New ‘Master’ of Bristol’s Society of Merchant Venturers Chris Curling
Friday 12th December 2014
BCfm’s weekly politics show presented by Tony Gosling
At five – discussing the big stories in Bristol, Britain and around the world
After six – straight talking and investigative reports with Martin Summers
Listen live http://www.bcfmradio.com/player
First hour: News review: Transport and Housing with one of Labour’s Assistant Mayors Mark Bradshaw… Mayor Ferguson’s cabinet; living wage; £360m Bristol budget – budget decisions – public transport, housing and homelessness; Greater Bristol Authority Metro Mayor; difference between public or private transport – East Coast Main Line being unnecessarily privatised next spring; UWE protest – occupied by students – Digital media student Josh Conner says ‘knowledge is not a consumer product and we are not your clients’ – student loan bubble, financial crash; markets nervous as Greece calls an election; BAe Systems pulling out of Filton, Bristol; Bristolians set to pay more for police – except there are less police; OECD report – growth of inequality has had a negative effect on growth; Tory Home Secretary Theresa May police will be able to snoop on journalists phone records; GCHQ spying is ‘legal’ – snoopers charter.
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Second hour: Investigative reports: Interview with Chris Stacey from UK child sex abuse ‘People’s Tribunal’, headed by eminent QCs Michael Mansfield and John Cooper – official inquiry not trusted, www.thepeoplestribunal.org.uk organised by survivors, Exaro News. Sexual abuse victim Chris Stacey from The Peoples Tribunal into UK Child Sexual Abuse. New ‘Master’ of Bristol’s Society of Merchant Venturers Chris Curling… Interview with Chris Curling, new Master of the Merchant Venturers: Bishop Mike Hill’s statement about Merchant Venturer slave trader Edward Colston’s business dealings being ‘speculation’ in front of hundreds of their schoolchildren ; the slave trade; charity fund of Merchant Venturers; various ‘interests’ of Chris including being on the board of Bristol Water; Ofwat says Bristol Water must cut it’s bills by 21% – public versus private water; Ireland protest as they have to pay for water for the first time; fracking adversely affecting water supplies; the role of the Master of the Merchant Venturers.
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j’accuse: The Merchant venturers and most private business organizations that give to “charities” are more than anything else is a tax write off, loophole scheme and also good pr. As for charity in this day and age they are first and foremost self serving(most of your donation goes to the ceo and staff of charity). It seems that the Venturers are giving to niche charities and are not giving towards the over all public good. It is a far better thing to tax the wealthy and corporations higher to close the wealth gap and allow a standard of living that the workers, poor and disabled they certainly deserve.
How anyone can feel that privitizing something that comes from God(if you will)water, is good are compartmentalizing sociopaths. The private and public sectors are totally different. Privitization has cost the taxpayer more, and getting less service and has created a bureacracy that outdoes 19th century Russia.