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Topic ID 3246

06/12/2007 by newcomer

PriskWatch

Whilst reading some blogs (ahem, I mean working from home[:I]), I found a link to this cornish website that mentions Hertford: http://www.priskwatch.blogspot.com/ I didn't know all this. Ain't the internet marvellous! [;)] Maybe this is old news, but I've only just seen it


0 replies

Archived Replies

Reply ID 46773

06/12/2007 by jez_p

But to be fair I have seen him around Hertford and Ware a fair bit too.


Reply ID 46782

06/12/2007 by Ewoowar

He was elected to represent his constituents. What would these constituents have thought in the run up to the election if it was known that their MP would spend some of the time he was meant to be represneting them working for a completely different part of the country. Any time he spends working for Cornwall is time he should be spennding working for his constituents.


Reply ID 46783

06/12/2007 by James007

But he doesn't live here, does he? As an MP you can represent any area but to get any votes you have to seek the voter. I've never seen the bloke. He was around when Macs put the Sainsbury site up for sale. He doesn't represent Hertford though.


Reply ID 46784

06/12/2007 by Michael

I'm afraid that if the conservatives put up a candidate for Hertford and Stortford that was a monkey he would still get returned. I'm not going to comment on whether this fellow is any good. I haven't needed to use him and I don't know him. He should still be doing his job though. But they don't have to try very hard here to get returned do they?


Reply ID 46785

06/12/2007 by JohnSmith

If the Conservatives formed the next government and Mark Prisk was given the role of Foreign Secretary, would the person who created http://www.priskwatch.blogspot.com/ then complain that he was spending too much time involved with foreign affairs than looking after his own constituents? I've asked for his help a couple of times and found him very approachable and very helpful.


Reply ID 46786

06/12/2007 by sloopjohnb

As far as I am aware he still lives in Much Hadham which is pretty close to both Hertford and Stortford which he represents. He has attended Partnershp breakfasts, written the reference which is quoted on the website for Hidden Hertford's application to the Lottery. Quite often seen around town; opened the new book shop, monthly surgeries at the Castle, petitioned against Health service cuts in the town centre and often strolls around the Farmers Market. Compared to the previous incumbent he is to quote a friend of mine 'visible'.


Reply ID 46787

07/12/2007 by Steve

quote:
Originally posted by newcomer
Whilst reading some blogs (ahem, I mean working from home[:I]), I found a link to this cornish website that mentions Hertford: http://www.priskwatch.blogspot.com/ I didn't know all this. Ain't the internet marvellous! [;)] Maybe this is old news, but I've only just seen it
Looks like it's run by someone with an axe to grind (as is so often the case with political bloggers). The User Profile tells us very little about the author, other than "A long way from the issues in Hertford and Stortford, Mark Prisk MP just loves spending time in Cornwall". Given the author's lack of credentials, it just comes across as little more than an attempt at character assasination.


Reply ID 46789

07/12/2007 by shunt

Not uncommon though. I know of one Conservative candidate who, having failed to be elected in their own home county patch also stood in Cornwall. The reason:- the current holder of the post died. Candidates follow vacancies, regardless of area. The money's worth it.


Reply ID 46801

07/12/2007 by dennismoore

Yes, it looks like a hatchet job by his political opponents. But it does underline the sad fact (as Michael says) that whoever or whatever the conservatives put up for election here will inevitably get in. I always thought he looked like a sack of potatoes! It also underlines that in a lot of places, like Cornwall, the conservatives just can't get the votes. I seem to remember that their Scottish minister was also MP for Kensington and Chelsea for many years because they couldn't win any seats in Scotland. I'm sure Mr. Prisk would rather we didn't know too much about his Cornish job, but if we did, I don't suppose there would be enough of a backlash to unseat him.


Reply ID 46811

08/12/2007 by nora batty

quote:
Originally posted by Michael
I'm afraid that if the conservatives put up a candidate for Hertford and Stortford that was a monkey he would still get returned.
Conclusion: A Conservative ANYTHING is better than the current alternatives on offer.


Reply ID 46837

08/12/2007 by furrybunny

so what if he spends some time in Cornwall! he does a first rate job here, whenever I have contacted him over certain issues he has been most helpful and informative, nothing is too much trouble.


Reply ID 46838

08/12/2007 by dennismoore

quote:
Originally posted by nora batty
quote:
Originally posted by Michael
I'm afraid that if the conservatives put up a candidate for Hertford and Stortford that was a monkey he would still get returned.
Conclusion: A Conservative ANYTHING is better than the current alternatives on offer.
You mean Nora Batty's a Tory? Next you'll be telling us Hyacinth Bucket and Victor Meldrew are SWP supporters!!


Reply ID 46870

10/12/2007 by newcomer

quote:
Originally posted by Steve Looks like it's run by someone with an axe to grind (as is so often the case with political bloggers).
Well of course it is! I hardly think a disinterested member of the public would go to the trouble of setting this up.[:)] Everything thing these days (both new and old media) is biased/has an axe to grind (including the BBC but not in the way the Daily Mailers like to think[;)]). The trick is to extract any useful information from a site/paper/programme whilst making adequate compensation for any bias. This should be taught in schools (maybe it is?)! Ahem, rant over [:I]


Reply ID 46871

10/12/2007 by newcomer

quote:
Originally posted by JohnSmith
If the Conservatives formed the next government and Mark Prisk was given the role of Foreign Secretary...
I'm not sure that's the correct analogy, I think it's the fact that it's another area of the same country that might be an issue for some people. A better analogy would be if he was made Secretary of State for Scotland...except that Scotland is easier to get to than Cornwall [:D] and at least that government job actually exists!


Reply ID 46902

10/12/2007 by shunt

quote:
Originally posted by newcomer
quote:
Originally posted by Steve Looks like it's run by someone with an axe to grind (as is so often the case with political bloggers).
Well of course it is! I hardly think a disinterested member of the public would go to the trouble of setting this up.[:)] Everything thing these days (both new and old media) is biased/has an axe to grind (including the BBC but not in the way the Daily Mailers like to think[;)]). The trick is to extract any useful information from a site/paper/programme whilst making adequate compensation for any bias. This should be taught in schools (maybe it is?)! Ahem, rant over [:I]
Not necessarily. Many satirists and political commentators have no particular bias, it's the (so called) News which does, as you rightly point out. In some ways you'll get more accurate news from satire, because to find the irony/humour requires the writer to study what lies behind the story, rather than just cribbing from one of the two extremely biased sources from which most broadcast, web and printed Newsrooms quote. The effort expended also doesn't always suggest bias. I recently took the trouble to go after the blood of a political candidate myself, without a political "axe to grind". Her politics were irrelevant to me and she wasn't even contesting a local seat. What prompted me to make the effort was that I knew her version of personal history and achievements was entirely fabricated, being the achievements of others for which she was claiming credit. Her offence in my my eyes was hypocritical bigotry and dishonesty, not being a member of a particular party. It is possible to feel strongly, without being bias.


15 replies