Reflections 2016: Karl McCartney – What a year in Westminster and in Lincoln!
What a year in Westminster and in Lincoln. I have been involved in politics for over 30 years now and I have never seen such a momentous 12 months, let alone been involved in it. If in January you would have told me we would have a new Prime Minister, Donald Trump as President-elect in…
Lincoln MP Karl McCartney. Photo: Steve Smailes for Lincolnshire Reporter
What a year in Westminster and in Lincoln.
I have been involved in politics for over 30 years now and I have never seen such a momentous 12 months, let alone been involved in it.
If in January you would have told me we would have a new Prime Minister, Donald Trump as President-elect in the US and Jeremy Corbyn would be overwhelmingly re-elected Labour leader, I would have shook my head in disbelief.
It is different on Brexit of course – I always believed a resounding Leave vote would happen.
What these events show is a general disenchantment with the direction of politics with a growing void between the public and the ‘Establishment’ – government, big businesses, ‘experts’, media and trade unions (I still find it staggering that no one in the ‘labour’ movement has questioned the TUC specifically, who urged its members to vote Remain and were roundly ignored).
I am confident that the new Prime Minister will bridge this gap over the coming years but it does show that politicians should never take the public for granted.
On Brexit, I always felt that if there was the opportunity for a referendum, the British public would be brave enough to vote Leave, and so it proved.
My key reflection is that the public are far wiser and more independent than the ‘Establishment’ gives them credit for.
You can only scare people into supporting your opinion, if you already have them on side. This is why Project Fear did not work because many of those (not all) did not have the credibility to frighten voters.
Having Tony Blair and Lord Peter Mandelson promoting a Remain vote was a gift that kept on giving and I see that Labour’s Mayor of London has now appointed Lord Mandelson as a Brexit advisor…
The fact that the economy is still growing and unemployment is falling shows those who predicted economic meltdown did not have the good sense that the British public has.
From a local perspective, Lincoln is now the jewel in the crown for the whole of the East Midlands, if not, the whole country. Business is booming, tourism rising, universities thriving, unemployment falling and crime tumbling.
We also have a fantastic civic community with charities and volunteers playing their full part in making Lincoln an exciting, vibrant and welcoming place.
This is all before we recognise the fantastic heritage that we have with our magnificent castle, cathedral and Magna Carta.
It is worth reflecting that after years of constantly knocking on the right doors in Whitehall and raising my voice in Westminster, it does pay off in the end.
This year, we have seen the successful completion of the Lincoln East West Link Road, a vital footbridge over the railway line in the city centre and last month we had the re-confirmation of the full funding of the single carriageway Eastern Bypass – a project that will start in 2017.
I was able to help the city and county councils and others obtain the permission and funding they required to make all these projects happen.
In the case of the Eastern Bypass I have always said a dual carriageway is the best, and needed, solution. It is a shame county councillors in South Lincolnshire do not agree with me.
These infrastructure projects, with many more to come, are vital to keeping our county and city moving and growing. Perseverance pays off.
I am already excited about 2017 for both the country and Lincoln. Next year, we will be taking the next vital steps in regaining control of our country and the city will continue to bloom.
I also hope that after what seems to have been a turbulent 2016, next year will be calmer…
Finally, I would like to say thank you to everyone who has played a part in Lincoln’s success story and also to those who have helped me play my part. A great city like this only succeeds with everyone working in partnership together. Thank you.
New Year’s resolutions
Personal
Personal resolutions are always the hardest to keep! Play more football, rugby and cricket, eating healthier, and especially keeping away from the House of Commons’ rock cakes.
If all else fails, being able to cheer Liverpool onto a Premier League title in 2017 is one resolution that I will definitely keep.
Professional
Brexit, Brexit and Brexit!
Karl McCartney is the former Conservative MP for Lincoln.
The Lincolnite welcomes your views. All comments are reactively-moderated and must obey the house rules. Please stay on topic and be respectful of other readers.
Reflections 2016: Karl McCartney – What a year in Westminster and in Lincoln!
What a year in Westminster and in Lincoln. I have been involved in politics for over 30 years now and I have never seen such a momentous 12 months, let alone been involved in it. If in January you would have told me we would have a new Prime Minister, Donald Trump as President-elect in…
Former Lincoln MP Karl McCartney. Photo: Steve Smailes/The Lincolnite
What a year in Westminster and in Lincoln.
I have been involved in politics for over 30 years now and I have never seen such a momentous 12 months, let alone been involved in it.
If in January you would have told me we would have a new Prime Minister, Donald Trump as President-elect in the US and Jeremy Corbyn would be overwhelmingly re-elected Labour leader, I would have shook my head in disbelief.
It is different on Brexit of course – I always believed a resounding Leave vote would happen.
What these events show is a general disenchantment with the direction of politics with a growing void between the public and the ‘Establishment’ – government, big businesses, ‘experts’, media and trade unions (I still find it staggering that no one in the ‘labour’ movement has questioned the TUC specifically, who urged its members to vote Remain and were roundly ignored).
I am confident that the new Prime Minister will bridge this gap over the coming years but it does show that politicians should never take the public for granted.
On Brexit, I always felt that if there was the opportunity for a referendum, the British public would be brave enough to vote Leave, and so it proved.
My key reflection is that the public are far wiser and more independent than the ‘Establishment’ gives them credit for.
You can only scare people into supporting your opinion, if you already have them on side. This is why Project Fear did not work because many of those (not all) did not have the credibility to frighten voters.
Having Tony Blair and Lord Peter Mandelson promoting a Remain vote was a gift that kept on giving and I see that Labour’s Mayor of London has now appointed Lord Mandelson as a Brexit advisor…
The fact that the economy is still growing and unemployment is falling shows those who predicted economic meltdown did not have the good sense that the British public has.
From a local perspective, Lincoln is now the jewel in the crown for the whole of the East Midlands, if not, the whole country. Business is booming, tourism rising, universities thriving, unemployment falling and crime tumbling.
We also have a fantastic civic community with charities and volunteers playing their full part in making Lincoln an exciting, vibrant and welcoming place.
This is all before we recognise the fantastic heritage that we have with our magnificent castle, cathedral and Magna Carta.
It is worth reflecting that after years of constantly knocking on the right doors in Whitehall and raising my voice in Westminster, it does pay off in the end.
This year, we have seen the successful completion of the Lincoln East West Link Road, a vital footbridge over the railway line in the city centre and last month we had the re-confirmation of the full funding of the single carriageway Eastern Bypass – a project that will start in 2017.
I was able to help the city and county councils and others obtain the permission and funding they required to make all these projects happen.
In the case of the Eastern Bypass I have always said a dual carriageway is the best, and needed, solution. It is a shame county councillors in South Lincolnshire do not agree with me.
These infrastructure projects, with many more to come, are vital to keeping our county and city moving and growing. Perseverance pays off.
I am already excited about 2017 for both the country and Lincoln. Next year, we will be taking the next vital steps in regaining control of our country and the city will continue to bloom.
I also hope that after what seems to have been a turbulent 2016, next year will be calmer…
Finally, I would like to say thank you to everyone who has played a part in Lincoln’s success story and also to those who have helped me play my part. A great city like this only succeeds with everyone working in partnership together. Thank you.
New Year’s resolutions
Personal
Personal resolutions are always the hardest to keep! Play more football, rugby and cricket, eating healthier, and especially keeping away from the House of Commons’ rock cakes.
If all else fails, being able to cheer Liverpool onto a Premier League title in 2017 is one resolution that I will definitely keep.
Professional
Brexit, Brexit and Brexit!
Karl McCartney was the Conservative Lincoln MP between 2010 and 2017. He is now the Conservative candidate for the city for the next general elections.
The Lincolnite welcomes your views. All comments are reactively-moderated and must obey the house rules. Please stay on topic and be respectful of other readers.
The Lincolnite welcomes your views. All comments are reactively-moderated and must obey the house rules. Please stay on topic and be respectful of other readers.
There have been 351 new coronavirus cases and 12 COVID-related deaths in Greater Lincolnshire on Monday.
The government’s COVID-19 dashboard recorded 243 new cases in Lincolnshire, 63 in North Lincolnshire and 45 in North East Lincolnshire.
It also registered seven deaths in Lincolnshire, three in North East Lincolnshire and two in North Lincolnshire.
These figures include deaths both in and out of hospitals, as well as residents in hospitals outside the county.
NHS England also reported 11 local hospital deaths on Monday. Seven were at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust and four were at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust. This takes the total number of hospital deaths in the county to 468.
On Monday, national cases increased by 15,450 to 1,527,495, while deaths rose by 206 to 55,230.
Lincolnshire cases up to November 23.
But there’s some good news today too: leisure centres, gyms and shops will reopen from December 2, the Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced, as new tiered restrictions will be introduced when lockdown ends. See the breakdown here.
There will also be a new way to avoid people self-isolating at home for two weeks, even though they haven’t tested positive. It would entail getting tested every day for a week, with isolation required only after a positive test — using rapid lateral flow tests with results within 30 minutes.
Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire for Monday, November 23
23,838 cases (up 351)
14,665 in Lincolnshire (up 243)
4,361 in North Lincolnshire (up 63)
4,812 in North East Lincolnshire (up 45)
721 deaths (up 12)
469 from Lincolnshire (up seven)
129 from North Lincolnshire (up two)
123 from North East Lincolnshire (up three)
of which 468 hospital deaths (up 11)
246 at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (up four)
9 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (no change)
1 at Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust (no change)
212 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (up seven)
1,527,495 UK cases, 55,230 deaths
DATA SOURCE — FIGURES CORRECT AT THE TIME OF the latest update. postcode data includes deaths not in healthcare facilities or in hospitals outside authority boundaries.
Leisure centres, gyms and shops will reopen from December 2, the Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced, as new tiered restrictions will be introduced when lockdown ends.
In an address before the House of Commons, Mr Johnson confirmed a return to the three-tier system, however, parts of it will tightened.
It is expected that more areas will fall into the higher tiers when they come into effect.
However, details of which tier regions in England will land on won’t be confirmed until Thursday.
Lincolnshire was in the lowest tier (one/medium), and managed to escape moving into tier two (high) just days before the latest national lockdown.
From December 2 people would be able to leave their homes for any reason and meet others in outdoor public spaces, subject to the rule of six.
Pubs in tier three areas will stay shut unless offering takeaway services.
In tier two only those serving meals will be able to open with last orders at 10pm and curfew at 11pm, as businesses will get another hour of trading.
Collective worship and weddings will be allowed to take place.
A ban on outdoor grass-roots sports has also been lifted. Gyms, leisure centres and non-essential shops will reopen in all areas.
A maximum of 4,000 fans are set to be allowed at outdoor events in the lowest-risk areas.
A mass testing pilot carried out in Liverpool will also be expanded nationally for six weeks in tier three areas.
Plans for the festive period should be confirmed later this week, with up to three households allowed to meet.
Mr Johnson praised the nation for “steadfastly observing nationwide restrictions.”
“For the first time since this wretched virus took hold, we can see a route out of the pandemic,” he said.
He praised the “sacrifices of millions of people across the UK”
However, he warned: “The hard truth is we’re not there yet. First we must get through winter without the virus spreading out of control and squandering our hard-won gains at exactly the time when the burden on the NHS is always greatest.”
Mr Johnson said: “I can’t say that Christmas will be normal this year, but in a period of adversity, time spent with loved ones is even more precious for people of all faiths and we all want some kind of Christmas – we need it.
“But what we don’t want is to throw caution to the winds and allow the virus to flare up again, forcing us all back into lockdown in January.
“This virus is not going to grant a Christmas truce. It doesn’t know Christmas and families will need to make a careful judgement about the risks.”
Mr Johnson concluded by praising the latest vaccine developments from Oxford University and AstraZeneca.
“This will be still a hard winter, Christmas cannot be normal and there’s a long road to spring, but we have turned a corner and the escape route is in sight,” said Mr Johnson.
“We must hold out against the virus until testing and vaccines come to our rescue and reduce the need for restrictions and everyone can help speed up the arrival of that moment by continuing to follow the rules.”
Emergency responders charity LIVES have created a cookbook to celebrate the range of Lincolnshire-based produce and raise money for their charity.
The Lincolnshire Kitchen book gives local producers a platform for their goods to be featured.
The charity worked with a group of Lincolnshire companies, alongside its headline sponsor Ringrose Law, to create the book.
LIVES is a voluntary Lincolnshire-based charity that attends 999 medial emergencies around the county, and it needs over £1.4 million a year to keep the service running.
Popular local producers such as Doddington Hall & Gardens, Belvoir Fruit Farms and Pin Gin are included in the 50 page book.
Local produce will be used for recipes in the book. | Photo: LIVES
The book is £9.99 and postage is £2.50, with 100% of the proceeds going directly to LIVES.
Lincolnshire Kitchen is available to buy in Lincolnshire Co-Operative stores this winter, as well as on the LIVES website now.
Tiffany Allen, corporate fundraising manager at LIVES, said: “We have been really excited about working on this project, and to have so many wonderful local companies involved has made this even more enjoyable.
“We know this cookbook will really showcase Lincolnshire talent and excellence, whilst raising money for a lifesaving Lincolnshire charity.”
With the change of business came a new safety and hygiene inspection from North Kesteven District Council, which resulted in a one out of five star rating for the White Hart.
In the most recent inspection on October 16, The White Hart scored a rating of ‘generally satisfactory’ for cleanliness and condition of facilities and building.
It did, however, require improvement for its hygienic food handling and major improvements on its management of food safety.
It is an unusual score for the business, which had five stars in its last three inspections.
One of the owners told The Lincolnite that the inspection had taken place before all works had been completed, so he thinks it is an unfair reflection.
“We only rebranded recently and the kitchen was closed for maintenance when the inspectors arrived, so we were ranked accordingly.
“We are in discussions with the council and the EHO (Environmental Health Officer) about this and have been granted a repeat inspection free of charge.”
They also claimed that The White Hart were told the inspection results wouldn’t be published, as it wasn’t fair to score the pub based on that.
The Lincolnite approached North Kesteven District Council for a reply, but are yet to receive a comment.
The mother of a 14-year-old boy who overdosed on MDMA at a house party in Holbeach has called for people to beware of the dangers of drugs in an emotional tribute to her son.
Alex Buchan, 14, was found dead at a house party in Holbeach in April 2019, with part of an ecstasy pill next to his body and fatal levels of MDMA in his blood.
Two men, the host of the party and the person who dealt the drugs, have been jailed after a hearing in Lincoln Crown Court.
Alastair Turner, 19, and Sam King, 21, were sentenced to 45 months and three years respectively after the incident.
In a heartfelt tribute, Alex’s mum Lisa criticised the jailed pair for ‘targeting’ her son.
She said: “Nobody will understand what this has done to the family — it has destroyed us. The sentence isn’t enough. It won’t ever be enough.
“This will be hanging over me for the rest of my life. My son, who had a heart of gold, is never coming back.
“People don’t understand the devastation drugs cause families. What kind of person targets a 14-year-old boy who doesn’t know the risks. How many children have to die?
“If anything good can come from this, I hope it’s that parents and children see how dangerous drugs can be and that dealers see the potential consequences of what they are doing.”
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