The voting has started

Yes, the voting has started in Farnborough Town Center where Rushmoor has a Polling Station next to Blockbuster Video. So you can "shop and vote". The opening times are:

1.Friday 9am to 5pm

2. Saturday 9am to 5pm

3. Sunday 10am to 4pm

This is a pilot scheme, so is on trial for this year in Rushmoor. I hope it encourages more people to vote. It was certainly busy while I was telling there this morning.

Another Strasbourg Scam

Another masterpeice from my mate Daniel Hannan MEP:

The European Parliament, it seems, has been swindled. We MEPs – or, rather, you taxpayers – have been paying €1 million a year over the odds to the city of Strasbourg (see the excellent coverage online at www.thefirstpost.co.uk).

It is, of course, quite normal to over-invoice when dealing with the EU. Contractors know that Eurocrats are not spending their own money. They are like builders asking “Insurance job, this, is it?” – only on a far, far grander scale.

What distinguishes this little scam, though, is that it reignites the argument about the location of the European Parliament. MEPs generally meet in Brussels; but, once a month, we travel Strasbourg. (We also maintain a permanent seat in Luxembourg, for reasons which are too complicated to go into now.) The expense of migrating between these places is awesome. Even when we factor out the cost of interpretation, each MEP costs the taxpayer nearly €2.5 million a year. It’s not just the 732 MEPs who make the monthly peregrination, you see: it’s the chauffeurs, the committee clerks, the man who advises your secretary about her pension rights – oh, and some twelve tons of papers, shuttling back and forth in a dedicated train.

Many MEPs, sick of having to place themselves in the clumsy hands of Air France each month, want to end the Strasbourg sittings. But there is no way that this can happen: the French have managed to sneak a clause into the Treaties specifying that the Parliament must meet in Strasbourg twelve times a year. This commitment cannot now be removed without the unanimous consent of all 25 states; and there is no way that France will give its consent.

Interestingly, though, the Treaties make no mention of Brussels. So there is a way to end this wasteful and absurd charade: we could cut out Brussels and meet permanently in the chief town of Alsace. Moving away from the grey and soulless streets of Brussels would horrify the Euro-fanatics: they see the town as Europe’s federal capital. But meeting permanently in Strasbourg would bolster the old idea that the EU is an association of states, its institutions spread among its members. Whenever I suggest this idea to other MEPs, they say: “But we have to be at the centre of power. If we were separated from the Commission, it would be harder to pass legislation.” Yes, it would. As the French say: “Et alors?”

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More Canvassing

Today we continued our canvassing in Empress Park. It really is valuable listening and talking to residents, and something we local Conservatives do all year round not just at election time. It is clear the big three issues in this area are:

1. Town Centre

2. Parking

3. Policing

I share residents concerns about these and am committed to tackling issues you raise with me immediately not just when I am elected. I have already discussed the town centre with the developers directly and will continue to do so, but must say I am cautiously optimistic that serious progress is being made. I am assured subject to the satisfactory conclusion of the 6 week judicial challenge period, work will start finally. I am also optimistic that the long awaited cinema is a real possibility, with construction starting before Christmas. I have talked to the Leader of Council about parking issues and the Portfolio member responsible for parking about 6th Form students, rail commuters and employees of local companies using Empress as a free car park, and I have spoken to the beat Sergeant about the crime issues and what they are doing about it, and when elected will have regular meetings and go on patrol with the police to see first hand what they are doing.

On a more light hearted note, just to show there is no bad feeling towards members of the other parties, we ran into a resident that is a Lib Dem councillor in another ward. Keeping my promise that I would knock every door no matter what we knocked his and took the photo below. As I have said before, and it is worth repeating, I respect all candidates and councillors regardless of party, who are prepared to put themselves forward to serve in public office. To disagree with their policies does not mean I do not respect them. I also think we should not take ourselves so seriously all the time.

So I am very happy to publish this light hearted, but warm photo of political oponents taking a few moments to enjoy one anothers company. Isn't democracy a great thing.

Canvassing Empress

A big thank you to the Tory team out with me tonight. It was a pleasure meeting everyone, and we picked up some important local issues including community safety and parking which I will be following up on. My team tonight were out doing this for the first time ever, and they were fantastic - well done.

Above is the canvas team that have just intercepted a local resident (far left - Michelle) to pose with. As they thought the resident was a better looking person to pose with than the candidate below!!! Thank you again Mel, Steve and Efson.

Resident complaint?

Sent in by a friendly resident that thinks I take my leaflets far too seriously!

What do you think?