Question John Tennant

Aardvark · 22-07-2008, 05:10 PM

I think that we are fully prepared for politics being a dirty game. I think you have joined this forum very late and know nothing about the posters here. The idea that chikrodah, who has been in politics for over 30 years, needs to be told by you that politics is a dirty game is patronising in the extreme.

I have experience of over 20 elections in this country, I have been on 8 ballot papers and, unlike you, have been elected. I have also observed 16 elections in other countries and know, having interviewed someone who had a rival supporter killed, how dirty politics is.

The fact that we are on the forum at the moment might mean that we are taking a well earned rest or that we see no immediate need to be outside getting the message to future voters. Future voters will be influenced by many things and we can be effective in different ways. The public are not thinking about the next EU elections at present, they are thinking about their holidays. They will return from 2 or 3 weeks in the sun and bin all the junk leaflets they receive whilst they are away; if you post a leaflet it will be binned. Politics is not in everybody's mind and most people are apathetic at election times let alone in between. It is hard work to convert people when they are receptive, it is pointless to try when they are not (I speak as someone who has canvassed a big four figure number of doors).

mrabody · 22-07-2008, 05:48 PM

John, you aren't doing yourself any favours on this forum.

Aardvark · 22-07-2008, 07:03 PM

Are you this John Tennant?

Quote:

Does anyone else feel that Brokenshire is a carpetbagger? How will he have the time to be the candidate for Witham? Until the next election he has to be the MP for Hornchurch, while performing his front bench duties in the House…full time jobs in themselves.

Witham needs and deserves a full time candidate to work the area, and build local support. Someone who will put the needs of local residents and communities first.

Brokenshire could have a great future in the Party, but to “chicken run” like this is hardly dignified. If CCHQ has any sense they will parachute him into a rock solid seat 6 months before the election – some safe pasture in Surrey or Oxfordshire.

Witham is too important a seat to take for granted.

Posted by: John Tennant | November 13, 2006 at 09:34

Quote:

I found this in James Brokenshire’s entry in Dod Online: “He has been described by fellow Conservatives as a centrist pro-European, but subscribes to the party line against the European Constitution.”

We all know James Brokenshire is on the left of the party, and that his federalist views means he hardly qualifies as “Essex man”, but these are, in themselves, not grounds for him not to be selected in Witham.

No, the reason he ought not be selected is that he a carpet bagger who will overstretch himself if he is selected. He does not have time for Witham

I agree with Leo, Geoffrey Van Orden is the sound choice. A man with a proven track record of fighting for our interests in Brussels, a sound voice in the European Parliament against European integration and I very much hope that the good people of Witham recognise this at the primary.

Posted by: John Tennant | November 14, 2006 at 09:36

Taken from Conservative Home.

John Tennant · 22-07-2008, 10:13 PM

No Aardvark, I am not the John Tennant you assume in your above post. Mrabody, I accept your comments. I apologise to those I may have offended regarding comments to do with those on this forum who do little for the party and just bicker. I recognised the comments made by the 'Despondent Member' in a separate thread highlighting the issue that activism is nowhere near the levels of 2004, and I stand by the comment that forums such as this simply prove to be a 'talking shop' for discontents and do little for morale. This party needs inspiration and morale. If you cannot see this, then it doesn't matter how much experience one has, the groundwork and grassroots support will simply ebb away. I simply state this, we must stop attacking each other, picking away at rivals and put our efforts into improving the party fortunes in any way we can.

Again, to those I offended, I apologise it was not intended. Just simple constructive criticisms about the merits of this forum.

mrabody · 22-07-2008, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Tennant

No Aardvark, I am not the John Tennant you assume in your above post. Mrabody, I accept your comments. I apologise to those I may have offended regarding comments to do with those on this forum who do little for the party and just bicker. I recognised the comments made by the 'Despondent Member' in a separate thread highlighting the issue that activism is nowhere near the levels of 2004, and I stand by the comment that forums such as this simply prove to be a 'talking shop' for discontents and do little for morale. This party needs inspiration and morale. If you cannot see this, then it doesn't matter how much experience one has, the groundwork and grassroots support will simply ebb away. I simply state this, we must stop attacking each other, picking away at rivals and put our efforts into improving the party fortunes in any way we can.

Again, to those I offended, I apologise it was not intended. Just simple constructive criticisms about the merits of this forum.

I've made the same points in the past John, but you do need to be careful how you say it. I spend a lot of time on the forum but I also spend a lot of time leafleting or volunteering for UKIP in other ways. This isn't strictly a UKIP forum and it contains a large contingent of ex-UKIPers, some bitter, and some not. It also contains BNPers and various other species of trolls. Mock the BNPers if you like and have a go at the more bitter and twisted of the ex-UKIPers but don't make blanket statements about the members of this forum, many of whom, if they are not contributing to UKIP right now have done so in the past and we should all hope will do so in the future.

That said, anyone who can apologize as you have done is ok in my books.

Aardvark · 23-07-2008, 12:42 AM

John, Be careful about reading what people say. I didn't assume, I asked a question. The other John Tennant is, coincidentally, a Eurosceptic Tory. The comments were made a couple of years ago. People change parties. I was a Tory councillor on West Oxon District Council; I'm now persona non grata in the Cameron camp and none to popular with some of our own committee locally. It might be that you had moved parties.

The forum is not just a place where malcontents meet, it has, for me at least, been the opportunity to meet with like minded individuals - people who would wish to reform UKIP for the better. I have made new friends through the Lechlade Group. I have met people who post here or have posted in the past and have made several new contacts. I have met a number of the drivers for change and am in contact, via PMs, with many posters on both a regular and an irregular basis. I have made a couple of new enemies, but mostly I have made new friends.

By careful and occasionally controversial posts I have built a reputation across part of the Eurosceptic movement. If you hang around long enough and don't just focus on your own agenda but join in discussions on other topics you will expand your knowledge. I have learnt a lot on this forum on many topics and I hope I have informed other people about the things I know better than they.

You have a long way to go in the world of politics. You have 2 ears and one mouth, learn to use them in that proportion.

B.A.Ware · 23-07-2008, 01:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aardvark

John, Be careful about reading what people say. I didn't assume, I asked a question. The other John Tennant is, coincidentally, a Eurosceptic Tory. The comments were made a couple of years ago. People change parties. I was a Tory councillor on West Oxon District Council; I'm now persona non grata in the Cameron camp and none to popular with some of our own committee locally. It might be that you had moved parties.

The forum is not just a place where malcontents meet, it has, for me at least, been the opportunity to meet with like minded individuals - people who would wish to reform UKIP for the better. I have made new friends through the Lechlade Group. I have met people who post here or have posted in the past and have made several new contacts. I have met a number of the drivers for change and am in contact, via PMs, with many posters on both a regular and an irregular basis. I have made a couple of new enemies, but mostly I have made new friends.

By careful and occasionally controversial posts I have built a reputation across part of the Eurosceptic movement. If you hang around long enough and don't just focus on your own agenda but join in discussions on other topics you will expand your knowledge. I have learnt a lot on this forum on many topics and I hope I have informed other people about the things I know better than they.

You have a long way to go in the world of politics. You have 2 ears and one mouth, learn to use them in that proportion.

A very good post by Aardvark, a friend i meet through this forum. The very things you say now were once said by many members on this forum a few years ago these same members are now classed as lepers and malcontents WHY have their political views changed were they looking for position or salaries no they were trying to help their country only two be thwarted at every turn were they listened to or were they ex communicated.
As someone so young and relatively new to the party ask yourself why these people say what they say come up with reasoned arguments don't just pass them off as idiots don't forget these were the very people a few years ago that were spending their own money and time campaigning for UKIP ask your self what happened and can we get these people that campaigned so hard back on board, when you can understand that than you might be able to be in a position to stand for election.

22-07-2008, 05:10 PM	#31 (permalink)
Aardvark Moderator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Oxonia Posts: 4,255	I think that we are fully prepared for politics being a dirty game. I think you have joined this forum very late and know nothing about the posters here. The idea that chikrodah, who has been in politics for over 30 years, needs to be told by you that politics is a dirty game is patronising in the extreme. I have experience of over 20 elections in this country, I have been on 8 ballot papers and, unlike you, have been elected. I have also observed 16 elections in other countries and know, having interviewed someone who had a rival supporter killed, how dirty politics is. The fact that we are on the forum at the moment might mean that we are taking a well earned rest or that we see no immediate need to be outside getting the message to future voters. Future voters will be influenced by many things and we can be effective in different ways. The public are not thinking about the next EU elections at present, they are thinking about their holidays. They will return from 2 or 3 weeks in the sun and bin all the junk leaflets they receive whilst they are away; if you post a leaflet it will be binned. Politics is not in everybody's mind and most people are apathetic at election times let alone in between. It is hard work to convert people when they are receptive, it is pointless to try when they are not (I speak as someone who has canvassed a big four figure number of doors). __________________ When in Woking do as the Wokes do. "I do not wish to form my opinions by thoughtlessly quoting others; I wish others to support their opinions by sensibly quoting me." Paul Wesson (Aardvark) 13th April 2008

23-07-2008, 12:42 AM	#36 (permalink)
Aardvark Moderator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Oxonia Posts: 4,255	John, Be careful about reading what people say. I didn't assume, I asked a question. The other John Tennant is, coincidentally, a Eurosceptic Tory. The comments were made a couple of years ago. People change parties. I was a Tory councillor on West Oxon District Council; I'm now persona non grata in the Cameron camp and none to popular with some of our own committee locally. It might be that you had moved parties. The forum is not just a place where malcontents meet, it has, for me at least, been the opportunity to meet with like minded individuals - people who would wish to reform UKIP for the better. I have made new friends through the Lechlade Group. I have met people who post here or have posted in the past and have made several new contacts. I have met a number of the drivers for change and am in contact, via PMs, with many posters on both a regular and an irregular basis. I have made a couple of new enemies, but mostly I have made new friends. By careful and occasionally controversial posts I have built a reputation across part of the Eurosceptic movement. If you hang around long enough and don't just focus on your own agenda but join in discussions on other topics you will expand your knowledge. I have learnt a lot on this forum on many topics and I hope I have informed other people about the things I know better than they. You have a long way to go in the world of politics. You have 2 ears and one mouth, learn to use them in that proportion. __________________ When in Woking do as the Wokes do. "I do not wish to form my opinions by thoughtlessly quoting others; I wish others to support their opinions by sensibly quoting me." Paul Wesson (Aardvark) 13th April 2008

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22-07-2008, 05:48 PM	#32 (permalink)
mrabody Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 597	John, you aren't doing yourself any favours on this forum.

22-07-2008, 10:13 PM	#34 (permalink)
John Tennant Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 17	No Aardvark, I am not the John Tennant you assume in your above post. Mrabody, I accept your comments. I apologise to those I may have offended regarding comments to do with those on this forum who do little for the party and just bicker. I recognised the comments made by the 'Despondent Member' in a separate thread highlighting the issue that activism is nowhere near the levels of 2004, and I stand by the comment that forums such as this simply prove to be a 'talking shop' for discontents and do little for morale. This party needs inspiration and morale. If you cannot see this, then it doesn't matter how much experience one has, the groundwork and grassroots support will simply ebb away. I simply state this, we must stop attacking each other, picking away at rivals and put our efforts into improving the party fortunes in any way we can. Again, to those I offended, I apologise it was not intended. Just simple constructive criticisms about the merits of this forum.