If you read this blog you must already be interested in current affairs and politics on Anglesey. Accordingly you may also be interested in attending the remaining two election hustings to be held on Anglesey where you will have a chance to see all the candidates in action and ask them questions:
- Tuesday, 27th April @ 7pm - Trearddur Bay Hotel / Topic: Business Hustings
- Thursday, 29th April @ 7pm - Llangefni - Bull Hotel / Sponsor: NFU/FUW / Topic: Agriculture
BBC Wales will also be holding a radio Phone-in from Holyhead at Noon on Friday, 23rd April - Topic: Law and Order. Tune in!
One of the reasons behind writing this blog is to highlight the current perilous state of Anglesey. If, like the Druid, you are interested in the future of our Island - do make an effort to attend the hustings and evaluate all the candidates standing for election.
15 comments:
Whilst it is essential that many more people get involved in local and national politics, I'm not sure that the hustings are the best place to judge a candidate. Typically full of trip-up questions about obscure or non-existent issues, they tell you nothing about what level of support this island will get in future.
In the media era, it's much easier to read the manifestos online, view any debate you want, and look-up past voting records for your incumbent MP.
Last word? Think about the bigger picture, and not about your selfish needs. It's only by creating a better society that the stuff lower down slots into place.
John
>"I'm not sure that the hustings are the best place to judge a candidate. Typically full of trip-up questions about obscure or non-existent issues"
These are local hustings in Anglesey held by, for example, the National Farmers Union. The candidates are not being grilled by Paxman!
>"Last word? Think about the bigger picture, and not about your selfish needs. It's only by creating a better society that the stuff lower down slots into place."
Do I detect a Lib-dem speaking? We do not have a Presidential system. We vote constituency-by-constituency for a local MP. We have enough problems on Anglesey and we need a competent, energetic and experienced MP to act as both our representative in Westminster and a figurehead for change at home.
With you all the way Druid. Sadly, democracy has descended to the point that any vote, other than for the Conservative, puts Brown back in Downing Street and that means no change for Anglesey or anywhere else for that matter. The worse case scenario in my book is Brown clinging to power with Liberal Democrat support and conceding to their demands on voting reform to pay for it. Add the 'greener than thou' rubbish that goes with the LDs and no more Wyla B or future democracy either. Just perpetual leftish coalitions. Yuck!
A competent energetic and experienced MP....
Who might that be if not AO, but on reflection may be not !
Having heard him speak on a number of topics,I am impressed by Guto Bebb`s insights and enthusiasm, thats the kind of MP I can relate to........but he`s over the water, pity really !
Difficult to match the Druid's specification amongst the Anglesey candidates for Albert Owen is the only experienced MP but he is neither energetic nor competent. Dylan is none of those things, Peter Rogers is over the hill and out of control leaving only the young Conservative, Anthony Ridge-Newman, who probably makes up for his lack of parliamentary experience with energy, intelligence and a hosts of life skills. If I failed to mention the Lib Dem it is only because there is nothing to say there.
I agree with the Druid. We urgently require a strong and energetic MP who will take on the problems of Anglesey, both internal and external. I have read all the main party's bumph and are still not wholly convinced. Albert's track record is not encouraging on safeguarding the Island's economy.
In an effort to find an alternative, I have been scouring the web and media for details of public meetings so that I can hear for myself what makes the candidates tick and measure their competence. So far I have only heard the Conservative candidate speak. He is certainly energetic and speaks with a passion about the the challenges ahead of him should he be elected. In a short time he seems to have understood many of the issues, in particular the detrimental effect the county council are having on our prosperity. If I vote for him on the 6 May it will be the first time that I have voted Conservative.
Over the last few days I have been phoning AO's office in Holyhead to find out if he is to hold any public meetings. Unfortunately there has been no answer! So I will have to go along to TBay on the 27th and hope for the best!
Albert Owen, a pugnacious man, with no respect for any person who lives outside his turf, Holyhead, there is the man who let us all down, Albert 0wen, the man who sat around while employers shut down, and men faced a lifetime unemployed, thank you Albert.
Ieuan Wyn, no longer engaged to Albert as they are having a hard time, living together, the divorce between Albert and Ieuan will be cited on " too stupid to carry on together, given up trying to con each other when they have conned us all" Their political marriage will end on the 6th of May.
Dylan Rees, no longer a new bride, a bystander standing in the rain, crying to himself" It should have been me"
Take all the votes from Labour and Plaid and please vote for the Lib Dems, this will really spoil their wedding.
Well I have to respond here, a while ago I had a problem went to see Albert and he tried his best to help me, wrote letters etc on my behalf, sent me copies and all the replies he'd received, as it was an issue involving the WAG he advised me to go and see Ieuan as well, I was in his office for all of 5 minutes and never heard another word from him. Says it all really
That got us all going!
Behind all of this debate, we all have to remember - and I say this not for political point-scoring - is that Anglesey's MP, a member of the governing party, has presided over the shut-down of most of the island's major employers over the past few years. He's been entirely unable to do anything about it. But then, there's a line of thought that says governments really don't have much of a sway over many aspects of life these days.
The sad reality from my perspective is that the 'old guard' politicians, councillors and so on still hang on to a post-war era ideology that sees big industry employers as the way forward. Of course, they would; it means they can get that Holy Grail headline 'thousands of jobs created at so-and-so'. But meanwhile, there's been little or no support for small businesses - the recognised backbone of the economy. All we get there are things like Menter Mon and other box-ticking desk fliers who seem to spend all day in 'meetings'.
We should also not forget that, if you ever get to try and persuade anyone to come and set-up a business here, they almost invariably say "what, up there, in the middle of nowhere?" We're still the land of burning holiday homes and sheep-shagging to those who live in the Home Counties.
JV...could not agree more.
Certainly, in economic and employment terms we are disadvantaged by our dead-end and remote location....logistically we are a culdesac on the road to nowhere (except Ireland, see below !) and all we can rely on economically is the potential for some local cottage industries, tourism, agriculture, and home-working with IT.
How to attract some real industry ?
Anglesey is the ideal location for relocating Irish manufacturing (if any) and service industry needing the advantage of a geographic and logistical foothold in the UK, without the need for Stena....what is our economic development department doing in this direction, very little or nothing it appears ?
We certainly have the land resource, at Holyhead, and Llangefni, accessible to the A55.
What is needed is a strong and proactive marketing and promotional campaign in Ireland led by private sector people who understand and live by competition and promotion....that is not anyone we recognise at IACC.
We have the land, WAG owned at Holyhead....make it pay for itself....grant flexible leases at low rent to support the Anglesey economy ?
JV - You are definitely right there. Successive governments haven't realised the value to regions of having a good transport infrastructure. Japan have had their Shinkansens since the 1960s, France has its TGV and Germany has had significant Autobahns and rail links since before WW2. In this country we still rely on a Victorian-era rail network and the A55 only reached Anglesey a few years ago. For Anglesey (and other regions) to attract incoming investment it needs to be brought 'closer' to the centre through better transport infrastructure.
Anon - I'd say that was a pretty good idea. Pity neither our MP, AM or selection of councillors and highly paid economic development officers didn't think of it.
I applied for a business start up grant from the council in 1995. You could receive up to 40% on capital items up to a maximum of £5k. You filled in a form, had a quick meeting and that was that.
Last year I had a look at the business grant help from Menter Mon. I was handed exactly the same form and told to attend numerous meetings.
15 years and a couple of hundred million pounds later, you are offered.......up to 40% on capital items up to a maximum of £5K.
There is no other help for businesses - ask them. Unless you consider their advice genuinely useful.
No wise man would set up a business on Anglesey, it's a no go area, there are too many disputes and hassles, and that does not even cover the isolation from the main stream market.
The best use for Anglesey would be to use it as a dumping ground for large cities like Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham.
These large cities, could deliver hundreds of tonnes of domestic waste, to be dumped on your dead worthless Island. Well what else is Anglesey, is good for, you have no work, most of your adults are on benefits, your all classed as low skilled, what else can you do to contribute to the Economy? Nothing.
Don't blame me if you all live in the past, remember. Liverpool has already started taking it's domestic waste into North Wales, and you all accepted it. is that what you all are, the rubbish bin of Britain?
Slumdog Anglesey.
Yes, as we have Peter Rogers and Albert Owen already - this is truly the dust-bin of Britain.
Couldn't agree more.
Accused by the Ombudsman of making vexatious and malicious complains about fellow Councillors.
Reported to the Ombudsman by the Police Authority for alleged bad behaviour at Holyhead Police Station.
Peter Roger, as with, Albert Owen make a good pair, all hot air, no substance and giving us all to much RUBBISH.
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