Tucked away in the top corner of page 24 of the LSA Express for 17th May is a story (Don't lift drill ban plea) stating that the Deparetment of Energy & Climate Change - DECC - is running a public consultation on fracking. It is NOT a proper 'public consultation' . It is an Emai address: led.comment@decc.gsi.gov.uk It relates specifically to the issue of the earth tremors. Please reply to this address before 25th May stating that a full public consultation on ALL the issues is required - not just the single issue of seismic action.
Liberal Democrat efforts in Preston City elections were completely overshadowed by the death, in the afternoon of election day, of LibDem stalwart Colin Abbot, husband of our Larches Ward Candidate, Elaine Abbot. All our sympathy goes out to Elaine at this awful time. Preston did give us some good news. LibDem John Potter retained his seat in Cadley Ward increasing his share of the vote to 50.2%. Ingol Ward of Preston City makes up half of the Lancashire County Council Division which is represented by our Prof Bill Winlow. It was brilliant that Ingol was won by LibDem Pauline Brown beating Labour by 126 votes with the Conservatives a poor third. In the other half of Bill's Division [Lea Ward] our candidate, Jason Jeffrey, had had little time to become known. He didn't win but did a superb job polling 369 votes. To add to the sadness Elaine did not get her much deserved victory losing out by just 131 votes. There were no elections in Fylde on 3rd May but Lea Ward of Preston City is in Fylde Parliamentary constituency.
As the Tory part of the Government is being engulphed by the Murdoch scandal let's just remember that when the BSkyB decision was in the hands of LibDem Vince Cable all attempts by the Murdoch empire for private meetings were rebuffed. Vince was open about his opposition to Murdoch & the decision was smartly removed from him because he was allegedly not 'impartial'. It was given to Jeremy Hunt who, at the time of the change, was a known Murdoch supporter - which adds an interesting twist to the Tories understanding of 'impartial'. Ever since Murdoch arrived in the UK in 1969, Tory & Labour alike have fallen over themselves to suck up to him. Not so the Liberal Democrats & their predecessor Liberal & SDP politicians. Hopefully the voters will remember that in the polling booths on Thursday.
Fylde Borough has no elections on May 3rd but Lea Ward of Preston City is in Fylde Parliamentary Constiuency and has a superb LibDem candidate in Jason Jeffrey. In neighbouring Blackpool LibDem stalwarts Sue Close & Kevan Benfold are contesting by-elections in Bloomfield & Marton Wards. We wish them every success & just by way of encouragement on 26th April LibDem Paul Howard Williams retained the Waterside Ward of North Norfolk CC.
Last weeks elections were eventful. LibDem Bob Kilmister was returned unopposed for the Dinas Cross Division of Pembrokeshire County Council. LibDem Martin Swainston held the Hurworth Ward of Darlington UA but probably the most outstanding result was in the Lowdham Ward of Newark & Sherwood District Council. Although the seat was retained by the Conservatives their vote collapsed by 48.5%, LibDem William Davison picking up the lions share with an increase of 34.9%. Well done to all of them.
Last night FOUR LibDem councillors, with considerable help from several members of the local community, carried a greenhouse half a mile to newly created allotments on Blundell Road in St. Anne's.
The 8ft by 12ft greenhouse, kindly donated by John Ritchie of St. Anne's was moved to its new location with a minimum of traffic disruption, though the sight of a fully erected greenhouse (minus the glass) making its way down the road attracted some wry smiles from motorists and bystanders alike.
Brilliantly done by LibDem Alison Hopkins who fought off a determined challenge by Labour to hold onto the seat in Dollis Hill Ward of Brent LBC increasing her vote by 6.6% in the process.
Over 20 million working people will be better off next year after Liberal Democrats in the Coalition Government delivered the biggest ever increase in the income tax personal allowance in the Budget.
The massive £3.5bn tax cut for working people delivers:
The biggest ever single uplift in the tax threshold
A personal allowance of £9,205 in April 2013
21 million working people getting an extra £220 tax cut
Brings the total tax cut for basic rate tax payers to £550
Brings the total number of people lifted out of tax to 2 million.
LibDem Geoff Fazakarley successfully defended our seat in the Porchester East Ward of Fareham BC at the by-election on 15th March. Elsewhere at The Toton & Chlwell Ward by- election to Nottinghamshire CC, LibDem Kenneth Watts, although he only came second, increased the LibDem share of the vote by 20.6% at the expense of Labour who lost 18.3%. The same pattern of LibDem up, Labour down was repeated at Broxtowe and in Scarborough - where the Green vote was sahared because they had no candidate - more votes went to LibDem than Labour. Congratulations to all LibDem candidates. Maybe the electorate is beginning to see that the Labour Party has nothing to offer.
