Philip, a local author and campaigner who fought to save the hospital and library, has published his final book. “Sadly, thousands of people end their working lives, frustrated and tired mentally and physically. Many will reflect on how different their careers might have been and ponder earlier incidents, major or trivial, in which they might have reacted differently. Some, lacking interests, will sink into a frustrating retirement. I wanted to explore this in my new book.
“Michael Johnson, retired and living in Torquay, has lost interest in virtually everything and suffers from boredom and a sense of futility. His sense of humour has vanished. His wife, Ann, desperate for a change and failing to jolt him into returning to be the man she married, visits Aberdeen to see friends. Michael, confronted by powerful dreams, is persuaded by one to visit London whilst Ann is away. Determined to right a few wrongs, suffered when young, he creates some situations in which his dormant sense of imaginative humour returns. The couple’s experiences, when apart, have challenging repercussions especially when Michael is visited by someone whom he met in London. Weeks later, one sinister dream has a dramatic impact on the family.”
“I hope that the book reveals a sensitive and sympathetic understanding of the problems many face but that it is balanced by an imaginative humour aimed at the way we live today”.
The book is available from The Curious Otter Bookshop in Ottery St. Mary and Amazon. It can also be ordered via all good bookshops.
Owl understands that they are available at several bookshops in Sidmouth, Ottery and Tiverton.
I originally wrote them in 12 separate “books”, each with about 30 pieces, many of them topical/satirical pieces often about Bojo, but decided when publishing to discard about 70 pieces that soon seemed dated in their detail.
The following twelve “books” of verse were written over a period of three years from early 2020, during a turbulent time for this country.
Prompted by La Fontaine, I have aimed for variety. To him and, of course, Aesop I am deeply indebted.
I make no excuses, however, for the fact that some of these pieces are not fables in the strict sense of the word.
The cover, by local artist, Mike Baldwin, is based on the following fable: The Ass in the Lion’s Skin
Mike Temple
Here is another called: The Developers’ Charter
[These poems are reproduced as images because Owl has had difficulty in loading them onto an EDW page whilst retaining the original verse structure. – The trials and tribulations of Word Press “updates” and “improvements”]
The NHS is discriminating against elderly patients with one in six GP practices now taking bookings online only, a study suggests.
Campaigners warn Britons are missing out on vital care as the NHS is ‘erecting barriers’ that limit opportunities to see a family doctor face-to-face.
This is forcing people into private healthcare or overcrowded A&E departments and hits those without internet access hardest, over-60s group Silver Voices said.
Its poll of 1,200 members reveals 76 per cent have experienced difficulties in obtaining a face-to-face GP appointment.
Eighty per cent have been forced to accept a telephone consultation and 71 per cent begrudgingly saw another member of practice staff…..
He has instead called for “humanitarian pauses” to allow aid into the besieged Strip, in line with the UK and US governments.
But several frontbenchers have rejected the principle of “collective responsibility”, breaking the party line and backing a ceasefire. Last week Imran Hussain, the MP for Bradford East, announced he was quitting his role as shadow minister for the new deal for working people, to be able to “strongly advocate” for a ceasefire.
Almost 50 Labour councillors have quit and hundreds of local representatives oppose the leadership’s stance.
Despite the weeks of infighting dominating media coverage of Labour, the new poll suggests the party could secure 431 seats, compared to the Conservatives on 156.
In his 1997 victory, Sir Tony Blair won 418 seats, compared with Sir John Major’s Tories on 165, securing a 179-seat majority.
The Survation poll, reported by The Sunday Times, suggests nine cabinet ministers would lose their seats, including former leadership contender Penny Mordaunt, seen by many as a major contender to replace Rishi Sunak.
Other major scalps that are expected include defence secretary Grant Shapps, transport secretary Mark Harper, work and pensions secretary Mel Stride and justice secretary Alex Chalk.
A separate Opinium poll this weekend revealed Labour’s lead over the Conservatives has increased to 17 points, up from 15 a fortnight ago.
Labour now has 43 per cent of the vote share, while the Conservatives are on 26 per cent.
Opinium said Labour and Sir Keir have taken some “big hits” in terms of public perception over the conflict in Gaza, but the Conservatives have “let them off the hook”.
James Crouch, Opinium’s head of policy and public affairs, said: “The government seems to have let Labour off the hook on what could have been a very difficult week for the opposition.
“Labour’s response to the conflict in the Middle East has made the party look less united, and Starmer look much weaker than before. However, by the end of the week the news had moved on to Conservative divisions and indecision, leaving the door open to a 17-point Labour lead in the polls.”
“Unfortunately, the government has been sending mixed messages to industry about the net zero transition – which could mean we lose out on the cheaper [energy] bills and good jobs that will come from building the industries of the future here in Britain.” Sam Richards, a former climate and energy adviser in No 10.
The government has received no new applications for onshore wind farms in England since cabinet ministers eased planning rules earlier this year – in a further sign that Rishi Sunak’s anti-green policy shift is driving investment abroad.
So far this year, only one new project, with a single turbine, has become fully operational in England, with many more being built in the EU – and in Scotland and Wales, where planning rules are less burdensome. This is despite renewables being seen as the cleanest and safest form of power, and having wide public support.
Since early September, when the communities secretary, Michael Gove, and energy secretary, Claire Coutinho, introduced changes to planning rules, claiming these would boost onshore wind investment, there have been no applications to local authorities, according to the industry’s representative body, RenewableUK, which has studied data held by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
The fall-off in onshore wind projects in England contrasts with rapid increases in investment in Germany, France and Sweden.
The collapse will add to growing unease in Whitehall after no one bid for licences in the latest auction for offshore wind projects because the price companies could charge for the energy was set at too low a rate.
The Observer understands that, with panic setting in behind the scenes, ministers will announce a new framework of pricing within days to try to attract more investment into the sector before it is too late. There is also dismay among civil servants and government advisers, past and present, over the effect that recent government pronouncements on the green agenda have had on companies’ investment thinking.
In last week’s king’s speech, the government announced an energy bill with plans for a new annual system of oil and gas licences, despite the UK’s commitment to net zero targets, prompting outrage from the green lobby. Coutinho said more oil and gas “wouldn’t necessarily bring bills down”.
Sam Richards, a former climate and energy adviser in No 10, who now runs Britain Remade, a campaign group promoting economic growth, said recent anti-green rhetoric from the government risked lasting damage to the UK’s bid to be in the vanguard of a green industrial revolution.
“Unfortunately, the government has been sending mixed messages to industry about the net zero transition – which could mean we lose out on the cheaper [energy] bills and good jobs that will come from building the industries of the future here in Britain,” he said.
James Robottom, head of policy at RenewableUK, the body representing about 500 companies in the sector, said other countries were doing far more to maximise opportunities. “Unprecedented financial incentives are being offered to renewable energy developers by the US and the EU,” he said. “International competition to secure private investment in clean energy projects is intense as other countries seek to lure developers away from the UK to work elsewhere”.
He added: “The government’s very slight changes to the planning system aren’t going to bring about a significant increase in the number of new onshore wind farms in England. There are still restrictions to onshore wind that aren’t faced by any other infrastructure – despite widespread cross-party support to end the de facto ban – which is dampening the confidence of investors who would otherwise be interested. Local communities that support onshore wind are being denied the chance to benefit from cheap clean power.”
In 2015, before the government changed planning rules to make it easier for local people to block onshore wind farms in their areas, there were 158 new onshore projects in England, involving the construction of 228 new turbines. By last year, only two projects, involving four new turbines, were built in England.
Ed Miliband, Labour spokesperson for energy security and net zero, said: “The British people are paying the price of this government’s dogmatic, ideological and self-defeating opposition to home-grown clean power – in higher bills, energy insecurity and failure on climate.
“The Conservatives presented an energy bill that won’t bring bills down. Their supposed lifting of the onshore wind ban doesn’t do anything of the kind and it is costing families £180 every year on their bills.”
The government said that across the whole of the UK – not just England – substantial progress was being made. “The last Contracts for Difference round saw a record number of successful projects across renewables, including onshore wind projects.
“The streamlined National Planning Policy Framework aims to make it easier and quicker for onshore wind projects to come forward where there is local support.”
Bang goes the Lib Dem’s best recruiting officer! – Owl
Suella Braverman has been sacked as home secretary, after she defied No 10 over an article accusing the Met Police of bias in the policing of protests.
Mrs Braverman was accused of stoking tension in the article ahead of pro-Palestinian protests in London over the weekend.
Her replacement has not been announced.
The sacking kickstarts what is expected to be a major Cabinet reshuffle by Mr Sunak as he reshapes his top team ahead of next week’s Autumn Statement.
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly was seen entering Downing Street on Monday morning and there was speculation he would replace Mrs Braverman as home secretary.
Another arrival at Number 10 was former prime minister David Cameron, prompting suggestions he would be returning to government as foreign secretary.
Mr Cameron, who has been out of Parliament since he stood down as a prime minister in 2016, could be given a seat in the House of Lords to take up his new position.
Mrs Braverman was sacked following days of a political firestorm sparked when she wrote an article for The Times newspaper, in which she accused the police of bias.
The article was not cleared by No10 and it later emerged Mrs Braverman had defied a Downing Street request to tone the article down.
Mrs Braverman was accused of stoking tensions surrounding a pro-Palestinian march on Armistice Day.
East Devon Watch 