By-Election Boost For Kashif Ali
Kashif Ali (centre) campaigning alongside Conservative Chairman Baroness Warsi in Uppermill last month.
The Conservatives have won the support of a prominent Uppermill business owner ahead of the by-election later this month. Nick Watts, who led a recent campaign against parking restrictions in the village, has given his backing to Tory candidate Kashif Ali.
Mr Watts runs IT and internet services business Urban Haze from his Uppermill home. He has used an open letter to praise Mr Ali as someone who “will fight for ordinary voters like me.”
His letter stated: “I’ve never been party political and have no political affiliation. Recently I campaigned against proposed parking restrictions in Uppermill. Despite getting 750 local signatures on a petition, Labour and Liberal Democrat councillors wholly ignored these and approved the plans at a council meeting on 16 December.”
Mr Watts praised Mr Ali for being “sympathetic and helpful” over the matter, adding that he felt “let down” by both Labour and the Lib Dems.
His letter continued: “On 13 January I believe we need to elect a good local constituency MP who will be an advocate for our community. I know from my own experience that whilst Labour and the Liberal Democrats fight each other and engage in negative attacks, Kashif Ali will fight for ordinary voters like me.”
In a statement, Mr Ali added: “Every candidate should be listening to the local voters and taking their concerns seriously; we are listening to people and will make them part of the decision making process.”
After he was approached by Mr Watts, Lib Dem candidate Elwyn Watkins did in fact raise the matter with his party colleague Cllr John McCann, who represents Uppermill and is also the Oldham Council Cabinet member responsible for the policy. Cllr McCann said Mr Watkins had “rightly made representation” on behalf of local residents.
However, Cllr McCann disagreed with Mr Watts and insisted the time limits would “help not hinder” local residents and businesses, by freeing up parking spaces to help bring more trade into the village.
When asked about the issue by Saddleworth News on Friday, Labour candidate Debbie Abrahams said she believed such matters should be decided on the basis of evidence.
You can read more details about the parking time limits in a Saddleworth News article here. More of Cllr McCann’s views can be read here.
A total of ten candidates are contesting the Oldham East and Saddleworth by-election. You can read and listen to interviews with Mrs Abrahams here, Pirate Party UK candidate Loz Kaye here, Stephen Morris of the English Democrats here, UKIP’s Paul Nuttall here, and Mr Watkins here.
Aside from Mr Ali, the other contenders are the BNP’s Derek Adams, Peter Allen of the Greens, David Bishop of the Bus Pass Elvis Party and Nick “The Flying Brick” Delves from the Monster Raving Loony Party. Saddleworth News will interview them between now and polling day, which is a week on Thursday.
To read full coverage of the by-election so far from Saddleworth News, including interviews with Nick Clegg, Vince Cable, Ed Miliband and Baroness Warsi, click here.
Author: Jude Gidney - Editor
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Actually, just to clarify one small thing;
The Conservatives have not won my support (yet) as I am currently still undecided who to vote for until, until all the candidates have had an opportunity to have their say on this matter.
My letter simply states the truth about who did something and who did nothing so far.
I openly invite all candidates to announce in simple terms what they would actually *DO* about the parking issue in Uppermill if they were elected.
But I am only one person – so until they make such announcements, I continue to urge people to press their candidates on local matters, particularly parking in Uppermill.
I’m open minded here, so whatever their responses, I will do my best to share them with the 750 people who signed the petition and anyone else who is interested, by publishing any announcements the candidates make (or don’t make) about parking in Uppermill on the www.uppermillparking.co.uk web site.
So clean slate here, come on candidates, you’ve got a chance to talk about a real genuine local matter and say what you’d do about it – one way or another, who’s wants to go first?!
Not surprised – Kashif in my opinion would be a good constituency MP – he is personable and genuinely listens to people.
He’s also a barrister with an Oxford/Cambridge education so ought to have the skills to be a good advocate for the area if he is elected.
If the Tories had got their fingers out earlier I have no doubt he would be a serious contender to win.
Nice guy – shame about the politics !