We see that the Conservatives have started a blog for the Rayleigh North County Elections – you can find it here . (By the way , we have always shown some links to the local Conservative websites, if they were ‘playing fair’ they would give us a link back!).
Some initial thoughts:
We see this as a sign of anxiety on their part – because if you have had a County Councillor in office for 8 years, you really shouldn’t wait until just a month before he is up for re-election to start a blog!
We allow comments on onlinefocus – because comments from residents are often more important than what we write ourselves. And it also means that if we ever wrote something that’s just plain wrong, anyone – residents or other councillors – can have a go back at us and correct us. Sadly, there’s no place to leave comments on this Conservative blog. We wonder why?
We are tempted to write an instant rebuttal to what they are saying, because some of it needs correcting. But we’ll let it run for a few days and then write a response
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I agree that this would seem to be a sign of anxiety. Also, wholly concur that there should be a place for comments…
Come on Stephen, if you are reading this!
You can’t comment on Lord Hanningfield’s blog either … I wonder why not?
It’s a shame the Tory’s came round to our house canvassing whilst I was in hospital – would have really liked to have a “chat” with them – would have liked to hear their excuses for the poor job they have done running RDC – if one does want to come and talk to me, you can get my address from Chris.
It’s a shame one cannot leave comments because I would have enjoyed a little polite conversation with Stephen Castle and a few local Tory supporters.
Interesting that the only thing Mr Castle can find to object to in our newspaper is free lunches for councillors … does that mean he accepts everything else?
Of course there isn’t a facility on their website for comment, it would allow people to expose the Tory misinformation machine which is now in top gear.
How can a man who is deputy chairman of an organisation that is advocating the building of 43,800 houses in this part of the country say that he is opposed to 850 of them in our area?
If he was honest and had the courage of his convictions he would resign (either his post in Thames Gateway or as county councillor). Like the famous Shell petrol advert of some years ago he seems to be facing both ways at once.
Not surprisingly, with the election on the horizon, Stephen Castle has suddenly discovered where Rayleigh is. After being practically invisible for the past four years he has magically appeared at Town and Parish meetings.
At Rawreth Parish’s annual meeting he was at pains to remind us all how important he is, meeting lots of Government ministers and talking about places such as Jaywick(?) and the Olympics. (He didn’t get around to mentioning swanning off to China recently).
I expect he felt quite pleased at the praise he received at Rayleigh Town Council’s annual meeting. Of course it was being lavished on him by the person who is running his election campaign!
Ask yourselves, where do his interests really lie? Are they in this area? I suggest he has no more interest than the opportunity to further his national and international ambitions.
As for his personal and insulting attack on Chris Black, I am too disgusted and angry to comment sensibly at the moment. Do the people of Rayleigh North really want such an arrogant and devious person as this to represent them? They say you get what you deserve, well I think we deserve better than this.