Posts Tagged "B&NES"

Tory PPC falls at the first hurdle

The Prime Minister called the election today, and no doubt the entire every politically engaged person was running around and jumping up and down. I was stuck on BBC News until about 1130 before having to catch a flight.

I couldn’t help notice one little thing though, a press release from my favourite right-wing pinata, Tory Candidate for North East Somerset,  Jacob Rees-Mogg.

Now the election is on, it’s going to be a lot harder to hide from the media!

The release is pretty dull and biographical, though Jacob lives down to my expectations and lets us know what he’s really all about in the first paragraph:

Jacob Rees – Mogg was selected as candidate for the newly formed constituency of North East Somerset, (formerly Wansdyke), in 2007 thus fulfilling his ambition to represent the Somerset parliamentary seat in which his family has lived for generations.

So there we have it. He must already be the MP since he has fulfilled his ambition. He’s already won, and may have done so as long ago as 2007!

In fairness, it seems Rees-Mogg didn’t write this one himself (either). A quick look at the properties box of the word document reveals that it was written by someone at Northgate Information Systems. A quick googling suggests that this is a company based in Hemel Hempstead.

Normally I wouldn’t bother with this last bit, though it has caught out our dear JRM before, when he had a politically restricted council press officer to write his releases!

Rees-Mogg up to Krafty business again

It’s no secret that I’ve been quite vocal in my opposition to the Tory candidate in North-East Somerset, Jacob Rees-Mogg, so it will come as no surprise that through my suggestion box I’ve received an interesting piece of gossip from someone in and around parliament. (Signed “Placement Student”) I’m evidently quite occupied with French Elections right now, but see what you make of this:

Constituents may be shocked to learn that the Takeover Panel’s investigation of Kraft’s acquisition of Cadbury’s is NOT as a result of Rees-Mogg’s letter to them.

Of course Rees-Mogg wrote a letter to the panel, it is believed (so I am told) that the investigation was launched following a request from the Business, Innovation and Skills Dept as soon as the decision to close Somerdale was announced.

Obviously this was well before Rees-Mogg, late in the day, as ever, tried to do anything about this. What it all means is that having been utterly silent on the issue for several weeks Rees-Mogg has tried to bag the credit for precipitating something that was already in motion.

It is my understanding that The Takeover Panel DO NOT comment to the media or anybody else on what investigations they are carrying out. Therefore, news that they ARE investigating this can only have come from an unofficial source. I have no idea who this might be, but it could well be a case of “friends in the City”. Rees-Mogg cannot even have received a letter from the Panel saying so, because such documents do not exist.

To Rees-Mogg’s actual credit, as opposed to the credit he tends to claim, he’s very consistent in the way he works. Say nothing until you have to, then not just hop on, but pretend you were driving the bandwagon all along!

Bath Tories turn to terror tactics for student votes

Students in Bath have received a leaflet from the local Conservative party asking for their opinions and trying to mobilise the “student vote” in their favour.

The leaflet, presumably financed by Lord Ashcroft, has been addressed individually to every student in town. See below for the scans:

It is despicable yet typical that Bath Tories would try to scaremonger students into thinking something is happening and the Tories are the only ones who can do anything about it. Please note that the Tories are running the council, they could have sent out a memo when there was “more time”.

Of all the problems with this leaflet, perhaps the worst part is the patronising and naked bias. The question posed is:

“Should students be forced to live on campus?”

I would like to know what answer they are expecting, having sent this question exclusively to STUDENTS. The responses are equally ludicrous:

[_] I believe students should be forced to live on campus for the whole of their course
[_] I believe students should not be forced to live on campus, but be free to rent a house in Bath.

The only type of student I can imagine who would even consider the first option would already be an active member of Bath Conservative Future.

In all my political experience, in Britain, in France, in Spain, and of all the many leaflets from all the many parties I’ve encountered, I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a ham-handed and clumsy way of data mining to gather targeted voting-intention information. Once they’ve got you, they’re not going to let you go unless you text this, email that, then post the other.

Moving on to substance, students may find that this is the first they have heard of such a debate or decision. There have been a few ideas knocking around on the topic of housing, which got Lib Dem MP Don Foster into hot water in the University Newspaper.

Not only is the “decision” broadly fictitious, it’s also completely infeasible to move 10,000 students onto campus. There is no space. Unless the Tories are planning to build a massive tower block, not that the University would want to waste funds on such a project, while throwing away Bath’s World Heritage Status (which the council uses an excuse not to do anything ever). Bath would probably not enjoy the prospect of becoming the country’s only university with such a silly policy and thus losing however many applicants. It would also wreak havoc on the Oldfield Park economy, which has already suffered the collapse of Woolworths.

Students should be alarmed that such an important debate can take place without them knowing or being informed. Let’s thank these Bath Tories for informing us just in time!

So no, Fabian. No, we will not be terrorised, no, we will not be forced to live on campus and NO, we will not be voting Conservative!

Jacob Rees-Mogg caught out faking the truth in ANOTHER newsletter

A bit of a Christmas Cracker now, from our very own living bad joke.

Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Tory PPC for North-East Somerset, really is the comedy Tory gift who keeps on giving. (Giving tax benefits to the super-rich that is, ho ho!)

His latest gaffe, since November, sees him once again faking he truth.

Private Eye picked this one up, and in the Christmas edition explained how he shipped a London-based member of his London-based investment firm staff on a 260 mile (about 420km) round trip to Midsomer Norton to take part in a photo opportunity to illustrate his website.

Here’s a scan of the article:

However, what Private Eye doesn’t tell you is that the very same picture, also appears on the front page of Rees-Mogg’s latest hard copy newsletter which has been circulated across N E Somerset, under the title of “Honesty on the Economy”. Take a look:

If you head over to this page on Rees-Mogg’s London based hedge-fund management company and scroll down to the bottom, in last place you have Fiona Tyrrell. Then, if you head to his political website you’ll see the same picture Private Eye was talking about.

If you still in any doubt, right-click the image and choose “save as” and you’ll find that Rees-Muggins has even named the picture “Fiona”.

In fairness, the caption “Honesty on the Economy. Jacob talking to a lady in Midsomer Norton” is technically true. That is Jacob. Fiona is a lady. The pair of them are in Somerset. Her mouth is presumably moving.

Actually, Jacob isn’t allowed to talk any more. Conservative Central Headquarters issued a gagging order after he told The Scotsman in October 2001:

I gradually realised that whatever I happened to be speaking about, the number of voters in my favour dropped as soon as I opened my mouth.

Looks like there is a theme emerging here from Honesty Mogg. Time to add this one to the list, having been in trouble for plagiarising Trevor Kavanagh from The Sun he now has to fabricate ‘in the constituency with constituents’ pictures to give an impression he’s connected to the community.

I’ll leave you with this thought for Christmas; the Rees-Muggins newsletter was delivered by the Royal Mail. I suppose his crumbling campaign means he has no local volunteers to deliver for him!

Click here to see other classic Ress-Mogg gaffes.

Jan 6th Update: Venue Magazine has also featured the story as their main news article, to supplement other pieces in The Telegraph, in The Daily Mail and a little bit in The Independent. Nothing from The Times, not that that would have anything to do with Rees-Mogg’s father as former editor and columnist, of course.

Finally, can anybody tell me why I published this on December 23rd, yet the Nationals waited until December 28th/29th? Guys, come on, a little credit here.

Lib Dems in blatant hypocrisy shocker!

Three months after David Cameron held a public meeting in Bath, Nick Clegg, better known as leader of the Shadow Conservative Party, has managed to find time in his busy, busy, schedule to do likewise.

When Cameron came to visit, the Lib Dems criticised the Tories over the amount of information participants were asked to give, claiming that the meeting would be rigged or filled with Tory apparatchiks. They smarmily added that their meetings are open and honest.

Now, even by their own criteria, the Lib Dems have failed. They are now under fire for asking that residents sign up online and receive an e-ticket.

“Nobody wants to come to my party.”

It could be suggested that the Lib Dems are getting scared. With a majority of 4,638 and a certain sentimental element to it, Bath could be in danger of falling to the Tories, despite being Lib Dem since 1992 when Tory Party Chairman Chris Patten helped win the General Election despite losing his seat.

In principle, I see nothing wrong with the fact that people are asked to register because it helps organisers get a good idea of the numbers. On top of that, they can prioritise local residents.

If only there was some easy and simple way of proving identity, without the awkwardness of a passport or the need to know how to drive. Some sort of card, for your identity, like all other nations have. That’d be a radical idea, though just the sort of thing the Lib Dems oppose.

When Cameron came, he was warned that residents would ask questions regarding the Bath Transportation Package, which directly contradicts Conservative policy on Green Belts. He avoided and refused to answer the question for fear of embarrassing his Tory Council.

This time, with Clegg, I have no doubt that seagulls will be top of the agenda.

Another bungle by Tory candidate Rees-Mogg: claiming credit for Government’s success

Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Tory candidate for North East Somerset, has taken another significant step in reviving the British Gaffe Industry.

Presenting his latest blooper is always a difficult challenge. Though it’s fun to laugh at a hopelessly useless traditional out-of-touch Tory, it’s also important to remember he is selected for a super-marginal. This bloke could be an MP within months.

In addition to plagiarising The Sun, having council taxpayers’ resources used to promote him, forgetting where he really lives, and hoping for a recession to keep his gold valuable, (See the list!) now he’s put out another leaflet. Here’s the front:

Rees-Mogg has at least learned one lesson and has started to write his own copy. You can tell it’s him because nobody else would start a statement on MPs’ Expenses by talking about Stuarts, Tudors, Shakespeare and MacBeth! It’s as if he is trying to strangle you with his Eton school tie. (Yes, he’s one of those Tories, don’t act surprised.)

The whole leaflet is amusingly awful, but there is something you should draw your attention to; on the back, where Rees-Mogg is attempting to trumpet some Tory successes. I’ve drawn a red ring around it:

The start of a massive £2.5m overhaul of children’s play areas throughout the area, including Midsomer Norton.

The reference to the 2.5 million quid for play equipment is fascinating; I’m not sure whether it’s a mistake because he hasn’t got his facts right, was improperly briefed by the Tory Council, or if it’s just a classic lie.

In fact this £2.5 million is government money – nothing to do with B&NES, the Tories, or even B&NES Tories.

Back in April 2008 the government announced “Labour’s Children’s Plan” in which Bath & North East Somerset was selected as a “Pathfinder” one of just 20 authorities to get funding of this type, specifically to create new play areas for young people.

Jacob Rees-Mogg is claiming either that his Tory pals on the Council magically conjured up two and a half million pounds to fund play areas in order to match that of the government, or more likely just false credit-bagging for something they didn’t do.

Far from being a Tory success, I’d wager (£2.5 million, if I had it!) that B&NES was made a top priority area thanks to someone from Somerset lobbying the government, someone in government perhaps, like Labour MP Dan Norris, the very man Rees-Mogg is trying to oust!

To put it simply, for the likes of hard-of-thinking Tory candidates: The £2.5 million isn’t a Tory success but a Labour one!

Is it just a typical Tory trait that Jacob Rees-Mogg has tried to claim credit for something his rival has achieved?

More likely, I suspect that it’s another major blooper by an out-of-touch candidate who has become a gross embarrassment to the Tory Party!