The luxury of choice!

After long and careful consideration - I have decided to ask the people of Wensum ward to vote a Liberal Democrat, i.e. myself, back on to the North Norfolk District Council. I did not stand in the previous District Council election for very good reason - I was by then a County Councillor and also Chairman of the Housing Association specially created to take over NNDC's housing stock - much of it in poor repair and in dire need of renovation. There just were not enough hours in the day to do all three jobs properly!
My career had been in the money, bricks and mortar side of social housing and this experience was invaluable in setting up the association, now known as Victory Housing, and in shepherding it through the early years.
I enjoyed my experience on the Planning side of things and I think the Council's preservation of North Norfolk's unique landscape and buildings has been exemplary. The District remains a clean place to live with spotless beaches and well maintained attractions for visitors. The Council has made a decision to hold Council tax at 2010/11 levels - quite an achievement, especially with no reduction in services.
It is also a special place to visit in no small measure due to the District's contribution to the Arts.
My first years in the District were spent in the adjoining ward and I know the area very well - indeed I was its County Councillor for four years!
Watch this space for further details of my plans for action on behalf of constituents - and contact me, either through this page or on Twitter or Facebook

Spring threatens to arrive and I feel a great surge of optimism!!

Exciting times

Well - I'm back! For those who have wondered what I have been doing, I have been getting my energy (and bank balance!) back in order by working hard at my life outside of politics.
I work part-time for a privately owned college in London which has brought me into contact with International students and their difficulties with the UK Border Agency. Genuine students are really suffering as knee jerk reaction at Westminster makes their life difficult. This country has had a proud tradition of offering first class education to young people from all over the world. This shouldn't be an immigration issue and, here, I agree with Richard Bacon's recent speech on the subject.
I'm also involved in assist with appeals against the Home Office by people who have been refused refugee status - a real eye opener, in that there is little consistency in decisions!
As you can see, the politician in me won't lie down as I get outraged by unfairness and injustice whenever and wherever I find it.
I have watched the upheaval in the Middle East with a mixture of excitement and horror. The Dictators who feel the hot breath of reform in their countries have reacted in very different ways - Mubarak running away with his personal fortune which, strangely, exceeds the grant aid his poor starving countrymen have received during his time in power - Gaddafi bombing and shooting his own people who are PEACEFULLY asking for democratic rights which we all should take for granted.
Can civilised countries like ours really sit on the sidelines? A hard call to make as when we do intervene - in Afghanistan for example - the local population continues to suffer and families in the UK lose fathers, brothers and sons.

Just what I feared but maybe.........

Well, I tried really hard and came second! I had great support and help from Bob, my agent and Kerri my press officer - no-one could have asked for more.Our party activists did sterling work at HQ - including two ladies in their 90's!! Thanks to all concerned.

What now? Well it's ironical that we have a situation in which, in spite of losing seats, the Liberal Democrats can help this country to get what it deserves - a fair voting system which reflects the votes of the whole population. The price for our support MUST be a referendum so that PR can't be swept under the carpet as it has been before.
I still want to represent Norfolk people and hope to do so in the not too distant future!

Watch this space!

If you're a Tory voter, this is why you should lend me your vote

Take a look:

http://jackofkent.blogspot.com/2010/05/why-this-ex-tory-boy-is-voting-libera
l.html

This letter sums it all up!

I was delighted to recieve this letter the other day:

Dear Jacky,

Yes, you're right: you are the only party capable of beating the Tories in South Norfolk, and we need to clear out the present incumbents so that fresh attitudes can be nurtured. Your letter was well-worded and sensible without any ridiculous promises and the attendant hysteria, and my wife and I shall certainly "lend" you our vote this time.

If the parliament is hung this time - as the whole nation seems to hope - then you must get proportional representation in place BEFORE the next election, which may come very soon.

We really do need a change to the way we are governed. Politicians are public servants - in the same way that teachers, nurses, doctors, police officers,........are public servants: there's pride in that, not shame, but no one in parliament seems to realise it. Even intelligent journalists still talk about "who will be the next boss". We really do need a change of attitude so that we move to what we should be - a parliamentary democracy, not a presidential democracy where a few people make key decisions.

I have voted Labour all my life (except when I have voted strategically) but the Blair/Brown governments have destroyed socialism in this country for the next 10 - 15 years, and this is the moment for a decisive change to the way we elect our politicians.

All the Best, and I hope you get in and make a difference: if so, you'll have my vote for good,

Terry Cant

Thank you Terry. I hope others will read this and feel the same way!