I agree with Karl. That made you sit up! Well, I ALMOST agree with him – he says this election is about more than Brexit. Let me tweak that a little – this election SHOULD be about more than Brexit.
You will not be surprised to learn that we diverge completely after that. His assertion that Parliament has blocked Brexit is 100% untrue. Boris Johnson’s Withdrawal Agreement was passed on the second reading by a majority of 40! It was his own choice to pull it and go for an election.
So here we all are again, poor old Brenda from Bristol must be in despair. And in the absence of a People’s Vote, this general election is turning into a proxy referendum, however much politicians from Labour and Conservative talk about the NHS or housing or education.
Because the massive elephant in the room in this debate has to be Brexit. All the lavish spending commitments made by both parties might as well be written with bonfire night sparklers.
The government’s own analysis shows that Johnson’s ‘deal’ which is actually just a divorce will take a huge 6.9% off our GDP (that’s the nation’s ‘turnover’).
If you think austerity has been bad, indeed, it’s been agonising for many – and I fully acknowledge that mistakes were made in this regard by the Liberal Democrats in the coalition – it will seem like a walk in the park by comparison with what could be coming our way.
And we could still, after all this wrangling and toing and froing, end up with the horrific prospect of No Deal next year when the so-called transition period runs out.
So let’s make it really simple. Let’s press the stop button, remove ourselves from the black hole of Brexit which has sucked so much energy and joyfulness from our great country and take stock of what needs fixing, nationally and in Lincoln. Then let’s roll up our sleeves and get on with it.
When I stood in the 2017 election, I think many thought I’d disappear off afterwards. But I didn’t. I’ve got stuck in, founded the Lincoln Food Summit to help tackle practical issues relating to food poverty, helped a number of local campaigns from Stop Veolia and the proposed animal rendering plant in Skellingthorpe, got involved with the Business School at the University and also working on a very exciting new tourism project for the city.
As an entrepreneur, I’m a doer, otherwise I’m not in business. I will bring my energy and commitment to this wonderful city. Thee are so many things I want to do. I want to focus on the economy, bringing investment to Lincoln, generating great quality jobs where people are properly remunerated and feel valued.
I want to make Lincoln a place that doctors and nurses want to come to – we have some of the hardest to fill vacancies in the NHS nationally – so that people can access the help they need, so that, for example, children with anorexia don’t need to go hundreds of miles from home for treatment.
I want to inspire locals and business to come together to help make Lincoln a greener, more environmentally friendly place to live and work.
If we leave on the 31st of January, it’s only the end of the beginning. Switzerland has been negotiating with the EU since 1971. What a legacy for our grandchildren.
So let’s come together and exercise our democratic choice to start to do all these things we want to do to make the country a better place – for everyone.
Caroline is the parliamentary spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats in Lincoln. She stood as they party's candidate in the 2017 general election in the city.
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We are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage after a collision caused serious injuries to a 23-year-old man.
Just before 3.30pm yesterday (2 July), we received reports of a collision on Barholm Road in Tallington. It involved a grey BMW 335D estate, a blue BMW 116D and an orange KTM motorcycle.
The motorcycle rider, a 23-year-old man, sustained serious injuries during the collision and was taken to hospital.
If you witnessed the incident and are yet to get in touch with us, please do so. If you have any other information or dashcam footage available that may have captured the road along the A1175 at the time of the collision, get in touch.
By calling 101 quoting incident 282 of 2 July.
By emailing [email protected] quoting incident 282 of 2 July in the subject line.
If you wish to remain anonymous, you can report via the independent charity CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111 or online.
The 2022 Destination Lincolnshire Tourism Excellence Awards are open for applications, and Destination Lincolnshire giving you the rare chance to co-create your application with Nell Barrington, a tourism awards veteran, who has helped hundreds of businesses write winning applications over the last 15 years – including national VisitEngland winners.
The Tourism Awards Masterclass is taking place on Tuesday 12 July at 11am for one-hour online. Laura Freer, Head of Marketing at Destination Lincolnshire said: “This is a golden opportunity, after years of hard work and heartache, to get your business and team recognised and rewarded.
“A well written application is key to achieving a coveted place on this year’s shortlist, and I’d encourage all tourism and visitor economy businesses who are thinking of entering – whether they are seasoned at writing award applications or not – to join us for this exclusive masterclass.
“Nell Barrington has worked with us and VisitEngland on the founding application processes of these awards, and she is perfectly placed to assist in co-creating applications that you can be proud of. This is a great opportunity for business development too – whether you are shortlisted for an award or not – discovering how to effectively apply for awards and talk up your business adds another string to your bow.
“Booking is essential and places are limited to just 35 – so be quick! This year we’ve made our masterclass available to partners and also to those who we are yet to work with for free. Call it an added bonus, after two years away from the awards circuit.
The awards masterclass is focussed on the application process, and it will spell out what the judges are looking for. You’ll learn how to make your application stand out from the local competition, helping your chances of going through to the national VisitEngland Awards in 2023.”
There are fifteen categories open for nominations from visitors attraction, accommodation providers, hospitality businesses and many more.
The deadline for nominations is July 29, with online judging starting on July 30 and mystery shopping from August 13. Finalists will be announced on Monday, August 15.
The awards ceremony will be held at the Engine Shed on October 21, and will be hosted by Lincs FM presenter, John Marshall.
The event is organised by Stonebow Media, publishers of The Lincolnite, to celebrate the best businesses in Greater Lincolnshire, alongside headline sponsors Lincoln College and Destination Lincolnshire.
We would also like to thank our other sponsors Visit Lincolnshire, Heart of Lincs, Duncan and Toplis and LNER, insight6 and EV Camel.