Strong wiff of chicken wafting from the Dean direction

Mon 9 Mar 2015, 09:50

I can't believe that a sitting PM won't agree to a televised debate with the leader of the opposition in the run up to a hotly contested elution, when he pretty much does it once a week anyway in the HoP! It shows that he is completely out of touch with what the electorate want. He has backed himself into a corner now, because he'll look weak if he doesn't participate, but if he changes his mind, he looks foolish too! In the age of multimedia, these debates are crucial and all politicians should be doing everything they can to re-engage with a disillusioned electorate.

Sun 8 Mar 2015, 16:47

Heavens, you are a troublesome lot right now!

I can see the logic either way. On balance I'll leave it here for the time being, largely because it's our MP and he has come to Charlbury to debate in the past. But being moved across to the Grease Pit is not a punishment or a relegation, of course; it's just another board.

I would however point out that one of the few rules is "Please don't try to bounce us publicly into doing what you want - we're all volunteers." If you have an opinion about how a particular thread should be moderated, please let us know by site message, rather than posting it within the thread. The latter can be construed as an attempt to browbeat the admins - though I'm sure this wasn't the case in this instance. It does also have a habit (on any forum) of degenerating into interminable rows about procedure.

Sun 8 Mar 2015, 16:21

Helen, thank you for your kind suggestion but we are quite happy to continue a civilized discussion with this thread in the current location. If you are not happy with it then may I suggest you stop looking at it. All quite simple really.

Sun 8 Mar 2015, 15:47

I repeat, I am not trying to close down debate - just play by the rules - sorry you cannot see this.

Sun 8 Mar 2015, 13:59

Helen you are just trying to close down a perfectly open, democratic and relevant Charlbury issue.

We are talking about the Town's M.P who is refusing to take part in the Peoples debates. Some of the Sunday papers are far more assertive about this issue.

I would guess 700-800 Charlbury residents watched the debates last time, if we followed the national enthusiasm for viewing, and currently Charlbury residents could be deprived of this important democratic viewing this time.

Sun 8 Mar 2015, 13:51 (last edited on Sun 8 Mar 2015, 13:58)

So the threads here concerning the planning application for the Bull, Solar farm Cornbury and Proposed development at Rushy Bank, Forest Road don't express strong opinions, or involve politics and vested interests?

Sun 8 Mar 2015, 13:21 (last edited on Sun 8 Mar 2015, 13:25)

I repeat my original post that this thread belongs in the Grease Pit for strong opinions. At no point have I suggested that it should not be debated, just moved to its proper place - according to the rules set out and signed up to by everyone posting here. With the election imminent, I suggest that the Grease Pit is a perfect forum for political debate.

Sun 8 Mar 2015, 11:55

I have come to the conclusion after to listening to all the leaders and parties - they ALL say and sound the same views, like the sound of their own voices and line their own pocket, that there was only one person who to the parliament with intentions - Guy Fawkes (didn't agree with his views though)

Sun 8 Mar 2015, 10:40 (last edited on Sun 8 Mar 2015, 11:05)

I know I recently suggested a citizenship test for the town, but we are not living in a dictatorship yet! We are a democracy and should be allowed to express our views here as elsewhere. And of course this is relevant to Charlbury - we are discussing our MP! We will be having a debate in Charlbury among the parliamentary candidates, but I don't expect Mr Cameron will come. I remember him participating in some excellent, wide ranging and very open debates before he became PM, right here in our own town, when I was the Lib Dem candidate. These debates were respectful and good tempered, and we all got on very well together.

I agree with Nick (sorry, Chris) that we ought to be asking why our MP has changed his mind about this. I completely disagree, Helen, that the debates don't make any difference. On the doorstep in 2010 I noticed real changes in people's attitudes after the various TV debates. In the end a lot of other factors impacted on the way people chose to vote, but there was a strong sense of people thinking really hard about what they wanted to do and that can only be a good thing. Sadly, I think Mr Cameron's attempt to control TV debates is only going to swell the tide of cynicism and apathy that has swamped so many citizens in their attitude to politics.

Sun 8 Mar 2015, 09:47

It is highly topical with an election imminent, plus PM and our MP obviously one and the same so why on earth not? Debate's been good-natured enough so far on here.

Sun 8 Mar 2015, 07:33

I refer to rule one of the forum:-
The purpose of the forum is the discussion of Charlbury town issues
Whether the PM chooses to take part in a television broadcast that in my opinion sheds no light on any real issues, is not an issue of direct relevance to Charlbury.

Sat 7 Mar 2015, 22:44

Many thanks for your support Mike in saying that this is "a perfect topic for the main forum". Hopefully public debates and a bit of humour are still allowed in our democracy.

However thanks for acknowledging that I have a strong argument Helen, much appreciated.

I hope that our MP realises in time the error of his way and does not leave an empty chair in the debates.

Sat 7 Mar 2015, 21:57

My understanding was that strong arguments should go in the Grease Pit, not in the Forum; we all sign up to that when we post comments.

Sat 7 Mar 2015, 21:48

Seems like a perfect topic for the main forum. Surely we can discuss this without fighting.

I agree that the debates put too much emphasis on the wrong things. But someone that put so much store in them last time round has some explaining to do when he blatantly attempts to sabotage them this time.

Sat 7 Mar 2015, 20:49

So 22 million viewers were wrong last time were they?

Sat 7 Mar 2015, 20:31 (last edited on Sat 7 Mar 2015, 20:36)

I am sorry but I do not agree that TV debates really do anything to inform - they are so much hype and hot air. Media coverage tends to trivialise matters of importance and I am tired of the confrontational nature of modern politics. I am not surprised by our MP & PM choosing not to waste his time on them - they are without merit other than as tv trivia.
Plus - I think this thread belongs in the Grease Pit, not the forum - it whiffs.

Sat 7 Mar 2015, 18:35

Anybody else noticed the strong wiff of chicken wafting from the Dean direction?

Why is our M.P and P.M running frit of debating with Ed Milliband on April 30th?

Are these not the peoples, rather than politicians debates? Watched by 22 million viewers last time.

How can this be allowed to happen?