News 1 July 2016

Our man at Westminster

BREAKING NEWS: North Somerset MP Liam Fox failed in the first ballot of fellow MPs to secure enough nominations to continue in the leadership contest and is now putting his political weight behind Theresa May for leader.
He released this statement on Tuesday night, July 5: "I am very grateful to those colleagues who supported me in the ballot today. Naturally, I am disappointed not to progress further but I do not regret standing in this contest. I felt it was vital to stress the importance of national security in this debate and the need for a clear path to our exit from the European Union. I hope I have achieved both these objectives. I have also sought to stress the need for experience as the successful candidate will have to take up the reins of government in less than 9 weeks. I will make a statement about my intentions in due course."

The first Conservative leadership contest for a decade gets underway this week and North Somerset MP Liam Fox is one of a handful of contenders.

MPs have to whittle down the current list of five candidates to just two candidates, who will then face the final vote of 150,000 party members.

Theresa May is already way ahead with 103 MPs backing her, five times more than her nearest rivals, according to an authoritative list maintained by the conservativehome website.

Michael Gove (23 supporters) Stephen Crabb (21 supporters) and Andrea Leadsom (22 supporters) are in a three way tie for second place.

But currently Dr Fox is in a distant fifth with just eight supporters - MPs Robert Goodwill, James Gray, Gerald Howarth, Scott Mann, Paul Maynard, David Nuttall, Iain Stewart and Robert Syms.

The first vote by the party’s 331 MPs is at 6pm on Tuesday, July 5.

The Telegraph newspaper is predicting Dr Fox will be knocked out in the first round.

Dr Fox in his bid to be Prime Minister has been busy speaking out the budget deficit and putting himself forward as the man who can stand up to President Putin and ISIS

The tough-talking former Defence Secretary has taken aim at his colleagues Michael Gove and Boris Johnson following the dramatic events last week which saw the former London mayor crash out of the leadership race.

In an interview with the Sunday Express, he said: “I think we need to understand that it is not a game that we are playing and that whoever becomes Prime Minister they will have to deal with Mr Putin, with Islamic state and all the threats we face.

“Being Prime Minister is a very serious job in a very dangerous world.”

Dr Fox, who came a close third in the 2005 leadership race behind David Davis and the victor David Cameron, was a prominent supporter of the Leave campaign during the referendum.

Now he will put Brexit at the heart of his bid to become party leader, promising there will be 'no compromise' on leaving the European Union.

“There will be no compromise,” he said. “The British people gave us a clear instruction – we now must carry it out.

To read more go to the Political Peeps page by clicking HERE.

Alternatively click HERE to read Dr Fox's speech setting out his future vision.

WHAT'S INSIDE

click image to go to page for more information and tickets details

Carnival parade sunshine smiles

Nailsea became a wonderland at the weekend with a space odyssey mixed with marvellous minions of fun for its annual carnival parade.

There was dancing in streets on the sunny Saturday afternoon, July 2, as the fabulous annual procession made its way to Millennium Park.

And it was noisy with shrill whistles, blaring horns and blasts of the fire engine siren in front.

To the delight of the crowds a mishmash of magnificent machines and fancy dress walkers sashayed in snake formation from the Clevedon Road car park to the High Street.

And how fitting in the year British astronaut Tim Peake beamed us up with his broadcasts from the International Space Station that the Star Wars entry by 1st Nailsea Beavers and Cubs took first place.

Luke Skywalker, BB-8, Chewbacca, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Darth Vader, Han Solo and Princess Leia Organa led a galaxy of Stormtroopers clad in homemade white cardboard costumes which had taken months to make.

Also making an appearance were storybook characters straight from the pages of Roald Dahl and the Mr Men and Little Misses publications all alongside children from Peppermint Bay sporting giant sweeties on a stick as the crew of the Goodship Lollipop.

Advertising Nailsea Community Christmas Fair on a Tesco-sponsored float a Christmas tree festooned scene depicting Santa on his summer holidays competed with a Farm to Fork foodies float also manned by the High Street supermarket staff for attention.

Nailsea Bikers did us proud by honouring local hero Adge Cutler and his many Wurzels.

They delayed drinking up the zider until later that evening so they could manhandle their combine harvester around the town centre.

Last year its Anglo French replica of Lieutenant Gruber's Little Tank and a line-up of comic airmen and Nazi soldiers stole the show.

Nailsea WI cooks joined in the fun with their take on the Great British Bake Off and created some amazing iced culinary concoctions and a big cheese!

The annual carnival is organised by Friends of 1st Nailsea Scouts as its major fundraiser.

Helping to get the show on the road which this year were Nailsea police cadets and fire crew supported by many Nailsea dance troupes, pre and primary schools, voluntary groups, WI and businesses.

Later on the field at Scotch Horn there were the presentations, fun fair, big car boot sale, barbecue and tea tent.

Here among those setting out their stalls were supporters of Nailsea Disability Initiative and a preview of the next bikers show at the Royal Oak this September - details on the What's On page.

2016 marks the 29th anniversary of the event organised by 1st Nailsea Scout Group and is its main fundraiser.

The group had to raise £180,000 needed to repair is dilapidated training and activity centre at Clevedon Road built nearly 50 years ago.

It reopened with a fanfare of excitement and ceremony after extensive repairs last October.

There is a resurgence of support for the carnival procession after past problems of hiring HGVs, and getting insurance but one big factor is unpredictable weather.

This year despite a forecast of showers its was blue skies and sunshine for its big day.

Monies collected from the bucket collection on route are going to the scout building fund to help repay a large Scout Association loan along with the profits from the sales of the door-to-door programmes.

The group currently has nearly 200 boys and girls aged between six and 14 in its beaver, cub and scout sections and offers a variety of programme activities throughout the year including archery, canoeing, sailing and camping.

To view all the photographs from getting ready at Clevedon Road, to the parade and on the field at Millennium Park go to Gallery 2016 by clicking HERE.

To view a behind-the-scenes look at Tesco Nailsea staff getting ready for the big day go to its page in Shop Locally by clicking HERE.