More on the new Tory website, and an answer to the mystery about the disappearance of Moulsecoomb and Bevendean. Momma Grizzly writes: “Just a quick note on Moulsecoomb & Bevendean: it’s covered by the Kemp Town Conservatives rather than the Federation of Brighton Pavilion and Hove & Portslade Conservatives, hence the absence on this site.”
But where better place to start in this next part of my review of the new Tory website than North Portslade and Tevor Alford? Arable writes: “On becoming a councillor, Initially, I spent 3 years on the following committees: Audit Committee; Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee; and Overview & Scrutiny Commission. Since May 2010, I have served on the planning committee and am also the cabinet member for Central Services, an exciting and challenging role.”. And in his spare time he’s pretty good at head-banging along to the likes of Megadeth and Slayer!
The Patcham Mafia (Pidgeon, Theobald G, and Theobald C) have biographies that speak volumes for their years and years and years service to Brighton and Hove, equalled only by the 14 generations of Les Hamiltons in Portslade and the soon-to-be four generations of Fitch’s.
Andrew Hancox, the Tory candidate in Regency, seems to have lost his bearings somewhat: “During this time I have experienced many of the challenges that living in Central Hove presents”. Mr Hancox, you are standing in Re-gen-cy, not Central Hove. It is the other Andrew, Wealls, standing in Central Hove. Re-gen-cy is in Brigh-ton. (It doesn’t really matter since Regency is due to return a Green Kitcat double act. I say this purely to elicit a reaction from my mate Dan Wilson).
Where do I begin with the Tory candidates in South Portslade? The sitting Tory councillor is Steve Harmer-Strange who is joined by Stephen Harbor-Wade! I am not making this up, honest. Any further comment from me would detract from the beauty of the situation.
In Preston Park and in St Peters and North Laine the Tories are fielding paper candidates, an indication that they have written off certain seat as unwinnable. And to think, that the old Preston ward would have gone Tory even if they put up a monkey with a blue rosette up for election. That was the case until Jeane Lepper (I believe it was her) beat a Tory candidate called Nicholas Gibbon! She sure made a monkey out of him …..!
Phlebotomist Denise Cobb is hoping to defend her seat in Westbourne. So busy is Denise she has little time for leisure activities other than “exercise, dance, swimming, cooking, being creative and travelling.” Standing with the Vampire is Bishop Brian, a devout member of the Church of England. Brian Oxley has managed to remain a decent guy in spite of working for Tory MPs for almost 20 years, and is a Tory for whom I have the utmost respect.
In Wish ward the Tories a fielding Garry Peltzer-Dunn. From his statement you would think he was standing for Labour or the Greens: “I have been made increasingly aware by residents that they feel that the City Council is failing to provide even basic services in a proper manner. It is essential that we return to basics and deliver the services residents want in the manner they require.” Garry, it is your party that has been running the show for the past 4 years. It is the Tories that you are saying are failing “to provide even basic services in a proper manner.”
Finally, for today, Withdean. The Barbie and Ken of Brighton politics, the Normans, are joined on the Tory ticket by Robert Nemeth, the third of Mike Weatherley’s staff seeking election. I have previously said that he is one to watch. In fact, all three of Mike’s staff (Robert, Michael Ireland and Momma Grizzly herself, Rachael Bates) have large political futures ahead of them. At some point I will do a review of young politicians locally. These are interesting times, and we have some interesting young activists who should be watched and followed.
Filed under: Council Elections 2011 | Tagged: Andrew Hancox, Andrew Wealls, Ania Kitcat, Ann Norman, Bevendean, Brian Oxley, Brian Pidgeon, Carol Theobald, Central Hove, Dan Wilson, Denise Cobb, Fitch, Garry Peltzer Dunn, Geoffrey Theobald, Jason Kitcat, Jeane Lepper, Ken Norman, Les Hamilton, Megadeth, Michael Ireland, Mike Weatherley, Momma Grizzly, Moulsecoomb, Nicholas Gibbon, North Laine, Patcham, Portslade, Preston Park, Regency, Robert Nemeth, Slayer, St Peter's, Stephen Harbor-Wade, Steve Harmer-Strange, Tevor Alford, Westbourne, Withdean |
Brighton Politics Blog 
The Tories have got some brass neck. The latest Goldsmid leaflet includes information on their ‘campaign’ against the closure of Hove police station.
You are in power locally and nationally now, sweethearts, so how about *doing* something about it?
My sources tell me that the closure of the police station is very much a done deal, and that it may even already have been sold. So anything further on this from the estate agents, or indeed from anyone else, is just so much flapdoodle and humbug.
The Tories headline policy now appears to be ‘Boris Bikes’ for hire. Leaving aside the fact that they were Ken’s idea, I just don’t think this rates as a priority – how about some decent cycling infrastructure first?
How about *not* tearing up existing cycling lanes, for example?
In Brighton and Hove, as distinct from London, I’d rate cycle hire as an area best left to the private sector, which – of course – the Tories profess to love so much. Especailly with public funds being so stretched.
They also seem sweetly, naively unembarassed about trumpeting the fact that Boris got Barclays to sponsor the London cycle scheme. Wonder who’ll they’d get to do it down here – may I suggest EDO?
Hove Police Station is managed by Sussex Police, and the council does not have direct control over it’s closure. We have made clear our position that we need a point of public access to the police to remain in Hove, either through the current station or a suitable alternative. Any changes made should not affect the level if policing in Hove.
We believe “Boris Bikes” would be an excellent way of encouraging more people to cycle, and would certainly be better than the punitive anti-car measures offered by the Greens and Labour. We see absolutely no problem with Barclays sponsoring the London scheme, not really sure why you suggest we should? As far as local sponsorship is concerned, any suitable businesses would be spoken to. EDO is probably not the obvious choice for this! Having said that, I 100% support the company, as a big local employer, against the shameful attacks it endured which were widely supported by members of the Green Party.
If bike-hire is to be self-financing and doesn’t inconvenience anyone else thats fine – but why does the council need to be involved?
Do you have an idea of who is crying out for them?
Sorry Rob, but I stand by my point that it’s a bit cheeky, to say the least, to campaign for a Hove-based police station as if you were some kind of insurgent party when in fact you are the people with the influence to make things happen.
And I notice that you haven’t denied that the closure of the existing station is settled. Is your leaflet disingenous in suggesting that it could be saved?
Boris bikes – I repeat that that the way to get people on bikes to promote overall safety and dedicated cycle lanes – not a council hire scheme, for which there is no great demand in this city. It smacks to me of a gimmick.
As to the Barclays sponsorship, I’m surprised you don’t think that it isn’t a bit of a tainted brand, given Bob Diamond’s bonus and – talking about banks generally – the crisis and taxpayer bailout that was responsible for the scale of the current deficit. But hey.
I mentioned EDO as an aside, but I’d be curious to know whether you’re not a teeny weeny bit uncomfortable about the reliance that this country has on the arms trade. I know several supporters of your party who weren’t too impressed with Call Me Dave’s recent exquisitely timed promotional tour of the middle east – perhaps you feel the same way?
Ever trying to be helpful – the Kemp Town Conservative site: http://www.kemptownconservatives.com has all the Kemp Town constituency candidates, and links directly to our colleagues site – Brighton & Hove Conservatives – for all the candidates in the City.
That might even keep your favourite (and I acknowledge your denial) a Mr W Morgan happy!
Spring is in the air!!!
I was looking at the section that shows the Queens Park candidates-my ward. Sincere though they sound, I wanted to leave a comment that read ‘Yeah, whatever..!”
I couldn’t see if any of “Mike’s Staff” have ever had any real jobs that involved creating wealth in anyway. Or whether they have always suckled at the public nipple.
Do you have any more info in this regard?
Hi BPB,
Robert Eggleston a Liberal beat Nick Gibbon back in 1985 to take Preston Ward on The ESCC.
Eggleston still is a Cllr in Mid Sussex and I think Gibbon is still active around London for the tories.
BPB – I think the Jean you are trying to recall is Jean Spray, who won the old Preston Ward for Labour. She was later the Chair of B+H PCT.
Yes she was a Labour cllr for Preston, it was considered a safe tory seat back in the 80’s when John Leach, Bob Cristofoli and Dudley Baker were cllrs, Roger Roger-Jones was the tory County Cllr who decided to stand down and let a then young hopeful Nicholas Gibbon who worked for the then MEP Sir Jack Stewart-Clark take the seat over-he had however not counted on the hard working Eggleston who had been chipping away for years at the seat and also he failed to complete the 100% canvass thy had come to expect and lost by 25 votes as I recall- the Labour candidate back then was the late Sheila Schaffer who was a lovely lady.
Speaking of interesting young activists…
http://www.youtube.com/user/moulsecoombbevendean#p/a/u/2/-5gizO8t7E4
In many respects these two come across as communitarian socialists, right down to the utilitarian red sofa. That’s if you ignore the huge disconnect between what they say about supporting families and communities, and what the government they back is actually doing …
Don’t council houses get refurbished every 20 years or so regardless of who’s in power and what the area councillor does?
Denials of poshness are always good when delivered with such bee-you-ti-ful enunciation.
Youve got to love the still they selected for their channel…
http://www.youtube.com/user/moulsecoombbevendean
There are some really good, intelligent, younger Tory candidates standing in this election. Impressive so far.
Is this a joke? Steve Harbor-Wade? It’s not the 1st of April is it?
My ‘ back to basics ‘ comments were made in the 2007 election period and referred to the then Labour Administration. Since then I am pleased to say that The Conservative Administration has indeed gone back to the basics of providing local services in an efficient manner at reasonable
cost. Its a nice try by my political rivals and I thank them for giving me this opportunity to reiterate the Conservative achievements over the past four years.
Garry Peltzer Dunn