Tory Judy Terry accused of hypocrisy - by another Tory

It seems Rushmere councillor and Tory candidate for this years County Council elections, Judy Terry is not even popular amongst her Ipswich Tory colleagues. I do not normally poach articles or comments from other blogs, but the comment from former Tory Front bench portfolio holder Steven Wells on Ipswich Spy this morning was too brilliant not to re publish. Thank you Spy and Mr Wells for this golden comment:

Steven Wells, on March 25, 2013 at 8:30 am said:

Some good candidates in there. Just such a shame that one of them betrays their own words for just to suit herself and for political expediency.

The one things voters hate Ms Terry is when you say one thing in your manifesto, then argue against it, then when it comes to being elected again start to sing the same tune you did previously. It sums up everything that is wrong with modern politics and you are the perfect example of that!

Try to wriggle out of why your manifesto said effectively in 2006 ‘no to the Northern Fringe’ then you vote for the LDF which condemns it whilst viciously criticising the 6 Whitton and CastleHill Conservative Councillors who refused to cave in, only then to recently be spouting about protecting the Northern Fringe, Agricultural land and that there is no need to build on it.

Summary: If the voters see you for what you have really done – Political doom and Hypocrisy!


I could not have put it better myself!

Labour regain Ipswich

After what seemed weeks of non stop campaigning, election day was upon us and 14 hours of non stop delivering and door knocking paid off as Friday at the count, Ipswich Labour made 5 gains including Tracey Grant joining me as a councillor in Rushmere Ward.

When I was elected as a councilor it was a very proud moment, but Friday was also a special moment as I will now be part of the administration in Ipswich as we try and protect the residents of Ipswich from the coalition cuts.

The result on Friday was a reward for a year of hard work by the Labour Party in Ipswich, we were down last May but there was no in-fighting or bickering, we just increased our campaigning work and got on with the job of supporting the people of Ipswich. This feeling of unity has been evident from day one, and it was great to have Chris Mole our former MP, helping in Rushmere all day and then being at the count. Dan Poulter the North Ipswich Tory MP was at the count, he eventually was joined by Ben Gummer but once he was briefed on the possible outcome Gummer soon disappeared.

So why did we win? As the Tory Cllr Paul West said, it is hard to work our what exactly had a positive or negative impact on each party's vote, but no doubt the unpopularity of the coalition Government did hit the Lib Dems hard, but though the Tory vote held up in most wards, the strange decisions by the Tory run Suffolk County Council and Ms Hill did help get the Labour vote out.

Then there is hard work and a well planned campaign, without giving away too much! we worked hard in 12 of the 16 wards and even in the other four we still delivered leaflets and newspapers, and of course we increased our work on polling day in our 5 target wards.

But just hard work will not win an election, we worked hard last year but could not hold onto the parliamentary seat in the town. But we made even more effort this year to talk to everyone, not just labour voters - we knocked on almost every door and spoke to as many residents as we could. this worked. Compare that to the Tories and the Lib Dems, a resident in Rushmere informed that he a approached a Tory canvass team, and they refused to speak to him as he was not on their 'list'. A Tory supporting blog, said ‘probably because he was a socialist intent on wasting their time’. He actually is a leading member of the local community, one who is well known to the Tory Cllr for the Ward. That sort of attitude is not going to win you votes. The Lib Dems also seemed to only knock on a few doors in their two main wards and made no effort in the rest of the wards less a couple of leaflets in two other wards.

Some may say the Tories were very complacent, putting all their effort into Rushmere, and making little effort in the two other wards they lost, did they think they were safe? A leading Tory Gavin McClure even seems to admit that tactical decisions were wrongly made.

How about the Lib Dems, a national collapse was expected but I am sure in Ipswich they still thought it would be closer in Alexandra ward than it was and they were then in total shock when they lost St Margaret's to the Tories (remember the Tories put little effort into st Margaret's and none into Alexandra). A needless recount being called in St Margaret's by the Lib Dems, showed how desperate they got.

There has been a noticeable lack of campaigning in Ipswich by the Lib Dems over the last few years, and no real noticeable increase in this years campaign - that would have hurt them as much as the low opinion their national party and leader are held in.

I often wondered how they sat in coalition in Ipswich when it was obvious that most Tories had little time for them, the resignation speech of leading Tory Wells should have left them in no doubt. Even this weekend they have come under attack from a Tory blog in Ipswich and a leading Suffolk Tory
They may have been fooled by the way the Ipswich Tories did not campaign in the three Lib Dem wards and they even had Ben Gummer write a Pro Lib Dem Mayor Chambers column in the local paper (not that it worked). some Lib Dems may be happy they lost power, they always seem to be happier in opposition - never their fault then.

So where do we go now? Back on the streets campaigning, we will look at the results, learn, target and go again - I am sure the Tories at least will come back strong at us, but a tip for both opposition groups - talk to residents - it works!

Granted a 'Leave of Absence'

Last Wednesday the Full Ipswich Borough Council granted me a 'leave of absence' for 11 months. this will enable me to keep my place on the council if I am mobilised in January to join 2 Rifles on a planned tour of Afghanistan.


I thought it may have been a quick decision, and as I had to leave the chamber, I did not think I would be out of the room long. But a debate was had and two of the Lib Dems abstained and one even spoke against allowing me to retain my post.


I can understand some people finding it difficult to vote for me to leave if they are against our presence in Afghanistan but I was surprised that they actually spoke against it.


But I am led to believe that our group leader, David Ellsmere spoke very powerfully for me to be allowed to stay on as a councilor and also from the opposite benches, Steven Wells also spoke up for me and so it was nice to have cross party support.


My Labour colleagues will continue to campaign in Rushmere whilst I am away and take on my ward work and the two Conservative councillors for the ward have also offered to take on any outstanding case work.


I am not sure when I am off, or even if I am definitely going but until I do I will continue to work for my constituents, on Saturday I was delivering budget leaflets in the ward and this week I have 3 committee meetings at Grafton House.


Once I have definite news on my mobilisation I will inform my constituents.

Housing shortage in Ipswich -Tory answer, build flats!

Mr Wells the Tory spokesman for housing in Ipswich has been in all the local papers recently, telling us of the current crisis in housing - and that it will only get worse. The Tory solution seems to be build on any brownfield site left in the town, and build flats. Do not think about traffic congestion and never, never build on the fringe of the town ( in the area of the Tory seats).
This week we have seen approval for flats at the old Kwik Fit garage near St Margaret's Green and of approval for over 300 dwellings (including a considerable number of flats) on what is known as the Hayhills development- between Woodbridge Road and Cemetery Road on waste land next to the old driving test centre. This development has led to a number of residents voicing their concerns to the Council. The first knowledge most people had about this new build was when our local Labour team pushed out leaflets in the local vicinity. The Green Party have also protested against the development. the Lib Dems (the development sits in two Lib Dem wards) voted against it but the Tory majority helped get the proposal through. the Lib Dems will obviously tell their constituents they did all they can forgetting that they sit in the Council Executive with the same Tory personnel and help them (mis) run this town.
In Rushmere we are also affected by the Hayhills site, it will increase the traffic and congestion on an already busy Woodbridge Rd and will also lead to the houses in Belvedere Road being overlooked by these flats. What did our two Tory Councilors on the council do? they voted for the development- remember if Mrs Smith or Mrs Terry knock on your door during the election campaign ask them to explain why they did - answer? Unlike me - they live nowhere near the Hayhills site(or even in the ward).