Meeting an Icon

On Monday evening I attended a fundraising event at Michael Portillo’s house. Guest of honour was Baroness Thatcher. It’s interesting that so many of the ideas and values promoted by her have been adopted by numerous countries throughout  the world. Even in France the political elite comprehends the need to create a business friendly environment for states to prosper in the 21st century. How ironic that in Britain we seem to be so out of step with the global, common sense view. A Britain shackled by old Labour thinking, which seeks to impose higher capital gains taxes and direct business taxes on small enterprises.  A Government run by people who have no experience of business, or real life and who are making policy to manage headlines rather than the economy.

I was given the opportunity to thank Baroness Thatcher, and presented her with a bouquet of flowers.

Fortunately a guy called Mike was on hand to help me with the photographs …..

Paul

Supporting Wolverhampton

Over the weekend I gave a cheque for £ 10,000.00  to a local football team after completing the Wolverhampton half Marathon at the end of August. I had agreed with fellow trustees at the Guru Teg Bahadur Sikh Temple on Upper Villiers street that if I successfully completed the half marathon they would meet all the sponsorship requirements of Wolverhampton’s Punjab United. As some of you may already know I have been involved with the voluntary sector in Wolverhampton for over 14 years and but I especially wanted to put something back into football. As I’ve mentioned in previous blogs, as a young boy I was quite shy and it was through cricket and football at school that I was able to build up my confidence, which in turn helped me do well in other subjects. I also passionately believe that football can unite all communities and that children from any background can come together, under the banner of sport, taking risks and stretching themselves in a competitive environment.

Sadly, that competitive spirit seems to have been taken out of the school curriculum and drained from many of our children over the past ten labour years.

Paul 

Remembrance Sunday

Yesterday I attended the City’s Observance of Remembrance in St. Peter’s Square which was followed with a service in St. Peter’s Church. During those two minutes my thoughts were drawn to my Great Grandfather who fought in the great War in Basra in Iraq. Today, nearly a century after he fought in Iraq many of our brave young service personnel are still involved in a conflict in that troubled part of the world. Over the weekend I spoke to my children about the difficult task that the armed forces preform for us because they wanted to understand why I had asked them to wear their poppies to school last week. 

It is always our duty to remember those who have fallen, and those who are still serving on the front line.

Paul

Thank you

A very big thank you to the thousands of you who have been kind enough to respond to the survey I recently sent out. The feedback you’ve provided will be invaluable in creating a campaign which will address the issues that concern you rather than going down the traditional political approach of politicians preaching from up high on the matters that they think should concern you, or actually concern them. I’ll be in touch soon and again thank you all very much.

Paul

Unfair Bin Tax

As covered in the Express and Star last week the controlling labour group at Wolverhampton City Council wish to charge all charities and places of worship the full costs of waste collection, a move which will effect over 100 organisations, including Compton Hospice which needs to raise 4 million pounds a year to cover operating costs. I’m pictured with Andrew Wynne (a Conservative Councillor in Wightwick) and we both agree that the charges are disproportionate and ill thought out. I want to thank all the organisations who have been in touch with me and have expressed the view that for very little saving, particularly after administrative costs, these moves will cause unnecessary hardship.

Paul