General Election 2010 - readers get stuck into

Those people who have written to the press recently to point out that North East Somerset is a brand new constituency are spot-on.

In Dan Norris' literature he is giving misleading information to residents suggesting that the contest to become our next MP is between himself and the Tory.

In fact, I don't think Dan has mentioned the boundary changes at all publicly because statistically he could be the big loser.

North East Somerset is a completely new constituency which sees the loss of an area to the north of Keynsham, which has had a Labour MP for 13 years, and the gain of over 10,000 people from the former Bath constituency – which has elected a Liberal Democrat MP, with a huge majority, for almost two decades.

Thanks to the boundary changes, this really now is a three-horse race.

In a modern day democracy, people shouldn't be told who they can and can't vote for. The Labour Party's tactic of bullying people into voting for them, because anything else is a 'wasted' vote is a complete infringement of our democratic rights.

In all the literature I've received from Dan Norris he doesn't tell me anything he's done over the past 13 years – his only reason to vote for him is to 'stop the Tory getting in'.

I agree – that's why I'm voting Liberal Democrat! I'm voting for Gail Coleshill, not just because as Lib Dems we share the same beliefs and values such as fairness, fighting for the underdog and community empowerment, but because she is the only candidate who actually has a track record of action and getting things done in our area. Last week, 34,000 households received a leaflet from Gail outlining many of her success stories over the past ten years.

Her campaigns to save post offices, invest in better facilities for young people, protect the green belt from mass housing development, save the mobile library from council cuts, to set up a new health park in Keynsham and her part in setting up the successful Farmers' Market in Midsomer Norton are testament to her belief in building a fairer, more equal society.

On May 6 people must be given the chance to make their own choice.

Here in North East Somerset it's all to play for.

COUNCILLOR NATHAN HARTLEY Liberal Democrat, Peasedown St John

To enable Bath voters to hear our constituency candidates in person there will be a meeting jointly organised by Unlock Democracy (Chapter 88) and BRLSI (Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution) at 16 Queen Square on Saturday, May 1, at 2pm for 2.30pm coinciding with tea). To cover costs there will be a small entrance fee.

The candidates will make short opening statements, followed by questions for each one to answer.

The cross-party organising committees hope to give a particular welcome to those who are still undecided on the candidate and/or the party of their choice.

Our organising committees strongly support the opinion of the Chronicle editorial (April 8) in wanting as many people as possible to cast their vote on May 6. Even if a candidate that a voter agrees with appears to have little prospect of election the size of the vote will have some influence on the approach of the one who is elected MP.

A few major issues at national level seem likely to decide who forms the next government.

But during the course of a Parliament many other important issues will be decided, some of major concert to Bath voters. It is on these that we shall particularly welcome questions from the voters who attend.

RODNEY TYE BRLSI Convenor, Bath

Frank Finney (Chronicle letters April 15) accuses me of being negative about Gordon Brown. Well, Mr Finney, do you live in my world?

All I said about Gordon Brown is true. He has saddled the country with eye-watering debts the size of which has never before been seen in peacetime. The UK is almost bankrupt. What will Brown do if we give him another five years? Finish the job properly and send us completely bankrupt? It is all he knows.

Grenville Young (same edition) admits that Gordon Brown is the devil ('better the devil you know). The logic of voting for the devil completely escapes me!

No, gentlemen and readers, the Conservatives alone have the knowledge, skills, and people to put right Gordon Brown's Labour follies. We have done it before, and given the chance will do it again.

The UK, Bath, and North East Somerset must have a change. Fabian Richter in Bath must replace the tired and time served Don Foster, and in North East Somerset Jacob Rees-Mogg must replace the Gordon Brown acolyte Dan Norris.

This is the real positive change that clear thinking voters can bring about at this election if they want to see an achievable change for the better in their lives. And a hung Parliament would be a disaster.

Only a strong Conservative majority Government can bring about the changes which the UK needs.

JOHN DORAN Claverton, Bath

In the election so far the three old parties have not come out in favour of keeping the free bus pass for older people, no doubt saving this for the proposed cuts. None of them wants to reveal this as it will definitely be a vote loser and, as we know locally, the bus fares have continually risen under both Tory and Lib Dem administrations.

They have also turned down the opportunity for an Integrated Transport Authority for all the local councils, which would have given the opportunity to regulate buses, even though they promise much in their election material.

The Green Party has a commitment to be fair to all by keeping free bus passes for senior citizens and extending this to the under 18s in full-time education, as a small step to reducing pollution and easing the burden of education costs for lower-income families.

DON GRIMES Bath Green Party Egerton Road, Bath

Re: support for the Lib Dems. This will result in the re-election of Gordon Brown.

With the country currently £178 billion pounds in debt (it was running a surplus under the last Conservative administration) and Gordon Brown having sold half our gold reserves when gold was at an all-time recent low at a quarter of today's value most people in the country agree it is vital for our country's best interests that he is voted out in the election.

However I would like to point out to anyone thinking of voting Lib Dem that whenever there is a resurgence of Lib Dem support it always results in the election of a Labour Government. In the past 100 years the Lib Dems have only ever managed between 12 and 65 seats and the only time we had a hung parliament they helped the Labour leader Jim Callaghan cling on to power for another year until they fell out.

I believe it is vital for the best interests of our country that we rid ourselves of this big (Mr) Brown mess, please don't spoil the chance by voting Lib Dem.

NICK COLBERT Somerset

I met that nice Fabian Richter in Larkhall on Saturday and advised him that I would not be voting for the party that supports the destruction of Bathampton Meadows.

He reminded me that the election is about national politics and the MP has no authority over the local government Conservatives. It is unfortunate they share the same name!

Fabian pointed out it was the Lib Dems who first mooted the BRT scheme, but our MP, after sitting on the fence for some time, has now come out against the proposals seeking more public consultation.

I do not remember seeing any statement from Fabian condemning the proposals and I shall not be voting Conservative in national or local elections. And Fabian lost interest when I said I live in the constituency of North East Somerset.

JEREMY HEFFER Batheaston

I had a reason to call the BBC switchboard in Bristol. To my surprise, that call was answered in Manchester. This might be a small example, but it means that those few jobs have been lost to our part of the country.

The scene was set at Somerdale when Fry's was taken over by Cadbury's. Work, including administrative and managerial, moved first to Bourneville and now it is to go to Poland.

All The South is the only party which would strive to keep jobs in this part of the world. This is where All The South differs from every one of the other parties.

In the much-hyped "historic" debate between the leaders of the three old parties, Nick Clegg, the Lib Dems' leader, made it clear that, under his party, immigrants will be directed to settle in the South West, undermining job prospects and putting pressure on affordable housing, which will in turn increase the threat to the green belt.

On immigration, the Liberal Democrats are to the right of both new Labour and the Conservatives. 'All The South' is opposed to the illiberal Lib Dem immigration policy.

If migrants are in this country legally, they should have the right to live and work wherever they wish.

They should not be directed to Bath and North East Somerset by some official in Whitehall, because the Government Office Of The South West has not fulfilled its quota. Clegg's Stalinist immigration policy is as unfair to immigrants as it is to the indigenous population.

ROBERT CRAIG All The South Party Weston Super Mare (Candidate for the Bath Parliamentary constituency

As a Bath resident, I'm writing to you to explain why I'm voting for Don Foster to be Bath's MP once again.

The impending birth of my firstborn has made me suddenly take an interest in the state of local schools and hospitals.

I want our schools to be the best they can be, with small class sizes and world class equipment. I want our open green spaces to be protected, our environment cared for not sacrificed for short-term gain and I want a fair taxation system.

Don knows Bath well, having taught here as a teacher and having represented Bath repeatedly.

He stands up for the needs of all not the few, just as he has with the terrible BRT.

He's worked hard on keeping Bath's streets clean, fighting for more street cleaning.

Bath is a unique, wonderful place; we need someone who understands and will speak up for the needs of Bath. I believe that Don Foster is that person, which is why come May 6 I will be voting for Don.

DAN HILTON Sulis Meadows Odd Down Bath

I didn't realise these elections are an irrelevance to many but I, as UKIP candidate, am often told by voters "my heart agrees with you but my head tells me its a wasted vote".

However, I have realised if you vote for one of the three main parties who are desperate to keep us in Europe that is a wasted vote as 90 per cent of our laws are made by the unelected European body and the ten per cent Westminster is allowed to make are invariably challengeable in the European courts with normally unfavourable results.

I also find it amusing to note that Ireland who fought for hundreds of years to free themselves from English rule and obtain their sovereignty, have surrendered it to the Europeans without a whimper. I wonder what their forebears would make of that?

Incidentally, I have been told that up to 70,000 students will come here next year from Europe (Latvia, Romania, Estonia, Lithuania etc) take up student grants and thus take money from our education system.

ERNIE WARRENDER UKIP Candidate for Bath

The buzz is that Nick Clegg did well in the television debate last Thursday night.

However, on defence, the leader of the Liberal Democrats made a glib claim that there are two admirals for every ship in the Royal Navy, hinting strongly at there being an opportunity for savings.

He is way off track with his figures.

Slurring the Navy like this is both unwise and unfair, for the Royal Navy is unable to respond during election purdah.

The facts are very different to those claimed. There are some 36 flag and general officers in the Naval Service all told, of whom thirty are admirals and six are Royal Marines major-generals. Of this number, 20 admirals and two generals are in dedicated naval or marine posts, and only two hold the four-star rank of a full admiral. Ten admirals and generals are in tri-service defence posts, most of which are open to army generals and air marshals by competition, and another four are in NATO posts. Of the eight vice-admirals on the active list, half are in NATO or tri-service appointments, such as Surgeon Vice-Admiral Philip Raffaelli who succeeded an army officer as Surgeon-General in December.

As well as the Fleet Air Arm, there are some 80 ships and submarines all told, some of which are in refit or reserve. So, nothing like the 150 or so admirals that Nick Clegg claims. I hope he was steering a safer course with his other figures and claims.

These statistics matter, for we have seen how even the Prime Minister can trip up with his armed forces 'statistics'.

Indeed, the real question to be asked is not about the number of admirals but why the Royal Navy is now some 77 per cent of its size in 1997. The world's seas are no smaller, some 92 per cent of our trade still goes by sea and the UK still has the same 14 overseas territories, yet there are many fewer sailors and ships, each of which can only be in one place at one time.

Nick Clegg should take more care and more interest in the Royal Navy and the Royal Marines.

LESTER MAY (Lieutenant-Commander Royal Navy – retired), London

Of all the five candidates standing in the Bath constituency, I have the greatest sympathy with Labour's Hattie Ajderian, for having to defend and the indefensible things Labour has done.

It has been 13 years of misrule, where we went from a healthy financial situation to zilch. Was it not that dour paragon of prudence, Gordon Brown, who early on axed the banking watchdog so leaving us in this mess now? Was it not Gordon who sold our gold at ridiculously knocked down prices? Was it not Gordon who thought it clever to tax raid our pension funds so leaving thousands of pensioners in a terrible financial situation?

Labour sold us weapons of mass destruction and many brave servicemen died. And what a terrible indictment Labour pursued a policy of mass immigration without telling us.

So what of the Conservative policies? If they had any I could write of them but apart from National Insurance, there is little difference, apart from the odd tweak.

I would normally vote Tory except that this time their candidate, Fabian Richter, failed miserably in over two years to mention the Bus Rapid Transit or to condemn the actions of his local party.

Don Foster, conscientious politician that he is, bothered to come down to Newbridge and see for himself, making up his own mind on this disgraceful scheme.

Fabian Richter should note that is what a true politician does.

PETER BURNS Lower Weston Bath

I voted for Don Foster in 1992 and in every general election since then and will do so again on May 6.

However, although I have rejoiced in every one of Don's successes, I have always regretted that the price of his victory in 1992 was the defeat of Chris Patten, who was a good, honourable and able MP and minister. It is indictment of the system we have that Chris Patten was not returned in 1992 as well as Don Foster.

If we had had the single transferable vote in a multi-member constituency comprising Bath and perhaps three or four of the neighbouring constituencies, it is likely that he would have been returned as one of the four or five members for that larger area.

Voters would have been able to rank candidates in order of preference both within and between parties and the result would have been a much fairer reflection of opinion, possibly with MPs from all three main parties being returned.

A good question to ask all candidates is:

'Do you believe in an electoral system that gives me, the voter, a decent chance of getting an MP of my choice"?

Don Foster (Liberal Democrat), Hattie Adjerian (Labour), Eric Lucas (Green) and Ernie Warrender (UKIP) would answer "yes".

What about Fabian Richter (Conservative)?

SIMON GAZELEY London Road West Bath

The organisers of the North East Somerset hustings this coming Saturday (April 24, at 2 for 2.30pm at Broadlands School, St Francis Road, Keynsham) are grateful for you allowing us to trail the event in your letters column, as will be interested voters.

We are anxious, however, that it should not be confused with the event that took place last Saturday at Keynsham, staged by the BBC Politics Show with a selected audience and only the three main party candidates.

At the time of writing, all but one of the five candidates are committed to attend with confirmation of the fifth one expected and any further candidates registered before closure of nominations will also be invited.

Our meeting of course, is an open public meeting.

It is certainly hoped that the coming event will be more informative and constructive in dealing with somewhat more serious and relevant issues.

Advance questions that have been submitted and now in the hands of the candidates, include those on the failure of the bovine TB control policy, the plans to build thousands of houses in the green belt, the unfairness between private and public sector pensions provision, action against the banks to prevent a reoccurrence of recession, the discredited first-past-the-post voting system , the planned closure of one of Keynsham's two secondary schools which by coincidence and not design is the venue for the meeting and a question on the taxing of investments.

These will only form part of the questioning of your prospective representative at Westminster and as many other questions as time will allow will be invited on the day.

TW EVANS On behalf of Churches Together in Keynsham & Saltford & Unlock Democracy Bath & District Group Keynsham

David Packham (Chronicle April 15) asks whether the Tories would have handled the banking industry better than Gordon Brown's Labour did?

The answer is a resounding "yes''.

We pointed out at the time that the correct place for the banks to be regulated was by the Bank of England.

That remains the position today. We do not believe that the toothless FSA has the skills and authority necessary to regulate banks.

The "light regulatory touch" for which the banks pleaded, and to which Brown acceded by appointing the FSA as their regulatory body, proved to be a disaster which the Tories forecast it would be.

Mr Packham must also be careful about making assertions about the performance of fund managers. It is important to be clear about the exact period which is being measured, and the circumstances prevailing at the time. It is an industry in which clients can and do all too easily vote with their feet, and take their business elsewhere.

The fact that Jacob Rees-Mogg's clients, many of whom are charities, do not do this, and that fact that his client list is growing, must express a measure of satisfaction with what he does for them.

He will be just as successful as Conservative MP for North East Somerset.

GABRIEL MICHAEL BATT Batheaston Bath

I would like to take an early opportunity to thank all the people of Keynsham who responded so positively during our leaflet campaign in the High Street last Saturday April 17. Our members were most encouraged by the public awareness of the main topics that will debated up till the election on May 6.

It is now apparent that EU membership and immigration will loom large in any debate and cannot be hidden away any longer by the three main parties.

In closing, UKIP feels that this will be the most challenging and important election ever as the face of politics is about to be changed for ever.

BOB DANAHER Secretary Bath and North Somerset Branch UKIP

Mr Brown is right. Yes, Mr Brown is right when he says that he and the recent Labour Government should be judged on their records.

In your issue of April 8, Mr John Doran admirably outlined these records of incompetence.

The policy of borrowing to finance consumption in the public sector and of encouraging such reckless extravagance in the private sector inevitably led to the recession which became apparent before the sub-prime situation partly hid it.

The Labour Government has repeatedly told us that it supports "the hardworking family" but its policies have resulted in redundancies, repossessions of homes and breakdown of marriages.

The Labour Government withdrew tax relief on the income of pension funds and has penalised the pensions of those who are over 75 and withdraw income from their private pension funds. It continued to impose a 30 per cent tax rate on a band of a pensioner's income which is below the UK's average income.

Mr Brown is right when he says that it is right that the public should decide any changes in our constitution.

He has found a word which appeared in Labour's manifesto at the last election and has decided to use it in the present manifesto. He says that there would be a referendum on a new method of election of MPs. Would he renege on this promise as he did on Labour's promise of a referendum on the EU?

So, a referendum on a relatively minor constitutional change but not on whether or not we should control our own affairs. Of course, all three of the largest parties deny this basic right to the public.

The thing which struck me about the first debate of selected party leaders was the farce of the ludicrous attempts of all three to persuade us that they could control immigration when they know full well that they cannot do this whilst there is no control on the entry of EU citizens. This puts a lie to the "sincerity" of Mr Clegg's looking fixedly at the camera for his final address – can any of them be trusted?

IAN WINDOW Bloomfield Park, Bath