Who will you be voting for on the 3rd May 2007?

[deirdreh]

"Possibly you never read the Courier letters page or national newspapers where I have advocated for Kintyre's needs and highlighted the inequality that rural areas suffer over the years. "

"I've been reading socialist stuff in the press for a long, long time. It's a tactic and most folk know it. I don't, I really don't, doubt your sincerity or your passion but I think that sometimes gets devalued when there's too much of deliberate advertising. News coverage doesn't equal effort and effort doesn't equal news coverage. If you're the rare exception then it's a shame but there's a long line of Lib Dems and Tories whose toothy smiles beside potholes rather spoil that pitch.

Dinna fret, you won't get that first vote but you'll be there. Three of them I wouldn't dignify with a number.

Thanks for your second or third vote but I just want to make clear that I was an activist before I joined the SSP, and now Solidarity. I joined the SSP because I heard Tommy Sheridan and others speak at a public meeting about the war in Iraq in Glasgow. I had never joined a political party as I had never found one that I had any respect for. (I won't go into the SNP's dirty washing here) I need to believe that elected members will not abuse their position or just talk hot air, and will do something meaningful about poverty and the environment. I had always been a Green voter because I believe in voting for what you believe in, rather than tactically. I truly believe that Solidarity is a party of substance not big business interests.

I did not write letters or protest just as some sort of publicity campaign. I did so because I wanted to raise issues and highlight how our public money is mispent. Unlike many other areas of Scotland Kintyre does not seem to have a tradition of public debate and I had hoped to nurture some form of interest in political debate / meetings.

On the pay front. Solidarity and SSP MSPs live on the average worker's wage (about £25,000) which is a good incentive for them to increase the wages of the most. The other parties' MSPs live on the wage that represents their funders I think.

If I am elected in South Kintyre I will be taking a big pay cut - for your information.

[sniper]

Is it the case that now there is a wage avaliable for councillors you are willing to spend 43 hrs a week on council business or would you allow the same time had you been in office the previous term and if so are you willing to donate any wages you earn if elected to the South Kintyre community?

Out of interest, Sniper, what percentage of your own annual income do you donate to the community?

65%

[dunoon]

there can be only one - as Juan Sanchez Villa-Lobos Ramirez would say. John Donald Semple. However as I no longer live in the toon I just had to vote for the local SNP lad

[Bobbie En Tejas]

Out of interest, Sniper, what percentage of your own annual income do you donate to the community?

65%

Pubs don't count

[Beachcomber]

Out of interest, Sniper, what percentage of your own annual income do you donate to the community?

65%

Pubs don't count

Heheheh, yeah. Donate in the sense of giving without expecting anything in return, not including Council Tax either.

[Kilchoan]

Thanks for your second or third vote but I just want to make clear that I was an activist before I joined the SSP, and now Solidarity. I joined the SSP because I heard Tommy Sheridan and others speak at a public meeting about the war in Iraq in Glasgow. I had never joined a political party as I had never found one that I had any respect for. (I won't go into the SNP's dirty washing here) I need to believe that elected members will not abuse their position or just talk hot air, and will do something meaningful about poverty and the environment. I had always been a Green voter because I believe in voting for what you believe in, rather than tactically. I truly believe that Solidarity is a party of substance not big business interests.

There isn't a party in existence that doesn't have some dirty washing and what constitutes dirty washing is constantly evolving. It's not so many years since a politician walking past a gay person could rock the nation. So I'm not much interested in that as my experience, which began with some of the old red clydesiders collecting for Chilean refugees, has taught me that you'll find good and bad in every party just as you do in the rest of life. I know SSP members who loathe Tommy Sheridan and SNP members who love him. I know Labour members who are actively working against the government to restore the Labour party to its former integrity. I know Lib/Dems who loathe their own candidate. Tories, sadly, seem to be the only people who are consistent, but then I manage to avoid most of them so may be wrong.

And in any case, half the voting public seems insane to me. SNP voters who don't believe in independence. Labour voters who are anti-war. Lib/Dem voters who believe Alex Salmond should be first minister. In the end I suppose everyone votes for someone or something they believe has integrity and the power to use it. Your own integrity will speak for itself. It would do it no harm to avoid impugning others.

I've never voted Green simply because one of their bedrock policies is to hike up fuel prices and that would cripple rural Scotland. I'm in recycling up to my neck, have a green tariff for energy, do all I can to compensate for our carbon footprint, but I won't vote Green unless they convince me they'll counter the effects of fuel price rises in rural areas.

I did not write letters or protest just as some sort of publicity campaign. I did so because I wanted to raise issues and highlight how our public money is mispent. Unlike many other areas of Scotland Kintyre does not seem to have a tradition of public debate and I had hoped to nurture some form of interest in political debate / meetings.

I think folks down here have blown all their hot air long since. The sad fact is that no amount of talking got anything done. The best we've had is councillors who fought hard for their bit of a really wee pie. My own feeling is that we need a bigger pie and that's down to the Scottish Parliament.

[John S]

If I am elected in South Kintyre I will be taking a big pay cut - for your information

I hope you don't have to trade in that big New Honda 4x4 of yours

[sniper]

Out of interest, Sniper, what percentage of your own annual income do you donate to the community?

65%

Pubs don't count

5%

[sniper]

If I am elected in South Kintyre I will be taking a big pay cut - for your information

I hope you don't have to trade in that big New Honda 4x4 of yours

?????????

[John S]

Well Sniper, I thought free public transport was the big idea from Deirdre's party, be a shame if we didn't all get the chance for a spin in her wheels, Personally I prefer the wee 206, good on fuel, not so good head-on, but I do try to avoid that.

[sniper]

Well Sniper, I thought free public transport was the big idea from Deirdre's party, be a shame if we didn't all get the chance for a spin in her wheels, Personally I prefer the wee 206, good on fuel, not so good head-on, but I do try to avoid that.

I hope that is the only head on thing you will avoid "head on" then John as if your sucessful i think youll be expected to take all challenges " head on"!

[Kilchoan]

I hope that is the only head on thing you will avoid "head on" then John as if your sucessful i think youll be expected to take all challenges " head on"!

Working on the assumption that the recent polls are within a few percent correct it looks as if John won't be a lone gunman at Kilmory. He should have a team to back him up with his list of demands.

What will you go for first John? More tar for the potholes? A revamp for the toon hall? Toilets at Wesport?

[seannair]

If I were registered in Kintyre I would certainly be voting for John Semple. As I live in Oban I have the opportunity to vote in a ward that elects 4 councillors and I will be supporting colleagues of John in Donald Macdonald and Mike Mackenzie. With a fair poll in our favour we hope that there will be a few councillors across Argyll & Bute to work alongside Jim Mather and provide some cohesion in tackling the problems that have festered in Argyll & Bute for far too long. A pessimistic colleague suggested that some people in Kintyre were impressed by Mary Galbraith and George Lyon!!!!!!!. They represent the cabal that has neglected and betrayed Kintyre for years.
Argyll & Bute used to be a test bed for promising Labour candidates. On a previous occasion in Campbeltown I met up with Des Browne -in the company of his minder Brian Wilson - when he conntested this seat. He did not do well but he was given the (then) safe seat of Kilmarnock although he lives in Edinburgh. Watch what happens in Kilmarnock on Thursday and feel for Des!

[Trapper]

Well Sniper, I thought free public transport was the big idea from Deirdre's party

You're obviously not keeping a very close eye on you're opponents then john! That policy is actually the flagship of dierdre's old party, the SSP!

[deirdreh]

If I am elected in South Kintyre I will be taking a big pay cut - for your information

I hope you don't have to trade in that big New Honda 4x4 of yours :lol:

?????????

Yes so do I. Although technically it is my husband's 4x4 but he has been taking my car up to the central belt (where he works) for the last few weeks as we have had a safety issue on my car which I hope will be resolved with the dealership this week. My ordinary car is just four years old and already the suspension is being completely replaced. Although you may think it is the roads in Kintyre that have caused the problem it is actually that I live up a rough farm track. I have had a few occassions when I have been unable to get up my brae and one time I was eight months pregnant, it was snowing and I had my daughter with her school bag, in the dark. Not much fun I can tell you. Strangely enough my son was born a week later, three weeks early. It was either the brae or he just wanted to be born on St Andrew's Day.

You may also want to check out the new Honda is one of the best 4x4s for emissions. on a par with the Peugeot 307 and a Ford Mondeo. I do as much as I can on a person level for the environment, recycle, reuse, composting, washable nappies, etc. and I do need to know that I can get my family home in the bad weather.

Thanks for being concerned though..