tenthofjune

One day, a florist goes to a barber for a haircut. After the cut he asked about his bill and the barber replies,

‘I cannot accept money from you. I’m doing community service this week.’

The florist was pleased and left the shop. When the barber goes to open his shop the next morning there is a ‘thank you’ card and a dozen roses waiting for him at his door.

Later, a cop comes in for a haircut, and when he tries to pay his bill, the barber again replies,

‘I cannot accept money from you. I’m doing community service this week.’

The cop is happy and leaves the shop. The next morning when the barber goes to open up, there is a ‘thank you’ card and a dozen doughnuts waiting for him at his door.

Later that day, a university professor comes in for a haircut, and when he tries to pay his bill, the barber again replies,

‘I cannot accept money from you. I’m doing community service this week.’

The professor is very happy and leaves the shop. The next morning when the barber opens his shop, there is a ‘thank you’ card and a dozen different books, such as ‘How to Improve Your Business’ and ‘Becoming More Successful.’

Then, a Member of Parliament comes in for a hair-cut, and when he goes to pay his bill the barber again replies,

‘I cannot accept money from you. I’m doing community service this week.’

The MP is very happy and leaves the shop. The next morning when the barber goes to open up, there are a dozen MPs lined up waiting for a free hair-cut.

Barbershop picture by Trondheim Byarkiv, used under Creative Commons Licence

In the past three weeks, I have contacted a number of people regarding the Manchester Congestion Tax. It is interesting to note the lack of response from the majority, without even the decency of a simple acknowledgement from some.

These details are updated as of 30th November:

Not a very impressive set of figures really; only three replies.

Given Ruth Kelly’s lack of response in the past, I don’t hold out much hope.

I will keep this post updated.

Update: 12th December

Ruth Kelly has finally responded – well sort of…

Only ten minutes after hearing the excellent result of the referendum, I arrived home to a letter from Ruth Kelly, but far from actually replying to my concerns, it would appear that she has simply forwarded my letter to GMPTE whose reply she has simply forwarded back to me without comment. A secretary could have done that!

It clearly stated in my original letter that I was fully aware of GMPTE’s attitude, so what was the point of getting them to repeat their propaganda? Given Ruth Kelly’s support for the TIF bid, it would seem that she is simply sitting on the fence.

Here’s a suggestion for how the congestion charge zones should really look.

You’ve got to hand it to the British Government: they introduced legislation that a child seat is now required for all children up to the age of 12. We only have two children, but I’ve noticed that after you’ve installed two child seats into our ‘family sized’ estate car, there is no room left for another adult, let alone another car seat. Anyone with more than two children therefore needs a larger vehicle, but is then taxed at a higher rate by a government who forced them into that purchase in the first place.

Either one part of the government doesn’t know what the other half is doing, or it is brilliant scheme to raise taxes. My guess is the former.

So, Ruth Kelly has come out and said that the current scheme to use of the hard shoulder on the M42 as a running lane is to be extended.

While I don’t agree with this policy, preferring to see money spent on properly widening the motorway or actually improving alternative transport, one part of this news item strikes me as odd: none of the proposed extensions of this policy will (thankfully) occur north of the Birmingham conurbation.

From this, you should surmise that these are the congestion hotspots that the government has identified to be targeted. If so, why is Manchester being targeted with a congestion tax and these are not?

Before anyone points out that the Manchester Tax is inside the M60, I experience zero congestion inside the M60, but heavy congestion on the M61 and M60 around Manchester.

The government have announced that the UK rail network is to get 1000 new carriages to ease congestion.

Sounds like good news except that:

1. Surprise, Surprise, the vast majority of these are destined for the government’s pet part of the the UK – the South East of England
2. We won’t have all of them until 2014 – That’s seven years away – they are needed now.

Once again, too little, too late, and the south-east gets preferential treatment.

It seems that Hazel Blears has started to whinge about the police investigation into ‘cash-for-peerage’ claims, saying that it is “eroding trust” in the Government.

Maybe she forgets that trust is earned. Perhaps if she took a look at what the Government has done to this country over the last ten years, she will see the real reason for the erosion of trust.

I have been registered with the Mail Preference Service for some time now, and yesterday I received a piece of junk mail propaganda from the Labour Party. They obviously don’t believe in the legal requirement to check the MPS opt-out list before sending unsolicited mail. I will be reporting this breach. We will see whether they get fined.

UPDATE

I received a reply from MPS, saying that they do not ‘get in the way’ of communication between people and the Government or Political parties. Fair enough on the Government side of things, but as far as I’m concerned a political party (whichever party) peddling it’s political opinion is no different to a company peddling unwanted goods.

Plans to expand Manchester Metrolink have today been scrapped by the Government in favour of London’s Crosslink.

Yet more evidence of the north/south divide attitude of the Government.

Londoners don’t know they’re born with the Underground. London has a perfectly good mass transport system that every other city in the UK would gladly accept, yet the government is not satisfied with throwing another £10 billion at London, it wants to kick the rest of the country (north of Watford gap) in the teeth by scrapping any chances of catching up.

It seems I’m not the only one to think so.

Manchester has just been mugged for £200 million. Somehow I don’t think the guilty will be brought to justice – David Blunkett is Home Secretary, and we know where he stands on accepting responsibility for his own failings. (Humberside Police chief being made scapegoat for Blunkett’s failing to organise a coordinated National Police Force)