A leading city councillor has called on cyclists to take greater care when travelling across Norwich. Antony Little, Tory group leader at City Hall, has said that residents in Norwich have contacted him after several near misses on the city’s busiest roads at peak times during the day.
Cllr Little said: “One particular accident black spot is the Eaton Road junction on Newmarket Road, particularly when children are going to and from school. Residents there are concerned that those cyclists who break the Highway Code are not only putting themselves at risk but other motorists and pedestrians too.
“I call on all road users to act responsibly at all times to avoid tragedy.”
Conservative spokesman for Eaton Ward, Niall Baxter, added that he had been campaigning on this issue for some time. He said: “A balance needs to be struck whereby the roads are safe enough for cyclists to use, meaning that they have no need to use the pavement.
“It is understandable why some cyclists worry about safety on the Newmarket Road, so our priority should be to make the road safer so that everybody feels they can use it. This will make the situation better for cyclists, motorists and pedestrians.”
Small businesses in Norwich will be saved under plans unveiled by the Conservatives. Struggling companies will be allowed to delay their VAT payments giving them breathing space and also helping to keep local workers in employment. The Conservatives would also cut National Insurance for the smallest businesses to help them through the difficult times.
Antony Little, Conservative Parliamentary spokesman for Norwich South, said that if these plans were implemented immediately many Norwich firms would be rescued from going to the wall.
Councillor Little said: “Along with our plans to freeze council tax and cut small business tax, these are measures that could be implemented immediately to help cash flow and in some cases prevent companies from going to the wall.
“It is vital that small businesses are helped so that jobs in Norwich are not lost. A Conservative government would be doing everything in its power to save local firms across the country as they are the lifeblood of the British economy. They are the measures a responsible Conservative government would take.”
Antony, in his role as Conservative Leader in Norwich, used an emergency question to council to ask if the Council could cut the number of days to pay an invoice. The Executive Member said they would look into what they could do to help.
Conservative Parliamentary spokesman for Norwich South, Antony Little, has spoken out strongly against Labour’s handling of the economy whilst stating what the Conservatives would have done instead. He said that despite there being political consensus over the recapitalisation of the banks, the truth of Labour’s failed economic policy should not be hidden.
Speaking to a group of UEA politics students, Councillor Little said that Gordon Brown had failed to regulate public and private debt in Britain. He promised that the Conservatives would fix “our broken economy” with a responsible fiscal policy bolstered by independent oversight and a renewed role for the Bank of England.
Councillor Little said: “The country will not forget that it was the Prime Minister who stripped the Bank of England of its powers to supervise the City, that it was he who actively encouraged the risk-taking culture in our banks and that he promised time and again that he had abolished boom and bust.”
He said: “We need a responsible attitude to economic development that fosters more balanced economic growth. Labour accuses us of talking Britain down, but it is this Labour government which has brought Britain down. Only the Conservatives are offering the change that Britain needs.”
I am literally just back from a pretty exhuasting couple of hours on the doorsteps around Christchurch Road. Amazingly the cloud seems to have kept people indoors and there were plenty of people to chat to about their issues. One thing that came through loud and clear was the failure of the government to tackle anti-social behaviour; it’s strange that as a SNAP Chairman in Bowthorpe and Costessey I see the work that goes on behind the scenes and the amount of investment the police are getting. Yet residents don’t feel as if they are being supported and think that yobs are running the streets. Note to Labour: maybe endless investment isn’t working here – is there something we are missing? Employment, education, family breakdown? Also there was a strong feeling against Labour’s re-organisation in the NHS and the creation of polyclinics. I spoke to 3 retired nurses all of whom were shock by the plans. One (blush!) even came to watch Niki George and myself pass a motion against the plans in council last month.
Generally people felt that Brown’s time was up. Again and again they asked when the election was; and the truth is that both he and I dont know! The feeling od the doorsteps was positive – we got 2 new members and residents saying that they hadn’t voted Tory in years but were going to next time. Perhaps thats why Brown isn’t so keen on the election?
Emily’s new toy is a singing daglo orange plastic bag which belts out a samba tune. I do hope the batteries run out, but no signs of that yet.
Yesterday morning a big campaign group went out around the University to do some survey canvassing, and the views of people can be summed up in two words – transport and economy.
There was a lot of anger locally about the speeding traffic down some of the main roads (and the council response to this) but also the state of the roads and pavements. There are some atrocious cracks and holes that need urgent attention. However the grass verges are destroyed and the areas where 2 buses are forced to pass leave holes like a canoe run in the road where one bus has to mount the verge to get pass the other. Sadly, again, little seems to be done to solve these issues and residents feel that they are “on their own” – once again. They seemed genuinely pleased to be able to explain their issues to the Conservatives and there is a feeling that they have been let down.
However the overwhelming majority of people were very worried about their financial situation in the coming months and years. I met businessmen who were having to lay off staff, builders without work because of the slowdown of the housing market and a family who are being forced to cut down on buying food to make ends meet. And the blame for this was all laid squarely at the feet of the Prime Minister (interestingly not the Chancellor – most people think this all has its legacy in Brown’s days at the treasury).
Overall a lot of people were very disengaged with the whole political process. They felt very much the choice was between the Conservatives and Labour; we didn’t find a single open LibDem voter in a ward they used to hold with a sizeable majority. People are moving away from Clarke and Labour but haven’t yet found their way to the Conservatives in this part of Norwich. It’s our job to give them a reason to do so.
Today I am speaking at a public meeting at the Greenstock Festival at Heigham Park; I do hope that despite the weather you make it!
Here is a quick round up of some of the stories that you may have missed since the summer holidays began, 4 weeks ago:
Backing a local football club to get a permenant home ground –
Warning against bus fare increases and urging First not to scrap the 26/27 link to the West of the City – – and speaking up for UEA students on this issue
Supporting Evening News plans for a directly election Mayor for Norwich –
Working with families to combat anti-social behaviour –
Tackling crime in the suburbs –
Opposing Labour’s Post Office closures and urging a review of Castle Mall PO –
Warning that “restorative justice” could be to massage crime figures down –
Backing NHS staff in their campaign against Polyclinics –
Supporting residents in their fight against a new eco-building in a Victorian building area –
I have long been an opponent of the slogan “Winning Here”, used by the LibDems, on the basis that if you don’t win here or people don’t believe you can win here then you look utterly ridiculous. Indeed, if you misjudge that prediction then people are less likely to believe it the next time.
For example, there was much amusement in Norwich when the LibDems continued to use that slogan here in 07 and 08, given the dreadful results for the party which saw a volley of seats lost. Knocking on doors around the City, people couldn’t believe the arrogance of the party when everyone knew the LibDems were losing ward after ward.
They are now also taking a kicking from their own side, for ramping their chances in Crewe and Henley and then failing miserably in each. After all, if the LibDems don’t win by-elections then what are they for?
After the events the LibDems are saying they didn’t expect to win either seat; yet oddly enough before the poll these self same LibDems were saying that the result was too close to call!
I understand why they do it; because the LibDems must counter the wasted vote arguement and convince people they are worth voting for because they can win. However they do tend to use it no matter where in the country or what the previous results.
I hope the LibDems have an internal debate about their campaigning style, though from my experience of them they’ll stick their fingers in their ears and hum until it all goes away. I think they ought to ask why they are the most negative and the most personal of all the parties. But, again, I’m sure they won’t.
We await the slogan and the campaign in Glasgow East with some anticipation.
After a few weeks off from campaigning, my letterbox has now become the new frontline. Last week we recieved the latest Green newsletter, proclaiming victory on all fronts in Town Close (well done them); they got in first too. Then yesterday we recieved a copy of “Town Close Matters” Conservative leaflet – of course I’d seen it before but it’s always nice to recieve something you agree with 100%. And today, MP Charles Clarke had a glossy leaflet come through the door, persumably by paid deliverer as it was bundled up with other leaflets. I note the subtle change from red to green printing colour … a political message there by any chance?
Both Tory and Green leaflets led with the local election results; Clarke’s was full of glossy words and pcitures of him around the City promoting government policy. No mention of VED or 42 days. I wonder why?
The Greens also covered the post office closures, 20mph zones, City college redevelopment and their failed plans for an all-party exec. The Conservative one also featured an article on unitary, law & order and the cost of living. Charles Clarke went on crime, CCTV, park rangers and cycle paths in Whittlingham. I’d be interested in your views if you have recieved these leaflets.
This evening I have been finishing the wording for a new Conservative campaigning project and tomorrow I am addressing a street meeting about crime and anti-social behaviour.
Every now and again you hear of a story so sad that it explains why so few people give up their time for local democracy.
I have just spoken to a resident who lives in Eaton and who had been canvassed by the Liberal Democrats for the election. On telling the canvasser that he was voting Conservative, she told him not to vote for “the student” and he was “21 and would leave soon”.
Apart from the fact that UEA Student and Conservative candidate Niall Baxter has made Norwich his home, including finding a house and a job, it is really rude and patronising to suggest that UEA students cannot be councillors and fully contribute to their adopted-home City.
Maybe this LibDem canvasser – actually, a very senior Councillor as it happens – thinks I should never have stood? Maybe she doesn’t want UEA Students to stand full stop … I wonder what UEA Students who are currently having their votes courted by the LibDems would think of this?
We already know that the LibDems have a problems with teachers serving as Councillors – they made that quite clear (see ), but now they are ruling out students too. Maybe they want civic responsibility to be the preserve of the wealthy middle class housewives with a lot of time on their hands?
We need a diverse council representing our whole City – students, teachers, young, old, black, white, male and female. I am proud of all of our candidate; I just wonder why the LibDems can’t be more positive and honest in their campaigning?
Actually, I think this shows how much they are running scared at the moment – I hope the people of Eaton see through this shabby, shallow trick and the student voters around Norwich now know who isn’t worthy of their support.
A while ago I argued that the LibDem foxes were one-by-one being shot and the party would end up clinging to Iraq as their last desperate piece of political populism. Nick Clegg must have thanked his lucky stars that so much time and media coverage has been dedicated to the “5 years since the Iraq war” stuff, because its the only way he’s made headlines since being elected (well, positive headlines anyway … he got those ones about the EU Referendum, remember!).
The Iraq war is something that the electorate seems to have moved on about (judging by the response on the doorsteps in Norwich and from other colleagues around the country) and yet the LibDems don’t seem to have.
So instead of formulating a really exciting policy idea – like removing failing schools from LEA control – they launch a website reminding people who voted for the war (see ). The sad thing is that it pretends not to be a LibDem front and no matter which MP you have or how they voted, you are encouraged to print off an anti-Tory poster to display in your window to remind you about Conservative support for the war, rather than the government who led us into conflict. So, they’ve managed to achieve a very rare political double act.
They’ve managed to look utterly irrelevant AND shown how desperate and scared they are of the Cameron resurgance.
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