VB have just arrived at the last Island public hustings where five of the eleven parliamentary candidates are facing the public.
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[19:34] Starting. Introductions going on. About 20 people in audience. Five candidates present.
Paul Randle-Jolliffe (Ind): Island politics, not national. Parliamentary paper for the Island.
Form a group of people, so input from public isn’t just once every four years.
(Not sure audio recording will be good – quite noisy in here. In main bar)
Lots of talent on the Island – don’t see why we shouldn’t be able to look after things for ourself
[19:40] Update 1
Ian Dunsire (English Democrats): English Values – Language, honesty, trust. Fair deal for English voter. Balance the amount of money spent on England compared with Scotland and Wales. Locally would fight for jobs.
Mark Chiverton (Lab): Disappointing that Tories and Lib Dems aren’t here. Born and bred Islander. Trade union work. Election is at an important time. Good that the election is so open this time.
Fox hunting banned by Labour. Decent jobs are needed. Want to campaign for public services for the Island. Pensions is also important. Green jobs.
(Applause)
Peter Harris (Ind): Won’t talk about the obvious. Spirit of the UK has gone down. Asking about the EU + getting out. About a 1/5 of audience held up hand. Policing – speed camera daft, better to have them trying to catch real criminals. Work-shy are a problem. We need to fight our own corner.
(Applause)
[19:50] Update 2
Paul St-John Martin (Middle England): 60 in two weeks. Was a farmer – now wealth manager. Economy is in a lot of trouble. The ship is sinking – Labour and Conservative are rearranging the deck chairs.
It’s not about the money – need to get the basics sorted first.
All done.
(VB and the “alternative new media’ on the Island just got a big up – and applause!)
Public questions
Don Smith: shame Andrew Turner didn’t turn up
Ian Dunsire (ED): Turner isn’t being honest
Q: what do you think of tactical voting. What do you think?
Mark Chiverton (Lab): Vote on the conviction of the candidate. It’s at least a three cornered fight, or four, on the Island.
LibDem very cynical: Say vote for us in South – keep out Labour – in North – keep out Tories.
Paul Randle-Jolliffe (Ind): I think there needs to be a complete shake up. Should be a local rep and a government separately. I propose that all candidates should work together after the election
Paul St John Martin (MidEng): Local vote is the most important.
Pete Harris (Ind): Don’t do it tactically, vote locally.
Paul St John Martin (MidEng): People need to do sync heads and hearts. We’ve got to change away from two party system
[20:00] Update 3
Q: Why is waiting time at St Mary’s so long? Four hours I had to wait with an appointment.
Mark Chiverton (Lab): Person who is elected MP – first thing meet with key services. Also regular surgeries. If Tories get in, it will be a complete catastrophe. Tories had control for 17 years, and had massive waiting lists for hospitals. Labour have brought it way down. Lib Dem sums never add up.
Pete Harris (Ind): Bureaucracy is way out of control. Must be brought down.
Paul (ME): I agree with Pete.
Ian/Paul (??): I’ve had a great experience with health service. Mark is being disingenuous – there will be big cuts no matter who gets in.
Paul Randle-Jolliffe: There is a board that these things can be taken to. They have a goat ad on the bus stop.
(Thank goodness there’s free WiFi here – no mobile reception)
Q: Lorraine: I’m 64. My view has always been the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Mark – you’re ruled by your party, not your own views
Mark Chiverton (Lab): I’ve stood against the party probably more than anyone. I am not a government stooge. Failure of Labour over 13 years – a widening of the gap between the rich and poor. Those that earn more should pay more. That’s one reason why people have lost faith.
[20:10] Update 4
Q: Claire: Why hasn’t Gordon Brown been to the Island?
Mark Chiverton (Lab): None of the parties have sent senior people to the Island.
Chair (David Holmes): Let’s widen this out
Paul Randle-Jolliffe (Ind): I completely agree. We (the people) are ignored and swept to one side. I’m not prepared to put up with it any more – no matter how if I win. Appalled at the corruption at all levels.
(Applause)
Ian Dunsire (ED): I think the Island is viewed as a cosy Tory backwater.
Pete Harris (Ind): The people who caused the crash are still getting massive salaries. It’s not going to change at this election, but there is a revolutionary nature emerging.
(Applause)
Paul St-John Martin (ME): We’re supposed to live in a democracy. Where the majority should have their view. It’s clear we don’t live in a democracy – you, my friends, are cannon fodder.
Q: How many people live on the IW?
Various answers about right-ish.
142k – you’re all politicians tell us what we want to hear. You should know.
[20:20] Update 5
Q: The Island personal GDP is half that of the Mainland. What about IWC contracts? Like PFI. How can Islanders benefit from it?
Ian Dunsire: One of our policies is to leave Europe. We can’t have local contracts from IWC because of EU tendering.
Pete Harris: Some of the Road PFI companies aren’t even English, so money will leave the country, never mind the Island. Young people need supporting by training them to do the work.
Q: Are you saying that we should pay 20% more to have Island companies do it?
Q: France doesn’t follow directives, why should we?
Ian Dunsire: There should be an insistence that a %age of people are Islanders.
Mark: Island roads have never been worse. Labour should be retained here on the Island. One of the things I’ll be pushing for is making sure people are local.
(I’ve been missing applause from audience – too many words)
Q: Is everyone aware of why the Island roads are bad?
(I want to see how in touch the people up these are)
Paul St-John Martin (ME): It’s because the Island is moving the whole time.
Questioner: That’s totally correct. It’s not down to Tory/Labour
Mark: Many of the roads were build on top of rough tracks, so not a good foundation.
Q: I asked the PFI question. The PFI will be one big contract and then broken down to sub-contracts. We need to start building the skills on the Island to fulfil those. I don’t think a big contract (as IWC wants) will save money. It’s introduced inefficiencies.
DH Q: Why can’t we invent money for the roads, like we did for the Banks?
Mark Chiverton: There’s always a choice on where to spend money.
Paul Randle-Jolliffe: The core of question, what would we do for Island people. My act of Parliament would address this.
[20:30] Update 6
Questioner: We don’t have work for lots of trades people who live here. We need to regenerate the Island. My vote goes to whoever has ideas for getting work in.
Paul Randle-Jolliffe: Why doesn’t our community form a company to handle the contract?
Pete Harris: We’d be a lot better off if the IWC council was full of Independents not Party linked councillors. [20:40] (Sorry missed loads – connection dropped)
Mark: The Tories started the deregulation of the finance world.
Q: Other Islands like Guernsey – look after their own.
If they can do it, we should be able to do it
Paul Randle-Jolliffe: I’m not saying independence – I’m saying inter-dependence. It’s about taking our own decisions.
[20:44] Update 7
Q: Last 14 years Island police have targeted my family. I have no Police record. Several IPCC complaints against the Island police that have been upheld. I didn’t think I’d be fighting the police at the age of 72. What do you think about family issues?
Pete Harris: What has Andrew Turner done?
Questioner: He’s been wonderful.
Ian Dunsire: I’m please AT done a good job for you – as an MP that’s what he should be doing
Mark Chiverton: These are clearly complex issues. Glad AT has done well for you.
Paul Randle-Jolliffe: This area concerns me a lot. The whole area is shrouded in secrecy. Even the minister is not allow to know
Questioner: The rest of Europe doesn’t do It like this
[20:52] Update 8
New Q: The cuts in social care on the Island are very worrying over the next few years.
Mark Chiverton: Demos already. It’s essential that the most vulnerable are protected. There are many on the IW. [20:53:19] Simon Perry: Genuine concern that a Tory gov would give major tax cuts for the rich
Paul St-John Martin: This is about the distribution of wealth. The legal profession is corrupt. A revolution would change this. We need to challenge the thieves
Pete Harris: We’re not looking after the most vulnerable. IWC spending far too munch money on a large legal department and communications. Let’s take care of this and tale it to pieces.
Ian Dunsire: We’re in for the next few years
Paul Randle-Jolliffe: Some of the legal profession I’d call criminal.
Mark Chiverton: The local authority has done such a small amount of consultation, it’s been appalling.
Geoff Lumley: Local council is making the decision to do these cuts, that they don’t need. If you vote Tory tomorrow, what cuts you’ve seen at IWC will happen at Westminster.
[21:02] Update 9
Don Smith: Thanks to everyone involved – I’ve got to go, it’s tablet time.
Paul Randle-Jolliffe: All the schools are legally obliged to be available for free for hustings.
*end*
