Not getting at you, please take this at face value.

Looking at your comment, would you prefer it if the politicians stood up and said, ‘you know what – it is my balanced view that funding SBS should stop. That is my out and out decision, vote on in if that tickles your fancy in X years time. I have listened to the alternative arguments and have dismissed them, as is my job as an elected political official. I am not here to legislate pressure groups whims and I have made this decision in good faith, end of.’

Would that be preferable?

Ealing Council have given the group a two month reprieve.

I really wouldn’t celebrate just yet people. This could be a delaying tactic to allow coverage and protest to die down so they can pull the plug later…

Dear Tom Harris,

Re EDM 1122,

Hopefully, you would find yourself able to support this motion.

Yours sincerely,

Douglas Clark

To which I got this reply:

Dear Mr Clark

As a member of the government I am unable to sign EDMs.

Best wishes

Tom Harris

Which was an answer to a question I had not posed. I had asked him whether he felt able to support SBS, not whether he could sign the EDM. It would have been quite interesting if he had engaged with the EDM. He did not.

I do not take kindly to politicians that deliberately avoid the questiion. My vote, next time is SNP.

It strikes me as a partial victory. Rather than a real one.

Please keep your eye on this, lest the bastard politicians are lying through their teeth.

I hate being an optomist, though I think the likes of SBS should make us all more optomisitic. I just fear the Councils’ so called, ‘decision making process’.

Though, the fact that this is has public force probably means that they will see sense.

I am fed up with the idea that, if we take our eyes off politicians for one moment, they will be stupid. Which seems to be the case.