Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Local Lib Dems in harmony !
Chingford & Woodford Green Lib Dem Prospective Parliamentary candidate Geoff Seeff, performing at a Musical Evening at the Vestry Hall, N.Chingford earlier in the year. The successful evening was put on by local Liberal Democrats as a fundraising event. Geoff says he's looking to attract the "swing voters" !
Accompanying him at the piano, Cllr.John Beanse - local Lberal Democrats clearly in harmony !
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Views from Geoff Seeff
As already reported (see item earlier in April), Chingford and Woodford Green Lib Dems have selected Dr Geoff Seeff as their Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for the next general election The election is due in May 2010 at the latest.
Geoff was the founder convener of the SDP in Redbridge, and has been active on local political scene for over 27 years. He was the candidate for this constituency in 1997.
Geoff is a chartered accountant practising as a management consultant and specialises in the economics of Urban Regeneration. He has advised on major projects all around the UK and in many other parts of the world. He is married to Deanna, a schools counsellor, and they have two adult daughters.
Geoff believes that Labour’s 11 years in office probably ranks as one of the worst, and certainly, given the high expectations of 1997, the most disappointing, periods of government in living memory. Messrs Blair and Brown have, amongst other things, squandered the opportunity of a strong economy to bring about a fairer distribution of wealth and a greener environment, they have progressively eroded our civil liberties, mismanaged what proved to be an unnecessary and costly involvement in Iraq, failed to reform our constitution and eliminate the archaic, wasteful, partisan and often corrupt practices that bring politics into disrepute, failed to ensure effective regulation of the banking system until we had the first run on a UK bank for 150 years, shown contempt for due legal process by curtailing at the behest of a foreign power the SFO investigation into alleged corruption connected to arms sales to Saudi Arabia, displayed gross incompetence on agreeing GP and Police pay and flouted disgracefully their own laws on party funding. They have done more than enough damage and their time is up!
Needless to say Geoff is no more impressed with Her Majesty’s Official Opposition, who can hardly be said to have emerged with any credit on matters such as the Northern Rock debacle, loans for peerages and the abuse of parliamentary allowances.
Over the coming months as issues arise affecting residents of this constituency, through these columns Geoff will be providing comment on the state of the economy and health, education and crime. However, relevant stories and more detailed comment are carried on our website - click on www.cwglibdems.org.uk . The site allows you to post your own comments or questions, which we welcome.
Geoff believes that Labour’s 11 years in office probably ranks as one of the worst, and certainly, given the high expectations of 1997, the most disappointing, periods of government in living memory. Messrs Blair and Brown have, amongst other things, squandered the opportunity of a strong economy to bring about a fairer distribution of wealth and a greener environment, they have progressively eroded our civil liberties, mismanaged what proved to be an unnecessary and costly involvement in Iraq, failed to reform our constitution and eliminate the archaic, wasteful, partisan and often corrupt practices that bring politics into disrepute, failed to ensure effective regulation of the banking system until we had the first run on a UK bank for 150 years, shown contempt for due legal process by curtailing at the behest of a foreign power the SFO investigation into alleged corruption connected to arms sales to Saudi Arabia, displayed gross incompetence on agreeing GP and Police pay and flouted disgracefully their own laws on party funding. They have done more than enough damage and their time is up!
Needless to say Geoff is no more impressed with Her Majesty’s Official Opposition, who can hardly be said to have emerged with any credit on matters such as the Northern Rock debacle, loans for peerages and the abuse of parliamentary allowances.
Over the coming months as issues arise affecting residents of this constituency, through these columns Geoff will be providing comment on the state of the economy and health, education and crime. However, relevant stories and more detailed comment are carried on our website - click on www.cwglibdems.org.uk . The site allows you to post your own comments or questions, which we welcome.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Geoff Seeff selected
Chingford & Woodford Green Liberal Democrats have selected GEOFF SEEFF to be their Prospective Parliamentary Candidate (PPC).
The selection was made at a special meeting of local Lib Dem members on Friday 11th. April at North Chingford Methodist Church. Geoff stood here in 1997 and was the candidate in Romford at the last General Election. He is pictured here speaking to members after the result had been officially declared.
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
The poor lose out
CLEGG ACCUSES BROWN OF HITTING THE POOR WITH TAX CHANGES
Gordon Brown’s decision to abolish the 10p rate of income tax is “an outrageous political stunt at the cost of the poorest”, Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has said.
Nick said the tax change was a “defining moment” which left the Labour Government with no right to talk about fairness in British society anymore. The Treasury select committee, which has a majority of Labour MPs, today attacked the changes too, highlighting that the combined effect of cutting of the basic rate of income tax from 22p to 20p in the pound, and the raising of the lower 10p band to 20p, would be that childless single people earning less than £18,500 would lose up to £232 a year. LINKS - click on: [BBC] [BBC – Clegg interview] [BBC - Video]
Nick Clegg said: "I think it’s a defining moment in British politics. I don’t think the Labour government now has any right to talk about fairness in British society anymore. They are abandoning over five million of the poorest people. Why? For a cheap political stunt by Gordon Brown himself. By removing the 10% tax band, soldiers serving in Afghanistan, nurses working hard in the NHS, low income pensioners - over 5 million of the poorest people, it’s estimated, with incomes between £5,000 and £18,000 - are suddenly finding that starting rate of tax is doubling. Why? So that Gordon Brown could offer a 2p cut in the rate of 22p to 20p for the following day’s headlines. I think that is an outrageous political stunt at the cost of the poorest in British society."
Gordon Brown’s decision to abolish the 10p rate of income tax is “an outrageous political stunt at the cost of the poorest”, Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has said.
Nick said the tax change was a “defining moment” which left the Labour Government with no right to talk about fairness in British society anymore. The Treasury select committee, which has a majority of Labour MPs, today attacked the changes too, highlighting that the combined effect of cutting of the basic rate of income tax from 22p to 20p in the pound, and the raising of the lower 10p band to 20p, would be that childless single people earning less than £18,500 would lose up to £232 a year. LINKS - click on: [BBC] [BBC – Clegg interview] [BBC - Video]
Nick Clegg said: "I think it’s a defining moment in British politics. I don’t think the Labour government now has any right to talk about fairness in British society anymore. They are abandoning over five million of the poorest people. Why? For a cheap political stunt by Gordon Brown himself. By removing the 10% tax band, soldiers serving in Afghanistan, nurses working hard in the NHS, low income pensioners - over 5 million of the poorest people, it’s estimated, with incomes between £5,000 and £18,000 - are suddenly finding that starting rate of tax is doubling. Why? So that Gordon Brown could offer a 2p cut in the rate of 22p to 20p for the following day’s headlines. I think that is an outrageous political stunt at the cost of the poorest in British society."
Monday, April 07, 2008
Campaigning for London
Pictured on the campaign to save London's post offices under threat: Liberal Democrats Cllr. MERAL ECE,
Greater London Assembly candidate for London North East (which includes Waltham Forest) and BRIAN PADDICK, candidate for Mayor of London.
Saturday, April 05, 2008
GLA elections
Farrukh Islam has been selected by local Liberal Democrats as the candidate to fight Havering and Redbridge for the GLA in May. He took 86% of the votes cast.
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Larkshall Road car-park
Inaccurate press report
The report published in a recent Waltham Forest Guardian about the car-park off Larkshall Road, Highams Park, E4 was WRONG.There is no proposal to dispose of the whole car-park for housing and there has certainly been no decision.
What is being sought - in discussions with councillors and others, and the discussions go on - is a properly laid-out, marked out, surfaced, more secure car-park, preferably with some CCTV, and a more favourable pricing policy for Waltham Forest residents.There is a proposal to maximise the use of the land and bring in the areas of scrub which currently attract fly-tipping. The car-park would be smaller and on the Budgen's side [on the right as you go in] (and maybe even link up with Budgen's car-park). The northern side [on the left] would be possibly family homes - which are desperately needed in Highams Park - and the development used to finance the upgraded car-park. There are to be further discussions. Highams Park could benefit considerably if a satisfactory way forward can be agreed.
