2024-05-03 18:34
2024 Ipswich Borough Council Election result:Result for Rushmere Ward:Lib Dem - 146Reform UK - 188Green - 221Tory - 626Labour, Alasdair Ross - 1,163Turnout - 38.2%A great night for Ips… Read More
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Alasdair Ross - Local Councillor Blog
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In this blog I will be giving my political opinions on both issues at home and abroad.
I will also focus on the issues that affect the people of Ipswich and in particular those who live in Rushmere Ward.
I will also try and give an insight to how I will be campaigning in Rushmere and Ipswich as we fight against the savage cuts imposed by this Tory Government
2024-03-08 22:08
Slightly shocked this week to find a Tory leaflet arrive through my letterbox, normally we are lucky to even get one just before an election but to receive a leaflet in early March is a real… Read More
2024-02-07 12:56
Homelessness is a big issue throughout the UK, and Ipswich is no different to other similar towns in having such a problem, made worse recently, by more people struggling to pay rent or mort… Read More
2023-11-11 09:03
Yesterday, I was given the privilege to speak at the unveiling of a mural to remember a Westbourne Academy pupil, and a Whitehouse Estate, Ipswich resident, who lost his life in Afghan… Read More
2023-08-11 09:58
Ipswich Borough Council has this week installed its 500th solar panel as part of its commitment to providing its residents with sustainable energy solutions. Installed on a home in… Read More
2023-03-28 11:20
The last few weeks have seen the Tories continue to focus on immigration- or illegal immigration as they would call it, however without addressing the failings in the asylum system. Happy to… Read More
2022-12-22 09:50
2022, we thought the COVID crisis was over, and we could hope for better times but the war in Ukraine then a Tory Government in self destruct mode has made this a terrible year for many.But… Read More
2022-10-17 12:29
We now have a Prime Minister, who has had to sack her Chancellor after just a few weeks in power, and then appoint a new Chancellor - who has scrapped nearly all her economic plans wit… Read More
2022-09-23 13:34
On Wednesday, the Tory Group on Ipswich Borough Council proposed a motion asking the Council to lead on the production of a comprehensive knife crime strategy for the town.Who could disagree… Read More
2022-07-25 15:18
More good news for Ipswich - and this would not have happened with a Tory Council - it happened as we have great Officers and staff at Ipswich Borough Council and that in conjunction with go… Read More
2022-06-28 09:37
Ipswich Labour are currently in the process of selecting their candidate to fight the next General election in Ipswich, the short list contains 3 strong candidates- all with a strong link wi… Read More
2022-02-25 18:14
We knew Putin was dangerous, however Johnson and the Tory Party got closer to him by taking more Russian money, The Far Left of my own party found it hard to be critical of anything Putin di… Read More
2022-01-04 20:02
In 2009 in Sangin, I was always impressed by the bravery and humour of the young Rifleman. Maybe as I was a stranger to many of them taht seemed happy to chat, in the queue at lunch or waiti… Read More
2021-07-14 10:22
Somehow, I have ended up on the Tory MP for Ipswich, Tom Hun's mailing list - and in my inbox today arrived his latest effort.Talk of the football, no mention this time of his criticism of p… Read More
2021-06-30 12:40
Brunswick Road Recreation Ground - You said - We listened - Many local residents they would like there to be more for children to do on our local park - We spoke to local people and two mess… Read More
2021-06-20 11:00
Over the last few months, man residents have contacted us about Tory run Suffolk County Council and Network Rail cutting down trees.Ipswich Labour run Ipswich Borough Council have a policy o… Read More
2021-06-06 15:55
More good news for Ipswich residents with the Council’s bid to improve safety in Maple Park having more success with £422,200 awarded from the government’s Safer Streets Fu… Read More
2021-06-06 15:23
The main thrust of the Tory campaign to win County Council seats in Ipswich was based on deceit - even the Tory MP for the town took rime off from attaching footballers, to join in - t… Read More
2021-05-28 08:50
Cummings might not be the person to trust- however, the truth will come out - but do we need to wait? Certainly the inquiry could start now. Johnson and Hancock should go now - they will be… Read More
2021-05-16 10:06
Over a week ago, I was re-elected to Ipswich Borough Council, to represent Rushmere Ward. there is no hiding the fact that the Ipswich Labour party did not have a great night, we… Read More
2021-05-05 09:49
Less than 24 hours to go to Polling Day, unlike previous elections, many more of us will have already voted by post, however as it is a local election - every vote does count. we have seen s… Read More
2021-04-03 14:48
The Labour run Borough Council in Ipswich have called on Tory run Suffolk County Council to turn back on the street lights at night after the tragic murder of Sarah Everard. So far the… Read More
2021-03-30 10:23
Not for the first time , our at times embarrassing Tory MP for Ipswich has decided to attack our local Labour Party, not on policy, not on how we run the council? He decided to question our… Read More
2021-03-29 14:40
Network Rail – ‘We got it wrong’ Over the last few weeks, Network Rail have removed a large number of trees beside the railway line close to Belvedere Road, Moat Farm Cl… Read More
2021-02-02 13:57
As you can never tell if Mr Hunt has taken any posted comments on board, I decided to email him and he replied- twice- but with his last email stating he would not be responding again… Read More
2021-01-31 13:56
Yesterday Tom Hunt, our Conservative MP for Ipswich decided to post a critical attack on me of his Facebook page - I have been critical of him via twitter, so I must and do accept that I may… Read More
2021-01-26 09:23
The latest attack on the Labour Party has seen Tory MPs including our own ineffective MP for Ipswich, Tom Hunt attack Lisa Tandy for commenting on a publication by a Labour supporting group… Read More
2020-11-08 20:06
We are at war- a new enemy, an invisible enemy- Covid- with nurses and doctors in the front li… Read More
2020-05-01 09:42
Mid-August 1980, with the highest temperatures of the year in Cyprus we found ourselves moving inland, from beside the Mediterranean to just west of the capital Nicosia. We were now to take… Read More
2020-04-13 16:14
It became quite obvious to me after just a short time in the army that much of my military career would be spent guarding, patrolling and living at times in some strange places - and n… Read More
2020-04-12 12:20
Last Saturday was a key moment in Labour history, the day that the members decided (by a large majority) that the party needed to return to it's main core function- getting elected to govern… Read More
2019-12-14 10:31
Date - 14 December 2019 - will be updated each year - if I remember - just to see ( as we think) that Boris and Hunt lied about what they are going to deliver:As at 14 December 2019Number of… Read More
2019-12-11 09:28
I can't hide the fact that I have at times over the last 4 years been disappointed by the Labour leadership, I am not sure we are doing enough for the people we wish to represent however I h… Read More
2019-05-29 19:32
If you have any interest in 20th century British and Irish history- Derry is a city you must visit Read More
2019-04-18 14:49
Saw a tweet the other day, with a picture of the mobile schnellie wagon of Wolfgang. Modern soldiers might wonder what we are all on about, however I am sure certain Range Complexes in the U… Read More
2018-12-27 17:05
I recently tweeted, wishing all soldiers deployed a 'Happy Christmas' but added , even though they were missing their friends and families, they would always remember with fondness the Chris… Read More
2018-12-24 18:41
Hope you all have a great Christmas, almost certainly with Brexit, 2019 is going to be a bumpy ride.As we finish 2018, my father in law is being looked after by the NHS - and no surprise, th… Read More
2018-11-11 19:15
At the Remembrance day service in Ipswich today, a number of veterans mentioned a poem, read by a student from the University. For many it was the first time they had heard it however for ma… Read More
2018-10-28 09:44
Belgium and Northern France - 1914 - 1918 - many Rifleman lost their lives, some were never found - we must never forget them, they are part of our Rifles family We are still losing Rifleman… Read More
2018-10-28 09:33
Last week, I took a group of 43 young pupils to Belgium and Northern France, to learn about the sacrifices made by many during World War I, and the simple fact is that these young peop… Read More
2018-10-22 13:05
Today the Tory Party seem to be in self destruct mode however they increase their lead over the Labour Party in the polls - why?Theresa may is also still ahead - by a long in the polls, when… Read More
2018-06-17 19:51
"We must all share our responsibility to stop the knife violence- parents, schools, police, councils. Young people need to know that carrying a knife makes them MORE likely to be a victim- w… Read More
2018-05-07 10:01
Even some on the left, such as Owen Jones are now admitting that our party, the Labour Party has an anti-Semitism problem and as Owen sates maybe a bigger problem is that many on the left wi… Read More
2018-05-06 10:05
We're on the march with Robson's army,We're all going to Wembley, And we're really shake them up,When we win the FA Cup, Cause Ipswich are the greatest football team!! Read More
2018-04-29 15:50
If you want a hard working councillor who sticks up for her residents - then Vote Sandra Gage on Thursday 3rd MayRushmere Ward, Ipswich Read More
2018-03-03 16:41
As the snow started to melt a large team of Ipswich Labour activists were out today delivering an information leaflet to Bridge, Holywells and Gainsborough Ward residents.The infor… Read More
2018-02-15 14:33
Last night the Labour Party launched a brilliant Party Political Broadcast , focusing on the Tories failure to deal with crime in this country, the unacceptable cuts to police numbers. A bri… Read More
2017-12-22 10:27
Last week, I completed a 61 mile solo walk from Oakington Barracks, north of Cambridge to Ipswich - walking solo and sleeping rough at night just south of Long Melford.It was hard, wet… Read More
2017-12-17 11:47
Just a short post to wish all Rushmere residents , friends, veterans and Labour members and supporters a happy Christmas and hope you all have a great 2018.2018 will not be easy and the Gove… Read More
2017-11-26 13:22
My last big walk- my right leg is now beyond repair! So this will be my final solo (third) walk supporting WWTW - Walking Home for Christmas. Next time , something shorter, maybe as a group… Read More
2017-11-12 15:38
This morning like many hundreds of other Ipswich residents I paraded at the Christchurch Park cenotaph to remember those from this town who gave their lives in the service of their country… Read More
2017-10-29 16:34
Yesterday was a day of sport in London, football ( no hipsters) first and then cycling at the Olympic velodrome but with brunch planned on a barge in Lambeth, I had a look to see if there wa… Read More
2017-10-08 14:36
Push out bad news when another crisis is hogging the limelight. The MOD must have read that memo and have gone to town on leaking possible defence cuts whilst the papers are concentrating on… Read More
2017-10-01 16:14
We are about to start the Tory Party Conference and could it be better for our party? Labour on the up, a buoyant conference, membership rising and the Tories in disarray.More examples of th… Read More
2017-09-08 19:11
Thursday 7 September 2017St John's division by-election - Sarah Adams wins. Votes cast: Labour - 1247; Tory - 483; Lib Dem - 200; Green - 52A great result, a superb candidate in a ward that… Read More
2017-07-27 15:37
Last night at the Ipswich Borough Council meeting, our Labour Group put forward a motion asking for the Government to consider scrapping the 1% pay cap on Public Service workers, Cllr Bryony… Read More
2017-07-27 12:09
2017-07-01 10:08
A few years ago the Ipswich Tories listened to the local Tory Councillor for Rushmere (Judy Terry) and decided it was time to knock down the Prefab bungalows in the North East of the town.Th… Read More
2017-06-10 19:08
Labour takes Ipswich with 831 vote majority Sandy Martin a great candidate (will be a great MP) with our agent (John Cook, who is not too bad!)The votes polled by candidates in Ipswich… Read More
2017-06-04 22:02
Been too busy campaigning to blog recently but with just a few days to go I thought I better comment on the latest newspaper from Ben Gummer our Tory MP.Ben seems to have done plenty for the… Read More
2017-05-14 20:23
We are lucky in Ipswich, we have a strong and hard working Labour Party ,a Labour Council that residents know does a good job and now we have a Labour Candidate who would make a great MP for… Read More
2017-05-14 19:29
Seems it is the Tory Defence Minister who has the job of attacking Corbyn any chance he gets with Boris occasionally being allowed to have a go. I myself have concerns about Corbyn and the A… Read More
2017-04-21 15:46
Ipswich pupils including those at schools in my own Ward have been let down by this Tory County Council over the last 8 years and now the Tory Government also decides that children are an ea… Read More
2017-03-12 20:26
Guess this could be said about some of those who have suddenly become the Labour Party's biggest cheerleaders but in fact it is those who have suddenly found their voice to voice their conce… Read More
2017-03-02 20:55
The people of Britain still care - many of us have spent time helping others, we welcome those who are escaping from persecution, hunger and war.Our trouble is that we have a Tory Government… Read More
2017-02-14 16:14
As we seem now to be in an era of populist leaders- those who will say whatever they think voters want to hear to get elected- with Trump at the head of this march to chaos we must remember… Read More
2017-02-05 21:27
New York fights back ( thanks to Mary Emily O'Hara - @MaryEmilyOHara ) Read More
2017-01-29 16:14
Many people were concerned about Trump becoming President of the USA, but it is still a shock that how bad things already seem.His decision to ban refugees from the US and then to introduce… Read More
2017-01-22 12:29
This week in his local paper column our Tory MP for Ipswich, Ben Gummer used his weekly page to tell Ipswich residents about how important choral music is.Now there is nothing wrong with any… Read More
2016-12-20 19:12
Happy Christmas to all Rushmere residents and Ipswich veterans Read More
2016-12-05 10:50
Next Wednesday I will be walking back to Ipswich from Felixstowe 16 miles may not seem much of a challenge. Last year for the military veterans charity, 'Walking with the Wounded' I walked p… Read More
2016-11-13 14:24
This week the people of Ipswich remembered the fallenFrom the service at Ipswich war Cemetery, involving Primary School children from Ipswich to the showing of the play, The Wipers Tim… Read More
2016-11-10 21:14
Over the last few years local Ipswich Tories have attempted to scare local residents by claiming that the Labour run council was planning to build houses on the Ransomes Sports Ground. Mysel… Read More
2016-11-09 12:10
Trump and Brexit in one year - We now pin all our hopes on it being a great John Lewis Christmas advert!(Could have added a second Corbyn victory but that pales into insignificance with Trum… Read More
2016-10-30 11:42
All members of political groups are great at talking to each other, many spend as much time on internal politics as they do on national campaigns and the Labour Party probably spends more ti… Read More
2016-10-20 18:47
I spent the start of this week in Belgium and Northern France with 40 teenagers, we were visiting both the battlefields and the cemeteries that cover Flanders.We visited Arras, the northern… Read More
2016-10-16 12:32
At first it felt great to be out on the doorstep, knocking on doors, talking to residents rather than fighting each other in the Labour leadership battle, which at times had quite a toxic fe… Read More
2016-10-16 12:31
At first it felt great to be out on the doorstep, knocking on doors, talking to residents rather than fighting each other in the Labour leadership battle, which at times had quite a toxic fe… Read More
2016-09-25 18:52
I won’t be quitting LabourNot a great day yesterday – the result from Liverpool was not unexpected, and then throw in a lacklustre defeat for Ipswich in Leeds, I did not wake up… Read More
2016-09-21 19:28
2016-08-31 11:55
The polls on the Labour Leader election are not looking good, funny how Corbyn supporters are willing to quote the YouGov poll today but will not accept the same firms polls that show we wil… Read More
2016-08-21 17:52
I will be voting for Owen Smith this to be the new leader of the Labour Party, I hope and believe Owen can win but if he does not I expect to be campaigning again in either 2017 or 2018 for… Read More
2016-08-09 13:19
Last night we heard the results for the election of constituency representatives to the NEC. Not a great night for the moderates with the ‘Left’ slate winning all six seats. It d… Read More
2016-07-09 11:08
Not to be a party of protest but to be a party that can govern this country.From our rulebook:Clause 1 of our constitution;(Labour Party) Its purpose is to organise and maintain in Parliamen… Read More
2016-07-09 10:36
Sorry for the lack of posts recently - I kept away from my blog as still felt both anger and sorrow after the Brexit vote - this has not been helped by the behavior of Johnson (and to a less… Read More
2016-06-22 15:02
For our children and grandchildren - vote to 'Remain' in the EUVote 'Out' is a gamble not worth taking Read More
2016-06-18 09:50
This morning I should have been out in North East Ipswich campaigning hard for Britain to remain the EU instead I am sat at home watching rugby but my mind is in overdrive as I worry what wi… Read More
2016-06-15 19:29
Over the last few years, Ipswich Tories have attempted to tell the electorate in Rushmere Ward, Ipswich that the Labour run council evicted the local sports club from the Ransomes site in or… Read More
2016-05-31 15:25
After the trouble Labour found itself in after the Scottish referendum campaign, I like many hoped that the Labour Party had learnt from those mistakes and we would run our own campaign to r… Read More
2016-05-22 09:59
Yesterday for the second Saturday running I was out with a large campaign team from Ipswich Labour talking to residents about the EU referendum.I have enjoyed both sessions as residents want… Read More
2016-05-22 09:36
This week I attended the Full Council meting held in the Ipswich Corn Exchange, the main purpose of the meeting was to see the changeover of Mayor from Glen Chisholm to Roger Fern.The meetin… Read More
2016-05-07 10:13
It was very humbling to be stood in the Corn Exchange in the early hours of Friday morning when the election result was announced and I had been re-elected as the councilor for my own ward o… Read More
2016-04-26 09:43
Ben Gummer our MP voted last night to stop the United Kingdom bringing in 3,000 child refugees. It was a shameful act in anyone's eyes.When he is next at Liverpool Street Station, (delayed a… Read More
2016-04-24 18:23
A couple of weeks ago I found myself writing a blog after reading an Ipswich Tory leaflet. The blog post can be found here.The leaflet was certainly not factual but it was their comments on… Read More
2016-04-22 15:13
Labour for educationThe failings of Tory education policyLocal primary and secondary schools all oversubscribed Tory Suffolk looking for a school site in town centre!Tory Government forcing… Read More
2016-04-19 09:09
These people being involved in the 'Leave' campaign should be good enough reason for anyone to vote to 'Remain' in the EU! Read More
2016-04-10 18:05
Ipswich Tory leaflets have always read more like a fantasy story than a document of facts and public information but this year they have really gone out of their way to persuade the Ipswich… Read More
2016-03-27 09:30
The next few weeks will be spent mainly in North East Ipswich campaigning hard for the local Labour Party - so there will be no 'My week ahead' posts till after election day. (Some of… Read More
2016-03-20 11:49
Monday 21 March – 6pm, Labour Group meetingTuesday 22 March – 11am, Activ-lives ‘Support our Hub’ event at the Town Hall7pm- Suffolk Fabians meeting – ‘De… Read More
2016-03-13 13:12
Monday 14 March – 3pm, Visit to Ipswich Gymnastics Centre4pm, Culture Portfolio briefing6pm, Labour Group campaigningTuesday 15 March – 5pm, Early Warning GroupThursday 17 March… Read More
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