Hundreds of protesters closed Botley Square to traffic on Saturday. The protest against the
Lib Dems' plans for thousands of new houses on green fields in Botley and Hedge End
was reported on the local television news. The BBC had a short piece,
but Meridian went into the background a bit more, and actually
interviewed some of the protesters, including the
Botley Parish Action Group, who organised the event.
 |
| Hedge End Blogger Joined the March |
Both
broadcasters quoted Eastleigh Council's defence that there has
been "extensive public consultation". But as BPAG point out, the
Lib Dems have stubbornly ignored the outcome of that public consultation and pushed ahead with their plans to impose nearly
40% of the Borough's new housing on Botley and Hedge End.
The point that both the BBC and Meridian missed, though, is that Hedge
End and Botley Lib Dems fought the last two local elections on promises
to protect our green fields and stand up against developers. Once
elected they
threw those promises back in the faces of local people
who
elected them and accused them of being NIMBYs. At both local and
national level the Lib Dems have shown that they either lie or make
promises they know they cannot keep to get elected.
 |
| Lib Dem Broken Promise 2011 |
 |
| Lib Dem Broken Promise 2013 |
I think the whole process is deeply flawed. I think they should look at homogenising population density throughout the country so that counties with the highest density get the least development. Instead of encouraging so much development in the South MPs should address why the North appears so unpopular. My Huhne has given me a dilemma of who to vote for. Previously I have voted Liberal, now I realise that not only are they untrustworthy. If you look at issues such as tuition fees, planned destruction of local green areas and speeding tickets it is obvious that not only are they the dishonest party but also another nasty party.
ReplyDeleteI just hope UKIP does not split the Conservative vote as we need an end to the Liberal stranglehold in the area. I am one resident who has had enough of those that campaign on one issue and once elected ignore their mandate.
I delivered the leaflets for Lib Dems, now I feel such a fool, I was conned, NEVER AGAIN WILL I VOTE LIB DEM! The Conservatives are the only Party who have been consistent .
ReplyDeleteHow we can get this message across to the voters? Most people in Hedge End know little and care less about who is in power, and probably simply vote (if they do at all) for the names they have seen on the guff stuffted through their letter boxes. But it is the faces behind those names who are determined to pave over our green countryside with tarmac and squeeze thousands of homes into the smallest pieces of land possible. The Lib Dems must be voted out - why are they so overwhelmingly popular in Hedge End and Eastleigh? I do not understand.
ReplyDeleteThey aren't overwhelmingly popular. If you look at the election results you'll see that turnout is so low sometimes less than 30%, they get elected with very few people voting for them. People need to get out and vote them out.
DeleteKeith, as far as the mainstream press are concerned, they're not really interested in what's happening or getting to the truth, just wordcount to fill the spaces and get a headline. Definitely no investigative journalism!