Dear Sir,

The announcement by General Motors to save the Ellesmere Port Vauxhall plant at a cost of potentially mothballing an Opel factory in Germany is good news not only for the town, but for Cheshire as a whole.

With traditional manufacturing jobs being squeezed, it is reassuring that the UK car sector in the North West is able to defy the economic trend by not only saving over 2,000 jobs until at least 2020, but create as many as 700 new permanent posts in the process.

Our North West car plants, including the nearby JLR factory in Halewood, go to show that given the right level of investment, our automotive manufacturing industry is second to none, capable of producing not only the quality, but the quantity of cars being demanded either in Europe or in the emerging markets.

Yours faithfully

Paul Nuttall MEP

RIGHT TO BE INSULTED

A campaign calling for the right to be insulted without running to the law for protection from hurt feelings is being backed by UKIP.

Local MEP Paul Nuttall, the Party’s Deputy Leader, said that the Party has pledged wholehearted support for the “Reform Section 5” campaign which is calling for the repeal of Section 5 of the Public Order Act.

“The principle that freedom of speech, a basic liberty, must be defended and protected from well meaning legislation is one that UKIP has supported for years. We have had a commitment to reform Section 5 almost since we had any commitments.

“In a robust democracy people must be free to insult and be insulted. We have laws that protect against incitement to violence and hatred, that should be enough. To protect my feelings from those who wish to laugh at me or hold me in contempt is a freedom I never wanted, nor hoped for,” he said

The Government launched a consultation on the Public Order Act last October, including whether the word ‘insulting’ in Section 5 strikes a good balance between freedom of expression and the right not to be harassed, alarmed or distressed. It is expected MPs will be able to vote on repealing Section 5 later this year.

“I am delighted that the campaign is gaining momentum and various bodies, including the Christian Institute, the National Secular Society and the Freedom Association and prominent individuals are standing up for the liberty of people to throw verbal brickbats around,” said Mr Nuttall..

Reform Section 5 Campaign can be found here

http://www.reformsection5.org.uk/

The rise in youth unemployment in Preston by a whopping 346% in the past 12 months is a shocking statistic that no one can be proud of.

Too many young people are finding themselves neither in work, education or training as they are being overlooked and not given the opportunities they deserve to get on with life.

However, local MP Mark Hendrick is wrong to point the blame solely on the poor decision making of the Conservative-Lib Dem Coalition. Perhaps he needs reminding that it was under his Labour party that unskilled immigration from Eastern Europe spiralled out of control creating the tragic situation where nearly 9 in 10 new jobs created are filled by migrant workers.

Yours faithfully

Paul Nuttall MEP

Just what is it about this incompetent government, that having failed to deliver a budget and set out a Queen’s Speech that offers and encourages growth to our economy, that they are wasting time on talk of reforming the House of Lords and gay marriage?

Whilst these two issues are apparently important to Nick Clegg and the left- leaning PM David Cameron, neither will have any impact on our economy.

As the coalition appears to have run out of both excuses and ideas, their response to criticism from business leaders came from William Hague MP, who told them to stop complaining and work harder.

I would suggest that the coalition start doing the same. They have been in power for over two years and show they are clueless at governing our country, each blaming the other, and for good measure, the previous Labour governments.

Yours faithfully

Philip Griffiths, North West Chairman UK Independence Party

DANGEROUS DOG PLANS

Proposals to impose harsher punishments on owners of dangerous dogs have been welcomed by local MEP Paul Nuttall.

The Sentencing Guidelines Council has set new guidelines which mean more offenders will face prison sentences and they have set 18 months as suitable for the most serious cases.

“I am not usually in accord with the decisions of this body, as they tend to reduce sentencing tariffs and also, in effect, tie the judges’ hands. But on this occasion I agree that sentences for dangerous dog owners need to be tougher,” said Mr Nuttall, UKIP Deputy Leader.

“Many of us see on a daily basis cocky young lads strutting around with pit bull type dogs and mastiffs designed to enhance their tough image, and it can be very intimidating.

“Of course other owners have perfectly well behaved dogs who they keep muzzled and under control but it is the minority that pose a danger.  We all can recall horrific incidents were people have been savaged to death.

“I also think DEFRA is right to considering whether it should be a criminal offence for possessing an out-of-control dog on private property but I am against compulsory microchipping which is also under consideration.

“The vast majority of dog owners are law abiding, sensible and considerate and they are the ones who would be financially hit by such a move, particularly pensioners. Those with the dangerous dogs will just ignore it and carry on laughing at the law,” said Mr Nuttall.

May 16, 2012

NEW MAYOR APPOINTED

Councillor Chris Lamb has become the UKIP Mayor of Preesall.

Cllr Lamb, who joined the town council in 2008 and is an active member of the community, was appointed at a ceremony this week.

“I am very honoured at the privilege and looking forward to my year as Mayor, particularly as it is the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee year and there will be many events taking place locally.

“The economic year ahead will be difficult and I want everyone in the community to look out for others, particularly the young, the old and the vulnerable,” he said.

Having served in both the Royal Navy and RAF he became involved with hygiene and health and safety and runs his own company. He is on the board of governors at Blackpool Victoria Hospital and Blackpool CVS.

A busy man, Cllr Lamb, 49,  is also an actor and toastmaster, a volunteer for a talking newspaper, does Sign Language and has started training to become a self employed self financed Ordained Priest.

His mayoress will be his wife Dawn, with whom he lives in Knott End.

I see that Merseytravel has started looking into replacing the fleet of existing trains serving the Merseyrail services, many of which will be approaching 40 years of operation by the time they are replaced. And about time too.

Commuters paying sky high fares, at the very least deserve a journey on a clean, comfortable and reliable WIFI enabled train that is more affordable to maintain.

However, what I believe is also important, is that any new order for trains for Merseyrail should come from a UK based firm so we can provide much needed long term employment opportunities for the many youngsters living in areas with little or no job prospects.

Yours faithfully

Paul Nuttall

This government seems determined to undermine our national defences at every twist and turn and now the latest victim appears to be 300 jobs at Longtown’s ammunition depot.

Every conceivable effort should be made to preserve and increase jobs not look for reasons to slash them.

Here the Ministry of Defence is saying it will cost £135 million to bring the buildings up to health and safety standards. Where on earth did they pluck that figure from, given that campaigners argue that around £13 million is a more realistic figure?

I am glad that local MPs have been lobbying the Defence Minister Peter Luft and I hope that such pressure will succeed in getting the MoD to abandon the closure plans. There must be a way to resolve the health and safety problems without throwing local workers on the scrapheap and this issue must be pursued with all vigour.

Paul Nuttall MEP

Dear Sir,

I was delighted to read that Wirral’s beaches are among the best in the North West, with four given the Good Beach Guide’s highest accolade of “recommended.”

It is particularly impressive as only a fifth of recommended beaches are in the North West in a year when 68% of UK beaches were shown to have excellent water quality.

It is important that the standard of our local beaches continues to improve generally, not because of EU directives, but so we can take our children to play on our shores without worrying about possible contamination.

Yours faithfully

Paul Nuttall MEP