Category Archives: Labour ( Devon)

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

10 Dec 2019

Posted under

Accountability, Fake news, General Election, Labour ( Devon), Lib Dem (local), Tories

Which party’s ads lie? 88% of Tory ads and 0% of Labour ads says one study!

“Many of the ads have not contained misleading claims, but the issue has also been addressed in a separate study by the non-profit organisation First Draft.

It looked just at every paid-for Facebook ad from the three main UK-wide parties run over the first four days of December:

for the Conservatives, it said that 88% (5,952) of the party’s most widely promoted ads either featured claims which had been flagged by independent fact-checking organisations including BBC Reality Check as not correct or not entirely correct.

The figure includes instances of the same claims being made across multiple posts. One example was that Labour would spend £1.2 trillion at a cost of £2,400 to every household, which was contained within 4,028 ads.

Those sums are significantly higher than others’ analysis of Labour’s plans.

For the Lib Dems, it said hundreds of potentially misleading ads had featured identical unlabelled graphs, with no indication of the source data, to claim it was the only party that could beat either Labour, the Conservatives or the SNP “in seats like yours”.

For Labour, it said that it could not find any misleading claims in ads run over the period. However, it noted that the party’s supporters were more likely to share unpaid-for electioneering posts than those of its rivals. It said one of these contained leader Jeremy Corbyn’s disputed claim that a Tory-negotiated trade deal with the US could cost the NHS up to £500m a week by driving up the cost of medicines

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

10 Dec 2019

Posted under

Accountability, General Election, Labour ( Devon), Tories

Still undecided?

When Boris Johnson says Corbyn would be a “clear and present danger” if he were to become PM, Johnson is using the EXACT words that are being used about his twin Trump and his desecration of the office of President. Boris identifies totally with his partner in crime.

They share MUCH more than their hairstyles.

And ask yourself: who would Corbyn be a danger to? Certainly not Owl!

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

10 Dec 2019

Posted under

Accountability, Fake news, General Election, Labour ( Devon), Sleaze, Tories

“Why do I have to break an embargo in order to expose press lies about Labour?”

“We’ve taken on the Mail on Sunday and won. But the newspaper regulator won’t correct the story till after the election.”

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/dec/10/break-embargo-expose-press-lies-labour?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

27 Nov 2019

Posted under

Accountability, General Election, Labour ( Devon)

Comments

1 Comment

Jew Miriam Margolys sticks up for Corbyn – explains difference between anti-semitism and anti-Zionism

Anti-semitism is hating Jews.
Anti-Zionism is being against the State of Israel.
Miriam Margolys is a Jew who is an anti-Zionist.
The Chief Rabbi has said that anyone who is pro-Palestine is an anti-semite.
However, many, many Jewish people recognise the right for Palestine to exist.
Anyone (Jewish or not) who is pro-Palestine is not an anti-Semite and may or may not be anti-Zionist (for or against a state of Israel).
How Owl wishes people could understand the difference – including the Chief Rabbi!

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

13 Nov 2019

Posted under

Accountability, Claire Wright, East Devon Tories, General Election, Green (local), Labour ( Devon), Lib Dem (local), Voting

Sidmouth hustings – 6 December 2019 – details

General Election Hustings in Sidmouth: 6th December
All the candidates for the East Devon constituency for the upcoming general election have been invited to a hustings event in Sidmouth.

On Friday 6th December
at 7pm

At All Saints’ Church Hall,
All Saints’ Road,
Sidmouth, EX10 8ES

They will be on stage and will answer pre-submitted questions.

The event is open to all members of the public and will be hosted and chaired by the Vision Group for Sidmouth.
Please send in any questions to

Contact


See: https://visionforsidmouth.org/event/general-election-hustings-in-sidmouth/

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

12 Nov 2019

Posted under

Accountability, Claire Wright, General Election, Green (local), Labour ( Devon), Lib Dem (local), Voting

Claire Wright on election candidates: “not asking for an easy ride”

“Last week, the non-party campaign group Unite to Remain identified 60 seats where a deal had been struck between the Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru and the Green Party, in a move to defeat Conservative candidates.

However East Devon rivals have refused to do the same.

The organisation behind Unite to Remain has however backed Ms Wright as its preferred general election candidate in East Devon, despite rival parties failing to agree a truce in the seat.

Unite to Remain director Peter Dunphy said the organisation had not included East Devon in the list of candidates but urged remain voters to back Ms Wright as the best chance to wrest the seat from Tory control.

He added: “It was not possible to gain cross-party agreement for a single candidate in every key constituency that we considered.

“Ultimately it has been up to the political parties in consultation with local members to make these tough choices.

“Sadly, we were unable to gain Unite to Remain all-party agreement in East Devon.

“Our suggestion therefore is to follow the excellent tactical voting advice of Best for Britain and Gina Miller’s Remainunited to support the remain candidate with the best chance of victory.”

Ms Wright, who won 35 per cent of the votes compared to the Lib Dems’ two per cent, said she had never approached any of her rivals or asked them to give her a free run.

However, she welcomed the Unite to Remain endorsement.

She added: “Of course, running as a sole candidate against the Conservatives would appear to give me a better chance but I am not asking anyone for an easy ride.

“I have fought a fair and positive campaign twice, without assistance, increasing my share of the vote without resorting to personal attacks and I don’t intend to start now.

“I would now urge my supporters to concentrate all of their energy on getting this people-powered campaign over the line.

“And, of course, we must avoid the danger presented by Boris Johnson’s withdrawal agreement – which could condemn us to years of trade negotiations and threaten the NHS – by offering the public a democratic vote which includes the option of remain.”

https://www.midweekherald.co.uk/news/remain-candidates-refused-to-stand-down-and-back-claire-wright-1-6369663

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

11 Nov 2019

Posted under

Accountability, Claire Wright, General Election, Labour ( Devon), Lib Dem (local), Voting

“Unite to Remain supports independent Parliamentary candidate Claire Wright for East Devon despite parties not standing down”

PRESS RELEASE

“Unite to Remain supports independent Parliamentary candidate Claire Wright for East Devon despite parties not standing down

The organisation behind a Remain alliance has backed independent candidate Claire Wright as its preferred general election candidate in East Devon despite rival parties failing to agree a truce in the seat.

Unite to Remain last week identified 60 seats where a deal had been struck between the Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru and the Green Party, in a move to defeat Conservative candidates.

The non-party campaign group has revealed that it also proposed Claire Wright – and whose 21,000 votes in 2017 make her the clear challenger to the Tories – but were unable to persuade the Lib Dems or Greens to stand aside.

Unite to Remain director Peter Dunphy said the organisation had not included East Devon in the list of candidates but urged Remain voters to back Claire Wright as the best chance to wrest the seat from Tory control.

“It was not possible to gain cross-party agreement for a single candidate in every key constituency that we considered,” added Dunphy.

“Ultimately it has been up to the political parties in consultation with local members to make these tough choices.

“Sadly, we were unable to gain Unite to Remain all-party agreement in East Devon where we had proposed Claire Wright as the clear challenger to the Conservatives.

“Our suggestion therefore is to follow the excellent tactical voting advice of Best for Britain and Gina Miller’s Remainunited to support the Remain candidate with the best chance of victory, which in the case of East Devon is the Independent Claire Wright.”

Wright, who won 35 per cent of the vote compared to the Lib Dems’ 2 per cent, said she had never approached any of her rivals or asked them to give her a free run.

However, she welcomed the Unite to Remain endorsement and insisted voters could make their own decisions about whether to vote tactically based on past results.

“I have never asked for any favours from my rivals and I respect their decision to stand and fight for the seat,” she added.

“Of course, running as a sole candidate against the Conservatives would appear to give me a better chance but I am not asking anyone for an easy ride.

“I have fought a fair and positive campaign twice, without assistance, increasing my share of the vote without resorting to personal attacks and I don’t intend to start now.

“I would now urge my supporters to concentrate all of their energy on getting this people-powered campaign over the line.

“And, of course, we must avoid the danger presented by Boris Johnson’s withdrawal agreement – which could condemn us to years of trade negotiations and threaten the NHS – by offering the public a democratic vote which includes the option of Remain.”

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

9 Nov 2019

Posted under

Accountability, Claire Wright, EDDC, General Election, Labour ( Devon), Lib Dem (local), Voting

Comments

1 Comment

Indie councillor Martin Shaw makes plea to East Devon Lib Dems in Guardian letters page

“It is ironic that Unite to Remain, founded by Heidi Allen when she was an Independent MP, has become a three-way deal between the Liberal Democrats, Greens and Plaid Cymru, excluding the only grassroots pro-remain independent with a chance of winning: Claire Wright in East Devon.

Claire won more than 21,000 votes (35%) in 2017 to the Tories’ 29,000, while the Lib Dems gained less than 1,500. Independents also won by far the largest share of votes and seats in this year’s council elections.

Can I appeal to the Liberal Democrats, who are admirably standing down for other independents like Dominic Grieve, to consider withdrawing their candidate so as to help East Devon get a pro-European MP?

Martin Shaw
Independent county councillor, Devon’

Owl says: Vote Lib Dem or Labour in East Devon – get Tory.

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

9 Nov 2019

Posted under

Accountability, Claire Wright, East Devon Tories, General Election, Labour ( Devon), Lib Dem (local), Voting

Comments

1 Comment

Labour delusion part 2: in it to win it?

Labour vote in the East Devon Constituency in the May 2017 elections:

District Council elections:
EDDC 2,126

Exeter City Council in local elections, part of EDDC constituency at General Elections:
1,344
(made up of St Loyes 550, Topsham 794)

Total 3,470

Exmouth Town Labour vote 265
(candidate Daniel Wilson – 5th of nine)

Vote Labour or Lib Dem – get Tory

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

8 Nov 2019

Posted under

Accountability, Brexit Party, Claire Wright, East Devon Tories, General Election, Labour ( Devon), Lib Dem (local)

East Devon: Vote Lib Dem or Labour – get Tory

Reposted comment:

“Here’s a letter I’ve just sent to local papers:

Tactical Voting or Confused.com?

I note that the Brexit Party is not fielding a candidate in the Devon East constituency. Is this by arrangement with Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party? Didn’t Boris tell us he wouldn’t enter into any such pact?

At the same time both the LibDems and Labour are standing, thus making a Conservative victory likely, as a look at the 2017 results indicates:

Hugo Swire (Con) – 29,306 (majority of 8,036)
Claire Wright (Independent) – 21,270;
Jan Ross (Labour) – 6,857;
Alison Eden (LibDem) – 1,468;
2 other Independents – 278.

As you can see, if the Labour and LibDem votes had gone to Claire Wright she would have won.

The LibDems are now happy to make a pact with Plaid Cymru and the Greens in order not to split the anti-Tory vote. Why then does the LibDem candidate not see that she cannot win from such a low base and why doesn’t the Labour candidate understand that he, too, is merely serving the Conservative’s ends?

So it’s a case of Vote LibDem or Labour and you get a Conservative.

Michael Temple”

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

4 Nov 2019

Posted under

Accountability, Austerity cuts, Economy, General Election, Labour ( Devon), Lib Dem (local), NHS (local), Tories

Comments

1 Comment

If you don’t want the NHS to be a political weapon – depoliticise it!

NHS bosses have said that the NHS should not be used as a political weapon in the forthcoming general election:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2019-50282333

But it will ALWAYS be used as a political weapon if it is given annual sums of money or has very short-term plans made by the political party currently in power, as is the case now.

The solution is to make the NHS independent of politics, have a long-term funding plan and have it run by non-politically appointed staff.

You can’t have it both ways.

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

11 Oct 2019

Posted under

Accountability, Climate crisis, Environment (local), Green (local), Hugo Swire, Labour ( Devon), Lib Dem (local), Neil Parish, Spin, Tories

“Tory MPs five times more likely to vote against climate action”

Neil Parish scored 17%: was present for 12 votes and voted positively in 2

Hugo Swire scored 25%: Swire was present for 12 votes and voted positively in 3

Boris Johnson score 0% (yes, that’s right zero), Jacob Rees-Mogg scored 17%, Jeremy Corbyn 92%, Caroline Lucas 92%, Exeter’s Ben Bradshaw 75%, Jo Swinson 50%, Oliver Letwin 17%.

MORAL OF THIS TALE: If you believe in climate change and want to see something done about it, don’t vote Tory, be wary of Lib Dems and vote Labour or Green (or Independent in East Devon)!

“Conservative MPs are almost five times more likely to vote against climate action than legislators from other parties, a Guardian analysis of 16 indicative parliamentary divisions over the past decade has revealed.

The Tories also registered many more donations, shares, salaries, gifts and tickets to sporting events from fossil fuel companies, petrostates, aviation companies and climate sceptics, according to declarations made in the parliamentary record of MPs’ interests between 2008 and 2019.

The Guardian, in collaboration with the investigative environmental journalism group DeSmog UK, rated MPs from 0% to 100% based on 16 parliamentary votes since 2008. The selection sought to cover a range of measures that would affect the UK’s carbon emissions, with an emphasis on votes where MPs were willing to break ranks and put the climate before their party.

The analysis shows that although most politicians publicly express support for ambitious long-term climate targets, when it comes to short-term measures to reduce the UK’s carbon footprint, those in power are less likely to make this a priority.

The scores are not intended to be a definitive evaluation of an MP’s green credentials – both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrat parties complained they had been hard done by.

But experts said the scores were an important tool for voters to make a choice through a climate prism with a potential general election looming. …”

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/oct/11/tory-mps-five-times-more-likely-to-vote-against-climate-action?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

2 Aug 2019

Posted under

Accountability, Claire Wright, Green (local), Hugo Swire, Labour ( Devon), Lib Dem (local)

Wright v Swire – this must be a straight contest

In the light of the by-election last night, which saw the strongest pro-Remain candidate win against the incumbent Conservative, Lib Dems and Greens shoyld surely ensure that Claire Wright, who embodies all their policies, must be allowed a straight run against the risible Hugo Swire.

It would probably be too much to expect Labour to do the same, although they should, since their chances of gaining the seat are zero.

Let’s hope common sense prevails so that we can oust the barely seen multi-job London and Middle-East based Tory to the ever-present, ever fighting, ever-local Independent.

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

6 May 2019

Posted under

Accountability, East Devon Tories, EDDC, Independent Councillors, Labour ( Devon)

“The Local Elections Showed Banging On About Brexit And Nothing Else Is A Fast Track To Extinction”

“If voters wanted to reward parties committed to making Brexit happen, why would Ukip get wiped out at the polls? If a People’s Vote is such an anti-democratic proposal why did we not see losses to the Liberal Democrats and the Greens? …

… Voters who supported Brexit then or now share something in common with many pro-Remain voters: they want Westminster to pay greater attention to concerns on the doorstep and reconnect with the issues that matter most to them. Brexit was a way of giving the establishment a wake up call. If this was really about making Brexit happen, Liberal Democrats and Greens would be wiped out and swept away. But that did not happen either north or south.

The local election results indicate that bringing the country back together is achievable. It will require offering policies bringing tangible benefits, not playing it overly safe and support for a confirmatory People’s Vote. Those parties learning these lessons stand to weather the European elections best and will have the winning results when a general election is called. Banging on about a Brexit plan no one wants to the exclusion of everything else is a fast track to political extinction, as some parties may find out, unless a swift change in direction is made.”

Thom Brooks is Dean of Durham Law School and author of Becoming British

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/local-elections_uk_5ccc3103e4b0076cfb2a8a23?guccounter=1

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

28 Apr 2019

Posted under

Accountability, East Devon Tories, EDDC, Independent Councillors, Labour ( Devon), Lib Dem (local), Voting

“Independent lite” or Independent – a question

Local people who registered as truly Independent candidates on 5 April or well before can generally be judged by prior actions, sometimes over many years. Involvement in, and fighting for, local issues and supporting no party and therefore no party whip or party line. They have never (or perhaps only a very long, long time ago) been in a mainstream party. They deliberately eschewed party politics to focus only on local issues.

“Independent Lites” on the other hand have had long track records of supporting mainstream parties up to now.

This raises the question – if you were, up to now, Tory, Labour or Lib Dem councillor or candidate but you are now “Independent Lite” what are your political beliefs NOW?

What are you “Independent Lite” of and what do you still support in your former party? You went into politics under their banner and their policies by choice – not wanting to be an Independent – what has changed?

If you were a Tory and changed your mind are you now to the left or right of your former party? Are you, for example, leaning more towards UKIP or even further right but not yet ready to join them?

If you were Labour – are you similarly now further to the left or right of your party and on which issues? What effect do you think they had locally to change your stance now.

If you have left Lib Dems or Greens what parts of their policies did you disagree with that made you leave?

It strikes Owl that “Independent Lites” need to provide us with a lot more information about WHY they have changed allegiance before we can decide if they truly are Independent.

It will be SO interesting to see where some of these “Independent Lites” place themselves on the political spectrum and on local issues after 2 May!

Some of them are so used to being whipped they may feel an overwhelming need to continue it!

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

23 Apr 2019

Posted under

Accountability, East Devon Tories, Independent Councillors, Labour ( Devon), Lib Dem (local), Voting

8 days to local elections – today’s picture

East Devon mainstream parties have their party machines and party money behind them (just don’t ask where the money comes from).  Independents operate on tiny shoestring donations from local people – or subsidise their campaigns from their own pockets – plus enthusiastic local supporters giving their time for free. Every board you see for an independent (in a garden or near a road) is produced by local people for people supporting local candidates.

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

18 Apr 2019

Posted under

Accountability, East Devon Tories, Labour ( Devon), Lib Dem (local), Voting

13 days to local elections – today’s picture

Credit: Guardian

Another reason to vote Independent in local elections.

Party members have to be loyal to their parties. Voting Labour, Conservative and Lib Dem means you really have no idea what you are voting FOR. Labour and Conservative are each split down the middle (or several middles!) with ideological issues (anti-Sematism, Islamophobia, Brexit, privatisation, nationalisation) with little or no time to think about local needs or local issues. The Lib Dems will have a new Leader soon who may decide to take the party in directions very different to those of current leader Cable. (Not to mention they certainly don’t seem to be able to keep their house in order in Seaton where the disgraced ex-Mayor Burrows is being allowed to stand for them again).

You CAN be sure your (real, of course, not phony “just left my party’) independent councillor has only one aim – representing YOU at district council.

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

22 Aug 2018

Posted under

East Devon Tories, Labour ( Devon)

Comments

2 Comments

“Dead People Gave More Money To The Tories Than Living Members”

“The Conservative Party made more money in 2017 from dead people than it did from its living members, as the Labour Party surged ahead in fundraising.

The party earned £835,000 last year from its membership, but brought in £1.7m from “legacies”.

Over all the Tories had an income of £45,947,000, compared to Labour’s £55,793,000.

Figures published by the Electoral Commission on Tuesday showed Labour had raked in £16.2m in membership fees. …”

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/dead-people-gave-more-money-to-the-tories-than-living-members_uk_5b7d4688e4b0348585fc1e1a