Responding to the Government announcement today that a third runway at Heathrow airport and a new runway at Stansted are to be built, the Liberal Democrats have attacked the Government's aviation strategy.
Police estimate around 1,000 Gurkhas have arrived in London to march from Parliament Square to hand deliver a letter to the Prime Minister at Downing Street this morning. The Gurkhas are protesting about the Government's failure to properly honour the right for retired Gurkhas to become citizens of the UK on retirement and to protest about the low pensions paid to retired Gurkhas.
2 years ago, a major campaign by Gurkhas and strongly backed by the Liberal Democrats won an agreement to give citizenship rights to ex-Gurkhas who had served this country. A new on line petition to support the Gurkha's cause has been launched at the new E-petitions service at http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/gurkha/.
Shepway Lib Dems have slammed news today that the main building of the Royal Victoria Hospital in Folkestone may be sold. Despite repeated promises by NHS Trust managers that services were secure at the hospital, the sell-off will lead to the transfer of more key services to the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford.
The Liberal Democrats took their "Say No to Police Cuts" campaign to Folkestone town Centre today and collected hundreds of signatures against the proposed removing of 35 police officers from the South Kent area. You can add your own signature to the petition on-line at www.shepwaylibdems.org.uk/petitions/9.html
Toby Philpott, Shepway Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesman, was invited to see for himself at first hand the work of the National Coastwatch Institution station at Copt Point in Folkestone on Friday 8th December.
Folkestone Town Council has been notified by the Director of the Kent Association of Parish Councils that the Town Council has received a "Quality" Status Award.
It is fantastic to be coming back home to Folkestone. I'm frantically house hunting and meeting up with old family friends. As with any homecoming, it makes you think about the changes in the area - some good, some less so.
It's always fun to find yourself in the Martello column in the Folkestone Herald. A piece this week reads:
Councillor Paul Dawkins, who represents Walmer on Dover District Council, has today resigned from the Conservative Party and joined the Liberal Democrats.
The owners of Cheriton Parc House in Cheriton Parc by the M20 are searching for new tenants for the landmark building overlooking the M20 and Eurotunnel Channel Tunnel terminal. The building was built in 1993 and has acted as a call centre and administrative offices for Eurotunnel over the past 13 years.
Tom McNeice, one of Shepway Lib Dems' star campaigners retires today after 42 years working in Trading Standards.
