Piscatorial politik

The Professor; I am compelled yet again to agree with Professor Rickards. Chris Bishop will recall my warnings of 'worse to come' a few months ago on the politic side. I meant it, having been privy to what was going on behind the scenes at 'Departments' - so privy in fact, I still cannot mention it for I would be sacked in confidentiality and have no job to pay for my fishing.

However, we must consider that the 'anti' movement, do generally vote for Labour or are that way inclined; this is no disservice to Labour voters but an observation of 'antis'; the welfare socialist in you will not be compelled to disagree. Labour know this, and they want to keep them sweet, so they throw them a bone - An Angling Charter, that anglers sign up to of course - so all fair eh?

Err...no. The antis are 'anti-fishing', that does not mean 'some-fishing' that means 'no-fishing'. Gettit? NO FISHING. NO FISHING. NO FISHING. NO FISHING.... not 'SOME-FISHING'.

Now we have established that an angling charter would not be for anglers, but actually as a 'patsy' to secure 'antis' votes in the next election - which will be an interesting one - not only that but 'hey Jude' it might even encourage the likes of Sir Paul to bat for Tony again. 'Oh, yeh yeh yeh'. Gettit? That's right folks celebrity politics precedes our elections - call it 'Politic Idol', whomever has the most celebs behind them - wins! Marvellous (sic).
So what do we do? We resist my piscatorial friends, we resist. We give no quarter, we fight no battle to lose or win, we win the war of words. How do we do this? By being stubborn, by not compromising our fishing heritage and rights, by not dividing, by not defining our left or right or centre or obscure allegiances, but by being drawn together in an esprit of like minded men and women. By joining in rejoicing our common thread - the joy of fishing. Gettit?
We love fishing, for some us it is our pleasure to think clearly and study to be quiet, for others it is a living - but we still all love it. Don't let yourselves give an inch, not to hooks, lines, rods, times, fees, quotas - NOT A THING. The cost, resist through your vote - that's right stand up for yourselves and vote for fishing and nothing else. 'Madness' you say, no, I have courage of conviction and believe you all do too.
VOTE FISHING - VOTE TO FISH.

Pikelines and over to you..

Since Barrie seems to be on first name terms with Martin Salter perhaps he might like to ask Martin why he didn't answer my letter requesting some help regarding the Red Signal Crayfish invasion on the waters within his own constituency.

Once Barrie's phone is suitably warmed, and his appetite sharpened, he might also like to ask his hoppo's down at the Environment Agency why they too failed to send a reply when I wrote asking wether or not they had granted permission for the fish to be removed from Burgh Heath Pond and if so, why? (See my article, "Our Little Pond".

Not so much as a "Ta very much lad" from either of them!

I would agree with most of what Barrie said, I usually do.

If the Labour Party are planning to draw up yet another Anglers Charter I too would wonder what for? The original one was virtually all the work of my old friend Tom Pendry (now Lord Pendry) even though the foreward was by Chris Smith. Sure it didn't say much, non-committal, sat on the fence, but isn't that the purpose of Government and Party documents?

The main point about it was, that it was NOT anti-angling. Tom told me himself that a Labour Government (then still only a prospect) would be mad to bring in any anti-angling policies. Consider: there are 4 millions anglers in the country (okay not all fish at the moment, but it's somewhere in their bones). If Labour brought in any blatant anti-angling measures, they plus their wives, their parents (if living), possibly some siblings, and maybe even children of voting age, might vote against that party.

Put in a nutshell Labour could find itself fighting an army of 20,000,000 voters and would find itself not only out of power, but our of existance. I still believe that is our greatest strength and what marks us apart from the hunting lobby. However, things have a nasty habit of slipping in by the back door - so BE WARNED!!!

Aye aye Jeff! 'Forgive no quarter'.

As for Kevin's lack of response ; citizens charter, they are obliged to answer a written request and Freedom of Information entitles you to receive a response, but not necessarily the one you want.

VOTE FISHING

I don't trust ANY politicians, particularly left wing ones.

Perhaps Ron should start an anti-McCartney party. I would vote for him.

Yet again I agree with you Dave, it must be the Midlander thing. Politicians should be treated like snakes, kept at a distance and never ever to be trusted, and most certainly where fishing is concerned. Its against the rules to call an MP a liar in parliament, is that because its stating the obvious do you think. Slimeballs the lot of them is what I think

May I add that fervent anti everythings do not vote at all.They are generally of no fixed abode, or if they are, do not register on the electoral roll.
As for Politicians, well a line out of a BBC comedy sums them up , A Minister for Health who smoked, a Home Secretary who smoked Cannabis, a Secretary of Defence who went on CND marches,a Transport Secretary with more Jags than chins and a Sports Secretary who could not answer any questions on ...... yep Sport.

the day that angling is banned is the day that i leave britain for ever,
if possible to another eu country if the anti's haven't managed to get it banned everywhere.
that way all my pension money when i draw one will be going to another eu country, if enough anglers especially all the ones who own their won business in other fields did the same thing what would happen,
for example everyone who owns a company everyone who went to university and gained expensive training all left taking their jobs and skills with them what would they do then.
we would not only take a large ammount of skill with us but create a lot more unemployment than just shutting down the fishing trade.
you could then set the tackle companies up in the other countries to service the influx of extra anglers that it would create.
all it would need is 20000 company owners to close business with an average of 50 employees and that's an extra 1 million unemployed for the guilty government to deal with.

I don't say I trust all politicians whether left, right, centre, up or down. Tom Pendry was alright though. He'd done our sea angling club a good bit of work in the 70's by alerting the Board of Trade to rogue charter boats.

He was also a boxer and knew what it was like to have his sport attacked. It was a great disappointment to me (and even more to him) that once Labour got elected his job was given to Tony Banks, the Minister for CHELSEA.

It seems that every Sports Minister since that has had any sympathy towards angling is given the size 10 Downing Street boot.

Whether you like it, or you do not. The left wing parties, paricularly the Lib Dems and some sections of the Labour Party will give more succour to the Antis than the Conservative party.

This is a fact that cannot be disputed.

Because of this I would ask you all to think hard before you put your crosses at the next election.

Vote BNP......

I hope that was a flippant comment Eddie, I could not think of anything more politically distasteful. It would certianly be moving away from the 'point'which is VOTE FISHING.

Sorry folks, politicians have the power to make laws, like it or not. If you try a Countryside Alliance type of approach - ie lots or red-faced rants of the "no one understands us" type of mush you deserve what you get. The trick is to engage without getting sucked in.
The antis spend their time opposing fishing, whilst we spend our time fishing. Nevertheless, there are more of us than them.
Oh, and by the way Eddie, if I was an anti I would gleefully leap on and reproduce your remark (which is in a public area) and distribute it up and down the land. We could all get tarred by that brush.

Ron,
I agree with you.
Eddie,
These people (the p.c. brigade) have no sense of humour. I hate politicians, as I guess you do. They are devious, lying twats. Vote fishing, vote Guy Fawkes.

Hear Hear Dave .......Pity he wasn't successful ...(Guy Fawkes I mean ...

And its because of the P C Brigade that the country is in the state its in


Oh and by the way Rob --If you were an anti you could do what the hell you liked ..

I might even vote Monster Raving Looney Party --- I think they are the most sensible of them all --(pity we dont have a candidate here)

I think I'll set up my Apathy Party for the next election.

Our only policy will be - LEAVE WELL ALONE - or in Yorkshire terms "Do Nowt"!

It's either that or I'll vote Monster Raving Looney Party as well - won't make one bit of difference around here.

It is a wonder that they(the pc brigade) haven't decided that its 'politically incorrect' to be politically correct...thats how stupid its become!!

Come come peoples, we live in a democracy, even though it is not perfect.

I have lived in countries that have claim to be democratic; and by our standards they could hardly be called that. To vote for parties that could never achieve government is wasting your democratic right.

Remember that the peoples of these islands have fought and died for centuries for the basic human right to vote. If you don't like the government in power and what they are doing, vote at least for a party that will oppose in a proper manner, not some ridiculus psuedo-organisation that exist only for the weak of mind and extreme dogmas.

I have alway taken the time to vote because I think that not only it is my right, but my duty. If you think strongly enough about an issue you might spend time working in that party, making your opinions known.

Think also of it this way. Without doubt, politicians and political idealogies are flawed. We are only human and by being so we make mistakes. If we love our sport we will study what the 3 major parties offer. For me, my vote will go to the least worst amongst those three.

And we know who they are.