General Discussion
Do you care to expand on that? It sounds like you're not very appreciative of all the hard work and effort of Councillor Rosie and others in the party.
Have you seen the dire state of the brook? Dawson just hides behind the Environment Agency and does nothing, she needs to stand up for the town, and worry a bit less about having her photo taken for the press in that chain that's glued around her neck.
Rosie is no longer the Mayor, at present the Mayor is Lin (Goodman-Bradbury), so she hasn't been photographed with the 'chain glued around her neck' for some time now.
Rosie will be hoping to take over from Martin who is busy working tirelessly for us all in Westminster these days. He leaves a big hole to fill in the County Council, one that can only be filled by someone like Rosie.
Dawson was photographed wearing a chain around her neck a couple of weeks at the opening of the new bridge
https://www.teignmouth-today.co.uk/news/bridge-opening-marks-landmark-for-missing-link-road-777196
And Wrigley is still listed as a councillor on the DCC website, does this mean he is standing down?
Why not check on the Town Council website who the Mayor has been since last May? Here's the link.
https://www.dawlish.gov.uk/the-mayor/
Had you clicked and read the link at the beginning you would see that Martin is not standing in the upcoming County Council election. He is still a County Councillor until that election on May 1st. Here it is again, just in case you can be bothered to open a link and to take an interest in local politics.
The chain that Rosie is wearing in the photograph at the opening of Sweet Violets bridge is because she is the current chair of Teignbridge District Council. Stood to her left is the current Mayor of Dawlish, who is wearing her chain of office.
I see, so that would be the same chain that Dawson wore at the Shaftesbury Theatre last month during a public performance. Why would she do that, unless going to the theatre is an official duty now.
"Martin who is busy working tirelessly for us all in Westminster"
Are you joking?
What has he done? Absolutely nothing.
Along with Dawson, they both passed the buck with regards to the state of the brook.
He is a waste of space.
@Burnside, Is that your principle issue with Rosie? That she wears her chain of office to the local theatre? Is that more important than her achievements as a Town and District Councillor in her campaign to also serve on the higher tier of local government? I think not.
And would you take issue with a Tory Councillor wearing their chain of office to the theatre, or a Reform Councillor? Heaven forbid!
@Carer I think Martin is a workaholic and absolutely committed to those of us who voted for him. I take it that you do not subscribe to his newsletter or follow him on social media where he appears to be very active in improving life in Dawlish and the wider constituency. I think it's remarkable that he is able to balance his Councillor positions alongside being a MP, it's unbelievable how tirelessly he works on our behalf, so the 'waste of space' comment is below the belt.
If both Rosie and Martin are so below par, then why does Dawlish keep voting for them?
@AliPop
I find Dawson nauseating, it's as simple as that. You can put that other waste of space Wrigley into the same category, I did once read one of his social media pages, but he banned me for having the temerity to post a home truth.
@burnside Could you expand on the nauseating comment? Does it relate to Rosie's Chairing of the District Council meeting about Broadmeadow leisure centre changing rooms and trans rights? That made the national press.
In truth Martin doesn't deal very well with confrontation and criticism.
What happened to the lib dem petition to replace thw 2nd bridfe in the manor- yep kucked into the long grass. Spent north of 90k doing up the manor .....spent 18k grant on silly chewing gum signs for dawlish on a non issue. Teignbridge council described as shocking by auditors....run by ,you vuessef it lib dems. Wrighley doing 3 jobs yet hard workung? Yes very pulling in 3 wages for time. The list goes on and on so alipot rwmove the rose coloured glasses and wake up to reality.
@1263 Martin will have two roles after May 1st, that of our MP and a District Councillor for Dawlish NE. He currently has 3 roles - MP, County and District Councillor, with one salary for MP, the rest are allowances. Up until February he was also a Town Councillor, so that was 4 roles in government. So I think I am awake to reality thank you.
The other bridge in Manor Gardens is quite sufficient, I see no reason why people can't walk the short distance to cross there, other than laziness. Our elected members have to make tough decisions in these difficult economic times.
Whether you like the Liberal Democrats or not, we will have Rosie elected in Martin's place,
What a stupid remark, so if one if the main bridges over the brook was destroyed you would say well walk to the other one ... You conviently ignore the fact that it was a lib dem councillor who was doing the petition for the replacement bridge ..did you tell her not to be lazy and use the one bridge? Wrigley got in as MP because Reform split the tory vote allowing him to get in How many times did he try for election as MP and get beaten. How about previous lib dem councillor threating violence to a fellow councillor? What about the official damming report about the lib dem run teignbridge council .......like i said wake up and smell the coffee about the lib dems.
@1263 Politics is about priorities and taking tough decisions. I am well aware Rosie started that petition for the replacement bridge. Just because I'm a Liberal Democrat it doesn't mean I agree with everything Liberal Democrat Councillors and MPs do or say. I'm entitled to my opinion., although I understand the usefulness of petitions in the public eye.
Martin stood for election in the 2019 General Election, so that's once before when he was beaten by Anne-Marie Morris. And you're right Martin was elected last year because Reform split the Conservative vote. In fact the Conservative vote completely collapsed compared to 2019 due to Reform. I expect the same thing will happen in the County Council elections where Rosie and Liberal Democrats up and down the country will benefit from the Reform vote. The previous Conservative candidate, in the 2021 County Council election, who narrowly lost to Martin is now backing Reform. I doubt Rosie will have to do much campaigning, it's in the bag.
Which Liberal Democrat Councillor threatened violence to a fellow Councillor?
What about the Ombudsman's report? That's about the District Council, not County. And yes it was rather damning but who cares? Alan, Martin et al dealt with that, nobody really cares about local politics anyway, just look at the low turn-out and we were re-elected to the District Council last year.
Maybe you need to wake up and 'smell the coffee' regarding the nature and reality of politics locally and nationally.
Your alledgely violent councillor who asked an opponent to "step outside" is now i believe is representing kenton and if you dont know or more likely pretend not to know as a lib dem who that is, you cannot be taken seriously as it was in all the news .Note to yourself: bury and deny adverse publicity about lib dems.
" Yes, it was rather damming but who cares" perhaps sums up the lib dems in this case, only the ombudsman cared and highlighted it and so should all right minded voters, even if the lib dems dont care. As you say "look at the low turnout and we were still elected" sums up everything that is wrong with politics when you treat this as a victory not thinking why the turnout is so low, but the realiry is people are sick and tired of the old sycophancy of the tory - lib dem turns to govern leading to voter apathy which suits the old worn out lib dems and tories.
As far as i know "Rosie" has not done any campaigning probobaly thinking cant be bothered as the sheep will vote for me, whereas the reform candidate has been out in public for the last few weeks. Looks like the lib dems are treating the public with the contempt they deserve for continiung to vote for the same old parties.
@1263 I don't think you're properly informed or that you read the news when the incident of violent misconduct occurred. In any case the local press was rather lenient to Gary Taylor, who did offer an apology. He could've been a liability to the party, but it turns out it had little impact on the party as we're still 'Winning Here'. Yes Gary is representing Kenton and Starcross where it seems voters were either oblivious to his misconduct or simply not interested. He only had to beat the Reform and Green candidates, so that was a great chess move by Martin. He wasn't re-elected to Dawlish Town Council, not that it matters as we still have a majority, personally I think he's a buffoon, but he's loyal and somewhat useful.
The turn-out at the election on May 1st will show that people are not sufficiently sick of - or indeed interested in who is in power and who makes decisions affecting their lives. So unless turn-out is far higher than the paltry 38% in 2021 and unless other parties somehow mobilize thousands of previously apathetic non-voters en-masse to go to the polls I think it is in the bag for us Liberal Democrats. So yes low turn-out and first-past-the-post suits us nicely here, whereas we might campaign for proportional representation elsewhere in the country.
The Reform candidate (who lives in Kenton, not Dawlish) will take votes off the Conservatives, so let him work his socks off and no doubt those on the Tory right may vote Reform instead in May as they did in the General Election last year. What worked for Martin will work for Rosie. She'll campaign but the outcome looks inevitable. Martin should really have thanked Reform voters as well as us Liberal Democrat and the tactical voters after his victory in the General Election!
Yes, it seems you played dumb pretending not to know the councilor i was talking about, and then coming back with a brief history of his actions which youobviouslyknew about. Not so sure about the next tactical vote compared to last time as i can see reform picking up many tory voters as well as the disillusioned from the lib dems who are fed up with the tired lib dems. As for your point about reform candidate being kenton, martin wrigley is not dawlish either, starcross i believe? In essence your point seems to be let the reform candidate work his socks off but we dont care as we detest the general public who dont vote so we will hardy even bother to campaign.
Not so @1263. You referred to a Liberal Democrat Councillor who threatened violence. Gary, regretfully and stupidly didn't threaten, he physically sought to remove another Councillor manhandling him by the lapels. Some accuse him of assault, I agree with Martin who informs us that Gary was protecting members from the spread of covid. I simply sought clarification as you don't seem well informed.
Martin lives in Cockwood which is part of the Dawlish ward for County and Dawish NE for Town and District. Whereas Kenton forms a ward with Starcross at District and with Starcross Exminster and the Kenn Valley at County.
Clearly Hilditch the Reform candidate doesn't fancy his chances against Alan at County level where he lives. He couldn't even be called a challenger to Gary Taylor who easily took Kenton and Starcross in the District elections in 2023.
Then there's the Mayor of Newton Abbot who hopes to be elected as Conservative County Councillor for Dawlish on May 1st. And guess where he lives?
It's a shame you discriminate against candidates who live within the Dawlish ward, just not the town itself. FYI Rosie our candidate lives in the town itself, not the villages, as if that's important. And Martin isn't standing this time.
I know martin isnt standing after holding down 4 jobs down at one time as i would assume his accountant would be overworked.
I dont discriminate against where a councillor lives as it was you that brought up reform based from kenton and i replied wrigley from starcross which is not dawlish but within the ward.
I nearly spilled my tea, laughing when you described the aforementioned councillor grabbing someone by the labels to "stop covid "when it must surely be deemed as assault, but then again wriglely has not got the cojones to bar or suspend him from the party as would be normal practice in real life.Not too interested in the tory candidates location as i think it will be a straight fight between reform.and lib dems in dawlish as tories and labour have burnt any bridges with the general public .Not even going to mention the tree huggers as they are not even in the game
@1263 Well if Rosie or the Mayor of Newton Abbot get elected as County Councillor for Dawlish they would have 3 Council jobs. That'd be in addition to Rosie running a charity so that would make 4. Would you be as critical of them or is it just poor Martin you take issue with?
You're misinformed about where Martin lives. He does not live in Starcross as you believe, he lives in Cockwood which is part of the Dawlish electoral ward for County and Dawlish NE for the other two Councils. The Reform candidate is only standing in Dawlish because he accepts he cannot beat Alan Connett in the Exminster and Haldon Division.
Personally I'd rather elect a Councillor who lives in and knows the area and Rosie certainly has a large presence and has made herself known.
Reform won't take any votes off us Liberal Democrats and not all Tories are right wing bigots, xenophobes, racists and transphobes. And even the Reform candidate accepts that Labour supporters tend to vote Liberal Democrat in this area.
Again you're misinformed, the incident was referred to leadership and Ed Davey did temporarily suspend Gary, who has apologized. This incident happened 5 years ago, Gary remains part of the Executive team at Teignbridge District Council, It's old news and irrelevant. Did you make a complaint in 2020? If you can't let it go for whatever reason, why don't you take it up with Martin? I'm sure he'd be accommodating and listen to your concerns. Or why not write to Ed Davey. Or are you just going to ramble on, here on this website?
Write to ed davey, ??? whose political approach is to stage "stunts" for photo opportunities as his poltical mantra, he should be in the monster raving looney party or circus not politics.. Why write to him who a) was involved in the post office scandel b) alledgely stated that women have penises. etc etc As gary is a member of the teignbridge executive team is his role that off the bouncer or enforcer?
You are correct about cockwood and starcross got my locations mixed up.
I note you thrown in the usual comments about racists bigots etc against the reform party which shows that you acknowledge that they are on the rise with policies to stop the illegal immigration, get out of the ECHR which protects murders, rapists and criminals from being removed from this country, something the main political parties are terrified of doing but which the public are rightly concerned about.
I would not personally vote for a.person who lives in the town unless I feel the candidate has better policies for the local area than the opposition candidate.
I did not have it in for wrigley 4 jobs but would have thought that as MP ALL of his time should be spent representing the votwrs of his ward in westminster, it must be an easy timefree task as an MP if he can cover all the roles plus write columns for the local.papers and turn up for photo opportunities when he can claim direct or indirect credit. Example the brook at dawlish, not interested until david force pushed it via petition then suddenly wrigley was all over rhe photo opportunity.
@1263 The Monster Raving Looney party is the exact image that comes to mind when I see footage of Farage's Reform rallies. Ed Davey's may come across as a fool but his approach has been successful and we've got more public exposure. The means justifies the end.
Not everyone in the Liberal Democrat party agrees with Ed Davey's handling of the Post Office Scandal or his statement about women and their penises. I for one don't agree with Rosie Dawson's handling of the local trans row in Teignbridge District Council over shared changing rooms in the Teignmouth leisure centre. This matter divides the party. No politician is perfect I'll grant you that.
Do you deny that there is any racism, bigotry, xenophobia, transphobia, etc within the Reform party? Apparently many Conservative voters abstained from voting in last years General Election because despite their disgust with their own party they couldn't bring themselves to vote for Reform whose anti-immigrant rhetoric reminds them of Enoch Powell.
I do not deny that Reform are on the rise, on the contrary I have written above that they will split the Conservative vote again and I acknowledge that they will gain voters due to issues like immigration. I think most people accept this. However I don't believe the majority of people will suddenly vote Reform and we'll end up with a right wing government in 2029. The party is predominantly full of angry young white men and angry older white men who feel misrepresented by society and abandoned and whereas the rise of Reform is troubling and represents faults in our society and communities which need addressing Reform aren't going to win outright. I just don't believe the majority of the population are driven by hate and anger, even though the county faces many challenges. In any case immigration has nothing to do with the County Council, same for nationalising SWW , these loose policies are about national politics. Not that Refom voters are discerning enough to know recognise the difference.
Numerous MPs also serve as Councillors, many Councillors serve on more than one Council all around the country. Farage milked the European Union for a huge salary whilst doing absoluetly nothing and hardley ever attending. Reform are no better.
You are critical of Liberal Democrat Councillor Gary Taylor, who I admit committed assault in public officer, yet what about Reform MP James McMurdock a man convicted of violence against women? Yet he now sits as a MP!
Last month Reform began an investigation into Great Yarmouth MP Rupert Lowe concerning allegations of serious bullying and targeting of female staff. Lowe also made threats of violence against the party chair.
So is Gary Taylor worse than these Reform politicians who sit at the highest level of government? Your comments are hypocritical. You conveniently turn a blind eye to your own party's failings.
The Ed Davey Buffoon Show isn't quite as successful as you imagine. Last week the LibDumbs were trounced and lost to Reform at a by-election in St Helens.
Perhaps Dawson's prospects aren't so rosy after all.
Reform GAIN from Liberal Democrat Sutton South East (St Helens) council by-election result:
REF: 44.5% ( 44.5) LAB: 36.3% ( 0.7) LDEM: 14.6% (-34.7) CON: 4.6% (-10.5)
@burnside I have no doubts that Reform will take control of many County Councils in May, however not here in South Devon. Reform need to win the centre ground to have a landslide victory in these elections and in the next General Election and it just won't happen as the party is too extreme, too right wing to ever win over moderates, those on the centre left, a significant proportion of the female vote. They'll also fail to win the LGBTQ vote who number at least 10% of the electorate and despite the odd non-white candidate getting media coverage multi-ethnic communities in urban areas won't vote for a party riddled with racist overtones.
Each party has a high water mark and Reform will reach it's peak and then enter a decline once we see how it is void of any policies to govern and fails where elected to local government. Then we'll see how all the party has is the anti-immigrant, negative rhetoric and how it'll just resemble a far-right wing version of the Tories and Labour.
Don't count your chickens before they're hatched. And how on earth do you know Reform won't attract the LGB vote? They've got mine.
@burnside Because of campaigners like Cathy Mudge who happens to be one of the proposers for the Reform candidate in the Exminster and Haldon division and her campaigning and the row involving her group and Rosie Dawson as Chair of Teignbridge District Council and Rosie's track record as a trans rights campaigner. Then there's Reform's anti-woke agenda and the fact Reform UK has criticized so called 'transgender indoctrination', pledging to ban what the party sees as transgender ideology in primary and secondary schools. Channel 4 recorded anti-immigrant, islamophobic and homphobic rhetoric by Reform canvassers in Clacton during the elction campaign and there are numerous other examples.
So thinking Reform is attractive to LGBTQ voters is delusional.
I don't know if your comment meant your part of the LGBTQ community and yet you are voting for Reform. If so you're in the minority.
How do you know I am in the minority? You do talk so much nonsense. LGB people do not vote as one, you seem to think everybody fits into a particular box and behaves exactly the same.
@burnside Given the prevalence of anti-LGBTQ rhetoric that is found within the Reform party do you think Reform gain more or less support than other parties from Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Trans and Non-Binary voters?
You're correct, the LGBTQ community do not vote as one and the different sections of it do not always see eye to eye, but if their rights and liberties are under threat they are, on the whole, unlikely to vote for the party who represents that threat.
I am assuming that if you consider yourself part of the LGBTQ community and also a Reform voter then you would be a rarity, in my opinion, and that would make you a minority within the LGBTQ minority. I thought that was clear from what I'd previously written above.
Aren't Reform supposedly about free speech? Funny how Reform supporters claim this whilst seeming unwilling to accept or tolerate other perspectives that differ from their own views.
LGB(TQ) doesn't exist, it's an invention of the media and politicians. The notion that it is some kind of community is a total nonsense.
@burnside that's a different topic. Whether you see it as a community or not, I seriously doubt whether Reform will gain much support from Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Non-binary and anyone who identifies as anything other than heterosexual. that's the point I'm making, because Reform threatens their rights and liberties..
Couple of points in response to Ali pop
Channel 4 championed itself as being the LBQT channel with rainbows and men kissing adverts so it would be natural to try and "expose" any party opposed to that group. Of course channel 4 being hypocritcal also took money from horse racing coverage specifically from the agi khan in whose country homosexuality is illegal. So much for ethics.
I am not a member of any political party so i can crtitize any party that i want even reform.id neccessary.
So you belive there are no racists etc in the lib dem party? Every party has them and idiots withinin them.
Cant comment on the rosie transgender issue as dont know background.
Feel free to get reform.policies from the reform stall outside coop on saturdays and read about local policies they are putting forward and i will read up on the lib dems.Oops....forgot they dont have any as not worth campaigning as they think they will win without any constructive issues. The lib dem.campaign then must be bother with any then we cant be held accountable for. doing nothing.....
REMEMBER THE DEFINITION OF STUPIDITY IS VOTING FOR THE SAME PARTY AND EXPECTING DIFFERENT OUTCOME.
@1263 Did I champion Channel 4 as a perfect broadcaster? No. Nevertheless the Reform reporting was interesting. There may some racists in the Liberal Democrats but on the whole the Liberal ideology places the party in the more progressive category on the whole. However the party line on certain issues such as trans rights versus women's right and shared changing spaces needs resolving as does how these concerns are debated.
Given Reform's ideology and cooments from Reform Coubcillors and party activist, yes the party has a far higher percentage of racists, xenophobes, etc. The anti-immigrant rhetoric appeals to them, it's designed to attract them. This is common knowledge.
Chris Hilditch the Reform candidate concedes he will split the Tory vote likely handing the seat to Rosie as he did in the General Election when Martin won. He is not interested in the issues you raise such as Gary's misconduct or the Ombudsman's report. There's nothing about these issues in his local manifesto either. He's not interested in changing the status quo. In fact he was complimentary of Martin, almost in awe of him. It turns out Martin did thank Chris Hilditch following the General Election result last year. Without Hilditch we probably would've lost to Anne-Marie again,
Reform have no policies. Tackling immigration necesitates winning a General Election not at County Counci election. They're not prepared to govern locally not that Reform will win here.
Predictions elsewhere in the country don't have them winning outright but power sharing with the Tories in certainn counties not bad in such a short timespan.But it's just the Tory right rejoining the rest of the party under the Reform banner.
You're unaware of the transgender issue with Roaie as you're too lazy and bone-idle to take an active interest in local politics., it was reported. I heard you only found out about Gary and the misconduct incident years after it happened from someone on this site. Same for the Ombudsman's report. You're trying to argue against the Libera Democrats without being fully informed because you fail to recall what you learnt second hand on this site. It makes you look foolish.
Ordinarily I'd suggest educating yourself before polling day, however our party will benefit from uneducated, ignorant voters like you who wlli vote for Hilditch
Point one you do not know how i will vote.
Second point the gary and ombudsman report was reported in the dawlish gazette perhaps you have a problem with words and only look at the pictures.
Third point_- uneducated? Thanks but your not recruiting me for the lib dems
Fourth point as said read reform local policies as you have time on your handa as lib dems dont have any.
Fitth point - getting personal when you realize you have been shown up by debate so you resort to personal attacks as you have lost the plot.
@1263 I think its a safe bet that you'll vote for Hilditch.
As if Reform will stop the boats from County Hall, That's a parliamentary policy. In fact if you think this one policy alone is relevant to a County election it really does highlight how uninformed Reform voters are. Millionaire Farage is using this election as a stepping stone to 2029, nobody in Reform thought devising policy woyld cone into it. And you're on here promoting their stall, where its located, what day and time. Will you be there with Chris Hilditch this Saturday?
As per previous, go to co-op on sat they have stall ouside the former lloyds and they will supply a leaflet about the LOCAL issues they are campaigning on.
Why would i be there ? I am not a member of reform or involved in their campaign.
@1263 I already have a leaflet from Chris Hilditch who I have already spoken to. I'm not commenting on the lack of meaningful policies without first being informed. That's just your assumption.
So you already know what refoms local policys are. I will probably spend my time on sat in dawlish looking for the lib dem policies but dont expect to find anyone campaigning them.
@1263 Just bear in mind its a County Council election so policy will and should reflect what is feasible within the parameters of local government. You can always contact Rosie via the Town or District Council to find out where her stall might be or whether she's canvassing in your area.
Reform local policies are;
Promote local banking hubs - already being done by all parties.
Improve local bus services - already scheduled for March next year. Number 2 every 20 mins instead of half hourly.
Support Dawlish Garden Trust training for the disabled. A good point, though likely a personal interest of Hilditch.
3 Hours free parking in Dawlish - that's a District Council matter not County. District elections aren't until 2027.
A379 to bypass Kenton Starcross, Kenn Lane to Cofton.
This would be more relevant to the Exminster and Haldon division where Hilditch lives. Only Cofton lies within the Dawlish ward and right on the boundary. Anyway It's not feasible, nor costed. Who would compensate the landowners?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3372367z4do.am
Lib Dem councillor in oldham caught after placing a listening device in the labour offices to listen in to private discussions of labour council (19th March 2025)
As Ali pop says, the end justifys the means, integrity is not a trait for this mob.
@1263 actual poilicies? Read this again
Promote local banking hubs - already being done by all parties.
Improve local bus services - already scheduled for March next year. Number 2 every 20 mins instead of half hourly.
Support Dawlish Garden Trust training for the disabled. A good point, though likely a personal interest of Hilditch.
3 Hours free parking in Dawlish - that's a District Council matter not County. District elections aren't until 2027.
A379 to bypass Kenton Starcross, Kenn Lane to Cofton.
This would be more relevant to the Exminster and Haldon division where Hilditch lives. Only Cofton lies within the Dawlish ward and right on the boundary. Anyway It's not feasible, nor costed. Who would compensate the landowners?
What are Reform going to do, ensure the buses run every 10 mins? Every party is promoting banking hubs, because there are no banks, So Reform are hardly revolutionary. Who would vote Reform in a County election hoping for 3 hours free parking when that won't occur until at least 2027 AS ITS A DISTRICT COUNCIL MATTER, by then the District and County Councils will only exist for another 12 months anyway before we have a Mayor of S. Devon or similar in their place.
And where did they come up with the bypass idea, down the pub? the bypass is almost entirely in the neighbouring electoral division AND NOT DAWLISH and the County has a massive deficit. Or is Reform just going to tax us more than the traditional parties to pay for it?
James Murdock and Rupert Lowe - hardly Reform UK exemplars of integrity.
It's so easy to find other Reform politicians with next to no integrity -
The former politician is alleged to have made favourable comments about the Kremlin in exchange for payment
In any case party politics is dog-eat-dog and I include almost all politicians from all parties in that, although Reform are the lowest of the low. Some people say Martin Wrigley is a complete bastard, but as the saying goes 'He's a Bastard but at least he's our Bastard'. It's naive to believe politicians represent us all and work for the common good, that's nothing more than an ideal in our individualistic society. They represent certain interest groups. I don't particular like Martin or Rosie, but they serve a purpose.
The link to the Oldham The Liberal Democrat Councillor doesn't work. Page Cannot Be Found.
Integrity! Martin has plenty of faults and quite an ego, although I don't ever recall him tweeting anything in favour of Jimmy Saville.
Reform UK candidate suspended after Savile tweets
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm2xey4m2ygo
Devon ounty council massive defecit ??? so who has been in charge ohh !!! Its the usual tories or lib dems in control , same financial failures from the same old parties.
In google search type in lib dems oldham and you will sew the repor.
Another point is that the joining up of the councils should have gone to a referendum not voted through without the views of the pubic. Local demoracy dont make me laugh. This will create another massive authority which will ensure dawlish will on get crumbs of the pie if that.
Reform is the lowest of the low in your opinion? Opinions are like ar*seh*l*s everybodys got one.
Thanks for highlighting reforms policies either good or bad in the absence of any Lib dem policies to review.
As for tax dont think tories or lib dems have any credabilty when it comes to ratepayers taxes e.g continuing increases in rates for less and less services and told every year we have no money but spend north of £80k doing up the manor £18k on putting up stupid signs about chewing gun on the pavement when it was never an issue in the first place. The list goes on.and on with the waste of taxpayers money under this administation.
@1263 The Conservatives are in control of County, The Liberal Democrats are not. See, you don't even know who governs you, there's no coalition between the two parties at County level. To think people fought and died so the likes of you can vote! I suggest you cease your angry rants on this site and do some research on local politics.
I'm not in favour of a Mayoralty. I was simply stating that these changes look inevitable and are coming into effect in 2028. And yes I agree it should go to a referendum.
Why do you expect me to highlight the Liberal Democrat's policies? I'm not standing for office, why don't you contact Rosie yourself instead of expecting other's to inform you.
The election period has only just begun, no doubt you'll receive her leaflets soon enough.
Why are you so bothered about my opinion of Reform? I thought you were not linked to the party, yet you spend so much time defending them and posting links about other parties misconduct in a futile attempt to divert attention from a bunch of violent misogynists, homophobes, transphobes, racists and Jimmy Saville supporters?
@1263 And how do you think that's going?
I dont ask you to highlight them, point is, your a dyed in the wool lib dem and you dont even know what there policies are you so you go to plan B and disprage eveybody elses.Honestly not really interested in your opinion as you make sweeping statements suggesting that the reform party has all the misognysts homophobes et al thats what little kids in the playground do spousing all the bad words they can think of as rational thought and debate are lost on them. Perhaps you should book a session with rosie about your mental health
" Fought and died so the likes of me could vote"? bet your sad reform wasnt about then so they could target the sufferagets.
@1263 I admit that I do not know what Rosie's policies and campaign priorities are at this moment in time. Why would I? I suggest you contact her, what are you scared of? A conversation?
The Reform candidate has been campaigning long before the official election period.
Why would I want anyone to target the suffragettes in the early 20th Century??? What a bizarre comment! Without them women wouldn't have the vote.
Comments like yours won't help Reform attract female voters. I assume you're an angry white male.
Reform didn't exist years ago but the British Union of Fascists under Mosely did in the 30s and there were the British Fascists in the 1920s.
Yes lets get all the lib dems to phone rosie to ask what the policies are....
Bizarre comment ? you forgor to add facists to the list of reform
but you have the option of adding murderers rapists criminals etc as i think you have covered most of the spectrum
Let me spell it out for you ....you said reform were mysognistic so ii would be logical that they would oppose women getting the vote-your not very bright on british history are you.
You assume i am an angry white mail gosh how very racist of you, are you sure your not a closet reform supporter wanting to come out,?
Remember what the say about asaume it makes an ass our of u and me.
@1263 Why would I be sad that Reform wasn't about in the early 20th Century 'so they could target the suffragettes' to use your words? They had enough to contend with at the time. Your comment makes no sense. I admire and applaud what the suffragettes did for us all.
Why is pointing out the existence of angry white males in society racist? It's factual. If we don't recognize this issue how can it be tackled? Don't reform argue that labelling everything this 'ism' and that 'ism' is 'woke'? Whatever that word means anymore.
You assumed I hadn't read the Reform leaflet and didn't know what they pass for policies. So that makes an ass of U, hypocrite.
With any luck some of the 400 viewers of this post who may have been thinking about voting lib dem will have seen your rants about Reform and think again about voting for lib dems this coming election. Obviously the opposite might be the case but at least Reform tells you what it wants to do rather than lib dems just using negativity tactics to attack reform with no credible plans or policies of there own . Ali Pop has demonstrated that the lib dems treat the dawlish electrotate wirh contempt thinking they dont have to do anything as the sheep wll vote the same way as usual so why bother trying to engage with them.
REMEMBER THE DEFINITION OF STUPIDITY IS TO VOTE FOR THE SAME OLD PARTY AND EXPECT CHANGE..
@1263 Well I see your comment got 1 Agree, maybe you'll get 1 or 2 more. But that's a far cry from the 400 'viewers' who you think have seen this thread and who in your mind were going to vote Liberal Democrat and now might vote for a different party. If you know anything about politics and Liberalism and the values of the Liberal Democrat party (which you clearly do not) then I can assure you they won't be voting for Reform, which is the polar opposite.
400 'viewers'! What planet do you live on? Each time you and I log in to view this thread it counts as 1 view. How many times have you and I viewed it over the past days? Your 400 viewers equating to 400 voters argument is fantasy.
Look at the low turn-out in the last County Council elections and all other local government elections, the electorate aren't interested, they're apathetic and dumbed down. The majority don't care.
We only need to get around 1900 votes to win in Dawlish out of an electorate of over 12000 as almost two thirds don't bother voting. We know our party can mobilize enough party members to canvass and we had a choice of decent potential candidates who live in Dawlish, had Rosie not been nominated by the local party (She wasn't my first choice, or even second but we'll still win). Reform on the other hand has to parachute some bloke in from Kenton. So Reform couldn't find one candidate from the town from an electorate of over 12000. That says it all.
Our supporters will turn out at the polls to vote and we are very confident that Reform will again split the Conservative vote who were our nearest challenger. I predict the Conservatives and Reform getting 60 and 40% respectively of the Liberal Democrat total. Unless I'm wildly off the mark and Dawlish suddenly shifts to the extreme right wing. I have faith that there are enough decent human beings amongst the third or so who do turn out to vote however, and that we'll stop the far right from winning here.
In reference to your last comment, Reform is just the same old UKIP party, under the same old leader. They failed to change anything as UKIP so expecting a rebranded v.2 to be any different represents, as you wrote, stupidity.
And this comment of yours is interesting.
"but at least Reform tells you what it wants to do rather than lib dems just using negativity tactics to attack reform with no credible plans or policies of there own"
I suggest you make a complaint to both the Liberal Democrat party and the District Council who oversee the election, maybe the Local Government Association too, As you clearly believe my comments are official party tactics and an attack on Reform. You should also notify Mr Hilditch. If you are not referring to my comments then what tactics and attack do you refer to?
Are you in fact a lib dem councillor??? as you seem to have a rage against other political parties. Too know so much info about lib dem % voting and numbers would point to that outcome. Obviousy i do not expect every potential viewers to vote for reform as some individuals will tune in more than once just to laugh at your antics and pitiful responses and open voters eyes on how the lib dems have contempt for the voters. Cant help but laugh when you say its in the bag, dawlish safe seat , % of lib dem voters , %blah blah blah as you are obviously scared of the outcome hence this long thread. If you were that confident you would not have bothered.
Good morning @1263
I'm not answerable to you. So you think I'm a Councillor with a Middle Eastern name...
I repeat;
And this comment of yours is interesting.
"but at least Reform tells you what it wants to do rather than lib dems just using negativity tactics to attack reform with no credible plans or policies of there own"
I suggest you make a complaint to both the Liberal Democrat party and the District Council who oversee the election, maybe the Local Government Association too, As you clearly believe my comments are official party tactics and an attack on Reform. You should also notify Mr Hilditch. If you are not referring to my comments then what tactics and attack do you refer to?
Of course you don't have to answer and you make a habit of avoiding answering questions of mine throughout this thread, clearly because you have no explanation or counter-argument. Instead you just go off on often unrelated and bizarre tangeants. And you claim to know how to engage in debate! And by the way what's your highest level of education? I don't expect you'll answer... In any case it'd be great to know more about these 'tactics' and attacks on poor little Reform. If that's not too much trouble?
Oh I'm confident that the Liberal Democrats are 'Winning Here'. Very confident.
How confident are you of Reform winning?
Ali Pop, is Reform extreme right wing or just far-right? You changed your mind within a couple of sentences and I'm confused now just how right wing Reform is meant to be.
Lets review your comments - dont know how the election will pan out will have to wait and see.
Asked if you were a councillor you did not respond.
Asked if you would be happy with shria law in the uk- you did not respond.(hence the link between Ali and middle east)
Your attacks on reform - mysognists, racists, xeniphobes etc angry white man - suggests no women or people of colour in the reform party. Thank god all the lib dems are pure people never mind such previous leaders as paddy pants down, homosexual jeremy thorpe etc etc.
You mentioned people die for me in world wars so i could vote.Todays relevation Lib dem controlled council in dacorum borough banned VE day parades as they described it "as elitest"
No futher comment on that needed on that as an affront to all decent people in the uk.
You seem obsessed with my level of education possibly because
I am making you and lib dems look foolish with your rants. As you previously stated that i was uneducated you must be hurtung showing you and your party up for what they really are.
@1263 I'll answer your questions
Lets review your comments - dont know how the election will pan out will have to wait and see.
Asked if you were a councillor you did not respond. None of your business, you should respect a site user's choice of anonymity. Do you think it'd be wise of a Councillor to be critical of another party so openly? Again make a complaint to the Liberal Democrat party, the Council and the LGA and inform Mr Hilditch if you have serious concerns.
Asked if you would be happy with shria law in the uk- you did not respond.(hence the link between Ali and middle east). Do I really need to answer whether I'd be happy living under Sharia law? It's not going to happen in the UK. It's such a stupid question based on right wing propaganda that fuels division and hatred. Sharia is one form of extremism, fascism is another so I would not be happy living under either Sharia or a far right regime which Farage would implement if he could. I can think of a female and a male name being shortened to Ali, the latter being a Scottish name. Though I suppose you fear a Scots invasion south of the border as much as you do an Islamic invasion by hordes of jihdists.
Your attacks on reform - mysognists, racists, xeniphobes etc angry white man - suggests no women or people of colour in the reform party. Thank god all the lib dems are pure people never mind such previous leaders as paddy pants down, homosexual jeremy thorpe etc etc. So you would defend a misogynist, a racist or a xenophobes would you? I understand why a lot of white men are angry, I'm just concerned at how and where that anger is vented, the same for where and Reform politicians, candidates and supporters vent their anger and misogynist, racist, xenophobic, transphobic, homophobic views. Having a negative opinion of such behaviour is not an attack. Why are you portraying Reform supporters as victims? You call it an attack, I am simply pointing out reports and video footage, one report was on GB News, even Farage acknowledges these problems within the party, as he needs to win over the centre. You just can't tolerate free speech when it doesn't align with your opinion. That's a typical right wing, Reform trait. I have no idea why women or ethnic minorities join Reform, I never suggested no women or no black or British Asians are members, although it is predominantly a white, male party with ingrained problems with racism, sexism, misogyny, etc. You deny that but so what? You're just one individual who refuses to acknowledge that blatantly obvious.
You mentioned people die for me in world wars so i could vote.Todays relevation Lib dem controlled council in dacorum borough banned VE day parades as they described it "as elitest"
No futher comment on that needed on that as an affront to all decent people in the uk.
Do you think everyone who votes Liberal Democrat agrees with Dacorum Borough Council? Do you think everyone in the party thinks as one? I do not agree with the actions of this Council, nor do I agree with the recent actions of Rosie as chair of Teignbridge District Council over the trans row and shared changing areas. As I have written elsewhere this issue divided the party. Why don't you do some research relating to the party before you criticize it?
However I do not feel that WW1 and WW2 can be commemorated indefinitely. They will have to be resigned to history at some point. In any case @lest We Forget' and 'Never Again' are holow and meaningless and we've learnt nothing as a society from these wars or any since. Elitist? No. just my personal opinion which you'll no doubt see as sacrilegious. As far as I'm concerned if the will of the people of Dacorum Borough is to honour rememberance with a parade it is the Council's role to act upon this will, regardless of Councillor's personal opinions.
You seem obsessed with my level of education possibly because I am making you and lib dems look foolish with your rants. As you previously stated that i was uneducated you must be hurtung showing you and your party up for what they really are.
You are the one who labelled Reform extreme right wing/far-right, you are not even coherent anymore.
@ALI POP
Your are just obsessed with reform, so i will hang fire to allow you to get some mental health councilling as i fear you have lost the plot.
@1263 I could say the same of you about Reform and my posts, that you're obsessed, evangelical even. Your negative comments about mental health will put people off voting Reform as well, you come across as a nasty piece of work.
Are you also a homophobe? You're attempting to be ironic about 'pure people' in the Liberal Democrats I believe, however are you then implyng that former Liberal democrat Leader Jeremy Thorpe was 'impure' because he was a homosexual?
@burnside, you're clutching at straws, nit-picking. You know it's a far right party and that's synonymous with extreme.
Do you do crystal ball readings as you seem to know the future e.g
Lib dems winning here -- not voted yet or canvassed so how could you be winning here.
Lest we forget and never again meaningless ? Perhaps to you but not people who lost family in the war(s) Hmmm...maybe you wont pick up votes from britush legion members.
VE commeration banned as "elitest" you say it was the leaders fault but the PARTY must have voted to ban it, i sure the leader cannot overide rhe will of the party.
Negative comments look back on your texts YOU were the one that introduced xenophobes, racists, miscognists linked to reform in the thread(s)
Nasty piece of work? again does that show in your crystal ball as youve never met me, but hey keep throwing out insults hoping that they will stick in the absence if any rational thoughts.
This is the "killer" for you, i am not a member of reform or have ever attended one on their meetings just a ordinary voter seeing how obsessed you are with reform, They may pick up a substantial number off votes in the election considering they are coming from nowhere to " safe seat, shoo in , lib dem country.
Ha ha keeping trying to bend my answers i said that thorpe was a homosexual at that particular time in history
as leader of the lib dems which is a fact in reply to your pure lib dems who dont have any racists xenophobes misygonic members. Poor attempt to try and muddy the waters . Are you a homophobic.? You never awnsered my question are you a lib dem councillor ? not asking your name just a straight question already told you i am not a member of reform looks like you want to hide behind annonimity ......let the voters make that what they will.
@1263 This is what you wrote;
"Thank god all the lib dems are pure people never mind such previous leaders as paddy pants down, homosexual jeremy thorpe etc etc."
It's clear what your views on homosexuality are. It's well known that Jeremy Thorpe was a homosexual, it's the reference to 'pure people' that makes your comment discriminatory. Does Paddy Ashdown's affair make him impure too?
And on hiding behind anonymity, 1263 is your real name them?
It's the same answer regarding political affiliation - None of your own business.
Once again you looked into your crystal ball and said what you think my views are , must borrow that prior to the newton abbot races.Cant believe you think my real name is 1263 its the non de plume ( look it up, its french for the uneducated) for the site just as i dont think ali pop is your real name. So for the umptheen time are you going to let us know if your are a lib dem councillor ? I cant make the question any simpler or are you just going to dodge this question again and consult your crystal ball with another relevation from the future.
Alison foden praises stagecoach for increasing buses after her 8 year campaign. 8 years !!! Does not fill you with confidence that the lib dems will get the brook and replacement bridge at the manor in time for the next general.election. Expect to see this as a selling point for the lib dem voters minus the time taken to get it done.
@1263 You mean 'Nom de plume', what you wrote means 'without a pen'. You need to brush up on your 'French for the uneducated'.
Is Pop a Middle Eastern name too?
I answered your question above about being a Liberal democrat Councillor? Why must you keep asking? Why is it so significant to you? It is not relevant to the thread.
Now cease asking and respect site users' anonymity.
@1263 Of course the news about Stagecoach is a timely selling point. You do know the political bias of the Dawlish Gazette and the newspaper group behind it? And yes it's hard to argue that an 8 year wait fills anyone with confidence I admit. You make a good point this time.
Ha ha , you answered it by saying none of your business instead of a straight yes or no . Here is somone afraid to come out and say if they are directly involved with the lib dems either as a councillor or involved in their campaign. Next you will be going on about transparency in local democracy. If you dont have the courage of your convictions just day so.Did i write these texts with a pen ? When you kept asking about my education i didnt realise i had to make it really simple for you to understand. Anyone who thinks thier name is 1263 is beyond the pale and I should have realised the low level of education that they must have but i could be wrong and think this is wokeism from.the lib dems and is the policy to self regulate as a number.
POP back to middle east again - getting really tedious
Well on the basis your to scared to admit what your role is in the lib dem organisation. my thoughts on the balance of probability you are probably not, my reasoning being Martin, Rosie, Lynn or others would be on to tell you to get off this thread as 1263 is making you seem totaly inept at defending rhe lib dems and he is destroying our credabilty.