UKIP could have won this seat. But I cannot run as a candidate when I am constantly attacked by those who should be behind me, leaving our committee floundering. I never offered myself as a candidate because I wanted to be an MP.  I stood because I thought it right to do so in order to continue my contribution to the effort to leave an organisation which is ruining our democracy and sovereignty.

 

There are those within UKIP who have sought from day one to manipulate people against each other in this constituency. I feel a deep regret that as a party we could not rise above such behaviour.

 

I stand down in time for UKIP to find another candidate more amenable to their motives, whatever those are, and apologise again to my supporters.â€

 

UKIP West Midlands UKIP MEP, Jim Carver, has expressed his "relief and delight" at Mr Waistell’s resignation.

 

In a statement Mr Carver said: "This is a clear case of someone jumping before they were pushed. My frustration over Waistell's lacklustre approach to the role of PPC, since his selection, has led me, on numerous occasions, to directly raise my concerns with him. 

 

"He has spent more time at his home in France than he has in Hereford, and would have been aware that I have recently asked the UKIP candidate team to start investigating his lack of activity with a view to moving towards his de-selection. Quite frankly, both the people that he seeked to represent and the local UKIP branch deserve far more commitment than that given by him."

 

"This is great news for UKIP Hereford & South Herefordshire, who can now move forward, with my full support, in selecting a fresh PPC, as well as local election candidates, ahead of next year's local and general elections".

 

Too many parties are only going to split the vote against the Conservatives majority. I wonder who UKIP will choose now?

[Jonny]

I'm hoping ukip is going to eat into the cons majority, that way labour will get in. I can't take anymore public service cuts, was watching Tory conference today and they plan another 25bn in cuts! They want to turn us into a 3rd world country, No public services, ultra low wages, competing with the likes of india and china.

I believe public services enhance peoples lives and our surroundings.

[stupidfrustration]

You are of course right Jonny - but how do we pay for these public services?

[Jonny]

The same way we always used to, through taxes,  high taxes and well funded services. Compared to 3rd world country where taxes are low and there are no public services, that's what makes them 3rd world countrys, is that what we want?

[stupidfrustration]

Funny you should say that - 

 

I would personally like to retire to a third world country one day. Of course - with my money with me.

 

Ive found that when the gvt cant do much for you, then the community really is a community, family really does stick together and help each other out, the bonds of community are stronger. 

Third world countries "make do and mend" - the people think differently - i guess because they have to. 

 

Is that right for the UK - Nope. We should not become a third world country - but if we keep on taxing the rich there becomes less and less reason to strive. 

 

To clarify what rich is - in my mind anyway - its not the people on 50k or 100k or even 150k a year. They may be better off than many of us - but they are not RICH. 

 

Rich people are who?

[megilleland]

Rich people are those who have accountants and financial consultants who tell them what to do with their money, These people do not personally worry about day to day budgeting to get by. When alarm bells ring their advisors have contingency plans to mitigate any loss or financial disaster by switching from one "investment" to another.

[stupidfrustration]

Well - nearly - but a window cleaner has an accountant - or a guy who owns a chip shop - or a garage with two trainee mechanics - all have accountants - not necessarily rich.

 

I personally would be in favor of a new tax band - say - people who earn over £175k get taxed a little more - but little old me who sits in Hereford thinks that at £175k - thats a decent wack - tax em more!

 

If you work in London - £175k isnt huge at all - and there in lies the problem of taxing "the rich" further.

 

Different perspectives.

 

We could go on with this and talk about salaries - I personally dont think the PM earns enough.

MPs - a backbench MP doesnt earn enough for the responsibilities they have.

 

But - should a "leader of the council" earn more than the PM?

Should the TOP guy of a health authority earn more than the PM?

Should solders earn less than those on benefits?

Should the trainee police officer earn less than a team leader in McDonalds?

 

There are loads of examples of unjust salary groupings - but being rich - I personally feel is hard to define and even harder to generate a fair tax system.

 

The "rich" already proportionately over pay their share - and are likely to use public services less.

[megilleland]

Saturday 11 October 2014 in Hereford Times Letters

Power is in your hands - so use it

 

I HAVE said many times publicly, and also in the Hereford Times readers' column, that the real power lies with the people, and this was strongly emphasised when all three leaders of the national parties assembled in Scotland on one decisive day of recognition, pleading to the voter, to save the union recently.

 

As Alex Salmond, the former first minister of the SNP, said it was 'the people, the voters, who have driven this most fundamental and far-reaching change in governmental attitude.'

 

He added that it will be the people who deliver.

 

It is the voter who has the ultimate decision as to who, or which group of people, are actually placed in the position of power to regulate our lives.

 

This has been demonstrated so forcibly by the Scottish people, and all of the national political parties fully understand this.

 

I would make this plea to readers. Do not neglect your right to vote, do not say you are not interested in politics.

 

Politics is at the centre of all our lives, whether we like it or not.

 

Rather, take hold of the power you have by democratic right, register to vote and determine to turn out in May 2015 and change the way things happen, because you can.

 

If you do not, you can only blame the person you see in the mirror!

 

CLLR CHARLES NICHOLLS 

It's Our County

Fayre Oaks Home Park, Hereford

 

As per UKIP this week.

[bobby47]

Well I'm voting UKIP. I'll be damned if I don't! Whatsmore, I don't care that many of my dear friends who visit these pages will become disappointed in me.

I don't care if the Hereford candidate has a diagreeable nature, they've got a hare lip, a clubbed foot, they're riddled with headlice and its clear to anyone who gazes into their eyes that I'm voting for the Anti Christ. It's of no concern to me. In fact, I couldn't care less what their policies are just as long as they release me and my kin from the bondage of this vast foolhardy social engineering experiment that is the bloody European Union.

Our fruit can rot for all I care. Our chickens can remain unplucked and the lovely bloke from Latvia who drives around my estate to the tune of Steptoe & Son collecting my scrap metal can go bust. It's of no concern to me. I want out and I'll vote for the ugliest human being ever born into the world if it means that my much cherished public services are given a chance to survive this onslaught of madness.

[dippyhippy]

Am I looking forward to voting in the May 2015 elections?

 

Damn right I am!

 

With barely six months until the day arrives, when precisely are we going to be told who is/isn't going to be standing? I have asked this question previously on another thread, but could not get an answer.

 

Isn't it about time all parties started treating the forthcoming election as an imminent event, and letting us know who we can potentially vote for?

[Glenda Powell]

Well I am standing in the new Newton Farm ward, where I have lived for the past 40 years. I know I have 5 candidates standing against me, so it will be a fight to see who gets in, unfortunately I have another Independent standing against me, who is one of the 3 present Belmont ward councillors no one can be complacent and at the end of the day its the people that will chose who they want to represent them!

[dippyhippy]

Thanks for that, Glenda.

 

That seems rather an odd state of affairs - one Independent standing against another, who are the other candidates?

 

And do you know when parties will release the names of who is standing in which wards?

[megilleland]

Today in Hereford Times News by Bill Tanner

Ex SAS soldier to fight for UKIP in Hereford

 

Nigel Ely joins general election battle

 

UKIP has parachuted a former SAS man into its election battle for Hereford.

 

Ex paratrooper and SAS soldier Nigel Ely says he’s fighting for his country again – to stop “illegal and unjust†wars.

 

Mr Ely came through selection with majority support from UKIP’s Hereford & South Herefordshire branch.

 

Branch Chairman Richard Smith saluted Nigel as a “true working class patriot† with the “character and leadership lacking from our political leaders in this county for decades.â€

 

Mr Ely said he was “ honoured†to have been selected having only signed up to UKIP 18 months ago worried about a third world war.

 

“I could see the LibLabCon were so intent in taking this great country into political union with a German dominated European Super State. I felt I  had to do something such was my frustration,†said Mr Ely.

 

 â€œAnd then Cameron’s futile threats to Russia over the Ukraine issue, I thought, this man’s going to start World War Three if he’s not careful.

 

“This had a real sobering effect on me, the man has to be stopped, so I threw my name in to the UKIP arena and now I find myself fighting once again for my country.

 

It’s a fight I’m up for too, make no mistake about that. I see it as a matter of duty to stop this crazy policy our political leaders have pursuing illegal and un-just wars,† he said.

 

Previous UKIP candidate Kip Waistell quit in September citing “personal vendettas†within the party amongst his reasons for doing so.

 

Behind the scenes, Mr Waistell was known to be at odds with UKIP activists over the targeting of seats on Herefordshire Council. 

 

Mr Waistell remains in dispute with UKIP.

 

Former branch secretary Derek Preedy subsequently told the Hereford Times that some members were “disgusted†at the way  Mr Waistell had been treated and at the “undemocratic†treatment of the branch committee in general.

 

The then branch took the decision to dissolve itself following a vote of members.

 

At the time, county UKIP MEP James Carver said that due to “negative influences from within†the branch was not functioning according to UKIP's aims and objectives.

 

Dissolution, said Mr Carver, was a “positive move†allowing for the reforming of a “leaner and fitter†local association, to be built around “forward looking, and constructive†local activists and members.

 

He is “absolutely delighted†at Nigel’s selection as a “man of calibre†who has made a huge personal commitment to “our countryâ€.

 

I wonder if he is going to storm No 10 and get the Terrorist out?