LibDems would Invest £21M EXTRA into Bolton schools

The Liberal Democrats, through the Pupil Premium Policy would invest a further £21M into Bolton schools.
The aim is to improve educational standards, with a focus on Key Stage One children. There is a great deal of flexibility on how headteachers use this incresed resource best for their children, but one way that we want is to reduce class sizes to 15.
Parliamentary Candidate Paul Ankers said, “Give me a child till they are seven….they say, and this policy could seriously raise the aspirations of Bolton children. That will have a furyre impact on education, unemployment, benefits and housing. This could be a radical shift in British politics.”

Will The Lib Dem Surge Deliver Bolton North East?

Currently, the Liberal Democrats are leading the way in Poll after Poll.  These are exciting times, not least in Bolton North East.  Last time the Liberal Democrats won 16.7% of the votes, not much below our national share.  If we can continue this level of support, we will have a Liberal Democrat MP here.

If you want to help deliver real change, email paul4boltonne@yahoo.co.uk

Sky News Coverage Of Bolton North East

Sky News website have a page dedicated to coverage of the election campaign in Bolton North East. Check out what is being said
here. http://constituency.sky.com/page/bolton-north-east

Legal Imprint

Published and Promoted by Stewart Ball on behalf of Paul
Ankers, both at 77 The Hall Coppice, Egerton, Bolton, BL7 9UF

Savage NHS Cuts Promised By Labour

Labour are promising £950m worth of NHS budget cuts in Greater Manchester.  The Manchester Evening News uncovered this report, which Gordon Brown probably wanted buried till after the elections.

Now a leaked letter reveals NHS North West have ordered health bosses to draw up plans for:

• 10 per cent cuts in primary, community, acute and mental health sectors by 2013
• 15pc cuts in acute and in-patient mental health care by 2013
• 10pc cuts in demand for hospital care by next year
• Slashing management costs by 15pc over four years.

It also instructs managers to scrutinise pay and staffing levels in a bid to cut costs.

LibDem Parliamentary Spokesperson (Bolton North East), Paul Ankers said,

“Severe cuts need to be well planned.  If waste was rife during good economic times our money should not have been wasted.  The NHS is NOT ringfenced and too much of the cuts are going to hurt, and hurt patients more than their ailments.”

MPs Should reject pay rise

I was shocked to see MPs accepting a pay rise. Initially, I had even told one lady it couldn’t be true. But there it is, a 1.5% rise.
Now I don’t begrudge MPs their wage, but I don’t think now id a time to take a raise, even if an independent panel suggests it.
On Greater Manchester Fire Authority, we voted to reject the advice and freeze our pay rather than accept a rise. Councillors don’t get anywhere as much as MPs but we seem to have been born with a bit more sense!

Concern About English Defence League March

I am greatly concerned about the march organised by the English Defence League in Bolton on 20th March.  Where they go, trouble follows.  I know from my sources in the Unite Against Fascism movement that they want to ‘out march’ the EDL.

The Manchester march last year just about failed to flare up.  Those in the thick of it may disagree, but it did not develop like the events in Stoke early this year.

I was delighted that Bolton Council voted against the march unanimously.  It is a good sign, but the real power lies with the Home Secretary and he has proved to be spineless on at least two occasions. 

Whereas the EDL turn up and cause trouble, it is up to us to maintain a strong sense of community, before, during and after 20th March.

My Recent Interview with Total Politics Magazine

TP What was your first political experience?

Paul: My first political action was to write to my MP opposing the 1994 Criminal Justice Bill. I was egged on by the NME a bit, but even now I think it was the right thing to do. I got little more than an acknowledgement from my then MP Keith Bradley, who didn’t seem too bothered to fight for civil liberties. But I was.
It was the beginning of the end of my positive view of the Labour party. I had slavishly wanted a Labour government having been brought up in a strict anti-Thatcherite household. I don’t think my part in Mr Bradley’s downfall was crucial, but every little helps.

TP: Why did you join your party?

Paul: It was a personal connection with excellent local Councillors of my acquaintance, but I knew by then new labour weren’t selling anything worth buying. The disillusionment that has shaped this decade hit me on May 2nd 1997, if not before.

TP: What did you do before becoming a PPC?

Paul: I am a local Councillor. It is an enjoyable role, if frustrating at times. Before that I worked in debt management & insolvency. It was clear as much that the sub prime market would collapse because banks were cutting their losses at 25p in the pound. Still, nobody listened to Vince Cable till it was too late and they weren’t going to treat me like a young Joseph Stiglitz.

TP: What are your biggest interests outside politics?

Paul: They are called Ella & Levi and they demand lots of my time. Very shrewd operators for 8 and 7, they refer to politics as the P word. They take me to places I wouldn’t ordinarily go, like skateparks, Doctor Who exhibitions & all of those childrens films that turn out to be very good.
I try to write, plays or scripts, but to be fair, politics has overridden those ambitions. I play a good game of poker and while away free hours watching subtitled films.

TP: What’s your favourite political song?

Paul: God Save The Queen by The Sex Pistols

TP: What’s your favourite political movie?

Paul: The Long Good Friday – I would need more space to explain my theory on it being an allegory on local government.

TP: What makes you suited to representing your constituency?

Paul: Bolton North East needs a champion. A constituency MP that would fight for the area rather than get sucked into the Westminster set. It also needs someone who can appreciate just how diverse this constituency, not just people, but there are very different environments from the town centre to the hills and consequently different challenges. I suspect my opponents are focussed on smaller sections of the community than are necessary.

TP: Why do you think you would be a good MP?

Paul: It is a matter of focus. You can be a Westminster MP or a Bolton MP and frankly, Bolton needs Bolton MPs. I am also good at working with politicians from other parties to have effect and that would be useful in Westminster.

TP: What are your main policy interests?

Paul: Education is the being and the end of much of our problems. Tackle our problems there and we will at least reduce the problems in crime, health, benefits & housing. Too many children are cut adrift at an early age. Give a school leadership and resources and most pupils and their parents can be turned around. Parents want leadership and vision as much as children.
Greater Manchester needs more Police. It is undermined by the funding formula. It has cost Manchester about £80m over recent years and keeps our Police numbers below 8,000 when we need more like 11,000. It must be scrapped and we must have a stronger police force.

TP: If you had the chance to pass one law, what would it be?

Paul: Standard Transferable Vote. It would mean more people would have voted for the parties that implement a law. It would increase the power of backbenchers and mean parliament would cease to be an elective dictatorship. Change that rule and the whole rules of the game and what could be achieved could change.

TP: Summarise your beliefs in one sentence.

Paul: I don’t believe High Concept sentences solve anything.

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