Labour anger at comments on university (From Swindon Advertiser)
Get involved! Send photos, video, news & views. Text SWINDON NEWS to 80360 or email us
Labour anger at comments on university
2:00pm Wednesday 17th December 2008 in News
Anne Snelgrove, South Swindon MP
LABOUR politicians have slammed comments by Swindon’s Conservative parliamentary candidates over having a university in the town.
Robert Buckland and Coun Justin Tomlinson – prospective Conservative candidates for South and North Swindon – spoke out in the Adver last week about their concerns over the bid by the University of the West of England to build a university at Coate.
Mr Buckland described the UWE proposal as “the wrong plan at the wrong time”, while Coun Tomlinson expressed his concerns over the effect a university would have on affordable housing.
Anne Snelgrove, South Swindon MP, said: “Mr Buckland is talking down Swindon and reveals his lack of belief in the town. I believe a university in Swindon would put the town on the map for young people and would breathe new life into the area along with the regeneration that is already happening.
“I suggest that Mr Buckland spends a little more time being positive about Swindon rather than being negative about a great project. If Mr Buckland looks at the benefits a university has brought to Swansea, near his home in South Wales, surely he would want similar things for Swindon?
“Coun Tomlinson bizarrely believes that a university would make businesses leave Swindon. The impact of a university on a town, such as the new universities in Plymouth, Portsmouth and Worcester, shows that a university brings new investment and attracts business.”
At a scrutiny meeting Labour councillors also criticised the two prospective MPs, while applauding the council’s decision to push for the university to be cited at North Star.
Labour leader Kevin Small said he was disappointed by the comments, while Coun Des Moffatt (Lab, Western) said they could have very damaging effects on those deciding the site of the university.
He said: “The people behind the university development must think – these two guys could be in charge in the future so why should we come to Swindon if we’re not wanted?
“I think what they have said is a disaster for Swindon.”
Council leader Rod Bluh said: “This administration’s policy is quite clear – we are doing everything we can to deliver a university to Swindon, and we will do whatever we can to make sure it is a town centre site.”
Comments(30)
PeeveD
says...
2:14pm Wed 17 Dec 08
Concentrate on preparing for office chaps.... it's not as if you have any opposition in the pair of wasters that are in power at the moment!
flicky
says...
2:15pm Wed 17 Dec 08
ItsPavAgain
says...
2:15pm Wed 17 Dec 08
An establishment that aims to attract 5,000 part-time students is very different from something which plans to house 10,000 full-time residential students.
beebugmissy
says...
2:29pm Wed 17 Dec 08
What's the fuss about anyway - the university's likely to go ahead anyway right?? And I'm sure that even though our PPCs spoke out against it, they would still make sure it would be delivered with as little negative impact as possible.
Snelgrove is just out to make trouble as usual - if JT and RB voted for it, Snelgrove would have spoken out against it... Typical.
RFM
says...
2:45pm Wed 17 Dec 08
Justin Tomlinson
says...
2:50pm Wed 17 Dec 08
I highlighted the impact on affordable housing for graduates (and local residents) if 10 000 students were to move to Swindon.
I am suprised the Labour MPs don't agree that we should consider the details.
PeeveD
says...
2:54pm Wed 17 Dec 08
flicky wrote:Nowhere... hence the plan to knock one up in Coate.
If the North Star site is not suitable then where else in a town centre site might be acceptable?
bampi
says...
2:56pm Wed 17 Dec 08
Itssomewheretowork
says...
3:17pm Wed 17 Dec 08
Is the sign by AS's left ear in the accopanying photo an omen!
Perhaps the adver has a sense of humour after all!
PeeveD
says...
3:37pm Wed 17 Dec 08
Itssomewheretowork wrote:Well spotted .... absolute delicious piece of irony!
PeeveD, wrote....Concentrate on preparing for office chaps.... Is the sign by AS's left ear in the accopanying photo an omen! Perhaps the adver has a sense of humour after all!
Muslim_Swindon
says...
3:54pm Wed 17 Dec 08
beebugmissy
says...
4:18pm Wed 17 Dec 08
Muslim_Swindon wrote:Muslim_Swindon - I think you've missed the point here. There were plans to build a school in Oakhurst (PS7) for over two years, and there is a very suitable site for it and the local residents need it. The area would not be losing anything by it, only benefiting from having a primary school nearby that will (if the Muslim Organisation don't have their way) allow 100% of children in the area to be able to attend and not have to travel ages away to school anymore.
seems like Mr Tomlinson is a Walter Mitty type of person. One hand he is campagining for Primary school on the other hand he is opposing plans for the university. What a hypocrite!!! being a concillor has got to you.. u need to go and jump into the ice pond
The university on the other hand would be accommdating (and very badly at that) 10,000 full time students in North Star as well as having a negative impact on afforable housing in Swindon.
Not hypocritical. Just logical.
Donkey
says...
4:44pm Wed 17 Dec 08
The electorate can see what a pair of cowboys are trying to make names for themselves in Swindon! Heaven help us if common sense does not prevail ... at this rate the Libdems will win Swindon at a General Election!
There is ample land around Swindon for a university ... it does not need to be in the Coate area at all. North Star is far too small. But what about over by the Gablecross Police Station site ... perfect? Though Jean may not approve?
RFM
says...
4:52pm Wed 17 Dec 08
What Justin Tomlinson is proposing is the complete opposite to what you plan for the primary school. He wants the University to be well thought out with the fullest consideration given to local residents and so be likely to benefit all concerned.
If you had given as much effort to your poorly thought out proposal for the primary school then there would be no need for your sour grapes.
beebugmissy
says...
5:01pm Wed 17 Dec 08
As for you Donkey, there is no split in the Tory party. As RFM says, JT is wanting fullest consideration to be given to local residents and benefit all concerned.
If the university didn't have such an negative impact on Swindon town, then I'm sure JT would for it. As RB says, "wrong plan at the wrong time". There is much to improve and regenerate in Swindon before we think about the icing on the cake.
PeeGee
says...
6:01pm Wed 17 Dec 08
More traffic going onto the A420 at Gablecross? What a grand idea. Let's close a lane on the A419 to make that busier as well. Or, close Great Western Way. I mean, anyone trying to leave Swindon at rush hour deserves to have their life made more uncomfortable.
Jo-Ent
says...
6:11pm Wed 17 Dec 08
And Donkey, what nonsense. So what if their is a "split" in Tory ranks, as you suggest? At least Tom and Buck have the guts to speak up and say what they think. You just toe the Labour party line again and again. Or rather, you say whatever is the opposite to common sense. Same thing really.
Jackanory
says...
8:34pm Wed 17 Dec 08
Jo-Ent
says...
8:47pm Wed 17 Dec 08
We've had a Labour government for 11 years, and we're just about to enter a recession which a cabinet minister has admitted will be the worst we've ever known. And unemployment has hit nearly two million today.
But at least the phrase 'poxy tory scumbags' did make me smile for a nano-second, so your ridiculous post wasn't a complete waste of everybody's time. Close thing, though.
doug on the farm
says...
10:49pm Wed 17 Dec 08
Itssomewheretowork
says...
11:50pm Wed 17 Dec 08
ourtone
says...
9:53am Thu 18 Dec 08
What are you trying to say Anne? Are you trying to suggest he isn't a local candidate.
Remind us Anne, what part of Swindon are you from? The last I heard, you are from Wokingham.
At least Buckland now has a home in the Constituency and spends time here, unlike Wills and (mostly,) yourself.
doug on the farm
says...
10:38am Thu 18 Dec 08
How many times does one have to say The grey man I refer too was John Major. I will most certainly agree that Francis (I live in Greece loads of money) Baker was no friend to this town, indeed he makes the current two look like Tony Benn and Denis Skinner rolled into one. No loss when Stoddart replaced Him, but no Stoddart was a loss to the town.
Big Mac
says...
11:11am Thu 18 Dec 08
Donkey, I for one am very glad that Swindon's two next MPs are able to think for themselves and put their concern for the town ahead of party politics.
It's a shame the same can't be said of the two MPs we're currently having to endure.
And how does ONE councillor publically expressing their concerns about the effects of a University mean that the Tory party are in 'total disagreement' about the issue? It just means that one person has a view that there may be downsides to such a plan.
I've no doubt Snelgrove and Wills would jump headlong into just getting any old University put together in as slapdash a manner as possible, but, unfortunately for them, the town and people of Swindon deserve better than that.
If this is going to be done at all, it needs to be done properly and, crucially, it needs to be done right first time.
I am glad that some people are prepared to express their concerns and stand up for what they believe is right.
It's called democracy, Donkey. Although, as a Labour party member for several decades, you've probably forgotten what that is.
everhopeful
says...
12:40pm Thu 18 Dec 08
PeeveD
says...
1:09pm Thu 18 Dec 08
everhopeful wrote:It's unfortunate that this awful woman should have to put up with such rudeness... but when she has proven to be such a complete waste of space since elected it surely is all she is due!
If Anne MP believes in principle that a university would be good for Swindon, I am with her there. Ruling it out seems to be a display by the phillistines (sic). Higher education choices in Swindon are pretty poor. No need to be rude about her either, is there ? A little more education might serve some of these correspondents well.
Big Mac
says...
1:31pm Thu 18 Dec 08
If you'd read the comments of Councillor Tomlinson and Mr Buckland correctly, you would have seen that neither are against the idea of a University in Swindon, they simply have concerns about the proposal and wish to ensure steps are taken to ensure potential problems are avoided.
Surely that's by far the most serious, sensible and educated way forward?
Or would you rather we take the Labour approach of 'hit it and hope' - much as they have done with our economy?
Just noticed the sign behind Ms Snelgrove's head in the photo attached to this article:
"Office clearance"
With any luck, that'll be a service she finds herself requiring come election day.
Itssomewheretowork
says...
3:16pm Thu 18 Dec 08
Just noticed the sign behind Ms Snelgrove's head in the photo attached to this article:
"Office clearance"
Do you read the earlier comments? You are almost 26 hours too late. Still it is good that you at least agree on the sentiment of the sign!
everhopeful
says...
5:07pm Thu 18 Dec 08
Tonyblairisthedevil
says...
2:23pm Fri 19 Dec 08
Comment now! Register or sign in below.
Log in with us
Fields marked with * are mandatory.
Or
Log in with