BNP and EDL protests in Hyde

Today saw two separate protests in Hyde, both focused on believed problems being caused in the locality by elements of the Muslim community.

The first protest was held by the British National Party and this protest involved a visit from BNP leader and North West MEP Nick Griffin.

The second and larger protest of the two was held by the English Defence League.

I mingled with the crowd and took a few photographs and canvassed opinions from locals in attendance. The general message from the people I had the chance to speak with was that they believed members of the Muslim community who commit crimes are not dealt with in an appropriate way by the police. The perception from two leather clad members of the Stalybridge Motorcycle Club appeared to be that the police allow Muslims to get away with offences that anyone else would be prosecuted for.

I didn’t see any trouble and as far as I know there no arrests.

The question is; does the local Muslim community get treated with kid gloves by the authorities or is this belief unfounded and unjustified?









Local Asians gather to oppose the BNP & EDL

Are you in a situation where you have more mobile phones than hands?

If so, I have just found the perfect solution, the Nokia X1-01 dual sim mobile. For various historical reasons I have ended up with more than one mobile phone. I have a personal phone, a work phone, a phone for the bit on the side (joke) and an Android Smartphone which I use for its GPS and internet facilities. Many people I know also have more than one phone and it can become a real drag at times, not just physically carrying them but also charging them because until very recently there was no such thing as a standard charger which meant all manufacturers used different chargers for their products. This is where the Nokia X1-01 comes useful as you can use two sims in the same phone at the same time. Say for example your personal phone is on Vodafone and your work phone is on T-Mobile you can now take the sims out of each and place them both into X1-01 and you have both numbers on the same phone thus eliminating the need for two individual phones.

The Nokia X1-01 is a basic phone which does not even have a camera, but do not let this put you off as it is an outstandingly well built handset and an absolute pleasure to use. The battery can last for up to 43 days on standby which is a feat in its own right. It is simple to text from and the audio quality is first class too. I cannot recommend this handset highly enough and it is an absolute steal at less than £40.

Tameside Labour Councillor “wishes blindness” on a poorly 86 year old lady

Another councillor in Tameside has apologised after she wished ‘Margaret Thatcher would go blind’.

Ann Holland made the controversial remarks during a Tameside council meeting – where £22m cuts were agreed.

Attacking cuts to the NHS, she listed public figures, including David Cameron and Prince Philip,who had been treated by the health service.

Coun Holland, a Labour member for Droylsden West, told the meeting: “Where did Margaret Thatcher go for her eyes – I dearly wish she’d go blind but she went to the NHS.”

Baroness Thatcher, 86, underwent laser eye surgery while in office in 1983.

Council leader Coun Kieran Quinn said Coun Holland had apologised. Manchester Evening News

What is it with these Labour councillors? Many of them do appear to be genuinely nasty people. Baroness Thatcher may not be everyone’s cup of tea but what a truly horrible thing wish upon her. Tameside Citizen

Tameside Council leader says EDL ‘outsiders’ not welcome in Hyde

A council leader has said he does not want "outsiders" in a Tameside town for a planned march by the English Defence League.

The group has formally notified Greater Manchester Police it plans to hold a demonstration in Hyde on Saturday.

Councillor Kieran Quinn said Tameside Council could not allow the march.

"This is about a hate-filled group wishing to come to Hyde to try and incite hatred and we will not support that," he said.

Mr Quinn said the council would write to the home secretary seeking a ban on the demonstration, which he said would be "the right thing".

"Hyde is a diverse and peaceful community and we don't welcome outsiders coming in whose only intention is to incite hatred. BBC News

I don’t know, what muddled times are living through. A group of Englishmen wishing to protest in an English town against extremism in the local immigrant community are branded as “hate filled outsiders” while the council leader describes the area of the planned protest as being ‘diverse and peaceful’, yea right Mr Council Leader, tell that to Daniel Stringer and all the victims of race attacks in Hyde.

In the late 1930’s Britain followed a coarse of appeasing a powerful and expansionist ideology and that ended up in a war. Let’s not repeat those mistakes again, albeit on a local level eh?

The more the authorities appear weak and cowardly in the face of threats and intimidation from the rapidly expanding immigrant community, the more emboldened certain members of that community will become.

Most people who live in Tameside are aware that the council rightly adopts a zero tolerance approach to littering and fly-tipping in the borough. How many people are aware that a certain section of the community in Hyde were given special dispensation to litter alleyways as it was considered to be ‘culturally acceptable’ due the fact that in their countries of origin it was acceptable to root through neighbours discarded items in case they found something which was of use to them. If anyone doubts what I say why not ask Cllr Bell, he was at the Hyde DA when this was discussed in great detail along with plans to leaflet the area advising the ’community’ that this practice was not really acceptable in Hyde. The difference being advice to one section of the community yet zero tolerance to the rest of us.

Appeasement does not work. The Council Leader should concern himself with the victims of hate crimes rather than trying to appease the perpetrators. Just ask yourself this, if the victim of the outrageous attack in Hyde was a young Asian boy and the attackers a large gang of white males, would the Council Leader be opposing a march by the Asian community who wanted to march against the extremism which lead to the attack? Tameside Citizen

Police and councillors meet to discuss banning anti-extremism march through Hyde

Greater Manchester Police's chief constable says he may seek to ban a march by the English Defence League (EDL) over fears it could spark unrest.

Peter Fahy is to meet Tameside councillors to discuss whether to apply for a Home Office ban for Saturday's proposed march in Hyde.

The protest follows an attack on Daniel Stringer-Prince who suffered a broken eye socket and fractured skull.

The EDL said the march was a national protest against extremism.

Mr Stringer-Price and a friend were attacked by a gang of Asian youths in Market Street on 4 February.

A statement on the EDL website said: "Our reason for demonstrating in Hyde is not to further divide communities or win support for racial politics.

"That is why we wish to make it abundantly clear that the British National Party, or any other group with a history of racial politics or racist ideas, will not be welcome at our demonstration.

"Our reason for demonstrating in Hyde is to protest about the government, the media and the Muslim community's continued inaction in the face of violent extremism and intolerance." BBC News

Beware of booby trapped mince

Or Greeks bearing gifts, so says this wise old buzzard I filmed today. It is amazing how this totally wild bird knows that sometimes when something seems too good to be true it often is, what a pity many of us advanced apes at times do not realise that too!

If you watch the video you will see how it is wary of the camera lens, but far more wary of the tempting 800g of mince that has mysteriously appeared in the woodland. How does this bird know it could be a trap? Has it previously been caught in a trap when on the lookout for an easy meal? Extremely unlikely as it would not have survived to tell the tale. Maybe it was taught to be cautious of such things by its parents when it was a chick? Possible but how would they communicate such a message without language? Maybe it is inherited instinct passed down through the buzzard bloodline because they have been persecuted for centuries. Is it nature or nurture which makes it so cautious? I do not know the answer but it would be fascinating to find out.

Dr Kailash Chand playing at politics?

The suggestion from the excellent Guido Fawkes‘ blog is that he is. He follows the typical Labour pattern of constant self publicity at every opportunity via the local media. What’s the betting that when the old Bearded Bolshevik from Ashton steps down Chand becomes the Labour PPC?

The comments on the Guido Fawkes' are worth reading in relation to Dr Chand. It is difficult to argue with the comment below.

Dukinfield IT expert turned down for 1,500 jobs

A computer expert says he fears he is on the scrapheap at 21 – after being turned down for more than 1,500 jobs.

Daniel Smith sailed through a college IT course and started looking for work – applying for an average of two jobs a day. After hitting a brick wall, he quickly widened his search to other jobs – but the rejections continued to pour in.

More than two years later, Daniel has been knocked back for posts in everything from cleaning and catering to shop work. He said: "I feel that I’m stuck in a hole with nowhere to go but deeper in the hole."

The number of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance in Greater Manchester hit 82,000 in December, up by 10,900, or 15.3 per cent, over the past year. The jobless total included 26,000 out-of-work young people, aged 16 to 24 – up 4,800 in a year.

Nationally, the number of unemployed 16 to 24-year-olds hit 1.04m in December, the highest since records began in 1992.

The full article can be read on the website of the Manchester Evening News

I know a young man in a very similar position to Daniel Smith. Young, highly qualified and unable to get any meaningful paid employment. This country is in a total mess and why oh why are we still allowing record numbers of immigrants to permanently settle in the UK?

At one time we were told we needed immigrants to “do the jobs we were too lazy to do” but now it seems there are far too few jobs to go around so the immigrant arrivals will either be competing in the already oversubscribed jobs market or if they are unable to find a job they will be claiming benefits. Which ever way you look at it, it’s bad for Britain but sadly the issue will not be tackled because people are petrified of being branded racist, despite immigration not being exclusive to any particular race. Total madness! Tameside Citizen

Will bridge number 97 of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal survive 2012?

Probably not looking at the way it is being dismantled piece by piece. Not sure if it is local yobs taking the bricks and dropping them into the canal or thieves stealing the bricks which may be valuable due to their age. But one thing is certain; the bridge is losing bricks quicker than William Hague is losing the hairs from his shiny head.

It is sad to think this bridge stood during the birth of the Industrial Revolution, the abolition of slavery, two world wars, man taking his first steps on the moon and even the decimation of Britain at the hands of Nu-Labour from 1997 to 2010 but it is now succumbing to total destruction at the hands of sub-humans.

Interesting local website: Walks in Tameside

I stumbled upon this website and TC readers may find it of interest. The website is fairly amateurish, but the content is what makes it interesting. Residents of Tameside are blessed with some fantastic scenery and interesting local places to go on walks.

The owner of the website, a gentleman called Bill Murney has walking guides focused on Tameside on sale for £9.95 each. They look good and when I have bought one I will give my opinion. He also has a Youtube channel dedicated to walks around Tameside.

As Bill Murney says on his website; walking is a fantastic way of doing exercise and keeping fit. Check out his website and think about buying one of his guides. Once you get addicted to the great outdoors and exploring the wilderness there is no going back and your overall fitness level will increase every time you take to the hills.