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Originally Posted by sandGroundZero
Regarding post #85
" [The Lords] have had willing collaborators among MPs, a lot of whom prefer to keep a compromised second chamber because a legitimate one might challenge the otherwise near-untrammelled power of the Commons. This has been, and for decades, the fundamental obstacle." — Andrew Rawnsley
Venality is not the greatest obstacle. Rawnsley is pointing to something more problematical. Unrivalled legislative power resides in the Commons. MPs cannot contemplate diminishing their own preeminence. This is why meaningful reform requires an alternative, probably indirect approach. Significant local government reform could conceivably overcome parliamentary inertia by generating a sense of real democratic agency. Lords reform along with proportional representation for the Commons are fruitless diversions.
All British governments a hindered by the focus on democracy in such a widely diverse country. Parliament cannot possibly perform efficiently until the criteria for a democratic country such as the UK has been reduced somewhat. Democracy is fine when people share the same views, the same targets and have similar needs, but it fails when there are a large number of people demanding satisfaction for each group, nation, religion etc., Until it is decided which ideology is best for the UK to follow - how on earth can Parliament resolve all the issues confronting it. Parliament is a reflection of the nature of the country.
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…the Shadow knows
Proof, if ever it was needed, that our government (& parliamentarians) deal in nonsensical soundbites.
…and she fears her Wigan constituents are ripe for Tory blandishments.
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…who's confusing our Damien with a Councillor?
Southport MP Damien Moore said:
"I have been contacted by a number of local residents and businesses in the area about this planned development by Lidl.
"Some constituents are questioning whether this scheme will be situated in the best location."
- Who are these "local residents" that imagine the location of a new shop is a matter for the MP? or perhaps more to the point
- Why isn't our Damien telling them this is a Council matter?
Borrowing tricks from his LibDem predecessor(s), Damien Moore, MP is attending to Council business. Doesn't he have enough to do calling our central government to account?
Members of the public are invited to comment on the proposed Lidl development via a dedicated website and through a leaflet which is being delivered to properties in the area.
There appears to be some profound misunderstanding of the respective roles and responsibilities of Councils and central government.
Or is it the case that central government has simply subsumed Councils' role and responsibilities, lock, stock and barrel .
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…our Damien at PMQs
Damien Moore, MP Southport raises the Southport to Manchester Piccadilly passenger rail service at PMQs. For our immense edification the PM responds with:
I congratulate my hon. Friend on his campaign for better local transport, and we are investing massively in rail connectivity in his area and in local bus routes. The particular line that he advocates is, I know, one of great interest to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport, and I will make sure that he has a chance to discuss it personally with my hon. Friend.
…i.e. a bland assurance about "rail connectivity …and in local bus routes" in "his area".
The House of Commons chamber business is more than 90% theatre and occasionally approaching up to 10% constructive debate.
Meanwhile, the issue of Southport to Manchester Piccadilly passenger service is Network Rail's Castlefield Corridor Congested Infrastructure Report with implications for rail passengers across the North of England. Damien Moore, local Councillors and local activists rarely acknowledge the extent of the difficulties.
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imagination …or not?
Has the rate and/or volume ofQ Local Southport forum posts diminished …since a certain foreign politician's ostracism?
Does anyone still believe UK residents are less susceptible (vis-à-vis Americans) to political media manipulation?
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Originally Posted by sandGroundZero
Damien Moore, MP Southport raises the Southport to Manchester Piccadilly passenger rail service at PMQs. For our immense edification the PM responds with:…i.e. a bland assurance about "rail connectivity …and in local bus routes" in "his area".
The House of Commons chamber business is more than 90% theatre and occasionally approaching up to 10% constructive debate.
Meanwhile, the issue of Southport to Manchester Piccadilly passenger service is Network Rail's Castlefield Corridor Congested Infrastructure Report with implications for rail passengers across the North of England. Damien Moore, local Councillors and local activists rarely acknowledge the extent of the difficulties.
The problems with the Castlefield Corridor have been exasperated by the building of the White Elephant Ordsal Chord to connect Victoria & Piccadilly, before it was built the plan was to build additional tracks through Deansgate to increase capacity but this got shelved. This project needs reviving as Deansgate is one of the most important stations on both the rail and metro networks as all the Metro lines apart from the Cornbrook to Trafford Centre & Bury to Piccadilly service go through this interchange, Victoria & Piccadilly only have 5 & 4 each. It will be the thin end of the wedge as before long the services into Walgate will be terminated there and passengers will then have to change to Northwestern to pick up a service from Scotland, The Lakes or Blackpool to get to Manchester and beyond. I also notice in the news that they seem to be finding the will & the money to build a brand new line between Liverpool & Manchester.
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…major decisions tend to prioritise London
The problems with the Castlefield Corridor have been exasperated by the building of the White Elephant Ordsal Chord to connect Victoria & Piccadilly, before it was built the plan was to build additional tracks through Deansgate to increase capacity but this got shelved. This project needs reviving as Deansgate is one of the most important stations on both the rail and metro networks as all the Metro lines apart from the Cornbrook to Trafford Centre & Bury to Piccadilly service go through this interchange, Victoria & Piccadilly only have 5 & 4 each. It will be the thin end of the wedge as before long the services into Walgate will be terminated there and passengers will then have to change to Northwestern to pick up a service from Scotland, The Lakes or Blackpool to get to Manchester and beyond. I also notice in the news that they seem to be finding the will & the money to build a brand new line between Liverpool & Manchester. — post #99
Decisions connected with the development of Manchester's Metrolink light rail system did, perhaps, supplant the Castlefield Corridor's capacity issues. The Ordsall Chord has a different function, namely linking Victoria and Piccadilly stations for through trains (as distinct connecting them for ease of pedestrians between the two for which the tram may be useful).
I have argued elsewhere that HS2, which initial 'back of fag packet' design by New Labour favourite Lord Adonis, crossed hurdles including our MPs on an improbable head rush.
An alternative proposal to link Victoria and Piccadilly stations through a rail tunnel would of course been costly. But, it would have enabled an array of Intercity rail improvements across the north of England with a fast, modern service between Manchester (Piccadilly) and Leeds at its heart. HS2 effectively scuttled that.
'back of fag packet' design — carried on a wave of bullsh¡t
Once again, this is a problem with our overly centralized government institutions with their London-centric biases. HS2 commandeered financial and technical resources to itself. I will not surprise me, if the project stalls before the northern sections ever get built.
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Rule from Whitehall?
our Damien - On Wednesday Southport's MP Damien Moore commended the Conservative central government for awarding Town Deal Funds to our town.
- On Friday, he expresses his indignation at the 4.99% Council Tax increase approved by Sefton Council.
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Central government throttles Councils' funding. It then seeks to ameliorate the damage it creates (and anaesthetize voters' sentiments) by doling out funds in packages like the Town Deal.
Central government constrains the Council's scope and prescribes local policies from the centre. Sefton and English Councils generally are in a bind. Escape from that bind is beyond Councils' power.
The many deficiencies of our governance, local and national, can only be amended by persistent and determined popular expressions of dissatisfaction.
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Originally Posted by local
How long is the font strangler going to keep bumping this tedious thread up ?
I've just had a quick scan through it.
I think rather than be called a thread it's better described as a blog.
"Font strangler" made me laugh!
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our Damien's contribution to the Budget Debate
Damien Moore Conservative, Southport
The Chancellor’s Budget last week comes against the backdrop of the country facing the biggest peacetime crisis in modern times—not just a health crisis, but a financial one as well. Throughout the pandemic, the Chancellor, under this Conservative Government, has ensured that most people have been provided for in a variety of different ways, balancing support for individuals and the businesses to which they hope to return with the overall health of our public finances. We would not be able to supercharge our economy after this Budget without the support we have received through the pandemic.
My constituency of Southport has already seen much support from this Government; 13,000 local jobs have been protected through furlough and other support schemes, and around 1,600 businesses have been supported with grants and business loans totalling £7.8 million. There has been a huge impact on our retailers. In addition, a third of businesses in my constituency are in the hospitality and tourism sector, so the support has been vital, and the Budget for after lockdown will provide for more.
In the Budget, the Chancellor extended the business rates holiday, which has been widely welcomed. Tapering the support will mean that businesses face no cliff edge, and, as we unlock, footfall and revenue will rise, allowing for a more gradual move back to normality. The 100% rates relief until June, which moves to two thirds for the rest of the year, provides not only support, but certainty. I hope that this will continue into the future, until we reform business rates in line with the challenges faced by online competition.
I also welcome the extension of the VAT cut, which will help to protect almost 7,000 jobs in hospitality and tourism in my constituency—an industry that has been the hardest hit. Extending the 5% reduced rate of VAT for a further six months until the end of September and then tapering from October, will not only mean that there is also no cliff edge here; it will allow the sector rapidly to recover. Of course, the most important point about the reduced rate of VAT is that if people pay for their hotel room in Southport before October, they will get the 5% rate, not the rate when it goes back up; that is something to remember.
The most important announcement by far for my constituency was the town deal worth £37.5 million. It is the biggest direct investment in a generation, and will be transformational. We have already had £1 million of accelerated funding, which has seen the main street in my town, Lord Street—as you know, Mr Deputy Speaker—become a boulevard of light. We have also seen some revitalisation of our market. Our existing tourism and hospitality sectors will be enhanced with a range of projects, including a theatre and convention centre; this will be truly spectacular, bringing an extra £25 million to the local economy. We believe that further business and innovation projects will bring another £400 million of private sector investment.
In short, after hearing his Budget, I think that my constituents are protected, our town is supported and our future is more secure.
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Originally Posted by Desert Region
I've just had a quick scan through it.
I think rather than be called a thread it's better described as a blog.
"Font strangler" made me laugh!
Must be some sort of record for posts to ones self.
What is this font strangling all about?
Who could be bothered, its not as though many people even read it.
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…Home Office bill to enhance police powers with respect of public protests
"Ever since the first large-scale Extinction Rebellion protest in April last year I have been talking publicly and with the government about the potential for change to powers and to legislation that would enable the police to deal better with protests in general given that the act that we work to – the Public Order Act – is now very old, [dating to] 1986.
"But specifically to deal with protests where people are not primarily violent or seriously disorderly but, as in this instance, had an avowed intent to bring policing to its knees and the city to a halt and were prepared to use the methods we all know they did to do that."— Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Cressida Dick
The measures in the Bill will allow the police to take a more proactive approach in managing highly disruptive protests causing serious disruption to the public.- Widen the range of conditions that the police can impose on static protests, to match existing police powers to impose conditions on marches
- Broaden the range of circumstances in which police may impose conditions on a protest
- Amend the offence relating to the breaching of conditions
- Restate the common law offence of public nuisance in statute
- Ensure vehicular entrances to the Parliament Estate remain unobstructed
Freedom of assembly and freedom of expression are vital rights that the United Kingdom fully supports. The rights of an individual to express their opinion and protest are a cornerstone our democratic society.
There is, and will remain, a balance to be struck between the rights of the protestor and the rights of individuals to go about their daily business. However, there are instances where individuals at a protest behave in a way that causes unjustifiable disruption or distress to others.
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