Labour are scared of the Liberal Democrat challenge. In recent years they lost Brent East, Leicester South and Dunfermline to us. They have called the Ealing Southall and Sedgefield by-elections at very short notice to try to stop us building momentum - the by-elections will now both be held on 19 July,
Shepway District Council have taken the decision to cancel performances at the Lower Leas Park Amphitheatre in Folkestone of Peter Pan (Saturday) and Coal Porters (Sunday) due to forecasts of very bad weather this weekend. The Cantium Brass Band is also cancelled at the Leas Bandstand in Folkestone on Sunday. Rattlebag will decide on Saturday if their gig at noon tomorrow at the bandstand will also be cancelled.
An article appeared in yesterday's Romney Marsh Herald stating that Councillor Sue Ashworth was planning to join the Conservatives from the Liberal Democrats early in July. As we had heard nothing directly from Councillor Ashworth on this, Group Leader Lynne Beaumont contacted her directly. Although assuring us that she was not responsible for the story in any way, during the conversation, Cllr Ashworth confirmed that she did indeed intend to join the Conservative Group on Shepway District Council.
Leader of the Liberal Democrats Menzies Campbell said that the country needed a change in direction not just a change in personnel at the top.
Conservative MP Quentin Davies, has defected from the Conservative Party, slamming the record of Conservative leader David Cameron. In his resignation letter, Quentin Davies said:
The BBC are reporting that Folkestone and Sandgate based Saga, which sells holidays and other products to the over-50s, is to merge with motoring giant AA in a deal valuing the combined firm at £6.15bn.
You may have read in the newspapers about how Gordon Brown spoke to me earlier this week about offering ministerial jobs to Liberal Democrat members of the House of Lords.
The Preliminary Agenda for the party's autumn Brighton conference is now available on the party website at www.libdems.org.uk/conference
Shepway Lib Dems have been amongst the first to assist in a key Kent County Council by-election in Maidstone, caused by the sad death last month of County Councillor Margaret Featherstone. The by-election for the Maidstone North East Division will be held on 12 July.
The MP for Ealing Southall, Piara Khabra, has sadly died aged 82. He had been the Labour MP for Ealing Southall since the 1992 General Election. The oldest member of the House of Commons, Mr Khabra, was reported as having been been undergoing treatment for liver problems.
The BBC report that residents across Shepway and East Kent are spending the day mopping up after a night of storms on Tuesday evening brought flooding and power cuts to thousands of homeowners. Two inches of torrential rain fell in places between around 6 and 9.30pm, with parts of Folkestone, New Romney and Dover the worst affected.
We have had a huge number of objections from across Folkestone to your proposal to close the Folkestone Central Post office and replace it with a franchise facility in WHSmith on Sandgate Road. Please find enclosed the current signatories from both postal and online petitions - numbering in their hundreds - who object to your proposals.
