There have been all sorts or rumors flying about about the selection of the replacement for Andrew MacKay MP.

One wonders where some of them come from
The short list of seven has now been finalised.

I see that blogger Norfolk Blogger has been getting excited over this for some time.

Richard Willis's Blog has a good deal of interesting stuff...

"I am told that Bracknell Conservatives have selected their short-list of seven to replace sitting MP Andrew MacKay who is standing down. I am seeking final confirmation but I believe that they are:

Iain Dale – top Conservative blogger, author and publisher. Iain stood in Norfolk North at the last election.

Rory Stewart – author and former Army officer. I worked with Rory in the Foreign Office after the Iraq invasion. He was appointed Governor of Di Qar province in Iraq and is also famous for walking across Afghanistan in 2002

Kate Lindsay – was previously shortlisted for Hampshire East

Julia Manning – stood in Bristol East at the 2005 General Election

Philip Lee – a Doctor and project director of Conservative Friends of Bangladesh

Ryan Robson – an investment banker and Chairman of the Centre for Social Justice’s Looked After Children Working Group.

Margaret Doyle – a Westminster Councillor"

I include the quote because there are some handy links in there.

I have collected some of my own, but please "Google" for more. All of these people have impressive backgrounds. We have yet to see who will impress the average Bracknell voter the most. I wonder if Norfolk blogger will be right in his analysis? Googling is not the "be all and end all" of people of course. We have yet to learn more about what these people have done, and how they could benefit Bracknell and the country.

Iain Dale

http://www.iaindale.co.uk/

http://www.westhamtillidie.com/

http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/iaindale

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6cMcSeyzj4&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BSreL4y_UY

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iain_Dale

Rory Stewart

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/photography/afghanistan/rory-stewart.html

http://www.rorystewartbooks.com/rory_stewart.htm

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/may/17/rory-stewart-afghanistan-traditional-skills

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23731157-rory-stewart-the-pm-knows-we-shouldnt-be-in-afghanistan.do

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/1240285

Kate Lindsay

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/career_and_jobs/senior_executive/article673828.ece

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/person/9266/katy-lindsay

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingston_upon_Hull_East_(UK_Parliament_constituency)

Julia Manning

http://conservativehome.blogs.com/platform/julia_manning/

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/person/9155/julia-manning

http://www.2020health.org/research/publications/news65.html

Philip Lee

http://www.phillip-lee.com/

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/person/9142/phillip-lee

http://www.cfob.co.uk/

http://conservativehome.blogs.com/platform/phillip_lee/

Ryan Robson

http://www.sovereigncapital.co.uk/team/ryan_robson.html

http://conservativehome.blogs.com/platform/2009/02/ryan-robson-the.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/sep/03/policy.children

http://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/default.asp?pageRef=223

Margaret Doyle

http://www.margaretdoyle.co.uk/

http://www.gordonpoole.com/?artistID=1745

http://www.westminsterconservatives.com/record.jsp?type=article&ID=54

http://www.womenspeakers.co.uk/speakerdetail.asp?speakerid=277

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/analysis/2584533.stm

Remember to book your place to listen to these people and decide on who is best for Bracknell.

http://www.bracknellconservatives.com/primary.php

UPDATE - The official list is now available - HERE

Limits on speed, Limits on common sense?

A Safer Way: Consultation on Making Britain's Roads the Safest in the World - Ends today.

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roadsafety/roadsafetyconsultation/

What will transpire?

Andrew MacKay (Senior Parliamentary & Political Advisor To David Cameron; Bracknell, Conservative)

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has received on proposed changes to speed limits; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Transport; Poplar & Canning Town, Labour)

Our consultation "A Safer Way" on road safety published on 21 April, aims to reduce road deaths by a third by 2020. We make a range of proposals and there are two carefully targeted to reduce speeds:

(1) That local authorities reduce limits to 20 mph on roads of a primarily residential nature and around schools; and

(2) That highway authorities reduce limits on the more dangerous rural single carriageways from 60 mph, where the evidence supports it.

---

Every day the government seems to find a new way to make the motorist's life a misery. They will probably now decree a blanket reduction in the National Speed Limit from 60MPH to 50MPH, all of which will be enforced by a massive network of interlinked intelligent cameras.

Unlike traditional speed cameras, average speed cameras work by measuring how fast a car travels over a stretch of road.

The lower limit would apply automatically unless the local authority could prove that it was safe for the road to remain at 60mph.

Road safety and motoring groups said that a lower limit would make little difference to safety unless it was accompanied by greater enforcement and changes to the layout of rural roads, such as improving visibility at junctions.

The change may have no impact on average speed, which DfT surveys show is only 48mph in free-flowing conditions on rural 60mph roads.

On many stretches of rural road without bends or small junctions, the responsible driver can drive safely at 60mph. If the limit is reduced, more drivers will be tempted to try potentially dangerous overtaking manoeuvres to get past a car doing 48mph.

We need a proportionate approach to road safety that targets problems such as poor road design and problem-makers such as reckless drivers. Why should all drivers be inconvenienced for the sake of a reckless minority? We should improve driver education, increase the number of traffic police, improve road design and target the reckless minority rather than introduce more restrictions.

Many local authorities are already in the position to take key decisions on whether reduced speed limits are the best option.
Rather than have across-the-board reductions in the speed limit that hit everyone, why not create a situation where local authorities/local people are empowered to make our roads safer, and given the powers to target problem drivers?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news....d-cameras. html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/mar/10/speed-limit-rural-roads

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/driving/article5870886.ece

Protest the reduction in the National Speed Limit from 60 to 50?
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/group.php?gid=59231656926
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/noNSLreduction/#detail