Friday, May 2, 2008
Posted by Alan Collins on Saturday, May 3rd, 2008 at 16:28

Medway Messenger

Hardly a champion on democracy

I READ with anger the hypocritical comments made by Labour Cllr Paul Godwin, comparing Medway Conservatives to Robert Mugabe.

Perhaps Cllr Godwin can tell me when Gordon Brown attended the Robert Mugabe School of Democracy, having failed to hold an election when he was appointed Prime Minister, a referendum on the EU Constitution (sorry, should that have read Lisbon Treaty? It’s so easy to get confused between the two) and giving all Cabinet appointments and chairs of all Parliamentary Committees to members of the ruling party.

I am sure Cllr Godwin would like to make out that he is some kind of champion for democracy, but his party has hardly been a shining example of democracy in action in recent years and he certainly has no right to lecture other parties on how to conduct democracy.

Perhaps Cllr Godwin would also like to write to Gordon Brown and ask him to invite Tory Treasury spokesman Justine Greening to be the chairman of the Treasury Committee. Either that or accept that they lost the election in Medway for good reason, and that the present system works perfectly well in both ensuring proper scrutiny is undertaken and negative bitterness from Labour and Liberal councillors doesn’t adversely affect the people of Medway.

Alan Collins
Goudhurst Road,
Twydall, Gillingham

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Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Posted by Alan Collins on Tuesday, April 8th, 2008 at 12:37

Medway Standard

All hail Kelly, our queen of April

Well done on your hilarious April Fool’s article on Medway’s newest town, Chatingham (Standard, April 1).

Not reading the paper in the morning as I usually do meant that I could fully appreciate the joke, and I found it genuinely hilarious,

I wonder how many people skimmed past the name Paolo Fril without realising that it is an anagram of April Fool?

Although I have to say, joke or not, Kelly Brook can be Queen of my town any day.

Alan Collins, by email

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Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Posted by Alan Collins on Wednesday, March 5th, 2008 at 09:43

Yourmedway

Councillor was in USA forging links

Reading through the letters page in Issue No 25 of Yourmedway (February 27, 2008) led me to wonder if Cllr Teresa Murray has ever heard of the word “diplomacy”, or if she is unable to ever cast party politics aside.

According to the dictionary, diplomacy is “the art or practice of conducting international relations”, and Cllr Rehman Chishti certainly wasn’t in America to settle his supposed “struggle to decide on his political allegiances”.

Mr Chishti’s role was to observe how elections are run in America - not to try and sway public opinion towards, or against, a specific candidate or party; America is, after all, a big country.

Instead, he saw how things worked from both sides of the fence, forging important links with American Democrats and Republicans alike.

Trying to make political gain out of such a visit strikes me as being a little bit desperate.

Alan Collins
from Twydall
Via email

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A letter to Network Rail
Posted by Alan Collins on Saturday, January 5th, 2008 at 14:47

January 05, 2007

RE: Network Rail Driver Illegally Driving

To whom it may concern,

I would like to make a complaint about one of your employees, whom I saw illegally driving through Twydall yesterday afternoon.

The male driver was driving along Goudhurst Road whilst using his mobile phone and, it appeared, not wearing a seatbelt (although I cannot be entirely sute of the latter).

I think that it is disgusting that your employees should flout the law and so took the liberty of making a note of the registration of the Network Rail van he was driving, which I would be more than happy to provide if you wish to request this via email.

It may not be my place to say this, but it does not reflect well on you as a company if your employees can be seen to be breaking the law so openly. Thus I suggest that a word with your employees about this might not be a bad idea.

I look forward to a response on this matter.

Yours sincerely,

Alan Collins

Continue Reading “A letter to Network Rail” »

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“Safe” Labour seat offer
Posted by Alan Collins on Thursday, January 3rd, 2008 at 16:43

January 03, 2008

RE: “Safe” Labour seat offer

Mr Clark,

I have heard reports that you have been/are likely to be offered a “safe” Labour seat in the North of England for the next election.

As a concerned Constituent, I was wondering whether or not you have been offered such a seat and if so, whether or not you are going to accept it; or if not, whether or not you would accept a “safe” Labour seat if offered.

Being the man of Gillingham that you are, it would be quite disappointing to see you take on a new seat in the North of England, such as Kingston upon Hull, which we know will be vacant at the next election.

I have published this letter on my website as a public record of my query and look forward to hearing your response.

Yours sincerely,

Alan Collins

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