Killing foxes for sport must not be allowed a return

“THE Hunting Act could be repealed as part of a major Bill to scrap a vast swathe of Labour laws which impinge on civil liberty.”

Nick Herbert: There is a compelling case to get the hunting ban off the statute book

It is no secret that a Conservative government will see the repeal of the Hunting Act. As the above links show this is being portrayed as a restoration of a freedom and a victory for conservation.

Now, freedom and conservation are ideals high on my agenda too. So why do I so strongly disagree with the Tories here?

Firstly, hunting has not been banned. Drag hunting is perfectly legal, and for me perfectly acceptable. The Tories are not intent on reinstating hunting, only that bit that includes the tearing asunder of a fox or two.

Perhaps I am squeamish, yet I happen to believe my squeamishness is shared by the majority of UK citizens. The killing of animals for sport is monstrous, and any other animal in any other sphere would cause riots. The Tories hide behind tradition, so-called ancient rights. That this is selective (what about bringing back witch-burning?) is obvious, it also suggests that anything that has being going on for a long time cannot be banned. In that case why not legalise murder, robbery, and drug-taking? Society evolves, hunting only survived for so long because it was the pastime of a wealthy elite. Bear-baiting and cock-fighting disappeared years ago because the opposite was true.

I am intrigued by the conservation argument, if only because it is counter-intuitive. Are the hunting lobby suggesting that our open spaces will disappear without the unspeakable in pursuit of the inedible? This emotional blackmail does not ring true, and in any case, as stated above, there are alternatives, viable to all but the most stubborn.

I am absolutely committed to conservation of our green open spaces. Should there be actual threats to green spaces caused by the Hunting Act – and it has not happened thus far – then I would work with a Labour Government to explore potential solutions. Indiscriminate cruelty cannot be used as an excuse to turn back the clock.

Electoral reform is not about factions, it is about delivering a better democracy

A response to ‘PR and AV are problems not solutions‘ on LabourList

There is an irony in the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy in that whilst attempting to make the internal workings of the party more democratic it nonetheless seeks to deny this to the electorate as a whole.

That being said, we do need a wider debate on the issue of electoral reform. I have to say that as far as I can see, the party is not committed to reform, only to a debate, and I fail to see how that can be anything but good.

Peter Willsman’s article begins badly: “… are trying to suggest that the electoral system is somehow to blame ..”. Not so. Those of us who support reform do not blame anything but an expenses system that is not fit for purpose. That we link this to an electoral system that is designed to obstruct accountability is, I believe, sensible.

First past the post does deliver majority Labour governments, but it delivers far more majority Tory governments. I have argued (Here is the reason the Tories do not want PR) that PR delivers more Labour Governments, albeit as the senior partner in coalitions. I see this as preferable to Tory government.

That he links electoral reform to primaries is unfortunate; I see the latter as a Tory sop to reform.

His statement that “PR produces coalition governments, in other words governments which no one voted for” is contrary to logic. The current Government was elected with 35% of the vote, whereas PR would force governments to have at least 50%.

I am no Blairite, I am a Socialist. For me reform goes beyond the voting system. I want votes at 16, and an elected second chamber. I also want a more secure voting system and would like technological solutions to be explored.

Perhaps I should finish by stating that I am not ‘New Labour’. Neither am I ‘Old Labour’; I am plain ‘Labour’. To put the case against reform into factionalist terms illustrates his desperation.

Blog review: Moving Forward fast

http://johntheactivist.blogspot.com/

An entertaining, if somewhat surreal experience; John is a friend, and I cannot pretend to agree with everything he writes.

This is a distinctly personal blog, and has some nice ideas, if somewhat poorly executed.

John’s biggest fault (aside from dodgy spelling and a revolting colour scheme) is the intermittent nature of his blogging.

Still, worth a peak every so often.

2/5

This town council ain’t big enough for the two of us

Julie Abel, Tony Wright and me at the Canvey Town Council offices

Sparks have flown on Canvey, if the report in the Evening Echo is to be believed.

I have no idea whether the allegations about Dave Blackwell bullying Julie Abel are true – we await the outcome of the disciplinary hearing.

Dave Blackwell is leader of the Canvey Island Independent Party, a party he formed two days after failing to secure the nomination to be Castle Point Labour Party’s Parliamentary Candidate for 2005 General Election. Clearly a man of principle, although what that principle is is unclear.

I met Julie Abel at the Canvey Town Council offices last year. My impression was of an articulate and intelligent young lady who was ambitious for Canvey. There was no hint of trouble to come.

Still, is anyone surprised that a party formed because of a bruised ego should run into trouble over clashes of personalities?

An Epping encounter with Richard Howitt

Richard Howitt MEP

On the subject of minute taking …

On Saturday I attended the Essex County Labour Party meeting in Epping. Owing to the absence of both the Secretary and Assistant Secretary a volunteer was requested to take the minutes, and I duly volunteered. Tonight I will be typing these up.

It did give me the opportunity of sitting on the top table with our Member of the European Parliament for the East of England, Richard Howitt. I have known Richard for many years and can attest to his wisdom and industry. In a good meeting Richard gave an interesting account of the June elections (his first opportunity to share his thoughts to this particular audience) and looked forward to Copenhagen and the hoped for progress on environmental issues.

Names, handwriting, and common errors

My take on Gordon Brown’s handwriting slip can be found on LabourList here: Names matter because people matter – but we should lay off Gordon over this painful case

John Gyffard Trollope

John Trollope

17th July 1926 – 8th November 2009

At a quarter part midnight this morning John Trollope lost his battle with cancer.

John was the chair of Castle Point Labour Party, politics being one of many passions. He was also involved in charity work and sport. He will be sorely missed.

I have many fond memories of John, and he was always supportive of my campaigning. He held strong views on all things, but never any animosity. I shall always think of John with that cheeky smile of his.

My thoughts are with Lorna and their children and grandchildren.

Gutted

Is this the end of blogging as we know it? Last orders at the bar, please

Anyone for helping me tie Sadie to her keyboard and forcing her to blog at gunpoint?

In all seriousnesss, she will be sorely missed by this blogger at least. It is no exaggeration to state that her writing has been inspirational.

So that’s Kerron and Sadie gone. Did I jump on a sinking ship last December?

Castle Point twinning

Twinning is an interesting concept. Castle Point is twinned with Romainville, Cologne District and County Roscommon.

Details can be found here: http://www.castlepoint.gov.uk/main.cfm?MenuId=11750

There is a revealing sentence on the council website: Efforts have been made to set up an exchange of visits between families in Roscommon and in Castle Point, but to date little progress has been made.
This begs more questions than it reveals. What efforts have been made?

Twinning has been defined as developing social and cultural links between two communities. It is further described as Boosting co-operation by the European Commission.

It does strike me that if you go to the effort of twinning then something beyond a foreign name on a town sign ought to be the result.

Perhaps a Liberal Democrat candidate in Castle Point in the New Year?

It looks like the Liberal Democrats will be fielding the equivalent of a ‘paper’ candidate in Castle Point. There is no local party within the constituency and although they fielded candidates in this year’s County Council elections, they did not field anyone in the previous year’s borough elections (or the January by-election in Canvey East).

The latest announcement lumps Castle Point in with several other constituencies in what looks like a mopping-up exercise, an attempt to complete the gaps. Rayleigh and Wickford and Maldon are being selected at the same time.

Applicants have up to 27th November to apply. I do not know what their selection timetable looks like, but I would guess that I will have a Liberal Democrat opponent in place by early next year. That does not leave much time to campaign.