Pensioners Party and the BNP

Mike Ion Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 10:36:59 AM GMT Print-friendly version Facebook

The Pensioners Party website is urging its supporters in Stoke-on-Trent to vote for certain candidates. What the site does NOT tell you is which party the candidates it is endorsing are standing for. Imagine the surprise some of its supporters will have when it becomes evident that the Pensioners Party are giving their backing to several BNP candidates.



According to their website the Pensioners Party urges you to vote for the following candidates in the forthcoming local elections in Stoke:

Abbey Green Ward: Vote for Melanie Jane BADDELEY (BNP)
Longton North Ward: Vote for Pauline SMITH (BNP)
Longton South Ward: Vote for Lynne POND (BNP)
Meir Park & Sandon Ward: Vote for John William BURGESS (BNP)
Tunstall Ward: Vote for Terence Francis COPE (BNP)
Weston & Meir Ward: Vote for Anthony Steven TABBINOR (BNP)

I wonder if the leadership of the Pensioners Party is aware of this? Why not contact them and find out.

You can contact the Party Leader, Roger Edwards, by e-mail at leader@thepensionersparty.org

Alternatively you can contact the Party Treasurer, Barry Hodgson on:- Tel: 01902-332225 Fax: 01902-569353 or email him at treasurer@thepensionersparty.org

Or why not try the Press and Publicity Officer, Jack Bovill at:press@thepensionersparty.org

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Pensioners Party and the BNP | 27 comments (27 topical)

Re: The Pensioners Party and the BNP (#1)

by Peter Kenyon on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 03:05:37 PM GMT

Dear Mike

I have just received the following eMail from Jack Bovill at the Pensioners Party:

Date: Tue, 15 Apr 2008 14:57:36 +0100 (BST)
From: Jack Bovill <jackbov@yahoo.com>
Subject: Your recent email re Stoke-on-Trent
To: peter.g.kenyon@btinternet.com

Dear Mr Kenyon
The list of preferred candidates has been withdrawn by our Leader, pending an enquiry.
Thank you for alerting us.
Yours sincerely
Jack Bovill
between 0000-00-00 and 9999-99-99 <hr size=1> Yahoo! for Good helps you <a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/mailuk/taglines/isp/control/*http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=51947/*htt p://uk.promotions.yahoo.com/forgood/">make a difference</a>


Re: Pensioners Party and the BNP (#2)

by Laski on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 04:19:47 PM GMT

I emailed Jack Bovill and got a very swift reply:

 

Dear Mr Hopkins
 
Further to your enquiry below, I hasten to advise you that the lists have been withdrawn.
 
We will be inserting the following when revised lists are re-instated:
 
Eligibility to be on our recommended list of candidates for the Local Council Elections requires that Candidates support the following:
 
1. Retain Residential Wardens in Sheltered Housing and bring back Residential Wardens where replaced by Floating Wardens/Support.
2. Keep our Post Offices and re-open those that have been closed where a genuine poll of local people indicates they want their Post Offices back.
3. Improve OAP incomes
4. Improve Sheltered Housing
5. Restore the Housing benefit to the pre-2002 state before it was divided up to the detriment and worry of tenants.
6. No person over 65 to pay council tax and so stop those going to prison for non-payment of council tax. (see www.isitfair.com )
7. Stop mass immigration
 
Providing these are met and there are no other criticisms of candidates, we shall be endorsing those candidates who are sympathetic to these policies.
 
Yours sincerely
 
Jack Bovill

 


Re: Pensioners Party and the BNP (#3)

by doctordunc on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 05:44:09 PM GMT

It sounds to me like they very well may re-instate their support for the BNP candidates unless 'other criticisms' of those candidates are forthcoming.

Bizarre.


[ Parent ]

Re: Pensioners Party and the BNP (#4)

by Laski on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 05:55:07 PM GMT

It is a severe concern, particularly in the areas highlighted.


[ Parent ]

Re: Pensioners Party and the BNP (#5)

by alsoleeds on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 09:11:19 PM GMT

Number 7 is bizarre for an older persons party, I could understand it from a working age persons party but who do they think works in care homes and hospitals and as home helps and homecare and for meals and wheels service. If they send all the immigrants back who will do all these things - the older people's families not in most cases. They should support a policy of mirant labour for older persons services and for improved terms and conditions of employment for those people. It really saddens me the short-sightedness and lack of understanding of how the modern world works in some of these fringe and single-issue parties.


[ Parent ]

Re: Pensioners Party and the BNP (#7)

by Laski on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 11:17:56 PM GMT

There are several concerns that his reply highlights for me: 1) They makes no reference to the BNP and do not distance themselves from it. The omission of distancing is poignant given the clarity and specificity of my email. 2) Again, given the topic of my communication, their inclusion of clause 7 rings alarm bells - especially giving the point I raised in 1). Burying it 7 out of 7 is highly suspicious and slightly patronising, both at the same time. 3) If this is their list of strengths to look for in a candidate, I would love to see their list of weaknesses to be weary of. 4) How and why does clause 7 echo the mission of this organization? doesn't it seem out of place given the message of 1 through 6.


[ Parent ]

Re: Pensioners Party and the BNP (#8)

by doctordunc on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 11:22:00 PM GMT


It will be interesting to see if I have a reply at my work email tomorrow (I went off on one a bit about their members fighting against Nazis only now to be asked to vote for them, etc.)  I think it would be quite hard to reply without referring to the specific issue...  But then again...


[ Parent ]

Re: Pensioners Party and the BNP (#9)

by jljb2 on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 11:24:32 PM GMT

It's not bizarre when you consider how many thousands of British people could be trained in care work. Perhaps if they were properly paid, then we wouldn't need to import over-skilled workers from overseas. And they don't suggest sending immigrants back. Mass EU immigration is a big issue: it might be nice when you're getting cheap labour for your business, but we have no moral obligation to provide jobs for the Polish degree-educated middle-class when millions of Britons are in need of work.


[ Parent ]

Re: Pensioners Party and the BNP (#10)

by bigpapi on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 01:09:13 PM GMT

You are naive at best to think that pay is the only thing putting British people off working in the caring sector.  If I may use the NHS as an example, my cousin is a trained dentist, and of his entire year at University is the only one working in the National Health Service; all the others have taken the more lucrative option of private practice; now are you saying that dentists/doctors are underpaid?  If so from where would you raise the money to pay them more, and to which other sectors of society would you extend your largesse?

My life has been saved by doctors from the Indian Sub-continent and from Eastern Europe; I was nearly killed by a half-baked English consultant who could not be bothered to read my Medical Notes.  Three guesses who I prefer giving me medical care?


[ Parent ]

Re: Pensioners Party and the BNP (#11)

by jljb2 on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 02:08:20 PM GMT

Dentistry is not care - we're talking HCAs, home carers - jobs that can be filled by people without qualifications. Clearly if we haven't enough dentists then that's fine (though I'd much rather train our own and tie them to NHS contracts, since it's hardly fair on their home country) but for jobs which Britons could do it's absurd to employ overskilled foreigners.


[ Parent ]

Re: Pensioners Party and the BNP (#12)

by jljb2 on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 02:11:59 PM GMT

And just to add, I think you'll find that pay in the care sector is pretty abysmal - 6.50/h odd for HCA work - not really a living wage if you've got a family to feed. Obviously I don't think doctors and dentists should be paid more, they're quite greedy enough already.


[ Parent ]

Re: Pensioners Party and the BNP (#13)

by bigpapi on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 08:58:32 PM GMT

Respectfully, and without wishing to get myself banned, your ignorance has no limits!  Firstly I'm sure all those working in the dental profession will be delighted to learn that you don't consider them carers.

Secondly if you think that Home Carers need no training, then you are either stupid or disingenuous.  I receive full-time care (from South Africans) and they are a) trained nurses - as would a UK citizen need to be; and b) are paid a damn site more than £6.50 per hour.

Instead of making excuses for people wanting to vote for the BNP - and I'm not persuaded by your claims that you do not given you cheerleading on here for them - please get your facts right - you should check out your facts before spouting such drivel.


[ Parent ]

Re: Pensioners Party and the BNP (#14)

by jljb2 on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 10:00:15 PM GMT

Well you certainly need no qualifications to be an HCA - i'm applying for a job as one at the minute, and the pay is as i said. I think you'll find this holds for most care work - you definitely don't need to be a registered nurse to be a home carer! Perhaps they're working as homecarers because their south african qualifications won't allow them to be nurses? Here's an example job ad:http://www.scottishjobs.com/Jobsite/Jobs/572615
There are obviously many different grades in care, as in any field, but most care workers are shoddily-paid, and I can't see why any Labour member would defend that!


[ Parent ]

Re: Pensioners Party and the BNP (#15)

by jljb2 on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 10:04:26 PM GMT

Oh, and the notion that I'm supporting voting for the BNP is just pathetic. Far from 'cheerleading', I've been arguing that if we're serious about defeating them, we have to tackle the underlying disaffection with Labour. And if there are areas where they are right and we're wrong then there's no shame in saying so.


[ Parent ]

Re: Pensioners Party and the BNP (#16)

by doctordunc on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 10:47:48 PM GMT

jljb2 - I know you're not a BNP supporter; I know you're on the soft left, and pretty decent on a lot of issues.  So DON'T say things like 'if there are areas where they are right and we're wrong then there's no shame in saying so'.  The BNP are not right about ANYTHING.  Their entire analysis is based on a flawed fascistic prospectus.  They have no redeeming features.


[ Parent ]

Re: Pensioners Party and the BNP (#17)

by jljb2 on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 10:53:10 PM GMT

Thanks Dunc, it's not every day I get called pretty decent! I didn't really mean that they are 'right', just that many of their policies (which, yes, are undoubtedly a cover for their vile agenda) are ones which we should be backing - renationalisation of utilities etc. But clearly, that does not imply that we back these things because the BNP is and they're winning votes - we do so because it is right and moral to do so.


[ Parent ]

Re: Pensioners Party and the BNP (#22)

by bigpapi on Thu Apr 17, 2008 at 02:28:01 PM GMT

Funny then how two of them were made redundant from our local hospital when Patricia Hewitt decided it was over-staffed.

The Agency they work for requires everyone to have be a Registered General Nurse or equivalent.  Perhaps Scotland, where I assume the matter is devolved, operates a different system.  All I can say is of my disabled colleagues in receipt of Direct Payments for home care, we receive, and have to pay out, significantly more than you suggest.


[ Parent ]

Re: Pensioners Party and the BNP (#23)

by jljb2 on Thu Apr 17, 2008 at 02:46:59 PM GMT

Well perhaps this is due to more complex medical (as opposed to personal care) needs - standard rates for care assistants and the like across the UK are under £7 - just look at the job ads. But this is scarcely the point - there are vast numbers of out-of-work British nurses who we have trained and who deserve jobs. Why are we employing South Africans to do them? Not only does this deprive their country of vital skills, it prevents Britons from getting jobs and wastes taxpayers' money from training them. We have no moral obligation to provide jobs for individuals who would be among the better-off in their country of origin, whereas I believe (call me old fashioned) that we do have a responsibility to provide jobs for all British people. Were they asylum seekers, I would be with you, but migration for greed is hardly something to be applauded. Their 'better life' comes at a heavy cost for their home country, and for the nurses we train - it's just selfish.


[ Parent ]

Re: Pensioners Party and the BNP (#6)

by bigpapi on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 10:09:11 PM GMT

The other bizarre thing is that with the exception of sheltered housing and wardens, none of the issues are local council issues.

How can anybody, in this case Stoke-on-Trent City Council, force Royal Mail to reopen a closed post office?  How can a local council stop "mass immigration"?


Re: Pensioners Party and the BNP (#18)

by swatantra on Thu Apr 17, 2008 at 11:01:19 AM GMT

It appears that some of these 'pensioners' have forgotten what the last war was all about. Shame on them!


[ Parent ]

Re: Pensioners Party and the BNP (#19)

by madasafish on Thu Apr 17, 2008 at 11:22:45 AM GMT

Our Local MP votes for Post Office closures in Parliament.
And then states locally she opposes PO closures.

No wonder people are cynical.


[ Parent ]

Re: Pensioners Party and the BNP (#24)

by jljb2 on Thu Apr 17, 2008 at 08:03:07 PM GMT

What - post offices or immigration?
I was under the impression it was about fighting fascism...


[ Parent ]

Re: Pensioners Party and the BNP (#25)

by madasafish on Thu Apr 17, 2008 at 09:05:02 PM GMT

My local MP is Staffordshire Moorlands right next to Stoke on Trent.
My comment was meant to show how people do not trust MPs to support them when they say one thing and do another.. And in this case it is about 90 Labour MPs who ostensibly oppose PO closure na dthen vote for it.
No wonder people choose the BNP: action like that makes Conway's nose in the trough look reasonable.
(see also Hazel Blears on hospital closures).

MPs no longer represent their consituents ... so people turn in protest to the BNP who claim they will...

IF the main political parties did actually what they say..

I am not a BNP supporter and never will be but I can see why they appeal. Stoke is solid Labour with MPs who toe the party line. Nuff said.


[ Parent ]

Re: Pensioners Party and the BNP (#26)

by doctordunc on Thu Apr 17, 2008 at 10:21:42 PM GMT

Well I think that was the point: the Pensioners Party was persuading people to vote Fascist.


[ Parent ]

Re: Pensioners Party and the BNP (#27)

by jljb2 on Thu Apr 17, 2008 at 11:47:36 PM GMT

I see! Sorry, I though swatantra was referring to immigration...let's not forget - it's not racist (or right-wing) to put limits on immigration.


[ Parent ]

Re: Pensioners Party and the BNP (#20)

by treborc on Thu Apr 17, 2008 at 11:43:31 AM GMT

In the local election I say you must vote for the person best suited for your area, and for the people, Labour are banging on again about the Tories, when they knocked on my door a few weeks ago, they went on and on about what the Tories would do, once they stopped I asked them what Labour was going to do, they left. The whole process was about knocking the Tories, I do not care about the Tories what are Labour going to do.

The Lib Dem's went on and on about what Labour had done or was going to do and nothing about what they were going to do.

The BNP did not say a word about others but told me what they would be doing.

If I did not know which party was which I've had said the BNP was in fact Labour.

So we have to vote for the person at local elections, its a sad reflection on Labour.


Re: Pensioners Party and the BNP (#21)

by jljb2 on Thu Apr 17, 2008 at 02:17:19 PM GMT

Here's a video on a similar theme - decent people feeling driven to vote BNP. However, there's no 'have to' about it - however understandable, voting for the BNP does nothing to resolve the issues underlying this disaffection, and will almost certainly exacerbate tension and distrust, with damaging effects for the whole community.


[ Parent ]

Pensioners Party and the BNP | 27 comments (27 topical)