Angling safe with Labour ??

I wrote to my local MP (Rt Hon Jane Kennedy) asking her and her parties views on Angling-
She said that on a personal level she had no problem with angling as a sport or hobby and would not agree to a ban.
In order to identify government thinking on the issue she had written to Ben bradshawe MP (the minister responsible for this area of policy)and would contact me when she received a response.

Here are the letters I received back..

<a href="http://www.fishingmagic.com/news/article/mps/UAN/3658/v/5/sp/
">HERE</a>

It seems that Angling is safe in Labour's hands

I never doubted it as a general Labour policy. I just wonder if it will keep the sneaky Tory fifth-columnists on here quiet. You know the ones Ed!!! )

I like the bit about "social inclusion". Perhaps this is something Mr Blair can use to stop English born terrorists from attacking their fellow countrymen.



(And this is not starting a thread to attack any particular ethnic or religious group. Just stating that people behave better to one another when they know one another and share similar pastimes.)

That's quite true Woody.

And as a person who does think a bit about who I vote for, I might be revising my thoughts about the Labour Party in future.

Hang on a minute, there's something flying past my window!

Hey chaps a ruddy great porker with wings has just landed outside in my street!!!


)

Don't expect any political party to keep to one position; if they think there's enough votes in it the 'suits' will change like the wind.

Assume, and plan for, their doing the worst and you won't be far wrong.

Hallucinating again, Ron... Of course, the sport of the ordinary working man and woman will be safer with the party of big business. It's a well-known fact that they really want the best for us, er, common people... I find it a good idea to think a little more than "a bit" when deciding who to vote for, but that's just my personal foible. At the moment, no party would risk alienating ten per cent (the approximate number of people who fish, either casually or seriously) of the electorate. Matthew is right. All this talk about who is/isn't on our side is meaningless.

The man has stated their (Labour) position as it stands at the moment so until that position changes then you must give them some credit for it. Much as I dislike the Labour party I am under no illusions about the Conservatives ability to change their mind either, so we can only hope that they stick to their promises in the face of anti angling pressure from the minority factions.

I guess Laurie that what you mean is that Labour is not the party of big business.

Think again.

I happen to know that a few top business people are supporters of Labour.

Sir Alan Sugar for one.

And none of us are "common".

If you think that, you are a believer in class distinction, a concept that I truly abhore.

""(And this is not starting a thread to attack any particular ethnic or religious group. Just stating that people behave better to one another when they know one another and share similar pastimes.) ""

True in some cases Jeff but not all. Didn't most of the Serbs, Croats and Bosnians know each other very well as neighbours before starting to rape and kill one and other?

Ah but Nigel, you and I have never threatened to kill each other (unless you catch the first or bigger barbel, that is).

Lord David Sainsbury is another Labour supporter. Albeit, he used to be a fervid SDP supporter and funded them for a number of years. It didn't buy him any special favours though as he queued in front of me to get in at one meeting. Nice chap, very down-to-earth.

The one thing I don't like about the Tory party is that bitch Ann Widdecombe, who is one of the biggest anti-anglers of the lot.

I cannot understand why the Tories don't kick her out. Let her join the Lib Dems which is a hot bed of the antis.

I didn't say I believed in class distinction personally, Ron, but I do acknowledge that many do. The "er" before my use of the word "common" was meant to signify that I was using it with my tongue in my cheek. Speaking literally, I, for one AM "common", as in my being a member of the great majority of, ie, the common people. As for Alan Sugar, David Sainsbury et al, yes, the do support "New" Labour, but that doesn't make them supporters of the Labour Party. It just means they are smart enough to know which way the wind is blowing at the moment. As Woody notes, D Sainsbury used to support the SDP (and will, no doubt, do so again, if they look like getting into power). I do find it tedious that, the moment anyone raises the subject of which political party is likely to look after anglers, you seem to don a blue rosette and attack everyone apart from your (obvious) choise of party. As a matter of interest, I have voted for all three of the major parties during the last thirty years. At my last two addresses, I have voted for good local constituency MPs who happened to be Labour Party members. Prior to that, I voted SDP to try to unseat a certain Jonathan Aitken, who was the sitting MP at the time. Before that, I voted for another good constituency MP, who was Lib. Dem. Prior to that, I voted Labour and way back, I actually voted for Ted Heath, my local MP at the time, because I believed he was right about taking us into Europe. So I'm certainly not a Labour Party apparatchik. I'm afraid it is indisputable that the Tory Party is the party of big business and, as such, is more likely to look after the interests of large corporations - including being reluctant to press them to clean up their act environmentally (look at the USA and the laissez faire attitude of the conservative administraion there towards corporate America's approach to pollution, global warming, etc.). As such, it makes sense to think very hard about whether they are likely to be interested in the welfare of angling.

Spot on Laurie. All politicians IMHO are self serving nest featherers but those in certain parties are just a right shower. Namely the tories....

?Unfortunately at several times during this marvellous day you were called to order to attend the AGM, which make no mistake, although essential, was a bore to many.

Anglers are generally not political animals, but love to get together with others of like mind.

I think these political meetings spoiled it for many. They had come to meet people, in many cases their heros and an official calling everyone to order spoiled their day.

And sometimes the meetings went on for hours.

This is I feel what destroyed many of these national conferences for many of us.?

You don?t therefore class yourself in this statement then Ron?

If not why did you write it and other comments relating to DVSG thread?

Looks like have your cake and eating it to me!

Ed what people don't know is that whilst Labs angling Charter is credited to Salter. Most of it was given to him as a report by the SAA. Worked up by two members in particular and endorsed by the whole organisation democratically and unanimously.

The same report was also sent to the other two main parties as well. Funny none of it saw the light of day with them????????

You have a point Phil.

So much for your Tories Ron ...