Open letter to: Rt Hon Derek Thomas MP - 29-11-2018
CC: The Cornishman newspaper
Dear Derek
I am sure you are aware of the recent announcement by the IPCC that the governments of the world have a mere twelve years in which to drastically reduce carbon emissions for there to be any chance of keeping global temperature-rise to one and a half degrees -
I am sure you have also heard of the predicted consequences of failure to do this -
Currently around 200 species are becoming extinct per day in what scientists have declared to be the greatest extinction-event since a meteorite wiped out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago - Since 1970 we have lost half of the wild animals on earth as well as vast amounts of forest and wilderness -
In view of this emergency in which we find ourselves I would be very grateful to know what steps you - as political representative of this south-western part of Cornwall and the Scilly Isles - are taking to address this situation and press for the reduction of carbon-emissions and other forms of pollution in this area -
My view is that we should all do whatever we can to prevent this Mass-Extinction-Event from drastically degrading the world that our children will inherit from us -
Obviously - sitting in the House of Commons - you are in a far stronger position to influence our climate and nature-protection strategy than the average citizen and I welcome hearing your response to this emergency -
Derek is an anomaly - a deviant from expected standards and norms - seemingly either illiterate or willfully ignorant of his Contractual Obligations in Law as a Member of Parliament - perhaps he-s forgotten he-s not actually a God - that Westminster is not Olympos and that he once took an oath to the Queen - supposedly to act right and be a proper people-s representative - he took the oath and took the money and all the prestige and power that go with it -
Sadly what Derek failed to take on board were the Responsibilities that are the very core of the job - a representative who will not even talk to the local people is a woefully inadequate politician - an aspiring statesman who can not even respond to his own constituents is rather like a doctor who turns away patients on the basis of personal prejudice - in other words he is a fraudulent version of the real thing as he is refusing to perform his most fundamental duty - which - believe it or not Derek - is not to the precious Party - but to the People of West Cornwall!
As blog is my witness Derek is an abysmal public servant - from the day he got into power this website stands - or hangs in space - as an archive of and monument to his crimes - particularly that of ignoring the letters - emails - phone-calls and even personal promises he has made to his constituents -
Well as the bodies pile up Derek perhaps it-s time you learned to write to the People - after all - you have some explaining to do - and some mourning for your dead constituents - you know - the old - the ill - the homeless - the damaged - the young - the unstable - people suffering crises - no-one of any importance to you Derek but People none the less-
The tragic reality is that Derek was voted in in this area and his reactionary Party hold great power here by somehow fooling the people that they will benefit them - the Conservatives play on people-s greed and fear - they try to turn the poor against the even-poorer! They want to divide and rule - How ironic that as the fate of the World hangs in the balance we have a Victorian-minded backward-looking Capitalist reactionary for our Member of the House! Such is the political climate of Britain-s far South West - reactionary and paranoid - stuck in a bad dream that-s peddled as some kind of reality and at the heart of it all - there-s Derek Thomas the dishonourable and heartless liar posing as some kind of Man of the Spirit! (One of my friends is a Christian and he is about as different from Derek as you could possibly get)
There are many people in prison in USA who by rights should not be there. With a prison-population that has peaked at well-over two-million, Amerika has a nation within its own nation. Among the very many people wrongfully incarcerated inside that nation, the case of Harold Hempstead stands out as an extreme story of injustice faced with incredible courage and humanity, which is why I've written many previous blogs on him at this site, and also work with Harold to run the website Harold Hempstead Caged Crusader Wordpress where I publish his evidence on human rights abuses in the Florida Department of Corrections and specifically on the case of the murder of mentally disturbed convict Darren Rainey. What happened to Rainey was so evil that it catalyzed all sorts of people into action. The case has dragged on for over five years now without satisfactory result as yet, but due to its gravity, I believe this murder will eventually receive the full international exposure it warrants.
I was talking to someone in a shop the other day and she randomly referred to the 'state of the world' with a sense of 'what can you do?' I understood her feeling, and it certainly can be overwhelming to contemplate the daily flood of tragic, cynical and violent news stories. My answer to her was that for anyone thinking of trying to take on the 'problems of this world,' you just had to pick a front and start fighting.
There are many ways you can fight for a better world for your children. For anyone who does not know me, I use the word 'fighting' in the sense of struggle for a cause. I'm no advocate of violence except in extreme cases of self-defense. Planting a tree and raising it can help nature and reward you with a feeling that you could get no other way. Befriending old folks and giving them a bit of help with their needs is always appreciated. Some old folks are too proud to ask for the help they actually require, so a bit of tact is needed. Some people round where I live like to organize Beach-Clean-Ups and get everyone out collecting the plastic and rubbish from our beautiful coast. Someone in West Cornwall is organizing holiday accommodation for the people who lived at Grenfell Tower in West London and survived the traumatic and terrifying fire that destroyed so many lives and homes and perhaps signals the end of the tower-block as a 'housing-solution.' Some people rescue animals and re-home them, others give their time to plant bee-attracting flowers in the park, now the corrupt local council has given up on planting them, citing the neo-con bullshit about 'austerity', whilst paying themselves handsome salaries. So there is corruption and injustice and pollution everywhere around you if you care to open your eyes to it. It's like tidying up a room - don't get bogged down in the totality of the mess, just start by picking up one thing and dealing with it. Just pick a front and start fighting.
When he witnessed the brutal slaughter of Darren Rainey in a Florida prison torture-chamber, Harold Hempstead went through a long, dark night of the soul and came through it a changed man. Trained from childhood by corrupt Miami police in espionage and evidence collecting, framed for witnessing against police crimes and sentenced to one hundred and sixty five years, Harold Hempstead had already endured over a decade in Florida's gulag, its production-line of death, when he witnessed the Rainey murder and, having made a deep commitment to Jesus Christ while in prison, Harold risked his life to witness, speak-out and testify to the numerous crimes of Florida's prison guards, staff and officials.
This website and Harold's own site will be continuing to publish more evidence on the Darren Rainey murder and other human rights issues in FDC, please follow and share this info, particularly with anyone you know who is politically active and working for justice. With what's happening in the USA these days, Justice needs all the help it can get. There's some people over there who take 'Justice For All' as their war-cry, and I salute their courage, energy and imagination with the deepest respect and admiration. Many activists have had family members killed by police or prison-guards, or seriously violated in prison and they've had to stand up to intense intimidation from the Amerikan state and its machinery. It's good to share information on facebook and sign petitions but it's also good to take it to the streets - after all, this world is ours, isn't it?
9.15 pm approx… Just walking past the Warfside Centre in Penzance to get my bike, when who should I see but Derek Thomas, coming out of his Conservative Party office – literally – I hope – as today is general election day in Britain, 8th June, 2017…..
“Derek!” said I, taking off my glove and offering him my hand. “I will shake your hand,” said the Great Democrat, with visible disdain and so he did. He then immediately launched into a tirade about how he’d photographed all my posters (of himself as the snake in the garden of Eden) and reported me to the police. I was tired and hungry, working on my Klan article all day, hurrying home to publish it, and was flabbergasted by Derek’s pathetic rant about my posters – that’d I’d resorted to as my only form of political representation, thanks to his negligence!
Furious, I reached for my wire-machine and started taping him… he made some utterance to which I replied… “you’re my MP and you’re scared to talk to me on the record…!” “I’m NOT your MP, he said, backing off the pavement, where he stood in the middle of the road, like a typical politician, before beating a pathetic retreat whilst I called him a liar and a thief, saying he took our money to be our representative but did not reply to letters, simply ignored me! We could have had a friendly talk – even at this point – but Derek tried to threaten me and ended up running from me, which he has been doing ever since taking office. Let’s hope he keeps running…. away...
How many people get the opportunity to personally call their Tory MP a liar and a thief, to their face, on General Election day, or at least to the back of their departing head, as they scuttle away to the safety of their luxury car and an angst-ridden night of fear, having freaked out in the street and given way to a vulgar and childish temper-tantrum – the stress must be getting to him, poor baby!
I was hoping to transcribe and upload the recording of our little conversation but I can't find it in my machine and I'm not sure if, in the heat of the moment, I successfully recorded the exchange. Oh well, as they say in Japan, 'Nothing Matters!'
Perhaps Derek was agitated because today (General Election Day) the local paper, The Cornishman, published my letter about the police-taser killing of Marc Cole in Falmouth on 23rd May, 2017 and I mentioned that the illegality of taser was an issue I had touched on with Derek Thomas MP, who had kept me waiting eleven months so far, for a response. I was pleased that the letter was published today - it seemed just, showing, as it did, that a Conservative Party MP's failure to respond with a constituent who had a valid and legitimate matter under discussion with the government, was inter-connected with the police continuing to torture and kill with tasers, with impunity and in violation of the UNCAT. As Blog is my witness, I've tried to reach out to Derek many, many times, seemingly innumerable as the sands of the Ganges and again and again he has ignored my letters, phone-calls, emails etc., even after twice meeting me in person and twice promising to start responding to communications from me and giving me proper representation as my Member of Parliament. Shabby treatment indeed from a guy who's paid handsomely to represent the Great British Democracy. This evening's meeting of 'minds' did feel like fate. I don't believe in fate, or luck though - only action can make a difference in politics. If I am fortunate, Derek Thomas will not return as our MP, and if I am even luckier, Jeremy Corbyn will be Britain's Socialist Prime Minister in a few hours time.....
Surprises always take you unawares and I'm sure Derek was no more delighted to see me than I was to see himself. But I'm glad we met, unpleasant though it was. I was amazed that his opening gambit to me was to start rabbiting on about the 'posters' and that he threatened me with the law! This is the man who's paid over £74,000 a year to represent us, who's lied to me on film, on youtube, about the UNCAT, who's failed to reply to my urgent requests for his help over Kris Maharaj, a 78 year old British Citizen who contracted flesh-eating bacterial disease after 30 years languishing in the Florida prison system on a wrongful murder conviction., etc. etc.. Derek is another of these people who are more concerned with the medium of a message than the message itself. If I had an MP who actually bothered to reply to me, I wouldn't actually have to spend my time and money flying posters of him all over town - as I told him to his face on more than one occasion. (Curious how the only three people who have ever attacked my free speech newspaper are paid by me to protect and uphold free speech - a cop in the street once when I was postering about the police-murder of Ian Tomlinson; Chris Roynon, my kid's head-teacher, who tried to physically attack my newspaper when I was on hunger-strike over his Right-Wing sell-out of Mousehole School; and now my Member of Parliament- good old British Democracy - all on first-name, hand-shake terms, and everyone tries to play you for a sucker - if you let them!)
Derek ran from me tonight. He would not talk to me, he is terrified of my recording-machine, even though I'm not quite sharp enough to operate it properly and actually tape anything..... I saw another side of Derek tonight. Last time we'd met, for the youtube interview, he was all charm and reason, smiles and promises - tonight he was a snarling, seething, pullulating poodle, scurrying back to his eldritch kennel of Conservative, Right-Wing, Capitalist, Reactionary Doom - a Diamond Dog with his tail between his legs - howling for the glory days of 1984.
Well, I've ranted enough in the smoldering ruins of British Democracy, baying at the full moon like a wild fox of the night, waiting to see which way the pendulum will swing. Either way, the fight for justice continues - Whoever is the next MP in West Cornwall can no longer evade the issue of ratifying Article 22 of the United Nations Convention Against Torture. Power To The People!
Things got a little ugly there for a while... and we started getting crazy headlines about farm-yard goings-on amongst the Conservative Party, hence Derek's Pig-Gate Denial in which he said he had no interest....
Defend Human Rights This is the poster that went up around all the country lanes of St. Buryan when Derek and Co. were still threatening to remove the Human Rights Act.
Derek Thomas MP challenged on Fox-Hunting - he says the issue should be decided on principle - it already was - I asked him which principles it should be decided on - I never found out... which principles, Derek?
Derek Thomas - Exterminator! Reynard the Fox is argued over by me and Derek, in an early encounter. Right-wing politicos in Britain always threaten to 'bring back fox-hunting' - it's guaranteed to cause a storm of protest (which I endorse) but is also a great diversionary tactic. While we're all off chasing the fox, the Tories are looting the town.
Introducing Derek.... this was in the early days of our romance, before we started taking each other for granted. Even then, I had a hunch he wouldn't be right for me.
Derek on film: We finally got to have our 'little chat'...
Derek lies to me about the United Nations Convention Against Torture:
Derek Thomas' disgraceful record on Human Rights is reflected in this letter to the Chief Constable of Devon and Cornwall police about the tragic and unnecessary police-killing of Marc Cole, a 30 year old man in Falmouth on 23rd May, 2017.
This London cabbie has got a message for you young voters out there who would like some clarity on what it's all about.... believe me, this guy's got the knowledge.
Some Traditional Songs About Derek Thomas and The Conservatives....
Public message to Chris Drew, West Cornwall's Labour Party Candidate:
C.C: Andrew George, Liberal Democrat Party; Dick Cole, Mebyon Kernow Party; Amanda Pennington, Green Party. 2.6.2017
Dear Chis,
Tory policy is killing people in our country. As life-supporting services die back through engineered-austerity, we, the people die back.
This is why I am asking you to facilitate the defeat of this dehumanized and corrupt Party in our area in the most effective way possible.
It is commonly believed in St.Ives and the Isles of Scilly Constituency that Labour do not have the required support to get voted in in this area. Last year I joined Momentum with a very sincere wish to push the understanding of Socialism out into our community and actually spread this idea. I realized it would be a massive task. After a brief engagement with Momentum I became otherwise engaged... it had become clear to me that the local branch of the Socialist vanguard was not going to change the ideology of the area in any significant way whatsoever, despite noble intentions. The required foot-work was not done and West Cornwall has not collectively grasped the beauties of Social Living.
You know what I'm going to say, Chris, and I only say it because I believe our most vital common aim is to defeat the Conservative Party.
If we take the long term view, we might imagine two different scenarios... in one, you fight Derek Thomas the Conservative and lose by a margin that, had it gone to the Liberal Democrats, would have swung the balance and thrown the right-wing out of our area. In this version, you'll go down in history as 'Chris The Vote-Splitter' who saddled us with the Tories - cruel but true.
In the version that I'm proposing to you, you honourably step aside and tell all your supporters to vote for Andrew George, the Liberal Democrat this time round, as the single realistic tactic to defeat Derek Thomas, the dishonest right-wing Tory. In this version you will go down in history as a hero.
Think about it.
Use your own conscience. Use your natural authority to think as a free man. If you consult with your Party they are unlikely to agree with this proposal. You must follow your conscience and do what you think best, in you Heart of Hearts, to save us from Derek!
Of course, you must consult the Labour Party, as it would be unfair not to, however, ultimately you must consult your Heart.
I ask you this as a brother-socialist who will weep for joy if Corbyn gets in, I swear.
You must do what is right, Chris, you stand at the crossroads.
Sincerely,
Jeremy Sch@nche
P.S. I'm asking that the named recipients of this message, if you can, please endorse it and also discuss this with Chris. Thank you very much. Let's defeat the Tories!
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You gotta try these things....
Here's my article on Socialism with lots of links to the history of the Workers' movement.
Derelict Derek and the Death of Democracy Open letter to Derek Thomas, MP for St.Ives and Isles of Scilly, Cornwall, 8th May, 2017
Dear Derek,
I wish to complain most strongly that since being our MP you have failed to reply to the majority of my letters and messages to you. An MP's duty is to represent his or her constituents and this requires responding to them. You have a staff to help with correspondence. On 9th July 2016 I interviewed you on youtube and you told me you would investigate the ratification of the UN Convention Against Torture which PM Thatcher signed in 1985 but did not ratify. Ten months later you have not done so. When I asked you last autumn if there was any progress on this issue you told me you were conducting research...
This January I sent you a series of emails and phone-messages imploring you to liaise with Foreign Secretary Johnson over the case of Krishna Maharaj, an innocent British citizen who's spent 30 years in Florida's prisons, including ten under death-sentence. Mr Maharaj has been exonerated but not released. When he recently contracted flesh-eating bacterial disease the Florida Department of Corrections were not permitting him to have medical treatment, though he risked losing a leg. The Reprieve organisation was calling for our government to intervene and get this 78 year old into hospital. I begged you repeatedly to help this man but you failed to respond to my pleas and turned a deaf ear.
I was very disappointed by this.
Sincerely,
Jeremy Schanche ---------------------
An MP who doesn't respond to constituents' letters is no better than a policeman who does not arrest robbers, a doctor who refuses to treat patients or a fireman who will not attend a fire. Criminal negligence and dereliction of duty - Derelict Derek.
Anyone with nothing better to do could scroll down through this blogspot and find the tedious history, going back to the very beginning of his tenure, of the failure of Derek Thomas MP to reply to his letters. There must be literally scores of unanswered emails quoted in this blog, plus numerous emails where I'm specifically asking him to respond to the heap of previous ones. A fair bit of my correspondence is thus 'chasing-correspondence' which is a secondary problem to deal with and waste time over, if you can be bothered. I have been more or less bothered and have kept pretty good, but not exhaustive records of Derek's non-communication and dereliction of duty, which I consider a serious offence against our democracy. These are not just words to me. I believe Derek Thomas guilty of criminal negligence and I'm happy to bark it into his face, as it were.
Things came to a head between me and Derek when we had an Ancient Greek style debate on democracy in the street, early last summer. At the time I angrily accused Derek of non-communication and after a slightly heated exchange - on my part - settled into a more friendly chat, we agreed to do the YouTube interview (there's a whole long back-story of faffing around about arranging the interview too....more wasted time).
This interview was to be a kathartic meeting of minds, which, to some extent, it was. At the time, it seemed to compensate a bit for the unanswered letters and I thought it was good of Derek to agree to talk to me on camera, unedited - most politicians are very wary about their public image, and live free-speech debate scares the hell out of most of them. I enjoyed doing the interview and found Derek's company pleasant and friendly. We talked for over an hour, we were both very tired but we went for it anyway and I think we both considered it a success. Derek expressed an interest in repeating the experience in a few months time and I agreed that I'd be happy to do so.
The thing is, in politics, like everything else, you have to judge people by their actions and as soon as the interview was completed Derek went right back to ignoring my communiques. I let it go for a long time, giving him the 'benefit of the doubt' that he was indeed putting some work into the project we'd discussed - namely the UNCAT ratification. By the autumn though, I tried to summon Derek's help over a couple of British political prisoners overseas at risk of torture or death - no response.
In January 2017 I made several desperate attempts to contact Derek over the fate of Krishna Maharaj, the innocent Brit in prison in Florida for 30 years now. It was just before Kris' 78th birthday when he contracted necrotising fasciitis - flesh-eating bacterial disease - in the ghastly conditions of the Florida Department of Corrections. I really thought Derek would respond or at least acknowledge my messages, but I never had a single word from him - he was quite happy to leave Kris to quite literally rot in jail, in extreme danger of losing his leg - if not his life. This I find hard to forgive. So despite Derek talking about 'being on the right side' and telling us how much he cares about women and children in Pakistan and Syria, and all he does to help the world, from Cornwall to Africa, when it comes to lifting a finger to try to help a British citizen who's life is in danger in a nightmarish gulag, Derek can't quite be bothered. Perhaps if Krishna Maharaj was called Christopher Marshall and had a white face and went to church Derek would get off his proverbial.
Email of 18th Jan.2017 to Derek Thomas MP
Urgent Attention: Derek Thomas MP
Dear Derek, K R I S M A H A R A J / FLORIDA
Thank you for your message. I note your statement:
"It is worth recognising that anyone who is found to be at risk of torture in their country of origin will not be returned."
Should we not apply this same level and principle of justice to securing the release of a sick and elderly man, exonerated of guilt after 30 years in a cell?
I am sure you have seen my last two messages about Kris Maharaj, a British prisoner of Florida. I am extremely concerned about the welfare of this innocent man, who has already suffered unimaginable horrors in the Florida Department of Corrections, due to the corruption of the Miami-Dade police department and their collusion with the Escobar cocaine company.
As I mentioned, this issue has been put on Boris Johnson's desk and I would be extremely grateful if you could ascertain from him what action the British Government has taken to secure urgent medical help for Kris.
My home phone number is PZ xxxxxx and my mobile is xxxxx xxxxxx. I'd very much appreciate an update.
With thanks and best wishes from Jeremy
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Here you can find information on the case of Krishna Maharaj, an innocent British citizen who has so far spent 30 in the Florida Department of Corrections, including ten years under wrongful sentence of death.
Please check out the unfolding story of Darren Rainey, the black Muslim steamed to death by Florida prison guards on 23rd June, 2012; the cover-up of his killing and the deconstruction and explosion of said cover-up by Harold Hempstead, a.k.a. Miami Harold, a.k.a. The Caged Crusader. I'm publishing Harold's blog for him - please check it out and join our fight to uphold the value of all lives. Last year I interviewed the Caged Crusader and asked him about his history, events at Dade prison, Florida and also the Christian philosophy that inspires his activism and his struggle.
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...Queueing for the House of Lords...
Derek!
Don't you let my letter get you down... The Battle for Britain...
Note: The Queen offered Bowie a knighthood -nightwarp- but he
didn't need Babylon's gong, he knew who he was.
Key proponents of scheme to capitalise Mousehole Primary School refuse to give their word that the law has been followed and upheld.
It has emerged that none of those responsible for the proposed/imposed monetisation and capitalisation of Mousehole Primary School are prepared to give their word that they have upheld the law whilst pursuing their secretive, capitalist plot.
This is all about money, dear readers, let's not be confused about the basic facts of the case. The Board of Directors of Penlee 'Academy' 'Trust' includes various multi-millionaire speculators, rubbing along with fish-mongers, techies, 'educationalists' and God's representative in protestant Penzance as the figurehead. Yet when approached for an assurance of legality, the Godly one not only refused to give her word that she has been acting lawfully whilst fronting PAT, but did not deign to respond at all. The Lord moves in mysterious ways indeed.
Head-teacher of Mousehole Primary, Chris Roynon would not give his word either, which is a tad worrying, although he did at least answer the letter - he said he was taking legal advice!
Sadly, Nigel Carter-King, long-time Secretary/Governor of Mousehole School and insider to the capitalist designs on the school's future has also failed to affirm the lawfulness of his actions, or even to respond at all.
Many questions remain unanswered in this continuing debacle, but an increasing number of parents are waking up to the fact that democracy is something you get by fighting for, and are starting to demand representation, although they seem to accept the inevitability of the imposition - well, you can't honestly call it a proposal can you, as that word implies an element of choice, doesn't it?
Personally I don't accept 'academisation' as inevitable, as I believe the project has been pursued in an improper manner and runs counter to the needs, wishes and interests of the people. Given a fair chance, this could easily be proven. Also, there is still a great deal that can be done to oppose this proposed course of events that has been presented as 'inevitable' and written in stone - as if the 'authorities' had a divine right to force their will on the parents and the community. When you find something morally reprehensible, you have no choice but to work against it and try to preserve what is known to be good and true, like Mousehole School. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
PERHAPS THE MAIN QUESTION WE SHOULD BE ASKING IS: WHO STANDS TO GAIN FINANCIALLY FROM THIS?
SECRET PLOTS OR DEMOCRATIC INCLUSION IN OUR SOCIETY?
Last time I asked some public officials to take the oath, they also refused. That was the case of Treloyhan Woods, Carbis Bay, West Cornwall - an absurdly corrupt and rotten case, signed off on false evidence by Roger Harding, John Pollard and their Cornwall Council lawyer. With a combination of weak-strategy from the protest-group and rampant corruption from the 'authorities', the property 'developers' predominated and down came the woods and in went the cement mixers. Those officials knew the case was going to the High Court, so there was no way they were going to perjure themselves when brought to account.
The victory of Capital over nature and democracy that happened at Carbis Bay no doubt encouraged other land-grabbers - Poltair Woods between Heamoor and Madron is the latest victim of blind selfishness. The large area of heaped-up trunks of mature beeches, still bearing their soft, spring leaves, is a sight to bring you bitterness. What a graphic illustration of the Anarchist graffiti I've seen around Penzance lately - Capitalism Is Violence...
Back in Mousehole the scheme to 'academise' Mousehole School has been quietly constructed for over five years yet the parents and community were given a mere eighty-five days in which to organize any challenge to what amounts to the most fundamental upheaval in public education in over a hundred years.
When you compare the vast amount of time that the proponents of the scheme bestowed upon themselves to secretly organize their plan; with the miniscule time-period doled-out to the parents and the general public to react, it is clear that this strategy is adopted to effectively neuter any realistic possibility of resistance. This highlights the undemocratic, non-transparent and fundamentally unjust atmosphere in which 'academisation' is conceived and birthed.
If there was a genuine, people-led and pupil-led need to monetise public education through pseudo-academisation then why has the process been conducted in almost total secrecy? Like a vast iceberg that only shows one inch above the water-line, this 'academy' disaster has lurked stealthily for years beneath the surface of free public scrutiny, only to suddenly rear up without any real warning at all and threaten to wreck a perfectly fine and much loved vessel.
Where is the openness? Why were you and I not consulted five years ago if it was such a fine and marvellous plan, such an obvious and self-evident boon for humanity Why the secrecy? Why the evasions? The unanswered letters, the refusal to engage in free public debate, the refusals to take the oath of truth? Why the general unwillingness to engage and discuss and most of all, why the obsessive desire to push the scheme through, when it has lost the backing of central government, local government, the local MP, the people etc. etc..
This is about money. I smell thatcher's ghost and it's not a very nice smell at all.
"A conspiracy of silence speaks louder than words."
Good to see you taking an interest in our woefully neglected Scilly transport system. I was very interested to hear of the letter that you quoted in The Cornishman, from the tourist who had suffered so much during their travels.
As one with a passing interest in the harbour-side district of Penzance I would certainly appreciate being able to read that letter, or a photocopy of it, myself. Little documents like this form an invaluable part of local history and have great social value. I wonder if you would mind sending me a suitably redacted copy of this letter for my own study? You mentioned that you had several similar letters in your possession. Copies of these would also be greatly appreciated for their historical value. Names, addresses and personally specific details would of course be removed by you in the interests of privacy. Thanks for your cooperation in this matter of 'disclosure in the public interest.'
Looking forward to our interview.
Good wishes, Jeremy Schanche, Save The Holy Headland.
Email to Derek Thomas MP: Re: Scilly Tourist Letter
Dear Derek, 8th June, 2016
Not meaning to nag, but it has now been over two weeks since I contacted you about the above matter, so this is just to remind you of your promise to answer my communications promptly.
Best wishes, Jeremy
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8th June 2016:
Thank you Jeremy
I've been giving this request some thought and I will not be forwarding the letters to you.
The letters I have received are letters written to me from individuals and they raise concerns about the service and treatment they received from individuals and commercial companies. They also complain about the infrastructure itself which is the area I attempted to raise via the Cornishman so that we can knuckle down and draw up a plan to improve the experience for passengers.
I feel that forwarding these letters would be a breach of trust both with the authors but also the stakeholders concerned who are seeking to address the issues raised.
Having said this, you refer to maintaining an archive and I will keep the correspondence and make them available to you once the issues have been resolved or when I cease to be the MP (whichever is sooner).
Derek Thomas
Member of Parliament for St Ives
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Open message to Derek Thomas MP, 8th June 2016:
Re: 'Stinging Letter' / The Cornishman / 12th May 2016
Dear Derek,
Thanks for responding to my request to see the letter/s in question. Considering the letter that you referred to in The Cornishman, the 'stinging letter', you obviously had the permission of the author to base a major local news story on their letter, so they are obviously more than happy for the story of their letter to go public. You argue that the fact that the letter complains about the 'service' at Penzance Harbour means that it would be a 'breach of trust' to forward a copy of the letter to me. This is illogical as the fact that the letter complains about Penzance Harbour is the very essence and substance of your 'news story' and was published with the letter-writer's blessing - according to your version of events. So, if the letter-writer is quite happy for their letter, specifically the 'stinging letter' which made headlines in The Cornishman and attempted to reopen a closed controversy in Penzance, to be the basis of a news-story, it would logically be no breach of trust to forward me a redacted photocopy, with all names, addresses and any other personal details removed. The photocopy of the envelope could be redacted except for the postmark.
As this matter is clearly of great public concern, I challenge you to provide the evidence to back up the political move you are trying to pull. If, contrary to clearly established public interest, you cannot or will not provide the evidence, then I will be challenging you further on this, so perhaps it's best to just comply with my perfectly just, reasonable and lawful request at this stage, rather than letting this spiral into some kind of 'Lettergate' that might not reflect too well on you.
Your claim that I might be able to see the letter at some point in the distant future is of no interest to me.
Over to you.
Best wishes, Jeremy Schanche, Save The Holy Headland
I will not be sending you the letter regarding Penzance Harbour as you request for the reasons described in my previous email.
My concern is to improve the experience for passengers and the management of freight to and from the Isles of Scilly. This is important because the current situation harms the livelihood of businesses owners both in West Cornwall and on the Isles of Scilly. I can assure you that any action I have taken is intended to address the concerns outlined in the letter you refer to.
I completely agree that issues relating to Penzance Harbour are of public interest and I will be taking time to ensure everybody concerned has the opportunity to contribute to any future debate and to be heard.
Open message to Derek Thomas, Tory MP for West Cornwall, 14th June 2016:
Dear Derek,
Re: 'The Letter' (Stinging)
You can't simply avoid the issue without responding to the points I made about the 'letter.' I made an analysis of your reasons for concealing the 'letter' and proved them to be logically untenable. When we met in the street you claimed you wanted to engage in genuine dialogue, so please Derek, I'd like you to respond to the reasoning I set out in my last message, because I am extremely interested to establish the provenance of a document upon which you are basing certain actions that affect the people. Therefore it is obviously of interest to the public to see the document, or at least establish that it does indeed exist.
At the moment, it's just me asking for proof. The numbers could be made to increase and soon many more people might be asking for proof and then you would need to provide logical and tenable arguments to support your position.
Please reconsider your position and put this matter in the open for all to see. It's what the people want and that's democracy, isn't it?
Over to you.
Best wishes,
Jeremy
Save The Holy Headland
---------------------------------
20.6.2016
Dear Derek,
I await your response to my proposal of 14th June regarding the letter.
Re: Failure to Investigate Tax Avoidance by the Greedy
Dear Derek,
When we had our little street-meeting you mentioned that I was breaking the law by putting up socialist posters in public. I responded by reminding you that the Conservative Party were involved in plenty of illegal activity, at which you smiled knowingly. I see you have just voted against investigating the off-shore tax avoidance schemes of your plutocratic capitalist bosses. Whilst these jokers rob society, they snidely point the finger of blame at the poor, the uneducated and the young. This is what conservatism is all about - protect the rich and greedy and let the ordinary people suffer. That's why I put up socialist posters - at least I break the law honestly.
Please give your reasons for voting down this investigation and protecting the super-rich exploiters of society. Why are you not protesting at the illegal maltreatment of the unemployed and the unwell, when the UN is investigating your Party's crimes against the disabled? Should not a Christian follow the example of Rabbi Jesus and side with the poor? Perhaps you think you can side with the poor and the super-rich simultaneously, but this is untenable and illusory. You are involved in a class-war and you are on the front line - for now. All you have done in office is attack the poor and help the rich. You are practicing your Party's philosophy to perfection.
Yours sincerely,
Jeremy -------------------------------
Update: 23:6:2016:
From: Derek Thomas MP, 21.6.2016:
Thank you Jeremy
However, I will not be sharing the letter with you.
I'm not sure if it is related but I understand you are
concerned about the harbour and you are keen to ensure it and the surrounding
location is treated sensitively. I want to assure you that, whilst I am keen to
ensure the harbour area is 'fit for purpose' and is well maintained, I am very
aware that we must tread carefully and take into account local concern and
opinion.
I have no preferred plans for the development of the harbour
area. I do believe we must do something to improve the area for all concerned
including reducing congestion which I hope you would agree with.
Regards
Derek Thomas
Member of Parliament for St Ives
---------------------------------------
22.6.2016
To: Derek Thomas
MP
Re: 'Stinging Letter'
Dear Derek,
What saddens me is that public officials, from police
chiefs, to head-teachers, to MPs, to planning officers, to school-governors, to
diplomats are all fundamentally unwilling to enter into dialogue with members
of the public. I'm not talking about form-letters and
circumlocution-tactics, I'm talking about dialogue. I pointed out to you
that your reasons for concealing the 'letter' that you claim exists, are
spurious and do not stand up to enquiry. You are unwilling to discuss the
matter but merely repeat that your mind is made up, without being able to
justify your reasons. This is not dialogue, but evasion, the favourite
meat of the bourgeois political-class, who have no desire to engage with
the people in any meaningful way whatsoever. Why would the capitalists
want to waste time engaging in a dialogue that would publicly challenge their
rapacious agenda? Particularly when they have no intention of acting on
anything the public say, unless forced into a corner by overwhelming pressure
of public-opinion?
How about the interview you claimed you were so willing to
conduct when we last met, are you still keen to proceed with it? If so,
let me know please. I think an exchange of ideas could be very edifying
for all concerned.
Best wishes,
Jeremy
---------------------------------
From the office of Derek Thomas MP, 23.6.2016:
This Saturday as you may be aware is Penzance Mazey Day.
Derek Thomas is hosting Coffee and Cake this Saturday lunchtime in his office
following the main morning parade.
The constituency office remains open every Saturday morning
including this Saturday from 9.30-1.00pm each week for those wanting to call in
person or telephone for assistance.
Derek warmly invites you to join him for Coffee and
Cake this Saturday 12.00-1.00pm
The office is located on the second floor of the Wharfside
shopping Centre, Penzance.
We look forward to seeing if you are able to make it.
For further details or information please contact the office
who will be happy to assist you.
Simon Jones
Constituency Manager
Office of Derek Thomas MP
Member of Parliament for St Ives
---------------------------------------
Well, there you go... Derek may not want to show me the 'stinging letter', but at least he's invited me round for cake and coffee, which is nice. I almost feel guilty for wittering on about the bourgeois, capitalist-class politicians and their cynical rightist agenda, but hey,someone's got to do it and anyway, I've gotta get my fun somehow.
On a more serious note, I've just received the following letter from MSG, the Governors of Mousehole School:
It would seem that, despite being given no time in which to even begin to look into the process of 'conversion to academy status' and check its propriety and legality, the time for talking has been declared over and we now move on to the next stage. The future of Mousehole School hangs in the balance. Whether it can continue to exist as Mousehole School remains to be seen. With public apathy and acquiescence running at nearly one hundred per cent, the chips are stacked heavily towards the capitalists, but nothing is yet certain and their plan can still be rejected. The governors can still refuse to cooperate with this ill-thought-out and unjust plan and throw it out. Check back with this blog to follow developments.
I'm Jeremy Schanche, British artist and activist. This blog features my paper, The Limpet. Here I write about human rights, the environment and politics. Please see my articles about Harold Hempstead and Florida Department of Corrections, with more at Harold Hempstead Caged Crusader Wordpress.com.
I have another blog that's completely different - it's where you'll find The Caterpillar, a journal of collage, poetry and surrealism that is remixed as The Caterpillar Dub - the world's first Dub newspaper. Both of these can be found at:
http://yecaterpillar.blogspot.com.
In October 2024 I published my first paperback book of fiction - The Horned Whale or An Morvil Kornek by Jeremy Schanche - available at various bookshops and at Amazon.
ISBN: 9780993490903.
175,710 words.
£15.
Contains the mystery novel - The Kramvil, plus two novellas, poetry and glossaries.
