Tory Airport proposal targets Peninsula

The shocking revelations in the Sunday Times (p. 15) and BBC News that the Conservative Party Mayor of London, Boris Johnson is now actively considering bulldozing over the Hoo peninsula in a very real and credible attempt to keep his idea for an airport alive.

Todays article, a deliberate leak this blog suspects, will destroy any semblance of credibility that the inept Medway Conservative campaign is having any impact on the 'Boris Airport' proposal.

A campaign which has been so low-key that you could be forgiven for thinking that Medway Conservatives actually wanted a mega-airport over Medway.

Labour in Medway has opposed any new airport in North Kent. The prediction by Medway Labour and this blog has been that the 'Island' proposal was a slippery slope to bulldoze over Cliffe and North Kent. The rejection of the Island proposal by Cameron did not include other areas of the Thames Gateway and Conservative Transport Ministers response to questions have been open to interpretation.

Tory PPCs were able to secure very cagey responses during the General Election which ruled out the Island proposal but did not rule out a North Kent option. Mark Reckless arguably secured the votes of thousands of peninsula residents on the back of such a position.

Tracey Crouch MP (Chatham & Aylesford) put her credibility as a public representative on the line on the issue. Following representation, she recently wrote to Philip Hammond, Secretary of State for Transport, asking him to clarify Government policy on the Thames Estuary Airport, as proposed by London Mayor Boris Johnson.

"I can confirm that the Government has no plans to build any new airports in the region. Our aviation policies are firmly focussed on improving existing airports - making our airports better, not bigger"

Why then, is the governing Conservative Party candidate for Mayor, continuing to seek representation on the matter?

Despite the above assurances, communities in the peninsula today will be very worried indeed about the plan of the Conservative Party and Boris Johnson. Worried about the bulldozers who could concrete over greats swathes of RSPB reserves. Communities who will be worrying about pollution and the prospect of being part of a Tory air-traffic corridor. Communities who will be worrying about house prices. That article today will in one swoop damage the prospect of people looking to buy or sell on the peninsula.

We need Boris Johnson to immediately make a statement about the proposal for an Airport on the Hoo peninsula. Any delay or equivocation from him and it effectively means we have a green light from Conservatives to consider the scheme.

Medway Conservatives need to get a grip and fast. We need an active, visible and capable campaign to oppose this airport and we need it now. This proposal is not a pie-in-the-sky, it has wings and the longer Rodney Chambers and his 'chums' continue to stick their proverbial head in the sand, this will only get worse and worse.

Medway Labour have warned the Tories for months to raise their game. They have not.

For proof, this blog has a history of raising justifiable concerns on the Airport issue - please do take a read of concerns it has raised.

Residents will remember Conservative campaigners in 2003 attacking the then Labour Government proposal for an airport. The same campaigners are today silent. For some reason the public campaigns they so cherished are now so opposed.

Make no mistake, there will be Conservatives sitting on the peninsula today who will be fuming at this duplicity. Perhaps they should actually do something about it, and soon. This is about your community now, will you stand up for it, or put your Party interests first. It's time to make a call...

Cllr Chambers its time to get a grip and its time to run a proper campaign.

We're backing Medway City

Its a great case. A great place. Lets make Medway the newest and youngest City in the UK in 2012

Labour for Luton & Wayfield

Sam Craven, Tristan Osborne and Christine Godwin

On the back of the victory in River Ward, Labour in Luton & Wayfield will be beginning our 'voter challenge'

The challenge will be to meet every voter in the ward before Christmas to listen and hear their concerns about the Council and Conservative cuts.

The funding for our challenge is there, the campaigners are ready, the leaflets are being delivered. A new campaign website is close to completion and a new vLog will be established before Christmas. We will be inviting residents along the campaign to record a video for the vLog highlighting what they most disagree with about the cuts. This is a new and innovative media project. We are in conversations to link with the Medway media to bring a vLog of the campaign over the 5 months until May 2011.

Luton & Wayfield deserve better then the Conservatives who have failed Medway and will not defend our towns against massive cuts being inflicted upon us by the Conservative Party.

Today the Medway Messenger revealed the extent of the Conservative cuts of £50m.

That is money to care for elderly residents, money to build play-parks, money to clean our streets and fight anti-social behaviour, money which funds our sports-centres and cares for the ill and infirm. Money which pays for bus fares and money that re-surfaces roads and cleans our paths. Money that could be used to regenerate Medway and help the poorest in our community.

The Tories call this waste, we call it basic services that help people.

We will also stand up for the middle class. We believe that the cynical increase in train fares which will add £1200 to the average commuter bill is a disgrace. We believe that the VAT rise to 20% will hurt hard-pressed families. We believe the rise in tuition fees will hurt our young people who are only seeking to better themselves.

We will fight this Conservative assault on hard working people. Yesterday the people of River ward rejected the Conservative cuts and we believe those in Luton & Wayfield will as well.

Luton & Wayfield needs Councillors who can stand up to the cuts and fight to stop them. We accept that with the current deficit we do need a sensible approach to managing the local finances but we oppose the over-aggressive cuts to services that are being foisted upon us by George Osborne.

His deficit reduction strategy is based on the electoral cycle and not the fiscal cycle. Based on the election in 2015 and not on the best interests of the people of Britain.

River Ward residents yesterday voted to kick out the Conservatives because of what they did to their community in Brompton and Chatham.

We believe and will stand up for a Luton & Wayfield residents against aggressive cuts and those who oppose the VAT increase, tuition fees and rises in train fares.

If we can meet enough of you and listen to your concerns, we hope you will agree with those who voted on Thursday. That Labour is once again standing up and fighting for you.

The People win in River

The result of yesterday’s by-election in River Ward was as follows:

Anthony Cook – UK Independence Party – 42 votes
Garry Harrison – Liberal Democrat – 92 votes
John Jones – Labour – 695 votes
Steven Keevil – The Green Party – 36 votes
Andrew Mackness – Conservative 631 votes
Ron Sands – English Democrats – 31 votes

Turnout was 25.7%. Swing Conservative to Labour 4.9%.

On winning Cllr John Jones

"I am grateful to residents giving me their support after this amicable election. I have heard the real challenges that residents across the ward face, some of their frustrations about current council processes and some of their aspirations for the future.

I will do everything I can as their community champion to fight hard to ensure improvements are made and potential problems are challenged at all levels."

Cllr Vince Maple, Labour Election Agent said

"This victory sends several messages across Medway - firstly people have fear of what devastating impacts the Conservative and Liberal Democrat government will have.

People also are pleased with the selection of new Labour Leader Ed Miliband who visited River Ward and finally River residents also made it clear they want a reliable community champion fighing their corner, I know John will take on this role with his trademark energy, thought and passion."

Cllr Jones Jones spoke to Musings from Medway after winning saying

"I will work for all those who voted for me and those that did not and attempt to build bridges and work for the community in which I live.

This is a fantastic result for the hard pressed middle class family who felt today that the Conservatives have let them down, and targeted them with regressive taxes, increase in train fares and cuts to police and schools.

I can now stand up and fight for services and not support a government which is destroying the fabric of society here in Medway and undermining investment in Universities, schools, hospitals and the Police.'

This blogger believes the result is a referendum on the current government. It shows the result of the Comprehensive Spending Review in a key Kent marginal seat.

This is also of course a slap in the face to the River Ward Conservatives and the agent who comes out of this process weakened immeasurably.

We look forward to next May where the people will once again make a judgement on this useless Conservative administration

Train fares and Dartford Toll

Medway commuters face season ticket rises of up to £1,200 over the next four years according to the Department of Transport response to the Comprehensive Spending Review

£1,200 which is a tax on middle class commuters who will now have to pay an increase in fare's that will impact family budgets, holiday plans and shopping bills.

Instead of fares going up by one per cent more than the rate of inflation — the formula since British Rail's privatisation in 1995 — they will rise by three per cent over the cost of living from 2012 in every region across the UK.

It means that an annual season ticket from Milton Keynes will rise by £1,194 to £5,026 by 2014.

A Gillingham commuter will have to pay £4,995, a rise of £1,187.

In an attempt to mitigate the potential charges of hypocrisy Medway and Kent Conservatives led a pre-emptive strike by tabling an Early Day Motion 838 in Parliament which was dutifully picked up by the YourMedway paper.

The motion states

"Southeastern's franchise agreement with the Department of Transport has allowed increases on regulated fares of RPI + three per cent. as opposed to RPI + one per cent. for other rail franchises which has resulted in a recently proposed fare rise of seven per cent. from January 2011; understands that franchise agreements with train operating companies are to be considered as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review; and calls on the Government to apply a cap on fare rises for Southeastern that is henceforth no greater than for other franchise"

The EDM, which conveniently fits straight into the coalition narrative, is nothing but a diversionary tactic which gives no help to the average Medway commuter.

The Department of Transport response to the CSR makes clear that all train companies will now raise fares by RPI + 3% from 2012. In reality the EDM means nothing to the average Medway commuter, who will not get any mitigation for current fare increases which already stand at that level.

The justification for that fare premium during the Labour period in office was increased investment in the railways. However the government increase is to mitigate government subsidy. This is a major difference because money on fares will not be invested in stock or safer stations. It will go to the government.

YourMedway did not mention that Kent and Medway Conservatives have shown brazen hypocrisy in relation to train fares.

Over the last two years Tories have been actively campaigning for a reduction in the +3% RPI increase in train fares.

The Kent Conservatives ran a 'Fare's Fair' campaign, still fully visible on their website stating that

'The Government has imposed upon South Eastern Trains a condition to run a subsidy-free network by 2014, resulting in an average increase of 3% above the rate of inflation. The Government’s imposition of year-on-year extortionate increases in rail fares for Kent’s commuters threatens to damage the Kent economy, deterring visitors and businesses from coming here. This will do nothing to get people out of their cars and onto public transport.'

Kent Conservatives campaigned in 2009, during the recession, claiming that a 3% + RPI increase was a disgrace and would damage the economy. Yet now they remain silent.

Hundreds of commuters voted Conservative in May 2010 to keep train fares low. Organisations across Kent were backed by Conservatives to channel commuter anger and potentially harvest key anti-fare votes for the election this year.

Mark Reckless MP campaigned in March 2009, with the 'independent' Medway Fares Fair champion to reduce standard fares. The independent champion for Medway commuters, who is also an announced candidate for the Rochester & Strood Conservatives for election in 2011, refuted any bias at the time stating that the campaign had sought 'cross-party support.'

The organisation which was backed by Mark Reckless MP and Tracey Crouch MP stated in its objectives statement that:

'We are calling for Southeastern Trains to suspend their planned increases with immediate effect and bring them more into line with the current RPI, although even that will be on the high side for many. The +3% should be dropped immediately as we think it is discriminatory and unfair.'

The campaign championed the cause of a small increase in train fares on the 6th January 2009. Both Tracey and Mark backed the campaign wholeheartedly. The campaign even congratulated the two PPCs for having 'an excellent track record in campaigning on local issues for Medway residents'

Yet it now appears that the campaign remains dormant and the position of the Conservative MPs is silent. It is noted however that since the election of a Conservative Government the 'independent' group has made no public statement, including today, on the most important statement for a decade on the next 5 years of fare increases.

Another case which raises commuter eyebrows is the campaign by Tracey Crouch MP from the 27th March 2009 and 18th December 2008 on the scrapping of 'my campaign to scrap the stealth tax' Dartford Toll.

On the 15th December 2009 she announced on her blog that

'I am today announcing my support for the campaign to scrap the Dartford Crossing charges. Local residents who use the Crossing for work have been in touch and are fed up, not least because the charges were supposed to be scrapped once the Crossing had been paid for - which happened five years ago!!'

The Conservative Government has now not only kept the toll but it has been hit by a rise in the Dartford Crossing charge, which will go up from £1.50 to £2.50 by 2012

Kent Conservatives have also shown rank duplicty. Kent County Council Keith Ferrin said in 2006, that drivers are already being penalised with little benefit for Kent, and to ramp up the daily charge by 50 per cent to £1.50 would “just add insult to injury”.

Mr Ferrin said: “We will fight these increased charges. In effect, they are an additional tax on Kent motorists. It’s a bit like sticking the knife in where it already hurts."

Perhaps Kent Conservatives can clarify why they have quietly changed their minds. It is dishonest.

The double-standards of Tories will now be highlighted by Medway Labour. We all believe that elected Members of Parliament should stand by their promises before being elected and held to account.

This Kent Fare's Fair campaign, its independent sister group in Medway, and the Dartford Toll campaign are three campaigns which independent voters can link to online. Make your own judgement

We all accept that government has to make tough decisions in government as opposed to opposition. People would however give more credibility to honesty and when candidates have to undertake a u-turn for them to explain the reasons.

Commuters have been let down by Tories who are now back-tracking on campaign promises across Medway and Kent.

End of the line for Kingsnorth

News this evening that plans to build a £1 billion coal-fired power station at Kingsnorth were shelved today as owner E.ON blamed lower demand for electricity because of the recession.

The Kingsnorth station had been at the centre of protests over fears that the new plant would increase carbon emissions and climate change. The original plan by EOm cited the fitting of unproven carbon sequestration technology with no evidence or proof that the science would work. There were also concerns about other emissions and the effect on the Medway conurbation.

German-owned E.ON cited “economic conditions” for the decision, which means the existing power station at Kingsnorth will close before the end of 2015. E.ON's UK chief executive Dr Paul Golby said: “The economic conditions are still not right for us to progress.”

This blog opposed the expansion of Kingsnorth in 2008/2009 because the science of carbon sequestration had not been proven. It however does not support the wholesale closing of the site which has the potential and infrastructure to remain a power plant for future development.

The Kingsnorth development became a major issue during the General Election when the company submitted plans for pipeline expansion. Both Labour and Conservative candidates supported the expansion of the Kingsnorth site. This blog took an independent position and opposed development.

E.ON first applied for permission to build the Kingsnorth power plant in 2006, but then asked for the decision to be put off until ministers had made a decision on whether it must be fitted with carbon capture technology.

Ed Miliband, then the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, correctly ruled that new coal-fired plants would have to fit the new technology.

Trident pawn as Cuts hit defence

The Conservatives today showed the gravest betrayal to our armed forces and most crucially failed to renew the Trident Nuclear deterrent in a desperate attempt to placate Liberal Democrat peace-nicks.

The Conservative leadership even spat in the face of those Conservatives who believed that all were to be held to the coalition agreement. This agreement rested on the crucial 'line in the sand' issue of the renewal of trident. It appears the Tory leadership has sold its principles to placate the coalition partners.

The Strategic Defence Review today was nothing to do with the actual requirement of national defence and everything to do with shirking responsibility and undermining national sovereignty to justify over-aggressive cuts. The Coalition government seemingly ignores the threat of a state-on-state conflict despite rising tensions in Iran and statements by Argentina over the Falkland Islands over the summer months. It ignores the requirement of the Navy which is increasingly dealing with pirates in the Cape, drug smuggling in South America and the rise of China in the Far East who are militarising the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait. It ignores the requirement of the Army to project power in numbers in conflict zones which we may not be able to predict.

The cuts also link with discussions that David Cameron has had with the French who are due to share logistics in defence. A country which has a history of flaky and abstract loyalties.

Mr Cameron and Dr Fox are engaged in high level conversations on sharing A400M military transports, which are due to enter service in 2012. There are rumours that the French may also gain access to Britain's Boeing C-17s and on aerial tankers. Crucially todays report lends credibility to the sharing of Britain's two new aircraft carriers. The fact that one of our carriers is to be fitted with a catapult allows French Rafale strike fighters to fly from it. Dr Fox called this position 'unfeasible and unrealistic' but with this catapult it puts this very much on the agenda.

These conversations are all in the public domain and are due to form part of a conversation at next months NATO summit. UKIP voters will be particularly interested to note that instead of withdrawing from European defence agreements, we are about to see even further integration with Europe.

The crucial clue is the fact that Britain will not have air-craft capable of flying off the carriers. Whose planes are we going to fly?

This blog supports NATO and the premise of joint defence, but for Tories to pay no reference to the undermining of national sovereignty over our armed forces is a betrayal. In addition to sharing defence with another country the Tories have slammed our boys where it hurts:

AIR FORCE

The Harrier jump jet and Nimrod reconnaissance planes will be scrapped. Some squadrons of Tornado jets will be saved, but Joint Strike Fighter and a modernised Eurofighter will form the basis of the RAF fire power and there will be extra money for unmanned planes. The air transport fleet will be upgraded with A400M and A330 aircraft, replacing the Tristar and VC-10 from 2013. Some air force bases will close and 5,000 RAF personnel will lose their jobs over the next five years. Extra 12 Chinook helicopters to increase flexibility.

ARMY

The Army will have to cut up to 7,000 personnel over the next five years, and lose 40% of its tanks and 35% of its heavy artillery. It will lose one deployable brigade out of six. This will undermine the UK's power penetration should another conflict arise in the Middle East such as Iran.

NAVY

The Ark Royal, launched in 1985, will be decommissioned almost immediately, rather than in 2014, as previously planned.

The construction of two new aircraft carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, will go ahead, as it would cost more to cancel the projects than proceed with them but one of them will be mothballed rather than entering service and the other will be fitted with equipment for jump start jets rather than the Harrier.

The navy will lose 5,000 personnel and its surface fleet will be cut from 23 to 19. It will get a new fleet of Astute-class nuclear-powered submarines.

TRIDENT

The government says £750m ($1.2bn) will be saved over four years on the Trident nuclear deterrent missile system by cutting the number of warheads on each boat from 48 to 40 and reducing the number of missile tubes from 12 to eight. The UK's nuclear warhead stockpile will be cut from 160 to less than 120. The final "main gate" spending decision on Trident will also be delayed until 2016 - after the next general election.

This is a major betrayal of our national defence and is a cheap sop to the Liberal Democrats. Not renewing our nuclear deterrent is the crucial message from this review. It is partisan political judgements based on contemporary political circumstances and not military reality.

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

The Ministry of Defence will lose 25,000 civilian staff over the next five years. It will also have to renegotiate contracts with industry and sell-off "unnecessary" buildings and assets.

The defence is review is not strategic, it is not progressive and it is clearly designed to undermine the core principle of national sovereignty. A Coalition Government which has given fig-leaves to Liberal Democrats which has left this country in a weaker position to our enemies.

They have failed to stand up for our military, failed to stand up for our country and have played partisan games with our nuclear deterrent. Shame on them, shame on them all.