The new body that has that task - the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority - is about to unveil proposals for a significant increase in the pay of ordinary backbench MPs from just over £66,000 a year to a figure well over £70,000 starting after the next election.
SITTING at my desk at work a few weeks ago about to take a sip of my fresh cup of coffee, I had a look at my phone only to see I had a Twitter notification. I flicked my phone open, had a look and was extremely happy to read that I had won a beauty voucher courtesy of Essex Beauty Group! If you don't use Twitter then you are missing out because so many different brands and companies regularly run competitions via that social networking site which you enter simply by following them and retweeting their competition tweet. Simple, takes seconds, brilliant when you win!
IT fails to say that by attending they are also at serious risk of losing all or part of their disability benefits on the arbitrary assessment of an employee of a Company, paid by the Government, whose remit is to “force” the sick and disabled into work regardless of the consequences. These “assessors” know little or nothing of the history of the “client” and rely mainly on the answers given, by the “client”, on the day, to questions they have already answered in a form sent to them by the DWP some weeks or months previously.
THE GARDEN was impeccably kept. Mr D’s daughter opened the door and led me to her bed-ridden father. The house was perfectly tidy and there were no offensive smells. Mrs D, in her 90’s, was well turned out. I attended to my patient and walked downstairs with Mrs D and her daughter. The daughter was covering for her mother for 2-3 hours every day, so that Mrs D could have some time of her own, just to keep sane. As I was leaving, my eyes caught sight of a black and white picture on the mantel piece showing Mrs D carrying her toddler daughter. The D’s also get some support from carers.
MORE people in Thurrock die of smoking related diseases than the national average.
We have more obese children and adults, worse rates of diabetes and fewer mums breast-feeding their children. The life expectancy of a man living in Tilbury is more than eight years less than a man living in Orsett. This isn’t just unfair, it’s also uneconomic. The burden on the NHS including GPs’ surgeries is increased by this ill-health.
I am firmly of the opinion that Local Government elections should be contested on LOCAL issues, leaving NATIONAL issues to MPs and prospective parliamentary candidates at General Elections. Local Government elections have been “hijacked” by the main political parties simply to enhance the prospects of their parliamentary candidate, you only have to read the Councillors election leaflets, to see how Party orientated they are, that is assuming your candidate, unlike mine in 2012,, can be bothered to deliver them or knock on your door for a “friendly” chat.
Residents and shopkeepers alike will be only too aware that I disagree with the current proposals to build a new supermarket; more flats (with no parking spaces) and a multi-storey car park on the existing Sand Pits car park site. Our ambitions in Stanford must mean more than more flats and another supermarket like what we already have. We need something which will enhance the village, not be of detriment to it. This will damage parking provision, potentially affect the trade of local shopkeepers and will be a bad legacy for our local village centre.
"To correct this and avoid further recovery action we must recieve £122.48 by close of business 21-4-13. If we do not receive this amount, that is inclusive of any additional instalments that may fail to be paid by the 21-4-13 , recovery action will proceed and you will be required to pay all the council tax as a lump sum" Now if I had been elderly what would this have done to me? It's written in such a threatening way. I went to the council with proof of payment dated 28-3-13 with a copy of the cheque and told them the bank has put a trace on the payment.
There are those who further justify Mrs Thatcher’s entitlement to a “military” funeral on the grounds that she won the Falklands war and liberated the Falkland islanders. I do not recall Mrs Thatcher being on the “Sir Galahad” or “yomping” across the island fighting her way to Port Stanley nor do I recall her being directly involved in any of the hostilities and attendant dangers. I do recall her riding triumphantly in a tank like Queen Boadicea in her chariot.
WHENEVER I saw Margaret Thatcher in full flow at the “dispatch box” during “Questions to the Prime Minister” I was always reminded of a painting by John Opie titled “Boadicia Haranguing the Britons” which portrays a redoubtable woman in a man’s world. The imperious image of Queen Boadicia looking down upon her all male audience conjures up, for me, an impression of what it must have been like for members of her all male cabinet. The comparison to Boadicia is reinforced by the sobriquet “The Iron Lady” and the belligerency portrayed in the statue of Mrs Thatcher in the House of Commons i.e. the stabbing pointing finger.
Paris Brown fell victim to her own misfortunes when the Daily Mail reported that Britain’s first youth commissioner had previously posted shocking comments on Twitter, when she was 15. Latching on to Tweets that contained materials of a sexual, violent and homophobic nature, the Daily Mail posted an article online asking whether the “foul mouthed twitter teen” should be placed in role such as hers. The now 17-year-old, publicly apologised stating that she was “naive and stupid” and was “just showing off”. Paris Brown has since stepped down, meaning that she has lost a great opportunity for her digital actions in the past.
WE hear in the news that Greater Manchester Police will now recognise attacks on Goths, Emo, Metallers and people of sub or alternative cultures as a hate crime. This news is much welcomed across both the alternative and hopefully much wider community. Any violence aimed at any person or particular group is terrible but to target individuals because of religion, race, sexual orientation or because the way they look is abhorrent and to have this recognised officially as a hate crime is a positive step forward.
In the recent cold weather it might be a case that the refuse collectors do not wish to come into the area due to the pooly gritted roads. A few weeks ago the roads in the area were gritted at 5pm but by 9pm the roads were sheet ice and this seems to have lead to cars sliding down Church Hill and Abbots Drive in Stanford.
As a resident of Corringham I feel totally let down and appalled in the handling of the granting permission to OMG. No one listened to the residents.
Lets hope that Thurrock Council do not rue the day they allowed a Market to ruin an already successful safe clean part of the Corringham and Stanford Community.
Clitoridectomy, is the removal of the clitoris, scientifically known to be the most sensitive part of the female body. It is also responsible for the pleasure sensation felt during intercourse – something they will never experience. Excision, involved the cutting of the clitoris and all or part of the labia minora.
