June 1st, 2009 |
Why Rayleigh Conservatives Should Be Ashamed Of their Latest Leaflet
We thought we would comment on the Conservatives’ latest leaflet in Rayleigh North.
It starts with the dramatic headline “LIB DEM SPIN MACHINE KICKS INTO TOP GEAR”. Ahem - we don’t have a ’spin machine’ , just a few volunteers..
But then it gets into more serious stuff - regarding the Park School site. They are claiming that it’s a ‘Lib Dem Housing Legacy”. Oddly enough, they don’t mention that back in 2001 they were 19 Conservatives on the District Council, 9 Lib Dems, 8 Labour and 3 others. Did the Lib Dems have some kind of supernatural powers to impose their will on the majority? No wonder they seem afraid of us!
Here’s the minutes of the meeting that originally allocated the land for development back in 2001.
To be quite clear about this the proposals were supported by the leaderships of the Conseratives, Labour and the Lib Dems. In our opinion, they were wrong - there’s been too much building here.
Chris Black was the only district councillor at the time to oppose.
Lib Dem Councillor Sylvia Lemon was seriously ill in hospital.
Ron Oatham, Chris Lumley , June Lumley and Jackie Dillnutt weren’t district councillors then.
Stephen Castle was a County Councillor - and could have had some influence. But when Chris Black asked him on the phone before the meeting whether he could quote him as being against the proposals, he said “No”.
But those decisions are history now. What about the future? The Conservative leaflet says about future housing “We have even discussed joint tactics to stop it”. Trouble is , that isn’t really true. We hardly ever see Cllr Castle. We’d have loved to sit down with him and discuss future tactics. If he has been against more housing along Rawreth Lane that’s good - but he’s kept that awfully quiet. This year Chris Black has been in something like 18 hours of meetings and discussions with Conservative District Councillors on this housing - and not once did the Conservatives even mention Cllr Castle’s views.
And what about the Olympics? Their leaflet says he is doing a ‘fantastic job’. Well, we know Cllr Castle is very interested in sport, and that’s great. But maybe he should just stay involved in Sport England, and let someone from Rayleigh do the less glamorous role of being a County Councillor.
Which brings us to the final point. Their leaflets have still not given Stephen Castle’s correct home address on Canvey - they misleadingly keep using the Tory office address in Bellingham Lane.
And what’s more their latest leaflet describes him as “Stephen Castle - the local choice”. But calling him “local” is a lie - and the Rayleigh Conservative Association should be ashamed of themselves.
June 1st, 2009 at 10:06
I was wondering why this was filed under ‘Asda or Makro’ … and then I thought, ‘Buy One Fib, Get Another Fib Free!’
June 1st, 2009 at 11:06
Our recylce bins are too small, I can understand why people are having to use plastic bags at the side of bins, which are not coolected, I witnessed 2 households climbing up a ladder to jump on the contents of there bins, this can be very dangerous. An afterthough and keeping to the topic was the bins full of conservative leaflets????
June 2nd, 2009 at 06:06
Just had an experience with Cllr Castle that just goes to show he has absolutely no interest in his constituents.
He has just delivered the leaflet this thread mentions - As I saw him walk past my window, I was at my door just as he popped the leaflet through the letter box. I caught him next door, and told him he might as well take the leaflet back as it will only go straight in my bin. He took it and said thanks. Now if I was running for public office and someone had said that to me, I would want to know why it would go straight in the bin, why this person was obviously not going to be voting for my party, and try to explain to that person why he should be voting for my party and hopefully secure that persons vote.
It’s clear to say that Cllr Castle is not the local choice, nor is he the right choice.
June 2nd, 2009 at 09:06
We received the conservative leaflet through the post a few days ago. If I had been considering voting for them they totally blew any chance for my vote when I saw that it was addressed to my husband, not me or my son. Mrs. Pankhurst would be turning in her grave at what I feel is a gross omission on their part or have I and my son suddenly developed a cloak of invisibility. Suffice it to say that I know where my vote will be going on Thursday.
June 3rd, 2009 at 07:06
Christine - How I agree with you. My Conservative leaflet was addressed to my husband who has little interest in politics (understandably so)and this really did annoy me before I even started to consider the pros/cons of who I should vote for. Surely it would be better for the Conservatives to address the leaflet to the household as a group. What a very foolish mistake on their part.
June 4th, 2009 at 02:06
I really can’t take offence at an election leaflet being addressed to the head of the hosuehold.
June 4th, 2009 at 04:06
There is no head of household in this house - just a partnership!
June 4th, 2009 at 07:06
Alison - Who decides who is head of the household?? The Conservative Party? My husband and I have always considered ourselves over the past 45 years to be ‘joint’ heads of the household, therefore, address any communication to both of us.
June 4th, 2009 at 07:06
I see it as a complementary arrangement; each of us has our different roles
August 26th, 2009 at 10:08
[Edited] I agree with Corey. Even in his own Blog about his hard campaigning, Stephen Castle manages to promote his own company. He….. lives in a large house on CANVEY ISLAND. He sits on so many commitees he can’t possibly have time to do any one job to the standard electors would expect. I wonder how much he claims for expenses from so many different rolls. I would say that I am the head of my household and I have my wife’s permition to say so.