MP's Reply's

Dave Smith

Dave Smith

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After reading Kevin's article, I e-mailed my MP Tom Watson (Labour MP for West Bromwich East).

Before I post the message I'd like to thank Mr. Watson for the speed of his reply (less than 3 hours.

Hi David,

Rest assured, I'm a big fan of angling, in fact many childhood memories are
of my grandad persuading me that you need to keep maggots in your mouth
because they wriggle more on the hook!

I would never vote to restrict the rights of anglers, although I don't see
any momentum in Westminster to go down this route anyway.

I see you live in Sandwell - for the last 12 months I have been trying to
persuade Councillor Cooper, a keen angler, to take me fishing. Every
politician needs a hinterland after.

All best wishes

Tom

I've also e-mailed Mr Adrian Bailey MP for West Bromwich West, as soon as Mr. Bailey replies I'll post his message.


Now if we all follow Kevin's example this could be a very long and interesting thread. The time for sitting on our backsides has got to stop. If fishing does meet it's demise we only have ourselves to blame. and then what will we do? Spend our fishoing time watching the Corrie omnibus?

Dave
 
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ED (The ORIGINAL and REAL one)

Guest
"I see you live in Sandwell - for the last 12 months I have been trying to
persuade Councillor Cooper, a keen angler, to take me fishing. Every
politician needs a hinterland after."


Dave
Maybe you should have offered to take him fishing ....then work on them from the inside
 
R

Ron Troversial Clay

Guest
About three years ago I reported an answer I had to a letter I sent to our local MP.

The words were virtually the same as those reported by Tom.

And very condescending

I wonder if the blinking Labour Party have worked out standard stock answers to our letters.

I will never trust the Labour Party.
 
T

The Monk

Guest
I would imagine they will have a standard letter for all things Ron, and these will be based on party policys at the time
 
Dave Smith

Dave Smith

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Eddie, I had thought of that....but I've been away doing the "family thing" for a couple of years I'm building up my gear at the moment and don't have the equipment to offer someone a day out (I doubt Tom has any tackle).

Ron/The Monk...

I can understand your responses but, Do you think the Anti's would slate a positive reponse? Of cause they wouldn't they'd quote the guy on everything they could get their hands on. If we say That's another "stock answer" we remove it's effectivness and shit our own nest... We're not in a position to pick and choose our supporters. If we get a positive response post it up thank the person envolved and remind them of it if the need arises.

Dave
 
R

Ron Troversial Clay

Guest
You have a point Dave.

But I don't like the idea of standard stock answers to get votes. I would respect an answer reflecting the MPs own opinion much better.

One of the worst aspects of so-called modern politics is that individual members of a party are sometimes forced to tow a party line, whether they believe in the issue or they do not.
 
J

John Hepworth 3

Guest
Ron, I think your response is a little condescending. Every time I have contacted my (Labour) MP he could not have been more helpful.He even atteded meetings with anglers. Never trusts the Labour party; do you remember when Willey Whitelaw was Home Sec in 1980? The very same night he was on television saying that he had no intention of bringing in the Army to solve the prison officers dispute a bloody Army truck killed my young dog as it was taking a load of squadies down to the new Frankland prison. (Squadies to break the strike, I seem to remember they did the same thing with the miners four years later, that was also denied)
 
W

Wolfman Woody

Guest
I think the MP remarks are his own opinions. Heaven knows how many letters they receive and if they are a good constituency MP every one will receive a reply. So the MP can only put a few words together, hence they probably do sound liek sound-bites.

I trusted and respected my old MP friend and one-time Shadow Sports Minister Tom Pendry, now Lord Pendry. He too said he wanted to come sea fishing with us back in the 70s and it almost came off. Trouble is, thes guys are busy, although you might not appreciate it, and getting the time off to go on a fishing trip is al but impossible.

Perhaps Dave, a further letter of appreciation for his quick reply and regrets that you don't have the tackle to take him with you sometime. Keep him on your best side, Labour, Tory, or Liberal, we need all the friends we can get.

And I do believe him when he said that there is no "..momentum in Westminster to go down this route anyway." There's an isolated few perhaps.
 
R

Ron Troversial Clay

Guest
John,

Maybe I was a little condescending, and for that I apologise. However in Rotherham we have many miles of the Don, bursting with superb angling. The problem is that many local anglers are denied access to the river because of terrible banks, or no access at all due to the prevelance of old factory walls next to the river.

Many local anglers have asked the Rotherham Town Council to do something. Nothing ever gets done.

I don't have to tell you that Rotherham Town Council are the most arrogant and self rightious bunch of beaurocrats around. They are confident that they will never get voted out so quite honestly they couldn't care a toss about local anglers, especially pensioners without transport who would love to be able to have a day's fishing on their local river.

Mind you a few of them have been taken to court lately for absconding with OUR money.

I truly hate organisations like this who have no opposition. The problem with Rotherham and other towns in this area is if you put up a pig with a red ribbon on it they would vote for it.
 
P

Phil Hackett 2

Guest
Jeff I too know Tom Pendary reasonably well and Tom was a reasonable constituency MP. However, he was Old Labour and just right of centre of it. Today he would be way out left of this bloody shower that masquerade as New Labour.

As to MPs being very busy people - You’re having a laugh mate!
No way on this earth do they work hard it’s a gravy train for them 70K p.y., plus 140K expenses. Many of them also employing their spouses out of this money, to do their letter writing for them. All they do is sign the dammed things!

As for trusting any politician of any colour…….. I think not! They’ll all stab you and their constituents in the back if it furthers their own career and/or the whips tell them to vote against the wishes of their electorate.

Democracy what democracy? Put X on a paper ever five years (Nt. Govt.) and they go away and do as the please until the next X time.

And don’t get me started on that Banker (Tony Lloyd) I’ve got as an MP Gurrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!
 
J

John Hepworth 3

Guest
Accepted Ron.
Dave, how can you say that? I would say that the majority are very honourable, no matter what party. My local MP is also a personal friend and I have known him for far longer than he has been at Westminster. Prior the being an MP he was a headmaster of a special needs school and could have gone much further in politics had he toed the party line. Several years ago we had a problem with a game syndicate wanting to remove coarse fish from the Wear. Through his help we managed to stop the removal of the fish, he also obtained in the process a letter from the riparian owners (Durham County Council) confirming that they would never allow coarse fish to be removed from any of their waters. He also signed Martin Salters early day motion on the close season issue a couple of years ago.
 
E

ED (The ORIGINAL and REAL one)

Guest
I agree Dave ---all out to feather their own nests.... with the odd 'what the people want' to keep them in a cushy job that pays ?56,358 a year
 
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John Lock

Guest
Surely the point of this thread is to ascertain the views of our own MPs about fishing rather than to have a 'slag off politicians' rant.
Anyway, here's the email I just sent to my MP (Harry Cohen, Labour, Leytonstone & Wanstead). I've tried to make sure of two things. First that he won't know which side of the argument I'm on and, second, that I'm after his personal view and not some official party line.

Dear Mr Cohen, my question is about your personal view of angling as a sport
and your likely stance if the future of angling is debated in Parliament.
On the one hand angling is said to be the biggest participatory sport in the
UK, on the other hand there are calls from some animal rights groups for
angling to be banned.
If this ever came to a vote in Parliament, how would you vote? i.e. would
you vote 'Yes' to a ban on angling? Or would you vote 'No'? (Can we assume
that for the basis of this question that there would be no Third Way
compromise solution?)
Thank you for your time.
 
R

Ron Troversial Clay

Guest
Seems a perfectly logical request. I would love to read the answer, if any.
 
J

John Lock

Guest
I have had a very prompt reply to my enquiry about my MP's stance on angling (see two messages above). Here is his reply in full.

"I would not be in favour of a ban. I am pressing, with my colleagues, for a
ban on hunting with dogs where the case for a ban is overwhelmingly
powerful. Harry Cohen MP"
 
E

ED (The ORIGINAL and REAL one)

Guest
He hasn't said he would vote against a ban though .......
 
E

ED (The ORIGINAL and REAL one)

Guest
typical MP type answer (which is no answer at all)
 
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