19/07/2009 by Steve Tierney.

Iain Dale puts a “top 100 blogs” list together this time of year. There’s very little chance of me getting on it, but you never know! If you are a regular reader and enjoy this blog can you email your “top 10 blogs” to him at toptenblogs@totalpolitics.com and it would be very nice if I was somewhere in the running (or even near the top)…. But obviously only if you like my blog and feel it deserves a ranking.

The rules are simple.

1. You must vote for your ten favourite blogs and ranks them from 1 (your favourite) to 10 (your tenth favourite).
2. Your votes must be ranked from 1 to 10. Any votes which do not have rankings will not be counted.
3. You MUST include ten blogs. If you include fewer than ten your vote will not count.
4. Email your vote to toptenblogs@totalpolitics.com
5. Only vote once.
6. Only blogs based in the UK, run by UK residents or based on UK politics are eligible.
7. Anonymous votes left in the comments will not count. You must give a name
8. All votes must be received by midnight on 31 July 2009. Any votes received after that date will not count.

Posted in My Campaign | No Comments »

06/06/2009 by Steve Tierney.

Cynical local newspapers, ‘Independent’ troublemakers and Massive upper Government scandals notwithstanding…

 We won!

The whole of Fenland remained entirely Conservative and I won my seat with a very humbling majority.

Thank you so much for your overwhelming confidence and support, people of Wisbech Peckover, Leverington, Gorefield, Newton and Tydd St. Giles.  I will not let you down.

I’ll blog more after the weekend.  Now… I need a celebration drink (or two.) 

Thank you again.- Cllr. Steve Tierney, Roman Bank & Peckover. Conservative.

Posted in Cambs. County Council, My Campaign, Election, Gorefield, Wisbech, Newton, Leverington, Tydd St. Giles | 1 Comment »

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 »

23/05/2009 by Steve Tierney.

I’m still not blogging until June 5th or so.  This is just a brief interlude.  Feel free to ignore.

I’ve never ridden in on a white charger, but it is something I’d love to do if the chance ever arises.  Would a dark knight all cloaked in shadows meet me mid-stride, lance raised, jeering wickedly, his every word dripping with cynicism?  Or is the pen mightier than the lance?

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 My Campaign | 2 Comments »

15/05/2009 by Steve Tierney.

Workload Break
I try to blog regularly but this month I have simply reached a workload level that means I am going to have to take a break until after June 4th.  As regular readers will know, I’m a candidate for the County Council and I am now well into campaign time.  Quite honestly, given the sheer size of my prospective division and the number of people I need to try and get to see I am being forced to ‘tune out’ some of my usual pastimes until it is all over.  So, I guess what I’m saying here is please excuse me for a couple of weeks or so.  I’ll be right back after June 4th (win or lose) to blog again for anybody who is vaguely interested in reading my rambling prose (and indeed, even if nobody is.)  Until then, if you would like to speak to me for any reason please do contact me and I will get back to you promptly.
Tel. 01945 583811
Mob. 08731 616127
Email: me@stevetierney.org

But before I go…

Oh How We Laughed
The Breakspeare column from the Cambs Times has put my name up in lights again this week.  That’s three weeks on the trot.  Given that Mr Elworthy has previously pointed out that he wasn’t particularly interested in me : “Ask me again in a year or so,” he chuckled wryly in his column - he seems to enjoy a regular visit to my blog.  I must admit to being sorely tempted to analyse his articles in fine detail, pick small pieces of the prose and then have a bit of fun ridiculing them for the ‘hilarity’ of my (admittedly small) audience.  But he’s much better at it than me and I’d surely come out the worst.  I do feel a little mortally hurt by his comment: “Oh How We Laughed..” referring to my blog and my attempts at mild humour.  I know that my comic timing and creative flair will never equal the Breakespeare column but I do my best with the limited talent I possess.  On the other hand he did call me ‘young’ and ‘earnest’which was refreshing.  I’m Forty, Mr Elworthy.  I’m no spring chicken, but I appreciate the compliments.  Don’t forget to vote on June 4th!  I trust the Conservatives can count on your support.

Talk to you all soon!

- Steve Tierney

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 Cambs Times, My Campaign, Cambs. County Council | 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 »

05/05/2009 by Steve Tierney.

Too Many Cooks
The Prime Minister has had one of those weekends. You know the ones; everything goes about as wrong as it can go and all your friends try to stick daggers in you every time you turn your back on them. Or maybe you don’t ‘know the ones’. It’s actually quite difficult to become so universally disliked that everything you do turns to dust. Let’s face it, Gordon Brown is stewing in his own cooking pot. He lit the gas, chose the pan, selected the spices and vaulted into the bubbling mixture. The fact that he is now simmering close to boil is a problem entirely of his own making. He has surrounded himself by weak and ineffectual ministers who, faced with such a terrible mess and with the imminent demise of many of their careers, do what weak ineffectual people always do. Blame somebody else. It doesn’t matter that he’s the man who chose them for their positions or that he’s the one they are always saying is: “the right man for the job.” All that seems to be on their minds is how to keep their personal gravy trains rolling into the station a little longer. One minister (or ex-minister) after another has been lining up to smirkingly suggest they would be ‘happy’ to save the day. As if. They can no more ride to the rescue than a drowning man can prevent an air crash. There are too many (bad) cooks in Gordon Brown’s kitchen. The food is poisonous and the whole place reeks of rot. It’s time to look at a new establishment entirely… and a brand new Conservative menu.

Bowthorpe Reunion Party
The Bowthorpe Association is a charity which helps and supports people who suffer from mental illness in and around Wisbech, Cambridgeshire. The trustees (of which I am one) are putting on a Reunion Party for old and new service-users tomorrow (Wednesday) night. The purpose of the party is threefold; to give service-users a chance to meet and chat with old friends and new, to ask everybody what sort of services they would like Bowthorpe to try and provide in future and to build a strong bond of trust and friendship between the Association, Service Users and other interested parties. We’re laying on refreshments including snacks, hot drinks and soft drinks and the Association very much hopes people come along and take part.
Bowthorpe ReUnion Party
Wednesday 6th May 2009
7PM - 9PM
The Elgood Hall, William Road, Wisbech.

Morning Has Broken
Very early Sunday morning the Friends Of The Park’s ‘Dawn Chorus’ took place.  The plan was to bring together people from all walks of life, of mixed ages, in mutual appreciation of the wonder and power of nature in Wisbech Town Park.  “Don’t be silly,” some people probably told John Smith, whose brainchild this event was.  “Nobody will get up at that time to stand quietly in the middle of the park.” 
“Who is going to want to listen to bird’s singing?  They’ll all still be in bed after their Saturday evening festivities.”

Wrong!

Something in the region of one hundred and fifty people turned out to listen and to watch and to marvel, slack-jawed in wonder, at the beauty of the dawn as it unfolded over the discrete but magnificent gardens of our wonderful Town Park.  The birds, perhaps enthused by their new audience, sang their hearts out as a fresh new morning broke over the assembled crowd.

I was proud to be part of John’s team, offering what little I could in support.  I made the webpages and handled the online bookings.  Upon arrival I was on the registation desk checking people in.  Later, I was dressed as a parrot for quite some time to amuse the children and make a spectacle of myself for newspaper photographers (Why a parrot?  No idea.  I just did as I was asked.)  Then I was drafted into the kitchen and given to cooking bacon for the free breakfast rolls.  I cooked a lot of bacon.  Maybe it sounds like I did a lot.  Not a bit of it.  I did the same as everybody else, because the whole team (no more so than John Smith himself) threw themselves enthusiastically into the event. 

The Dawn Chorus was an absolute triumph.  Cynics were converted to enthusiasts.  The community in all its diverse shapes and sizes came together.  Wisbech Town Park provided the incredible backdrop for a memorable morning.  I was, quite simply, blown away by it.  On behalf of myself and everybody who enjoyed the Dawn Chorus so much:
Thank you John Smith and the Friends Of The Park.

Posted in Wisbech Town Park, Bowthorpe Association, Labour Party, My Campaign, Parliament, Wisbech | 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 »