Re: Comment Please
 

I suspect it's more a case of offending their votes.

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Perhaps they aren't very good at mathematics, and don't realise the majority is greater than the minority.

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True....but how many seats - parliamentary and council - are marginal, where the minority vote is enough to swing it one way or t'other?

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I think they'd be very patronising if they believed any minority group, whoever they were, voted en masse.

Minority groups have the same hopes and worries as anyone else.

No such thing as the pink, yellow, or Church of the Poison Mind vote.

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Just ask the Leader of the Council why he keeps dodging the issue of taxi driver licencing in Hyndburn. His policy is not to have a policy, in fact Cllr Clare Pritchard had tabled an item at the last council meeting, a meeting which was subsequently cancelled.

Forget protecting the interests of the residents, there are votes to be lost.

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But surely they must realise, rather than a few votes off some cab drivers, there'd be many more votes lost, if it turns out that Jack the Ripper has been offically allowed to ferry people around Hyndburn in a licensed taxi?

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You'd think, wouldn't you? I pointed out to him that we're officially endorsing cab drivers with a Hyndburn Council badge and, as such, they need to be squeaky clean. I didn't get a response.

As far as I understand it, taxi licencing could be something of a sticky wicket with the Asian community but surely that is why we have a Cabinet member for Community Cohesion? Not to knock the work of Cllr Dobson, but I imagine that would fall within his purview in order to smooth any troubled brows.

I've said it before but we're here to run the borough well for the residents, not be everyone's best friend.

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A what?

What exactly is their role?

I suppose it involves being paid more, for being one?

Please don't tell me that their job if it involves treating any one group differently to everyone else, as I just might explode.

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Talking of "avoiding the issue", Ken, I see your colleagues, Bernard and Claytonender, still haven't shared their views with us on what should be done about Islamic extremists disrespecting Remembrance Day and abusing our armed forces. As they are members of a major political party, and this is an issue which has upset a hell of a lot of people, I would've thought they'd be only too willing to give us their opinion. Strange, isn't it?

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It's Cllr Dobson although at this point I'm going to plead ignorance because I'm not entirely sure of the details of the role.

I'm afraid positive discrimination is one area which sets my blood on a high heat but it's not something we have much of a problem with in Rishton in any form so I leave well alone.

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I will then.

First off, the very fact that there's such a position as 'cabinet member for Community Cohesion', is divise, and encourages separatism, and certainly not cohesion. So it's ultimately pointless.

Secondly, you are doing a God damned awful job here in Hyndburn.

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I can't really speak on their behalf, Steve. Bear in mind that they both have a lot more experience than me and so are probably less eager to put their heads in the noose than myself.

As with anything which involves race or religion, the first whiff of disdain for a 'minority' group can finish you off, even if it is justified. Whilst I have no such qualms, Bernard and Joan are superb councillors and they can't keep that up if they lose their seats over a badly-contexted remark in the paper.

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No.

Sadly.

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This is nothing to do with race!

Some councillor in the Midlands can condemn the actions of a few vile idiots, but our local politicans are too afraid to speak out, for fear of being labelled, and losing their seats?

This is a very sad state of affairs.

Besides the protest happening in London, it has very real relevance to Hyndburn, and other than Ken, no one is prepared to start healing the hurt.

Pathetic.

Might as well hang out the white flags.

We're a lost cause.

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So, in other words, they have to stay politically correct (in the worst sense of the phrase) to avoid problems with the party heirarchy. I think that says quite a lot about what's wrong with modern day politics.

Incidentally, Ken, the fact that you're prepared to "put your head in the noose" is what makes you so refeshingly different from "normal" politicians. I just hope Harriet doesn't get wind of it! ;)