Check your bank account

Check you bank account.

Residents in Hull are being urged to check their bank accounts today as thousands of council taxpayers have been overcharged by the cities Lib Dem bosses. Red faced officials have had to apologies to customers following the blunder which saw the council tax system disabled to stop further accounts being plundered

Happy New Year

Leisure Centre remains closed.

Liberal Democrats councillors are adamant that the Woodford Leisure centre in the East of the city will remain closed. Despite advice from council officers that the facility could be reopened. I understand from talking to officers this week in the Guildhall that the Liberal Democrats want to demolish the building.

“I’ll use floods to cover up closures” says Minns

Hull City Councils Liberal Democrat Leader Carl Minns has admitted that his administration is using the summer floods in the city as a cover to close council facilities. The admission comes as no surprise to many of us in the city as the Liberal Democrats are keen to hive off or close as many council services as possible.

Charles Kennedy Syndrome.

Officers at the Guildhall are said to becoming increasingly worried about the Liberal Democrat leader. As the officer said to me “he recently took time off sick suffering from stress”. I thinks its much more likely to be linked to the frequent liquid lunches.

Hull Lib Dems councils massive increase in consultants

Hull Lib Dems plan to spend thousands of pounds on additional consultants whilst at the same time makings 200 staff redundant. Lib Dem boss Andrew Sloan confirmed plans to take on additional consultants in the Highways Department at the councils scrutiny committee.

Liberal Democrat Chris Huhne article on drugs

Lib Dem Leadership Race

Hughes: "If you were two-faced like the rest of us, you'd see that dagger before you."

Photo and caption taken from Guy Fawkes.

So no general election this year.

So no General Election this year. I must say I am a little disappointed that Gordon Brown decided not to call an election for November. As a political activist elections are the most exciting times. Despite recent opinion pools I still believe Labour will win a majority whenever the election is held. With the most likely date now well into 2009.

Stephen Twigg wins West Derby nomination.

Stephen Twigg has this weekend won the Labour nomination for the Liverpool seat of West Derby. Twigg famously beat Tory Michael Portillo in the 1997 general election.

Labour Campaign Team

Today I attended a regular campaign group meeting of Labour’s local government committee. It was a very good meeting with some excellent contributions from Labour group leader Steve Brady and Daren Hale. The chair and secretary of the group have worked hard to follow a timetable for the next local elections and to ensure we have the best team possible in place.

Alan Johnson opens new Health Centre

Alan Johnson today opened the new Longhill Health Care Centre on Shannon Road. The Health Secretary praised the work of the local PCT and highlighted the huge investment going into the NHS in Hull.

Don't Drive tired.

In 2001 a Land Rover and trailer left the M62 at a rail-over bridge went down the embankment and came to rest fouling the main railway line at Great Heck. The resulting rail crash cost the lives of 10 people including train driver Steve Dunn.

This week his widow and the road safety charity Brake are publicising the devastating results possible of driving whilst tired.

I regularly drive trains along the main east coast route past the site of the crash. Whilst there is little sign of the accident now it is a constant reminder of the possible consequences of road users driving whilst unfit.

Thatcher Visits Brown

As a Labour activist through the whole of the 80’s I hated the Tories and particularly Margaret Thatcher. So seeing a Labour Prime Minister welcoming Thatcher into number 10 was particularly galling. However, the photo opposite is interesting. Does it show Maggie now backs Gordon? The bright red dress must have been deliberate and guaranteed to be the photo opportunity outside number 10. The visit sends a clear message to Tory voters that it’s ok to vote for Gordon

Tebbit Test.

In 1990 Norman Tebbit one of the most rabid of the political right mooted a "Cricket Test" be applied to Asians living in Britain. The test clearly designed to be racist in nature is one of the abiding quotes from the Thatcher years. Lets hope it stays buried in the rubbished history of the Tory right.

East Hull Fundraising Event

Photo from the recent East Hull Labour fundraising event.

John Prescott decides to step down at the next election.

John Prescott announced he will be stepping down from Parliament at the next General Election.The announcement was made at a large gathering of Labour supporters and members.

John said, “ It had been a huge privilege to represent the people of East Hull”.

No hint was given as to when the next General Election will take place.

Cllr Nicholson attacks Lib Dem Cabinet

Cllr Nicholson attacks Lib Dem Cabinet

Holderness Ward Liberal Democrat Councillor John Nicholson made an astonishing attack this week on how his own group operate. We all know that the Lib Dems operate in an undemocratic way but its unusual for one of their own to not only admit it but to complain about it to members of the Labour Group.

Residents walk out of meeting.

A recent article in the Hull Mail shows how deluded the average Liberal Democrat councillor can get. The article described how residents attending a "Public Meeting" were forced to Queue up to ask questions. Over 70 residents attended but found they could only ask questions to councillors sat at tables and not to the whole meeting. Many residents walked out in disgust. The Liberal Democrat Party organised said afterwards "it went well".

Liberal Democrats forced to admit they lied.

The Liberal Democrat party in Hull is rapidly being forced to admit it drastically overestimated the numbers of properties in Hull damaged by the recent floods. Liberal Democrat representatives repeatedly lied about the numbers to make the event more dramatic. They didn't care about the people and families involved. Now they are having to admit they got it wrong. The lesson is simple if a Liberal Democrats can't be trusted.