Ice breaking Liberal Democrat Colin Eldridge
Is breaking ice the new equivalent of a politician kissing a baby?
Wavertree hopeful Colin Eldridge showed true grit by breaking ice on pavements in south Liverpool this weekend.
As this picture shows the Liberal Democrat parliamentary hopeful seems to have got out of breath with the physical activity.
In a statement sent with the picture he said "I have been inundated with requests for help. So many people have been complaining about the state of the pavements and I thought I would do something about it!
"Today [Saturday] we went to Allerton Road to try and break away the ice on the pavement and I will be taking a team out tomorrow to continue this work across our area to ensure the safety of local people".
"The state of the roads and pavements is a real concern particularly for elderly and vulnerable people. We need everyone to pull together and help our friends and neighbours. If you know of areas that are particularly bad and you can't do anything about it, please let me know and we will try and help".
I do hope he's not criticising his Lib Dem colleagues running Liverpool Council, or he'll be sure of a frosty recepetion at their next group meeting.
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David Bartlett
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Its a tremendous shame the Lib Dem council couldn't find it in their wits to sort this problem out themselves, as they were supposed to.
An appropriate headline here would be "Lib Dem candidate forced to clear up Lib Dem mess"
Poor muppet! Looks like he needs a good mop down with a large flannel. Bet he was glad an obliging photographer was on hand to preserve for posterity his impression of a goldfish out of water. Pity a photographer wasn't on hand elsewhere in south Liverpool to snap Labour councillors quietly doing the shopping for house-bound OAPs
I hope you are not cynically suggesting that he took a photographer along and then sent the photo into the newsroom? And after me giving a pat on the back for his efforts two posts earlier. I would hate to think that. Otherwise you'll have Max Miller going on about it.
Prof Chucklebutty said:
I may engage in a little mocking from time to time, but I also believe in giving credit where it's due. Travelling along the Allerton Road area today, one of the Wavertree parliamentary candidates (I say one, I think we are due another soon - no rush - take your time)young Colin Sledridge out on the road with a shovel trying to break up the ice sheets. He didn't seem to be having much luck on that particular stretch, with the shovel bouncing off like it was concrete, but nevertheless, he was out there having a go. If it wasn't so cold, I'd take me hat off to him. I'm sure there will be a photo in the next Lib Dem Froze-Us newsletter. I am sure there will be people now calling him Sasquatch, The Abominable Snow Plough or Big Foot-In-it, but I didn't see them out on the streets.
Well done to you Sir, but you missed the most important by the Yates boozer, I mean I'm bad enough when I've had a skinfull but with this ice, I could seriously spill some of me pint when I am having a fag outside. So a bit more planning next time.
January 11, 2010 12:28 AM
Max Miller The Cheeky Chappie said:
A lady comes up to me the other day and she says "Here Max, the Abominable Snowman is standing for parliament"
I says, the Abominable Snowman, has he got any supporters?
She says, " Not Yeti hasn't"
Anyway, what is it about LibDems and shovels? Why do their photo opportunities always involve pretend digging? Take a look at this priceless example
http://bit.ly/4PA1Kj
My penguin friends in Liverpol inform me that a distinguished Professor is proposing that I should be nominated to stand for your "Parliament". Quite an honour, you might think. So, having done a bit of research about this collection of incorrigibles and half-wits on your "Icy Liverpool" website recently, I'm beginning to warm to the idea. Before I decide to stand, however, I need to think about getting there and back again and, if elected, would you think I'd be able to claim for my second-home igloo up here on the shores of Baffin Bay?
David,
Given that ELdridge is either going to be an MP or leave the city on the first train out May 7th Im sure he dosent give a flying fig what his group think of him.
This is after all the group that as little as 5 years ago was completley dominant in the city and is now little more than a sad rump propped up by a defected cllr.
Im still yet to hear a single explanation or reason from a senior Lib dem as to how they have so abymally lost their stranglehold in "flagship" Liverpool.
so come on Lib dems. Why ae you so rubbish these days? 19 cllrs labour had in 98, think it is now 39. reasons please???
Victor - I guess the reasons for the Lib Dem decline are much the same as for any government. The Labour government had a whopping 179 seat majority in 1997, now it's down to 63 and all the polls forecast the party is doomed for at least a generation come the next election. Ruling groups run out of steam, people fancy a change and the pendulum swings the other way. And your analysis of the political composition of the city in 1998 is wrong. After the election Labour had 39 seats and the Lib Dems 52. In 1999 the Lib Dems increased their majority to 60 and Labour had 28. As with the Labour government, this huge majority was never going to be sustainable in the long term. Over the years all three main political groups have been in control at one time or another.
Watcher
Thanks for your correction re amount of seats although im was sure labour was below 28 at one point. Can anyone clarify ?
Its easy to identify reason why labour has struggled nationally though (effects of illegal war for one) less so with the libs locally
2008 was seen as a overall success.
I can only conclude its general incompetence and tiresome glib policies.
that our to blame.
I think the lib dems are in terrible trouble if GE and locals are on same day. How can they expect to win in places like County/Anfield on a GE day. It would seem almost electorally impossible
Could it have something to do with the sheer corruption of Liverpool City Council? Could it have something to do with having a part time leader, who doesn't actually lead (either the city, or even his own Party)? Could it have something to do with a gaping and growing deficit?
Or could it have something to do with the fact that the Liberal Democrats have WASTED a 12 year bonanaza of Government cash, and have focussed on building nice big hotels, whilst failing to recognise the chronic deprivation that persists right around the city centre - from Kirkdale to Anfield to Picton to Princes Park to Toxteth to Dingle.
Drive 5 minutes out of the city centre, in any direction, and you will hit some of the UK's most poverty stricken communities.
Is it any wonder, after the BILLIONS of pounds of Government cash that the Lib Dems have wasted, that the people of Liverpool are getting just a little worn of them???
Scamp
if you drive 5 mins in any direction from city centre its impossible to not be in a Labour held ward isnt it? (princes park, central, Kensington, riverside)
And you tell me that all these wards have been neglected??
someone please produce a feather to knock me down with!
Wavertree Scamp, can you tell me which hotels in Liverpool have been built using government/council cash during the Lib Dem era? The only one I know of is the Jurys Inn at Kings Dock but that site is an asset which is already breaking even and will soon be generating cash. And looking back to when Labour was in charge of the city, wasn't the Marriott at Queens Square built using City Challenge cash? Look around any big city - many of them Labour controlled - and you will still see much poverty and deprivation. Presumably they have squandered billions from the government too? Lots of money has and is being spent in Liverpool...new schools, children's centres and community buildings right across the city. Significant problems remain following decades of underinvestment and with social housing, that was never going to be fixed until stock transfer due to the government's own rules. With private sector stock, Edge Lane and the Welsh Streets have been delayed due to active opposition from a small number of residents not helped by the fact that they form part of HMRI which was a Labour government concept and has been hugely controversial since it began.
Victor, you've hit the nail on the head mate! If you don't live in a Lib Dem ward, the Lib Dem council isn't interested in helping you! Thanks for helping me solve that one, couldn't have done it without you. Now where's my copy of 'A Tale of Two Cities'...
James, you have also helped me and you make a good point: no hotels have been built using Govt / council cash. Soooooo, I guess, in that case, since Liverpool One was also not built using council cash, or the Arena, or any of the tower blocks, that the Liberal Democrats aren't going to claim the credit for 'transforming the city'? Largely unlikely. Also, at the end of last year, John Healey announced 44 councils (was it?) were getting money to build social housing. Liverpool FAILED to apply for any of this money, apparently for accounting reasons. Hardly the actions of a big thinking, responsible local authority huh.