34 replies to this topic

[Stuart_Kelly]

Chesham and Amersham Labour Party has chosen Amersham Town resident Stuartto be our candidate for the Town Council by-election on 2 February.
Stuart Kelly is 34 years old and lives in Station Road with his fiancé,
Kasia, who he is marrying this summer. He has previously lived in Edinburgh and
New York City and will bring a fresh approach to the Town Council. Stuart loves
living in Amersham and enjoys walking in the outstanding natural beauty of
Parsonage Woods, visiting the Market Hall and Memorial Gardens and taking part
in Old Amersham's many unique events including the heritage open day and the
charter fair. He believes the services delivered by the Town Council are crucial
to upkeep of Old Amersham and maintaining the quality of life in this beautiful
town.
Stuart believes that if local businesses in Old Amersham are to thrive,
parking must be kept free in the Old Town. Policy priorities for Stuart will be
the improvement of local community facilities: preservation of historic
buildings and efficient use of precious public resources and keeping local taxes
as low as possible. Stuart is a committed member of the National Trust and
supports its opposition to central government's proposed watering down of the
planning laws which threaten the countryside. Stuart also opposes the
inflation-busting tube fare rises Boris Johnson has again imposed on Zone 9
commuters this year.
Stuart is staunchly opposed to HS2 through the Chilterns and supports
Labour's Shadow Transport Secretary Maria Eagle's commitment to divert the route
along the M40 and away from our community to establish a transport hub at
Heathrow. This makes good economic and transport policy sense, as well as
protecting the environment of our town and saving our community from years of
disruption.
Stuart says: "Amersham is the most beautiful place that I've been fortunate
enough to live. As an Amersham resident, I believe it would be in the interest
of everyone that there is greater diversity of political representation on our
elected bodies. Domination of the Town Council by one party has made it
unrepresentative through lack of effective opposition. I ask you to break this
monopoly by casting your vote for Labour on 2nd February. We are the only party
that can deliver significant change in this by-election.
If you have voted Lib Dem in the past, consider following the principled
stand of Tim Starkey, the Lib Dem's 2010 General Election candidate, in
rejecting the government's unfair and divisive policies and supporting Labour. I
will be proud to serve as your Town Councillor and will be available to all
residents to listen to your views."
http://www.cheshamam...mlabour.org.uk/

[K&P]

Hi Stuart,

Can you let me know about your career-to-date? What fields have you worked in/do you work in? What experience (s) would you bring to the table?

Regards,

K

[Danny Boy]

Pathetic opportunism on HS2. The current route was Labour's original proposal and now they have changed to a different one, hoping a few idiots will be fooled. People move to places like Amersham to escape the damage done by the socialists.

[PeterC]

People move to places like Amersham to escape the damage done by the socialists.

What has that got to do with Labour? They abandoned socialism long ago.

[David P]

What has that got to do with Labour?

More to the point, what has party politics got to do with the Town Council? Do we know the official Tory/Labour/Lib Dem line on allotments, cemetries and flower beds?

[Danny Boy]

Ed Miliband: "I am a socialist". He wants to introduce "my form of socialism". Presumably, that will be one that avoids inheritance tax and uses cronyism to get failed middle-class students into Oxford (David Miliband). Or one that gets MPs from offshore trust tax avoiding families (Chuka Umunna) to launch a campaign against tax avoiding offshore trusts. Then you have the funding from the Unions, many of whom are led by various former members of the Socialist Alliance, SWP and the Communist Party of GB.

[roob_the_doob]

Being 'pro' or 'anti' HS2 has pretty much nothing to do with party politics - the issue seems to cut across all parties. In fact, to accuse Stuart of opportunism would instead appear to be the voice of narrow party politics. Surely the same accusation can be levelled at any Conservative candidate who says they are anti-HS2?

BTW If your anti-Labour rant is referring to Bob Crow and Mark Sewotka, I suggest you check your facts. Neither of their unions are affiliated to the Labour Party. Shall we start discussing Conservative Party funding from Hedge Funds and the like? Or as suggested by David P, maybe we should be thinking about what is relevant to Amersham TC?

For myself, I would say that although party politics itself doesn't have much to do with town/parish councils, the political points of view of councillors are an important consideration. Incidentally, the Town Council currently has 1 LibDem and no Labour councillors, so at present a significant part of the electorate, and their viewpoints, are not properly represented.

[Bluegrass]

In an ideal world the TC should work in the best interests of the community regardless of party politics. It would be good to hear from Stuart on this discussion as he has put himself forward on this forum.

[Fran]

I'm another who dislikes party politics in the town council; it's just not relevant (or shouldn't be). I'm not suggesting candidates should keep their allegiance, if they have any, secret, but it won't affect the way I vote.

[Stuart_Kelly]

Thanks, everyone, for your comments. I've worked in many different fields: retail, law and banking to name a few. I've been active in politics since I was 18 and have experience of holding office on various committees over the years. I think, more than anything, I would bring fresh ideas to the Town Council.

I partly agree with the point about party politics on the Town Council. I think the administration of Amersham in Bloom, the Memorial Gardens and the Market Hall are really apolitical matters. However, as things stand, we have all but one of the TC councillors being members of only one party and many of them also sit on the District Council. I took up the offer to stand from the Constituency Labour Party as I agreed with them that the prospect of having greater diversity of political representation would be to the benefit of everyone. It also at least gives Labour supporters in Amersham Town a candidate to vote for. (I stood in the District Council election in the ward last May and received 233 votes.) The CLP also wanted someone who lives in the ward and is able to vote in the by-election.

HS2 is something I feel very strongly about and I don't wholly agree with Maria Eagle's enthusiastic support for it in a time of austerity and think there is something to be said for upgrading the Westcoast line instead. However, Labour's policy is many, many times better for this area than Justine Greening's. I've posted a statement on HS2 on the CLP's website.
http://www.cheshamam...mlabour.org.uk/

[Matthew (MPJ/Admin)]

For the record all the candidates are

Liberal Democrat - Vera Head
Conservative - Andrew Fleming
Labour - Stuart Kelly
UKIP - Michael Hurley

Polling will take place at the Royal British Legion hall in Whielden Street from 7am-10pm on Thursday February 2.

Matthew Jones - posting from mobile device

[PeterC]

and many of them also sit on the District Council.

I am never sure how councillors can effectively represent different groups of people on different bodies. I don't know if there are any who manage the hat trick of town, district and county but plenty certainly manage two of the three.

[Danny Boy]

Roob, I checked my facts and Labour is bankrolled by the Unite union. They gave the party £11m in 2007-2010 . Led by Len McCluskey; former Communist party member and supporter of militant labour in Liverpool, who bankrupted the city. Interestingly, Derek Hatton, who tried to run Liverpool by crony communism, became a capitalist property developer. No. 2 at Unite is Charlie Whelan. Former Communist Party member. Ex- private sec to Gordon Brown. He pretends to be a ‘cockney geezer’, but in fact he’s a former public schoolboy and City trader from Surrey. Then we have Unite man, Jack Dromey. He was given a safe Labour seat, despite being married to Harriet Harman, who champions all women candidate lists and preferential treatment for minority groups. Except when it came to her husband’s career. Nor her children, who were educated at selective schools away from her multi-ethnic constituency. She wants non-selective comprehensive education for your children, not her own. Harman is actually the privately educated daughter of a Lord. Incredibly, she bought her house courtesy of a union subsidised mortgage. Jack Dromey is currently under investigation by the HofC watchdog for receiving ‘dodgy’ payments from Unite. I could go on....

I have no connection with the Conservatives. I simply despise socialists for their hypocrisy and their lies.

[roob_the_doob]

Danny Boy - you said "Unions, many of whom are led by various former members of the Socialist Alliance, SWP and the Communist Party of GB"

I can find NO evidence that Len McCluskey was ever a member of the Communist Party (he was a member of Labour from age 20) - what is your citation for this? And what does it mean to say he 'supported' Militant? There were an awful lot of people in Liverpool that time who backed their challenge to Thatcherite cuts who didn't support the details of their policies or their methods. And Whelan is not "No 2" at Unite.

I could go on....

And you do. What precisely was the purpose of your rant? It certainly had nothing to do with your original claim.

[Matthew (MPJ/Admin)]

Please all stay on topic or take discussion of Labour / unions elsewhere

Matthew

Web site owner

(null)

[Danny Boy]

Sorry, Matt, but the topic is an advert for the ‘Labour’ candidate, who has made political points.

Roob, Len McCluskey lectured at the Communist University gathering in 2010, run by the Communist Party of GB. See their website. Scratch the surface of many Labourites or left-wingers and you will find an unpalatable extremist. Taxpayers pay £ms for the State to fund Union officials within the public sector. The unions then fund the Labour Party. Its theft of our money to keep their failed ideologies alive.

[Matthew (MPJ/Admin)]

Read what I asked you to do. Keep on topic. The funding of politcial parties and who are in the parties is not what this topic was for.

If you want to discuss that, do it in the lounge section.

We won't ask again and by the way, my name is Matthew, not Matt

[Stuart_Kelly]

I'd just like to say that UKIP's leaflet claiming "...& Labour will destroy the Chilterns..." is not strictly true. I'm personally against HS2 and Labour's national policy if it does go ahead is to have it going along the M40 corridor and not through Amersham or anywhere else the Chilterns. The party whose candidature I've accepted is only one of the three parties that has committed to this alternative route if it goes ahead.

If you have any questions, do please send me a message!

Thanks,

Stuart

[David P]

is to have it going along the M40 corridor and not through . . . the Chilterns.

Does that imply a policy to reroute the M40?

[Jinni]

So far as I can see all the parties including UKIP have people 'for' and 'against' HS2.

It's the first time I have seen a Labour candidate for the Town Council and pretty obvious from some of his statements that he has not been around here too long

[Stuart_Kelly]

Correct Jinni, I've lived here since 2009 and I consider myself very fortunate to live here. My plan is to stay here long term. I've spoken to a few people who've cast their postal ballots for me and have said they did so because it was good to have someone new.

Not sure about rerouting the M40, David but might be an idea! The idea is to have it along an existing transport corridor with a hub at Heathrow which will be cheaper and will bring far less disruption. I don't think it should be a priority in the current economic climate and improving the existing railways would be much better.

[Fran]

I'm personally against HS2 and Labour's national policy if it does go ahead is to have it going along the M40 corridor and not through Amersham or anywhere else the Chilterns.

But it was the Labour government who originally approved the HS2 route under Amersham - not that that has much to do with the town council.

Regarding the election, I would suggest that making unsolicited, evening phone calls to people with no connection to your party may be counter-productive. I presume the Telephone Preference Service doesn't apply to would-be politicians, but those who are registered with it are unlikely to respond positively to a canvassing call.

[David P]

Not sure about rerouting the M40, David but might be an idea!

Oh dear, I'd better spell it out. You say that HS2 should go along the M40 and NOT through the Chilterns. But the M40 DOES go through the Chilterns - you might have noticed that huge cutting near Stokenchurch.

[Stuart_Kelly]

Hi Fran and David,

True that Andrew Adonis announced that HS2 was going ahead just before the last election on its current route. However, he also promised a consultation. Since then there has been a consultation and Labour, with Maria Eagle now in charge of transport, has changed the policy to the alternative route, which David correctly points out does go through the Chiltern Hills but will be using a pre-built corridor. She conceded that the plan announced before the general election had some flaws. The point I'm making is merely that in terms of the national policies of the three main parties, Labour's is the one that means it won't come through our area. I remain of the opinion nonetheless that investment in existing infrastructure would be the better option for the whole country.

Thanks for your advice Fran, I'll bear it in mind. A few people have said they didn't appreciate the phone call but most I've found seem to be OK about it and I've had some very pleasant conversations, even with a few who said they weren't voting for me! I checked with Richard Harris the Democratic services manager at CDC if it would be OK to canvass that way and he replied "You can phone people on the Register by looking them up in the phone book – that would be using the Register for electoral purposes so would be fine."

You may be interested in this article about political canvassing, it's quite funny:
http://news.bbc.co.u...ics/8605756.stm

Stuart

[Matthew (MPJ/Admin)]

Amersham Town Council election result

Lib Dem 286, Cons 282, UKIP 252, Lab 127. Seat previously conservative

[David P]

The turnout seems to be only about half of that at last years full election. It's interesting to see that the right wing has shot itself in the foot by splitting the vote almost equally between the Tories and UKIP, hence letting the Lib Dems in by a whisker. Presumably this is all an anti-Gillan vote with many of the local Nimbys swallowing the UKIP anti-HS2 line.
All quite laughable and totally illogical as I've said before - none of this has anything at all to do with town council responsibilities.

[Bawbag]

All quite laughable and totally illogical as I've said before - none of this has anything at all to do with town council responsibilities.

Absolutely. The UKIP leaflet was woeful, how not to get the point of a town council election.

[PaulEden]

The turnout seems to be only about half of that at last years full election. It's interesting to see that the right wing has shot itself in the foot by splitting the vote almost equally between the Tories and UKIP, hence letting the Lib Dems in by a whisker. Presumably this is all an anti-Gillan vote with many of the local Nimbys swallowing the UKIP anti-HS2 line.
All quite laughable and totally illogical as I've said before - none of this has anything at all to do with town council responsibilities.

I'm sure you're right, David. How has UKIP done in the past?

[David P]

I'm sure you're right, David. How has UKIP done in the past?

They don't seem to have had a candidate for the town or district elections in the past. At county level they got 3% of the vote in an Anershan by-election and in the last national elections they got 4%.

[flyssy]

Good news for Vera...well deserved win!