11/06/2009 by Steve Tierney.

Induction Day
Last Saturday I proudly attended my ‘induction meeting’ at Shire Hall, Cambridge. Very earnest staff led a tour group of newbie councillors around the elegant building. Cue much “oohing and aahing” like starstruck tourists. No flash photography please, there are wild politicians around and we wouldn’t want to disturb their natural habitat. We had our photos taken (presumably so they can be stuck onto the County Council website to terrify unwary visitors who venture within.) Then we enjoyed a very pleasant buffet lunch, shook each other’s hands, and managed to ignore the fact that many of us would spend the next four years violently disagreeing across the council chamber. If I sound flippant then you should probably put it down to whistling in the dark. I now have the sober responsibility of representing thousands of people. It is a daunting idea but also a task that I am very much looking forward to. I think it’s going to be exciting and interesting and infuriating and challenging and lots of other adjectives. But you know what? I’m ready! Bring it on.

To Work
The first meeting I must attend at county is this Friday. This is not a council meeting per se, but a morning training course followed by the Conservative Group AGM (Annual General Meeting.) This will be the first time I (and a number of other new Conservative councillors) will be attending anything ‘official’ and as such I’m really looking forward to it. I’ll report in full here once its all over. By all accounts, it might be quite interesting. The rumour mill is certainly buzzing. More to follow…

The Conservative Machine
Following his healthy defeat by Cllr. Geoff Harper, independent county candidate for Forty Foot, Mark Archer was reported by the Cambs Times as saying:-

“I’m very encouraged by this. Cllr Harper knows he will have to pull his socks up because I will be standing next time.I don’t think I was beaten by Cllr Harper the candidate, more by the Conservative machine.”

I’m pretty sure Mr Archer had assumed he might win but if he says he feels: ”very encouraged” then fair enough, good for him.  He really misses the point when he talks about the “Conservative Machine”.  By using this sort of mechanical metaphor he is trying to convey a cold, calculating image which has no bearing on reality.  The Conservatives, Mr. Archer, are a team.  A solid, loyal, dedicated team.  While Mr Archer loudly proclaims his ‘lone wolf’ status (a status which I’m somewhat sceptical of) and derides the team that beat him, I would respectfully make the point that all the baseless accusations, local press coverage and political cynicism in the world can’t beat a strong, hard-working team and a great candidate.  If anybody should be “pulling their socks up”, district councillor Archer, it is you.  The Conservative team isn’t going anywhere either.  You know the old saying: “May the best man win?”   Well he did.  I am “very encouraged” by that.
   

Posted in Mark Archer, Fenland District Council, Election, Cambs. County Council, Conservatives | 5 Comments »

07/06/2009 by Steve Tierney.

A New Blue Day

Friday 5th June was ‘The Count’.  The day when I would find out, one way or the other, whether the long and arduous campaign I had just fought was going send me to Shire Hall as a county councillor or to the Cupboard Under The Stairs to lick my gratuitous wounds. 

I should stress that I enjoyed my campaign very much.  I canvassed 90% of my division and got to meet people from every corner of it; Tydd St. Giles, Gorefield, Leverington, Wisbech, Foul Anchor, Tydd Gote, Four Gotes and Newton.   I leafletted every house at least twice, some more often that that.  I went to every Parish Council meeting and to a great many fetes, quiz nights, events and functions.  (I intend to keep doing all these things.  Some people say they usually ‘only see a politician when an election is coming’.  It’s my intention to change that perception where it exists.)

The night before ‘The Count’ (each time I say that I have the urge to do a faux Dracula laugh, a la Sesame Street) I thought I would be unable to sleep, such was my nervous excitement.  But sleep I did.  Like the dead.  I’ve always been somebody who likes to work, but this was one of the toughest, most gruelling months of my life.  And the last week… that was the toughest of all.  So my head hit the pillow and that was all I knew until the alarm screamed me awake and I stumbled, bleary-eyed, into the Day Of Reckoning.  (You think I’m being dramatic?  Try standing for council!  It takes on a life of its own.)

Our ‘telling’ from the previous day suggested we were at 45% of the vote in my division.  You’d think this would have helped me relax, but no.  Quite the opposite.  You imagine you may have gotten it wrong.  That there may be some place where votes have been cast quite differently to what your canvassing suggested.  Labour and the Liberal Democrats had utterly collapsed in Fenland and that had become clear to us during the campaign (despite a puzzling Cambs Times online poll that suggested Labour were doing well, much to our bemusement.  Luckily that turned out to be a pretty duff poll.)  It was UKIP that made me nervous.  Which is a shame because (and this is a personal, not a party view) I am very much a Euro-Sceptic myself and agree that we would be Better Off Out.

On the day of ‘The Count’ (Bwah-ha-ha-ha-ha-haaaa) I stood at the table with my Wife (Marie Tierney), My Mum (Brenda Barber) and one of my Best Friends (Samantha Hoy) watching the drama unfold.  As far as I could see, in the entire building there were only two Labour people:  the Prospective Parliamentary Candidate (whose ‘prospects’ are so limited I can’t even remember his name) and another man in a red tie who looked very grumpy indeed.  Looking around the hall, there weren’t a whole lot of Lib Dems either.  But the Schooling Brothers showed up for UKIP (and they were very nice guys.)  Andrew Hunt showed up for the Libertarian Party (and despite our differences, he was a really great guy too.)  Even independents like Mark Archer (who was trounced soundly by Geoff Harper, proving that the world is a just place after all, in my humble opinion) managed to get there.  Perhaps a message for the ‘opposition’ has been sent by impressive smaller parties and  independents : “Do some work, show some interest, or you’ll wither away.”

The final result was that every single seat in Fenland was won by a Conservative.  The whole area has remained that same wonderful blue and this is great news.  It’s great for Fenland because decent, hard-working honest councillors have been returned to continue doing their vital jobs.  It’s great for politics because it shows that even in the face of public scandal from high above and assault from opportunistic other interests all around the public here remain strongly conservative in heart and soul.  And it’s great for me because I have experienced colleagues to go to for advice and guidance as I begin my own new position as a County Councillor. 

Oh yeah… I won, by the way. Fifty-three percent of those who voted ticked the box next to ‘Steve Tierney’ on their ballot paper.  It’s a truly humbling experience and a great honour.  I’ve said it before.  I’ll say it again.  I won’t let you down.

Thank you, everybody.
  

Thanks

I have so many people to thank who were part of my team and who worked feverishly on my behalf and for the Conservative party.  I’ll get around to thanking them all properly, but in brief:-

Bonnie Drewry and Ann Balls plus their entire wonderful Tydd St Giles team.

Rosemary Peggs, Rachel Tranter, David Humphrey and the entire Gorefield Conservative branch and friends. 

Gavin, Paul, Adam, Laura, Tom, Saluwedin and the brilliant gang at Fens Conservative Future. 

Gary Tibbs, Lynny, Peter Tibbs and Jamie Edwards, who got involved purely because they are amazing friends and worked as hard as anyone (particularly Gary). 

My Dad, John Tierney, who drove up from Hemel Hempstead to canvas with me. 

Steve Barclay PPC, Cllr Nick Meekins, Lucy Heighton, Janet Stott, John Lewis and the many other Leverington and Peckover tellers.

My stepdad Tony Barber (and the whole Leverington team), who delivered more leaflets, canvassed more houses and walked more streets than I could have ever hoped for. 

Cllr Simon King for getting me involved in all this in the first place and for being the font of all knowledge and sage advice whenever I have needed it.

My wife Marie Tierney for putting up with my barely being in the house for a month and managing all the usual things we do together, plus taking great care of our Son while I was seldom around, with good humour and grace.

And most of all:-

Debbie Clark, almost certainly the most wonderful Organising Secretary any Conservative area could ever hope to have.  

Samantha Hoy  - My Right Hand Girl.  Who worked every bit as hard as I did and without whom I would have been lost.

Steve Brunton - Who put in so many hours of help I lost count and who deserves a medal for his dedication.

Brenda Barber - My Mum, who was the lynchpin of the entire campaign and who offered support, encouragement and almost all her free time in the same way she always has whenever i’ve needed her.
 
My victory belongs to all these people as much as, or more than, it does to me.

You guys were absolutely, mind-blowingly, awesome.  Thank you so much for everything.

Posted in Cambs. County Council, Family, Election, Victory, Gorefield, Wisbech, Tydd St. Giles, Newton, Leverington, Conservatives | No Comments »

03/06/2009 by Steve Tierney.

Published by Mrs D N Clark on behalf of Steve Tierney both of 111 High Street, March, Cambs PE15 9LH.

Posted in Election, My Campaign, Conservatives | No Comments »

31/05/2009 by Steve Tierney.

Keep up to date with what is going on with election results … live!

Visit http://iaindale.blogspot.com/2009/05/alert-live-election-results-coverage-on.html
for more information.

June 4th

Vote Conservative
The Small Print (legally required during election campaigns.)

Published by Mrs D N Clark on behalf of Steve Tierney both of 111 High Street, March, Cambs PE15 9LH.

Posted in Iain Dale, Election, My Campaign, Conservatives | No Comments »

12/05/2009 by Steve Tierney.

Everybody Is Talking About It
Another day, another round of horrific expenses headlines from the Telegraph, eagerly swarmed upon, leech-like, by the rest of the media.  Nothing makes a bigger story than some sleaze and corruption.  Out on the streets canvassing and leafletting, people often comment about these unfolding events and I’d like to share some of the responses I give to them in the hope that a little fresh air will be able to sneak in to the suffocating atmosphere that presently surrounds politics.

Before reading this post please see the notes* at the bottom.

“All politicans are stealing from the taxpayer.”
I would respectfully point out that the upcoming elections are for County Councillors (and MEPs, but I’ll let them defend themselves.)  County Councillors don’t have huge expense accounts, or huge wages, or second homes, or taxpayer-funded porn, or a moat.  I’m a county council candidate.  If I dug a moat, cars driving past my house would fall into it.  If my bathplug breaks, I have to go down to the local hardware store with my wallet just like you.  If I choose to pretend another residence is my main home, people will just think I’ve gone a bit mad.  They certainly wont offer me any money.  If I employ a gardener, or a cleaner, or any other sort of home-help, I’d have to do so out of my own pocket (and my pockets are not that deep.  My wife and I do our own housework thank you very much.)  If I wanted a grand piano tuned I would first need to own a grand piano.  Then I’d have to save up.  I guess what I’m saying is - please remember local politicans are not MPs.  At this level of government politicans of all colours and stripes (not just my own party) are simply decent, honest, hard-working folk who want to give something back to the community.  No more, no less.  It would be unfair to tar us with the same dirty brush presently aimed at the grandees on all sides.  It would be counterproductive too.  Councillors do great work.  The MPs will be held to account, I have faith in that.  Let’s not shoot ourselves in the foot and vote for some fringe looney out of spite, even is raving Lord Sutch Tebbit seems to suggest that would be a good idea.  It’s like throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

“All MPs are corrupt.”
There are six hundred and forty-six MPs in the House Of Commons.  We’ve seen thirty or so names indicated in this expenses scandal.  By what measure does a couple of dozen or so from a total lot of six hundred and forty-six represent ALL MPs.  It doesn’t.  Do you think that maybe the Telegraph has withheld the other 6oo (ish) out of generosity?  It being such a good-hearted newspaper and all that?  Of course not.  It’s because all MPs are not the same.  Not even close to it.  Let’s get on and fix the problem, change the rules, sling out the real bad guys and get on with our lives. 

“What About Our Local MP?”
I’m glad you asked.  We’re a lucky constituency.  Now I’m not privy to all Mr. Moss’s details but from what I can see on his website it would appear that Malcolm Moss MP is one of those very good guys.  Malcolm has been publishing his expenses in some detail from his website for ages, which is more than many MPs have done.  He appears to keep no secrets, nor to do anything untoward.  In short, it would seem he’s precisely the sort of old-fashioned decent MP that everybody says they want (and we’ve got!).  Our prospective Parliamentary Candidate, Stephen Barclay PPC, I have come to know rather well from encounters during my campaign to be a County Councillor and he certainly seems to me to be a straightforward hard-working honest candidate, which is why I hope very much that he will end up as our MP.  I would even venture that that’s the nature of politics in North-East Cambridgeshire.  We aren’t perfect, I suppose, but nor are we currently part of this unsavory mess that’s going on and we should applaud that and hope it remains thus.
(Post updated after constructive criticism from other parties.)

**I’d like to stress that my blog contains entirely my own personal opinion.  It does not represent the opinion of the Conservative Party, nor of any other member other than myself.  I’m not infallible so I’m sure I won’t always be ‘right’.  But I do my best to speak my mind and the truth as I know it. Which is, I think, all any of us can do.

The Small Print (legally required during election campaigns.)
Published by Mrs D N Clark on behalf of Steve Tierney both of 111 High Street, March, Cambs PE15 9LH.

Posted in Expenses Scandal, Election, My Campaign, Cambs. County Council, Conservatives | No Comments »

10/05/2009 by Steve Tierney.

The Expenses Witchhunt
Doesn’t watching the news just get you down, lately? Every day a new sleaze allegation, a new misuse of office, a new expenses scandal. MP after MP, night after night, is being brought low by the terrible might of the Daily Telegraph (and whatever mole made a fortune leaking the list to them.) I know it’s not going to be popular, but I’d like to make a plea for calm. Before I do, I suppose a few clarifications need be made to prevent being hauled into the stocks and having fruit hurled at me.

Clarifications: I’m as outraged by the misuse of MP expenses as the rest of you. It’s wrong, they shouldn’t have done it, and the rules need to be changed right away.

Okay, with that out of the way, I’d like to make the case for some old-fashioned reason instead of all the frothing and shouting that the press are urging so fervently.

This is what has happened (in a nutshell). MP’s represent huge bodies of people and in public life somebody with that level of responsibility and duty would be paid very highly indeed. MPs earn a perfectly healthy wage (most of us would love to earn that much), but compared to the private sector wages for a similar job they earn very little.  On top of that, those who live a fair way from London and have to work there several days a week must have somewhere to stay while doing their job.  It’s no good telling them they ‘earn enough’ to pay for it themselves.  They mostly don’t (unless we only want millionaires in parliament…)  Hotels in London are expensive and staying in one several nights a week would be just as expensive as a second home.

Over many years MPs have shied away from giving themselves any significant pay rise, but the costs of living and staying in London keep getting higher.  Let’s face it, the reason they didn’t give themselves a pay rise is because there’s no nice way that story will ever play in a newspaper. 

So a culture has built up between MPs that instead of taking a pay rise, they will use their second homes allowance instead.  Please note: I’m not saying this was right.  It certainly wasn’t clever.  But nor is it ‘evil’.  If anything it was cowardly, or just a bit dumb. 

Instead of shrinking back in horror as it becomes clearer by the day that: “they are all at it” we could choose to take some solace in that.  Surely only the most paranoid anarchist actually believes that ‘every MP’ is crooked?  It’s so obviously not true.  What they are is human.  They used a scheme rather than take a payrise (stupidly) and presumed it would never get looked at too closely (also stupidly) and because they were all doing it they talked themselves into believing it was right and proper (most stupidly of all.) 

We know it was wrong.  They know it was wrong.  Yet still the public bay like a pack of starving wolves, circling the increasingly wide-eyed and frightened members of parliament with the scent of blood in their nostrils.  The media are stoking the fire with furious glee.  After all, every new secret brought to light is a new headline, a new expose, and a hundred thousand papers sold. 

The damage being done here is immense.  The public are losing all faith in their politicians.  Our whole system of democracy is being undermined.  The story is now feeding itself and getting hungrier.  Some sanity needs to be restored.

All MPs, or even most MPs, are not crooked.  You may not like the rules (I certainly don’t) but they were within them.  It was a ridiculous, flawed system.  But it has now been uncovered.  The thing to do here, the sensible, calm, rationale thing is to change the rules.  Do away with the loopholes and all non-business expenses.   Demand all receipts.  Publish the full list every year.  And that, my friends, will be the end of that.  As for second homes, I personally think they are fine, but that they should belong to the taxpayer.  When an MP finishes their time in parliament the house they bought is sold and the money (and profit) is put back into the taxation pot.   Voila! (Excuse my French)   No more expenses problems ever again.

As for getting the police involved.  Sure - if they have actually broken the law.  A very few may have done so.  Let’s just try not to tar them all with the same brush.  It’s certainly a good story to see that an MP bought nappies on his parliamentary expenses, or a plug, or a couple of toilet seats, but it’s not the same as, say, cash for honours.  If the police think there’s a case, let them make an arrest.  That is, after all, their job. 

Visiting Sutton
I’ve been canvassing in Sutton (Ely) today on behalf of Cllr. Philip Read.  Why am I campaigning for somebody else and not my own seat?  That’s easy - because I’m part of a team.  Cambridgeshire Conservatives don’t operate in little isolated pockets, we work together and help one another.  An impressive team it was too, since it included (but was not limited to) our organising secretary Debbie Clark, the leader of the county council Cllr. Jill Tuck and the Prospective Parliamentary Candidate Steve Barclay. 

Highlights of the day included a very interesting debate about Europe with a gentleman who wanted to know what the Conservative position on it was.  The fantastic views of rolling countryside and fertile fields that can be seen from most of Sutton and is particularly easy to appreciate on such a clear and sunny day.  And being chased by a dog (who caught me and proceeded to drool all over me.)  Please note: nobody set the dog on me.  I wasn’t canvassing for Labour. 

Councillor Read is an experienced, dedicated local politician, councillor and gentleman.  The people of Sutton clearly know that already, since many of them knew him personally when I knocked on their doors and had nothing but good things to say about him and his work.  He also has a donkey, which is kinda neat in my humble opinion.  How many people have a donkey in their backyard?

So, if you live in Sutton, maybe we met today!  If so, maybe you were one of the many people who told me on the doorstep how tired you were of Labour and how unenthused you were by the Lib Dem’s unlikely affectations and grandiose promises.  I couldn’t agree with you more.

Out n’ About
My own Campaign begins officially tomorrow.  Obviously I’ve been doing preparation and all sorts for quite some time.  But tomorrow is my first day of actual canvassing and leafletting.  The Conservative Office have done a great job of my literature and I’m really pleased with it.  Over the next month I’ll be in Wisbech Peckover, Leverington, Gorefield, Tydd St. Giles and Newton.  It is my intention to get around as much of the division as is humanly possible.  If I can do every house, I’ll consider that perfect.  That’s the target I’m aiming for.  If you live there and you see me, please say: “Hi!”.  And please remember to vote Conservative on June 4th.  Every vote counts. 

If you have any questions for me please don’t hesitate to;
phone (07831 616127)
Email me@stevetierney.org
or write : Steve Tierney, 6 Alexandra Road, Wisbech. PE13 1HQ.
 
The Small Print (legally required during election campaigns.)
Published by Mrs D N Clark on behalf of Steve Tierney both of 111 High Street, March, Cambs PE15 9LH.
  

Posted in Gorefield, Cambs. County Council, My Campaign, Wisbech, Leverington, Tydd St. Giles, Newton, Conservatives | No Comments »

29/04/2009 by Steve Tierney.

Ordinary British Decency
Prime Minister’s Questions today brought up the important issue of the Gurkhas. I was pleased to see David Cameron give Gordon Brown both barrels over this because the current state of affairs is just plain evil. I was also surprised to find that Nick Clegg, somebody for whom I generally have little time for, made the most poignant statement and it was this:
“Simple ordinary British decency means that soldiers who were prepared to die for this country must be allowed to live in this country.”
He is quite right. It’s so obvious that I wonder how anybody can even argue about it? This one doesn’t need debate. It needs action. Right now. If for no other reason than to prove the government still remembers what Simple Ordinary British Decency is.

20 MPH Or Bust
The Local Liberal Democrats are once again on their high horses, this time over the idea to reduce speeds on our roads to 20MPH in towns and villages. Sadly, this is a clear example of what is so wrong with Liberal Democrat thinking. Their first impulse when dealing with any problem is to slap a law, or a rule, or a regulation on it. Aren’t they supposed to be the party of liberalism?  Anybody with any common sense would agree that dangerous driving is a problem that must be dealt with and that slower speeds almost certainly equal less danger. But where do we draw the line? Why not 10 Miles Per Hour? Or Five Miles Per Hour? Or two miles per hour while a man walks in front of the car waving a flag and tooting a horn? In the end, you can reduce speeds as much as you like, but if there’s no enforcement of those speeds it is nothing more than words and hot air.

I put it to you, dear reader, that if people actually kept to the current 30MPH speed limit, drove sensibly with proper care and attention and avoided using mobile phones, sat navs and other distractions while managing their cars that would go a long way to reducing accidents too. The Highways Agency used to tell us in their adverts: “It’s Thirty For A Reason.” According to the Lib Dems they should have reasoned a bit longer. There is a place for a 20MPH speed limit; alongside schools for instance. I worry that if we give the Lib Dems a free run on this they’ll keep slowing and slowing and slowing us down until we’d get there faster on a Tonka toy (and safer too, those Tonkas take some breaking.)  I’m just saying, before we begin knee-jerk legislation and enforcement, couldn’t we think about making the current system work properly?

Dawn Chorus Day
I tend to work pretty late hours quite often and its not unusual for me to be going to bed at about the time dawn breaks.  The happy chirping of the birds can be annoying when all you want is to snatch a few hours sleep.  Of course, that’s a blinkered view of what is actually a rather wonderful phenomenon.  Nature, having laid still during the dead of night, wakes up and bursts into song to mark the start of a new morning.  Which is precisely what Dawn Chorus Day is all about.  The brainchild of town park champion John Smith and in association with the Friends Of Wisbech Park, we are all being invited to come and experience the Dawn Chorus in all its glory, eyes wide with excitement.  On Sunday May 3rd, at 3.45AM (that’s the crack of dawn this Sunday for the chronally-challenged) many local people will be gathering in Wisbech Town Park for a tiny adventure amidst the urban spawl.  I can’t claim to be a bird-watcher or a person who spends much time getting up close and personal with nature, but I’m certainly going to attend.  The world wakes up and sings.  Can you think of a better cure for our current economic malaise than that?  They’re even throwing in a free bacon roll for everybody who attends.  Now that is nourishment for the soul.

Click HERE to see the Dawn Chorus Day poster which has all the details and HERE to book a place!  I’ll see you there!

The Small Print (legally required during election campaigns.)
Published by Mrs D N Clark on behalf of Steve Tierney both of 111 High Street, March, Cambs PE15 9LH.

Posted in Liberal Democrats, Parliament, Wisbech, Conservatives | No Comments »

27/04/2009 by Steve Tierney.

Vote Blue On June 4th
If you live in the Roman Bank & Peckover County Division I will be asking for your vote on behalf of the Conservatives on June 4th.  I am sure you will hear my political opponents promise you the world on a silver platter.  I have already had a taste of some of the grand claims they make and grander criticisms of the present Conservative administration.  It doesn’t seem to matter how skewed their presentation or how invalid their comment.  They seem to think that if they promise you the Sun and the Moon and Six Miracles Before Breakfast that’ll somehow win them a seat.  In the end, I’m sure readers of this blog are well aware of the political merry-go-round.  You’ve heard enough nonsense like this over the last decade to be immune to it.  Nevertheless, this month you may be presented with dizzying spin from as varied quarters as UKIP and Labour and the Lib Dems.  I don’t want to get into that big-talking point-scoring political nonsense.  As a local candidate I just want to make a few simple, honest promises.  You’ll be able to reach me (locally) when you need help.  I’ll listen to what you say, I’ll push the things you want and I will work like a dog on your behalf each and every day.  There’s nothing grand or colourful about those promises, I know.  But you can take them to the bank.  Try me.  I won’t let you down. 

Conservative Spring Forum
I have just returned from the Conservative Spring Forum, which I visited with a number of friends and colleagues this weekend.  It was an enjoyable trip which I found useful and interesting.  The agenda could have done with a bit more meat on its bones, to be honest.  Nevertheless, the speeches and presentations I attended were solid and intelligent.  In particular, I was lucky enough to be at the Freedom Association fringe event with the folk from FensCF when MEP Dan Hannan addressed the small but attentive audience with an impromptu ten-minute speech.  As usual when Dan Hannan makes a speech I was blown away.  Nor was I alone in this as the audience were clearly just as taken with his smart, confident and intelligent arguments.  The following day he had another speech for conference, presented here.  I have been a fan of Mr. Hannan’s work for some time (I very highly recommend his book, The Plan, to anybody interested in politics and democracy in the U.K.) and so it was a privelige to hear him speak and a stroke of great fortune to be able to do so from a few feet away!  Quite honestly, It made the weekend for me!

European Elections
We must not forget that on the same day that our County Council elections are taking place we will also vote on our European candidates.  I’ve heard a few ‘normally Tory’ voters suggest they may flirt with another party as a ‘protest’ over the whole Europe and refendum thing and I’d just like to say: Please Don’t.  Let me explain why.  Most Conservatives are sceptical about further integration with Europe and even those that aren’t want to support proper democratic procedure.  The only way to make Labour rethink its blind course of destruction right now is to deliver them a sound thrashing at the elections on June 4th.  If you vote for the ‘fringe’ parties you may think this works as a protest.  And of course you have a free vote and should obviously cast it wherever you choose.  But Labour will not be shaken by a few votes moving to parties with no power or influence.  That protest will do nothing to turn their arrogant grins upside down.  What will scare them and move them to rethink their position is a Conservative Landslide.  Add to this the fact that we really do have decent, honourable, hard-working candidates who we desperately need to get elected so they can bring some sanity back to Europe and you can see why I’d quite literally beg you to remember how important this European Election is.  The European Union is the Monster in the Closet, it wants to creep out at midnight when you least expect it and literally take control of your lives.  Give your vote to the Conservatives and we’ll have a real platform to tame the beast and put it back in its cage.

Irritating? Me?
In last week’s Cambs Times, Columnist Samuel Brakespeare called me irritating.  He did it in a subtle and ironic way, but still.  Irritating?  Me?  Surely not.  My first actual outing in the local press and I get called names!  Yikes.  I suppose it’s lucky I’ve got thick skin if this is what I have to look forward to!  I’m joking, of course.  I rather like the Fen Diary regular slot, which is witty, punchy and informed.  I don’t mind that I have been labelled as a potential source of ‘good sport’ there.  At least he took the time to read my blog and comment.  I just hope that as time passes I’ll be able to get the inimical Brakespeare to think of me as useful instead.  I’m a newbie in local political terms.  Maybe I’m naive too.  But I really do think we can move beyond cynicism and actually contribute something to our communities.  That’s why I got involved in local politics and that’s exactly what I want to try and help achieve.  If I can demonstrate this then I hope even the most professional cynics will agree I’m useful rather than irritating. 

The Small Print (legally required during election campaigns.)
Published by Mrs D N Clark on behalf of Steve Tierney both of 111 High Street, March, Cambs PE15 9LH.

Posted in My Campaign, Election, Europe, Conservative Future, Cambs. County Council, Conservatives | No Comments »

23/04/2009 by Steve Tierney.

St. George
Every time the question about a national day for the English comes around it seems to get bound up in rhetoric of whether we should, or should not, be proud to be English.  Whether we (as a people) are given to this sort of celebration or not.  Whether we even have anything to be proud of.  Well, I am certainly proud to be English.  I am indeed given to this sort of celebration.  And I do believe that England has a great deal to be proud of.  Times are hard for many and they’re going to get harder.  One of the things that will help get us through is to remember our long, colourful history.  Another is looking at our communities and the decent, proud, generous people who live in them.  We sell ourselves short sometimes, getting bogged down in arguments about benefits cheats, teenage parents, corrupt bankers and knife crime.  Let’s try to remember our good points too.  A national day to keep that in mind is a good thing. 
Happy St. George’s Day!

Stand And Deliver
Yesterday the Prime Minister put on his mask, strapped guns to his hips and laid in wait on the side of the highway.  The first carriage to come along was carrying the Middle Class.  Gordon leapt out into the road and shouted : “Stand and deliver!  Your Money Or Your Life!”  People might be forgiven for thinking Robin Hood had arrived, stealing from the rich (well, prosperous, anyway) and giving to the poor. 

Until the next wagon to happen by.  “Stick ‘Em Up!  I’ll be taking all your jobs, please.” Gordon ranted, aiming his six guns at a bunch of weary working class travellers.  “I know the prosperous employ everybody else, I just don’t care.  The public sector isn’t big enough yet anyway!”  Leering evilly, Gordon smirked: “Don’t worry, you’ll be looked after.  As long as you meet the criteria.  You need to be a teenager, out of work for six months or more, driving an eleven-year-old car, the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter, born on the Sabbath under a blood red moon.”  Or something like that. 

Having now put the lie both to the Big Idea that the middle classes have nothing to fear from New Labour and to their Manifesto commitment against huge tax increases, Gordon Brown finally openly reverts to type.  It’s back to the Seventies with a hit parade of class warfare, economic ruin and social jealousy.  Since today is also William Shakespeare’s Birthday I think a quote is in order. 

O, beware, my lord, of jealousy;
It is the green-ey’d monster, which doth mock
The meat it feeds on.
- Shakespeare’s Othello

I’m aware that my metaphors are something of a mish-mash.  Much like that disastrous nonsense of a fabricated budget.  Give me strength.

The Small Print
At the end of April ‘09 we move officially into Campaign Season.  The run-up to the County Council and Euro-Elections mean that some rules come into force which I am advised I must adhere to since I am a candidate for the Roman Bank & Peckover county division.   As a consequence of this I will be obliged to include an amount of ‘Small Print’ at the end of every blog post detailing my Conservative affiliation and some other campaign-related details.  My posts will also be slightly delayed as they will need to be ‘approved’ by my local organising secretary.  She’s a good sport and I’m not particularly controversial, so I don’t anticipate any problems.  I’m only making this advance notification in case anybody wonders why small print suddenly starts appearing at the end of my posts.  It doesn’t mean I’ve sold out, or am under the dictatorial thumb of Big Brother.  It just means (like any good Conservative) that I want to stay within the law and do the right thing as a county candidate.  Somehow, I doubt that telling readers I’m a Conservative at the end of each post is going to be a big surprise to anybody.  But if it is I’d have to ask… what Blog have you been reading all this time? 

Three Thousand Readers
My latest ‘hits count’ for the blog website is three-thousand individual readers a week.  TWELVE THOUSAND a month?  Bloody hell!  (Excuse my French.)  Who are you all?  Thank you for reading but please… leave a comment once in a while!  It’s exciting to know my occasional rant encourages some inspection.  It’d just be nice to get some feedback!  Speak now, or forever hold your pieces.  <Ahem>
  

Posted in England, St. Georges Day, Budget, Labour Party, Cambs. County Council, My Campaign, Conservatives | No Comments »

19/04/2009 by Steve Tierney.

In my last post I had a bit of a dig at local rivals the Lib Dems and their proposal to slash council tax rates.  My point was that it’s easy to say this stuff in opposition, but that I did not believe that from a position of power (which I truly hope, with all due respect to Lib Dem rivals, never comes to pass in Cambridgeshire) they would follow though.  In the spirit of fairness I did also say that I understood they were playing the “opposition game” and that I expected the Conservatives might not behave so differently in their shoes.

Well, lo and behold, while browsing randomly on the web today I stumbled upon this. 

Conservatives condemn Labour and Lib Dem
pact to hike council tax

Sure enough, down in Reading where the Conservatives are in opposition to Labour in the Borough Council, Lib Dems have voted with Labour to push through a rise, while Conservatives call for a freeze.  Now if that doesn’t prove the point I was trying to make, I don’t know what does.  In opposition, local government parties (including, sadly, my own on occasion) can promise the world.  In power, given the task of delivering, reality sets in.  The best laid plans of mice and men are found wanting.

I don’t think this is the fault of the parties in local government, actually.  The fact is, all parties want to try and offer great services for fair and reasonable costs.  The thrust and parry of politics on both sides can be inelegant, we disagree on some points of fair governance, but all want to achieve the best outcome for the electorate.  Even Labour, possibly with the exception of Gordon Brown’s cabal, who just want to cling to power forever like leeches on the skin of the country.

The problem with our services is that there is never enough money to do everything, or even most things.  Why?  Because we waste too much of it on nonsense and because we have made it impossible, or at least very difficult, for people to do anything for themselves.  The government is constantly trying to give councils less money, while giving them ever more top-down ‘targets’.    We are burdened by a ridiculously expensive public sector which employs far too many, pays some of them far too much and encourages ever more waste.  On top of all this we insist on bailing out every failing institution which comes to the government with a cap in its hand and a sad face.  There is only so much money to go around (the ability of the Bank of England to print it with a Mickey Mouse logo notwithstanding).

I’d like to see Council Tax rates going in reverse.  Each year, your bill would tell you how much of a percentage LESS than the previous year it would be.  With the Labour government’s waste, over-regulation and poor practice, this is presently impossible.  A rise is necessary almost everywhere because we have to take care of people and that means more money.  When an election is finally called we can only hope that a Conservative government sweeps in with a massive majority and can then set about restructuring and stripping away the fat.  A lean, powerful, dynamic public sector will make lower council taxes possible.  I know it seems such a thing can never happen, but I remain hopeful that it can.  Falling Council Taxes.  Can you imagine?  You’d almost look forward to the bill.  (Okay… maybe that’s taking it a bit too far!)

Posted in Liberal Democrats, Labour Party, Election, Cambs. County Council, Conservatives | No Comments »