Chris Whiteside's Blog

The latest More in Common Opinion poll has the Conservatives leading on 26%, Reform UK second on 25%, and Labour third on 21%. Like almost all opinion polls over the last six months the first three parties are the Conservatives, Labour and Reform, all of which are polling in the twenties. All three parties have come everywhere from first to third, but the margins are usually mostly within margin or error. In other words there is everything to play for any any of these parties could win, or lose, the next election which is still probably more than four years away. I am posting this poll because the left-wing media always reports on polls which have Labour winning, and another section of the media always posts polls which have Reform UK winning; but polls which have the Conservatives ahead, or which there have been a fair number, only seem to get publicised if Conservative activists post and share them.   

I did consider posting an "April Fool" gag this morning. The trouble is, we're living in a world where Rachel Reeves is still chancellor, and is still insisting that despite having imposed the biggest tax hike on business in history on top of a position where due to the pandemic we already had the highest peacetime tax burden in history, she's committed to getting Economic Growth Vladimir Putin still claims he invaded Ukraine because a county which had never attacked Russia and has elected a Jewish President has a Nazi regime and is a threat to Russia And don't get me started on some of the things happening on the other side of the Atlantic. Just at the moment I don't see how anyone could come up with an "April Fool" crazier than half the real news.

I've previously posted about the history of this lovely Adagio for strins.. As I wrote then, most if not all of this piece was actually composed by 20th century Italian composer and biographer Remo Giazotto who claimed to have based it on a fragment allegedly found in the ruins of a library wrecked during the RAF and USAF bombing of Dresden, of a piece he thought had been composed by the the 18th-century Venetian master Tomaso Albinoni.  The Saxon State Library which was destroyed in the 1945 Dresden bombing raids did indeed contain a substantial and irreplaceable collection of Albinoni's work sadly, it is almost certain that much of the composer's work was lost forever to allied bombs.  However, it is more than a little suspicious that neither Giazotto (who died in 1998) or his heirs have ever produced the manuscript fragment supposedly recovered from the museum, and sceptics have described the attribution of the Adagio to Albinoni as arguably " the biggest fraud in m...

"There has clearly been a fundamental breakdown in relationships between a school and parents that shouldn’t have become a police matter. I will look at what more can be done with mediation services in Hertfordshire to help amicably resolve disputes without police involvement. While people should be courteous and go through the proper channels when raising concerns about a public service, the public should be able to express their views without worrying they’ll get a knock at the door from the police. The public want the police on patrol in communities, fighting crime, catching criminals and keeping people safe. That is my priority and the focus of the new Chief Constable. My new Police & Crime Plan asks the Constabulary to prioritise tackling neighbourhood crime, anti-social behaviour and violent and sexual offences. Following The Times’ story, I have been in contact with the Chief Constable to ask for an explanation. The Chief Constable is undertaking a rapid and thorough re...

It is 48 years ago today that Airey Neave was assassinated by Irish republican terrorists. During World War II, Airey Neave fought against the Nazis, was decorated for bravery, and escaped from Colditz. As a statesman he was one of the first to spot the potential of Margaret Thatcher, did a great deal to help her become Prime Minister and was tragically and foully murdered a few days before he would have seen her elected to that office. Rest in Peace.

 

At the conclusion of the month of Ramadan, which is holy to Muslims, this is to wish Muslims celebrating in the UK and around the world a blessed and joyful Eid-al-Fitr. 

Today is Mothering Sunday: time for us all to say a big thank you to all mothers everywhere who are still with us, and remember with thanks those who are not. A mother's love is something very special. The following quote expressing this could be seen as a bit unkind to fathers. I quote it because it is funny and because I agree that it is not easy being a mother, not because I am having a go at fathers!   

It is often said that the month of March "Comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb:"

  Clocks go forward an hour in the UK this evening at 1 am GMT which becomes 2 am British Summer Time. So please do not forget we lose an hour!

I managed to complete the Swimathon today in two hours and ten minutes (to swim 200 lengths of Copeland pool in Hensingham.) Quite tired but very pleased! Thank you to those who have already sponsored me. Not too late to sponsor me at  Swimathon 2025 - Please support these life-changing causes

"The more industries you have in the hands of government, the more the bureaucrats run things...Bureaucrats on the whole are not good at business, they're not good at industry. They shouldn't have the running of it. The more powers you put into the hands of government, the less the powers of the people. The more in the hands of the bureaucrats, the less in the hands of the electors. So of course we reduced that. It not only puts the industries back to people who know how to run them but it extends share ownership. We've extended capital ownership far wider than ever before. Capital ownership should be something that every single person feels that as they begin to prosper, they can put money aside and build up capital; build their own security. It makes them much more powerful against a government." Margaret Thatcher

 

Britain's largest charity swim, the Swimathon, returns this weekend and starting today, thousands of swimmers will head to hundreds of pools around Britain to raise money for three great causes. These causes are Cancer Research UK, Marie Curie Cancer Care, and the Swimathon Foundation. Each of these organizations plays a vital role in improving lives and advancing research. Tomorrow, Saturday 29th March 2025 I plan to complete the Swimathon 5000 metres challenge, swimming 200 lengths of Hensingham pool to raise money for these excellent causes. I have been taking part in Swimathon for thirty years. Thank you if you have supported me before. Please join me in backing these excellent causes. Your support makes all the difference! You can sponsor me online on my Givengain page, which you can find by clicking on the following link: Swimathon 2025 - Please support these life-changing causes

Three candidates have come forward for the vacant seat on Egremont Town council, so there IS going to be a contested election on 24th April. Here are the candidate details: It will probably not surprise readers of this blog to learn that I will be supporting Jeff Hailes, who has lived in the aera for many years and is involved with a number of local activities and causes including the Rugby club and Credit Union. Jeff was an excellent Borough Councillor for St Bees. There will, very surprisingly, not be polling cards sent out for this election. As per my previous post and link, The Cumbria Chronic has published a piece on the decision of Egremont Town Council not to send out these cards, which you can read by clicking on the link immediately below: SHHH! ELECTION TAKING PLACE… – The Cumbria Chronic Most of the time Egremont Town council works together pretty well in a constructive and not-particularly partisan or party-political manner. The vote last week about the forthcoming by-elect...

 

"Thou Knowest, Lord, The Secrets Of Our Hearts" which is from Purcell's music for the funeral of Queen Mary, was expertly performed by the Choir of Selby Abbey at their communion anthem this morning. (It was, of course, also sung at the funeral of her late majesty Queen Elizabeth II.)

"Ed Miliband is so far out of his depth he needs a dredging vessel to rescue him." James Melville on X, formerly Twitter, yesterday.,

  "Economic Policies need to be analysed in terms of the incentives they create, rather than the hopes that inspired them." ( Thomas Sowell )

 

Out today (22nd March) as part of a campaigning session supported by the National Conservative Convention for Anne Handley, Conservative candidate for Mayor of East Yorkshire

Election Maps UK have published the latest roundup of council by election results since the 2024 gerneral election. By far the largest group of these were seats Labour was defending - 111 out of 225 seats, so nearly half the total - so this produces a very different picture from what can be expected at this years' local elections, when by far the largest share of seats being defended are currently Conservative held. Because Labour was defending lots of seats in these by-elections they came first in terms of seats won but had far and away the worst net losses, while the Conservatives came second in terms of seats won but first by making far and away the largest bet gains. In May, when the Conservatives will be defending lots of seats won in a very good year for the party at the height of the "vaccine bounce" we can expect the exact opposite - the best the Conservatives can realistically hope for is to come first in terms of seats won but inevitably to make significant net ...

"The great escape of our times is escape from personal responsibility for the consequences of one's own behavior." Thomas Sowell , from “Dismantling America and Other Controversial Essays," (2011) 

Well, what else could one use as the music spot for the 21st of March?

  "Spring is a season of second chances, where nature proves that no matter how harsh the winter, beauty will return." (Anon - I have not been successful in tracing who first said this.)

The Cumbria Chronic has published a piece on the Egremont South by-election, which you can read by clicking on the link immediately below: SHHH! ELECTION TAKING PLACE… – The Cumbria Chronic Most of the time Egremont Town council works together pretty well in a constructive and not-particularly partisan or party-political manner. A vote which took place this week about the forthcoming by-election was, I think, the most controversial since I joined the council two years ago. Normally polling cards are sent out when there is an election to make sure everyone who is entitled to vote knows that there is an election, when, where and how to vote etc. But apparently this is not automatic and when there is a Town Council by election, the council gets to decide whether or not to send out polling cards. If there is a contest when nominations close for the vacant town council seat representing Egremont South at 4pm next Wednesday, 26th March 2025, then there will be a by-election on Thursday 24th ...

A by-election has been called, for which nominations are now open and will remain open until 4pm next Wednesday (March 26th 2025) for a vacant Town Council seat on Egremont Town Council, to cover the ward of Egremont South. If it is contested - as is likely - the election will be on 24th April 2025. More details in next post.