Congratulations to the top 25 green blogs as voted by readers in the Total Politics Poll for 2010.
1 The Daily (Maybe)
2 Bright Green Scotland
3 Two Doctors
4 Barkingside 21
5 Another Green World
6 Gaian Economics
7 George Monbiot
8 Rupert's Read
9 Mabinogogiblog
10 Ruscombe Green
11 Weggis
12 Jane's Political Ramblings
13 Suitably Despairing
14 Flesh is Grass
15 Green Reading
16 Greens Engage
17 Caroline Lucas MEP
18 Stuart Jeffery
19 Peter Cranie
20 Bloggy Blanc
21 Scottish Greens
22 Greening Kirklees
23 Greener Leith
24 Chadwell and Seven Kings Greens
25 A Week Is a Long Time
Wednesday, 25 August 2010
Thursday, 4 March 2010
What do you want your MP to Fight For?
The Green Party candidate for the Leyton & Wanstead parliamentary constituency is Ashley Gunstock, picture right.
Tuesday, 2 March 2010
Reasonable Expenses
Letter to: Wanstead and Woodford Guardian
Dear Mr Yeatman
Edwin Northover, the Conservative Parliamentary candidate for Leyton & Wanstead, is in no position to comment on Harry Cohen’s outrageous expense claims – ‘MP to make £100k on expenses scandal home’ (Guardian, February 25, print version only).
In view of his own party’s involvement in the sordid affair, what with Tory MPs’ appalling misuse of tax-payers’ money, for the building of duck houses and the cleaning of moats and the like, I find Mr Northover’s pious stance extremely hypocritical.
Ashley Gunstock
The Green Party Parliamentary Candidate for Leyton & Wanstead
See follow up piece on line. Tory candidate accused of hypocrisy
Monday, 4 January 2010
Tesco hypocrisy
Dear Mr Yeatman
The Green Party ‘Boycott Tesco’ campaign that I am involved in is genuinely intended to help protect local businesses and preserve the village atmosphere in the Wanstead area, for the benefit of all.
Nevertheless I have been branded a hypocrite by Edwin Northover – the Leyton and Wanstead Conservative Parliamentary Candidate – because I was ‘caught’ shopping in the Leytonstone Tesco store: Anti-Tesco campaigner admits using one of the firm’s other stores (Guardian December 21). It appears that the cause of Mr Northover’s outburst is the pressure that he and his Tory Councillor colleagues must be feeling, due to the looming General and Council elections. I am therefore flattered that I am deemed a threat to their forthcoming political aspirations.
In any event I have never denied that I shop in supermarkets. In fact throughout our campaign I have always made it absolutely clear that I believe that the supermarket and, incidentally, the car (that I also make use of) which have been in existence since the 19th century are part of the fabric of (and have a place in) our society. The fundamental issue here – which should not be submerged by personal attacks – is that there is no need for yet another supermarket in a thriving high street, such as the one that we are fortunate to have in Wanstead.
In light of all this I am sure that the supermarket giant will appreciate that I must decline its kind invitation to shop in its Wanstead store: Tesco statement rubs salt in wound for campaigner and Tesco offers olive branch to campaigner (Guardian December 24 & 31) and that our ‘Boycott Tesco’ campaign in Wanstead will continue.
Yours sincerely
Ashley Gunstock
Leading Spokesperson
The Green Party – Redbridge
Tuesday, 17 November 2009
Parking, Play and Profligacy
With its introduction of charges at the Wanstead Library car park Redbridge Council has, yet again, shown its disregard for the most vulnerable residents of our borough - 'Parking fees are stealth tax on OAPs' (Guardian, November 12).
However this penny pinching exercise is not the only recent attack on public services in Wanstead, to be instigated without consultation. The children's play area on The Green is now also under threat as this administration removes but does not replace rides which, due to regular use, are now in a state of disrepair.
Therefore our mean spirited council, in order to refill its coffers – which it emptied during its otherwise too occasional acts of profligacy – in two fell swoops, on both corners of the junction of Woodbine Place and Spratt Hall Road, has managed to make the lives of senior citizens, young mothers and children still more uncomfortable in these already difficult times. Shades of ‘Bah humbug!’ methinks.
Ashley Gunstock
The Green Party - Redbridge
Leading Spokesperson
However this penny pinching exercise is not the only recent attack on public services in Wanstead, to be instigated without consultation. The children's play area on The Green is now also under threat as this administration removes but does not replace rides which, due to regular use, are now in a state of disrepair.
Therefore our mean spirited council, in order to refill its coffers – which it emptied during its otherwise too occasional acts of profligacy – in two fell swoops, on both corners of the junction of Woodbine Place and Spratt Hall Road, has managed to make the lives of senior citizens, young mothers and children still more uncomfortable in these already difficult times. Shades of ‘Bah humbug!’ methinks.
Ashley Gunstock
The Green Party - Redbridge
Leading Spokesperson
Wednesday, 28 October 2009
Did he putsch or was he jumped?
Letter to the Observer
Dear Sir
As one who is generally in favour of political platforms which include the 'democratically' elected BNP, in order that it may be discredited, I fully endorse what Andrew Rawnsley had to say in his article – ‘The more people see of the BNP, the worse for the party’ – Comment, last week. I am only sorry that the BBC missed a better opportunity than it took to even further expose Nick Griffin and his party's reprehensible policies.
Unfortunately David Dimbleby early on in the recent Question Time programme (unusually for him) lost the plot and, in his rage, initially allowed himself to become part of the mob baying for Griffin's blood. This, although he (a little too late) pulled himself together, meant that serious debate could not be entered into.
Griffin, when he did get the chance to respond, was showing himself to be the shallow fascist that we knew him to be. However on each occasion, just before he was left to wordlessly flounder, one or other politico on the panel saved him by intervening and spouting diatribe in an attempt to promote their own party.
No one was really challenged on the question of why there is a rise in support for the BNP, i.e. the failure of New Labour, the Tories or the Lib Dems to represent the 'working class' and address the issues which most trouble it. In view of this the representatives of the 'major' parties were permitted to resort to the use of the fascist deception of scapegoating, so that they could provide a smokescreen for their own shortcomings. In view of this Griffin was quite possibly no less honest than any other politician on the panel!
In any event I suspect that many members of the BNP (with or without hindsight) probably would have preferred their leader to have been refused the opportunity to put forward their policies, as they then may then have been able to gain some sympathy from attacking our ‘selective’ multi-cultural democracy.
Nevertheless sadly for him - and thankfully for all decent folk - he and the BNP were portrayed on Question Time - and in the aftermath throughout the media - as the least acceptable face in British politics.
Yours faithfully
Ashley Gunstock
Dear Sir
As one who is generally in favour of political platforms which include the 'democratically' elected BNP, in order that it may be discredited, I fully endorse what Andrew Rawnsley had to say in his article – ‘The more people see of the BNP, the worse for the party’ – Comment, last week. I am only sorry that the BBC missed a better opportunity than it took to even further expose Nick Griffin and his party's reprehensible policies.
Unfortunately David Dimbleby early on in the recent Question Time programme (unusually for him) lost the plot and, in his rage, initially allowed himself to become part of the mob baying for Griffin's blood. This, although he (a little too late) pulled himself together, meant that serious debate could not be entered into.
Griffin, when he did get the chance to respond, was showing himself to be the shallow fascist that we knew him to be. However on each occasion, just before he was left to wordlessly flounder, one or other politico on the panel saved him by intervening and spouting diatribe in an attempt to promote their own party.
No one was really challenged on the question of why there is a rise in support for the BNP, i.e. the failure of New Labour, the Tories or the Lib Dems to represent the 'working class' and address the issues which most trouble it. In view of this the representatives of the 'major' parties were permitted to resort to the use of the fascist deception of scapegoating, so that they could provide a smokescreen for their own shortcomings. In view of this Griffin was quite possibly no less honest than any other politician on the panel!
In any event I suspect that many members of the BNP (with or without hindsight) probably would have preferred their leader to have been refused the opportunity to put forward their policies, as they then may then have been able to gain some sympathy from attacking our ‘selective’ multi-cultural democracy.
Nevertheless sadly for him - and thankfully for all decent folk - he and the BNP were portrayed on Question Time - and in the aftermath throughout the media - as the least acceptable face in British politics.
Yours faithfully
Ashley Gunstock
Thursday, 24 September 2009
Dancing with the devil you know
Dear Sir
Nick Clegg may believe that he is being genuine in refusing David Cameron's offer to power share with the Conservatives (Lib Dems spurn olive branch from Cameron the ‘con man’, News, last week).
Nevertheless in the event of a General Election resulting in a hung Parliament or indeed one that simply gives the Tories a slim majority, I am sure that Mr Clegg will find it difficult to resist Mr Cameron's courtship. After all, what with the talents that the Lib Dems have for 'swinging all ways', in order to tout for votes (rather than having any semblance of an ideology of their own) they would not find it hard to add a little hue of blue to their rainbow of alliances.
This tactic is not a dalliance whereby the vulnerable and inexperienced are seduced by the worldly and the wise, but a marriage of convenience between hard bitten cynics in search of power. I doubt if - before New Labour’s landslide victory in 1997, ultimately making a Lab/Lib pact unnecessary and irrelevant - Paddy Ashdown (the then Lib Dem leader) would have turned down the same offer, touted by Tony Blair, which turned his head and flushed his cheek New Labour rosy red. Or was it the harlot’s rouge?
However despite all his holier than thou posturing Mr Clegg knows that, bottom line, his party and the Tories would not make such strange bedfellows. The liberal doth protest too much methinks.
Ashley Gunstock
The Green Party
Parliamentary Candidate for Leyton & Wanstead
Nick Clegg may believe that he is being genuine in refusing David Cameron's offer to power share with the Conservatives (Lib Dems spurn olive branch from Cameron the ‘con man’, News, last week).
Nevertheless in the event of a General Election resulting in a hung Parliament or indeed one that simply gives the Tories a slim majority, I am sure that Mr Clegg will find it difficult to resist Mr Cameron's courtship. After all, what with the talents that the Lib Dems have for 'swinging all ways', in order to tout for votes (rather than having any semblance of an ideology of their own) they would not find it hard to add a little hue of blue to their rainbow of alliances.
This tactic is not a dalliance whereby the vulnerable and inexperienced are seduced by the worldly and the wise, but a marriage of convenience between hard bitten cynics in search of power. I doubt if - before New Labour’s landslide victory in 1997, ultimately making a Lab/Lib pact unnecessary and irrelevant - Paddy Ashdown (the then Lib Dem leader) would have turned down the same offer, touted by Tony Blair, which turned his head and flushed his cheek New Labour rosy red. Or was it the harlot’s rouge?
However despite all his holier than thou posturing Mr Clegg knows that, bottom line, his party and the Tories would not make such strange bedfellows. The liberal doth protest too much methinks.
Ashley Gunstock
The Green Party
Parliamentary Candidate for Leyton & Wanstead
Monday, 27 July 2009
London City Airport
The Green Party wishes to declare its support for the campaigners who oppose the decision by Newham Council to increase the amount of flights proposed for London City Airport (Guardian July 16).In the first instance the fact that any single borough council is able to make a unilateral decision on such an important issue such as this, which will adversely affect the quality of life for many people in outlying boroughs, beggars belief.
Mr Jezierski and the Wanstead & Woodford group that he represents and Ms Griffin of Fight the Flights are absolutely correct in their beliefs that residents will suffer increased air and noise pollution due to the extra and unnecessary flight blight.
The argument put forward by the airport that 'the extra flights will boost the local community's economic and regeneration prospects' is a misnomer; in point of fact the reverse is truer. Even more commuters will make their way straight to the airport by car. This will lead to passengers buying their provisions at the airport rather than from local traders having caused more pollution and congestion, thereby affecting the area with further environmental degradation. Furthermore the extra flights will soon lead to the need for an inevitable expansion, ad infinitum et ad nauseam.
In other words it will be all planes, pains and no gains.
Yours sincerely
Ashley Gunstock
Leading Spokesperson
The Green Party - Redbridge
Tuesday, 23 June 2009
The FibDem Myth
Letter to The Observer
Dear Sir
I wish to set the record straight with regard to the urban myth (which has become accepted as fact, due to constant repetition) that the Liberal Democrats opposed the war in Iraq from the very outset, as stated in your front page article ‘Tony Blair pushed Gordon Brown to hold Iraq war inquiry in private’ – Observer, last week.
Even at the end of the day that saw over a million people march through the streets of London, to protest against the probability of Tony Blair taking us into the hostilities, Charles Kennedy (the then Lib Dem leader) declared during his speech in Trafalgar Square that although he personally was against the invasion of Iraq he could not say the same for his party. It was not until it was apparent that the war was a mistake that the Liberal Democrats took the liberally democratic stance to distance themselves from the atrocities.
The Green Party is the only political party that has consistently opposed the war in Iraq from the beginning (Respect were not in existence then) and has since insisted that there should be a full and open investigation, into why we embarked on this immoral and illegal enterprise in the first place. Nevertheless, judging by Mr Blair’s cowardly intervention, it appears that, yet again, the tax payer will be made to foot the bill for yet another costly and shameful charade.
Ashley Gunstock
Dear Sir
I wish to set the record straight with regard to the urban myth (which has become accepted as fact, due to constant repetition) that the Liberal Democrats opposed the war in Iraq from the very outset, as stated in your front page article ‘Tony Blair pushed Gordon Brown to hold Iraq war inquiry in private’ – Observer, last week.
Even at the end of the day that saw over a million people march through the streets of London, to protest against the probability of Tony Blair taking us into the hostilities, Charles Kennedy (the then Lib Dem leader) declared during his speech in Trafalgar Square that although he personally was against the invasion of Iraq he could not say the same for his party. It was not until it was apparent that the war was a mistake that the Liberal Democrats took the liberally democratic stance to distance themselves from the atrocities.
The Green Party is the only political party that has consistently opposed the war in Iraq from the beginning (Respect were not in existence then) and has since insisted that there should be a full and open investigation, into why we embarked on this immoral and illegal enterprise in the first place. Nevertheless, judging by Mr Blair’s cowardly intervention, it appears that, yet again, the tax payer will be made to foot the bill for yet another costly and shameful charade.
Ashley Gunstock
Wednesday, 27 May 2009
Cockney Robins
click to enlarge
Click to enlargeIt appears that what I initially thought to be a highly amusing and perhaps semi-tongue in cheek letter from Mr J C Fentiman, was not so - I'm not a snob, but we don't want 'cocknification' - Guardian 21 May. I therefore write with regard to his latest offering, published in your letters page – Pie-and-mash lovers must be driven from Wanstead – Guardian 4 June.
What Mr Fentiman appears not to understand, as he surveys his Wanstead manor from his narrow perspective, is that he is now living in an East London village which is continually developing its own unique character. Firstly, in terms of the architecture, should he simply look up and around, when he comes down from his ivory tower, he would see that the Robins Pie & Mash Shop signage, which he finds so offensive, actually perfectly matches (by accident or design) the original white and black painted properties of the area.
Furthermore Wanstead's population is made up of mostly quite affluent working and middle class folk of a wide age range. Both groups have members (including some of what Mr Fentiman referred to as rough types) who are used to cockney grub as well as having acquired (due to the influx of young upcoming professionals) more sophisticated tastes in the foods that we now eat. Yes Wanstead, despite being closer to the likes of Basildon and East Ham, is of late assuming the same type of cafe society atmosphere as Hampstead; although it is not as far up its own backside...yet.
In any event even I, as a vegetarian with a preference for more exotic flavours, can appreciate how good old fashioned pie & mash (just as fish & chips) would appeal to some palates. As to the chosen method of eating one's choice of cuisine: spoons?! Whatever next? The savages will soon be eating with sticks or simply use their hands, heaven help us! I daresay that what Mr Fentiman would find most 'quaint' is that the spoons used for pie & mash and jellied eels were also probably licked clean to be re-used as musical instruments, to accompany a right old sing-song, after a good supper. Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating 'knees ups around the old joanna' instead of grace after meals, but I hardly think that anyone’s grandchildren are going to be ‘culinarily’ traumatised by witnessing a person’s unusual use of cutlery. Nevertheless, rather than have it hidden away in some back street (as the gentleman suggests) give me the cultural celebration of openly rejoiced, genuine cocknification over uptight, faux gentrification any day.
Finally, by the way, Robins required no change of usage for the unit that it is trading from. The firm is operating in true keeping with the oft preferred and referred to like for like planning guidelines and, as a purveyor of pie and mash, the liquor it serves does not require an alcohol licence such as the one so readily handed to Mr Fentiman's more acceptable gauche, brash and flash Tesco store.
Yours sincerely
Ashley Gunstock
Leading Spokesperson
Green Party - Redbridge
What Mr Fentiman appears not to understand, as he surveys his Wanstead manor from his narrow perspective, is that he is now living in an East London village which is continually developing its own unique character. Firstly, in terms of the architecture, should he simply look up and around, when he comes down from his ivory tower, he would see that the Robins Pie & Mash Shop signage, which he finds so offensive, actually perfectly matches (by accident or design) the original white and black painted properties of the area.
Furthermore Wanstead's population is made up of mostly quite affluent working and middle class folk of a wide age range. Both groups have members (including some of what Mr Fentiman referred to as rough types) who are used to cockney grub as well as having acquired (due to the influx of young upcoming professionals) more sophisticated tastes in the foods that we now eat. Yes Wanstead, despite being closer to the likes of Basildon and East Ham, is of late assuming the same type of cafe society atmosphere as Hampstead; although it is not as far up its own backside...yet.
In any event even I, as a vegetarian with a preference for more exotic flavours, can appreciate how good old fashioned pie & mash (just as fish & chips) would appeal to some palates. As to the chosen method of eating one's choice of cuisine: spoons?! Whatever next? The savages will soon be eating with sticks or simply use their hands, heaven help us! I daresay that what Mr Fentiman would find most 'quaint' is that the spoons used for pie & mash and jellied eels were also probably licked clean to be re-used as musical instruments, to accompany a right old sing-song, after a good supper. Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating 'knees ups around the old joanna' instead of grace after meals, but I hardly think that anyone’s grandchildren are going to be ‘culinarily’ traumatised by witnessing a person’s unusual use of cutlery. Nevertheless, rather than have it hidden away in some back street (as the gentleman suggests) give me the cultural celebration of openly rejoiced, genuine cocknification over uptight, faux gentrification any day.
Finally, by the way, Robins required no change of usage for the unit that it is trading from. The firm is operating in true keeping with the oft preferred and referred to like for like planning guidelines and, as a purveyor of pie and mash, the liquor it serves does not require an alcohol licence such as the one so readily handed to Mr Fentiman's more acceptable gauche, brash and flash Tesco store.
Yours sincerely
Ashley Gunstock
Leading Spokesperson
Green Party - Redbridge
Tuesday, 12 May 2009
Fiddling while Rome burns
Letter to the Observer:
Dear Sir
I was quite taken aback by Andrew Rawnsley's article concerning MPs expenses, 'These scams are atrocious. Worse is the lack of remorse' (Comment, last week).
It was not so much the content of his piece that struck me but the fact that, given his experience as a political commentator, he should express such shocked indignation. The high level of vehemence that he displayed suggested that he, until now, had no idea of the magnitude of the fraud.
Unfortunately, given the lack of backbone and moral fibre of many of our MPs these days, it comes as no surprise to me that many of them would be on the fiddle while the country goes to blazes.
Yours sincerely
Ashley Gunstock
Green Party Prospective Parliamentary Candidate
Leyton & Wanstead
Dear Sir
I was quite taken aback by Andrew Rawnsley's article concerning MPs expenses, 'These scams are atrocious. Worse is the lack of remorse' (Comment, last week).
It was not so much the content of his piece that struck me but the fact that, given his experience as a political commentator, he should express such shocked indignation. The high level of vehemence that he displayed suggested that he, until now, had no idea of the magnitude of the fraud.
Unfortunately, given the lack of backbone and moral fibre of many of our MPs these days, it comes as no surprise to me that many of them would be on the fiddle while the country goes to blazes.
Yours sincerely
Ashley Gunstock
Green Party Prospective Parliamentary Candidate
Leyton & Wanstead
Monday, 11 May 2009
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