Priti Patel on Labour

Tory Radio took the opportunity to talk to Priti Patel the Conservative candidate for Witham.

In the second in a series of interviews hear what Priti has to say on the Labour party.
Click to listen or download

You can visit Priti's new blog by clicking here.

HAVE YOUR SAY – CALL 0845 257 0 427 – let us know what you think!

 

Nominated for an award

Tory Radio has once again been nominated for a New Statesman New Media Award. Thanks to the people who did nominate us – it's really appreciated.

Always a bridesmaid?????

 

Five Live

Just done a short slot on Anita Anand's programme on Five Live talking about the appointment of Andy Coulson.

The joys of podcasting mean the extract will be uploaded in all its glory in the next few minutes!

Opening a dangerous can of worms

The BBC website this morning has reported on the new powers given to schools that allow them to search students for knives.  This may seem sensible, but the small print is not quite so reassuring.

At present, only the police have the power to search pupils but the new guidelines state that "trained staff" will be able to carry out searches.  One wonders exactly how you can train a unarmed, unprotected teacher to confront a student who knows they are about to get caught in possession of an illegal weapon.  And what if they find something other than a knife?  Surely there is significant potential for abusing these powers in search of illegal drugs?  The guidelines are that there must be "reasonable" suspicion that a pupil is carrying a weapon, which gives schools a completely free reign on who they search, and why – or am I being overly cynical?

Alan Johnson, the Education Secretary, was quoted as saying "I think parents will welcome the clear message that bringing a weapon into school is a criminal offence".  Call me optimistic, but I hoped that they  knew this already.
 
Giving teachers the power to search pupils for concealed weapons will do nothing other than place teachers in dangerous situations when faced with a dangerous pupil. Discuss.

Tom Richmond

Priti Patel on Law and Order

Tory Radio took the opportunity to talk to Priti Patel the Conservative candidate for Witham.

In the first in a series of interviews hear what Priti has to say on Law and Order
Click to listen or download

You can visit Priti's new blog by clicking here.

HAVE YOUR SAY – CALL 0845 257 0 427 – let us know what you think!

 

Climate Change Conference

Iain Dale wrote an interesting post on the fact that Greenpeace didn't really want to debate dissenting voices in the Climate Change debate.

In April Roger Helmer held a Counter Consensual Climate Change Conference in Brussels.

Roger has a new blog which can be found here, and podcasts of the whole conference will be available over the coming week.

According to the press release issued after the Conference:-

At a packed Conference in the European Parliament in Brussels yesterday, a heavy-weight panel of scientists, economists and politicians challenged the current global warming consensus and questioned both the dubious science and the deeply damaging economics of proposed policy measures.

Grammar gate continues

It appears as though the debate about Grammar schools will run and run. Iain Dale has the following story which I suspect will stoke up the flames between both sides of the argument.

Apparently the party will not support NEW Grammar schools even if local people want them. Where this leaves the commitment to localism. George Osborne used the line "We don't believe in schools choosing pupils. We believe in pupils choosing schools."

This whole issue is not being handled very well at all.

DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT – CALL 0845 257 0 427 AND LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK

 

Now don't be naughty!

Well that seems to be the message the Government wants to send to potential shoplifters. First they came up with the idea of on teh spot fines – which quite frankly wouldn't deter anyone. You shoplift until your hearts content and then when you do get caught you get a £60 fine. Simple economics seem to indicate that many would regard that as a price worth paying.

Now they have gone one better, the fines will be deferred if the culprit agrees to sign up to an ABC. And what's an ABC – well apparently its an acceptable behaviour contract. It is no wonder Kevin Hawkins Chief of the British Retails Consortium has gone mad about this. And if they break this ABC what do they get – and ASBO. I'm sure these criminals are shaking in their boots.

I worked for a retailer and heard stories of how a handful of criminals accounted for a huge percentage of the theft from a whole town centre location. Then there were incidents like the security guard stabbed with a needle when they were caught.

The simple fact is that stealing is a crime and this Government does nothing to reinforce the respect agenda that it loves to talk about by treating the culprits as naughty little school kids.

Good vibrations…..

Having worked for the post office, and coming from Chesterfield this story did bring a wry smile to my face.

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