Orihuela Costa Residents Indifferent Towards Corruption in Government!

Today at 11:00 hrs. the Mayor of Orihuela, Monica Lorente was in Orihuela Costa to officially open the new sports centre on the coast.

Also today the non-political 'Association for Transparency' held a demonstration in front of the Town Hall in Orihuela at 12:00 hrs. against corruption in the governing Partido Popular party in light of the serious corruption case affecting the Orihuela Town Council and the governing team. The investigation of the 'Operation Brugal' corruption case has resulted in the arrest of three of the PP Councillors in Orihuela and a proposal by the anti-corruption prosecutor to include the Mayor, Monica Lorente within the investigation and possibly the accused. The Spanish press are reporting that 300 or more concerned Orihuela residents attended the demonstration in Orihuela.

The organisers of the main demonstration decided to take the opportunity of the Mayor's visit to the coast to stage an additional earlier show of strength of the residents of Orihuela Costa at the inauguration of the sports centre. The Round Town News reported on the planned demonstration in its current edition of the 26th November based on a press release by the coastal CLARO political party which supported the demonstration.

Although not members of any political party, Mrs S and I had no hesitation in attending the demonstration anticipating, hoping, like the organisers that a large number of residents would show their support against corruption. How wrong we and they were.

As can be seen from the photograph there were only approximately 40 people supporting the demonstration, situated opposite the sports centre being opened by the Mayor at the same time. With the size of  population in the Orihuela Costa area of the municipality being similar to that of the town this is a very poor response compared with that in Orihuela where 8 times as many citizens were prepared to stand up and be counted.

The conclusion from this very low level of support would indicate that Orihuela Costa residents are indifferent towards 'Corruption in Government'! What a sorry state of affairs!

Lord Mayor of Leicester decides to segregate religion from local politics.

Yesterday we read that the Mayor of Enfield had decided to stop the reading of prayers before the council meetings but instead to have a reading of poetry.

Today the Mail Online carries an article entitled 'What's God got to do with it?' Atheist Mayor bans traditional Christian prayers before council meetings about the Lord Mayor of Leicester, Councillor Colin Hall, after he banned Christian prayers from council meetings.

The Mayor is quoted as saying 'I consider that religion, in whatever shape or form, has no role to play at all in the conduct of council business. This particularly applies in Leicester, where the majority of council members, myself included, do not attend any particular faith service.'

He added  "I am delighted to confirm that I will be exercising my discretion as Lord Mayor to abolish the outdated, unnecessary and intrusive practice".

Leicester is regarded as Britain's most multi-faith city outside of London. Secularist groups in the city have welcomed the move.

I congratulate the Mayor on his decision to segregate religion from local politics.


Mail Online
Telegraph

BHA gives support for Mayor who has dropped council prayers

The British Humanist Association (BHA, the national charity representing and supporting the non-religious, campaigning for an end to religious privilege and to discrimination based on religion or belief, has quite rightly written to the Mayor of Enfield to express their support for her plan to replace compulsory prayer sessions before council meetings with poetry readings.

The move, criticised as “anti-religious” by one local councillor, has been made to “support and encourage the arts.”

The Mayor has made a move in the right direction. However forget the poetry. It's not an Arts Council it's a Town Council. They should get straight on with the task they were elected for.

BHA notice: Support for Mayor who has dropped council prayers

More Unelected Lords!!!

I believe these appointments are an obscene act against democracy!

Peerages, honours and appointments | Number10.gov.uk

David Lidington MP - My first two weeks as Minister for Europe

David Lidington MP was appointed Minister of State at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office on 14 May 2010 as part of the new coalition government. He was elected to Parliament in 1992 and is the Member of Parliament for Aylesbury. When in opposition he was Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, from July 2007.

He has now started his weblog  on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website, with his first article My first two weeks as Minister for Europe .

On the 26th May the Spanish Europe Minister, Diego Lopez Garrido, was in London and had an introductory breakfast meeting with David Lidington. They discussed a wide range of issues from the work of the EU over the next ten years to plans for an extra UK Member of the European Parliament. There is an interesting video posted within DL's article on his blog.

The Coalition: Our Programme for Government

The Coalition Government has published its key policy plans, covering areas like political reform, public health, schools and education, Home Information Packs, tackling the deficit and reform of the banking system.

The new programme is the result of discussions between the two parties that form the government – the Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats.

Read the document in full by following the link below:

The Coalition: our programme for government