Friday, February 22, 2008

The Last Post For Carshalton Road

The latest round of Post Offices in London to be closed was revealed on Tuesday. 169 branches were identified with 2,500 closures in total earmarked across the country.

Sutton has its share with Carshalton Road, opposite the BP Garage joining Gander Green Lane, Bishopsford Road, Mitcham Junction and Wythe Lane for the chop. The shopkeepers seem to have mixed views but I fear for the less mobile who will find the mile or so travel to the nearest alternative difficult.

Conservative Parliamentary candidate Ken Andrew has collected 2,000 signatures around Carshalton and Wallington and Philippa Stroud has been proactive in raising support in Sutton for the campaign to stop these further closures. Philippa's petition is also online, so please show your support here. There are a few weeks of consultation. Any chance of success in reversing this decision depends on your support. Please take a minute to register your protest.

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

Now Paul, you like us all to think that you are a consumate politician, indeed one in the know. You wouldn't be leader of the Tory group if you were not.

However, it would be nice if not just you, but other politicians actually told the truth about this subject. Why have you not the bottle (and this goes for the Lib-Dems and Labour too) to tell the people the honest reason why these post offices are closing? Namely an EU directive. PO's need £450m per year in subsidy, but the good old EU are only allowing the government to subsidise by £100m per year, therefore post offices must close.

It's no good Philippa Stroud, Ken Andrew or Jesus Christ doing a petition. This is just showboating, trying to be popular with the public. We in UKIP on the other believe in letting the public know the REAL reason for it. It's just a shame that you and all the others can't quite bring yourself to explaining the truth to the electorate at large.

Anonymous said...

we don't want our post offices to shut, end of story. i will vote for anyone who fights hard to stop them being closed down. enough is enough.

Anonymous said...

Cllr Pickles are you really suggesting that we in some way we should not try to stop these post office closures on the premise that it would be futile?
If you were to use that analogy in life then a lot of events would not take place.
What about members of our armed forces in 2 world wars and conflicts since when the odds have been stacked against them?
Did they pack up their rifles and surrender meekly?
No they did not and in fact the tenacity in the face of near certain death became a rallying call for those that followed after.
I am surprised at UKIPs line on this and so i think would be the electorate.

Varky

Anonymous said...

Aardvark - by your comments show your ignorance. If any party is showing that they should lay down their arms and surrender it is the Tories/Labour/Lib-Dems.

You obviously don't or won't understand the true facts regarding post office closures. I have outlined the real reason above why post offices (and I suspect your local one) are closing, but still you cling to your fallacies.

Post Offices are closing because of EU directive 97/67/EC.

If you wish to pursue this further either google "post office closures, eu to blame", or ask Cllr Scully to fill you in with the details. He seems to know it all, so does Phillipa Stroud, otherwise she wouldn't be running a petition to curry favour with the electorate. Then again she would do that anyway, as would Paul Burstow, because those not in the know would fall for it, as you are doing.

Unknown said...

David

This is your second opportunity to explain why you believe that heavy public subsidies are necessary in this day and age. I assume that you are mellowing with age since the Thatcher/ Olga Maitland mould broke.

Now come on be fair. I'm sure even you will admit that someone looking for an unbiased treatise on the underlying reasons for Post Office closures wouldn't research it by looking up "post office closures, eu to blame" any more than someone studying the second world war would enter "Hitler, was he all bad?"

Anonymous said...

Paul - that's the header at the top of the page when you print it off. I believe, as do UKIP, that there are certain services which are public services (like the post offices) that have to be maintained despite the cost. Obviously I don't believe in pouring money down the drain, but essential services are the bedrock of a civilised society.

Queen Of Cheam said...

cllr David Pickles i had no idea that this was the reason for the closures. isn't it rather cynical of Paul Scully to on the one hand protest against closures and then on the other hand protest that subsidies are a bad thing? tell that to the immobile senior citizens who rely on the post office to be their one stop shop for pension payments banking and letter sending. clearly Paul and the Conservatives are more than happy with the EU interfering in matters which should only be for decided by the UK Government and the British electorate. i would have hoped the conservatives might have told the truth about who was responsible for these closures sooner. from the rest of what i have read about cllr scully on this blog he does appear to be a master of the dark arts and these closures and his refusal to condemn the EU nor campaign against such closures on basis of fact is just another reason why i will not be voting for the conservative candidate at the forthcoming by election. its a shame as i have voted with the tories for 30 years but i really dont see them as a credible alternative to the liberals anymore. best of luck to the UKIP candidate, i am fed up with the cynical nature of the conservatives

Anonymous said...

My Goodness have all UKIP voters got the IQ of Queen of Cheam and Cllr Pickles.
Just proves there is a brain drain taking place right now in our midst.
Pathetic is the only word that describes it.Forget all the semantic nonsense.
Plot lost the.
Rearrange the above words if you are able?

Ard as nails

Scullduggery Watch said...

I was absolutely furious to hear that EU directive 97/67/EC is the real reason for these Post Office closures. These establishments are key to the day-to-day functioning and cohesion of local businesses and small communities so it is outrageous that meddling from Brussels will have a detrimental impact on people's lives yet again.

You might be right about the "brain drain", Earth Pig. After all Queen of Cheam did say she voted Tory for 30 years! Perhaps she has found the plug at long last...

The difference however is that Queen of Cheam did raise some very intelligent points, unlike the Aardvark which simply fills its posts with insults.

Perhaps the real reason Aardvark is so very angry is because the local electorate are at last coming around to the fact that the Tories are being economical with the truth over this and several other issues.

I for one did not know of EU directive 97/67/EC until reading Councillor Pickles' post 5 days ago.

When are we finally going to see some Conservative backbone over the growing menace that is the EU?

Anonymous said...

i fink david pickles is reely good n stuff and i dont like da eu and fings, he tells us lots of stuff thats reely useful and i fink ukip is good n stuff

thanx david pickles

Scullduggery Watch said...

Erm, I think that a Carshalton Tory Chav with the christian name of Aaron might be posting under "anonymous"!

Anonymous said...

Well Done Frank Day for tonight
I think thats about 100 votes more than Cllr Pickles will get.
Bad night for the Tories but as they say in Aussie Sport there are no prizes for coming second.
Come on Dave if the Tories result is so bad why not put yourself up to the electorate.

Anonymous said...

I have now seen the magnificent Councillor Pickles in the flesh. He has a splendid broad forehead showing great intellectual ability but is this because of his receeding hair line.

He also has a magnificent chest but it has slipped around his waist

Scullduggery Watch said...

I understand that the Conservative Party hemorrhaged their 700 vote majority on Thursday night...

Is it possible that the Tories lost votes due to what might be referred to as the "Scully Effect"?

(ie. Did the Cheam voters get the hump with Scully's back-stabbing of Eleanor Pinfold and duly vote for UKIP and the Lib Dems instead?)

Discuss.

Anonymous said...

Ah
Good to see you back Numbskullduggery,you have been missed.
Nothing to do with Paul Scully.Remember it was the SBE who kicked her out not Paul Scully.
Eleanor Pinfold chose not to defend herself at the hearing despite many people urging her to do so.
If she had then the circumstances that bought last Thursday about may have been avoided.
Never mind it is all water under the bridge.
700 Maj or 7 does not water one jot.
Coming second in politics does not buy you a raffle ticket at the political table.

Ard

Scullduggery Watch said...

Such an impassioned defence of your master there, Earth Pig. It almost brought a tear to the eye! Pity you didn't speak up and defend Eleanor like that a few months back. Then again I don't suppose Scully would have given you permission for that would he?

Eventually the duplicitous Tories will knife you in the back too! Meanwhile keep posting obediently and if you are lucky Scully might throw you another biscuit...

Given the intensity of your defence I find it hard to believe that Scully has no idea as to your true identity (Gasp!) Scully being economical with the truth??? What, again???

Aardvark: Why not fight against Pickles in 2010 and try join that political table? Or is the Aardvark always too gutless by nature to put it's money where it's mouth is?

Oh and by the way; UKIP came third, not second, but that hasn't stopped the Tories crying to the UKIP activists that their majorities have been lost. Did the Tories expect sympathy?!

Now moving on to your other waffle...

The SBE booted Eleanor out and Scully & Co. sat on their hands and waved her off. The defence would have cost her upwards of £20k so that was not exactly economically viable- it was hardly as though the duplicitous Tories held a fundraiser or two for her.

Prior to that Scully & Shields held a 'dinner of the conspirators'. Talks were held on 'zee Eleanor qvestion' and all the cohorts discussed what lucrative jobs they would award each other once the knife had been duly placed between Eleanor's shoulder blades.

Once the SBO tribunal was announced here was no statement from Scully & Co. offering kind words of support, no funds made available, NOTHING. Instead Scully set events in motion in a bid to attempt to have Eleanor Pinfold thrown out of the local Conservative Association she served so diligently!

DISGUSTING.

I know people who sat stuffing Tory-fundraising envelopes with Eleanor and she certainly was not above mucking in with everyone else. She put countless man-hours into her council work and to furthering the Tory cause and her legal expertise was often fundamental in staring down the bureaucratic Lib Dems councillors on more than one occasion.

...and this is the Tory reward!

Perhaps you could ask your master to make an entry on this political blog of his describing his version of events, telling us why he did what he did and as to whether or not he finds her axing regrettable?

"If she had then the circumstances that bought last Thursday about may have been avoided"
So the Tories are now blaming Eleanor Pinfold as well as UKIP for their poor showing at the polls?

Aww diddums! It couldn't possibly have been a voter backlash against the way Eleanor was treated... (could it?)

Anonymous said...

Yet again Numbskull your version of events is just a tad jaundiced.
It would not have cost Eleanor £20k to defend herself at the Aerodrome Hotel.
I also gather that members of the Tories asked her for the evidence she had on corruption within the council.
She was evidently told if she presented this evidence she would be backed up wholeheartedly.
Yet nothing was forthcoming.
Please Numbscull as you obviously still speak to her ask her why?
Yet again on your point about Belmont get Cllr Pickles to call a by-election now.
I will stand.
He wont though because he has not got the guts.
Come on prove me wrong.
You seem to think that by ignoring facts and focusing on the tales of Hans Christian Anderson that everything will be alright.

Accept my challenge and let battle commence.

Ard

Scullduggery Watch said...

Oh dear. Poor Aardfart has produced even more guff in the form of an avalanche of 'Tory Jackanory'...

Eleanor? Backed up whole-heartedly?

You mean in the same way she was stabbed in the back wholeheartedly?

Why are you speaking for your Conservative party master? (Again)

Scully wanted Eleanor out of the way. He ripped the rug from under her then ensured she received no support from the Conservatives at her time of need. Most recently he even attempted to have her thrown out of the Benhill Association.

If I am wrong then let your master make such a statement and produce the evidence to the contrary.

It only seems like it is you and your Tory cohorts who are discontent at Pickles still being a thorn in the Conservative's arse.

You are the one demanding an election. You have been offered one. So why are you bottling your initial statement that you can beat Pickles anytime, any place, and anywhere?

Is it because you feel you will lose in 2010? Or because you are scared of the Tory safe-seats he might scupper in the meantime?

Rest assured Scully scuppers the Tory safe seats every time he wields the knife...

Oh and by the way I have not spoken to Eleanor since Summer of 2007. Whereas the duplicitous Councillor Scully uses his Blackberry to control your movements on a daily basis. Correct, yes?

Unknown said...

Now I am accused of leading a charge to get Eleanor Pinfold thrown out of the party. This is a decision that only the Association Executive can make. I don't even have a vote on that, although I do attend as an observer.

You seem confident about 2010, despite falling 1200 votes short of your predicting of winning Cheam. Seriously please get your blood pressure checked. You write in the same way as Harry Enfield's character Frank Doberman used to speak: Oi Scully No! There really is more to life than a relentless attack on me. Unless you are my mother posting anoymously in order to put me off politics and spend more time with my family.

I'll tell you what. If you want to go on making personal attacks, how about you have the courage to post under your own name (unless your first name really is Scullduggery in which case you better rip up your Mother's Day card for coming up with that one.)

Anonymous said...

Numbscull
I am demanding an election because D Pickles Esq is at present a Cllr with no mandate.
Who paid his election expenses last time he fought the seat?
How many Cllrs stood in for him at meetings when he regularly failed to appear.
And most importantly what was the party he stood for at the elections in 2006?
I am afraid however you try and spin it Mr Pickles is banged to rights.
You did not answer me about the Aerodrome hotel hearing and yet you say you have not been in touch with Eleanor. so how come you know it was going to cost £20k.
Good job you are not in the witness box or you might end up like that other seeker of "Truth and Justice"
Right is not on your side at present but it would be if you resigned your seat and called a by-election.
That action would demand and earn respect.

Ard

Scullduggery Watch said...

Wow!

Paul Scullduggery has responded in person and not under another guise.

However, who predicted winning Cheam? For which candidate and for which political party?

The only person who insisted there would be a rout was the Tory chap who hemorrhaged 600+ votes just before his squeaky bum ascent into office. He was the one who had originally declared he would "walk it".

I will not estimate that UKIP would easily win Belmont anymore than I suppose Councillor Pickles would ever predict such a landslide. However UKIP certainly are capable of winning. It is your arrogant Conservative party which has declared that UKIP can serve no useful purpose other than to be "king makers" (your exact words).

The sense of entitlement amongst the Conservative Party is as comical as it is ridiculous. Why are you Tories whinging about UKIP stealing your majorities?

Alas, Scully has still been unable to grasp the concept that this poster is neither a member nor a spokesman for any political party.

Oh and if he wishes to start with the revelations then why does he not tell us his version of the "night of the long knives" and the "pickles/cameron" contradiction? Let us all hear Scully's detailed analysis from start to finish.

Scully claims he did not lead the charge to have Eleanor thrown out and yet he was the mastermind behind her being overthrown as leader. Scully also deliberately avoided supporting her at her time of need. Is Scully honestly asking the electorate to believe that a loyal and valuable member was then earmarked for disposal without any kind of executive decision from he the Conservative council leader???

Scully is like Basil in that episode of Fawlty Towers whereby John Cleese's character declares "It's the law of England, it is nothing to do with me!" Blame shifting and buck passing are the order of the day it would seem.

The hypocrisy is overwhelming. Paul Scully and Richard Willis (the pro-apartheid supporting ex-Sutton Tory PPC) were quite vocal by denouncing Paul Burstow for not supporting Charles Kennedy when the Lib Dems conspired against him in 2005, yet Paul Scully thinks nothing of placing a knife between the shoulder blades of his former shadow council leader whilst she is in ill health. Hypocrisy holds no bounds!

You do indeed sit on the executive Paul but you are far too economical with the truth as regards the power that you wield amongst your Conservative minions. You are a master of the game of divide and rule and despite your statements to the Sutton Guardian you know full well you want to see the back of a capable threat to your throne and have attempted to take steps to ensure that the executive made the decision which was of most benefit to you.

Most will have heard of the old adage about a 'woman scorned'. Well, you have wanted to see the back of Eleanor Pinfold since you usurped her. You have actively conspired against Eleanor since you fancied her job title and the increase in salary you negotiated with your friends in the Lib Dems.

When Scully is done with those requested revelations then perhaps he would be so kind as to inform us as to who Aardfart really is. Then Scully could put Aardfart forward as a candidate for the 2010 local elections as a Conservative ward spokesman for Belmont because Aardfart has declared what an easy victory it would be to defeat "the mad and egotistical King Pickles".

Rather than engage the request for answers, Scully goes on the attack.

It is ok, Paul. Nobody noticed you ducking yet more questions.

Perhaps that is the reason why my true identity troubles Scully. It is possible that he realises that I might just know where any number of other 'bodies are buried'.

You can go back to posting as Aardfart again now, Paul. Unless Aardfart really is one of your minions of course. Whoever it is he certainly does not post a thing without you pulling the strings.

At least as Aardfart/through Aardfart you might find the courage to say what you really think about your former loyal colleagues...

Scullduggery Watch said...

One more thing...

The Tory party has more leaks than a culinder, though Aardfart is too stupid to realise this. However I am glad it admits the true defence expense was predicted at £20k. He seems a little intoxicated though as he has just demanded I resign my seat and call a by-election. I have neither a seat to fight nor any membership of a political party. Aardfart seems a little confused over electoral law as well for Pickles is under no obligation to resign, just as the Tories were under no obligation to pay for the massive amount of man-hours Pickles no doubt put into the party in the years leading up to his resignation of 2007. The mouthy Aardfart stated categorically that Pickles would be easy to defeat- but will Scully dare to announce the Aardfart as a Belmont candidate? Or is the Aardfart a coward and not committed enough to take on the task?

I am bored now. There is only so much Scully lies and question ducking I can take and the hypocrisy of the Tories is just as tedious.

Good night all.

Unknown said...

Scullduggery

In the two years that I have been writing this blog, I have only ever posted under my own name. This is in contrast to you who continues to cyber-stalk me and the Conservative group in a quite frankly unhealthy way.

Who do you think Aardvark is? If you think it is me as you assume in your last post why would I fight the next election in Belmont when I live in the ward that I represent?

BTW. I am not sure where you get the idea that it would cost £20k to defend yourself at an Adjudication hearing. Eleanor chose not to attend herself which would have cost a gallon of petrol. A barrister alongside her may have cost say £3000.

Good night to you. Here's hoping you get out of bed the right side in the morning.

Scullduggery Watch said...

Cyber-stalking indeed! Paul, have you always been such a drama queen? Why set up a political blog if you don't like what people post on it?

Or is this a monologue for the thoughts of Scully only?

You clearly know who Aardfart is so why not announce him as your Belmont candidate as he is so very confident of victory? Unless he really is you under a different identity which would of course mean you could not hold office in Carshalton AND stand in Belmont as well! Then again, you did mention something about how talented you Tory multi-taskers are...

Once again Paul will not go into detail about the "night of the long knives" nor the "Pickles/Cameron" contradiction as requested by me to do so on countless occasions.

It is almost like Paxo asking Michael Howard about the prison service on Newsnight back in 1997!

"Consult, Consider, Ignore". Right, Paul?

My postings are "unhealthy" in Scully's blinkered eyes simply because I ask questions that he does not want to supply the answers to. You only need to re-read my posts and then scroll down to his vacuous non-committal replies to see conclusive evidence of this.

I won't be too concerned about reading this blog in the morning. It is not as though Scully will have been injected with truth serum and feel the sudden urge to provide us with a Tory version of Glasnost!

Enjoy the rest of the weekend all!

Anonymous said...

I repeat.
I am not ducking anyone.
Numbscull you really are getting worked up arent you.
Get the ever popular Pickles to stand now.
But he is such a coward.
Oh dear big words from you but little actions.

Bored of you now.
Offered you a truce but you cant even accept that.

Sweet dreams.

Ill be watching.

Aard

Unknown said...

Skullduggery Watch

I thought you said you were going to bed.

Anonymous said...

Please folks - let's stop the ranting. aardvark has had his little fun, and must wait until 2010. It would be nice though if he revealed who he really is. The tories better look sharp if they want to make an impression in Belmont - it is but 2 years away, and aardvark has to get himself known (that's if he isn't already well known as I suspect).

Happy days.

Here's a quick maths lesson for you aardvark.

What is 725 minus 638?

Answer 87!

Anonymous said...

Enjoy your allowance while it lasts.
Oh i forgot you are UKIP so you obviously dont take it..Do you?

Chicken Dave you will now be forever known as.

Ard