Pritchard re-launches Website
Mark Pritchard, MP for the Wrekin has this week launched two new Websites.
www.markpritchard.com (sorry no google juice here mark)
and
www.savetheprh.com.
Telford Live forum regular Andy is
seething that Mark has decided to have theses sites, designed and hosted out of the area when there are more than enough web design companies and hosting companies in the area. You might think 'perhaps these sites were a freebie' but not so - markpritchard.com was funded out of parliamentary expenses, so thanks for supporting local business Mark.
Mark also seems to have omitted any form of blog from his site. As a self confessed communications guru you'd think Mark would want to communicate with his constituents.
I have some simple questions for Mark;
1. Why didn't you use a local company to do your work?
2. Why do you continually fail to communicate to the very people you are supposed to be working for?
3. Why is the Save the PRH website, covered in pictures of you?
I'm confused about the Save the PRH campaign. Mark seems as bothered about getting his face, name and Labour bashing on the site as he does about saving the services.
Please answer me those questions Mark, the comments are open.
WOW
106 days after being elected, Mark runs a surgery - well done.
Why has it taken him 106 Days?
I think my friends at
Telfordlive.com have found the answer.
Political Footballs
David Wright hits back at Mark Pritchard's political sniping over the hospital;
I grew up in this town and was delighted when the hospital opened, local people worked so very hard to secure it. I have never used the hospital as a political foot¬ball and I admire the staff for the work that they do on our behalf.
What is depressing about this debate so far is that some people seem to think it provides an opportunity to advance their own personal politi¬cal standing and score some cheap points.
The fact is that people switch off from the 'Punch and Judy' politics that are so often played out in the local media.
I think that the future of our hospital is too important to play games with and I hope that those involved in trying to cre¬ate a climate of fear will now engage in a sensible and mature debate.
I think he has a point.
Wellington News
Further to mine (and other peoples) concerns that Mark didn't give a toss about 'the Wrekin' the Wellington News (I say news....that's for another time) loves Mark to bits!
This weeks edition features Mark a massive 5 times - including a 'Wellington News Exclusive' on page 20. So lets have a look at our new MP shall we? Most of us haven't seen him.
First and main story is the very serious piece about the local hospital.
My problem is the 2 page special where Mark talks about HIS CAMPAIGN and 'MY CAMPAIGN' non stop and uses the very real threat of losing services to gripe and snipe at Telford MP David Wright and Labour. Fair enough, I'm not a massive fan of Labour government at the moment but trying to 'SAVE OUR HOSPITAL' is not the place to do it. Unless of course you're hoping to please Tory HQ in the process.
Mark also mentions (yet again) how HE has been warning people for THREE YEARS that this might happen. Now I don't know a lot about Mark (who does?) but I do know he was candidate for Warley in 2001 - 4 years ago. What's he been doing since then? Cause I for one hadn't heard of him till early this year. funny that.
Self congratulation brings me on to the next story - the car parking charges. Yay.
'Mr Pritchard was heavily involved in the local campaign to have the charges scrapped...' - again, no heaviness until election time then I suspect it was 'right, what are the people worked up over, lets go with parking charges'. I hate to praise Peter Bradley but he along with Vic Tonks of Telford & Wrekin People's Association did most of the work Mark Pritchard just jumped on the bandwagon.
Why worry about parking when you spending most of your time in London asking questions about
Trident?
Here's mark learning where Waters Upton is.
And finally here's Mark opening Kip In Pace - Drop in Centre for drug users but couldn't resist taking the the opportunity to over shadow a good service by having a dig about the Government re-classifying Cannabis - because Cannabis today = Heroin tomorrow. Did you never watch Grange Hill?
Kitchen Closure??
I never want to hear those words. Kitchens should always be open, hospital or otherwise.
In the Shropshire Star this week we read of plans (denied) to close a kitchen for part of the day at Shrewsbury or PRH:
Hospital managers are looking at the idea of an afternoon kitchen closure at either the Royal Shrewsbury or Telford's Princess Royal. But it was denied that one of the two kitchens would be completely closed in a bid to save cash.
Graham Smith, interim chief executive of the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust, said: "We are looking to save money where we can and we are looking to see if we can find a way of one kitchen producing the hot meals for the evening.
"It is not the same as completely closing a kitchen at the PRH or RSH."
Mr Smith said he didn't know at this stage what savings might be made, how many staff might be affected or the cost of transporting meals between the two centres.
But the proposal was attacked by Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard who is continuing his campaign for improved Government funding for the Princess Royal.
Of course he is....and you can bet your bottom dollar if his lot were in charge he'd be claiming the Hospital hasn’t kept their finances in check.
Does Mark Pritchard really care about the Hospital or is this much needed point scoring material for when this career politician goes back to the House?
You tell me (and your constituents) Mark. The comments are open.
and the winner is.....
Mark Pritchard gets nominated for the
2005 N00b Media Award:
This year the shortlist included such luminaries as Mark Pritchard (who, despite having made no posts to his weblog, has archive links dating back to the dawn of time). Manic has also rounded up the whole Political weblog movement under on big
web-umbrella:
Sadly, while Mark Pritchard may be commercially involved in Teh Interwebs via the company Discount Domains Ltd, he appears to lack the common sense and/or common courtesy that is required for effective networking via weblogs.
THREE MONTHS
Three months I wrote to Mark Pritchard, three months. Two months ago I wrote to him ask if he would mind replying to my letter, two months.
NOTHING, not even an acknowledgement.
Remember saying this Mark?
Public service remains a great privilege and honour, and I am grateful to my constituents in The Wrekin for allowing me to serve them in this place.
