Posts Tagged ‘ferguson’
Falklands Islands will remain British under a Conservative Government
There should be no doubt about the Falklands Islands
Thursday, February 18 2010
Reacting to recent events, Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague has said that “there should never be the slightest doubt where Britain stands on the Falkland Islands”.
He said that good relations with Argentina are “desirable and welcome”, but emphasised that the British Government should make it clear that the islands will remain British territory “for as long as the islanders wish it”.
“Sovereignty over the islands is therefore not up for negotiation”, Hague said, adding that the islanders have “every right” to develop the natural resources of their islands and surrounding waters.
“It should be made very clear that the wholly legitimate search for oil in the Falkland’s waters will not be affected by unwarranted threats or interference from Argentina. Additionally the British government should state clearly that no vessel operating within the territorial waters of the Falkland Islands will require any form of permit from any other country.”
“Increased British naval presence in the area would leave no doubt as to this position”, he added.
There can be little doubt that Argentina are at it again with serious provocation and an outragous attempt to interfere with British shipping around the Falklands Islands. I am certain that a Conservative Government will take no nonesense from Argentina but I am not so certain that Labour have the courage.
I would not expect the Prime Ditherer Brown to be up for much of a fight as he is too busy fighting his nearest and dearest in his own Cabinet let alone a hostile nation.
The islanders can expect full support and backing from us however and William Hague has made it abundantly clear what our position is.
Jim Ferguson
Tweet this!
Sir Richard Branson endorses Conservative plans for the Economy
More and more business people and economic experts are coming on board with the Conservatives to show their support for our economic plans to repair Labours recession. Sir Richard Branson is a welcome addition with his endorsement of our plans to repair the economy and reduce the Labour created debt that is plauging our nation in so many ways.
Jim Ferguson
Sir Richard Branson backs Conservative economic plans
Many of the papers this morning report comments by made by the country’s best known entrepreneur, the Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson, which are highly supportive of the Conservative medicine being prescribed for the economy.
He gave his backing to the economists who backed George Osborne’s strategy for reducing the deficit on Sunday, saying:
“I believe the UK’s record budget deficit does pose a serious risk to our recovery. It would be damaging if we lost the confidence of the markets through delayed action, and saw interest rates have to go up steeply.”
“We are going to have to cut our spending and I agree with the 20 leading economists who said we need to start this year. The next government, whatever party that is, must set out a plan to reduce the bulk of the deficit over a parliament by cutting wasteful spending and must not put off those tough decisions to next year.
“These factors threaten to undermine the confidence of international and UK businesses, consumers and the global financial markets. That could cost jobs and reduce investment in Britain. We must send a clear signal that we have the issues in hand and a clear strategy for UK plc.”
Sir Richard stopped short of giving an unequivocal endorsement of the Conservative Party at the general election, but as the Daily Mail reports today, he met David Cameron and George Osborne at the Commons last week for what sources described as “a good meeting”.
George Osborne naturally welcomed Sir Richard’s backing for the economic strategy he is pursuing :
“Sir Richard Branson’s support for our economic policy of early action to deal with Britain’s debts is hugely welcome. As Britain’s best known entrepreneur, he knows more about creating jobs and building an economic recovery than the entire Labour Cabinet put together.
“The whole country will want to pay attention to his warning that Gordon Brown’s approach could mean lost jobs, higher mortgage rates and less investment in Britain. Coming just 48 hours after the country’s 20 leading economists made exactly the same argument, the momentum for change is growing every day.”
Jonathan Isaby
Tweet this!
Struan Stevenson MEP campaigning for Scottish food producers
Its great to see Struan Stevenson MEP campaigning hard on behalf of Scottish interests in Europe in particular his robust defence of our farmers and business who produce such excellent locally grown produce. His comments on labelling are essential for consumers to know exactly what they are buying.
Jim Ferguson
First word …
Welcome to the February edition of my Brussels Briefing.This month, in addition to my involvement in the appointment process of the new European Commission, I have been keeping a close eye on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy while striving to seek clarity on the issue of food labelling.
In these tough economic times local businesses and farmers need our support. Locally sourced produce is no longer a fashionable phrase, it now relates to the very survival of local shops and businesses.
In addition, the people of Scotland recognise the quality of home-grown produce and want to buy food that is genuinely Scottish. For too long consumers have been duped by products that have been mislabelled or not labelled at all. It is about time that producers are given clear guidelines for labelling. I will continue to campaign to have existing legislation changed to reflect the choice and clarity that consumers expect.
Join up here to support my campaign and help protect Scotland’s local farmers and businesses.
Best wishes,
Struan Stevenson MEP
Tweet this!
Lib Dem political chicanery on Inverness by-pass
I attended a meeting at the Inverness Town House regarding the debate of the Inverness by-pass. Some excellent comments were made by community councillors with some good discussion regarding the way forward.
Mary Scanlon MSP
Mary Scanlon Conservative MSP spoke particularly well and also made the point that despite LibDem MP Danny Alexander calling the meeting she had on many previous occasions petitioned the LibDem/Labour coalition in Hollyrood when they were in Government, all to no avail. Dave Thompson SNP MSP also highlighted some good points and I felt he contributed in a positive way. The fact that the LibDems have effectively done nothing for Inverness was something that had caused a great deal of frustration on this particular issue.
I also pointed out that these were devolved issues and asked Mr Alexander why as a Westminster MP he was getting directly involved in issues that did not involve him. I also asked him why he was waiting until the eve of a General Election to start to campaign on the Inverness by-pass and why he had not at any other time tried to speak up for the issues at any other point during his term of office.
I suggested that Danny Alexander was in fact using the Inverness by-pass as part of his political campaign to try and win popular support for his own personal election campaign in an attempt to get re-elected.
I asked Mr Alexander to answer these charges but not unexpectedly he refused to do so.
While a by-pass is important to the future development of Inverness it must be well thought out and take into consideration all opinions and feelings of the community that it will affect. The fact that Danny Alexander has attempted to hijack a sensitive local issue needs to be viewed with a high degree of suspicion.
Danny talks a lot but he has totally failed to deliver on this and many other issues and only now tries to save his political skin by appearing to take an interest. Once the General Election is over, Danny Alexander whether successful or not will no doubt disapear into the void only to appear again when another election approaches.
This region needs real leadership and effective planning and not politicians who simply use issues to further their own attemps to cling on to office. I have no doubt that the majority of people attending were of the same opinion as me.
The time for real action has come and lets hope that it does move forward in a positive way with a cross party consensus on what needs to be done but the political grandstanding needs to be left out.
Jim Ferguson
Tweet this!
Labour have failed to achieve the best for the people of the UK
I found the following article to be of great interest and one that clearly shows how Labour have failed to achieve the best for the people of this country.
Every person should read this and in particular people who voted Labour the last time around. They need to understand the feckless mismanagement of our economy, health care, policing, military and education by this Labour Government and read the proof for themselves.
The only way forward for Britain is to oust this Labour Government and that can only be done when the majority of people across the UK wake up and realise just how far Britain has fallen and the rate at which it continues to fall.
Jim Ferguson
Labour’s Two Nations
The Conservatives have launched “Labour’s Two Nations”, a comprehensive assessment of the level of inequality under this Labour government.
Labour’s great claim is that they are ‘for the many, not the few’, but that rings hollow today.
This report exposes the truth: after thirteen years in government, the party that prides itself on fairness has delivered the very opposite.
And in the foreword, David Cameron outlines Conservative plans to create “the big society” – our positive alternative to Labour’s failed big government – through which responsibility and opportunity can develop.
You can read the document in full using the reader below or alternatively click here to download a copy.
Tweet this!
Labour will tax the dead
Gordon Brown’s death tax
Shadow Health Secretary Andrew Lansley says that ministers are secretly planning a “death tax” of up to £20,000 per head to pay for their plans for a National Care Service.
“Gordon Brown needs to come clean with the public and say how he will fund his new National Care Service”, Lansley said.
“Behind closed doors Ministers are secretly planning a death tax of up to £20,000 per head which would be levied on the estates of grieving families.”
Lansley added that even this death tax would not raise enough to pay for this new National Care Service, meaning that Labour are also planning to take away cash disability benefits from the elderly and cut money from the NHS. “It is another top-down, bureaucratic, costly plan from Labour for which every one of us would end up paying the price”, he said.
Philip Hammond, the Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, described the problem this death tax would cause: “When you die, a Labour Government would take £20,000 from what you leave to your children and family. For those with the most modest savings Labour’s plans could leave them with nothing.”
In contrast, he said the Conservatives want to help people in old age so that they can “leave as much of their lifetime’s savings as possible to the next generation”.
“We will offer people the chance to pay a one off premium of £8,000 into a voluntary scheme to cover the cost of residential care in old age. So under our plans no-one would be forced to sell their home to pay for care.”
Tweet this!
Some MP’s expenses are legitimate but are they worth it?
Danny Alexander LibDem MP
MP’s and their expenses are under ever greater scrutiny than ever before and rightly so. Some are legitimate expenses and others are bordering on outright fraud.
I found it interesting to note from the article in the Press and Journal the amount of expenses claimed by a number of Scottish MP’s which were well into the top 50 as far as amounts actually claimed.
Danny Alexander is among the highest expense claims of MP’s at Westminster. It led me to wonder if all that money for these MP’s was money well spent. While the likes of Danny Alexander claim a large geographical area as the reason for such huge expenses claimed we cannot forget the fact that its not all fares.
Not so long ago he was approached as were all the local parties to make a contribution to the Blythwood food bank appeal that was trying desperately hard to assist the poor who had no food to eat here in the Highland capital of Inverness and the surrounding area.
I had raised close to £1000 of food aid which had also come from donations from Conservative Party members and I had thought that a cross party effort would have gone a long way to helping those in need.
Danny refused to help and stated that he thought it more important to talk about the situation than to donate anything to it.
Ofcourse at that time few of us knew that every piece of food that Danny put in his mouth was paid for by the taxpayer from expenses he claimed. All legitimate ofcourse. At least as far as the law was concerned.
I am wondering what actual worth some of these MP’s actually bring though. Sure they can appear in the newspapers and opine on this and that on a regular basis.
Danny talks a lot but in my opinion and many others actions speak louder than words.
Are MP’s like Danny Alexander worth the investment ? With a bit of luck we will find out soon enough once people here in the Highlands look at the real worth of those who claim to be working so hard on our behalf.
Jim Ferguson
North and north-east members in top 50
Chairman of Scottish affairs committee was most expensive in 2009-10
Published: 05/02/2010
NINE MPs representing seats in the north and north-east were revealed last night to be among the 50 most expensive at Westminster in the last financial year.
The MP with the highest expenses for 2009-10 was Glasgow East Labour MP and Scottish affairs committee chairman Mohammed Sarwar, who is retiring at the general election – expected in May.
He racked up £192,986 in second homes allowance claims, travel expenses, office costs, computer costs and staff pay.
But his example was closely followed by MPs north of the central belt.
Moray MP Angus Robertson, ranked third most costly, last night defended his £188,164 claim. He said it was partly caused by the extra expense resulting from opening a second constituency office at Keith, and partly high travel costs.
He said: “Given the unpredictability of parliamentary schedules, weekly commuting arrangements often have to be made at short notice, which sadly adds to the travel costs.
“Constituents rightly expect you to attend to issues and events locally as well as with matters at Westminster on a weekly basis.”
He added: “The biggest cost saving from Westminster will come when Scotland is independent and we don’t need to send MPs there at all. I am focused on making that happen as quickly as possible.
At just £539 a year lower, Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey Liberal Democrat MP Danny Alexander, also blamed travel costs, driving round one of the biggest constituencies in the UK and commuting back and forth between Inverness and London.
Linlithgow and Falkirk East Labour MP Michael Connarty and Falkirk Labour MP Eric Joyce, at fourth and fifth, were only a few pence less.
Mr Joyce — frequently at or near the top of the expenses league — also cited travel between his home in Falkirk and London as the reason his expenses remain high, pointing out that MPs have to fly on expensive open tickets because they do not know their arrangements very far ahead.
Aberdeen North MP Frank Doran came in at No 12 in the table, claiming £182,139.
Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross Lib Dem MP John Thurso, at No 22, claimed £178,689, Dundee West Labour MP Jim McGovern, 23, £178,597, and Gordon Lib Dem MP Malcolm Bruce, 24, £178,230.
Perth and North Perthshire SNP MP Pete Wishart was 34th with £175,896.
The cheapest was First Minister Alex Salmond, also SNP MP for Banff and Buchan, 533rd, but he rarely appeared in Westminster, claiming £131,316, mainly in staff costs. Western Isles SNP MP Angus MacNeil was 431st, claiming £141,583.
Tweet this!
Brown cannot see the financial repercussions over defence
As you would expect I am no fan of Gordon Brown or this lunatic Labour Government. However I am seriously of the growing opinion that Gordon Brown is simply in denial over much of this failed Labour Governmenst’s lack of ability and understanding in dealing with what is crystal clear to the vast majority of people all across the UK.
This is symptomatic of Brown and his lack lustre cronies and hangons in the cabinet who between them wouldent know common sense if it jumped up and bit them on their behind !
Defence of the nation is paramount in these uncertain times and to have such appalling lack of understanding on simple basics as we can see from the report below is shocking and very alarming.
I dont know who we should fear the most. Al -Qaeda or another term of Labour. Frankly its my honest belief that the latter would be more of a threat to and do more damage to Britain. Probably already have !
Jim Ferguson
Brown still in denial over defence black hole
Shadow Defence Secretary Liam Fox has responded to the publication of the Government’s defence Green Paper.
“Bob Ainsworth deserves genuine praise for his attempts to find a cross party consensus. This Green Paper indicates that the MoD is coming out of denial but the Prime Minister is not”, he said.
Fox criticised Gordon Brown for “undermining a Secretary of State on the front page of the Times”, contrasting the Defence Secretary’s defence cut backs in December with the Prime Minister’s announcement of defence increases this week.
He also criticised the Prime Minister’s office for “briefing that any project that has job implications for the Prime Minister’s constituency will be spared”.
Fox said he agreed that France and the United States are likely to be our main strategic partners, but added that there were two tests: ”Do they invest in defence? And do they fight? Too few European allies pass both these tests.”
And he called on the Government to “give honest answers about the implications of the cost overruns in the years ahead”, given that – unlike the Opposition and the House of Commons - it has access to all the costs of the contracts and penalty clauses for the major programmes.
Later on, Fox called on Gordon Brown to apologise for misleading the House of Commons. At Prime Minister’s Questions he repeatedly made the allegation that the Conservatives pledged to cut defence spending at the 2005 election, when the manifesto was committed to a £2.7bn increase in frontline spending.
Read Liam Fox’s speech in Parliament in response to the Secretary of State’s statement
Tweet this!
Lib Dems Snub Regiment
There is something almost obscene at the way certain liberal leaning people look upon our armed services.
It is highly distasteful to see the way our men and woman are being treated and almost a degree of contempt being shown by those with a liberal agenda.
They seem to forget that its the bravery and sacrifice of the British armed forces that allow them the freedoms that they so smugly take for granted.
Its time for this nonsense to stop and proper respect be shown to the brave people who put life and limb on the line in defense of their country.
Jim Ferguson
Daily Mail Dec 17th 2009
They have fought bravely in Iraq and Afganistan and count Victoria Cross hero Johnson Beharry among their number.
But the troops of the most decorated regiment in the British Army are the victim of an extraordinary snub by a council in Surrey which says they are not appropriate recipients of a public honour.
More than 2000 people in Epsom have signed a petition to hand the freedom of the borough to the soldiers of the Princess of Wales Royal Regiment which has won 57 Victoria Crosses in its 350-year history.
But a furious row has erupted after Liberal Democrats and Independent councillors united to block the move-which would not cost taxpayers a penny-because the regiment, based in nearby Guildford, is not local enough.
The regiment said it would be a huge honour to have the freedom of the borough and march through the streets of the town when they come home from fighting the Taliban.
More than 30 other councils have bestowed the same honour on the regiment, including Tunbridge Wells in Kent, 50 miles away.
Epsom and Ewell councillor Jean Steer conceded that the regiment regularly signs up recruits from Epsom but said that granting it the freedom of the borough would be inappropriate.
Tweet this!
Inverness Blue Light Disco’s Prove to be Major Attraction
I am very pleased to be involved with Blue Light which is a partnership of several organisations working together including, BID (Business Improvement District in Inverness), Northern Constabulary, Safe Inverness, Crimestoppers, Inverness Crime Prevention Panel, Highland Council, Youth Inclusive, Street Pastors and Brook Advisory.
Jim Ferguson
DJ “Unicorn Kid” and “Look Mum its the Dj’s” were the star performers at the last event when 200 young people were entertained at a Blue Light Disco at the Ironworks. The evening was a huge success for young people from all over the area, some from as far as Wick.
Unicorn Kid had been requested by fans who had been entertained at Belladrum earlier this year and was besieged by autograph seeking attendees at the end of the evening!
Most youngsters attending, left with either an autograph or a photo taken with him.The evening had been supported by Next, Tesco and Macdonalds with generous Raffle Prizes.
Liz Gilchrist, Vice Chair of Inverness Crime Prevention added:
“I was really pleased at the support received from the four national companies who have businesses based in Inverness, particularly Tesco who have been proactive supporting this type of partnership initiative throughout the country and encouraging safer neighbourhoods”.Jim Ferguson Chair of Crimestoppers Highlands and Islands also thanked the companies for their generous support and said:
“I hope the Disco’s go from strength to strength as it is the type of event which is to be encouraged, proving that a fun evening could be had without alcohol”.Steven Kerr of Inverness Business Improvement District and newly appointed Chairman of the Blue Light Steering Group said:
“I was delighted with the success of the evening and we are working to encourage even more young people to attend future Blue Light Discos. Steven went on to say that visits would be made to all the Senior Schools in the area to promote future events to the 13 -16 year age groups, the next being on 27th November and a Silent Disco on 20th December.”Both events are to be held in the Ironworks.
Tweet this!
