ARE YOU SURE YOU ARE THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THE JOB?

I’ve been of the opinion for a number of years, that many who reside on the benches of both local and national governments are really not quite up to the mark.

This was epitomised in a response via ‘Twitter’ from our very own Ashton MP Angela Rayner who when commenting on the recent eco-youth climate strikers on the Guido Fawkes website, posted the following:

 

So, should we ever elect a Labour government, not only will we be immersed in hard left totalitarianism, by an economy wreaking Chancellor, we’ll also face the prospect of a Home Secretary who can’t do arithmetic and a Secretary for Education who can’t spell a five letter word.

 

 

AN ANSWER TO MY CRITICS

Although it’s often dangerous to pick fights with people who obviously must buy their ink by the barrel; may I respectfully suggest that those writers who wish to present their personal position statements, retire for a short while to a quite and peaceful phrontistery, where they could compose their letters and advance their position with a little more clarity.

I am certain that some who correspond in the readers section of the Tameside Reporter are, in all probability, highly skilled crossword puzzle solvers, and are well used to flip-flopping across several subjects and theorising on imponderables, especially when speculating on uncertain or tentative grounds. However, I feel some have fallen into the trap of galimatias! 'Eh' it happens to the best of us, especially when pronouncing solutions on matters of gravity!
 

Over the years, I've found that when working with large groups of people...there are so many levels of literacy. Therefore I tend to use the most basic language, so that the least literate will be able to understand some of the message I'm trying to get across. I do not expect everyone to agree with me as everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

If this upsets some, then please feel free to not read on any further. However, I suspect that those who’ve criticised recently do so as former holders of civic office, sniping from the ancient battlements of some local authority and others who seem to have succumbed to the siren call of Strasbourg. These people are obviously so used to communicating in a pontificating form of indecipherable nonsense, rather than engaging in 'meaningful dialogue' that I have seen fit, in this instance, to raise my game.

As for indulging in ageist name calling; (crusty, ill-tempered, archaic and ‘old!’- Tameside Reporter 4^th April 2019) well, one would hope most right minded thinkers would agree that ageist terms should be as unacceptable as racist or sexist ones. One would also like to think that those who hold responsible positions in organisations that set educational standards and others who involve themselves in banner waving on behalf of political movements could try a little harder and communicate using positive or at the very least, non-judgmental language.

Every man, whether he is young, middle-aged or elderly, has his trifling pastimes, and every man has those little things that annoy him greatly. Therefore, if I should express my concerns as to the antics of the ambitious politician, or indeed any other subject that I find annoying, and would venture an opinion, then I have every right to do it! Besides, I believe that easy targets should get it in the neck every once in a while, lest they become bolder and more numerous.

AS THE BREXIT DEBACLE CONTINUES… TAMESIDE FIDDLES!

I am full of admiration for Councillor John Taylor! … No, really! Rarely have I seen such agility in someone's writing. The man truly is a master of contortion when it comes to the written word.

There are few who could give the impression of supporting democracy in their articles, when their conclusion promotes the exact opposite. But the 'Bard of Tameside' does this with incredible skill and consistency, usually by launching into political histrionics that has no bearing on the current topic.

He’s become Tweedledee and Tweedledum rolled into one!

Let’s face it; politics across all parties is in turmoil!  We are being led by an unrecognizable shower of career politicians on all sides that are genuinely clueless.

Like all bureaucrats, ‘job for life’ councillors and many who work, or have held managerial positions within the public sector, nobody has to worry too much about real world things like competition, or keeping customers. One only needs to read about our council’s latest ‘money wasting, ill thought out policy on parking in Ashton’ to realise that they’re quite content suckling on the public teat.

Proponents of big government never quite understand that real growth occurs with freedom and trust, and that economies shrink with paranoia and control. The paradox for them is that growth requires that control be relaxed and sometimes relinquished. Of course, many politicos are unwilling to do that, and what we end up with is an economy of nominal growth and real shrinkage based on policies that fuel an ever growing potential for volatility that occasionally; (as in our current position on Brexit) breaks into utter chaos.

Hence we have Labour’s ‘democratic’ economic theory: If it moves tax it, if it keeps moving regulate it, if it stops moving subsidize it. And the Conservatives who supposedly stand for free open markets, low taxation, a strong work ethic, freedom of expression and the right to make our own laws!

Now I'd like to ask Cllr Taylor, to explain without prevarication, what our Labour controlled council actually stands for.

BUREAUCRACY IN THE EU

 

 

The EU’s stance on BREXIT is a “deliberate political choice” by European governments to “overcomplicate matters” and if you don’t believe me here’s an example of their bureaucracy in action.

Pythagorean theorem: ................................................……...24 words

Lord's prayer ...............................................................……..66 words

Archimedes' Principle: ................................................……..67 words

The 10 Commandments: .............................................…..179 words

Gettysburg address: ...................................................…...286 words

US Declaration of Independence : ...........................…...1,300 words

US Constitution with all 27 Amendments: ...............…...7,818words

EU regulations for the sale of cabbage: ...............……..26,911 words

 

If that is how the EU legislate over the sale of cabbages, I think it should be abundantly clear to most right-minded people in the country, whether you're a Leaver or a Remainer, that the European Union were never going to offer us a deal that is acceptable.

WE NEED FACTS MORE THAN EVER.

 

Right now, it’s difficult to know what or who to trust. Misinformation is spreading like wild fire. Politics and the media are pushing their views to the limit and are positively salivating over the uncertainty about the future. With all the indicative votes all defeated and Mrs May now going against her Ministers and turning to Jeremy Corbyn, today, we need facts more than ever.

So let’s look at the stat’s supplied by The Office of National Statistics regarding the UK’s international trading figures.

According to the Office for National Statistics about 44% of UK exports in goods and services went to other countries in the EU in 2017 (that’s £274billion out of £616billion) of total exports.

However, that share has generally been declining, since exports to other countries have increased at a faster rate.

That means that European nations are heavily invested in their continued good relationship with the UK. The UK is the fourth-largest importer in the world, and the EU needs British import demand.

EU member states’ trade ties with the UK vary, but several European economies send a significant amount of their exports to Britain.

For instance, nearly 14% of Irish exports went to the UK in 2015. 9% of the Netherlands’ exports and 7.4% of Germany’s exports also went to this nation in 2015. With countries like Germany facing reduced global demand for their goods. The fact is that European governments cannot afford to lose access to British customers. And they’d be crazy to cut us off or make trade more expensive by imposing punishing tariffs.

The UK is at present a major contributor to the EU’s budget

12.6% of the EU’s revenues came from the UK in 2015. When less developed countries joined the EU, the older members took on a greater financial burden. They hoped that expansion would boost investment opportunities and enhance the bloc’s security in the long term.

If the UK were to leave the EU without a deal in place we would still carry on trading with the EU, but under the rules laid down by the World Trade Organisation: This is what people mean by a “no deal Brexit”.

This means the UK could remove tariffs on some goods that currently face them via the EU.

The European Union currently has 28 member countries.

 

According to the EU’s projections, the population in European Union is expected to be 514.01 Million by the end of this year, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the European Union Population is projected to trend around 515.84 Million in 2020, according to our econometric models.
The current population of the United Kingdom is 66,861,016 as of Sunday, March 31, 2019, based on the latest United Nations estimates.

Should the UK ever actually leave the EU, the EU’s total population will shrink by almost 67million, meaning the EU’s population will then be around 448.84million.

It is often said by the ‘Remain Group’ that the UK cannot ignore this huge trading block; and its true, as we really do want to continue to trade on the same or similar arrangements. But even if we cannot reach an agreement, our export trade will NOT cease, it will just be subject to tariffs. But of course so will imported goods coming in from the EU.

But think on this. Currently the world’s population is approx 7.715 billion.

The Commonwealth alone comprises 53 countries, across all continents. The members have a combined population of 2.3 billion people, almost a third of the world population!

This is where we should be looking first to expand our trade.

Both the USA and India have expressed interest in agreeing trade deals with the UK. These will be complex to negotiate and will require the UK government to make trade-offs. They may also take a few years to negotiate.

But then there’s the political angle to be considered. Do we in the UK want to be amalgamated into the Federal States of Europe and governed by an unelected President and bureaucrats?

The EU is a dangerous lie - perhaps the most dangerous experiment of our time. So much so that the peoples of Europe are not even told the truth about its intentions to destroy the nations of Europe.

Let me finish with a quote from Jean Monnet (Founding Father Of The EU in a letter to a friend 30th April 1952) taken from one of his letters:

"Europe's nations should be guided towards the super-state without their people understanding what is happening. This can be accomplished by successive steps, each disguised as having an economic purpose, but which will eventually and irreversibly lead to federation."

In other words, the aim is to create a European Federal Super-state against the wishes of the peoples in the form of a "fait-accompli".

Knowing this, just how much of a fool would you have to be to go along with it?

TAMESIDE COUNCILLORS COME UP WITH A ‘NUGGET’ BY RENAMING THEMSELVES ‘THE HEN PARTY’

 

Noticing the huge support from Tameside residents regarding an animal shelter in Clayton who recently sent out an urgent appeal for people to give rescued ex-battery hens a second chance in a loving home, Tameside Councillors have quickly seized on the well-liked initiative and will be starting their local election campaign on 1^st April with a totally different approach to garner support after it was discovered that there was growing discontent over BREXIT in the once secure Labour stronghold.

 

For the duration of the election campaign, they are apparently temporarily renaming themselves ‘The Hen Party’ and this ‘Political Poultry in Motion’ will dress accordingly to add memorable ‘optics’ to their usual mob-handed leaflet drops and targeted doorstep canvassing – this time around, voters will be accosted by eerily smiling flocks of costumed councillors and campaigners, striding up residents garden paths whilst clucking excitedly - all clutching clipboards, brandishing leaflets and wearing KFC (Kindness For Chickens) rosettes.

 

Speaking for the Conservatives, Cllr Phil’ Chadwick said, “We on the opposition suspect fowl play!”and went on to warn them, “not to count their chickens before they’ve hatched.”

 

Cllr John Taylor, a guy who likes to ruffle everyone's feathers, adopted his usual stance and commented, “As usual I think I'll just wing it” - However, he was roundly criticized by all for being too cocky!

 

In the Council chamber, Council Leader, Brenda Warrington and Tory spokesman John Bell; egged on by a few die-hards in the gallery, argued into to the night, constantly egging each other on over the waste of council tax funds and the sheer crassness of Labour hatching this poultry plan, with the Leader finally reminding the long standing Tory Councillor of the Labour controlled pecking order and vigorously defended the proposed Labour campaign slogan of: ‘Labour - By fair means or fowl’ adding, As to the cost, it's mere chickenfeed!"

 

To which, Cllr Doreen Dickenson cautioned the small clutch of socialists supporters who had flocked to the gallery, that their comedy antics would definitely come home to roost!

 

The argument was joined by Cllr Philip Fitzpatrick; who himself no spring chicken, stuck to his usual mantra by shouting “United we stand, divided we fowl.” Although having just woken from a power-nap, he once again ended up with ‘egg on his face’ when he was heckled by someone from the gallery saying his councillorship was not all it was cracked up to be, and criticized him for voting to open yet another drive-through fast food outlet in nearby Hattersley, to which he resumed his perch, turned broody, stuck his head under his wing and was not heard from again during the meeting!

 

This campaign has sprung up because of the sad news that the Millstream Animal Shelter has been tirelessly trying to find homes for 12,000 chickens from a working farm that is due to close down.

 

If good, ethical homes cannot be found for all of them by the end of March – they will sadly be sent to slaughter.

 

Food for thought: Poultry is the world’s fastest-growing animal protein source, simply because, it is inexpensive, it experiences limited cultural and religious barriers, is environmentally friendly in comparison to most other animal protein sources, and is generally quite widely available in ASDA, Morrison’s LIDLE, ALDI, ICELAND and other popular food outlets throughout Tameside.