The week that ended....29 May 2015

What a glories Bank Holiday weekend and not a rain drop in sight.

So this week a number of things have happened. I guess the first thing is earlier in the week I wrote about how the Conservative Candidate not only lied during the election, which he now admits, but also he broke election laws. I have been working with a top London Law Firm, Griffin Law, on the matter and they have done a fantastic job and report for me.

It is clear that they the Conservative Candidate didn't only break one law but we identified 8. Therefore makes for an incredible case to take to the Courts to get it overturned. However, had we been successful then I would have been left with a legal bill in the region of £25,000. Not worth it. But a number of other courses of actions were identified by the law firm and one of them I have dismissed but one I like a lot. Food for thought there.

First Council Meeting of Municipal meeting.

So this week saw the first meeting of the Full Council - just as expected it only last a few minutes. No debate, no discussion but this made it quicker for the Cllrs to go and get their free food and drink.

Fracking

In North Yorkshire Conservative Cllrs allowed Fracking and whilst this is not in our area it is worrying as Wigan has licences for companies to come and apply for fracking. There was a debate this week about Fracking in Wigan and we would fight this council on this issue if any company came to apply for Fracking in Standish or Wigan.

1984

So we all know about George Orwell's 1984 book about being the Big Brother state. NO one really thought that would happen but this week it has been reported the wide, and increasing, abuse the state and this Conservative Government are carrying out. For example, ANPR cameras that look at your number plate and record where you are. There are now over 9000 of these cameras on our roads and increasing all the time. In 2012 the database was looked at 194,317. 2 years later in 2014 the records were accessed 300,758. And there was me thinking Conservatives were about little Government? How wrong!

The system was introduced in 2006 and recorded 35 million records that year.Currently the system is now recording 30 million PER DAY!!!!! That is well over 10 BILLION records now being recorded each year. These records are then held for years and the police and other services do not need permission to access them they simply go and look.

Devolution

David Cameron and his Government are saying that we are stronger in the EU and fighting for us to stay in this. But this week a House of Lords report says that the devolution process that this Government is taking the British Union for granted and it is being broken up piece meal. So if the Tories think that it is good to be in the EU why are they breaking up the UK in this piece meal way? The Lords says that it will risk economical and social elements of the British Union.

Labour was against this process. Andy Burnham was quick to say how he was against it and for once on this matter I agreed with him. He seems to have forgotten as he now wants to be Mayor of either greater Manchester or Merseyside. The first thing on this issue is that we had a referendum on this matter and the vote was overwhelming no to an elected Mayor. Tories answer tough we are doing it any way. Why ask people if you don't listen to them?

Abuse towards Women.

I see it is reported that Johnny Deep and his wife are to split, a sad event for anyone that goes through that I guess, but it is being reported that he has hit her in the face with a Phone. if true that is shocking. Mind you our Conservative Cllr has a record of bullying and verbally abusing women. He even made one cry just because his garden didn't win a local competition. These kind of behaviour should not happen, especially from elected members.
  

Update after Election

So it is now a complete of weeks after the last Local Elections and things are settling down. Some people have commented that I have been quiet and opponents having their like digs, which is fine. Others that know me knew that I would be be doing something.

Opponents and local rag have made comments too about me leaving before the vote was declared, which is their chose.

So you never know if you will win in an election but you know certain things. When the ballot boxes were being opened, especially the postal box things were very clear that there was something wrong.


When the numbers were there are there about I immediately left because I wanted to do something. Copy every page of a certain hate Facebook site before the Conservative Candidate delete it or closed it down.

The following day I spoke with a top London Solicitor to discuss the possibility of challenging the election result. Not because I didn't win - as that is no reason but on the grounds that criminal acts took place during the election.

If you speak with top Lawyers that specialise in this area they more often that not just dismiss you at the first phone, I would imagine. However, the lawyer was keen to see a taste of the post that I was mentioning to him. After an initial look over the weekend he came back the following week and said OK we needed to get everything to him. Everything? I did all 350 pages of evidence. Then going back and forth answering the lawyer questions and issue he finally sent me his assessment on Friday afternoon about the merits of challenging the election.

In his assessment he starts with the fact that challenging elections are difficult and complicated. However, after seeing all the evidence and discussing all of them over the last 2 weeks he feels that it is a very strong case now to challenge the Standish with Langtree Ward result as in his professional opinion the Conservative Candidate has broken election laws numerous times. Normally if someone does challenge an election result then it will be over just one issue. With this case we have more than what is needed. In fact he said lets cut down the ones that are not as strong as others and concentrate on 3 or 4 very strong issues where we can demonstrate where the Conservative Candidate has broken the law.

We now have till Friday to lodge a petition to challenge the Election result. If a petition to void an election result is successful then a by election is called and the winning candidate that broke the law will be excluded from the re-run.

Thank You

Thank you to all those that supported me in this Local Elections. I know people want to hear more from me and next week I will say more. At this time I think it is right that I thank the voters that voted for me and those that also helped in the campaign.

We're Backing Gareth............Standish Indepemdents.

Cllr George Fairhurst says, “ Gareth is an incredibly hard working Cllr and what he did back in 2012 to stop the Council selling Ashfield Off for houses was amazing. I know he was disappointed that we did not get the Village Green status but for many residents that I speak too they are very grateful for his help.

Gareth also works hard on many other issues whether it is in the Council Chamber and committee meetings or dealing with residents small issues too.”

Cllr Debbie Fairhurst says, “I am incredibly lucky to be working with both George and Gareth. For me the team works well and we need to stop any more houses coming and Gareth is one of the leading voices against any more houses in Standish. The warmth that many residents talk to me about how he has helped them, is amazing.”

Another Reason to Vote Standish Independents

i'm Backing Gareth........

Gareth works so hard for us on both big issues and little issues. We were battling the disgraceful state of the footpath on my street and Gareth was able to help and work with me and the other residents to get the path redone. It things like this that make Gareth a Great Cllr and I hope Standish agrees with me and also backs Gareth.

Good luck Gareth.

The week that ended....01 May 2016

So this week it is mainly election election and not guilty.

So with less than a week to go before the local elections the main drive is the Local Election. Obviously my main focus is my re-election campaign and all parties first priority are the defending seats.

We have had a great response over the election campaign and we are only now moving into the last stages. The trailer is a great tool for people and the love it. So many peole have their pics next to it or just take a pic on their phones to share with their friends.

In 2012 with Save Ashfield I used Social Media to engage with a number of people and that works well for us, hence the blog with 10,000 hits per month. But also the  people that do not do social media don't know what's going on and we have had a huge focus this election with our leaflets. Over the period we have done 3 leaflets and a postal voters letter. Massive effect to get them all out but the team getting them all out is growing day by day. We are currently getting our latest leaflet out and we did 3500 in a few hours because we had a team of 20 out at one point. Massive effect but then it makes it simple to get them out. We will finish this latest leaflet off in the next day or two as the weather is not good today.

Labour absolutely blasted Standish last year and this year has done hardly anything.  Tells a story that they are not expecting to win and finding it tough on the doorstep.The Internal row with Jeremy Corbyn hasn't helped. as for the Tories people are simply disgusted at this government looking after the rich and the cuts are now going too far.

Copycats
So I have this blog and I have done it for years. Labour candidate has started her own. Since 2010 we have done we're backing campaign and now the Tory candidate has copied this. Only thing he uses actors, people from outside Standish, inc developers to support him. Doesn't he realise that Standish don't want houses? Typical Tory looking after their donors before residents.


Investigation
A Labour supporter reported me for some nonsense and this was investigated. To be fair it shouldn't but the Labour Supporter insisted it was. I requested an external investigator and the findings are that I did not breach the code of conduct that Cllrs sign up too and this Labour supporter has wasted over £15,000 of tax payers money.

Shevington
Our candidate has had a great response in Shevington and we have had a great effect there and we feel that we are now in a position to take that seat too of Labour. Good Luck to Janet there.

If you see me round give us a shout and if you need me you know where I am.

Thursday 5th May

Vote for Gareth Fairhurst

Standish Independents

Im Backing Gareth..........Hall & Houghton

Hall & Houghton is a local Business and I happy happy to announce they too are backing me in this years' Local Election.

i'm Backing Gareth........David Grady

Gareth is such a character and friend. When the other candidates have their personal attacks on him you just know that he gets stuck in and that is why Labour see him as a threat to them and their monopoly in Wigan.

Gareth is a straight talker and gets things done. Where other talk the talk Gareth walks the walk.

Good Luck Gareth.