Bombardier

In the heart of Derbyshire there is an enterprise cluster centered around transport manufacturing. Toyota in the north and Bombardier in the south. Now these two companies obviously are both transport engineering companies, one makes cars and one makes trains. But they are also both owned by non-british companies.

Now I am a Networks engineer by trade, but my degree is in Computer Networks and Enterprise Management. Now my business brain tells me that when you go out to tender, you produce the best deal for the best price and you get the contract, right? So my initial reaction is, "Obviously, Bombardier didnt cut the mustard...?" But, quite understandably so, the people of Derby are not satisfied with this.

My political brain says "Who set this deal up and who agreed to the EU regulations on procurrment?" The answer is, once again, New labour.

But I have no wish to sound like a stuck record on this, so I feel the "It was like that when we got here" reflex is no longer good enough. Although as a conservative my initial feeling is that behind every bad decision that the coalition government has been forced to make is a labour minister of state. If it is a defence problem, it is more often than not Geoff Hoon's problem. If it is a transport problem, it is more often than not Geoff Hoon's problem. If it is a business problem then it is probably down to Lord Mandleson.

I was at a dinner event last week, where our ever controversial MEP, Roger Helmer proclaimed "We in Britain play Cricket". This handy metaphor for playing by the rules is so true. Which leads me to beleive that if we were to leave the common market that we know as the European Union we would all be in a much better position all around.

However obviously the 1200 jobs that Bombardier were going to shed in October anyway is no argument for not supporting british industry. I fully support the Derbyshire MP's that are liaisng with the secretary of state and the prime minister to come to a solution.

The greatest compliment you could ever receive!

For me, as an aspiring politician, to have been asked by a sitting county councillor, if, I would be looking for a county seat in 2 years just proves to me that people believe that I can win a seat and that I can serve my public on a higher level than the borough council.

Ken Clarke, offensive or just Ken being Ken?

Right, I have listened back to this interview this afternoon.

When I first read a facebook post regarding this, I automatically thought of James Chick... "If you're gonna get raped, you're gonna get raped..."

Now I like Ken Clarke, I think he is a wonderful MP and a loyal Conservative who sticks to his beleif's... But lets face it, he's never been the most tactful person on the planet.

Now any who knows me will know that I am a committed Liberation activist. I campaigned on womens issues and LGBT issues and black students issues as well as the issues within my own breif.

Now my degree is in Computer Networks & Enterprise Management, NOT LAW. But I have spent a long time with enough law students and heard them discussing their course material. Now I have enough common sense to know that each case needs to be judged and convicted upon its own merrit and under its own circumstances.

If the comments that I have heard from varying people throughout the day had been taken upon a purely legal/moral stance, then I would be in complete agreement and I would have been perfectly willing to discuss this in more depth. The fact is that Ken Clarke has made comments and backed them up soundly with his own experience as a lawyer. WHY is rape brought up? His claims were we will shorten sentences for people who plead guilty. Why do we need to add the phrase, INCLUDING RAPISTS?

Has it not always been the case that the courts are more leaniant on criminals who plead guilty?

Now recently I have not made any secrets about my feelings towards the National union of students. The only area of NUS that I have any time or respect for anymore is infact the liberation and the welfare sections, because they are the only area of NUS with the moral objective that a Union should hold, that being to protect its members. But in this case the very fact that the NUS womens campaign are calling for people to email the Prime Minister and call for ken Clarke to be sacked is just typically NUS.

Ken Clarke was just being Ken Clarke and I'm afraid you would be loosing a damn good politician by calling for his head.

morality or philosophy?

I may well be a Tory activist and many people have tried to tell me that I cannot be a Tory activist and a liberation activist at the same time.

I had put this ideological philosophy battle to bed in the summer when I detailed my view point on this blog. However I feel in the wake of the Andy Gray sexism row, I am in a position to comment again.

I know that my personal brief was centered around disability equality, but I worked extremely closely with the womens'campaign and the LGBT campaign and I campaigned along side them on womens issues and on LGBT issues and as such I am fully behind the Sky Sports decision to fire Gray.

The world is evolving, and the game of football must change with it. I happen to know many female football oficials, who are extremely competant officials. If Sian Massey has been given the chance to officiate at a premier league fixture, she must have satisfied the FA standards.

Whether Gray made the comments on air or off air, he still holds the views and the views are wholey unacceptable.

Friends of...

Last night I was at the second meeting of the proposed Friends of Hayworth Road Park group.

The park's in Sandiacre, Erewash are ordinarily maintained by the Parish Council, with the exception of Hayworth Road. A community group, backed by Cllr. Mrs. Jennifer Hulls is discussing the possibility of forming a Friends of Hayworth Road Park group.

There may even be a possibility of Erewash CF getting a social action project or two out of it.

No2AV

Fire up the Punto, its time for change.

I used this para-quote alot in May 2010. Many would be of the opinion that I shouldnt be saying this anymore as the party branding has altered and we are now in government. Well the Local elections are but months away. There is still change to be seen in Erewash. I also beleive whole heartedly that at the very centre of all political activity is change. Therefore, it seems fitting to continue to strive for change, after all if a politician is not striving for change and not wanting to affect change, they are not doing their job properly.

After working all week, I joined several of our borough councillors and our member of Parliament Jessica Lee MP, for an Indian last night. As usual it was an extremely enjoyable and pleasant evening. Being seen out and about in my ward with Jessica, His Worship the Mayor - Councillor Robert Parkinson, the Deputy Mayor - Councillor Kevin Miller and other lead members of Erewash Borough Council was an absolute pleasure.

This morning, I was out delivering survey letters in Long Eaton Central with the Leader of Erewash Borough Council, Councillor Chris Corbett, Jessica Lee MP and other councillors from Long Eaton Central.

After the news from Oldham East and Saddleworth this week, it really is time to step up and work for the seats that we currently do not hold and time to step up to keep hold of those seats that are currently occupied by Conservatives.