"Two Tough Interviews and an Assessment."

Getting on the Tory A-list is a tough business - just ask Gillingham's very own A-lister* Reh Chishti.

To be able to have the honour of saying you are an A-lister* takes "two tough interviews and an assessment."

Interesting way of putting it Reh...especially when you consider The Yorkshire Post's recent report on your Parliamentary Assessment Panel. The Yorkshire Post claim you failed your first assessment panel.

But hey - that's not so bad, right? Everyone deserves another chance.

A second assessment panel was organised and "phew!" Reh is through and free to look for a seat.

And there's the problem. It would appear that under Conservative rules our Reh should have been made to wait 12 months before being allowed a re-sit - not the mere few weeks Reh had to wait out.

I'm guessing they had to act quick in case he decided to pack his bags and chance his arm with the Lib Dems.

But apparently this is not the way to win friends in the Party. One dis-gruntled Tory party member commented: "I don’t see why people who have worked for the Conservative Party for years should be pushed to one side to make way for somebody who has been working against the party for years. Everyone should be treated equally."

It's okay Reh...we still love you here at Medway Tory Watch.

* I keep on saying that Reh is an A-lister. He is, infact, really a B-lister. He never made it onto the first batch of A-list candidates.
But let's not quibble, eh? No seat, didn't win Dragon's Den and that terrible sporting injury curtailed his promising athletic career.
To point that out he is really a B-lister would be just plain petty!

Paul Foster Arrested in Sex Offences Investigation

The Medway Messenger reports that Cllr Paul Foster has been arrested by police officers investigating alleged sexual offences.

On October 19th Paul Foster was arrested at a care home he runs in Lonsdale Drive for young adults with learning disabilities. Police have since released him on bail while they continue their investigations.

A police spokesman said: "I can confirm police arrested a 48 year old man at an address in Rainham in connection with an investigation into alleged sexual offences."

Leader of Medway Council, Cllr Rodney Chambers, said: "We are aware there is a police investigation under way and we are co-operating fully, as you would expect us to do when there are any allegations of this nature. This is a police investigation and, therefore, I'm unable to comment further."

The Medway Messenger attempted to contact Cllr Foster on Wednesday and Thursday - but were unsuccessful.

Earlier this month, Cllr Foster created a political storm with his comments on the type of person most likely to be succeed in being selected as a Tory PPC, when he appeared on BBC's The Politics Show.

Cllr Foster currently represents Rainham Central on Medway Council. At the last general election he was the agent for Rochester & Strood and Gillingham & Rainham constituencies.

The Sheer Bloody Cheek: Where was the encouragement when you were counting out the money?

The Medway Standard reports that Medway Council are keen to bring vacant homes back into use (Tues, Oct 24th. Pg 16).

Currently there are 1000 homes across the Towns that have been empty for more than six months. To encourage the owners to bring their dis-used homes back into the market the council are offering renovation grants of up to £15,000.

Medway Labour Group have long been advocates of bringing empty properties back into use. If you take a look at their pledges, you'll find it alongside their promise for extra affordable housing.

It would appear our local Tories have finally caught up with their national party's approach to policy: pull a quick U-turn or pinch a good idea - even better if you can do both at the same time.

What I find particularly galling about this "stunt" is the way our caring Tories handled the sale of the land behind Compass Close.

Bob Marshall Andrews, in his letter to Rodney Chambers opposing the sale and supporting the residents, pointed out the abundance of empty housing:

"Rather than developing these green areas attention should be paid to reducing the excessive number of abandoned habitable homes in Medway and seeking the development of brownfield sites first, to which the Government has handed a considerable contribution."

Bringing empty homes back into use was the last thing on Alan Jarrett's mind as the pound signs sent his eyes spinning like the drums in a fruit machine. I'm surprised he could stop rubbing his greedy hands together long enough to sign the contract.

Off they skulked to their Civic Centre den thinking - 'let's ignore what the local residents want and sell the last peice of open land in Rochester East, build another 135 homes on the land, trouser £5.5m, and THEN start a campaign to bring 1000 un-used homes back into play.

'And just to be really cheeky, while we are shafting the residents we can put out a press release basically saying: government very bad demanding more homes and threatening to tax us for wanting to keep our green spaces free from developments.'

I'm sorry but this is all wrong. It is just another example of their arrogance and hypocrisy.

How can we allow them to stay in power?

Come on Medway, vote them out in 2007.

What Does This Man Have That Rehman Chishti Doesn't?

Answer: a seat to fight at the next general election.

The chap on the left is Gareth Johnson who has been described as a "small, perfectly pleasant if underwhelming right-winger." He was selected for Lewisham West in 2001 - where he lost to the sitting Labour MP Jim Dowd.

However, a contest he recently did manage to win was to be the PPC for Dartford.

Losing in Dartford at the last election must have really impressed the local Tories because the other A-listers up for selection didn't get a look in, including Gillingham's very own Rehman Chishti.

Better luck next time old chap. We're rooting for you here at Medway Tory Watch.

Dragon's Den: How Did Reh Do?

I've received an email asking how did Reh Chishti do before the Dragon's Den panel at the recent Tory Conference

Not very well is the answer.

He came fourth.

Or LAST as I'd rather put it considering there were only 4 candidates involved.

For those interested Reh received 11% of the vote. The winning policy idea (as it only gets referred to the Policy Commission and not adopted) was to scrape VAT on energy efficient lightbulbs.

Financing Those Pesky Public Services: The Views of an Ex-Chancellor

So then Mr Clarke, what do you make of all this tax cuts business? Do you think if you offer tax cuts it will hit public spending?

"We are not a tax and spend party, and I do think the present levels of public expenditure are wholly excessive."
Ken Clarke, MP and ex-chancellor *

And to think this man wanted to be Tory leader a while back. He actually isn't that dis-similar from Cameron. Clarke once said: "My sense of social justice is quite strongly developed; I remain committed to the NHS and the state education system."

Obviously, just as long as it doesn't cost too much.

* Interviewed by Peter Allen on Radio 5's Drive, 19th October 2006

When Gordon Didn't Meet Reh

I always enjoy the letters section of our local papers. In today's Medway Messenger there is a letter from Teresa Murray concerning Reh Chishti’s previous correspondence about a lack of an invitation to a recent event with Gordon Brown.

As I recall the Chancellor was visiting Gillingham to discuss regeneration. He met with a range of people including representatives from the University of Kent, housing associations and the council. There were also people who had helped to improve their local area.

And what better venue can there be than the revitalised dockyard area? Back in the 80s when the Tories shut the dockyard the heart was ripped out of the Medway Towns. 7000 jobs lost in one day and an estimated further 13,000 losses followed* as other companies who relied on the dockyard began to close.

So why no Reh?

It may have something to do with the Tory record on regeneration. Labour’s John Shaw and Bill Davis saw the benefits of regenerating the area after the Dockyard’s closure. They met with David Curry, the then Tory Minister of State in the Department of the Environment with responsibility for Local Government, Housing and Urban Regeneration , who wholeheartedly agreed with their ideas. “However,” he said. “You need to the find the money from somewhere. You won’t be getting a penny off us.”

It’s a bit different with a Labour Government. Investment of over £120 million has seen this brownfield site transformed with new businesses, universities and housing. This week sees a cinema opening as part of the Dickens World complex.

I think a chat about regeneration with someone like Cllr Bill Davis would be far more interesting to Gordon than a chance to meet our Reh.

* Note to David Cameron. 7000 + 13,000 = 20,000. See how math works Dave?

The Same Old Song: £21 Billion Tax Cuts

Remember Black Wednesday? Boy, what a day that was! Quick refresher for you: Black Wednesday, 16 September 1992, was the day Britain crashed out of the ERM - a system for tying the pound and other currencies' values to that of the German mark.

Throughout the day the PM John Major and his chancellor Norman Lamont raised interest rates from 10% to 12% to 15% and authorised the spending of billions of pounds in a doomed effort to keep the pound within the range allowed by ERM.

I mention this because skulking behind Lamont in the TV coverage is a young David Cameron. David was Lamont's advisor as all came crashing down around their ears. He was there when it was thought record unemployment was a "price worth paying" too.

With this in mind it was interesting to see the Tories launch their Tax Report. With no sign of spreading the proceeds of growth between tax cuts and public spending anywhere it outlined plans for £21 billion tax cuts.

Using the new compassionate Tory policy test of how it helps the least well-off in society I listened with interest.

There were a series of proposals that saw the poorest families, pensioners and single parents all get absolutely zilch while the wealthiest househlds would all benefit, with the richest trousering up to an extra £1000 per year.

Plus their idea to abolitish inheritance tax sounds great but in reality only 6% of the wealthiest estates would benefit.

My favourite proposal, however, is the abolition of stamp duty on shares. This would cost £4 billion and do absolutely nothing for millions of families. That is compassionate conservatism at its very best.

But how to pay for tax cuts worth £21 billion. Something has got to give and that will be cuts to public spending hitting schools, hospitals and our police. It's the same old song from the same old Tories.

What can you get for £21 billion these days anyway? Well that's 525,000 teachers or 600,000 nurses or 210,000 doctors or building 840 new schools or 60 hospitals.

You decide where £21 billion is best spent.

Paul Foster: The Real Conservative

In the spirit of open debate I offer you this entry from The Politics Show website after Cllr Foster's appearance on the programme:

The Medway councillor should take Cameron's job as he spoke for the real conservative.
Anon

What can I say?

Councils who wish to keep green spaces free from development

I was reading an article called "More Homes and Taxes Threat for Medway" over at the Medway Council Conservative Group website.

I'm sure they wouldn't mind me giving them a little plug and quoting as follows from their story:

"Minister for the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) Ruth Kelly MP, has issued what amounts to a veiled financial threat to Medway Council and South Eastern Councils by stating in a Whitehall report that councils who do not build enough homes may miss out on ‘financial incentives’.

"The release, which is now thought to be a veiled threat to raise taxes on councils who wish to keep green spaces free form development..."

I'll stop there. That's an interesting statement "a veiled threat to raise taxes on councils who wish to keep green spaces free from development..."

I'm all for keeping green spaces free from development, especially within our towns, where open space is a valuable commodity. I personally believe that any area that can be utilised by the local community for their own use should be protected. In fact, I know of a green space in Rochester East that should definitely be kept free from development. It's the only open space left there and it's even used by school kids as a nature reserve.

Oh no - too late. The Tories sold the land behind Compass Close for £5.5m.

It's okay. I'm sure the residents were correctly consulted and their objections listened to. There is even a government paper that should have helped, giving recommendations on the preserving and providing of urban green spaces.

They have the support of their MP as well. Bob Marshall Andrews in a letter to Rodney Chambers, the leader of the council, wrote: "Rather than developing these green areas attention should be paid to reducing the excessive number of abandoned habitable homes in Medway and seeking the development of brownfield sites first, to which the Government has handed a considerable contribution."

But no. It was the £5.5m towards reducing the £8m blackhole in the council's finances that was the important factor - not the concerns of the residents who campaigned with their Labour councillors Nick Bowler and Teresa Murray against the development.

And where was the council's desire to keep green spaces free? There are plenty of brownfield sites throughout the Medway Towns that could have easily been developed. But that wouldn't have netted £5.5m. So despite the best efforts of the residents and councillors there will now be 135 houses and flats where open land used to be.

Perhaps we shouldn't rule out the decision behind selling the land was actually a crafty tax avoidance scheme. What better way to deal with a "veiled threat to tax councils who wish to keep green spaces free from development" than to flog off the green spaces in question.

Before I go though. Rodney when you say: "the New Labour government is advocating that as many as 40,000 homes a year must be built in our region" please check out George Osborne's change of heart on house building in the South East.*

Go here to find out about the Labour Group's campaign to save the land.

* Yes, you've guessed it - it's another Tory U-turn.

Time For Some Social Responsibility

David Cameron was in Scotland this week and took the opportunity to appeal to British employers to recognise their social responsibility in helping disabled people back into work.

I totally agree with him.

But the thing I would like to know is when will he recognise his "social responsibility" and tackle one of his own councillors - Paul Foster. I have to ask, because as I noted in an earlier post, Alan Jarrett has not spoken out against the repulsive remarks his colleague made on The Politics Show nearly 3 weeks ago.

It's easy to say the Party has changed, Mr Cameron. It's about time you got your Medway Torys to demonstrate they have. You say you value civil partnerships - Medway Council were the last council in England to allow them.

And now the stony silence.

David Cameron and the Riddle of the 20,000 Job Losses

"The NHS will be safe in our hands." Familiar? You bet. It's Maggie just before she cut funding to our health service. 18 years of underinvestment took it's toll: massive waiting lists, lack of doctors and nurses, no equipment and staff morale at an all time low.

Now David Cameron wants us to believe there will be no turning back to Thatcher's policies and the NHS will safe in his hands. There have been some U-turns since Dave became Tory leader but hold on tight here as we turn this one round.

Do you need reminding that he wrote the last Tory manifesto that proposed to subsidise private patients? Do you remember when, along with the rest of his party, he voted against the extra funding in our NHS?

And now he talks of sharing the proceeds of growth between tax cuts and public spending. I see one result and that is cuts to our public services.

Safe hands? I think not.

Undetered he launches his campaign on the NHS with gloomy predictions of 20,000 job losses in the health service. It's a huge claim and one he and his health team can surely back up.

Well no...Andrew Lansley, shadow health minister admits that there will not 20,000 job losses when he appeared on The Daily Politics.

The BBC investigated Tory claims that Bolton Hospitals Trust and Mid Cheshire Hospitals Trust are to lose 130 jobs and 250 jobs respectively. Both Trusts say not true. BHT are losing 2 admin posts and MCHT 3 jobs.

Cameron called the NHS one the 20th Century's greatest achievements. It is! It's envied throughout the world and I'm proud it was created by a Labour Government. That's why I wonder if he thought about the affect his comments have on staff morale and public confidence. Going into hospital is a stressful enough time without worrying if there will be enough staff there to care for you.

I have one thought for you Mr Cameron. If you want your family safe in the hands of the NHS, as you claim, let's hope your party stays in opposition.

Tory A-lister in Policy Shock: It's okay everyone it's only pretend

While recovering from the terrible injury that ruined his chances of sporting triumph in Newcastle, Cllr Reh Chishti limped into Bournemouth Conference Centre to find himself on stage in a Tory Conference event based on the Beeb's Dragon's Den.

Our very own Gillingham councillor had to present a policy idea before a panel that included Ann Widdecombe and Oliver Letwin. After looking up the meaning of the word policy (give them a chance, it's been a while since they've had one of these), the panel heard Reh's idea about tougher sentences for serial drink-drivers.

I'm sure Cllr Chisti's colleagues at Medway Council were very happy to hear that it was all a game of make believe as naming a Tory policy is a tricky affair. When asked on The Politics Show for 3 Tory policies, Matthew Fearn, David Royle, Paul Foster and David Woolmer (who is a Parish Councillor) hummed and erred until Cllr Royle gamely piped up: "Environment?!"

But then again, as Paul Foster was later to demonstrate on the programme, our Tory councillors keeping their mouths shut isn't such a bad thing. And he has learnt his lesson too. Still no apology.

"What Do You Mean This Isn't Newcastle?" Reh Chishti Hits Bournemouth

On the very same day Paul Foster was insensitively insulting the gay, disabled and ethnic population of the Medway Towns, Cllr Reh Chishti was in Newcastle preparing the 13.1 mile slogathon that is the Great North Run.

I know he was there. He'd said he be there and I believed him. I'd even seen him in the papers decked out in running gear because he wanted to raise money for alley-gates* in his Gillingham North ward and the Red Cross. Very commendable and not a publicity stunt I'm sure. No one would raise over £1000 in sponsorship and not run unless they had a very valid reason.

An injury after all that hard training would be heart breaking, wouldn't it Reh?

"I injured my foot training so I was not comfortable doing a run," a clearly devastated Cllr Chishti said.

What better way is there to convalesce than to take in some Bournemouth sea air - only 356 miles south of Newcastle. And what luck for a newly selected Conservative A-lister - it's first day of Tory conference.

According to The Medway Standard Cllr Chishti will be paying for the alley-gating out of his ward improvement grant after failing to compete in the race. However, The Medway Messenger has this quote from the man himself: "I decided to put £1000 out of my own pocket to match what I would have raised if I competed. I split that between my ward and the Red Cross."

I'm sure the residents of Grange Road, Rosemary Road and Maple Road don't care where the money comes from as long as Cllr Chishti keeps his promise this time and supplies them the alley-gates they want.

* I would like to point out it was Cllr Chishti's Tory colleagues that cut the funding for alley-gates a few years ago.

How to get selected: Cllr Foster on the Politics Show

On Sunday October 1st, Cllr Paul Foster appeared on the South East Edition of The Politics Show on BBC1.

Asked by the interviewer the best way to get selected as a Parliamentary Candidate for the Conservative Party, Cllr Foster replied:

"First of all, you could chop a leg off then you'd be disabled, secondly you could declare the fact you are gay, and if there's a chance of having a word with Michael Jackson and changing your colour then you'd be fine."

For a party (opps, should have said leader and any shadow minister looking for a soundbite) that now sees itself as inclusive and representative surely these remarks are no longer acceptable. It would be nice to hear what our local Conservative Group thinks. Sadly, Cllr Alan Jarrett refused to comment on the matter in an article by Alan Watkins in the Medway Messenger (Oct 6th) so I'm none the wiser.

Cllr Jarrett, if you so happen to read this, please feel free to email any comment to me.