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Posted by: user23 Nov 14 2010, 05:25 PM

Would you like a Local Politics section on this forum?

Perhaps if enough people vote Yes then one might be added.

Posted by: Darren Nov 14 2010, 05:41 PM

Yes. Then Mr Garvie can post to his hearts content and I can just filter it all out

Posted by: GMR Nov 14 2010, 05:45 PM

I've ticked yes as well.

Posted by: Iommi Nov 14 2010, 05:53 PM

I've ticked don't care (what difference does it make), it is hardly busy on here. I think this is yet again a case of person/people being spiteful.

Posted by: GMR Nov 14 2010, 06:06 PM

Who is being spiteful? And why?

Posted by: On the edge Nov 14 2010, 06:06 PM

What are local politics? Aren't they most of what we discuss here? Is this simply because someone has some radical alternatives? Interesting - particularly when looking back at past threads there has been some call for local politicians to join in! I have to admit, I don't like the idea of separating poltics from life - frankly that's what most of life is about; unless you are a hermit or reside on a desert island. The alternative is professional politicians, agreed the way we seem to be heading, but how sad. We've often call what happens here a debate; in reality much is simply arguing or bickering - simply hiving off 'politics' won't help! I also have a sneaking suspicion that more than one active member here is a 'local politician' but takes care to keep party affiliation secret. Makes for a better and far more balanced debate when they don't. So my vote was no.

Posted by: NWNREADER Nov 14 2010, 06:07 PM

My vote is no.
Firstly, local 'politics' should not be on party lines - it should be purely about running the local infrastructure. There will be Central Government impositions to be met regardless of governing Party(parties), but the local management would better serve the population if they just operated the services.
Second, who are the local politicians who want to use such a facility. I'm not aware of any.

Posted by: Darren Nov 14 2010, 06:16 PM

Hang around a bit more and you'll soon see.

Posted by: Iommi Nov 14 2010, 06:18 PM

People who are complaining about RG in the way they are; user23 in particular.

Posted by: GMR Nov 14 2010, 07:39 PM

But then User23 complains about everybody. I bet if you went to WBC you would be able to spot him straight away, crouched behind his desk trying to look inconspicuous. Probably hiding behind a copy of Trainspotters monthly.

Posted by: Iommi Nov 14 2010, 07:55 PM

Assuming the professional background of someone is something I'd rather not do if they would rather not disclose.

Posted by: HJD Nov 15 2010, 04:49 PM

I quite agree there Iommi. However those that go back a while on the other Newbury Website & particularly the previous one will already remember several poster's names / occupation's were made public . For instance i know who GMR is, i'm sure he won't mind me telling. He's the one who sits outside Tesco's during the summer wearing his shorts & eating a picnic, am i correct GMR.

Posted by: Biker1 Nov 15 2010, 05:10 PM

As a subscriber to "Railway Magazine" I find that offensive!

Perhaps you meant "Football Yobs Monthly"?

Posted by: Strafin Nov 15 2010, 05:53 PM

Why would you vote if you don't care???

Posted by: GMR Nov 15 2010, 06:02 PM

I am glad you said 'summer'.... if you said winter people might have thought I was mad (I know... that would be stretching the imagination to a ridiculous point... but in the wrong eyes I could be perceived as mad).

PS I also wear my shorts in the winter (and no references to madness please).

Posted by: GMR Nov 15 2010, 06:04 PM

Do you know User23 then?



That would be daft; at least with 'football yobs monthly' you would get some life out of them. Can you say the same about the readership of 'Railway Magazine'?

Posted by: GMR Nov 15 2010, 06:05 PM

Probably to feel part of the pack!!

Posted by: Biker1 Nov 15 2010, 06:17 PM

Bizarre!!

Posted by: blackdog Nov 15 2010, 06:32 PM

Almost all posts on the forum (both categories) are local politics - and were long before Richard Garvie came along.

Posted by: GMR Nov 15 2010, 06:34 PM

Of course, what did you expect?

Posted by: Biker1 Nov 15 2010, 06:36 PM

Voted "Don't care" - because I don't!

Wait a minute - why did I bother?

Posted by: Jayjay Nov 15 2010, 07:23 PM

So you are noit interested in the suspension of CCTV, road works, traffic, what the budget will be for the coming years, the Police, local hospitals, car park charges etc., You will ignore all of the posts on these subjects?

Posted by: Darren Nov 16 2010, 08:03 AM

I will take an interest in them, but will be free to ignore the petty political point-scoring that keeps appearing. Things like http://forum.newburytoday.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=995

I thought we were in a new age of constructive politics?

Posted by: blackdog Nov 16 2010, 08:42 AM

You are already free to ignore whatever you feel like ignoring.

The problem with a local politics board is that it would be a combination of News and Random Rants - vitrually every thread on this forum is about local politics in some way.

Posted by: Bloggo Nov 16 2010, 08:58 AM

The beauty of this forum is it's simplicity. Adding another section for "politics " would confuse the whole thing as has been said, politics finds it's way into so many threads.
The best thing to do is give those that peddle party politics an opportunity to desist and if they continue to rant on then "ignore" them. People like Mr Garvie will find he is only talking to himself or those of a like mind.

Posted by: Richard Garvie Nov 16 2010, 09:02 AM

On the news section, there are 16 threads related to politics, four started by me!!!

Posted by: Richard Garvie Nov 16 2010, 09:20 AM

See, I thought the threads Istarted were on specific topics. I agree though, that threads like http://forum.newburytoday.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=966 and http://forum.newburytoday.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=964 and possibly even http://forum.newburytoday.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=971 are a complete waste of "bandwidth". For me, I have tried to engage and put over some alternative ways of doing things. If you don't like my idea, say so. But don't rubbish me and my opinions when you can't offer any opinion other than I'm an idiot because my ideas "won't work" in your opinion. A lot of those who moan about the politics threads have actually started political threads. Yes, a lot of them recently have turned into debates between User23 / Dannyboy and myself, but that's more to do with the Labour bashing that goes on rather than me hijacking them.

As for new age of constructive politics, I like to think that Labour are engaging in that. In the thread you highlight, I simply refer to a gag by Richard Benyon about the ironic situation of the student not realising who had just ran him over. For me, the tuition fee issue has always been a tough issue to swallow, especially when Labour introduced fees to what I now know was to address the uneven funding levels of lower and higher education. This additional hike goes against what the Lib Dems and some Tories campaigned for, and a lot of people from a similar background to myself with now be priced out of higher education. A gag like that was a step to far, maybe I shouldn't have posted the thread on here as some people may see it as a step to far, but I was spitting blood when I saw his post on twitter and it still leaves a bad taste now. Maybe I'm on my own here in terms of the poverty I grew up in, but I remember what it was like growing up under Thatcher and Major. Labour on the most part transformed this country, and when the Libs joined the coalition there was only one party left for me to consider. But as I keep saying, Miliband, Cameron and Clegg will not be on the ballot papers next year, I am trying to fight local issues here in West Berkshire and for those who slate me, the only opinion they offer is that Labour messed up the country. If we are in a new era of politics, stop slating me because I joined Labour, engage in my ideas and tell me why they won't work. Put forward your own ideas. If anyone can be singled out for misusing this forum, it certainly won't be me.

Posted by: user23 Nov 16 2010, 12:24 PM

Why haven't we seen any other Labour sympathisers, supporters or party members (who'll own up to it anyway) voicing their opinion on here? To me, Labour don't seem to be engaging in anything.

Posted by: Bloggo Nov 16 2010, 12:26 PM

There aren't any.

Posted by: Simon Kirby Nov 16 2010, 12:30 PM

It would be good if our elected condems were here (as themselves) to account for themselves.

Posted by: Bofem Nov 16 2010, 01:00 PM

.Labour's not engaging, but Richard is quite refreshing.

Posted by: Richard Garvie Nov 16 2010, 01:49 PM

Phew, you are safe and well??? We haven't debated in a few days, was wondering where you had got too

Posted by: Iommi Nov 16 2010, 02:20 PM

The strange thing is, I've always thought user23 as a Labour man. He's been very defensive of Gordon Brown in the past.

Posted by: GMR Nov 16 2010, 06:18 PM

'Simplicity': You think? I would image the majority do have the intelligence to work it out... but then again you could right.

Posted by: GMR Nov 16 2010, 06:20 PM

I wouldn't actually call Brown (or even Blair for that matter) true labour people. And don't forget that New labour have been in pains to disassociate themselves from old labour (socialism). New Labour came out of Thatcherism.

Posted by: Iommi Nov 16 2010, 06:31 PM

Gordon Brown is and was a member of the Labour party. Whether the Labour party is constitutionally the same as previous iterations is a different matter. They still have a tax (and borrow) and spend ethic, it would seem.

Posted by: GMR Nov 16 2010, 06:55 PM

True, but Blair and Brown still moved away from old labour... that is why they added 'New' in front of Labour.

Posted by: Iommi Nov 16 2010, 07:27 PM

Anyway, I have always thought user23 to be a Labour Party supporter.

Posted by: GMR Nov 16 2010, 08:06 PM

Funny you should say that because I thought the same.