October 29, 2009 - POST OFFICE DILEMMA

 

Hull MEP Godfrey Bloom is visit a local sub post-master tomorrow (October 30) to try to help resolve his long running business dilemma.

 

Sergi Singh, who is currently Asian Trader of the Year, has been running a thriving convenience store in Chamberlain Road for more than 20 years.

 

Two years ago he established a sub-post office within the premises when the nearby Stoneferry Road post office closed, though only after it took a year for the transfer to go through.

 

And the post office business Mr Singh has established is unique in East Yorkshire as it stays open until his shop shuts at 9 pm seven days a week.

 

It is a service which the local community greatly appreciates and in fact people travel from much further afield to take advantage of the post office service he offers in the evening and weekends.

 

But his plans to extend the business to meet the demands of customers - by offering a road tax and passport checking service has reached a state of deadlock between the Post Office and the DVLA.

 

Mr Bloom, Euro-MP for the UK Independence Party, learnt of the problem and the petition customers have been signing in support of the proposals, and has arranged to visit Mr Singh along with the party's local parliamentary candidate, Mike Hookeham, at Friday lunchtime.

 

"There are 11,000 post office branches across the country but nowadays only 4,000 of them provide road tax and passport checking services," said Mr Bloom.

 

"I believe the Post Office have told Mr Singh it is up the DVLA and the Home Office and the DVLA says its £4m budget for the Post Office to administer the road tax service for them does not cater for sub-offices which want to go the extra mile," he said.

 

"I am going to see Mr Singh and see what help I can give him with this problem. Here is an excellent businessman who works very long hours to provide a service and he is being hampered by ridiculous red tape," added Mr Bloom.

 

 

October 28, 2009 - U-TURN WELCOMED

 

Euro MP Godfrey Bloom has welcomed the news that the government has done a U-turn over its plans to cut training for Territorial Army soldiers.

 

Mr Bloom, himself a former TA officer, was furious about the government's initial announcement that future training was to be cancelled until at least March next year.

 

And was not impressed by the later decision to instead allow training once a week, which he described as a deplorable compromise.

 

"I am delighted that training for our brave TA soldiers can continue as normal. It was outrageous that it should even have been contemplated to halt and then reduce their training," he said today. (Wed).

 

"They are prepared to lie their lives on the line for us and this government was not prepared to give them the best training," said Mr Bloom, UK Independence Party MEP for Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire.

 

"I was contacted by a Yorkshire company commander of a TA infantry asking for my help over this issue and I vowed to do everything I could to get the plan re-considered.

 

"The commander described the situation that has been imposed on the TA as "appalling" and I totally agreed. These soldiers regularly put the country first and put their civilian lives on hold to deploy when needed," said Mr Bloom.

 

Two thirds of his company has been deployed in operational tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan since 2003 and as soon as a platoon returns another is sent out.

 

"He was shocked to be suddenly told that there is no money to pay his soldiers and future training was temporarily cancelled," said Mr Bloom.

 

"The government has now seen sense following the general outrage at their plans but it is just another example of their shambolic governance. They have lost the plot," he added.

 

October 22, 2009 - LOCAL COUNCILS APPLAUDED

 

MEP Godfrey Bloom today applauded local councils across the country for listening to the voices of their constituents.

 

"To hear from the Wind Power mongers that local councils are standing up to the bullying, hectoring and propaganda poured out by their industry and the government is great news".

 

"Up and down the country groups of local people are organising and campaigning to keep their own parts of the country beautiful and saying 'no' to wind farms," said Mr Bloom, UKIP Euro-MP for Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire.

 

His remarks follow figures released today by the British Wind Energy Association showing that local council approvals of wind farm applications have fallen to a new low of just 25%.

 

"It isn't just that wind farms are ugly. If only that were the case. They are uneconomic, costing us tens of millions in tax subsidies," said Mr Bloom.

 

"They don't even work efficiently as, as I have said enough times before, they only work when the wind blows, and you cannot train the average Brit to boil their tea only during a gale.

 

"So three cheers to all the little battalions of residents and three cheers to those local councils which listen to them", he said, 

 

ends

 

The British Wind Energy Association Press Release

http://www.bwea.com/pdf/press/PR20091020_25pc_approval.pdf

 

 

October 9, 2009 - POWER STATION WELCOMED

 

The expected announcement of a new coal-fired power station at Hatfield, near Doncaster, has been welcomed by MEP Godrey Bloom.

 

Plans for the plant - a 'clean coal' power station - is one of seven in Europe which it is expected will be unveiled in the next few days.

 

"I am all in favour of the carbon capture and storage development behind these new power stations," said Mr Bloom, who is UKIP's Euro-MP for Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire.

 

"But it is ridiculous that they are being subsidised by the EU to the tune of £165 million for the one in this country alone.

 

"We in this country should not be beholden to bureaucrats in Brussels who decided what we can and cannot have.  We should be in control of making our own decisions about energy provision.

 

"And that includes saying 'no' to the inefficient and ugly wind turbines blighting our beautiful countryside - and seascapes.

 

"Renewable energy sources must play a role in our plans but tidal power is far more reliable than the wind and won't be a blot on the landscape.

 

"If we were free from the EU, which costs us a staggering £40 million a day, we would be able to make our own decisions about every aspect of our life, including energy," said Mr Bloom.

 

 

October 3, 2009 - Euro MP calls for action on domestic violence in Selby

Selby MEP, Godfrey Bloom, has urged more action on domestic violence in the town.

Mr Bloom was speaking after statistics were released showing domestic violence in Selby had soared over the last financial year.

 "Domestic violence is a horrific crime, and far too many victims suffer in silence.

“It isn't just the physical violence which is a problem, you also need to consider the way victims are often deliberately isolated from friends and family by controlling, abusive partners,” he said.

“It is appalling that it is so common in Selby. Statistics released by the local charity Daisy Chain show 59 referrals compared to 215 in 2007/8. And already there have been 125 recorded up to August.

“I want to do all I can to help improve this situation and stamp out this often hidden crime" said Mr Bloom, Euro MP for the UK Independence Party.

“UKIP has already publicly said it will increase penalties for domestic violence assaults and I agree whole heartedly with that policy.

"It also believes that assaults which were witnessed by children should carry heavier sentences and again I think this needs to happen," said Mr Bloom, who lives in Selby

 

October 1, 2009 CRIMESTOPPERS PRAISED

 

UK Crime-fighting charity, Crimestoppers, has been commended today by Euro MP Godfrey Bloom.

 

"They are plainly doing an excellent job in helping bring serious criminals to book," said Mr Bloom, MEP for Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire.

 

His comments follow the news that Doncaster man Michael Eddleston  - named as one of Britain's most wanted criminal suspects - had handed himself into the British Consulate in Majorca this week.

 

Among those still on the most wanted list is another Yorkshire man, convicted child sex offender Stephen Burnell from Scunthorpe.

 

The two men, along with eight others, featured earlier this month in an appeal as part of a crackdown on British suspects on the Costa Del Sol, known as Operation Captura.

 

"This multi-agency campaign is to be praised and we must hope that it will lead to the other wanted men either surrendering or being tracked down and brought to justice," said Mr Bloom.

 

"Crimestoppers is doing a first class job all over the country and is a worthwhile charity which has my backing," he added.