Clever

Mark 12 Comments

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I’ve just had an email from the Corbyn campaign (you’ve already got my vote Jeremy!) – I get about five a day from the various candidates.

 

It contained this paragraph:

‘We cannot write off rural areas as “the Tory shires”, abandoning communities struggling with issues such as housing costs, public service cuts and social exclusion just as those in inner cities are. Under my leadership, no part of Britain will be written off as a no-go area for our party.‘

…and then invited me to respond to a very short questionnaire about rural issues.

I’ve told Jeremy that ‘Biodiversity loss through unsustainable land use’ is an issue that concerns me. I’ve also told him he should ban driven grouse shooting when he is elected.

 

You can tell him about your concerns for rural issues by clicking here.

This is the first time that I have been approached in this way over rural issues by the Labour Party – clever of them.  Clever ‘Team Corbyn’.

 

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12 Replies to “Clever”

  1. I got that email as well Mark. Very unusual in recognising that folk living in the countryside may also be potential Labour supporters. I made the point that rural policy development should be wider than simply implementing the wish list of the NFU and the Country Land and Business Association. I also suggested that rebalancing the subsidy system to focus support on retaining small farmers, rural post offices, schools and pubs, wildlife, and rolling out broadband and 3G/4G mobile provision rather than shovelling it into agri-business might also be an idea that could be attractive to rural voters

    2. “an idea that could be attractive to rural voters” … just when Tesco have upgraded me to their next day text delivery service

  2. I quite like the cut of Corbyn’s jib – he seems enough of a dinosaur to kick spin doctors into the long grass although he is reported to have bought a new shirt.

    But I note with alarm a report in the meejar today that Milibore (E) is to devote more time to campaigning on, among other things, environmental matters. Oh dear. Oh very dear …

  3. Very interesting stuff Mark. I recall you saying that Ed Miliband was the right choice a while back and he then crashed and burned. Do you really think Corbyn will be better? I mean better and not just different.

    1. Oh Bertie – I think I’d vote for Ed again if I had the choice. He did crash and burn but he was in the same plane as the rest of the Labour Party – there is no way to know whether Labour would have done better, or differently, or worse under a different leader. Maybe Corbyn will be a disaster – it’s a bit difficult to know isn’t it? But I’m convinced that Kendall and Burnham are not the answer. Less convinced about Copper – but she has disappointed me since the general elelction. We’ll see.

      1. Sadly, Miliband ignores his rural consituents …. too busy playing politics in a nice comfy safe seat? Thankfully not my MP ….

  4. Thanks for bringing this to our attention Mark. I have submitted a response with making similar points to Reuben, before I read his comments. I understand why people are concerned that Jeremy will prove unelectable but I still hope he wins, the others are trying to beat the Tories at their own game and I don’t want that. To have someone of real integrity will be so refreshing!

  5. Corbyn is a total irrelevance to many of us north of the border – and Scottish Labour is in its death throes as the results for my local constituency in the May General Election (Moray) illustrates:

    James Edward MACKESSACK-LEITCH Scottish Green Party 1345
    Sean Murray MORTON Scottish Labour Party 4898
    Jamie PATERSON Scottish Liberal Democrats 1395
    Angus Struan Carolus ROBERTSON Scottish National Party (SNP) 24384
    Douglas ROSS Scottish Conservative and Unionist 15319
    Rob SCORER UK Independence Party (UKIP) 1939
    Total Votes Cast 49,321 Eligible Electorate 71,685 Turnout 68.8 %

    And none of the above seem to be interested in those of us that stay in very rural areas – broadband speeds of 400 kbs/sec on a good day – nothing on a bad day…yes kilobits/sec. Can’t even read your blog every day!

  6. Thanks for that link, Mark. I enjoyed the chance to say what I think about life in the sticks – had a good rant about pheasants, the shooting industry and gamekeeping. And of course said I wanted to ban driven grouse shooting. I hope it makes it to someone’s notebook.

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