Breaking News...Estate Agent's Board are set to be banned.
I am delighted to say the Secretary of State has agreed to extend the Estate Agent's board ban across Brunswick Town and most of the central historic area of the city.
Working wth local residents and council officers, this has been a ten year fight going all the way to the Secretary of State.
Congratulations to all involved. This will make a huge improvement to the appearance of streets such as lansdowne Place and Waterloo Street.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
US elections ‘09
- preview article for Lib Dem Voice In electoral terms, 2009 is supposed to be an off year in American politics, but there are still a number of intriguing races worth taking a look at ahead of the Nov 3rd elections.
Top of the list is the Governor’s race in Virginia. State Democrat Creigh Deeds faces Republican Bob McDonnell, in an increasingly heated, if not plain nasty race. McDonnell is ahead in a state Obama picked up last year. Interestingly, Deeds beat Hillary Clinton’s campaign chairman Terry McAuliffe in the primary, but his campaign is yet to shine in the run-up to election day. As they head into the final weeks, the GOP looking increasingly likely to win.
The New Jersey Governor’s race sees a similar pattern, except the Democrats might have hoped to fair better in the state as Democratic incumbent Jim Corzine is running for a second term. Corzine is trying to fight off a stiff challenge from Republican Chris Christie. Christie has been consistently ahead in every poll since January and is growing in confidence, but polls in the last few days do show Corzine mounting a comeback after a negative ads blitz.
The economy and healthcare are clearly key issues in the elections – issues which take Obama’s shine off and act as a rallying point for the Republicans, reviving their electoral prospects this year and next. Polls show about 60% oppose a government requirement for an approved healthcare plan and the anger in the debate easily outstrips the heated MP expenses saga in the UK earlier in the year. Republicans are also talking up taxation issues in a direct appeal to their supporters and to win over hard pressed Democrats.
Publicly, Obama isn’t taking much interest in these races, but VP Joe Biden is. A natural campaigner, Biden brings a human touch to the campaign trail. He has also been helping loyal House Democrats repaying support on healthcare and the economy. The House of Representatives is up next year, with incumbents in tight races fighting their re-election campaigns from the day after the last election.
There is much fun to be had with city politics. Plenty of Mayors are up this year – including New York’s newly Independent Michael Bloomberg, who is currently polling well. He doesn’t seem to be facing too much of a challenge, however others are. Boston’s incumbent Mayor Thomas Menino, is taking no chances, running a ferocious re-election campaign for a historic fifth term running Boston, and he might well do it. Miami, Minneapolis, San Diego and Seattle are all seeing city elections.
Attention is already turning to next year’s elections – including the California gubernatorial election when Arnie steps down due to term limits. Lifelong campaigner, Jerry Brown and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsome are fighting it out for the Democratic nomination. 2010 will be Obama’s big test, and one which might decide his fate as a one or two term President.
* Paul Elgood is a Lib Dem councillor in Brighton & Hove, and blogs at The Brunswick Blog. He has recently returned from a trip to Washington.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Britain and Obama
A poll for The Guardian has found that the majority of Brits want to see Barack Obama as the next US President. Carried out ahead of the Democratic candidate's visit to Britain next week, the poll reveals that 53% feel he would make the best President, with only 11% favouring John McCain; 36% declined to express an opinion.
ICM Research interviewed a random sample of 1,009 adults aged 18+ on July 9-10. Interviews were conducted across the country and the results have been weighted to the profile of all adults.
A poll for The Guardian has found that the majority of Brits want to see Barack Obama as the next US President. Carried out ahead of the Democratic candidate's visit to Britain next week, the poll reveals that 53% feel he would make the best President, with only 11% favouring John McCain; 36% declined to express an opinion.
ICM Research interviewed a random sample of 1,009 adults aged 18+ on July 9-10. Interviews were conducted across the country and the results have been weighted to the profile of all adults.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Starbucks spreads its wings: Article for one8Onews, 23 May 2008
1,361 people can’t be wrong. That’s the number of people in the ‘Stop Starbucks Opening on St James’s Street’ Facebook group. The site helped to generate over 500 letters to the Council’s Planning Department to see off an application by the multi-national chain for a coffee shop on St James’s Street. Well done to a fantastic grass roots campaign – the people really did speak. You can elect a Councillor on 1,313 votes in most council wards, so the level of this support is staggering. But the battle is far from over, as Starbucks have now said that they will appeal. They should wake-up smell the coffee and respect the decision of the council.
St James’s Street really could be Brighton’s best area. It has everything going for it, location, vibrant businesses and a colourful community. What has been missing for decades is the full blown support of the City Council to truly make the area one of the city’s jewels its the crown. The traders and businesses there do an absolutely fantastic job, but sometimes I do feel the area is in need of some council-led love and care.
A good example of this is the grime on the pavements across the city. The council should be washing down the pavements on a daily basis and blasting off the gum and grease. Washing down streets sounds old fashioned but it works. Last year’s fantastic Pride street party attracted thousands of visitors, but I, and indeed my visitors, felt the state of the streets let the party down. Go to Barcelona, San Francisco or Miami and you don’t see the filth Brighton and Hove offers its visitors.
Starbucks are an extremely controversial chain. In parts of America, they hold a local referendum before opening a store, perhaps the Facebook Group did that for us. Having said that not all Starbucks are unwanted. I’d grudgingly admit that the new Starbucks in my Brunswick & Adelaide ward on Western Road seems to be popular, and is certainly well used. When it opened it replaced a national convenience store chain, so that wasn’t so bad. But what it did do is compete with Brunswick’s unique and independent coffee and food shops, in a battle which a multi-national will always ensure it wins. Brunswick has seen a steady progression of the larger chains moving in. Tesco was the first, and they destroyed parts of a lovely historic building whilst moving in, with Starbucks following on their heels. Although the one thing I would say about the Starbucks in Brunswick is that at least it wasn’t another late night alcohol licence, and we certainly have enough of those!
The thing that amazes me about Starbucks is that why would someone want to go to the same bland coffee shop down the road, as they would the world over. For me the first place to avoid on holiday is a Starbucks, the best part of travelling is trying out new places. Coffee is more than just a drink – an independent coffee shop is a social place, and a whole cultural experience. It can tell you more about the place you are visiting than any guide book. Why would people want the same experience in every country they visit?
In America, much of the debate around brands such as Starbucks moving into a neighbourhood is also around what is called the gentrification of cities. Some people love it, but others see it as an outside take over by the large corporates. Do we really want to see St James’s Street gentrified? What would be far better is to see the steady independent business-led growth continue to develop there, with the council doing their bit too. Brighton has many examples of business and community led success – Brunswick is an excellent example, as is the North Laine. But it is also fair to say that areas such as London Road and Lewes Road have struggled. There are too many shop fronts in these areas, with the city’s business districts spreading mile after mile.
For example how many years has the camping shop been vacant on Dorset Gardens? The building is in prime position, and it is tragic that it has been empty for more years than anyone cares to count. I got my scout uniform from there as a kid, at the same time when there was a Woolworths and Argos on St James’s Street and a Marks and Spencer’s on London Road. How times have changed!
What we must never forget is how much people care for the area in which they live. Success breeds success, and decent investment in the St James’s Street area will have a massive economic benefit, and one which won’t go straight into the pockets of the multi-nationals but stay to benefit for the local community.
1,361 people can’t be wrong. That’s the number of people in the ‘Stop Starbucks Opening on St James’s Street’ Facebook group. The site helped to generate over 500 letters to the Council’s Planning Department to see off an application by the multi-national chain for a coffee shop on St James’s Street. Well done to a fantastic grass roots campaign – the people really did speak. You can elect a Councillor on 1,313 votes in most council wards, so the level of this support is staggering. But the battle is far from over, as Starbucks have now said that they will appeal. They should wake-up smell the coffee and respect the decision of the council.
St James’s Street really could be Brighton’s best area. It has everything going for it, location, vibrant businesses and a colourful community. What has been missing for decades is the full blown support of the City Council to truly make the area one of the city’s jewels its the crown. The traders and businesses there do an absolutely fantastic job, but sometimes I do feel the area is in need of some council-led love and care.
A good example of this is the grime on the pavements across the city. The council should be washing down the pavements on a daily basis and blasting off the gum and grease. Washing down streets sounds old fashioned but it works. Last year’s fantastic Pride street party attracted thousands of visitors, but I, and indeed my visitors, felt the state of the streets let the party down. Go to Barcelona, San Francisco or Miami and you don’t see the filth Brighton and Hove offers its visitors.
Starbucks are an extremely controversial chain. In parts of America, they hold a local referendum before opening a store, perhaps the Facebook Group did that for us. Having said that not all Starbucks are unwanted. I’d grudgingly admit that the new Starbucks in my Brunswick & Adelaide ward on Western Road seems to be popular, and is certainly well used. When it opened it replaced a national convenience store chain, so that wasn’t so bad. But what it did do is compete with Brunswick’s unique and independent coffee and food shops, in a battle which a multi-national will always ensure it wins. Brunswick has seen a steady progression of the larger chains moving in. Tesco was the first, and they destroyed parts of a lovely historic building whilst moving in, with Starbucks following on their heels. Although the one thing I would say about the Starbucks in Brunswick is that at least it wasn’t another late night alcohol licence, and we certainly have enough of those!
The thing that amazes me about Starbucks is that why would someone want to go to the same bland coffee shop down the road, as they would the world over. For me the first place to avoid on holiday is a Starbucks, the best part of travelling is trying out new places. Coffee is more than just a drink – an independent coffee shop is a social place, and a whole cultural experience. It can tell you more about the place you are visiting than any guide book. Why would people want the same experience in every country they visit?
In America, much of the debate around brands such as Starbucks moving into a neighbourhood is also around what is called the gentrification of cities. Some people love it, but others see it as an outside take over by the large corporates. Do we really want to see St James’s Street gentrified? What would be far better is to see the steady independent business-led growth continue to develop there, with the council doing their bit too. Brighton has many examples of business and community led success – Brunswick is an excellent example, as is the North Laine. But it is also fair to say that areas such as London Road and Lewes Road have struggled. There are too many shop fronts in these areas, with the city’s business districts spreading mile after mile.
For example how many years has the camping shop been vacant on Dorset Gardens? The building is in prime position, and it is tragic that it has been empty for more years than anyone cares to count. I got my scout uniform from there as a kid, at the same time when there was a Woolworths and Argos on St James’s Street and a Marks and Spencer’s on London Road. How times have changed!
What we must never forget is how much people care for the area in which they live. Success breeds success, and decent investment in the St James’s Street area will have a massive economic benefit, and one which won’t go straight into the pockets of the multi-nationals but stay to benefit for the local community.
Jesse Helms
Jesse Helms has died. A Senator from North Carolina for 30 years, Helms was known for his right wing extremist views, especially during the civil rights era. First elected in the Nixon landslide of 1972, Helms helped to build the republican dominance in the South. What many forget is that he only turned Republican in 1970. His other hard line positions including fighting numerous Clinton appointees, opposing AIDS research finance and back Argentina during the Falklands Conflict. His obituaries can be seen at: Washington Post New York Times
Jesse Helms has died. A Senator from North Carolina for 30 years, Helms was known for his right wing extremist views, especially during the civil rights era. First elected in the Nixon landslide of 1972, Helms helped to build the republican dominance in the South. What many forget is that he only turned Republican in 1970. His other hard line positions including fighting numerous Clinton appointees, opposing AIDS research finance and back Argentina during the Falklands Conflict. His obituaries can be seen at: Washington Post New York Times
Charles Wheeler
Charles Wheeler, secondly only to Alistair Cooke, as the voice of the US in the UK has died at the age of 85. He reported on all the momentous events in 1960s America - from the Kennedy assassinations to Martin Luther King's, as well as Watergate, Vietnam and the moon landings. He was the BBC's Washington Correspondent for 8 years, witnessing one of the most fascinating periods of change for the US.On Watergate he famously reported: "You knew Nixon was at the centre of it, You just had to keep peeling away the layers."
BBC Director General Mark Thompson called him a 'legend' and said "His integrity, his authority and his humanity graced the BBC's airwaves over many decades."
Charles Wheeler, secondly only to Alistair Cooke, as the voice of the US in the UK has died at the age of 85. He reported on all the momentous events in 1960s America - from the Kennedy assassinations to Martin Luther King's, as well as Watergate, Vietnam and the moon landings. He was the BBC's Washington Correspondent for 8 years, witnessing one of the most fascinating periods of change for the US.On Watergate he famously reported: "You knew Nixon was at the centre of it, You just had to keep peeling away the layers."
BBC Director General Mark Thompson called him a 'legend' and said "His integrity, his authority and his humanity graced the BBC's airwaves over many decades."
Obama roadmaps his victory
The Obama campaign have road mapped their path to the White House. They are targeting 14 Bush states, including New Hampshire, Iowa and even Texas. John Kerry targeted one in 2004, Ohio, which is what he thought he needed to upset Bush’s electoral balance. This huge, nation-wide strategy is probably as much about securing gains in the Senate, as him winning the Presidential. But will he overstretch?
The Obama campaign have road mapped their path to the White House. They are targeting 14 Bush states, including New Hampshire, Iowa and even Texas. John Kerry targeted one in 2004, Ohio, which is what he thought he needed to upset Bush’s electoral balance. This huge, nation-wide strategy is probably as much about securing gains in the Senate, as him winning the Presidential. But will he overstretch?
Change we can believe in: Article for one80News, 20 March 2008
The 2008 US Primary season for the Democrats has been one like no other in recent history. With Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama scrapping it out, the race will probably go all the way, likely to go as far as the Convention.Democratic Party figures are already concerned that the splits in the party will let John McCain come through the middle, however, polls currently show a dead heat and suggest that John McCain hasn’t yet made an advance at the cost of the Democrats, and could even be marginalised by the intense media attention on the Democrats.
If the Democrats cannot win the Presidency this year, it is hard to see them doing so again. George Bush has been a hugely divisive President, placing his war agenda ahead of dealing with domestic issues and the economy. The Republicans paid a heavy price for his leadership in the mid term elections, which saw the Democrats sweep to power in Congress under Speaker Nancy Pelosi from San Francisco.
Contested Conventions have been common place in the past. John F Kennedy, for example, took the Democrat nomination from the floor of the Convention in 1960. His brother Teddy Kennedy tried the same against Jimmy Carter in 1980, but lost to the incumbent President, Jimmy Carter. However, recent years have seen the likes of John Kerry mop up the Primary process long before reaching the Convention. And if you go back further, the Conventions were colourful spectacles, which really could swing behind or against a candidate on the back of a few good speeches.
Theodore Rosovelt in 1912 was the classic disputed Convention for the Republicans. Despite his contention that he was "as fit as a bull moose," the Republican Party denied Roosevelt its nomination for President and instead backed incumbent William Taft. Four years earlier Taft was Roosevelt's handpicked successor for the presidency but the two had a falling out. Taft called TR a "dangerous egotist" and a "demagogue." Roosevelt countered by referring to Taft as a "fathead" and a "puzzlewit." With his defeat, Roosevelt bolted the Republican Party to run under the banner of the Progressive Party - renamed the Bull Moose Party in his honour. Feeling the pressure, Taft broke with precedent and became the first President to actively campaign on his own behalf while in office. They both lost to Democrat Woodrow Wilson, with Taft coming third. Now there’s a lesson from history.
But what of Obama and Clinton? Strangely, Barack Obama has run as the ‘Bill Clinton’ candidate in the race so far. Seen as a Washington outsider and largely untested, like Bill Clinton he has relentlessly pushed an agenda of change, and again like Bill by doing so picked up the valuable momentum needed to capture the nomination. His slogan is ‘Change we can believe in’, like Bill Clinton who talked of ‘making change our friend’. If Obama wins the nomination, which looks like there is a chance that he will, I think he’ll win the Presidency.Hillary has become the establishment figure in the race. She must have hoped to have tied the nomination up by Super Tuesday in early February, and what is starting to show is that the attention the process heaps on her is polarising her wider public support. If she does win the nomination in August, it will be with the help of the Democrat establishment, and I’d predict she goes on to have a tough time against John McCain in the autumn. The Republicans must be praying for her to be the Democrat candidate.
Gay issues will be significant in this election. But not as, we know them. A candidate’s support for some of the basic positions in the UK can turn off America’s extreme right wing. Republicans for sure will want to keep the support from this core vote, and it was sad to see Democrats such as John Kerry fudge the issue last time.
John McCain reminds me of the Republican Presidential candidate, Arnie Vinnick off the TV show, the West Wing. An older, but wiser candidate who has a common sense appeal which reaches across the parties, something Ming Campbell should have imitated over here. McCain is the Republican who questioned Bush’s early military strategy in Iraq, but he has since supported Bush’s troop surge – something which currently has suited his campaign, but is possibly a position which will come back to haunt him by polling day.
The Democratic nomination is now a numbers game. To have any hope of catching Obama, Hillary will need a convincing win in the Pennsylvania Primary in early April. Then it really will be down to the Convention and the mysterious super delegates from the party establishment. Politics has never been more interesting.
The 2008 US Primary season for the Democrats has been one like no other in recent history. With Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama scrapping it out, the race will probably go all the way, likely to go as far as the Convention.Democratic Party figures are already concerned that the splits in the party will let John McCain come through the middle, however, polls currently show a dead heat and suggest that John McCain hasn’t yet made an advance at the cost of the Democrats, and could even be marginalised by the intense media attention on the Democrats.
If the Democrats cannot win the Presidency this year, it is hard to see them doing so again. George Bush has been a hugely divisive President, placing his war agenda ahead of dealing with domestic issues and the economy. The Republicans paid a heavy price for his leadership in the mid term elections, which saw the Democrats sweep to power in Congress under Speaker Nancy Pelosi from San Francisco.
Contested Conventions have been common place in the past. John F Kennedy, for example, took the Democrat nomination from the floor of the Convention in 1960. His brother Teddy Kennedy tried the same against Jimmy Carter in 1980, but lost to the incumbent President, Jimmy Carter. However, recent years have seen the likes of John Kerry mop up the Primary process long before reaching the Convention. And if you go back further, the Conventions were colourful spectacles, which really could swing behind or against a candidate on the back of a few good speeches.
Theodore Rosovelt in 1912 was the classic disputed Convention for the Republicans. Despite his contention that he was "as fit as a bull moose," the Republican Party denied Roosevelt its nomination for President and instead backed incumbent William Taft. Four years earlier Taft was Roosevelt's handpicked successor for the presidency but the two had a falling out. Taft called TR a "dangerous egotist" and a "demagogue." Roosevelt countered by referring to Taft as a "fathead" and a "puzzlewit." With his defeat, Roosevelt bolted the Republican Party to run under the banner of the Progressive Party - renamed the Bull Moose Party in his honour. Feeling the pressure, Taft broke with precedent and became the first President to actively campaign on his own behalf while in office. They both lost to Democrat Woodrow Wilson, with Taft coming third. Now there’s a lesson from history.
But what of Obama and Clinton? Strangely, Barack Obama has run as the ‘Bill Clinton’ candidate in the race so far. Seen as a Washington outsider and largely untested, like Bill Clinton he has relentlessly pushed an agenda of change, and again like Bill by doing so picked up the valuable momentum needed to capture the nomination. His slogan is ‘Change we can believe in’, like Bill Clinton who talked of ‘making change our friend’. If Obama wins the nomination, which looks like there is a chance that he will, I think he’ll win the Presidency.Hillary has become the establishment figure in the race. She must have hoped to have tied the nomination up by Super Tuesday in early February, and what is starting to show is that the attention the process heaps on her is polarising her wider public support. If she does win the nomination in August, it will be with the help of the Democrat establishment, and I’d predict she goes on to have a tough time against John McCain in the autumn. The Republicans must be praying for her to be the Democrat candidate.
Gay issues will be significant in this election. But not as, we know them. A candidate’s support for some of the basic positions in the UK can turn off America’s extreme right wing. Republicans for sure will want to keep the support from this core vote, and it was sad to see Democrats such as John Kerry fudge the issue last time.
John McCain reminds me of the Republican Presidential candidate, Arnie Vinnick off the TV show, the West Wing. An older, but wiser candidate who has a common sense appeal which reaches across the parties, something Ming Campbell should have imitated over here. McCain is the Republican who questioned Bush’s early military strategy in Iraq, but he has since supported Bush’s troop surge – something which currently has suited his campaign, but is possibly a position which will come back to haunt him by polling day.
The Democratic nomination is now a numbers game. To have any hope of catching Obama, Hillary will need a convincing win in the Pennsylvania Primary in early April. Then it really will be down to the Convention and the mysterious super delegates from the party establishment. Politics has never been more interesting.
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