For those of you that haven't read any George Orwell books, I would recommend 1984. It tells of a future where the people are not told the whole truth in order that they can be made to think in a certain way. The term "doublespeak" has its roots in that book.
Doublespeak is language that deliberately disguises, distorts, or reverses the meaning of words. It may also refer to intentional ambiguity in language. In such cases, doublespeak disguises the nature of the truth.
Taken from Wikipedia
So on a completely unrelated matter lets look at the most recent letter from the Conservative's own local candidate in the upcoming elections:
He lives in the ward
Although previous Conservative Millbrook Councillors have felt the need to drag my family into politics, its not my preference to make a big deal of them. Technically the leaflet is correct. Neither myself nor David live in the ward we represent. Very few Councillors of all parties do. However, David Furnell lives metres away from Foundry Lane; metres away from the eastern edge of our ward. I live a five minute walk away from the western side of Millbrook ward. Our new candidate Mike lives in the heart of Regents Park, in the centre of the ward. So in an area that covers from Maybush in the West to Freemantle in the East, our prospective three Councillors live across the whole ward quite nicely. However, from the Conservative leaflet, it makes it sound as if we lives miles away and could not possibly be local. As for claiming to always be local, David Furnell has lived in Southampton his whole life and was schooled here too. That to me is very local.
A major part of the No Southampton Biomass Campaign
Credit where credit is due. The Conservative candidate has been a major part of driving forward the local campaign. From memory he did always claim it was non-political and he promised previously that he would not mention it on Conservative material...
Local Labour Councillors from across the city have been involved and supported the local anti-biomass campaign from the start; indeed Councillor Mary Lloyd posted over 200 letters in the Fremantle area advising of the very first public consultation because Helius's send out was so poor. We have offered skills and suggested that the group should become registered with a set of rules so that it can become more organised and bid for funding. The lead members declined. The work of the anti-biomass group should most definitely be commended. But it should not be used as a platform for political gain.
In setting up the Western Docks Consultative Forum; a local group, excluding political candidates and Councillors - they choose to become formalised. It does have a constitution. It has a place in shaping the Council's policies by working with the Council. That I suggest is a model for effecting change. Purposefully I ensured that this group could represent local people without becoming a tool for political gain.
Strongly engaged in the local community
It is brilliant that the local candidate is active in his community. But by his community I believe he does really mean the area around Regents Park. I have not seen a Conservative candidate at a Maybush Tenants and Residents Association meeting this year. Nor at a Millbrook Police and Community Together meeting. Nor have they attended the recent community event at the Saints Pub. I have never seen the Conservative candidate at Percy Road Residents Association Meetings. I would not detract away from a man who is a governor at their Children's school. Indeed that is something that I would want to do when my child is old enough. But the ward of Millbrook is much wider than the southern part of Regents Park.
Strongly against Fluoride
Dave Furnell is for Fluoride in the water. He believes that science will provide the answer to our problems, in the way that science has done for many illnesses which in years gone by were lethal to our population. I also believe that science holds the answer, BUT on this issue of conscience, you have both Labour Councillors who believe that science holds the answer, but one is in favour our flouride the other believes the money should be spent on more dentists!
A strong voice for action
Mosquitos has been something which the Conservative candidate has strongly campaigned against. In my four years of knocking on doors in Millbrook, every weekend, no singular person has ever brought up the issue of mosquitos. The state of the roads - yes - and we have lobbied senior officers and the Cabinet to get real change in our roads. Complaining to the local newspaper isn't really campaigning in my opinion. Having difficult meetings with decision makers is how you get things done. He is a voice for change - but what changes? What can he point to to say that this was his victory? His achievement? A strong voice is important, but my belief is that actions are more important than words:
Setting up the Western Docks Consultative Forum in response to the Sulphur Plant debacle;
Not just opposing Biomass, but working with contacts at Westminster to lobby the ConDem Government and working with Portsmouth City Council to have the whole monstrosity moved there;
Stopping increases to working hours at Trinity Industrial estate;
Improvements to Clifton Road and Tillbrook Road;
Bollards and safety improvements to Regents Park Road and trying to fix the ridiculous potholes on it!
And these are just some of the things which Team Millbrook have achieved in the southern end of Regents Park - but as I've said the ward of Millbrook is much wider than just that. Actions rather than rhetoric.
Attendance at Meetings
The Conservative candidates attendance at Full Council is widely known, especially after he tried to film it (which was against the rules at the time). I've discussed his attendance at community events earlier on in this blog. The previous Labour Councillor couldn't turn up to some meetings because her employer would not allow her to. This was part of the reason why she took the brave decision to stand down.
However, as the Conservative letter mentions the Sulphur Plant Debacle, let us shine a light there too...
This first either I or the then Labour Leader of the Council knew of AGREED planning for a sulphur plant was when The Daily Echo told us of it. The previous Conservative Leader, on whose administration the decision was taken seemed to remember something at the back of his mind. The three Conservative Freemantle Councillors who were the ONLY councillors notified of the original application all claimed to know nothing of it. Quite strange really. Neither the local councillors at the time nor the then Conservative Leader of the Council can remember an application for a Sulphur Plant being discussed? Especially at a time when all parties claimed to be against the building of a Biomass Power station.
So when the Sulphur Plant came around for a revised application; bettering its technology to limit emissions, myself and David did not oppose it. This second application was whether or not to oppose the improvements. The time for opposing the original plans had long since gone. That decision had already been taken supposedly in consultation with the then Conservative Leader of the Council and the three Conservative Councillors at the time. All of which have amnesia.
So it's been a fun time putting down a different slant on the most recent scribbling's of our truly local and truly caring Conservative candidate. This response is not meant to offend, but set the record straight from my point of view.
I look forward to the next leaflet.
