Dave Page

This just in from the hardworking volunteers at Friends of Platt Fields:

OUR MIDSUMMER STRAWBERRY AND CREAM TEA PARTY
THIS SATURDAY 19TH JUNE
On the lawns in front of Platt Hall, in Platt Fields.

There will be

• lots of Victorian games and activities (stick and hoop, jacks, croquet, hopscotch, egg and spoon races,  giant chess and draughts, three-legged races, sackraces),  along with a few more modern ones – giant jenga, spacehoppers, and traditional floor mazes …
• a Victorian juggling show,
• try your hand at hulahooping,
• strawberries and cream tea, lemonade, cucumber sandwiches etc!
• Also we shall have a go at tea-dancing (I’m sure children’s grandparents may remember that but we would love parents and indeed children to try out a polka or a foxtrot, especially people coming from different cultural origins (where gentle dancing is acceptable)
• we shall have our wonderful Poem for Platt Fields – dedicated “to the children” read out by its author Mike Garry, with copies for people to keep as postcard souvenirs, and a plan for where it will be permanently installed in the park
• a chance to see the exhibitions in Platt Hall costume gallery (open all afternoon)

Free for all local families  (pay for food)
2 – 4.30pm

SEE YOU THERE!

This sounds like another excellent event organised by the Friends in Platt Fields’ centenary year, and I look forward to seeing people there!

One of the first things that’s happened under the new Liberal Democrat / Tory coalition in Government is that one of the worst bits of Labour’s authoritarian nanny state has already been scrapped. The ID card scheme was first rolled out in Manchester, but very few people volunteered for one. Labour were spending hundreds of thousands of pounds every day on the unpopular scheme.

The National Identity Register, the largest interlinked system of Government databases, was at the heart of the ID card scheme. While Labour told us that carrying the card would be voluntary, it was always compulsory that you would be registered and tracked for life like a criminal, with details of your life available to thousands of civil servants and private enterprise. This compulsory database was first touted as an anti-terrorism measure, then something to stop benefit fraud, then something to prevent illegal migration, then merely as a “convenience”. All of these were lies and falsehoods to dupe people into an expensive, intrusive, useless database dreamed up by a control-freak authoritarian Labour Government.

I joined the Liberal Democrats at the same time as I joined No2ID, the nationwide single-issue, non-partisan campaign against the Database State. For the last few years, I have been co-ordinating Manchester No2ID, a local group of the national campaign. I have worked with people from all political backgrounds, including fellow Lib Dems, Greens, Labour and even anarchists. Working across party lines, on a single issue, has been very refreshing and helped me see beyond party politics. Our monthly street stalls keep me in touch with people’s opinions, and lead to frank and open discussions.

I am pleased that No2ID’s lobbying encouraged the Conservatives to join us in opposition to the scheme, as public opinion turned against it. It was Labour’s refusal to bow to popular and progressive opinion that meant that the Liberal Democrats’ coalition discussions with them failed.

There’s still work to do for No2ID. There are many other elements of the database state which need to be addressed. No2ID will continue to work with all parties and none to encourage people to get involved in protecting our civil liberties against an over-powerful state. We won’t be happy until the laws that enable these databases are gone, and cannot ever return. Please get involved and help us to achieve this, no matter what your party background.

My feelings about the Lib Dem / Tory coalition are mixed, and I may well blog about that in a few days when more details are clear. However, the Liberal Democrats’ ability to work with the Conservatives has already delivered this manifesto pledge, for the good of the country, despite Labour’s bloody-minded stubbornness.

I took a few snaps of the Platt Fields Centenary Festival when I was in the park last night. I caught the Bollywood Brass Band, who were awesomely entertaining, in the big marquee. I was examined by Arthur the Health Inspector, and sampled a pint of bitter from Kro’s inflatable pub. The bandstand looked wonderful - Friends of Platt Fields have done a fantastic job of decorating this section of the park for the festival.

If you didn’t make the festival on Friday or Saturday, then it’s still well worth going along tomorrow for the last day; you can check out the programme of events on the Friends’ website. Here are some photos - click on them for the bigger versions!

The results are now in for the 2010 local elections. Unfortunately, I wasn’t elected as your local councillor for Fallowfield this time. Despite the Labour boost from the General Election, it was still the closest result in the ward for four years - and despite Labour’s scaremongering, the Tories are still nowhere to be seen in Manchester.

I’m proud of fighting an honest campaign in Fallowfield, and this is not the end for the Liberal Democrats in the area. Whatever happens over the next few days or weeks in terms of the national parliament, I will continue to be involved in Fallowfield’s communities, and continue to make the positive case for the Liberal Democrats in the city. I honestly believe that local people’s needs are best served by hardworking Lib Dem councillors, and I will continue to work hard all year round to demonstrate that.

Thanks very much to everybody who voted for me, and to the people who supported me and helped with deliveries, envelope stuffing, putting posters in their windows etc. There’s still plenty to be done in Fallowfield, so if you fancy getting involved in any way, please get in touch.

I’m really looking forward to the election being over. Not only because with any luck I’ll be representing the people of Fallowfield in Manchester City Council, and Qassim the constituency of Gorton in Parliament. Not only because I’ll be able to catch up on sleep, let the blisters heal and actually see my friends when they’re not helping me deliver leaflets.

I’m looking forward to the Platt Fields Centenary Festival this weekend, which starts on Friday 7th May, the day after the election. There’s a lot going on this weekend, with celebrations, live music on the bandstand, food stalls and plenty more. Check out the Friends of Platt Fields’ website, and hopefully I’ll see you there!

At a recent Student Union hustings, where the Liberal Democrats were represented by John Leech, Labour failed to send a representative. Obviously, this is pretty embarrassing, and suggests that Labour don’t take students and the student vote seriously

What makes it much worse, and the reason I’m posting about it, is that when Student Direct investigated, a Fallowfield Labour councillor decided to threaten news editor Girish Gupta for exposing the organisational incompetence which lead to the Labour no-show. This is clearly unacceptable - they should have just owned up to the mistake, admitted that they got it wrong by failing to engage with the Student Union, and moved on. Threatening a journalist to cover up your own mistakes is just inexcusable. It’s an attack on journalism, and an attack on students. No matter which party you stand for, this behaviour is just not acceptable for a councillor. I’m glad that Girish has the integrity to publish the story, including the Labour threats, and stand up to the bullies.

Fortunately, this particular Fallowfield Labour councillor is standing for re-election on Thursday. By voting Lib Dem in Fallowfield, you can send a message that bullying and intimidation from our elected representatives cannot be justified.

I have campaigned against the Digital Economy Act 2010. The law will require the University to spy on student Internet traffic, and could stop bars offering free wifi to customers. It can force people to be disconnected on mere suspicion of copyright infringement.

I attended a recent demo in Manchester organised by the Open Rights Group (of which I am a member), wearing a gag to symbolise censorship. I handed out copies of the Liberal Democrats “Save the Net” factsheet to passers-by and discussed the issue of arbitrary disconnection without trial.

The Liberal Democrats voted against this law in the Commons, and have pledged to repeal it if elected. The elections in Fallowfield and Gorton are between the Lib Dems and Labour. A vote for anyone else supports Labour’s Digital Economy Act and arbitrary disconnection without trial.

Every third Sunday of the month, Friends of Platt Fields holds a volunteering afternoon. A couple of weeks ago, I went along to find out more, accompanied by some friends.

Platt Fields is supported by the Council, but a lot of the excellent work done in the park is undertaken by volunteers. On this particular afternoon, I found myself working as part of a team of half-a-dozen, stuffing barley hay into tubular bales. These bales will be dropped into the boating lake at Platt Fields, where they will counteract the troublesome lake algae by natural processes. It was hard work but enjoyable, and the organisers and other volunteers were great fun. Other groups were planting seeds in pots, and painting things for the celebration weekend on 7-9th May.

Platt Fields is an excellent resource for Fallowfield, and I will continue to support it if elected. I’m also planning to return for more volunteering, and I’d recommend it as a fun and rewarding way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

I’m not going to be able to get along to this myself, but I’d like to let you know about a Reclaim the Night march this evening, leaving from Manchester University Student’s Union at 8pm (though you can turn up from 6:30pm for free food and placard-making). All genders are welcome.

Reclaim the Night is an empowerment campaign and protest against violence towards women. Marches have been going for over 30 years, around the world, each organised locally as a grassroots statement. Unfortunately, violence against women, both public and domestic, is still a major concern in the world, and events like Reclaim the Night are needed to continue to raise awareness and promote action.

Facebook link for the event.

Today is the day of St. George, patron saint of England. We live in a diverse and inclusive society, and it’s only appropriate to celebrate all the elements that make up our society, including the English traditions. These days, definitions of Englishness might well include a chicken tikka masala as well as a pint of real ale (indeed, I’m a fan of both!), but it’s entirely appropriate that we take time to celebrate England and Englishness, however we choose to do so.

This Sunday, there’s a St. George’s Day Parade in Manchester, starting at 11:30am in Park View Community School, Miles Platting. John Leech has more details. Further, the Manchester Lib Dems are calling for St. George’s Day to be a Bank Holiday.

However you celebrate the day, I hope you have a great one!