Bristol City Slackers 2014: 3 Conservatives, 2 LibDems and 1 Labour

Posted on 15th May 2014 by politicsthisweek — Leave a comment

Friday 16th May 2014

BCfm’s weekly politics show presented by Tony Gosling

At five – discussing the big stories in Bristol, Britain and around the world
After six – straight talking and investigative reports with Martin Summers

Listen live http://icecast.commedia.org.uk:8000/commbrist.mp3

First hour: News review with Conservative Councillor for Westbury-On-Trym Alistair Watson – Six shy or orgerwise uncommunicative and unforthcoming councillors are up for re-election – Bristol City Slackers 2014: 3 Conservatives, 2 LibDems and 1 Labour councillor: Bishopsworth: Kevin Quartley (C), Brislington West: Peter Main (LD), Filwood: Chris Jackson (L), Lockleaze: Sean Emmett (LD), Stockwood: David Morris (C) and Stoke Bishop: John Goulandris (C). Charlotte Leslie, Conservative MP for Bristol North West, is being investigated for £17,000 cash for questions – should taxpayers fund political parties? Transparency of party funding; largest UK jobs growth for 43 years – but are these low wage, low productivity jobs and are many ‘self-employed’ really unemployed just being persuaded to claim tax credits as if they had an income? Stitching-up claimants is all part of the job, says Jobcentre insider. Benefit sanctions and underhand tactics Job Centre staff are encouraged to take; Bristol’s housing benefit bill increases 57% since 2010 mostly to working people; PMQs Part Time jobs….; Labour MP for Bristol East Kerry McCarthy asks about tax avoidance by Tory supporter Gary Barlow – tax avoidance generally, Prime Minister David Cameron’s father Ian was a pioneer of tax avoidance in the early 1980s; next week’s local and European elections both being held using different systems – first past the post and proportional representation – why vote when all the parties have such similar policies? PMQs Mark Hendrick MP– tens of thousands of ambulances waiting in queues for half an hour and over in hospitals – privatisation of the NHS; David Lowe, presenter of the ‘Singers and Swingers’ radio show on BBC South West bullied out of his job, his unintentional playing of the ‘n’ word in one of his songs; PMQs the closing of Manston Airport in Kent – similar to Filton it is going to be built on; Avonmouth travellers are facing eviction from their home under the M5 but is this a legitimate lifestyle or not?
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Second hour: Investigative reports: Sunday Times Rich list – but how easy is it for the super-rich to hide their wealth and cultivate an aura of ‘invisibility’? How to stop the greed of the rentier class and heal Britain’s wealth divide. Interview with Kevin Cahill, journalist and author of ‘Who Owns Britain’, and former joint compiler, with Philip Beresford, of The Times Rich List. The Times Rich List is discussed and how it only covers the rich with visible assets – not the many who hide their wealth for example in tax havens. Also: police and the Mafia; land holdings; home ownership; The nineteenth century Irish Land League and their success in overturning the power of absentee landowners in Southern Ireland. land value taxation; home ownership and reduction in poverty; help to buy; UK billionaires and poverty in Wales; financial recovery built on sand. Fracking and the Rothschilds and Rockefellers investing with Dick Cheney in Genie Oil and Gas – The Wealth Fund and snapping up companies for peanuts, Martin looks at the possible fracking bubble, Ukraine. Clip from YouTube film ‘The Rothschild Myths’ purporting to explain the hidden wealth and ownerships of the Rothschild banking dynasty, including Reuters business information and news service, Associated Press and controlling interests in both the London Gold market and Royal Dutch Shell. Google and the ‘right to forget’, but is it just the rich and those who don’t like being reported on rewriting history (see below)? Clip from Fox News 2001, of Carl Cameron on Israeli company, Comverse Infosys, spying on US telecommunication networks. Newsweek International cover Israeli spying on the USA.
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Ministry of Truth?
An example of a court report which was recently ‘disappeared’ from the Bristol Post website:

Legal bid to stop video being seen
By Viccy Mathias – Bristol Evening Post – Thursday, July 10, 2008
A Bristol-based journalist has launched a legal action against a man she claims is a former lover. A High Court writ issued by freelance writer Christina Zaba, of Leigh Woods, says she fears former Western Daily Press reporter Roger Tavener will publish an intimate video made while they were having an affair.
Ms Zaba claims Mr Tavener has “harassed” her by email, letter and text message since their alleged relationship deteriorated, and she is concerned that he will publish the video or images from the tape on the internet or to third parties. Her solicitors say this would equate to a breach of her human rights.
She is seeking an injunction against Mr Tavener, of Clifton, to prevent him harassing her or making the video public. Mr Tavener was not available for comment when the Post tried to contact him last night.