Could someone please tell us the point of the rather grandly-titled “Hampshire Senate”?
The Senate was set up by Conservative-controlled Hampshire County Council and its leader, Ken Thornber, supposedly to bring together politicians and 'leaders' from various government agencies and businesses in Hampshire.
Some people have likened it to a 'House of Lords' for Hampshire. It is an unelected talking shop with no democratic mandate - but the potential for enormous influence on decision-making. However, set up 18 months ago, all it seems to have achieved to date is introduce yet another burden for local Council Taxpayers to shoulder.
What has turned this farce into local fury are newly-uncovered plans to hire expensive PR lobbyists to promote the Senate at a cost of £100,000 a year – plus a decision to BAN the public and media from many key Senate meetings.
Last month, the County Council organised a conference for the Senate at a 4-star hotel, sending the £11,500 bill to local Council Taxpayers. Credit is due to the leaders of Portsmouth City Council and Eastleigh Borough Council who have boycotted this absurd body and are calling for it to be scrapped forthwith.
Monday, 9 November 2009
Sunday, 8 November 2009
No to Sham Open Primary - Yes to Peter Viggers' resignation
Gosport's “lame duck” Member of Parliament, Sir Peter Viggers, has brought disgrace upon himself … and SHAME on the proud name of Gosport.
For years, he and his fellow Conservatives have presided over the slow decline of our once proud town. Remember the Ritz? They tore it down. The A32? As gridlocked as ever. Haslar Hospital? They gave up without a fight.
Over the last 5 years alone, Sir Peter has taken home almost £1 million in pay, allowances and 'expenses'. We may never know how much of our taxes he has pocketed during his 35-year rein as Gosport's MP. But what we DO know is that – whilst he was supposed to be representing us in Parliament – Sir Peter was ALSO working as a Director for companies in the oil and gas industries, banking, textiles, telecommunications, as well as working for an American University.
No wonder he has one of the WORST voting records in the Houses of Parliament. Over the last decade, he has turned up to just HALF the votes held in the House of Commons.
Yet not only does he feel he has the RIGHT to claim tens of thousands of pounds of YOUR money in expenses for Christmas lights, manure and the infamous duck house – to name but a few of his more absurd claims – he now INSISTS on staying in his job until the end of the Parliamentary session (at OUR expense), when he stands to receive a handsome TAX-FREE pay-off of several thousand pounds, AND a gold-plated PENSION worth £1 MILLION!
Many people in Gosport believe Sir Peter should be stripped of his knighthood, forfeit his pension and be put on trial. Almost everyone agrees he should give back his mis-claimed expenses, as well as his tax-free pay-off when he eventually steps down. Voters throughout Gosport, Lee, Stubbington and Hill Head have strongly backed Lib Dem calls for Sir Peter to RESIGN NOW.
The only people still supporting Sir Peter are the Gosport Conservatives. Instead of passing a vote of no confidence in him and forcing him to stand down immediately, they have ALLOWED him to continue. Little wonder – seeing as Sir Peter claimed £18,000 of taxpayers money on their behalf for nice new furniture for their office on Stoke Road.
Now, the Conservative Party's HQ – sick and tired of the embarassing antics of their Gosport Conservative Association – are holding a sham 'open primary' in Gosport and are asking people to pick their next candidate from a hand-picked shortlist of Dave "Hug-a-Hoodie” Cameron's favoured few.
NOT ONE OF THE WOULD-BE CANDIDATES IS FROM GOSPORT. Indeed, the Conservative Party STOPPED anyone from the Gosport Conservative Association from even making it onto the shortlist! Which is not really all that surprising, seeing as they can hardly be trusted...
Local people, however, are seeing through the charade. Whoever the Conservatives announce as their next candidate, Gosport Council Taxpayers will STILL be asked by the Gosport Conservative Association to CARRY ON footing the bill for Sir Peter's wages and expenses.
More and more people are backing the Lib Dem campaign demanding that Peter Viggers RESIGN NOW. You can join us by visiting our website: www.gosportfocus.co.uk.
You can also help Gosport Liberal Democrats stamp out the stench of corruption and the cancer of Conservative complacency that has brought our town to its knees – and start rebuilding a better future for local people.
For years, he and his fellow Conservatives have presided over the slow decline of our once proud town. Remember the Ritz? They tore it down. The A32? As gridlocked as ever. Haslar Hospital? They gave up without a fight.
Over the last 5 years alone, Sir Peter has taken home almost £1 million in pay, allowances and 'expenses'. We may never know how much of our taxes he has pocketed during his 35-year rein as Gosport's MP. But what we DO know is that – whilst he was supposed to be representing us in Parliament – Sir Peter was ALSO working as a Director for companies in the oil and gas industries, banking, textiles, telecommunications, as well as working for an American University.
No wonder he has one of the WORST voting records in the Houses of Parliament. Over the last decade, he has turned up to just HALF the votes held in the House of Commons.
Yet not only does he feel he has the RIGHT to claim tens of thousands of pounds of YOUR money in expenses for Christmas lights, manure and the infamous duck house – to name but a few of his more absurd claims – he now INSISTS on staying in his job until the end of the Parliamentary session (at OUR expense), when he stands to receive a handsome TAX-FREE pay-off of several thousand pounds, AND a gold-plated PENSION worth £1 MILLION!
Many people in Gosport believe Sir Peter should be stripped of his knighthood, forfeit his pension and be put on trial. Almost everyone agrees he should give back his mis-claimed expenses, as well as his tax-free pay-off when he eventually steps down. Voters throughout Gosport, Lee, Stubbington and Hill Head have strongly backed Lib Dem calls for Sir Peter to RESIGN NOW.
The only people still supporting Sir Peter are the Gosport Conservatives. Instead of passing a vote of no confidence in him and forcing him to stand down immediately, they have ALLOWED him to continue. Little wonder – seeing as Sir Peter claimed £18,000 of taxpayers money on their behalf for nice new furniture for their office on Stoke Road.
Now, the Conservative Party's HQ – sick and tired of the embarassing antics of their Gosport Conservative Association – are holding a sham 'open primary' in Gosport and are asking people to pick their next candidate from a hand-picked shortlist of Dave "Hug-a-Hoodie” Cameron's favoured few.
NOT ONE OF THE WOULD-BE CANDIDATES IS FROM GOSPORT. Indeed, the Conservative Party STOPPED anyone from the Gosport Conservative Association from even making it onto the shortlist! Which is not really all that surprising, seeing as they can hardly be trusted...
Local people, however, are seeing through the charade. Whoever the Conservatives announce as their next candidate, Gosport Council Taxpayers will STILL be asked by the Gosport Conservative Association to CARRY ON footing the bill for Sir Peter's wages and expenses.
More and more people are backing the Lib Dem campaign demanding that Peter Viggers RESIGN NOW. You can join us by visiting our website: www.gosportfocus.co.uk.
You can also help Gosport Liberal Democrats stamp out the stench of corruption and the cancer of Conservative complacency that has brought our town to its knees – and start rebuilding a better future for local people.
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