New Tory Candidate
Posted by Mich
Friday, March 4, 2005
I am sure we would all like to welcome 'new Tory candidate' Elizabeth Truss to Hebden Bridge. I hope of course that her renting a flat here does not help to push up house prices, as she is apparently concerned about 'affordable housing'.
I do have a slight problem with her immediately trying to claim to be local when she has been living in London, and when her husband is still living and working there. After all, whilst it is good of her to move up here for the campaign, this is someone who fought a different seat in 2001 and has tried to be selected for at least two other seats before being picked here.
By contrast, I notice that our current MP Chris McCafferty has lived in Hebden Bridge for only 30 years and has only ever wanted to represent this area.
Posted by Graeme Roberts
Saturday, March 5, 2005
Perhaps being from further up the Valley my perspective is different, but I've found Liz Truss is willing to engage with people from all over the valley and to discuss matters of concern with all.
As a lifelong Labour voter I find it sad that the same can not be said of our sitting MP who seems to be blinkered and mildly disinterested in local matters outside of Hebden Bridge.
I know I'm mixing national and local politics which is wrong, and of course it may be an election year so there might well be an element of political posturing but I am coming to feel the Calder Valley needs a breath of political fresh air.
Posted by Geoff Clarkson
Saturday, March 5, 2005
Firstly can I thank you for allowing my first and one of many chances to get involved in local subjects. Namely the "greenwash" article.Thank you.
Thank you for letting me have my say,I had been lead to believe, that with myself and other newcomers,being new you may not allow me to have a say. My opinion about the new Tory candidate in and for Calder valley Liz Truss is one of a breath of fresh air.The old one Chris Mc Cafferty is showing strong signs of complacency with inactivey and unseen representation of the people of Todmorden in particular. The "greenwash " subject you allowed to be posted is the same topic, she is showing NO connection with it at all, strange when her counterpart is running with the cause over in Rossendale with gusto!.and very vocal and voicing concerns in Parliment (see Rossendale free press)
She has been contacted by my friend several times with no response. My friend lives on the potentially effected road, Bacup Road at Todmorden, hence the connection and my interest in seeing what occurs down here in relation to attention given to peoples concerns in other places. The new candidate Elizabeth Truss will no doubt make a valid contribution and fight local issues with more interest than Chris Mc Cafferty has been showing recently.
The fact that Elizabeth Truss she has been looking for other seats to be in, I feel will have no detrimental affect in her attempts to be effective. I see the narrow minded aspect that, to comment on her previous history and areas where lived and worked, an attempt to put her in a "not a local" position. We all know that every person who moves to an area should be welcomed as I and my family have with "open arms" and hope that the new incomer will be a added benifit to all, and to an area.I believe that Elizabeth Truss will be such a welcome addition to Hebden Bridge and will bring with her a new lease of life in a some what stagnant polical valley. There is more in Calder valley than Hebden bridge and Chris M. needs to readdress her affiliation and commitment to all of it,not just Hebden where she lives and myself of course.
I sincerely hope that this opinion of mine will be allowed with your approval to be placed on your web page in full with no or little editing, being a free country and being hopefully diligent of people's right of free speech I hope to see it listed.
Posted by Susan Press, (Lab, Fairfield)
Monday, March 7, 2005
Liz Truss is only here because of the appalling disarray of the Conservative Association in calder valley. She has been imposed by central Office following the farcical debacle of Sue Catling. She is not " a breath of fresh air." She is an ambitious young woman looking after a parliamentary seat. Nothing wrong with that but let's take a reality check here. Chris McCafferty, like the rest of us, is not perfect. But for the past seven years she has worked hard - and continues to.
One of her many current campaigns is on affordable housing, now an issue all over the valley - not just Hebden Bridge. The same goes for her support for community campaigns to save fire stations, local regiments, and Luddendenfoot Civic Hall
On a wider canvas her record opposing the Iraq war and tuition fees etc is already well-documented - she campaigns tirelessly for more international aid and women's equality issues - would you "trust Truss" to do the same??? I think not.
Posted by Bill Smithson
Monday, March 7, 2005
I note with interest in the last post,that our sitting MP, Chris McAfferty campaigned tirelessly for the 'local regiment'. Well the Duke of Wellington's regiment was saved from total extinction (just let's amalgamate it)because it is situated in a marginal constituency. It doesn't do to upset a mere 3000 majority. Not that most of the contributors will care but I'm posted to Iraq for the third time in June. But Mr Blair tells me the Army is not overstretched - and he always tells the truth.
Posted by Tony
Monday, March 7, 2005
Ah the joys of General Election time... and the endless political spin put on everything.
"We are great," proclaims one party. "No you're not. We are really great," comes the reply from the other parties ? or something along those lines.
I find it disrespectful, though, when one party feels they have the right to think for me.
Susan Press, (Lab, Fairfield) asks: "Would you "trust Truss" to do the same??? I think not."
Do you??? Why?
Do you present any arguments to support your claim? Of course you don't.
Why not have the decency to present a balanced argument...
Posted by Jonathan Timbers
Monday, March 7, 2005
I was surprised to read the posts at the top of this thread critcising Chris McCafferty MP for only representing Hebden Bridge. I presume that it's some sort of pre-election Tory party letter writing campaign.
Firstly, what a daft place to make this criticism - the Hebden Bridge web! So Chris listens to us, does she? Well, I must vote against her then.
Secondly, I recall that the reason she has been in the news most recently is to oppose yet more Tory closure plansĘ- Luddendenfoot Civic Hall and library. Strangely, Luddendefoot is not in Hebden Bridge. Strangely, since Chris voiced her oppostion, the plan to close the Civic Hall has been withdrawn.
Thirdly, I have in my hand a piece of paper which says 'You can TRUST TRUSS to deliver', which is a very strange slogan indeed, vaguely reminiscent of an ad for surgical underwear circa 1930. It proclaims 'Elizabeth fights to keep character of Hebden Bridge' but the article which follows it doesn't say one thing which she is actually doing. Instead Elizabeth 'calls', Elizabeth 'wants, Elisabeth 'is .. concerned'. Where exactly is the fight then? How strange!
Apparently, it says in the same leaflet that the Labour government should also be taking action about the Ted Hughes centre in Mytholmroyd, which is even stranger. I suppose the government should stop worrying about silly little things like inflation, employment, workers's rights and world poverty and concentrate on renovating the station building. Presumably that means abolishing Royd Regeneration. But hang on, isn't Chris McCafferty the director of that!
Strange, because Mytholmroyd isn't Hebden Bridge, and yet she's active there too.
It's a funny old world, isn't it?
Can you trust truss, or will the Tories truss the truth? (Boom! Boom!)
No more bad puns now, truss me.
Posted by Arnold Clarke
Monday, March 7, 2005
It's all very well for Susan Press to tell us all what a jolly hardworking woman Chris McCafferty is and then goes on to list her record, but the phrase "bandwagon jumping" springs to mind. Just how Mrs McCafferty can be trusted to "save the Dukes", when it is her government that is trying to abolish them is beyond anyone's comprehension.
The same goes for Todmorden Fire Station, which is to be downgraded and lose its 24hr cover, which again is solely down to penny pinching from the Labour government.
Labour are always banging on about "Tory Cuts", but what do they think this is? For the record, I will be voting for Liz Truss, we need young MPs in parliament and I couldn't care less where she comes from.
Posted by Susan Press
Tuesday, March 8, 2005
Delighted to see that Chris Mccafferty's principled stance against war in Iraq makes her one of only 40 MPs to be endorsed by the Votes For Peace campaign. Sincerely hope those tempted to give Blair a "bloody nose" by not voting Labour - or even for Truss - will take note. The Tories, remember, supported the war. More than 140 Labour MPs did not. Don't hand Calder Valley over to the Conservatives.
Posted by Tony
Tuesday, March 8, 2005
And which government took us to war... oh yes, the labour government. Good thing Chris McCafferty made her stance then!
And which government will abolish 'the Dukes'... oh yes, the labour government!
And which government introduced tutition fees so students are left with so much debt when they leave Uni... oh yes, the labour government!
I could go on, and on, and on, and on (oh you get my drift)
Come on Susan, I am not saying the Tories or the Lib Dems are perfect, but give it a rest with tub-thumping.
Posted by Geoff Clarkson
Tuesday, March 8, 2005
For many years I have seen Hebden as a Rural idyll, with not much or very little politics, but alas that is not true, after seeing it "from inside" it is alive and well and in volumes backed up with hypocrisy.
Stagnation is in this valley from Todmorden through to Halifax,and is apparent and it does need a massive lift. For residents living in Hebden, the MP Chris Mc Cafferty is seen to be active, no wonder she spends a lot of effort her very local subjects, but when faced with the opposition looking to bring in a new face, new thoughts and new future the "Political posturing" line comes out, because other local causes are just as important to the people that raise issues that live in other areas. So when these start getting profiled like on this website, its the cheap shots of "don't hand over Calder valley to the Conservatives". If the populus see that the activity levels from the parties in postition are poor overall and I say overall, its time for a change and people will see that the need for new blood regardless of where it comes or came from is essential, for growth and promise of a better future.
Its a bit like pruning a shrub or plant, it needs to be done, to get a better season and growth next time.
Calder Valley needs pruning,! Elizabeth Truss and her party, will be the woman and the Tories the party to hopefully deliver the change that is required here, for the benefit of all, not just the few as from where I see things, thats been the situation for far too long.
The Hebden Bridge image is and has been one of "green" and as stated in another posting "greenwash" has become a thing to disguise agendas in this valley, the green issues can be carried by all parties for the right reasons. Elizabeth Truss is in the fore of a campaign that is "greenwashed" severly but has choosen to pick up the cause, which other local green groups choose to ignore, for that point alone, I see her as very strong and commited individual to run with issues that may not be vote winners but in the end may be campaign winning issue. She has my vote for the forseeable future. I do hope that this gets printed in its entirity, as it needs to be aired,as all opinions need to be heard regardless of how unfavourable it sounds to others,Free speech is wonderfull, lets keep it that way!
Posted by Susan Press
Tuesday, March 8, 2005
I am not "tub-thumping" - I am merely stating a fact which I think is desperately important as people weigh up what on earth to do at the general Election . Our MP has been cited by a peace organisation as one of those worth voting for because she took a principled stand on an issue which I know has and will continue to cost Labour many votes.
I went on all the marches, I know many who were with me think they are making some kind of stand by not voting Labour. I can understand that - especially in seats where the local MP did support government policy.
The reality is that In this Valley, we have a choice. Vote labour - and get someone who at least has stood up for peace ans social justice Vote Tory - for someone who doesn't know Hebden from Halifax and is only here because of the ineptitude of the local party. Or, hey, make yourself feel really good and vote Lib Dem - thereby handing the seat to a Conservative. same goes for Green, Respect/Unity or whichever . I won't even give the other - racist - candidate the dignity of mentioning by name. The choice is yours - but do remember Chris is the Labour Party, not Labour government , candidate. As a member of 30 years' standing, I can assure you that the two are, sadly, not the same.
This discussion should now continue on the Hebden Bridge Web's 2005 Election Forum at www.caldervalley.org.uk