Welcome

The Premier Independent political party in Wyre Forest

The Wyre Forest area of north Worcestershire is the home of independent political thought - having been represented in Parliament for two terms (ten years) by the Independent M.P. Dr. Richard Taylor M.B.E.

Representing Wyre Forest people

The party has representatives at Worcestershire County and Wyre Forest District levels as well as Councillors on the Bewdley, Kidderminster and Stourport-on- Severn town councils.

Not just a ‘Single Issue’ party

As is reflected in it’s title, Independent Community and Health Concern is NOT just a ‘single issue’ grouping of independent representatives of the people; taking on-board all manner of local problems (and solving them) and local aspirations (and aiding in their delivery). It grew out of the projected closure of Kidderminster Hospital (to which so many had contributed with fund-raising). This prompted mass protest and street parades and, ultimately, the rejection of the sitting Labour MP - a junior Minister. While I.C.H.C. remains fundamentally concerned with the provision of health facilities and the delivery of all that results in ‘good health’ it is associated with concern for all aspects of a healthy community - education for all ages, support for the disabled and the elderly, transport, arts and entertainment, nature and the environment.

To contact us_

Either e-mail us using talk2us or ring us on 01562 823581 (Answerphone service out of office hours)

Councils

Bewdley Town Council, created 1974, has 13 Town Councillors all of whom are elected for a term of four years. For voting purposes, Bewdley is divided into three Wards which are Bewdley West (4 Councillors) and Bewdley East (4 Councillors) on the west side of the river and Wribbenhall (5 Councillors) on the east side. The Town Council Elections last took place on 22nd May 2014. The next election is due to take place in 2019. Monday 17th September 2018 - 7.00pm Community Development Committee Monday 1st October 2018 - 7.00pm Full Council Wednesday 3rd October 2018 - 6.00pm Planning Committee Monday 15th October 2018 - 7.00pm Policy and Resources Committee Tuesday 18th Sept 2018 - Events Thursday 20th Sept - Town Hall Thursday 4th Oct - Services Tuesday 9th Oct - Planning Tuesday 16th Oct - Events Wednesday 24th Oct - Finance Tuesday 9th October 2018 - Tuesday 6th November 2018 - Tuesday 4th December 2018 - Meetings will be held in the courtroom of the Coroner's Service, Civic Centre, Stourport-on-Severn, unless otherwise stated

Stourport-on-Severn

Dixon Sheppard   01299 826941 Councillor for Lickhill Ward Janice Sheppard   01299 826941 Councillor for Lickhill Ward Julie Bennett   01299 827773 Councillor for Central Ward Gill Smith   01299 878067 Councillor for Central Ward Nicky Martin   01299 871825 Councillor for North Ward Neil Thomas   01299 871895 Councillor for North Ward Mike Salter   01299 877382 Councillor for Stour and Wilden Ward

Kidderminster

Mary Rayner   01562 748564 Councillor for Broadwaters Peter Young  01562  750529 Councillor for Broadwaters

Bewdley

Linda Candlin  01299 409414 Councillor for Wribbenhall Ward Elizabeth Davies  01299 403053 Councillor for Wribbenhall Ward Calne Edgington-White     01299  400726 Councillor for Bewdley West Ward

Worcestershire

County

Mary Rayner    01562 748564 Councillor for Kidderminster - St Georges and St Oswald

Wyre Forest District

Mary Rayner   01562 748564 Councillor for Broadwaters Nicky Martin   01299 871825 Councillor for  Mitton

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JOIN Health Concern to be part of Health Concern …

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VOTE for one of our Candidates

If you are not going to be in Wyre Forest on polling day (at work or on holiday) or

are not physically able to go to a polling station to vote in person, you can still

vote. Even if you've moved house since the electoral register was drawn up and

have not yet joined the register at your new address, this is how to exercise your

democratic right.

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If you wish to appoint someone else (a proxy) to vote on your behalf _

DOWNLOAD THIS FORM

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If you wish to vote by post _

DOWNLOAD THIS FORM

Simply print the form out, complete the details and send it to _

The Local Electoral Registration Officer.

Finepoint Way,

Kidderminster, DY11 7WF

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Or you can telephone the Worcestershire Hub on

01562 73292

Be a SUPPORTER  …  … 

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ATTEND our monthly meetings and participate in our Social Events.

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Volunteer to deliver our Newsletters (Pulse) in your street, 

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Help with fund-raising,  

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Man the office phones and talk to people (we have machines to do the printing

and paper-folding).

 

Be a CANDIDATE  …  …

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VOLUNTEER to stand for election to represent your area and have the Health

Concern resources behind you

Ring for a ‘Call-Back’

01562 823581

Preparing for the Next Elections

Join Health Concern to become a member of the party. Membership details available from Keith Robertson, our Membership Secretary

National

It says it all. It says it all ! When plain-speaking, ex- Afghan vet. former Army Captain Johnny Mercer MP (Plymouth - Moor View, 5,000 majority) says it (19/10) .. you believe it .. and he says _ “Theresa May’s government is a s***- show” ! “There’s no doubt about it, I would not vote Conservative in a general election !” “It’s very clear that this current administration, under this Chief Whip (Julian Smith), under this Prime Minister .. there is no role for people like me!” It says it all Ever since “T.M. the P.M.” sashayed* in Brum, politicians seem to have been developing a musical idiom. The latest person to indulge themselves of this habit is .. J.B. (a.k.a. “Mr. Speaker”). Having presided over a period where, in the House of Commons, there was_ “a culture of deference, subservience, acquiescence and silence which had allowed the bullying and harassment of the staff in the Commons to thrive !” So what is the record he should take with him when he’s marooned upon a desert island (and not soon enough) ? Why ! (From ‘Combat Rock’ by ‘The Clash’) .. “It's always tease, tease, tease, You're happy when I'm on my knees, One day it's fine and next it's black ! So if you want me off your back .. Well, come on and let me know .. Should I stay or should I go? To Sashay - to walk in an ostentatious yet casual manner, typically with exaggerated movements of the hips and shoulders. Do you remember, from “Yes, Minister”, Sir Humphrey Appleby’s classic admonishment of Jim Hacker .. “That, Minister, would be a very brave thing to do!” .. which words immediately sends shivers down Jim’s neck and turns him into a bumbling idiot ? Well, it would appear that bravery comes in two distinct types - physical and moral - and they are both present in all persons - though in varying amounts. Take one Scott Kelly, former NASA astronaut (very brave) and a UN ambassador for space (possibly less brave) who rescinded his lauding of Sir Winston Churchill just because some people have criticised him on-line and who apologised. saying .. “I will go and educate myself further on his atrocities !”” (A change-of-heart distinctly ‘un-brave’, as Tweeters might say). Then, on the same day (09/10), we hear of Sir Craig Mackey, former acting Met. Police Commissioner who followed advice and locked himself in his car and was driven away from PC Keith Palmer being stabbed to death at Westminster. (‘Un-brave’ ?) It must be so very reassuring to know, with confidence, that you are so important that your life must not be put at risk ? Was ‘H’ the last of the heroes ? Lieutenant Colonel Herbert Jones, VC, OBE (14 May 1940 – 28 May 1982) Wait !   Was that it ? After all that expectation .. will she jump or wait to be pushed ? (04/10) And all we got was a muddy, river Thames version of the ‘Potomac Two-step’ ? So Theresa May arrived in Brummagem, relaxed, confident, and (for the first time) funny .. and still utterly out of ideas .. inspiring the cartoonist ‘Matt’ to the caption – “..and on television tonight, in response to Mrs. May’s conference performance, Anton du Beke will set out his plans for Brexit !” Abba’s “Dancing Queen” ? Hmmm. What else might she have chosen ? How about Bowie’s “Put on your red shoes and dance the blues?” .. then she could have “Swayed through the crowd to an empty space.” Or maybe, “Shake, shake, shake your booty” by  K.C. & the Sunshine Band ? or “Shake a tail-feather, baby” by Ray Charles ? Why don’t politicians stick to what they’re good at ? Even if that meant sharing her hotel room with Ann Widdicombe and practising being a “Private Dancer” ? Then it would really have been “Ladies Night” (by Kool & the Gang) ! And now, somewhat closer to home, the Conservatives (and can they really, in these days of the Trades Description Act, keep that name as their title ?) have their little “jolly-fest” just up the A456. (01/10) And it’s so kind of them to let us know how to contact their MPs. Really “getting-in-touch” with the people. And what kicks everything off ? Why ! Philip Hammond, that shadow-figure of a politician, fires his broadside at “Boris-the Bike” .. and does so with an impersonation “..of, err, yeah, I mean, that’s it, you know” the great man himself. One thing’s for sure, no-one knows Hammond well enough to be able to return  the compliment ! But, when it comes to impersonating people on the “Tory” party (and, if you know your history, you’ll appreciate just how much that term is a misnomer for this current bunch of ‘would- bees’ ) there’s “the greatest show on earth” of Mrs. May doing her impersonation of .. herself ! “I’ve been very clear .. Brexit means Brexit.” “I’ve been very clear .. I don’t want a ‘hard-border’.” “Let me be clear .. we are working to ensure a good deal.” “I remain committed to everything I’ve said.” A master-piece of satire .. if these weren’t her own words !! You really couldn’t make it up if you tried. The General Strike of 1926, which collapsed after just nine days, and was deemed “a brilliant failure” by TUC researcher Walter Milne-Bailey (“Workers have learnt a new sense of their oneness”) .. is held up by Crewe and Nantwich MP Laura Smith (majority 48 votes) as the next best thing for the Labour Party. “If we can’t get a general election, we should organise with our brothers and sisters in the trade unions to bring an end to this government with a general strike.” Labour’s shadow business secretary, Rebecca Long- Bailey, thinks otherwise. Speaking on Radio 4’s Today programme (26/09) she insisted that “That’s not our position,”.. “We’re certainly not advocating general strikes as Labour Party policy.” Nevertheless, Rebecca had also been at the ‘World Transformed’ festival hosted by Momentum – so why didn’t she take the time to tell Laura what Labour policy was ? We, however, can tell you what Labour policy is ! It’s to insulate your home and put a solar panel on your roof .. whether you want it or not .. and you’re going to have to pay for it, one way or another. (‘Ve haf vays of making you ‘energy efficient’ !) In these days of “safe spaces”, of “tolerance-all- round”, and the ‘sainted Jeremy’ presiding over his “gentler, kinder politics”; if you turn-up at a pro- Palestinian event - even it is being held within the portals of a ‘Hilton Hotel’ (and not forgetting Betjamins words that “God was man in Palestine .. even to the shining ones who dwell safe in the Dorchester Hotel”) – and you are Jewish, ought you not be safe from bullying, crass behaviour and intimidation ?    (25/09) Not so, when the “shining one” is Len McClusky, that aging (aren’t we all) advocate of ‘UNITE’, who takes great pains to un- unite himself from those who fail to live up to his opinion of ‘united-ness’. Unable to control his temper, his public ranting was such that he had to be ushered away by his own officials before he brought further calumny upon his party and himself. Someone else seen with ‘officials’ at the Labour Party Conference was MP Luciana Berger, who was accompanied by her official bodyguard of uniformed Police Officers. What is the Labour Party coming to ?  Their own MPs have to have Police bodyguards to attend their own party conference? And as we approach the Pantomime Season and anticipate the Labour Party Conference (not necessarily one and the same thing) ‘the sainted Jeremy’ must be feeling distinctly uneasy.      (22/9) Not only at variance with the majority of his supporters on the subject of ‘Brexit’ (vast swathes of students and Londoners being Re- moaners) .. but Kathryn Stone is on his trail ! Yes, for the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner “..the chase is on !” to quote Benedict Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch CBE. There are some nine foreign visits which apparently remain undisclosed, as far as expenses are concerned - which they should have been under the MP’s Code of Conduct - and which were declared by others who accompanied him - amongst which are_ • November 2010 a 4-day trip to the West Bank (with ‘buddy’ Seumus Milne) • Paid for by MEMO Middle East Press Monitoring / ‘Friends of al-Aqsa’ (Leics.) • February 2011 a 3-day trip to Beirut to meet proscribed terror group HAMAS • Paid for by PRC Palestine Return Centre / CEPR Council for European Palestine Relations (now outlawed) • February 2011 a 2-day trip to Tunis • Paid for by Global Peace and Unity • 2014 the infamous ‘wreath- laying’ trip to Tunis • Paid for by Beji Caid Essebsi And all this leaves Tom Watson MP for West Brom. East also distinctly uneasy, as he hears of an “emergency plan” emerging from JC’s office in the event that he, as deputy leader, were to take over if ‘the now martyred Jeremy’ were to have to take a period of involuntary leave-of- absence from the House; a plan which would deprive Tom of any of the reigns of power (lest he do anything remotely off-message) and instead vest them in the National Executive Committee .. Apparently, you, the trusty Tom, are not to be trusted ?

Local

WFDC (that’s Wyre Forest District Council) have still got their perennial problem of Crown House - Kidderminster’s “blot on the landscape”. The Tearel Trilion (which we believe to be the name of the leaseholders) have withdrawn from the negotiations to demolish the eye-sore building. Instead, ‘The Grange’ is going .. and who, in their right mind, would consider these two options to be correct ? The Grange is a well-used facility which will be sorely missed. As for the ‘line’ that (like the Leisure Centre) it’s too expensive to refurbish .. as our ‘wild colonial cousin’ might tweet - “Fake News!” Least folk fall into the misconception that we pen nothing other than ‘doom and gloom’, let us praise the winners of the “Kidderminster Heroes” awards (10/10) .. Michelle Medler & the ‘Pick-Up Artists’, Susan Owen, Spike Betterton, Graham Knight, Dave Griffin, Dave & Ann Denton, Nicole Ford. “Good-on-yer, all !” It’s a bit like ‘BREXIT’ .. first we’re happy to join with them .. then we think we’re better apart. “It also reminds ‘one’ of ‘certain members’ of one’s household .. !” So, having praised and lauded the ‘marriage’ of the West Mercia Police Service (well, you can’t really call them a ‘Force’ anymore, can you ?) with that of Warwickshire, our Police & Crime Commissioner (that’s ‘J-P’ to his friends) has had a change of mind (and possibly of heart) and performs a smart “About … (wait for it, you miserable little constable) .. FACE !” .. and now says that things will be so much better after the D-I-V-O-R-C-E from Warwickshire, on our own, off to the ‘sunny-uplands’ of a crime-free Worcestershire / Herefordshire / Shropshire. (11/10) That gives ‘J-P’ and his ‘Deputy’ (Chief Constable Anthony Banham) until October 8th .. don’t worry, that’s October 8th in 2019 .. to sort things out, so that they can “deliver more effective and efficient services to communities” and “enhance  and improve the service .. moving forward”. They’re not thinking of going into reverse; that’s a relief ! But it rather begs the question .. if they can improve things by separating, why oh why did they get into bed together in the first place? We are sorry to hear that of our fellow aspirants to furthering the public good in Wyre Forest, the Conservative party, are mired in financial difficulties with the mill-stone of Margaret Thatcher House hanging heavy around their necks. It’s not a happy situation to have to make staff redundant, to sell-up and be out on the street as we approach Christmas. Looking at the picture accompanying The Shuttle article announcing their trials and tribulations (04/10) one can’t help cogitating upon the relationship between buildings and occupants .. with M.T. House presenting a somewhat monolithic and austere appearance to the public, squeezed-in with it’s back to the (wall) cliff, on a road now by-passed by most travellers .. and contemplate the ICHC office; small  (possibly even ‘bijoux’ ?), individual, built on a more human-scale, and situate at the hub of local travel and communication (?) As one passes-them-by along Mill Street, many folks have had a merry chuckle when reading the notice “No Turning” appended to the front of Margaret Thatcher House .. but, whatever the outcome for the Tories, we wish a Swift conclusion to their woes. And yet, it is the self-same Tories who have just  ‘invested’ some £6.1 million in “..a comprehensively refurbished building, just off the M42, providing 615 - 5,140 sq ft (57 - 478 sq m) of high quality office space, available across 3 floors, with 63 car parking spaces.” Cllr. Desmond (hopes for) “..anticipates a return of £125,000 p.a. over four years.” Which is ? 2.05% ? Worcs. County Council proudly announce a £17.9M short fall.    (24/09) [To those of us who have to count our coins, that’s 17,900,000 coins, and I wonder how long it would take to count that many.] One Simon Geraghty  Leader of the Council, says (“No, not me, Gov!”) the problem is a central government one, not the County’s. (So he thinks that’s ‘all-right’ then ?) You see, being a Conservative administration they didn’t want to be thought ‘rocking-the-boat’ of a Conservative national administration and so wouldn’t put up the council tax more than 1.9% (the ‘approved’ amount). How have they kept afloat ?  Why, by using-up reserves and by cutting staff from over 6,000 to just 2,000. And now ? They’re not going to fill any vacancies from now on; to save money. I ask you_ “Is this any way to run our County (with our money) ?” And in our neighbouring country the Maternity Unit  at The Princess Royal Hospital, Telford, which on 12th January 2018 posted that “..we aim to deliver high quality maternity care throughout pregnancy, ensuring that the birth of a child is a safe, life- enhancing experience..”  is subject to a review by Jeremy Hunt (2017) into maternity care into mother and baby deaths and injuries. Originally ordered to look into 23 cases at the Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust (SaTH), that figure expanded to 40 but is now thought to include 104 families. LATEST: Regulators have today  (27/09) ordered chiefs at a scandal-hit Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust maternity unit to release two decades worth of patient records as NHS Improvement extends its investigation into its troubled maternity unit to incorporate hundreds more cases where dozens of babies and mothers may have died needlessly. A damning report published in July found the units to be severely understaffed with an average of five midwives off sick each day.  The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists warned of a reluctance among managers to investigate errors or learn from their mistakes. Dr Kathy McLean,  Executive Medical Director and Chief Operating Officer of NHS Improvement, said: "At this stage, we are unable to confirm how many historical cases will be considered under our independent review.” Meanwhile, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has taken urgent action against the maternity department.  A specialist team led by Donna Ockenden is looking into the allegations that some babies born at the trust between 2000 and 2017 suffered avoidable harm due to errors by maternity staff. What has been going on at Telford ? ‘Best Practice’ has been for teams and departments to analyse their outcomes and statistics against the national norms .. .. have they not been doing this for the past eighteen years ? (20/09) Local ? Well, Castle Bromwich is ‘just up the road’ if you motor on the M42. And Jaguar has just announced a 3-day week (18/09) and, no doubt, the “doom-and-gloom” merchants amongst us will attempt to blame it on ‘BREXIT’. Really not so; since the reduction coincides with decreased sales of Diesel models - caused by ‘green’  taxes. So .. “greens” .. if you want a healthy economy capable of supporting the burden of taxation; and a work-force also contributing fully to the exchequer; be careful what you wish for. Be very, very careful. Reading Stephen Brown’s all-too-accurate criticisms in The Shuttle (13/09) of our Police Commissioner’s claim to be introducing some 100 new Police Officers does pose us with a mathematical conundrum. So .. “let’s do the maths” (and quiet at the back, there !) .. “The force is also facing another £23m in cuts – so how will he find the £3.4m that this will cost ?” Think about it .. ! Now, it’s probably as clear as custard to Stephen (a man able to grasp many of the Labour party’s policies) but, to the rest of us .. ? Of course, it might just be a slip of a reporter’s pen but, if that were to be the case, how can we place any reliance upon the major thrust of the statistics – that this will still leave us 253 officers fewer (so much better than ‘short’) than in 2010. Anyway, John-Paul* reassures us that “ .. Policing is not just a numbers game.” So that’s all O.K. then ? But now the National Police Chiefs Council  report finds some PCCs • 'difficult, • unhelpful & • unprofessional', • 'eccentric’ & • ‘having lousy judgement' and that • 'There are six or seven really good PCCs... and about 22 who are absolutely bleeding hopeless.' This surely can’t be our own J-P? • John-Paul Campion Elected as the Police and Crime Commissioner for West Mercia - 5th May 2016 https://www.westmercia- pcc.gov.uk/about-your-pcc/  I’m sorry, but doesn’t that title suggest that he’s the man responsible for actually commissioning crimes ? Two such stories in one week ?  (18/09) We are honoured ! Those of us “..of this parish” know that the letters ‘PCC’ stand for ‘Parochial Church Council’, of which there is one for every CofE church in the country .. so that’s a lot of them, and they’re long-established. Then along come these “PCC’s” - as the Police & Crime Commissioners call themselves. Anyway, the ‘PCC’ for Cleveland (it’s ‘oop-north’) will have to find himself some ‘wiggle-room’ as Chief Constable Mike Vale  tries to explain how his mobile phone got run-over by a Police car (as he said) when it was in his golf-bag on the course next to him (as he now admits). Mike is no stranger to the waste of public money having led the abortive enquiry into futile allegations of sex-abuse by the late (and little lamented) former Prime Minister Edward Heath [Operation Conifer]. • For details I refer you to Hansard - 12 July 2018. Volume 792. So Barry Coppinger will probably praise Mike for eventually being forced into a confession and then recommend some “internal advice” (the like of which we will never hear about) as “..the appropriate course of action.” And they call that “ACTION” in Cleveland ?

International

And now a ground-breaking  break-through for Independents - this time in Australia ! In a stunning result in Wentworth (former seat of ex-prime minister Malcolm Turnbull) against Liberal incumbent Dave Sharma (former Ambassador to Israel) Dr. Kerryn Phelps  rode a 22% swing against the ‘establishment’ parties. Her victory denies Scott  Morrison’s Liberal-National Coalition of an overall majority in the 150-strong House of Representatives and changes the face of Aussie politics - already notorious  as the “coup- capital” of the world having deposed four prime ministers in eight years. Oh that Britain could do likewise ! What an encouraging election result for ‘Independents’ ! (14/10) How interesting to scan through the election results from Bavaria (Germany’s ‘third’ state in terms of economic success) and the ‘homeland’ for “right- thinking” right-wingers. It’s such a Catholic (“big” C) area that they’ve voted to make a crucifix a legally required element in all public buildings. The ‘Free Voters’, the independent, local- interest party came in third (11.6%) unexpectedly ahead of the AfD party (‘Alternative für Deutschland’), the ultra-right group who were anticipating making in-roads into western German states from their eastern powerbase (and needing to) but who only achieved 11.1% of the vote. The ‘Green Party’ also doubled its vote. Although the CSU  (‘Christian Social Union’) party registered 35.7% of the poll, this was down from 47.7% five years ago and marks a steep decline for the party which has governed Bavaria since the war – and been Frau Merkel’s staunch supporters in coalition. Remember that .. ‘weak’ Theresa May governs with a majority (Tory and DUP – but then it always was/is the Conservative and Unionist  party) .. whereas ‘strong’ Angela Merkel hangs on to power in a coalition of ‘her’ CDU (Christian Democrat Union) and the centre-left SPD (Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands) .. and they came in fifth with a disastrous 9.5% !! The biggest loser of the night (European countries often hold their elections at the weekend to boost voter turn-out) was Horst Seehofer, the SPD national leader who, as Interior Minister, took Frau Merkel to the brink of collapse in the summer with demands for changes in migrant policies. Interesting that, in Germany, its considered ‘normal’ to have the words ‘Christian’ and ‘Social’ and ‘Democratic’ in the names of political parties. I wonder how such changes might go down this side of the Channel ? So .. ‘big guns’ – losers .. ‘independents’ – winners.  There’s something for our political rivals to consider? “Turkish authorities believe Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi  was killed inside his country’s consulate in Istanbul last week,” Turkish sources are quoted as saying by website DAWN. The Saudi ‘magicians’, who know little about openness and transparent government, have not come up with any credible explanation for the disappearance of this unfortunate individual . There is video footage of him entering the embassy but, magically, no video recording of his leaving; and he has not returned to his Turkish fiancee . In politics, he was an advisor to Prince Turki al-Faisal  (the former Saudi intelligence chief) and was ‘close’ to billionaire investor Prince Alwaleed bin Talal. The Saudi ambassador to the UK declined an invitation to appear on Radio 4 yesterday (11/10) to put his side of the event; and even failed to appoint a spokesman (well, it wouldn’t have been a ‘spokeswoman, would it ?) As a journalist, Jamal served twice as editor of ‘Al Watan’ newspaper and gained a wide following with his appearances on Arab satellite television networks. In his columns in The Washington Post,  Khashoggi had been escalating his criticism of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman: accusing him of repressing the Saudi people, creating a mess in Lebanon and prosecuting a cruel war in Yemen. A year ago, Khashoggi left Saudi Arabia after he said the authorities had instructed him to stop tweeting. “It anguishes me to speak with other Saudi friends in Istanbul and London who are also in self-exile. There are at least seven of us, are we going to be the core of a Saudi diaspora? We spend endless hours on the phone trying to understand this wave of arrests that have included my friend, businessman and thoughtful Twitter personality Essam Al-Zamil. It was just last Tuesday that he returned home from the United States, having been part of an official Saudi delegation. That is how breathtakingly fast you can fall out of favour with Saudi Arabia. It is all quite shocking - but this has not been ‘business as usual’ in my country.” Peace and Blessings be upon him. There’s a well-known joke (to those who are ‘in-the- know’) about the Restaurant business:- “How do you make a small fortune in the restaurant business ?” “Well, .. you have to start with a large fortune !”  (Boom-boom). And now a (New York) Times investigation has found that “The Donald” Trump, that ‘self-made’, ‘man-of-the-people’, far from starting out with ‘nothing’, in fact started out with at least $413 million (in today’s dollars) from his father’s real estate empire ! And much of that “made” through assisting his parents dodge taxes in the 1990s. Mr. Trump won the presidency proclaiming himself “a self-made billionaire” (though bankrupt more than once) and he has long insisted that his father, the legendary New York City builder Fred C. Trump, provided almost no financial help. But The New York Times’ investigation, based on a vast trove of confidential tax returns and financial records, reveals that Mr. Trump received the equivalent today of at least $413 million from his father’s real estate empire, starting when he was a toddler and continuing to this day. He also helped formulate a strategy involving a sham corporation to undervalue his parents’ real estate holdings by hundreds of millions of dollars on tax returns, sharply reducing the tax bill when those properties were transferred to him and his siblings; which manoeuvres met with little resistance from the Internal Revenue Service (!) Fred and Mary Trump transferred well over $1 billion in wealth to their children, which should have produced a tax bill of at least $550 million under the 55 percent tax rate then imposed on gifts and inheritances. Instead, the Trumps paid a total of $52.2 million, or about 5 percent, as tax records show. These NYT allegations raise new questions about Mr. Trump’s refusal to release his income tax returns, breaking with decades of practice by past presidents. N.B. There is no time limit on civil fines for tax fraud. NYT But, closer to (our) home, ‘Trump Turnberry’ golf course lost him £3,400,000 in 2017 due they say to “lower oil prices” (on a golf course ?); its fourth consecutive loss. So bad are things that they are now trying to ‘re-brand’ as “Las Vegas-on-Sea” ! And ‘Trump International (Golf Links – Scotland)’ lost him £1,300,000 which is (slightly) less than last year’s loss. Because his Mom was born on Isle-of-Lewis, Outer Hebrides, “The Donald” even wrote a letter opposing an off-shore wind farm saying “..she would not believe what you are doing to her beloved Scotland !” Nor you, to America, Donald! Proof that a ‘Golden Résumé’ can turn Into a Lead Weight is on display in the States. (24/09) Some of the aspects of Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh’s résumé that made him so appealing to his supporters are putting his ascension to the Supreme Court in doubt. President Trump’s advocacy  of Kavanaugh as having the perfect (Republican) pedigree for a spot on the Supreme Court surely ensures that he’s heading for a fall ? Trump exclaimed over the weekend at a rally in Missouri, “He was born for it. And it’s going to happen.” It was all set .. right up until it wasn’t. Now his confirmation is in such jeopardy that he felt compelled to defend himself in a Fox News television interview on Monday. Fox .. ?    I ask you !! The product of the elite Georgetown Preparatory School, then Yale University and Yale Law School, his credentials show strong evidence of academic rigour and excellence. But accusations from two women (with a third emerging) who say they were subjected to sexual assault by BMK during his years at the schools have exposed a dark side of such privileged education. Judge Kavanaugh has unequivocally denied doing what his accusers suggest or even attending the drunken and debauched gatherings where the events are alleged to have occurred. At Yale ? Surely not ? “Pu-wph !” and other Gallic noises (we all know what they sound like .. those French waiters specialise in them .. there must be a training school buried deep in the Forêt de Compiègne). Anyway, “Pu-wph !” back at you, Emmanuel Jean- Michel Frédéric Macron. Thank you for your quote, as we approach the centenary of the Armistice of 1918, that those who promoted one side of the British Referendum debate (and what’s it got to do with you ?)  were “..LIARS” !!    (21/9) Just remember, ‘mon petit Monsieur’, that although the fighting ended on 11th November 1918 with Germany’s surrender, the official Peace wasn’t signed until 28th June 1919, and fighting could have broken- out again at any time. Britain might leave the EU on Friday 29th March 2019 at 11:00pm, but it might not be all over .. ..

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Comments about what’s going on in political life …  … Please note that views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of Health Concern or of it’s Councillors or members - so enjoy them - or ignore them (!) It’s your choice.

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What’s On for ICHC in Wyre Forest

I.C.H.C. Skittles Evening on Saturday 20th October at Stourport Bowling Club

A very successful Skittles Evening on Saturday which also raised £240 plus. Julie Bennett was the champion on the night.    The fish and chips from Pat's fish bar were excellent. Many thanks to Bobby Smith for organising a very successful evening.

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