Binge and unsociable drinking,
A lot is being said and written about this growing problem, the most being said about is raising the tax and duty to make it prohibitive.
This would only bring about the closing of sensible and controlled drinking places. British Legion Clubs, Private Members Clubs, Sports and Social Clubs, Public Houses with Tenants and free House Owners who know how to control their customers, and conduct sensible social drinking.
The modern trend of ‘Pub Chains’ and companies only add to the problem with their managers only aim seems to be to boost trade and make more profit for their companies and commission at any cost.
The end of ‘cheap booze’ and the ‘buy one and get one free’ culture at Supper Markets and chain store off-licences must end. If a bottle of whisky is £15 and a can of beer £2.30 so be it.
Drinking alcohol in the street and Public Places should be band (excepting private gardens and a Beer Tent at an organised function) there are now plenty of drinking places in all towns, restaurants and Pubs.
Ken Elmes,
former Pub tenant
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Davivd Cameron and the 'Eton Boys'
Sorry my ‘Blog’ is a little outdated and I missed the excitement of MPs expenses European elections etc. I have spent a few weeks in Hospital and the next few weeks unable to get to my PC. I will try and summarise my thoughts on these events in one go.”
Whilst not condoning any misdemeanours over the MP's expenses the whole issue became rather farcical, over a few thousand pounds, once again the British media trying to make the news instead of reporting it. Cameron’s £37,000 reported just once while two Labour members few £100s appeared on every news bulletin over the next 24 hours.
Most of the issues were over second homes, let us not forget it was the Thatcher CONservative government that introduced the second home claim policy. None of this would not have come to light if NewLabour had not brought in the freedom of information act and were about to introduce the MP’s expenses.
David Cameron became leader of the opposition saying he would not indulge in ‘Yah Boo’ politics at Question time, that’s all he does now with little to offer in opposing NewLabour. Reforming governments, both Blair and Brown have been trying to reform Capitalism and give it a softer edge for the benefit of all. To my mind a far from socialist government, the reasons I joined the Labour Party in 1952
The next few months run up to the election will see the media ‘soft sell’ Cameron and the ‘Eton Boys’ with their belief in that Eton education gives them the divine right to rule the country.
With the present situation of the World economic problems we are witnessing the end of the capitalist system as we know it. It is time for a new system to be worked out. Banks should stay in the ‘taxpayers’ hands and be better regulated, not left to the high powered gamblers using taxpayers’ savings to make millions for themselves
Whilst not condoning any misdemeanours over the MP's expenses the whole issue became rather farcical, over a few thousand pounds, once again the British media trying to make the news instead of reporting it. Cameron’s £37,000 reported just once while two Labour members few £100s appeared on every news bulletin over the next 24 hours.
Most of the issues were over second homes, let us not forget it was the Thatcher CONservative government that introduced the second home claim policy. None of this would not have come to light if NewLabour had not brought in the freedom of information act and were about to introduce the MP’s expenses.
David Cameron became leader of the opposition saying he would not indulge in ‘Yah Boo’ politics at Question time, that’s all he does now with little to offer in opposing NewLabour. Reforming governments, both Blair and Brown have been trying to reform Capitalism and give it a softer edge for the benefit of all. To my mind a far from socialist government, the reasons I joined the Labour Party in 1952
The next few months run up to the election will see the media ‘soft sell’ Cameron and the ‘Eton Boys’ with their belief in that Eton education gives them the divine right to rule the country.
With the present situation of the World economic problems we are witnessing the end of the capitalist system as we know it. It is time for a new system to be worked out. Banks should stay in the ‘taxpayers’ hands and be better regulated, not left to the high powered gamblers using taxpayers’ savings to make millions for themselves
Monday, April 27, 2009
Huff and Puff
“ I’ll huff and I’ll puff till I blow your house down”
David Cameron, Osborne and their CONsevative troops have huffed and puffed through the Budget and their spring conference but have offered little or no policies, except to expand the ‘Tony Blair’ government policy of school academy to primary schools.
Despite the cynical remarks by Paxman, Neil , other commentators and ‘experts’ with their own agendas to push, and the same old reviewers of the daily papers at home, Gordon Brown continues to grow in stature Internationally as a leader, as his recent visits to Iraq, Afghanistan and the world conferences show.
As a ‘news junkie’ following most of the speeches in full live on 24 hour news there is a big difference listening to the whole speech rather than the ‘News Bites’ picked out by editors.
I remain a fully committed socialist as when joining Labour in 1952 but would sooner have Gordon Brown, or the Blair reforming government., than the CONservatives lead by anybody.
David Cameron, Osborne and their CONsevative troops have huffed and puffed through the Budget and their spring conference but have offered little or no policies, except to expand the ‘Tony Blair’ government policy of school academy to primary schools.
Despite the cynical remarks by Paxman, Neil , other commentators and ‘experts’ with their own agendas to push, and the same old reviewers of the daily papers at home, Gordon Brown continues to grow in stature Internationally as a leader, as his recent visits to Iraq, Afghanistan and the world conferences show.
As a ‘news junkie’ following most of the speeches in full live on 24 hour news there is a big difference listening to the whole speech rather than the ‘News Bites’ picked out by editors.
I remain a fully committed socialist as when joining Labour in 1952 but would sooner have Gordon Brown, or the Blair reforming government., than the CONservatives lead by anybody.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
A RADICAL CHANGE NEEDED
A RADICAL CHANGE NEEDED
Damian McWho ? Nobody heard of him ‘til he had done what most of us have - written a humorous, unsolicited and maybe rude email to a friend or colleague.
The trouble is David Cameron’s CONservatives have no alternative polices to the ones the Government is pursuing today, so they spend their time ‘nit’ picking over words.
It concerns them more who watches what DVDs, minor spending on what, instead of getting down with other leaders to sort out a better system of MP’s expenses. They have nothing more to say other than keep calling for a ‘Public Enquiry’ into every thing. And calling for sackings with personal attacks.
The reasons being, NewLabour have spent their time in office trying to make the capitalist system work fairer and with a softer edge to benefit us all, so Cameron is really in a cleft stick situation unable to attack politically.
What is needed is a radical change in Political direction at Westminster and the World.
Damian McWho ? Nobody heard of him ‘til he had done what most of us have - written a humorous, unsolicited and maybe rude email to a friend or colleague.
The trouble is David Cameron’s CONservatives have no alternative polices to the ones the Government is pursuing today, so they spend their time ‘nit’ picking over words.
It concerns them more who watches what DVDs, minor spending on what, instead of getting down with other leaders to sort out a better system of MP’s expenses. They have nothing more to say other than keep calling for a ‘Public Enquiry’ into every thing. And calling for sackings with personal attacks.
The reasons being, NewLabour have spent their time in office trying to make the capitalist system work fairer and with a softer edge to benefit us all, so Cameron is really in a cleft stick situation unable to attack politically.
What is needed is a radical change in Political direction at Westminster and the World.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
A New System Needed
World Financial Problems
Credit Crunch, Recession, Depression, Printing more money. Are we seeing the end of the capitalist system as we know it?
We have had the years of ‘New’ Labour trying to make capitalism work with a softer and more humane edge to be fair to all after the years of the extremes of right wing government. New Labour achieving a great deal but inevitably failing to fix all without a radical change in direction.
All of today’s financial troubles we are facing in the UK can be traced back to the Thatcher CONservative government’s sale of publicly own utilities, sale of the railways, the sale of public housing. The deregulisation of banking and financial institutions, allowing ‘Dog eat Dog’ to form the giants we have today being milked by the system and directors and allowed to crumble.
The playing with stocks and shares is no more than the working man going to the betting shop and putting a ‘Fiver’ on a horse and trying to make a pound or two; as they try and sell shares at a high price and buy them cheap, to maximise their own profits, we all suffer.
‘There is no such thing as society’ said the Thatcher CONservative government handing everybody a few hundred pounds to give away our assets to capitalist giants and sold to foreign firms. Remember ‘listen Sid’? The only people CONd were the British Public.
We have had 100 years, or more, of our right wing media and press making the word Socialism as bad a word like the familiar four letter Anglo Saxon swear words we all know. A better system is now needed combining the best of both systems.
It is very significant that the Co-operative Bank and Nationwide Building Society (the two largest mutual organisations in Britain) are as sound as ever and do not require any assistance from the government?
Is this not a classic example of Socialism working on behalf of the members and not for Directors and Shareholders? And that they have survived the onslaughts of the capitalist doctrine over the years.
Credit Crunch, Recession, Depression, Printing more money. Are we seeing the end of the capitalist system as we know it?
We have had the years of ‘New’ Labour trying to make capitalism work with a softer and more humane edge to be fair to all after the years of the extremes of right wing government. New Labour achieving a great deal but inevitably failing to fix all without a radical change in direction.
All of today’s financial troubles we are facing in the UK can be traced back to the Thatcher CONservative government’s sale of publicly own utilities, sale of the railways, the sale of public housing. The deregulisation of banking and financial institutions, allowing ‘Dog eat Dog’ to form the giants we have today being milked by the system and directors and allowed to crumble.
The playing with stocks and shares is no more than the working man going to the betting shop and putting a ‘Fiver’ on a horse and trying to make a pound or two; as they try and sell shares at a high price and buy them cheap, to maximise their own profits, we all suffer.
‘There is no such thing as society’ said the Thatcher CONservative government handing everybody a few hundred pounds to give away our assets to capitalist giants and sold to foreign firms. Remember ‘listen Sid’? The only people CONd were the British Public.
We have had 100 years, or more, of our right wing media and press making the word Socialism as bad a word like the familiar four letter Anglo Saxon swear words we all know. A better system is now needed combining the best of both systems.
It is very significant that the Co-operative Bank and Nationwide Building Society (the two largest mutual organisations in Britain) are as sound as ever and do not require any assistance from the government?
Is this not a classic example of Socialism working on behalf of the members and not for Directors and Shareholders? And that they have survived the onslaughts of the capitalist doctrine over the years.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Heathrow
Heathrow
Progress at last. The coming of the 3d. Runway at Heathrow is to be welcomed, this will bring about the continued prosperity of London.
I was born in our Borough when Heath Row was a small village on the edge of London. ‘London Airport’ came about almost by accident following a war time base being developed for civil use. As such I have seen the prosperity of the area grow and grow with the growth of the airport. In fact my own business grew in Twickenham and provided local employment, within this prosperity, with work as a direct result of Heathrow.
London became the centre of world commerce, no doubt with the help of the airport. Thousands of people moved into our and surrounding boroughs to enjoy this prosperity , to be in easy reach of lucrative jobs in the city and enjoy their flying holidays abroad.
It is mainly these people now complaining, petitioning and being ‘whipped’ up by local councils spending millions of pounds campaigning , no doubt for their own political purposes. Now London’s Mayor announces he will spend council taxpayers money lining the pockets of the legal professions.
The new generation of aircraft are being developed with quieter and more efficient engines, lets hope Heathrow continues to provide the wealth, employment and prosperity we all enjoy in this great part of the UK.
Progress at last. The coming of the 3d. Runway at Heathrow is to be welcomed, this will bring about the continued prosperity of London.
I was born in our Borough when Heath Row was a small village on the edge of London. ‘London Airport’ came about almost by accident following a war time base being developed for civil use. As such I have seen the prosperity of the area grow and grow with the growth of the airport. In fact my own business grew in Twickenham and provided local employment, within this prosperity, with work as a direct result of Heathrow.
London became the centre of world commerce, no doubt with the help of the airport. Thousands of people moved into our and surrounding boroughs to enjoy this prosperity , to be in easy reach of lucrative jobs in the city and enjoy their flying holidays abroad.
It is mainly these people now complaining, petitioning and being ‘whipped’ up by local councils spending millions of pounds campaigning , no doubt for their own political purposes. Now London’s Mayor announces he will spend council taxpayers money lining the pockets of the legal professions.
The new generation of aircraft are being developed with quieter and more efficient engines, lets hope Heathrow continues to provide the wealth, employment and prosperity we all enjoy in this great part of the UK.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Excerpts from
"If I only had time"
*
by Ken Elmes
by Ken Elmes
The following passages are taken from Ken's autobiography and recount involvement with the squatting community in Twickenham (Mddx, England).
The squat started in September 1972 and ended in August 1976.
---------------------------------
23. Twickenham Squatters.During the long discussions over the centre of Twickenham and its development, many properties in the Grosvenor and Queens Road area of Twickenham were being bought up by potential property developers and left empty for a long time. Being a local councillor, known for my help for the homeless and the underprivileged, and for helping those who seemed to fall through the net of the social security system I was asked to help the many squatters that had descended upon the area.After making many enquiries and calls on people in their 'squatted' homes, I came to the conclusion that I should become involved and try and help where I could.
Basically they were fine people who had difficulty in coping with the pressures of modern life and could not afford the cost of what little accommodation there was in that part of West London suburbia. Like all sections of society the squatting group attracted a small group of misfits. It was those misfits that attracted, and got most of the media coverage.
24. Squatters Council Debates.
During this time there were many debates in the council chamber over the so-called Twickenham squatting 'problem'. I and one particular Conservative councillor, Cllr. George Tremlett, often clashed in debate.
He had a far better command of the English language than I had, although to many, I won the argment but lost the debate. It is rather ironic that this particular councillor made his money out of young people and the squatters by writing books etc. on the contemporary 'pop' stars that would appeal to young people.
One such debate I recall, rather vividly, was after I was photographed, and the photograph published, removing boarding nailed over the windows and doors of the squatted houses by council workmen after the squatters had left for work that day. The squatters' personal effects had been nailed up in the houses. During the following debate in the council chamber a few days later I was accused of being the Axeman of Twickenham. To this I rose to my feet to make a point of order.
"Mr Mayor", I said, "It was not an axe, it was a claw-hammer". This remark caused much hilarity and laughter among the council members. A play was written and performed at the 'Orange Tree' fringe theatre in Richmond on this episode of Twickenham life and the social problems of that period, that remark becoming a central point of the play.
26. Eviction
[In 1976, the last of] the squatters were evicted and the houses pulled down for development. I made many good friends during this period, and developed a respect for the squatters who were prepared to accept whatever advice I could offer at the many informal meetings we held in one of the houses. They paid bills such as the electricity, household and water rates on my advice, but were unable to find out who were the 'faceless' men of the property developers and speculators and so pay a fair rent for the use of the properties until such time as they would be required for pulling down for the development.
The character and history of Twickenham were lost for all time when the houses were finally pulled down for the development to go ahead.
---------------------------------
from "If I only had the time"
by Ken Elmes published by Ecomex Press, Teddington, Middlesex, 1998
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