Wolverhampton Politics

Matthew Revell and studio guests discuss politics from a Wolverhampton perspective.

Studio guests: Jono Bacon (free software chap) and Carl Husted (Conservative candidate for Wolverhampton Bushbury North).

• 03.54: Single status pay cuts at Wolverhampton City Council, featuring a statement from the WolvesSingleStatus.com campaign.
• 18.20: Digital and online freedoms interview with Stuart Langridge.
• 39.40: Chapel Trash - Don Clarke of Torquil Clarke talks about the decline of Chapel Ash, including the Sainsbury’s versus Tesco battle, drug dealers and the former Charles Clarke dealership.

http://audio.wolverhamptonpolitics.co.uk/2007/18/wolpol-e18-20071221.mp3

Matthew Revell and studio guests discuss politics from a Wolverhampton perspective.

Studio guests: Colin Ross (Lib Dem activist) and Mike Nattrass (UKIP MEP for the West Midlands).

Recorded 30th November 2007.

• 04.00:Is Labour in meltdown?
• 33.43:How important is a party’s leader?
• 46.00:The dangers of invoking Enoch Powell and should we English follow the Scots’ example and take pride in St George’s Day?

http://audio.wolverhamptonpolitics.co.uk/2007/17/wolpol-e17-20071130.mp3

Matthew Revell and studio guests discuss politics from a Wolverhampton perspective.

Studio guests: Colin Ross (Lib Dem activist)and Wendy Thompson (Conservative councillor, Wolverhampton Tettenhall Wightwick ward).

• 02.00: MPs’ expenses.
• 20.00: Is it time for a ban on fireworks?
• 30.30: Lib Dem leadership contest.
• 45.00: Wolverhampton South West Lib Dems win the Albert Ingham award for the best Lib Dem campaign in the country. Moving into a discussion on how Labour are doing running the city.

http://audio.wolverhamptonpolitics.co.uk/2007/16/wolpol-e16-20071109.mp3

Matthew Revell and studio guests discuss politics from a Wolverhampton perspective.

Studio guests: Mark Watson (Editor, MinorityPerspective.co.uk and Darren Husted (Labour activist).

• 02.00: Lottery money for the Black Country? Is a televised vote the best way to decide how to spend lottery money?
• 11.15: James Watson’s statements on genetic influence on intelligence.
• 29.45: Matt Wardman gives an update on the Alisher Usmanov blog censorship case.
• 44.40: David Lindsay introduces his new political party The British People’s Alliance.

http://audio.wolverhamptonpolitics.co.uk/2007/15/wolpol-e15-20071102.mp3

Matthew Revell and studio guests discuss politics from a Wolverhampton perspective.

Studio guests: Carl Husted (Conservative) and Mark Watson (Editor, Minority Perspective)

01.35 - Are we all too fat to think for ourselves? Academics, think tanks, pressure groups and politicians are fond of telling us that we’re drinking and eating too much. Now they’re telling us it’s not our fault because society makes us eat more than we should. There’s also a proposal for smoking licences and an enforced hour’s exercise each day! Is this an Orwellian nightmare come true or are we really all too stupid to look after ourselves?

21.52 - Tax on school savings: should local authorities be allowed to take 5% annually from each school’s savings?

32.33 - General chat: Carl and Mark raise issues that interest them. Carl asks, “Is democracy dead?” Mark raises the Jean Charles de Menezes case.

47.34 - Is Boris Johnson racist? Mark and Carl debate whether or not Boris Johnson’s remarks on race make him an unsuitable candidate for London mayor.

http://audio.wolverhamptonpolitics.co.uk/2007/wolpol-e14-20071026.mp3

Matthew Revell and guests debate the latest in Wolverhampton Politics/

Studio guests: Councillor David Bourne (Conservative) and Darren Husted (Labour)

02:25: Is Wolverhampton City Council running out of money? It is planning to charge charities and places of worship up to £5,000 per year for refuse collection. Also, it’s planning to charge businesses for placing signs and chairs/tables on the pavement, etc. Until now they’ve had these services for free.

28.15: Wolverhampton’s Hackney Carriage (black cab) drivers are striking. They’re unhappy about private hire vehicles taking their business and they believe the council is doing little to stop it. Does such a distinction between private hire and black cabs even make any sense? Shiva Mizra - their representative - explains their complaints, Councillor David Bourne (member of the licensing committee) explains the city’s position.

45.40: General chat: how much holiday should MPs get, what do they do with their holiday, do David and Darren care about the Lib Dem leadership contest?

Want to contribute? Email politics@wcrfm.com.

http://audio.wolverhamptonpolitics.co.uk/2007/13/wolpol-e13-20071019.mp3

Matthew Revell takes a look at current political issues from a Wolverhampton perspective, with a focus on extended discussion.

Studio guests: Richard Whitehouse (Lib Dem councillor for Spring Vale ward) and Mark Watson (Editor, Minority Perspective).

00:02 - Mark Watson talks about his new website aimed at people from ethnic minorities, called Minority Perspective. Would he support a similar website for white people? What are the political issues affecting his readers? Are there enough non-white people on Wolverhampton City Council?

11:52 - Blogger DK of Devil’s Kitchen gives the case against human-induced climate change - anthropogenic climate change - and discusses his view of the factual accuracy of Al Gore’s The Inconvenient Truth.

30:05 - Blogger Dizzy aka Phil talks about the film Ministry of Truth that was part of the BBC’s Why Democracy? season and discusses the practicalities of implementing a law to prevent politicians from knowingly misleading the public.

41:00 - Dr Seab Gabb of the Libertarian Alliance puts the case for libertarianism.

http://audio.wolverhamptonpolitics.co.uk/2007/12/wolpol-e12-20071012.mp3

Matthew Revell takes a look at the practical and ideological in the world of politics, from a Wolverhampton perspective.

Studio guest: Andrew Wynne (Conservative).

Recorded: 5th October 2007. Originally broadcast on WCR FM.

02:25 - Kim Ledgar, Executive Officer for the Midlands region of the Federation of Sub-postmasters, talks about the Government’s Post Office closure programme. She explains the odd situation where sub-postmasters invest in and run their business but have the hands tied by Royal Mail/the Government. She also expresses her relief at the closure programme as it offers a way out for struggling sub-postmasters and describes ways in which local government could give more business to Post Offices.

20:33 - Andrew Wynne explains how he squares his support of free markets with the importance of Post Offices.

27:58 - Andrew discusses whether Gordon Brown should call an election (recorded before Brown ruled out an election), talks about the Conservative Party conference and whether the Conservatives are enjoying a comeback.

43:00 - Steve Radford - leader of the Liberal Party talks about his party’s beliefs, sets them apart from the Lib Dems and explains why they chose Wolverhampton for their party conference.

http://audio.wolverhamptonpolitics.co.uk/2007/11/wolpol-e11-20071005.mp3

Matthew Revell and guests talk about politics from a Wolverhampton perspective. Recorded 28th September 2007.

Studio guests: David Hartley (Labour) and Doug Hope (UKIP).

01:43 - Blogger DK, of Devil’s Kitchen, gives the case against the EU Constitution/Reform Treaty.

16:14 - Peter Luff, Chair of the European Movement, gives the case for the EU Reform Treaty/Constitution.

27:15 - Councillor Pat Byrne, who holds the Environment portfolio, talks about Wolverhampton City Council’s animal welfare programme and recycling in the city.

38:00 - David and Doug talk about their parties’ conferences and debate the contribution that Labour have made to the country.

http://audio.wolverhamptonpolitics.co.uk/2007/10/wolpol-e10-20070928.mp3

A friend of Wolverhampton Politics sends word from the Labour Party conference that the party’s regional directors are being sent home early from conference. Apparently, they’re being told to prepare for a 25th October - 8th November time frame.