Apparently Eurozone countries today lent Greece €4.2 Billion just shortly before Greece is due to repay €3.3 Billion to the ECB….. So basically we are not bailing out Greece, we are bailing out the [...]]]> Guido led with an interesting piece this morning, about the Greek bail out and Eurozone aid being given to Greece.

Apparently Eurozone countries today lent Greece €4.2 Billion just shortly before Greece is due to repay €3.3 Billion to the ECB….. So basically we are not bailing out Greece, we are bailing out the European Banks.

Meanwhile the Greeks still can’t form a government, based on the fact that most Greeks have voted for anti-bailout parties.

If only there was another way…

But there is!

Apologies, I know I am starting to sound like Hannan and Carswell but the only logical answer, as I have said before, is for Greece to Default on the debt, Decouple from the Euro and Devalue their currency.

This would get the Greeks out of the farce that is the current bailout and enable them to be masters of their own destiny once again.

Please note – this suggestion has nothing to do with me fancying a cheap Greek Island summer holiday – but when we all take them spending our New Drachma it will certainly help the Greek economy recover.

His Grace has pointed out that Obama had clearly used his Christianity in arguments to oppose same sex [...]]]>  It looks like same sex marriage, despite being a states issue, has now become a presidential race issue. Obama has announced he is supportive but crucially he has tried to make a Biblical/Christian argument for that support.

His Grace has pointed out that Obama had clearly used his Christianity in arguments to oppose same sex marriage in previous elections. I wonder what could have possibly caused his about face? Surely not his impending re-election campaign? (far to cynical me!)

His Grace also points out the way the media treat those with right wing Christian viewpoints as demented nut jobs, but welcomes “Christian input” from the left…. I think thats true in this country but not as true in America, where the Religious Right carries considerably more weight than here.

Returning to Obama and why he has made this statement, for me, the most incisive view has been expressed by Peter Ould who suggests that Obama’s new held views may be as a result of trying to trip his Mormon Republican opponent up in the election.

It would be a sad world if it were true that an American President were to not just play politics but to play religion, just for his own political ends…. But again the cynic in me finds Peter’s analysis to be on the nail.

I wonder if it will backfire on him and make the Religious Right coalesce around Romney in a way that they previously wouldn’t have?

Labour managed to gain control of the Council.

What are my initial thoughts on the campaign?

People told us last night that they weren’t coming out to vote for a wide variety of reasons, but not one of those reasons was about Local Council issues. [...]]]> It was not the best of nights for my team.

Labour managed to gain control of the Council.

What are my initial thoughts on the campaign?

People told us last night that they weren’t coming out to vote for a wide variety of reasons, but not one of those reasons was about Local Council issues. Not one. We had a large number of people who regularly vote Conservative who decided to just stay at home. All of them wanted to send David Cameron and George Osborne, be it over general dissatisfaction with the government direction, fuel tax, not liking the Coalition, Cameron’s comments on gay marriage, defence cuts, budget mess ups, grannies, pasties and a general malaise with the national politicians.

Taking a quick look at the stats also shows me, that in Harlow, we outperformed the national; which suggests our campaigning was good and that our Party locally, including our very good MP Rob Halfon are respected by a core of our voters.

Overall my message to David Cameron today?

Get a grip!

The country is facing hard times and we have seen enough cock ups from Downing Street.

Here’s what Lib Dem Minister Andrew Stunnell said about us today:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

After four years of Conservative control Harlow Council is delivering more for less, plugging the financial black holes that Labour left us and trying to make the town a better place to live and work. Under Conservative control, we have frozen Council [...]]]> Here is my Party Leaders piece in the Harlow Star this week:

After four years of Conservative control Harlow Council is delivering more for less, plugging the financial black holes that Labour left us and trying to make the town a better place to live and work. Under Conservative control, we have frozen Council Tax for the last three years – it doubled under ten years of Labour.

We have preserved the future of our community services, doubled recycling levels to over 50%, renegotiated the Kier contract to provide better service and more than £4m savings, and we are investing £20,000 pounds to improve landscaping and tackle litter hotspots in each ward – we are committed to investing in our local community.

That’s why after decades of neglect we secured £3 million investment in the cemetery and crematorium. To promote jobs, supported by Robert Halfon MP, we were chosen as one of 19 places in the country for an enterprise zone – creating up to 5,000 jobs. We also successfully secured £3.5m to upgrade the roads to support this.

Through working hard for residents and protecting our community services the Council has been shortlisted as one of the best performing in the country and nominated for a community investor award – we run an achieving Council that local people can be proud of. Nobody appreciates people who stand for office and sit on the fence.

Labour is fighting this election with no manifesto, no alternative budget and no ideas for how they would run our town. This is a very dangerous position – with no budget or plan to save the community services Labour would therefore have to close them.

Residents deserve an Administration that are passionate about getting things done to improve our community. My Conservative colleagues and I have a clear record of delivery on all the key issues faced by our town.

And so, providing nothing crazy happens, former Masachusetts governor Mitt [...]]]> It was @harlowtorygirl birthday yesterday, so I missed the “live” announcement that Rick Santorum accepted defeat and cleared the way for the Race proper to begin. Admittedly Newt and Ron Paul are still hanging about like bad smells, but effectively the primaries are now over.

And so, providing nothing crazy happens, former Masachusetts governor Mitt Romney will be the man to face Barack Obama in November.

Romney starts well behind in the polls, probably because of the brutallity of the Republican primary, but as Mike Smithson points out Romneys tactics could well deal with this gap in the polls quite easily.

Many have accused Romney of not being ‘Republican enough’ in the primaries, but I have a sneaking suspicion that things will change as the race proper begins. I suspect we will se the romney camp try and put a clear dividing  line between him and Obama on Tax levels for a start.

One thing for sure – With the actual race now starting, things are going to get very interesting!

Strange isn’t it that my family has been politically active together since my election in 1998, but that [...]]]> A left wing activist, and husband of a Labour candidate at the forthcoming election, has decided to be critical about the fact that my family are politically active in the town that they live in and love.

Strange isn’t it that my family has been politically active together since my election in 1998, but that he has only decided to make an issue of this now, when his wife is up for election…. hmmm I wonder if there is any correlation to this fact.

To be honest I am surprised that he is so surprised, after all Harlow is one of those places that values families working together for the greater good – just look at our most treasured piece of artwork, the one currently representing the town at the national exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum – The Family Group; the clue is kind of in the name.

He seems to think that there is something wrong in family members getting themselves elected, by a democratic majority mandate of the people, in different wards of Harlow, under the same political banner…..

If anything, the only thing wrong with it is the absolute drain this can have on a family. Family dinners often become overwhelmed by conversations not about how the family is but how other people are, how we can keep helping others. Family events get moved or cancelled because a “special” meeting has had to be called to deal with an urgent item of council business. As Parents, my wife and I have had to decide who gets to go to my daughters parents evening or school play and who attends a council meeting instead.

And yes, both my Father and Father-in-law are councillors. Do you know what? They were also in the same year at the same school in Harlow and played in the same football and Cricket teams then – so obviously something very sinister is going on! Come off it.

There was once a time when Public service was valued by the left as well as the right, and families that were involved in helping their community were valued, but for this Labour candidates husbands it seems that a family that works hard for the town it loves is suspicious and wrong. David Foreman of Harlow TUC get a grip!

David seems to think that he has uncovered a massive state secret, but as far as I remember the Press and indeed the other political parties have known and made jokes about this fact for years; in fact the previous Labour MP used to do so regularly in the press.

But for the record and just so no one can suggest I am hiding anything:

Cllr Eddie Johnson is my Father

Cllr Shona Johnson is my wife

Cllr Clive Souter is my Father in Law

Stephanie Souter, who is my Mother in Law is standing for election in Staple Tye ward this year

Cllr David Johnson (EFDC) is my Brother

Funnily enough, I am not embarrased that my family feel the need to work hard for the town that they have lived in for generations but totally proud of the hard work and commitment that they show to Harlow, the town I love.

But do you know something?

I don’t care what people think.

Because I [...]]]> Ok, so I know its not cool these days to “do God”, and even less so for politicians to “do God”, and I know that some will consider me a “bit of a nutter” for this post and others like it.

But do you know something?

I don’t care what people think.

Because I believe that Jesus Christ, born as Man but ever God, died for my sins. More importantly he beat death and rose from the dead and asceded into heaven. He is my Lord and Saviour.

So this weekend, if you don’t believe in Christ, please enjoy the Bank Holidays and your Chocolate. But if like me you worship the Risen Lord, then many blessings to you and yours on this most Holy of weekends.