Thursday 30 June 2016

Brexit and Maybe

All the predictions of doom and gloom before the referendum and promises from both sides was often met by me confirming that nobody really knows what's best as it is merely opinion.

No, I don't always hold store with experts as much as some others. I think we should all ask for advice at times from people with knowledge but then use what we know to work it out for ourselves because I'm a great believer in intuition which is a culmination of knowledge, sub-conscious knowledge and gets right to the instinct of any issue.

But I was also reminded of this old tale which really tells us to stop saying 'See I told you so' because things change. This very morning re-iterates how even an hour is a long time in politics!

It's called Maybe  (and May maybe PM and maybe not!)


There’s an old Taoist story about a farmer whose prize mare runs away. “What bad luck”, the farmer’s neighbours commiserate, 
but he replies, “Maybe, maybe not.” 

The next day, the mare returns with a powerful stallion following behind. “What a fortunate man you are”, the neighbours say as the farmer and his son corral the two horses, but he is again philosophical. “Maybe, maybe not.” 

Later that day, the farmer’s son falls and breaks his leg while attempting to tame the wild stallion. “That really is rotten luck”, the neighbours tut, but (to their annoyance) the farmer replies, “Maybe, maybe not.” 

A few days later, military officials come to the village to conscript all the young men to fight at the front. All except the farmer’s son, who stays at home because of his broken leg. 

“You have to admit, that was incredibly lucky”, the bewildered neighbours say, shaking their heads at the farmer’s mysterious powers as he replies predictably…
Maybe, maybe not…

Thursday 23 June 2016

The Day has arrived - Vote for your Country

5 key points
1. The EU accounts for at least 50% of British laws (HoC Library). British lawmakers are elected, the EU’s key decision makers are not. 

Vote for democratic accountability, vote for better governance. 
 

2. Countless EU documents reveal the creation of a Federal European State to be a core EU objective.
 
Vote to protect your nation.

 
3. Over the past twelve months EU-migration has been equal to the population of Newcastle-upon-Tyne (ONS). 

Vote for controllable borders, vote to relieve pressure on public services, vote for higher wages, vote for greater security. 

4. The only way to guarantee that the UK will never adopt the Euro is to Leave the EU, Fact.

Vote to protect our currency.

5. The EU has a disastrous record at accessing global markets through trade deals. Only by leaving the EU can the UK re-establish meaningful ties with the rest of world, including the Commonwealth, and prosper as a result.

Vote for prosperity, vote for high employment, vote for a stronger Britain in global affairs. 
For more useful information and persuasive arguments, visit our Facts page, check out the many videos on our Facebook Page too.
Then there’s the simple question of voting. But even the simplest tasks can end up being neglected – we challenge you to tell us what is easier but also more meaningful than voting to save your country. Visit our how to vote page to make sure your vote counts.

Monday 20 June 2016

For the Undecideds - Ask yourself this One Question

How will You feel if you wake up on 24th June and Remain have won?

Many of us have a little trick we do, when we have a dilemma (which is what the EU referendum is) that after much to-ing and fro-ing, to help give us clarity - we decide to toss a coin.

This is in no way a flippant (excuse the pun) activity - it is more to do with how one FEELS when the coin is opened up. Do I feel disappointed - am I relieved? Does that now make me see the choice I should take?

Well instead of a coin - how about asking yourself the question - How will I feel if I wake up Friday morning to find out that we have voted to Remain (or leave? if you prefer).

I'm betting that waking up to a leave vote will fill you with some excitement - wow, what is in store, what great things can we achieve?  but it may also leave you anxious and concerned.

I remember having the chance to take voluntary redundancy in a large insurance firm I'd worked for, for 10 years. I'd been promoted to director level with a lovely big salary, a company car allowance and an effective network of people I worked with, clients I wined and dined, as well as a good social life to go alongside it.

I was really scared to leave such a lovely comfortable lifestyle, easy work, network and connections but I was also excited at the thought of having a few months off while I renegotiated my future, re-training for a new skill and qualification, so that I could go it alone and start my own business.

I didn't earn a single penny in the first 18 months and used all my redundancy money on re-training and living costs and guess what?

IT WAS THE BEST THING I EVER DID!

Although my bosses at the time were completely dumbstruck (literally I saw the jaws drop in amazement that I wanted to do this, when all I had to do was go into the office every day and watch my savings and my pension grow while I stayed in a nice secure little environment).

BUT THAT ISN'T LIVING!

Furthermore - the other choice of staying was not for the status quo. I knew that security would be challenged again in another round of cut-backs or global factors. Staying in the corporate world was not status quo - there were still unknown hazards on the horizon.

So I took the plunge - the one that said 'I have faith in myself and I have control, I will be my own boss.  There were new opportunities, new networks to build and nurture, new experiences, different kinds of 'rich'. I ended up working part time for roughly the same amount of money - until the recession and then it dropped - but I still had enough to pay my bills whilst being able to do other things like politics and having my grandchildren during the day.

Working from home and only for myself didn't mean I was an island. I had joint ventures with lots of other businesses and I grew my network to one much more diverse and interesting.

In leaving the EU we will have the same new opportunities. We will become something special and unique - we will still connect up with our European friends and we will have control over our lives, just like I have total control over mine now - one more colourful, rich and exciting - instead of being a dull girl, whose spirit was going to be broken, in a dull environment.

That was my one opportunity to take control, to take the choice with some money as support and I took it.

I implore you to do the same. Forget those horrible nasty UKIP pictures that for some reason Farage has seen fit to dirty our skylines with. They have taken leave of their campaigning senses.
Forget the threats made by Remain that we will all die of starvation or our taxes will increase - these things are just not certain, or even likely.

Go with your gut. Answer the question in the headline - Are you up for it? or are you not?
Do you want a new empowered Britain that's in control? Or do you want to be stuck in the EU with mass redundancies round the corner when we see the collapse of the Euro.

We can do all the things we do now but much more - when WE make the decisions and WE take control of our journey.

I'm up for the ride - please make this happen for your children and grandchildrens sake.

Because ultimately if we Remain - those that voted for it will have to look their grandchildren in the eyes when we've lost control of everything from borders to laws - and answer them this question instead:

'Why did you vote to stay in something that was so obviously failing in so many ways for so many countries in EU, grandma?'



Tuesday 14 June 2016

Exploratory work on Ipswich Cornhill continues


Exploratory work is set to continue on Ipswich's Cornhill over the coming weeks.
The work to complete the bore holes and construction tests will take place on the Cornhill this Sunday (19th June) and this will be followed by an an initial archaeological trench digging operation on Monday 27th June. Ipswich Borough Council anticipates that this latter work will be complete within three weeks, subject to final approval and any findings. 
 
The Cornhill regeneration project is the brainchild of the Ipswich Vision Board and the public will be invited to see the latest design concepts as part of a widespread consultation exercise.
 
Funding for the project has been agreed by the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership, Ipswich Borough Council and Suffolk County Council.

IBC press office, tel: 01473 432035

Thursday 2 June 2016

Real Facts about EU - Part 2

❚ EU share of world wealth fell from 36% GDP in 1980 to under 20% now. 90% economic growth is coming from outside the EU; and the Eurozone is stagnant

❚ The UK is the 2nd largest export market in the world for Germany, Ireland and Poland; 3rd largest for Denmark; 4th largest for France, Belgium and the Netherlands, and 5th largest for Italy, Spain and Sweden

❚ Six out of the EU’s 10 largest trading partners with the EU have no trade agreement with the EU: China, Russia, USA, Japan, India and Brazil. Global tariffs are now very low

❚ The UK has paid over half a trillion pounds – £511 bn – since joining the EU in 1973. UK national debt is £1,560 bn

❚ Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into UK is mostly due to other factors not EU membership eg English language, UK culture, top universities, City services, infrastructure, and quality of life. Companies such as Vauxhall, Bentley, GM and JCB have said Leaving will not affect their investment

❚ Seven out of 10 US investors and two thirds of Asian investors want ‘looser relationships’ with the EU to save on damaging EU red tape

❚ Only four of 140 EU trade arrangements have any ‘Freedom of Movement’ requirement – Norway, Iceland, Switzerland (now ending) and Lichtenstein (opt out)

❚ EU Single Market is often nothing to do with trade; EU estimates shows costs outweigh benefits by over 2 to 1

❚ Our immigration system in unbalanced; the UK has to turn away non-EU workers such as Indian doctors, Phillipino nurses, American city workers and Chinese students to cope with EU numbers ❚ Under its WTO trade deal, the USA can introduce 522% tarifs on the dumping of Chinese steel. The EU has failed to

❚ British Ministers have to ask EU to spend UK taxpayers’ money on UK investment such as saving the UK steel industry, building power stations such as Hinckley C, helping the Royal Mail, Post Offices and rural Broadband

❚ The UK Treasury/ONS estimate if we Remain, the UK population will rise by another 3 million people. The UK population has risen by 7 million since 1997

❚ The UK has in reality very little influence in the EU, and cannot ‘lead’ it: it only has 3.6% EU Commissioners, 8% Council votes and 9.7% Members of the European Parliament (MEPs). The UK has lost all 40 Council votes since David Cameron became Prime Minister in 2010

❚ The EU is supranational - it can override national sovereignty undemocratically – whilst the UN, NATO and WTO are 'intergovernmental' – needing agreement between nations.

How about some Real Facts about EU?

❚ The UK is the fifth largest economy in the world, has the largest financial centre in the world (London), and is the fourth largest military power

❚ The UK is the rest of the EU’s (the EU-27’s) largest single export market, bigger than the USA and China

❚ Only 6% UK businesses trade with the EU

❚ Only around 13% of the UK economy is trade with the EU; most trading is within the UK – much less than other EU nations. But all 100% must impose EU laws

❚ The UK now trades more with Rest of the World than the EU: 56% to 44%; the EU’s share is dropping

❚ Switzerland exports over 4.5 times as much as the UK per head to the EU despite not being in the EU

❚ Non-EU European countries such as Norway do not pay for access to the EU Single Market as claimed, only fees for European programmes and voluntary aid contributions

❚ Net immigration to the UK averages around 250,000 a year, and in 2015 net immigration was 333,000 – larger than a city the size of Newcastle every year. The Government has underestimated immigration by 1.5 million people (2011-2015): equal to five Newcastles. The UK is on course to overtake Germany as the largest EU country in 30 years (2047)

❚ Over half of UK laws come from the EU - the House of Commons Library states 60%. The CBI estimates 70% business regulation is from EU, and the Government that half financial services laws are. EU regulations cost £33 billion a year; £600 million a week.

Now ask yourself - How scary is it really to Leave and vote for sovereignty?