Marcus Wood

Marcus, as it is now Sunday 28 Feb, and you haven'...

2010-02-28T10:48:39.489Z

Marcus, as it is now Sunday 28 Feb, and you haven't updated this for 10 days, I can only assume you're losing the will to fight.

I can really understand that: you've been treated with almost contempt, both nationally (eg Grayling making a 'special' trip just to inform us that, if the Tories get in, he still can't guarantee the by-pass we so desperately need) and locally (by the mayor and his bunglers at the town hall).

Chin up!

Excellent post and writing style. Bookmarked.

2010-02-03T23:19:31.809Z

Excellent post and writing style. Bookmarked.

Not many true Labourites in Torbay. They're mainly...

2010-01-28T14:10:06.966Z

Not many true Labourites in Torbay. They're mainly all Libby Labby wet socialites, from Yellow peril through to tequila sunrise New Labourites.

It seems to me that you must have either not fully...

2010-01-11T12:22:14.316Z

It seems to me that you must have either not fully read or totally misunderstood what I have written.

Nowhere have I criticised teachers, for anything, nor have I been critical of heads who close their schools when the conditions make it right to do so. I did say that some parents have complained to me about the readiness of schools to close, which I am afraid is true and reflected in much of the press coverage of the last few days. They are wrong to do so as I thought my piece went on to illustrate.

My point has been solely to question whether or not the target culture of this (and previous) Governments is in fact hampering or unfairly influencing the decisions head teachers make to close a school, because if they are being judged on the unauthorised attendance level of their school they have a strong incentive to minimise this figure.

I have not claimed that it definitely is happening, and certainly not in Torbay; but that it certain circumstances it could. This point is at least partly acknowledged both by the DCSF and the general secretary of the National Association of Headteachers.

This is a fault of the target they are given, not the heads. Airline pilots specifically are not given targets to minimise the fuel they carry because it gives them a conflict of interest that *could* encourage risk-taking.

I have sought and received an assurance from Nick Gibb, the shadow minister for schools, that if he becomes Schools Minister after the next election he will look again at the way in which attendance is defined and measured by OFSTED to ensure that the focus is on truancy and not these kind of unavoidable absences.

I am not making populist comments but putting to the public a genuine issue that the elected politicians need to address.

Agree with you completely Marcus. Leave the huntin...

2009-12-09T19:47:14.764Z

Agree with you completely Marcus. Leave the hunting ban in place. The Tory leadership would be insane to reopen this can of worms.

Marcus, the Trillion is not showing for me, in Fir...

2009-12-09T17:07:26.364Z

Marcus, the Trillion is not showing for me, in Firefox or IE.

Glad you're getting irritated: it's like shooting ...

2009-12-06T15:56:56.227Z

Glad you're getting irritated: it's like shooting fish in a barrel!!!

And no, it's not the Ritz. The Ritz doesn't have any Michelin stars ....

Just a couple of additional points:

Didn't Big Dave insist that you all behave a bit more like what us oiks do now, banning champers from your party conf and the like (Nancy Mogg, I ask you).

And I have nothing whatsoever against the Orestone; I'm sure it's lovely, although I've never been. Its sister establishment, The Elephant, certainly is good, and I can heartily recommend it.

I am a local oik, too. Its just that I am not asha...

2009-12-01T11:57:09.224Z

I am a local oik, too. Its just that I am not ashamed of the fact that I work hard and have done well. I Pity those people like our anonymous friend up thread who spend their time bitching about those that earn well or achieve anything. I despise that kind of negative envy politics. If Marcus Wood wants to spend his own hard-earned cash at the Orestone Hotel (which is a nice hotel but it's not exactly the Ritz) or anywhere else for that matter good luck to him, at least he is not living the high life off my taxes like the MP's are.

HW&SLR: oh yes, that's EXACTLY what Marcus needs r...

2009-11-30T18:41:06.576Z

HW&SLR: oh yes, that's EXACTLY what Marcus needs right now: the likes of you inferring that he claims he's a class apart from the rest of us local oiks. With friends like you ...

Oh dear, the politics of envy and class hatred cle...

2009-11-29T14:07:16.437Z

Oh dear, the politics of envy and class hatred clearly still runs deep in Torbay.

Glad to hear you all had such a great time, living...

2009-11-27T17:31:05.263Z

Glad to hear you all had such a great time, living high on the hog at a place as costly, lavish and exclusive as the Orestone. No thought then, of the majority of those at work in Torbay, trying to make ends meet on some of the lowest wages in the UK, while the useless administration at the town hall (YOUR lot) busily cock-up merrily all over the place. But at least we know what to expect if you get elected then ... we'll all be eating cake, I suppose.

Still, I am sure you enjoyed your lark's tongues in aspic, before returning to your large house.

Apostrophes! "Todays"? missing) "It's" (not needed...

2009-11-25T13:29:51.596Z

Apostrophes! "Todays"? missing) "It's" (not needed there)

I agree wholeheartedly. Not only was Lord Trimble...

2009-11-24T13:09:21.108Z

I agree wholeheartedly.

Not only was Lord Trimble outstanding, The food and atmosphere at the hotel was first class, well done for organising it.

That many Tories see it as a priority - revoking t...

2009-11-20T22:54:35.245Z

That many Tories see it as a priority - revoking the ban on fox hunting - says much. What is needed is a strengthening of the act and prosecutions of hunts flouting the law as currently constituted.

I'm not, as a liberal, in favour of many things, but who is there to speak up and be advocates for sentient beings like foxes and hares.

Marcus might take the popular view on this, but the majority of the current Tory Westminster incumbents do not !!

A bit of sense for once! Proposing to reinstate hu...

2009-11-16T21:36:23.336Z

A bit of sense for once! Proposing to reinstate hunting just reinforces the view that the Tories are totally out of touch with real people and only interested in upper class snobbery

Fashion Trigger? "Excellent dear" ?? !! Are you...

2009-11-12T11:59:01.737Z

Fashion Trigger? "Excellent dear" ?? !!

Are you targeting the Pink Pound Mr Wood? Finally your tasted in lurid jackets is paying off....surely the Culture Ministry beckons for you now.

Ok, so I admit it, you've finally written a decent...

2009-11-12T11:56:20.264Z

Ok, so I admit it, you've finally written a decent post. Probably because you've left offf nonsensically bashing the Liberals for once and specifically our MP.

Why on earth did you call your website touch-wood....

2009-11-12T00:02:50.154Z

Why on earth did you call your website touch-wood.info. !!! and "wood is good" I've sent your flyer into graham norton its so funny

Wow... Excellent dear, great post!! there is so in...

2009-11-10T05:23:47.056Z

Wow... Excellent dear, great post!! there is so information on this blog, keep posting like this so that i can come back every day for some new topic...
High fashion Ladies wear Designer
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From the dictionary \Trea"son\, n. a giving up, a ...

2009-11-04T08:37:03.142Z

From the dictionary
\Trea"son\, n. a giving up, a delivering up, fr. tradere to give up, betray. See Traitor,

1. The offense of attempting to overthrow the government of the state to which the offender owes allegiance,

or of betraying the state into the hands of a foreign power;

disloyalty; treachery a crime that undermines the offender's government [syn:

Traitor is not too strong a word.

see this video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLdVWj3LqhQ&feature=player_embedded

People were mislead..In exactly the same way that ...

2009-11-03T21:37:48.445Z

People were mislead..In exactly the same way that the people today have been misled by Cameron who gave the impression to even Tory EU sceptics that he would 'do alright' by them. But look close at what he said and he didn't say a word.... just MISLEAD.

Most, I feel sure would say that we were indeed misled over the ECC in the 70's, even if you re-read the words today, with hindsight.

As expected by UKIP, Conservative leader David Cameron Will NOT be giving a Referendum on the EU treaty.

As reported in several national newspapers and now on the 'Conservativeshome' website where it says .

"The Tories will NOT hold a referendum on Lisbon but seek a 'manifesto mandate' to renegotiate Britain's relationship with the EU"

So now we all know ! This will come as a blow to the conservative membership, (and of other parties) over this issue.

My short message to those now disenfranchised over this, is 'Vote with your feet', UKIP will welcome you.

Ian Walsh (Torbay UKIP Vice chairman)

I wish I did have 'a huge Torquay house' and so do...

2009-11-02T12:07:23.364Z

I wish I did have 'a huge Torquay house' and so does my wife.

Anon of 3.07pm: perhaps you would care to share wi...

2009-11-02T11:18:10.155Z

Anon of 3.07pm: perhaps you would care to share with us the evidence of your statements. Note: a huge (or even massive) house doesn't count as evidence, unless he keeps people locked up in its cellar.

Everyone should know that Marcus Wood is a selfish...

2009-11-01T15:07:34.225Z

Everyone should know that Marcus Wood is a selfish, self interested man who cares about no one but himself and is only interested in getting elected. A typical heartless Tory. The worst possible type of would be politician. He has no compassion for those who are not as priveleged as he himself, in his huge Torquay house. Please don't vote for this man

Marcus Wood you are a disasterin

2009-11-01T15:03:06.211Z

Marcus Wood you are a disasterin