Congratulations Graham
 

I have it on good authority that our MP Graham Jones as been made a Junior Whip in the House of Commons, Congratulations Graham

Re: Congratulations Graham
 

...in other words, Accy Hard Man Kicking Arse....

Re: Congratulations Graham
 

Well done, Graham. One statement he made, however, had me puzzled a little and maybe something he shouldn't have said, was:

"I had no intention of serving in this position. I wanted to focus on my constituency work"

Is it just me ? Would have thought his main focus would have been on his constituency work anyway... particularly as he is newly elected and at least until he knows his way around.

Re: Congratulations Graham
 

.....or does it mean he carries more weight for his constituency work when he has a strong position in Parliament? The last bloke spent his whole time on the back benches and never seemed to carry any weight.

Re: Congratulations Graham
 

Greg was in the Whips office for quite a few years when he first went into Parliament

Re: Congratulations Graham
 

Greg Pope was also a Whip for part of his time in Parliament .

Re: Congratulations Graham
 

All this whipping is going to give Hyndburn a bad name . ;)

Re: Congratulations Graham
 

Decent point, Gynn .. just read as ambition over care for our borough.

Re: Congratulations Graham
 

I've heard it said that Graham is arrogant, something which shocked me because nothing could be further from the truth. He is a passionate man about Hyndburn and knows what he is talking about.

To get this position in such a short time proves that he is an excellent MP and, more importantly, has the brains to be a good voice for us all in Westminster.

Definitely a good thing, well done mate.

Re: Congratulations Graham
 

I will second that Ken:):cool:

Re: Congratulations Graham
 

Doing yourself, and us, proud.

:)

Re: Congratulations Graham
 

congrats again graham and was glad to be able to congratulate you on friday... and so glad you liked the new bag we thought would suit your new position in parliament :rolleyes:;)

oh and it's sparkie that has it :D

Re: Congratulations Graham
 

I don't live in the area, but I've only ever heard of him slagged off by Jaysay and Andrew on this web..where you've heard it anywhere else is so so.. I don't know Graham personally but hearing from people in Accrington that do know him he seems to be a decent bloke.

Re: Congratulations Graham
 

He's not arrogant.Graham's hard working, and determined to get the best for this area. If I could only cure him of going down to watch Rovers, and instead go and watch the Mighty Reds (Stanley) , he would be even better.

Re: Congratulations Graham
 

He does watch the Stanley, doesn't he, Bernard? I've certainly shared the occasional pre-match chinwag in the Oaklea and walked down to the ground with him.

Re: Congratulations Graham
 

Rovers must have been away:D

Re: Congratulations Graham
 

You may well be right, but at least he turns up sometimes, unlike other local politicians, on either side, that I could mention.

Re: Congratulations Graham
 

He's usually looking after his daughter Wyn:rolleyes: he ain't anybody at home to do the honours;)

Re: Congratulations Graham
 

Its only a game, he might have important things to do :rolleyes:

Re: Congratulations Graham
 

That's true, he comes on quite a lot now. You cant miss Graham up the Stanley. He always seems to have a pie in his gob.

Re: Congratulations Graham
 

Congrats Graham

Re: Congratulations Graham
 

Probable because they cost an arm and a leg down in the smoke:D

Re: Congratulations Graham
 

Thanks for the messages. It's going to be hard in the whips office. Ed has put me on lighter duties to cope. He was very kind and encouraging when I hesitated.

I have to coordinate the southern section of MPs and work with Yvette Cooper in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

I have a season ticket for Rovers with my long time school friends. I go Stanley as well as regular as possible. I like pies!

On a humorous note I passed comment in the famous comments book in the House of Commons dining room. In essence complaining about cosmopolitan food and the lack of gravy when ordering chips. This was discriminatory practice against people from the regions.

Re: Congratulations Graham
 

...and the football of course! ;)

Re: Congratulations Graham
 

'southern section of mps' are you cooking them some gravy?

Re: Congratulations Graham
 

We do miss you as a councillor, and opposition leader in Hyndburn.

Your successor is very low key.

Thank goodness for Cllr. Moss, who isn't.

:D

Re: Congratulations Graham
 

Do you mean Wendy Dwyer who replaced Graham as ward councillor or Miles Parkinson who is now Leader of the Opposition, Garinda ?

Do you mean they are low key on Accyweb or just generally ?

Re: Congratulations Graham
 

Sorry, I should have been clearer.

The new leader of Labour in Hyndburn, Miles Parkinson, is less high profile than Graham was. Not just here, but in all the local media, and unilke our Mossy.

I'm not saying he isn't working just as hard, but we don't get to see it.

Wendy, my dear chum, is too busy to court the press.

It used to be Graham getting stories in the press, he thought needed attention. Now it seems to be Ken Moss.

Re: Congratulations Graham
 

No doubt a future leader of the Labour Group:rolleyes:

Re: Congratulations Graham
 

Who knows?

Though you hear he's made a very good impresion so far on the opposition.

:rolleyes:

Re: Congratulations Graham
 

I am genuinely happy to count Cllr. Dwyer as a friend, after getting to know her through serving on the committee of ther local Parkinson's disease group she founded.

She is very much the sort of people I knew as a child. The people who influenced, and shaped, my political thinking today. Knowing her also helped restore my faith in politics, at a time when I'd become very jaded, and disillusioned, with local and national politics.

Her, and people like her, would always be assured of my vote.

Re: Congratulations Graham
 

Have done a search on the Observer for Miles and Ken. Ok .. not always fruitful. Miles has been mentioned in 3 articles and Ken none. Think Ken is more in the Letter's page maybe, which doesn't come up ?

Seems the difference between Miles and Graham (at the moment) is that Miles appears to wait until a reporter asks him to comment, whereby, Graham sent his comments in on a issue which created a report, which gave him a lead in the article. Confused meself then ... :D

Might be talking complete jibberish ... sure he works hard though. Not seen him in action in the council chamber either.

Re: Congratulations Graham
 

I think Ken has been in the Telegraph more.

Re: Congratulations Graham
 

Thank you all for some charming comments.

The Lancashire Telegraph is a slightly better paper in my opinion as it is a bit more politically balanced than The Accrington Observer and reports much more smaller local articles. I send them stuff every week which they use as 'nibs' or little stories although the letter I sent them on the Market Hall was used as the basis for an article yesterday. I believe that the public has a right to know what is going on and I have built up a nice working relationship with the Telegraph reporters who I will continue to feed stories so long as they want them.

As regards being a future Labour leader, there are far better qualified people nearer the front of the queue than me and Miles is doing a splendid job at the moment anyway. My immediate aspirations are directed more towards finance and reducing the wasteful spending I see all the time.

Rishton is always my primary concern and will be so long as I live here.

Re: Congratulations Graham
 

I've been in a few articles in The Observer although none come up in online searches apart from the election results.

Anything that appears online in the Lancashire Telegraph is linked to my blogspot.

Re: Congratulations Graham
 

Hummmmmmmmmmm:rolleyes:

Re: Congratulations Graham
 

Well I here he's getting on their nerves:D

Re: Congratulations Graham
 

No, you know I'm getting on their nerves because Peter will most likely be getting regular Accyweb updates from you.

I simply point out the obvious flaws in their policies and political tactics, if that winds them up then it isn't me who is getting something wrong.

Still, I'm keeping one eye over my shoulder John....

;)

Re: Congratulations Graham
 

You are bloody jesting arn't you, I've more chance of doing a 4 minute mile Ken:D:D:D:D:D:D

Re: Congratulations Graham
 

only just seen this due to me absence, nice one graham, top bloke.;)

Re: Congratulations Graham
 

Even a past it's sell by date ointment, needs a fly in it.

;)