Anthea leaves Huntingdon Labour

I see Anthea has left Huntingdon Labour for pastures new. This was announced by Anthea on Twitter.

Labour campaign just fails

With an incumbent Labour Government in a poor third, (John Major didn't achieve this low in 1997) this seems to have spread to local activists.

At Anthea's campaign launch there were a few Labour posters on display. On my cycle route there are a couple of Labour candidates for the local elections. I though they would have a poster or two up informing passers by to Vote Labour or Vote Anthea. Neither had posters up. This includes the Branch Secretary Bill O'Connor who is standing in Eynesbury.

Not a single Labour poster up in either house. Are these Labour candidates embarrassed of this Labour Government or Anthea? Or is this just Labour giving up on St Neots/Huntingdon.

There are a few bits missing from Anthea's declaration

In a section on the Huntingdon CLP website called News from Anthea Cox, there is a declaration of Interests made by Anthea. In my view much of this is just a political ploy.

Lets take a look at Anthea's declaration.

I looked on Google and found this:

Anthea has her own webpage on Frontline Consulting. Why isn't Frontline Consulting on Anthea's declaration?

Moving on:

Goldhay Arts Ltd - A charity which Anthea chairs. A webpage showing some of what Goldhay does.  The Charity Commission page is here. This shows that in accounts filed for the year end 30/11/08 the charity had £150,000. The Google search also threw up.

Save Goldhay Arts from Closing Down

The Labour Government, through her local NHS Trust, is cutting funding to this charity. According to this press release this charity will have to close down.

When Anthea was appointed as Director of The Learning Disability Coalition she said:
"My concern is that funding for services for this group of people is simply not on the political agenda"
Obviously, Anthea was right what she said and this funding is simply not on the Labour Government's political agenda!

Peterborough Women's Centre - Website and Charity Commission page.

And lastly!

Anthea should answer the question. It says: Land and property, and whether I intend to continue to hold this, if elected. The bold section of this question hasn't been answered. Why? Does this mean if Anthea won she would still live in Peterborough? I feel we should be told.

Recording of an Election Debate

BBC iPlayer - Andie Harper's Mid-Morning: 15/04/2010

Found this Election Debate from BBC Radio Cambridgeshire on the web. Missed the original. This is a debate between Jonathan Djanogly, Martin Land and Anthea Cox with a small bit of additional material from Jonathan Salt. Your need BBC iPlayer to listen to this.

The debate starts at the 1 hour 04 minutes in and continues with breaks to 1 hour 57 minutes.

Unison still misses the point over Hinchingbrooke

St Neots News and Crier - 15/04/2010

I see that Unison is doing its bit by blaming the Labour Party creation - the Strategic Health Authority,  for implementing the Labour policy of franchising this hospital. So who should Unison be lobbying and blaming for what is going on at Hinchingbrooke. Try the Health Secretary Andy Burnham.

If Labour wins the General Election expect more franchising of the NHS by Labour. If Unison is so opposed to franchising why are they giving loads of money to Labour?

Where is Anthea Cox in all this?

Comment on letters to St Neots News and Crier - 08/04/2010 digital edition

St Neots News and Crier - 08/04/2010 digital edition

Just comments on one letter this week.

Voters need all arguments - The minor party candidates are signalling their intention with an alternative hustings event on the same night in the same town as the Hunts Post hustings. Good for them. It is about time we hold all the candidates to account. This seat is a seen as a win for the Conservatives. Djanogly with all his troubles over expenses should be held to account for his expenses.

I feel all parliamentary candidates should be held to account not just the "top 3".

Having Anthea Cox (Labour) at the hustings is wrong. Labour is doing terribly round here. Virtually given up with the local elections. This is the Hunts Post is giving life to a dead campaign. Huntingdon CLP is twinned with Bedford CLP so they'll be off to Bedford campaigning to try to hold that seat!

Hospital could be election key

St Neots News and Crier - 08/04/2010 digital edition

The front page sets the scene for the General election campaign in the Huntingdon constituency. Labour's Anthea Cox gets a good run out even though her campaign has yet to lift off.

Jonathan Salt is the dark horse in this campaign. With a good looking campaign website this seems to be be more credible than Liberal Democrat Martin Land (Tories are closet racists and homophobes).

It is a great pity that neither Ian Curtis (UKIP) nor John Clare (Green Party) weren't able to respond to the start of the campaign. Not a good start for them.

Jonathan Salt (Independent) campaign is off with a flying start. Good for him.

Just one error is the last sentence of the article. Nominations for local elections close on 8th April. The nominations close for the General Election on 20th April.

I see the Labour Party website has come to life!

Huntingdon CLP website

I see the local Labour Party website has finally come to life now the General Election has been called. Not that it means much. There are some questions raised by what is said on the site. Firstly, I'm informed that:

"Anthea is an experienced Labour Councillor.....". So where is Anthea currently a Labour Councillor? I can't find anything on Google. I have found Anthea was a Councillor in Peterborough, but no more.

I also see Anthea is off on a sponsored walk? - What! In the middle of an election campaign and Anthea has to start raising funds with a 20 mile sponsored walk. That is just ridiculous. Raising money like this should have been a pre-election activity rather than an after thought. Anthea should be out campaigning!

So what is missing from the website? The Labour Government policy of franchising of Hinchingbrooke Hospital where the silence starts. Does Anthea agree with the Labour policy of franchising the NHS? 

I find the big hole in any Labour pronouncements is where are £billions in Labour cuts going to fall? I feel we should be told. It is absolutely rotten to inform me where the Conservatives are supposed to cut when the Labour Government can't even inform me where Labour will cut. They are the Government! 

If Labour is utterly clueless how can I expect the opposition parties to have an idea?

This is a rotten Labour Government and it should go at these elections.

And the General Election passes Huntingdon constituency by!

Thought I would take a look at the political party websites. First off the incumbent.

Jonathan Djanogly and The Conservatives. www.jonathandjanogly.com has a piece on the Djanogly's relief at campaign start. Huntingdon Conservatives have no change. The St Neots Conservatives are still stuck in 2009, though it has been said it should be 1909.


Moving onto the main contender to Djanogly, the Liberal Democrats. Looking at Martin Land's website there is no change. The Huntingdonshire Liberal Democrats are stuck admiring Vince Cable. The Liberal Democrats St Neots page is stuck in 2008.

Onto the next contender UKIP. Again you would be pushed to find a general election going on here.

Of the other contenders, The Green Party is still stuck in 2009. The governing party, Labour, can't be bothered to change their local website. Lord Toby Jug hasn't got a website. The Independent candidate - Jonathan Salt has a fine website, which most of the local parties would be proud.

The BIG Question isn't so Big

The Hunts Post St Neots - 31/03/2010 digital edition

The Hunts Post wants to make this event organised by them on 22nd April 2010 at Commemoration Hall, Huntingdon the BIG Question. (Location here) This will be one of the few opportunities to question the candidates.

This will be the first time that electors can ask questions of Jonathan Djanogly about his expenses claims. Though this will be limited. As to the Big Question most of this will pass the Huntingdon Constituency by.

I hope the electors of St Neots take the opportunity to get to this debate to make our voices heard.

My comments on letters in News and Crier - 25/03/2010

St Neots News and Crier - 25/03/2010 digital edition

Anger over parking charges - LM Pearson - misses the point. HDC collects business rates. It then sends them off to Central Government. S Pearce - Again HDC collect the business rates for Central Government.

Other cuts are more worrying - D. Gadenne hits the concerns right on the head. I wonder why?

Tories vow to fight on - Two letters from the "St Neots Conservatives" look to blame the Liberal Democrats instead of blaming their Conservative colleagues who took the decision.

Cllr Barry Chapman goes on the attack blaming the Liberal Democrats. Apparently, the Liberal Democrat petition is a "cynical attempt to create negativity against those St Neots Councillors who are fighting on behalf of our town."

What planet is Cllr Chapman on? The Conservative petition is the ruse to deflect the fact that the Conservatives on HDC took a decision to impose parking charges. All Cllr Chapman is doing is SPIN, SPIN, SPIN!

Cllr Chapman also trumpets the deal brokered by the Conservatives over the toilets. A deal which will cost the Town Council about £30,000 a year.

Cllr Jennifer Bird just shows how much out of touch this Councillor is. Blaming the Liberal Democrats for a decision taken by her Conservative colleagues on HDC is just spin. Cllr Bird also needs to look at HDC finances. Cllr Bird asks: "Has the quest for increasing revenue at HDC overcome common sense?" No! The quest is for finding money to cut the deficit will mean more money raising ideas need to happen.

Already Conservative controlled HDC is looking to up car parking charges.

Broadband is vital - That is what Anthea Cox, Labour Party Candidate, says in her letter. Is this the Labour Party campaign? Write a couple of letters to the local newspapers! Back to the letter. Anthea tries to rubbish the Conservative Broadband policy. What Anthea "forgets" to inform readers is the Labour plans mean a 50 pence a month charge on all landlines. Nothing about the closure of St Neots campus.

Good response canvassing according to Anthea!

I see Anthea is carrying on her 2 person campaign! This time in St Ives. At least she is getting out and about. Haven't heard anything from Jonathan Djanogly MP. St Ives is where Labour came behind Lord Toby Jug!

St Neots Campus to close!

The Hunts Post St Neots - 24/03/2010 digital edition

The closing of the St Neots Campus will be a blow to St Neots. So who is to blame? This rotten Labour Government is to blame. The Learning and Skill Council (LSC) is a Government funded quango that has made a right muck up of the College rebuilding programme.

The LSC has promised far more in money than it actually had. This has had dire consequences for many colleges around the country with building left half built because the money has run out. Whilst the decision is being made by Huntingdonshire Regional College, it is a consequence of decision by the Labour Government.

That is Labour for you.

I see Anthea has been out campaigning

I see Anthea has started her General Election campaign. Out on a Sunday and canvassing in Coldhams Crescent in Huntingdon, Anthea has started the 2 person campaign (someone had to take the photo). At this rate Anthea and Labour should have the whole constituency canvassed by 2015 in time for the next general election.

My comments on letters in this weeks News and Crier

My comments on some letters in the St Neots News and Crier - 11/03/2010 digital edition

Politics on Women's Day - A letter celebrating the this day from Anthea Cox, The Labour Party candidate. Though whether Anthea wrote this herself is open to question.

The letter is using Women's Day as a platform for attacking the Conservatives. Anthea attacks the Conservatives over the number of women in Parliament. It is a pity that the Leader of the House of Commons, Harriet Harman, got her husband, Jack Dromey, a nice safe seat in Erdlington where an open list was imposed rather than the all women short lists.

So what was Anthea doing on Women's Day. Well Anthea went to tea with Sarah and Gordon Brown. Later, Anthea went round the corner for a party at the TUC (Trades Union Congress). Whilst Anthea was living it up in London, all her potential constituents got was one lousy letter!

Toilet closure is no joke - I have to say the toilets issue will rumble on (no pun intended). This is to misunderstand what is behind the closure which has much to do with the massive £6 million deficit.

'Wish I could retire at 54' - Anne Hall is very correct because I wish I could do the same. The Police are allowed to retire earlier than the rest of us. One of the reasons why is that is what the service contract allows. I should have joined the Police. But it is not only the police but local council chief executives of South Cambs and Fenland District Council have also retired early.

Labour Party and Hinchingbrooke Hospital

The Hunts Post St Neots - 24/02/2010 digital edition

How comes the Labour Party and its supporters get away with all this. I do remember the 1997 Labour slogan "24 hours to save the NHS". Blair wasn't scrutinised of what this actually meant back then. 13 years on Labour and we can all see what the "24 hours" slogan actually means. Labour has presided over a massive privatisation of the NHS. Whilst Unison is opposed to the franchise process it is the Labour Government that Unison supports which is imposing this franchising requirement.

Unison gives loads of money to Labour. Just looking on the Electoral Commission website this gives just under £16 million over 9 years in reportable donations. So Unison members are giving money to the in Government Labour Party which runs this policy.

Looking at the local Labour website there is nothing being said in defence of the NHS run Hinchingbrooke Hospital. Indeed the silence extends to the Labour Party Parliamentary candidate Anthea Cox. Labour Government Policy is about "franchising" hospitals in trouble. This is the basic problem for Labour supporters. This Labour Government is intent on knocking out the social support of Council tenancies and privatising the NHS.

I find it hypocritical of Labour supporting and financing Unison to call on the very Labour Government who imposed this franchise arrangement to now step in to keep the hospital NHS run. Obviously, this is how Unison operates. It tells its members and the public it is all the fault of the Strategic Health Authority when in reality it is the very Labour Government Unison finances and supports that has imposed franchising.

Letters in the News and Crier 11/2/10

My comments on some of the letters in this weeks News and Crier.

Anger over rural buses - Michael Sneath has written on behalf of the Labour candidate Angela Richards at the Fenstanton HDC by-election. The letter is about buses and how the village of Fenstanton has been left without a bus service. That is an election issue. But is this how the Labour Party is going to campaign with letters in the papers? And why is the Agent writing on behalf of the candidate? Can't she write for herself! There have been doubts about letters apparently written by Anthea Cox. Is this a case of Labour putting up "paper candidates". The result may give us a clue!

Countryside Campaign - Is a letter from Alan Fitzgerald who is writing to get people to support the CPRE. The General Election is coming. Pressure Groups will be using the media to press their case by using the public to lobby on their behalf. The CPRE is using the method of getting the public to e-mail candidates in support of their manifesto. Of course the CPRE is in competition with other Pressure Groups using the public to lobby candidates on their behalf.

This isn't democracy - Bob Mullineaux is right in what is wrong. But is wrong in his prescription of how to correct this. The problem with his prescription of an Open Primary for the selection of a candidate costs money. As pointed out in this blog, the Conservatives simply don't have the money to have a postal ballot as held in Totnes. Opening up the selection with an open public meeting, as for the Bedford mayoral candidate will not involve the whole electorate, just some. My answer is for the public to join their local political party or have a properly conducted, publicly funded open primary election.

Letters in the News and Crier 27/01/10

Rather than doing a separate piece on each letter so I thought I would lump all I want to comment on into one article. Link to the ever excellent News and Crier.

Outrage at candidate's 'offensive remarks' - This blog started this story and the News and Crier picked this up. Bill Sinclair is right. Though whether this is slanderous is a moot point. James Clark should read the original article before firing off a letter.

Community should pay - Malcolm McColl is right to say Tesco should be asked for a contribution. The church pays the rest. As for Helen Cochrane's letter, I will repeat that it if the church wants this car park then the Church should pay. Has it got to be that everytime something is used by "the community" the taxpayer must then pick up the bill? I don't think so. Will Helen support all churches which have or want a car park get these paid for and maintained by the taxpayer? It is very easy to call for taxpayers to pick up the bill because there is no direct relationship. But one of the consequences doing something for the 'community' is in next letter.

Anger at £270k hole - St Ives Town Council is run by Independent Councillors. I think that is worth saying. The trouble is the Corn Exchange. These Independent Councillors were elected to stop the building being sold and set about refurbishing it for the 'community'. When Councils do things for the 'community' it cost money and Council tax goes up.
In answer to the letter, Parish and Town Councils are NOT included in the capping arrangements. In theory they could tax us more and more. My worry is that HDC, with all its financial problems, will look at what a Town/Parish can do and try to shift services and costs to the Towns and Parishes. This is what HDC did with the Public Conveniences.

Did they want a lap dog - A much better letter from Paul Dakers than the one printed in the Hunts Post. I can understand the frustration with the political process when you are at the bottom. The political parties/councillors/councils build up their respective roles. The reality is what Councils can do is restricted by law and many major decisions are taken by Government.
 The trouble with Cllr Monk is he is a political tramp. Started with the Conservatives, went Independent and has ended up in UKIP.  Probably not the end of his journey.

Fewer jobless than in 1992 - Labour Parliamentary candidate is again in the papers. This time with an outright political letter. What Anthea doesn't mention is the Government is likely to borrow in this current financial year at total of £180,000,000,000. That is scary! 

Anthea Cox can't spell her own name correctly!

I found this on Twitter:

"Another letter from the office of the Labour PPC for Huntingdonshire. Among the usual mistakes, this time she's spelt her name wrong."

Spelling her own name wrong! Is Anthea actually writing her own letters? I feel we should be told!

I thought I would look at the local Labour Party website to see what Anthea is up to. What did I find? Nothing! Link to Labour website. Is this the BEST Labour can do?

I feel Labour will be competing with OMRLP to see who will come last at the General Election. And Labour is trying very hard win this fight and come last.

Has Djanogly done good for HCCA?

I was ploughing through Google on a Djanogly search when I found out about the Huntingdon Industrial Advisory Council. In an e-mail from Simon Burton on this website the following is said:

"Jonathan Djanogly, the Member of Parliament for the Huntingdon Constituency, is hosting a HIAC dinner at the Carlton Club in London on 27 October 2009 with guest speaker, Chris Grayling MP, the Shadow Home Secretary.
Huntingdon Industrial Advisory Council is a group chaired by Mr Djanogly.  It currently meets twice a year in the sumptuous setting of the Carlton Club in London where it provides an excellent opportunity for local businesses to network and meet with leading politicians in the Conservative Party and future Government.
The evening takes the form of a drinks reception and three-course dinner.  Following dinner, Mr Grayling will give a talk on current issues and there will then be an opportunity for a question and answer session.
Unfortunately, places are limited but if you would like to attend tickets have been priced at £100.00 and I would be grateful if you would be able to complete the proforma below.  If you have any questions about this event, please feel most welcome to contact me on (01480) 453062 or by e-mail at huntingdon.conservatives@btconnect.com . With all good wishes. Yours sincerely Simon Burton".

Having read this I thought I would look at whether Djanogly was good for HCCA? This association is in a very safe and should be making loads of money. I therefore went through the accounts and picked out some relevant years from the Election Commission website.

	2001	2005	2008
Full Members	863	910	712
Non Constituency Members	25	25	15
Club Members	0	50	195
Income	127,125	127,161	96,313
Expenditure	147,979	126,124	94,228
Surplus/(Deficit)	(20,933)	1,375	2,085
Donations	2,271	2,650	4,127
Subscriptions	28,342	29,082	25,133
Branches	23,247	22,801	13,958
Fundraising	52,462	48,140	27,030

There seems to be a holding pattern until after the 2005 General Election. After which the Full Membership has dropped and Branch fundraising/subscriptions/fundraising has decreased. This is a definite drop off of financial support to the Conservative cause.

What will be interesting are the accounts for 2009, due out in May 2010, probably after the General Election. This will show what effect there was on the MPs' expenses scandal. It will not be until 2011 the full picture will become clearer.

From what I read it is an Association that is slowly failing. There is still much life, so the Conservatives have some way to go before death. Whilst this is happening across the UK, if the MP wants to keep getting re-elected he needs to ensure the local party is well financed and has enough activists to keep the MP in his/her seat. With the Association going down hill this will cause problems in the future for our current MP and Conservative Councillors.

Under legislation this political association/party has to publish its accounts. It should be noted Labour, Liberal Democrats, Green, Labour and UKIP aren't required to publish their accounts as they don't meet the threshold or are organised in a different way.