My Pledge to the people of Rotherham.

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I will, if elected:

• Be totally free of any Party interference in the way I represent you.
• Open an office in the Town centre, which will have easy access to everyone.
• Find new ways to consult with you.
• Represent my constituents without fear or favour.
• Decide on all issues on the basis of factual evidence rather than Party prejudice.
• Openly account for my use of public money.
• Maintain a Website to provide a quick and convenient way for information and communication. 

Peter Thirlwall
Independent Parliamentary Candidate
Rotherham Constituency

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Rotherham Town Centre - Peter's Views

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Civic pride in a town starts with a Town Centre that is safe, clean and vibrant. The economic success of a good Town Centre automatically follows.

Above all, when people visit the Town Centre they must feel safe. This should be achieved by ensuring that there is a police presence in the Town Centre all of the time. This should also be linked with an embargo of dinking in the street and possible powers to disperse gangs and prevent loitering. These powers must of course be used sensibly.

Rotherham Town Centre is presently too large to be sustainable. We should therefore try to reduce its geographical size by encouraging the Government to reduce by half the non domestic rates of all shops within a given radius of the Town Centre. This would have the added benefit of encouraging more businesses to set up within the centre of town because of the economic benefits.

If possible, the new Stadium should provide a substantial amount of free parking within the complex. This would need to be achieved through negotiation and supported by grants. By ensuring that there is an abundance of parking around town would allow The Council to then provide free parking throughout the town without having to worry about all the spaces being taken up with those who work in the Town Centre.

The above must also be supplemented with a sensible transport policy to encourage people to leave their cars at home. This will be necessary if car ownership continues to rise.

The Town Centre Renaissance would be helped if the Government would support, through the grants system, the borrowing of money to finance the renaissance without the need resort to what is known as prudential borrowing which only adds to the burden on Local Authorities. 

Extra cleaning, care and maintenance of the street scene should take place.

Some research needs to be carried out to determine if a more vibrant Town Centre could be achieved by encouraging specialist retailesr into town who would not be faced with the competition from Meadowhall.

For many years now the Town Centre has only survived because of the Market. However the market has been slowly deteriorating with the inevitable consequences.  Investment in the market complex is needed together with rents that will keep the market stalls fully used.

Work needs to be done to determine if it is possible to relocate the Rail Station to the Stadium complex.

Not all of the above may be achievable and could not happen over night but Rotherham has to start somewhere.

Peter Thirlwall

Independent Candidate Rotherham Constituency

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Peter Thirlwall, Independent for Rotherham. What motivates my campaign!

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I believe in a proper 'old fashioned' Public Service ethos. Honesty and plain speaking is what motivates me deep down and is driving my current attempt to remove one of the greediest, manipulative, unpleasant, distant, arrogant and selfish Labour part time MPs that still exist in anything like a 'safe' seat at this General Election. In the case in point this is The Rt Hon Dr Denis MacShane, almost universally loathed by those who know him and has few friends in Rotherham.

Almost the entire population of our Town has been disgusted by the scandals and the spotlight they have brought to public greed by those who are supposed to be our servants not the other way round. By the time the greed, sleaze and corruption was exposed amongst Members of Parliament, the cancer had already spread far and wide, infecting public life insidiously over the last 13 years, after first infecting the Town Halls of our country and going on to Parliament, this has resulted in the most corrupt, greedy and self serving Parliament in history and Town Halls that have lost their way.

MacShane represents unfinished business. His record, such as it is, clearly shows, at best a greedy man, that sells himself to many masters for personal profit as he can while jetting off across the Atlantic to sell a book he had practically got Parliament to write for him on behalf of a Committee of Parliament in their report into the subject.

The Labour Party have confidence in MacShane, they are clearly wrong, they want to foist him upon us once again!

"If the Labour Party will not remove him, as they should, then the electorate have an opportunity to do it themselves!"

Peter Thirlwall
Independent Candidate, Rotherham

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Peter Thirlwall’s - Views on Immigration

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The Problem

• The overall lack of control of the situation combined with the view that the Labour Government assumed that they would all vote Labour in elections and connived at bring in 700,000 economic migrants, in just 2 years, no wonder things are not going smoothly!
• Most would agree that our borders should be properly controlled and be able to 'count people in and count them out' when they leave. We should be in control of who is here, the fact that we can’t, worries most people, quite rightly.
• The rights granted to EU citizens by our Government. Only 2 countries other than ourselves granted these rights to the 2004 entrants to the EU.
• Asylum Seekers who ultimately are refused 'leave to remain'.(often referred to as bogus in the press)
• Illegal Immigration, in fact ordinary citizens will never in fact know they exist.
• The issue of amnesty for the current illegal entrants already here.
• The effects that the burden is perceived as being unacceptably high in both financial terms and the burden on community resources such as Schools, Housing, Social Services and Health.
• There is a perception that those who are recently arrived enjoy benefits denied to the host community. This perception is very divisive, it is strongly felt and far more complex than often portrayed by some disreputable political parties. 

Peter’s View:

• The Government has a duty to control our borders. I will insist that this happens.
• The Government should not have granted a general right of admission for EU citizens. I will argue against this.
• We do need skills from abroad and many of our citizens work abroad in other countries, their rights too must be considered. I will support a proper, points based, system to replace the current, chaotic approach, to economic migration.
• No one would wish to deny entry to those fleeing tyranny and persecution but it seems to any reasonable person to be open to abuse. I want the issue to be re-examined from basic principles, to give us a system that is understood and respected by all. I will argue for and cooperate with those of goodwill to sort out this mess.
• The burdens placed on our local communities are unacceptably high and residents have legitimate concerns which they want addressed. I will argue that proper funding must be available to host communities to offset the unfair cost burden.
• Those here illegally are queue jumpers by another name, I do not approve of an amnesty, as that would end up rewarding them for this and be grossly unfair for all concerned. I am not in favour of an amnesty for those already here illegally.
• I believe illegal immigrants are by their very nature unwelcome to the host country and ultimately futile for the perpetrators as they are often subject to the very kind of abuse and semi-slavery they were trying to escape from.

I am convinced that it is time that the people got involved on this as so many issues when people of 'good will' do not speak out the racist bigots get the field to themselves and any open and honest approach is likely to be ignored in the general confrontation.

Peter Thirlwall
Independent Parliamentary Candidate for Rotherham

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Independent Network Campaign Launch

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The Independent Network are having a campaign launch event in London tomorrow morning, Peter Thirlwall will be there being publicly introduced to the media as an Endorsed Candidate.

We are very proud of this because the vetting procedure was very thorough and therefore it gives Peter the stamp of approval as a suitable person that can both be worthy of trust and if elected could do an excellent job as a Member of Parliament on behalf of the voters of Rotherham Constituency.

We always had full confidence in Peter as our standard bearer to oppose MacShane, the sitting MP for Rotherham. Now everyone may share that confidence too.

Peter Thirlwall's Campaign Team

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Breaking News - Independent Network Endorsement

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We are proud to announce that Peter Thirlwall's candidature has been endorsed by the Independent Network. This clearly demonstrates Peter's commitment to the Independents cause and their commitment to him as a torch bearer for openness, truth and integrity in public life.

 

Aims of the Independent Network

• create a sense of cohesion and identity for Independent candidates using the IN brand 
• establish national credibility for independent candidates - enabling the electorate to vote independent with greater confidence that an Independent vote is a vote for a more representative government.
• provide support to independent candidates. Many independents do not have access to the same scale of resources of a national political party.
• provide a forum of discussion, experience and advice for independent candidates. Candidates can use the network to share knowledge and work cooperatively in the best interests of the electorate.
• provide guidance and resources for independent candidates that will enable them to be elected at local, regional, national and European elections.
• promote a fairer system in which independents can compete with political parties.
• promote independent politics and encourage the electorate to acknowledge the success and influence independents are having in local government and Parliament.

If you would like to know more, Peter would love to hear from you, the contact information on the left side will help.

If you want to help, or join us or have a general question about the Rotherham Independents please Email us at independentsteam@googlemail.com.

Peter's Parliamentary Campaign Team
Rotherham Independents

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New endorsement - Steve Bentham-Bates

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"Peter Thirlwall was my Borough Councillor from whom I requested support to challenge a building project that was planned to be built adjacent to my property.

I approached Peter to help argue the case against excessive density and height of the plans, and with his intervention the group of residents I led successfully had the plans amended to reduce the total number of new buildings by a significant margin, and the four storey development plans ditched, to be more in keeping and scale of the residential appearance of the village.

His knowledge of the procedures and personalities of all hues in local government were instrumental in enabling the residents group to meet most of its objectives.

He is a first class councillor arguing against intransigent local politics who should, if there is any justice in the world, become an even better Member of Parliament for the local area fighting the corner of those he seeks to represent." 

Steve Bentham-Bates BA Hons FIRP Dip RP

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Message from Martin Bell - Independent Network

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Christine Ayres, Seconds Peter Thirlwall's Nomination

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I have known Peter Thirlwall for over 25 years as a loyal friend, to both me and my husband. I’m delighted to second his nomination for MP as I know he has all the important qualities you would hope for in an MP.  
Above all else Peter is trustworthy, a family man and homemaker who is amazingly hardworking and skilful in many practical ways as well as intellectually. A brilliant electrician, engineer, builder, and father, as well as a keen thinker with a sharp brain, Peter has massive reserves of energy and determination which he uses in great part for the benefit of other people wherever it’s needed.
Over the years Peter has impressed me with his compassion and understanding, and I know of many unpublicised acts of generosity and kindness to people in need. He lives by his own principles of openness, accessibility, fairness and straight talking and is a trustworthy, dependable friend. 
Peter has a reputation as a tough campaigner who takes a no nonsense approach to his work as a community representative. 
He is a leader rather than a follower, and strongly believes Rotherham needs a new voice to speak up for the town in the House of Commons. He believes we have been let down by the current Labour MP and he knows he can do better.
If Rotherham’s next MP is to be OUR champion rather than Westminster’s, then Peter Thirlwall is the man to vote for. 
Peter Thirlwall is a truly local candidate, a man of the people. 

THE man for Rotherham. 

Christine Ayres

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General Election Proper Starts Tomorrow, Independents nearly ready!

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Nomination for the General Election open tomorrow.

We are working hard to ensure, that despite the fact that the Labour Party will vastly outspend us in campaigning we will still get our clear and simple message across.

How many times have we heard the expression, enough is enough! coming from countless voters in despair. We have answered that call of frustration and disgust!

The greed, sleaze and corruption that seems to affect what goes for Public Life from top to bottom, must be swept out by people of principle committed to the finest traditions of Public Service, honesty and probity.

Peter Thirlwall and the 2010 Rotherham Independents local government candidates.

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MacShane or is that MacShame, makes friends with Guido Fawkes Again!

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Guido Fawkes likes MacShane, not a lot. See this story published today.

http://order-order.com/2010/04/11/if-it-is-good-enough-for-the-troops-it-is-good-enough-for-politicians/

MacShane's abilities to make friends and influence people appears to know no bounds!

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Mick Sylvester on Peter Thirlwall

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Michael Sylvester standing as an

Independent in Wingfield Ward.

"I completely support Peter Thirlwall's standing as an Independent for Rotherham in the 2010 General Election.

I first had the pleasure of working with Peter in his attempt to secure the Labour Party nomination for the Rotherham by-election of 1994 when despite the overwhelming support of local Labour Party members, he was left off the candidates shortlist leaving Party 'yes' man Denis MacShane to become our MP.

I admire that despite being on the approved Labour parliamentary candidates list, Peter only ever sought to stand in the town and to my mind, this sets him apart from the 'run of the mill' career politicians we see too much of.

In the past few years, Peter could have chosen to keep quiet, be a good boy for the Labour Party and have a good income with special responsibility allowances and junkets.  Instead he chose to make a stand against the culture that infects local and national politics of nest feathering and milking the tax payer.

The Tories and Liberal Democrats are an irrelevance in Rotherham and Peter has been working day in, day out against what I view as a corrupt Labour MP and Council.  Our choice in Rotherham is between a Labour MP who needs a map to find his constituency, which is only of use to help support his various income streams, and a brave champion who has said "enough" to the idea that politics is just about crossing your own palm with silver.

At 7am on May 6th in the St Johns Green polling station, I will be nothing but proud to put my cross against Peter Thirlwall's name."

Mick Sylvester 
Wingfield Ward 

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Message from Martin Bell OBE

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Martin Bell's Message on what it means to be an Independent.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GR8SBHyEEt0

Peter Thirlwall

Independent for Rotherham

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Irene Furnell Proposes Peter for Rotherham

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The election as we all know has been called today  I have been delighted to  have been asked to propose Peter Thirlwall  and delighted also that he has shown the courage to stand.

Why courage ?

Peter has been around the political scene in Rotherham a long time and is fully aware what an enormous task he is embarking on and in spite of this he is taking up the challenge . Taking it up seriously too I know he will give the campaign 100% just as he would give we the people of Rotherham 100% should he be elected. As the support for him grows ,as I believe it will, so will the wrath and spite machines of the main parties . Peter knows this and is not intimidated by it - good on you Peter.

I have know Peter for  more than thirty years and it is this courage along with his energy and capacity for hard work , his tenacity,  his single mindedness in the best interest  of Rotherham and its people -  to name just a few of his qualities that this town needs. Qualities which are relevant and in my view sadly lacking in the way we are being represented at parliamentary level at the moment.


Peter also has the full support of his wife Jean and family which is essential to this demanding job.

As an Independent candidate his loyalty is to the people he represents - the people who vote for him are his only masters. As a local lad  he is one of us  and just like most other right thinking people thinks Rotherham deserves better.

Should Peter win Rotherham would be in safe hands and you know even if he doesnt win he will  have done us all a real favour. For too many years Labour has taken our trust in them for granted and have gone unchallenged with wallies who see Rotherham as a safe bet and a job for life for themselves fighting for this seat .

Peter is giving us the chance to tell them - We have had enough! So if they manage to hold on who knows they might even start to be accountable.

I shall be doing all I can to help Peter in his campaign and urge you all to do the same.

WITH OUR HELP AND SUPPORT HE CAN WIN !!!!!!!

Irene Furnell

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Breaking News - Brown to see Queen in the morning!

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The waiting is over, finally the worst kept secret in history has become public.  The General Election will be on May 6th, the same day as the Local Government Elections.

For the first time since 1931 when the Tory, George Herbert, beat the Labour Candidate only to lose it again in 1933, the Parliamentary Constituency of Rotherham has a realistic chance of being lost by Labour.

The many scandals that have become public have exposed greed and corruption at all levels and in all parts of the House.  Labour, Tory and Lib Dem Members of Parliament were all involved up to their necks, in some cases now before the courts.

Few have come through this process with dignity intact.  To have realised that a majority of MPs were involved was shattering in terms of public confidence.  Despite the largest number of MPs in history standing down at the end of a Parliament, the problem is not yet over, there is still unfinished business.

There are Members of Parliament who served throughout this disgraceful period who are not standing down next week, simply because they have, so far, been able to hide behind the still impenetrable wall of secrecy, that surrounds the Houses of Parliament to this day. 

Denis MacShane, my Labour opponent, is in the top league when it comes to greed.  He has regularly claimed to within pence of the maximum allowable but totally refuses to account for the hundreds of thousands of pounds of your money he has spent since 1994. 

He has always been reluctant to account for the extra jobs he takes on the side, the pattern of declarations shows a degree of manipulation of the ever changing rules, to avoid giving any more information than absolutely necessary.

Close analysis of recently available information shows clearly this tendency and raises the most serious of questions, even more serious questions than I have previously published here on this site.  I have written to MacShane asking him to clarify his position, but alas, no reply, not even an acknowledgment.  I will share this with you later, either when I have a response or I am sure I will not be getting one.
It is not just me he will not answer, he won't tell you his constituents either - try asking him yourself!  Please email me with any response as I would be most interested.  

MacShane is not interested in us he just wants to be the MP for Rotherham and the Ex-Minister for Europe, both titles having been worth thousands over the years when peddling his journalism. Oh, and he wants you to put him back on the gravy train so he can rip us off for another four or five years.

The greed and corruption must be purged from Parliament.  If the Labour Party will not rid us of MacShane, then we must do it for ourselves. 

I offer myself as an antidote to all the sleaze, greed and corruption that has infected public life at all levels.  Public service should be just that, not a way of getting rich.  Nor is it there to make anyone important.  I firmly believe that MPs are there to serve their electorates without the stench of corruption that now swirls around public life generally.

Rotherham MP Denis MacShane has brought disgrace on the whole Town.  I stand with Rotherham in rejecting the recent scandals and believe that I can restore Rotherham's tarnished image by bringing some basic honesty, Yorkshire thrift when it comes to your money and some good old fashioned decency and commonsense when it comes to working on your behalf.

Together, Let's Change Rotherham for Good.


Peter Thirlwall
Independent Candidate 
Rotherham

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April 1st No joke for Motorists and everyone else too!

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Today sees the introduction of the first in three stages of Fuel Duty and the 'hidden' rise that VAT adds to the pump price!

All of us will suffer, it will increase our food bills, because everything we eat and use involves transport which will bear the brunt of the increases in costs and lead to eventual price rises as these extra costs pass down to consumers.

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We have already seen record prices at the pumps today and these will rise again with the next two planned increases later this year.

Peter says:

"The bulk of motoring costs should be on use, not ownership. Put simply, the more you drive the more you should pay. Road Tolls and private Motorways would be an unnecessary part of the future of Major Road building projects. We need to see an end to all tolls, not continue down a route to giving us more of them!

The proportion of annual costs of vehicle excise duty to running costs must be reduced. Only by this means can some degree of fairness be introduced into the system!

Rises in Fuel Duty will only be accepted when this balance is properly addressed by Government. This is, I believe,  the only fair way for the future!"

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Back to the Future for Tory Economic Policy?

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Now that the dust has settled on last weeks Budget and we have had a chance to consider the response of the Tory Opposition and take a peek at their approach to the future running of economic policy, it is quite apparent that most of the lessons of the last fifteen years have completely passed them by!

My Tory opponent needs to explain why, after all, the Tory proposals are pretty much now as put forward by the Tories at every election since1997? 

Firstly it was William Hague, then Michael Howard now it is Cameron and George Osborne trying to convince us that this time the outcome will be different, if they simply wrap it up in a nice sugary and soft covering to conceal that at it's heart their approach has not really changed since Margaret Thatcher destroyed our industries, with the same economic approach they are still advocating, as the answer to the country's problems in the 21st century.

It is surprising, that although we see a clapped out and corrupt Labour Government, at the fag end of this Parliament they are still within touching distance of hanging on in Government. 
The Tories are desperate to show that they have changed, in doing so, they just prove they are still the same 'Old' Tories at heart, and they haven't changed one bit! 

A bunch of various toffs with privileged backgrounds telling ordinary folk that they now embrace them, and their aspirations, is a frankly ridiculous spectacle! 
Every time one looks closely at The Tories, the echos of the past a still being heard like a drum beat, The Tories haven't changed! Just the sugar coating!

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Government rocked by chaos in drugs policy. Again!

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Just when we thought that the public could rely on this Labour Goverment to get a proper grip on the future of drugs policy, the shock resignation today of another Senior Government Adviser on drugs, Dr Polly Taylor, blows it all apart again. She is the sixth to do so, citing 'knee jerk' politicians and their continued failure even to properly consider the experts advice when making decisions. They stand accused for the 6th time now of being motivated and driven by political expediency and prejudice rather than considered advice. Two might appear careless? but six?

Labours Drugs policy is in chaos and lies in tatters! The Tories will be no better!

These failures are affecting us all! We all know that, along with all northern towns, Rotherham has more than it's fair share of damage caused by all drugs including alcohol and tobacco! I believe that, the chemicals that the 'young and even the not so young' routinely use for pleasure purposes, at least at the beginning, are doing insidious damage to the fabric of our future society, when the next generation accept drug taking to be the norm, what then?

By instinct I could not be more Anti-Drugs in general but even I can see that simple policy making by diktat, especially when it overides the considered advice of a panel of experts he himself had chosen, is unwise, without giving a great deal of attention to all the details. Prejudice is often wrong. Evidence can be tested.

I am sure that the people of Rotherham would prefer me, at least, to consider advice and evidence before rejecting it!

The people most affected by this paralysis of policy are the innumerable families affected by a family members' drug or alcohol abuse. It destroys whole families slowly from within and when they are desperate and ready to break their addictions and turn to help, it simply isn't there.

We need a drugs policy that works! Not the mess and confused policy we have now. I am equally sure that this will continue under a Tory Administration which would have more problems with it than Labour, because of the previous known antics of the social circles they prefer us not to realise they still inhabit.

I will argue for a 'joined up' drugs policy that as well as punishes effectively, the criminality also provides the help needed to answer that call for it , when it comes. Whole families are affected and rehabilitation policy must reflect this in the range of support on offer.

Peter Thirlwall
Rotherham's own Independent Parliamentary Candidate.

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Labour's Last Budget? A wasted opportunity! Peter's response.

I don't know what Alistair Darling expected the country to think of his latest and last Budget called 'Securing the recovery'.

'Fiddling while Rome burns', would be far more apt. There is very little to be positive about as this budget has the unfortunate effect of ensuring that there will be a second budget this year whoever is running the country after the election.

This budget conceals more than illuminates. Basic tax allowances are not going up this year, inflation will increase the effect of this and make the lowest paid bear the brunt of these hidden tax increases. Already suffering badly, more pain is to be heaped on them in the form of taxes on the 'naughty' things like alcohol and tobacco. Because of the increases in duty on fuel, food and basics will get more expensive and impact disproportionately on the less well off.

National Insurance, an income tax on working people by another name, is also unchanged. This is a disgraceful missed opportunity to apply the tax system with a degree of social justice for all, not just for the better off!

We are all aware that the economic climate now is poorly placed to provide the support and assistance that Rotherham will need if is to prosper in the future.

There are some encouraging signs, at least at the high-tech end of engineering. The town may be able to look forward to the benefits that these developments will bring to the local economy. 
Only if the economy avoids a 'double dip' recession will this go ahead as planned. 
We need good jobs, highly skilled with a long term future. 
Rotherham will need advocates at all levels.
I am prepared to be your voice where it matters!

Peter Thirlwall
Rotherham's own Independent.

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Question Time for MacShane?

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MacShane has finally surfaced again, as predicted, a few weeks before the General Election!
He set up his own version of Question Time, organised by the supposedly non political South Yorkshire Women's Development Trust.
Chaired by MacShane himself with a hand picked panel, he even included his latest girl friend for good measure. None of them having any relevance to the voters of Rotherham.
Denis hand picked the questions to give himself an easy ride, preaching to the converted! From this point of view a 'Church’ hosting such a politically partisan event seems to me to be crassly inappropriate at best and an outrage at worst!
Not one direct question on his scandalous expenses! None either on the lamentable record of the Labour Government! Or anything about the disgraceful scandals that have engulfed him and the information he simply refuses to give us! John Healey can manage it, so why can’t MacShane!
MacShane thinks he can go into this election without explaining any of his expenses to his voters! He is treating his voters with total contempt!
Anna Chester, one of MacShanes party organisers, said "there is clearly an appetite to have those meetings more often". I can assure her there is.
Perhaps Anna, who as well as being a labour organiser and also a volunteer with the non political SYWD, would organise a Question Time chaired by a neutral.
Invite a panel that included Peter Thirlwall and MacShane.
It would give you an audience that would be so large that there is no venue in Rotherham that could fit everyone in! The tickets would be very much sought after!
The Women of Rotherham require answers too!
They deserve answers from both the incumbent and his principal challenger, Peter Thirlwall. Answers to the questions they actually want to ask!
Peter Thirlwall, the Independent Candidate, is an incredible politician and if the roles were reversed and MacShane was the Independent candidate at the next election, MacShane would lose his deposit!
Thirlwall's popularity is increasing by the day. With your help, he will defy all the odds, and win the Rotherham seat!
If you would like to help Peter or would like to speak to him directly, don't delay he is the most approachable person you are likely to meet and would love to hear from you.

George Valentine
Council Waste Watcher
Stag
Rotherham

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