Blair's contradictions on crime.

After 9 years and 40 pieces of criminal justice legislation and umpteen promises that crime is being cut, Tony Blair last week admitted that the criminal justice system is actually failing the public.

So what does he do this week? He continues his commitment to scrap our local constabularies in favour of regional forces, with the potential loss of 25,000 policemen, replacing them with less qualified Community Safety Officers. Does he really think that this regionalisation will improve the public's faith in the criminal justice system and restore their confidence in the ability of the police to make their streets safer?

I know a week is said to be a long time in politics, but surely even the Prime Minister can see that he is now contradicting himself within a matter of days.

Chester Conservatives have always opposed the merger of Cheshire and Merseyside police forces as we know it will weaken and not strengthen local policing. Complete the Online Poll and let me know your views.

Cocaine but no Cornets!!!

That's the effect of the latest political correct nonsense.

In recent months we have seen in our own local papers that drugs are readily sold at school gates, with little apparent intervention from the authorities. We now read that Labour councils in some parts of the country are considering banning the sale of ice creams outside school gates because they are bad for children's health!!!

I'd rather my children had the opportunity to buy a lolly rather than a joint: but hey, I'm obviously old-fashioned and simply out-of-touch about what is harmful for my children.

Rights vs Responsibilities

For those of you that know me, you will be aware that I have a real issue with this government's obsessions with rights. In my 2005 General Election literature, I clearly stated that, in my view, commit a crime you start to forfeit your rights. I stand by that view today.

The news is once again dominated by criminal's rights taking presedence ove the law-abiding public's rigths. Armed hijackers, rapists and serious offenders have all be treated leniently, thus endangering the public, because of their rights.

WHAT ABOUT THEM HAVING TO ACCEPT RESPONIBILITY FOR THEIR ACTIONS AND ACCEPT THE CONSEQUENCE OF THEIR WRONGS.

The European Human Rights Convention has created an unacceptable shift of balance in favour of the criminal and it must be reversed.

I also read that a group of prisoners are taking the government to court because it is against their rights to be banned from taking drugs in prison. How long will it be before we are told that prison is against criminals' right and so will be outlawed?

The government must, first and foremost, protect the public. This has to take presedence over the rights of individual criminals, so it is time to have a review of the European Human Rights Act. At worst, make serious amandments to it - at best - scrap it. British Law did a good enough job at protecting us before this European Act was forced upon us.

Best Local Election Result for Decades

FIVE new Conservative Councillors in Chester was the result of last night's local election. We won three seats from Labour:

• Arthur Harada took the Labour stronghold of Lache Park.
• Razia Daniels took Handbridge & St Mary's.
• Jeremy Langdon took Elton.

and we took two seat off the Lib Dems:

• Marigold Roy had a massive swing to take Newton St Michael's.
• Jill Houlbrook took the Lib Dem stronghold of Upton Grange.

The City Council make up is now 26 Conservatives, 19 Lib Dem and 14 Labour and 1 Ind.
A massive well done to all our candidates and the whole team. This is the best result for decades and a result of hard work and campaigning positively on the issues that matter to residents.

Although we polled 49% of the vote and got more votes than Labour and Lib Dems combined, it is believed that Labour and Lib Dems still intend to continue with their Alliance. This just goes to show their utter contempt for democracy and total disregard for the opinions of the electorate. Only 22% of people in Chester voted Lib Dem, yet the power crazed Libs are insistent on running the Council.