Gary's views

Gary's weekly views

Each week an article by Gary has appeared in the Plympton Plymstock and Ivybridge News in South West Devon. The articles are published here

Is anywhere safe?

We all grieve the loss of a talented young lady from the heart of our community, so cruelly cut down on the threshold of adulthood. Our hearts and prayers go out to her family. We have equally watched on in amazement at the spate of murders in Cornwall in recent weeks, hard on the heels of a tragic killing in Plympton of a senior citizen in his own bed. What’s going on?

The police who have acquitted themselves so well through these recent killings, and deserve our praise, tell us that the fear of crime is far greater than the likelihood of being involved in one ourselves. Of course that must be right and we should not forget that. But in this quiet part of the world, where we expect life to chug along without major disruption, where we expect our children to be safe on buses, where we should be able to close our doors and feel safe, I can sense the frissons of concern rippling through our neighbourhood over these recent events.

How should we react to a growing sense of insecurity in modern society? May I suggest 3 things?

First, our sentencing regime must command public confidence. I am sorry to all those civil libertarians out there but enough is enough. If someone is caught perpetrating these evil crimes they should never stalk our streets again. Never. Whether it is sex crimes against innocent children or murders of the kind we have recently witnessed the punishment must fit the crime. It is what the vast majority of law-abiding citizens wish to see and I agree with them.

Second, the real fear of all those tempted to commit these acts of violence is the fear of being caught (and harshly punished). And so our police forces must have the resources to do the job, including the very best technology that money can buy. They have a responsibility to use it wisely, but we dare not short change the thin blue line.

Finally, we must look to prevention and not just to cure. We also have to consider more widely at some of the modern influences that act as catalysts for such deviant behaviour. Widespread drug abuse, such easy access by Internet and magazine to the most shocking pornography, gratuitous violence on our TV sets. Is it any wonder?

Some will cry: freedom! Precisely; freedom for our children. What do you think? mail@garystreeter.co.uk

posted by Nigel on Monday, November 24, 2003

Gary's weekly views

Each week an article by Gary has appeared in the Plympton Plymstock and Ivybridge News in South West Devon. The articles are published here

Fireworks

Fireworks – where do you stand? Is it a bit of harmless fun that brightens our autumn, or does it reduce many of our streets to war zones and our animals to shivering wrecks? Should the government introduce regulations to protect those who simply wish to sit in their bungalows without leaping out of their armchairs with fright every time a Whiz-Blaster screams into the stratosphere, or should the nanny state get off the back of the people and let them enjoy themselves?

Of such fine decisions is government made.

I must confess that I have moved on this issue. Some years ago when the first trickle of letters complaining about bonfire night activities reached my desk, I was less than sympathetic. Surely, this is just harmless fun, and even though our own Jack Russell Terrier, now sadly departed, considered each explosion a personal attack upon his household, I took the view that the freedom to enjoy fireworks for a few nights a year was not something that government should meddle with. No longer.

As the bangs have got louder and the rockets soar ever higher; as fireworks night now ranges over three weeks rather than one night; as more and more youngsters think that stuffing a banger through granny’s door is a bit of a laugh, I now believe that it is time for action.

Over the last few years the trickle of your letters of protest has become a steady stream. This year they are pouring in. There has been an attempt at a voluntary code, but based on the evidence this year, this simply has not worked. So I welcome the Fireworks Act 2003 that gives the government power to make regulations.

But what should those regulations be? It is important not to overreact, but it would be good to restrict the use of fireworks – without licence - into a much shorter time period? I certainly would like to ban the sale of these things to young people (anyone under 65 perhaps!) and above all to impose a decibel limit on the big blasters.

Naturally we should not cramp the style of those who wish to celebrate Guy Fawkes still popular attempt to blow up Parliament! But we must surely protect vulnerable people and their loved pets.

Organised firework displays within set time limits are great – but let’s get the bangers off the streets. What do you think? E-mail me on mail@garystreeter.co.uk

posted by Nigel on Monday, November 17, 2003

Gary's weekly views

Each week an article by Gary has appeared in the Plympton Plymstock and Ivybridge News in South West Devon. The articles are published here

Change of Leader

In my first article on these fine pages, I promised you all that I would not use this space to make a party political broadcast. I intend to keep that promise, but I think that many of you would be very surprised if I did not take this opportunity to talk about the impromptu leadership election in the Conservative Party.

Conservative elections are primarily an internal matter for the Conservative Party. However many of you voted for us at the last general election and perhaps feel that you have some interest in the matter. Even those of you who voted for another political party still feel that the Tories should be providing strong opposition to the government. This issue could be of interest to you too.

I want to start by saying that I believe that good things were achieved under the leadership of Iain Duncan Smith. For the first time in a political generation we have managed to stop feuding about the issue of Europe. This was a huge achievement.

We have also begun to develop some exciting new policies to improve our failing public services. These policies are radical and eye catching and sure to shape the agenda of the next Conservative government.

But there were problems. The government have suffered the worst summer that any administration could suffer and yet we Conservatives had not managed to make substantial and sustained gains in the polls. Clearly our message was not getting across.

The Country deserves a strong opposition, and for that to happen the opposition needs a strong leader. The Conservative party now have the option of electing a strong leader.

He or she needs to be a person of substance and integrity. Preferably with a bit of experience as well.

A few weeks ago I wrote about how politicians need to work hard at regaining the trust of the British people whoever takes over the leadership of the party will need to take crucial steps in that direction.

Over the last two years many of you have written to me expressing your views on the Tory leadership. Please feel free to carry on doing so.

posted by Nigel on Monday, November 10, 2003

Gary's weekly views

Each week an article by Gary has appeared in the Plympton Plymstock and Ivybridge News in South West Devon. The articles are published here

North Korea

As you read these words I will be in Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, shivering in temperatures of minus 10. I am taking part in a small private delegation to test out the scope for increasing dialogue with this secluded country on the other side of the world. 23 million people living in a closed communist society that has been since the 1950’s under the autocratic rule of first “Great Leader” President Kim Il Sung and now his son “Great Comrade” Kim Jong Il. 1 million of the nation’s population are soldiers, many of them massed along the border with prosperous capitalist South Korea.

What makes this country so important is that North Korea either has or is about to acquire nuclear weapons.
Some while ago a colleague and I became increasingly concerned about the way the tensions between North Korea and its neighbours were developing. When all the world’s focus was rightly on terrorism, the middle-east and Iraq it seemed to us that this tiny state so far away posed an equivalent threat to global peace and stability due to its obsession with going nuclear. There are talks going on with China and USA and others, but they have hit major problems.

So we are embarking on an initial fact finding mission to see if there is scope for more dialogue to reduce barriers and see a peaceful resolution to the nuclear tensions in the Far East. Needless to say, this is a long-term project.
What’s that got to do with me, the British Parliament and South West Devon? Whether we like it or not, the world is becoming a global village and these potential conflicts – especially where nuclear weapons are involved – are a matter for all of us. The days of splendid isolation and turning our backs on events the far side of nowhere are long gone. I also believe that the UK, much respected abroad, with our rich heritage and diplomatic experience, has a unique role in being a force for good.

There is another reason for going. If the twentieth century belonged to America, who can doubt but that the twenty-first will belong to China. We fly in via Beijing, providing a first chance for me to get a feel for the economic and cultural energy that will propel that massive nation into super-power territory before too long.
I will report back to you all in due course.

posted by Nigel on Sunday, November 02, 2003