Twitter 'tantrum' but MP has a 'clear conscience'
I BELIEVE that Karl McCartney has been unfairly indiscriminate in his criticisms of some Lincoln people regarding the project of using the West Common for flat horse racing to be run by the Lincoln Racecourse Regeneration Company.
He claims that scaremongering tactics have been used by myself. Karen Rastall has blamed officers City Hall for their U-turn while Mr McCartney himself has blamed senior officers for not doing anything with the LRRC's document containing its proposals.
But when people looked at the document on the LRRC website, they found the documentation incomplete with pages blank. What was presented were details of its intentions and nothing concrete. And now people are finding that the LRRC did not respond to the City of Lincoln Council's request for this to be rectified.
Our MP has twittered with an offensive outburst about the Commons Advisory Panel and a report by a Lincolnshire newspaper. He and Karen Rastall have blamed officers at City Hall for not doing much about the LRRC proposals.
Lincoln's MP does not like the reasoning behind those who want the West Common to remain as a critical natural asset. He has ignored the 2,000-plus signatories in Lincoln who have supported the Hands Off Our Common campaign. Now he is turning his venom on those at City Hall.
I would suggest that Mr McCartney stop having tantrums and begin to act responsibly in representing Lincoln.
John Shipton Lincoln.
I have always believed it right to stand up for things that I feel, as the local MP, would help the constituency, the people of the city and the economy.
With regard to the decision by the Lincoln Racecourse Regeneration Company Ltd to withdraw its application for a one-year 'heads of terms' lease from the City of Lincoln Council, I am obviously disappointed at this outcome.
However, like other board members, I was surprised at the content and options put forward and made public by the city council for consideration on August 16. They were not what we had been led to believe by the city council as the correct way forward for the process and so were perturbed, to say the least, considering our conversations and the direction given to us previously.
The city council and its officers have continually moved the goalposts, and the options they put forward do not reflect the discussions we have had regarding a 'heads of terms' lease.
For me, racing was about wanting to bring prosperity to and revive our city. I now wait to see what plans the city council and its senior officers have in store for regenerating and bringing new jobs to the city, plus what plans it has to upgrade the grandstand, amenities and facilities on the West Common.
It is disappointing that a genuine and honest idea, that would not financially benefit any of those involved at this stage, has been hijacked by political opponents for their own ends.
Those of us interested in bringing back professional flat racing believe we have acted with the best of intentions at all times and as instructed by councillors and officers – yet ever since the General Election we have been pilloried by certain individuals and groups who do not share the same politics as myself, just one of LRRC Ltd's members.
My conscience is clear and I have always been open in stating that my aims were the promotion, growth and economic well-being of the area I represent.
KARL McCARTNEY, MP (Conservative) Lincoln.
9 Comments
by anon, Lincoln
Thursday, August 26 2010, 5:59PM
“Well i'm sure that this does not by default mean that the other 88,000 supported the proposal. A lot of people aren't really too bothered. I voted for Karl but it doesn't necessarily mean that I automatically support every proposition he makes. In saying that I realise that my opinion might be different had the proposals been more detailed in which case whether opposition is based on propoganda or not the public would have a clearer picture concerning the net benefits/drawbacks of the scheme.”
by Ben, Lincoln
Wednesday, August 25 2010, 9:37AM
“I am growing rather tired of the left-wing activist John Shipton's increasingly desperate and thinly-veiled attempts to turn this into a party political issue.”
by Alan K, Burton Waters, Lincoln
Tuesday, August 24 2010, 10:53PM
“It appears that the Tory MP has fallen out the the Tories who run Lincoln City Council.
It looks like that he has been dealing with City Hall and Tory councillors for some time.
Did not Tory councillors deny this at full council meetings when asked?
What were these meetings about - unofficial and official?
Who are the Tory councillors involved?
Who is telling the truth? The Tory MP or Tory councillors?
This I would like to know for Karl McCartney has disclosed something unintentionally. Something just not add up just like the LRRC's proposals!”
by Tony W, Lincoln
Tuesday, August 24 2010, 2:52PM
“As one voter who supports the City of Lincoln Council's decision to reject the LRRC's proposals for the use of the West Common for horse racing, and agrees with the Conservative Executives's decision supporting the Commons Advisory Panel's recommendations, I find Mr McCartney's outbursts not that amusing and neither, as a Conservative, agree with his reasoning and arguments.
Sorry Karl, you have lost this one. So please now concentrate on other matters important to the Lincoln.”
by John, Bailgate, Lincoln
Tuesday, August 24 2010, 2:42PM
“The Conservative MP claims that 90,000 questionnaires were distributed to each household in Lincoln about his proposals to bring back horse racing for Lincoln. He also claimed that a large percentage of householders responded supporting his aims.
I and many thousands of others never received such literature. So I can only assume that this was a publicity stunt to get approval.
I am a person who voted for him and I usually vote Conservative.
Because he has mislead people like me who do not support the West Common being used for horse racing, I cannot and will not trust his integrity again.”
by Colin Mair, Coningsby
Tuesday, August 24 2010, 10:29AM
“Karl McCartney say he "waits to see what plans the city council and its senior officers have in store for regenerating and bringing new jobs to the city". This sadly reinforces the disconnection between people who should be working together to build and protect our communities. I know that when I had a problem with East Lindsey District Council our local MP, Sir Peter Tapsell, said he could have no influence over them. Sir Peter is a hard working MP who has done so much good for so many people, yet the whole system of local government is so fragmented! Local Parish and Town Councils seem to have little or no influence over District Councils, as an example a recent planning application going through despite the unanimous disapproval of our town council.
Now has anybody got any ideas for regeneration? I'll start the ball rolling by saying we need to brand Lincolnshire produce much more aggressively. We can also use the 'waste' sea round these offshore wind farms by cultivating seaweed, which acts as a new and very large carbon sink and can be used as a sustainable feed ingredient and a sustainable biomass source for bioethanol. Note the seaweed farms also then act as a protected nursery area for sea life.Let's not leave the ideas to City Hall!!”
by Emma, Lincoln
Tuesday, August 24 2010, 10:00AM
“"He has ignored the 2,000-plus signatories in Lincoln who have supported the Hands Off Our Common campaign."
Quite rightly, given that the population of Lincoln is pushing 90,000. Time we stopped pandering to gobby minorities and the equally gobby left-wing bandwaggon-hoppers they get supporting them.
"I now wait to see what plans the city council and its senior officers have in store for regenerating and bringing new jobs to the city, plus what plans it has to upgrade the grandstand, amenities and facilities on the West Common."
Well, if nothing else, McCartney's certainly got a sense of humour.”
by Peter, Lincolnshire
Tuesday, August 24 2010, 10:00AM
“Karl McCartney and Karen Rastall both directors of the Lincoln Racecourse Regeneration Compnay have declared publically that they will continue with their racecourse venture using the West Common, hook or by crook. They refuse to accept the Tory run City Council's decision.
So what will they do now about the feasability study on traffic assessment and the environmental impact issue. The LRRC said that the costs would be around £10,000. Were they going to pay for this or expect the council to pay the tab?
I was at one meeting in 2009 whereby Mr McCartney said that the proposals would be made available in the latter part of that year. He astually said as well that his project began then in 2004. So he and the LRRC have had ample time to come up with something concrete.
If fact, this did not materialise and Lincoln has been left a legacy of nothing substantial to support horse racing for Lincoln - only intentions which Mr Shipton and others have mentioned on several occassions.
The MP should stop making outbursts and do something to resolve public transport issues, traffic congestion, deal with the road infrastructure, etc, etc.”
by David, Lincoln
Tuesday, August 24 2010, 9:40AM
“Personally, I am not really bothered about bringing 'the sport of kings' back to Lincoln as it is doubtful whether the ordinary folk of Lincoln would be able to afford to watch. McKartney's Tory cronies would be the ones who benefitted leaving the increasingly impoverished 'poor' folk struggling to buy a ound of mince let alone watch millions of pounds worth of horseflesh galloping aimlessly round a field
To those who still believe our present MP was elected on his merits and policies let's look at it realistically. It was really a mistaken and badly considered vote against Gordon Brown.
McKartney and his fellow Tories on the City Council are obviously on a different wavelength.”