A letter from Mr Courts?

Sat 7 May 2022, 10:46

To say that I have now received a response from Mr Courts. It was not boiler plate and most likely written by himself, it was very polite and he thanked me for my suggestion and said he would raise it with his colleagues and the appropriate department.

I think we are very lucky here in the UK where we can contact our local MP and suggest a change. I don't think that is possible in other countries.

Fri 6 May 2022, 12:03 (last edited on Fri 6 May 2022, 12:06)

That may be true, but the covid stuff is all much bigger, UK government accountability and the Brexit point nitpicking with no up tick if you got it. If you want this no-chin-chess-club-irrelevance to act make it small, as that all the power he yields.

Fri 6 May 2022, 09:40

'All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing.'  I doubt whether our present nonentity has enough energy to be your actual evil, but the consequences of him and his ilk certainly are.  

(Fiona Hill's book There is nothing here for you describes how the two authoritarian bad guys of our time - Putin and Trump - imposed themselves on would-be democracies, and she should know.  We can't afford to be complacent, even if all we can do is speak).  

Fri 6 May 2022, 05:39 (last edited on Fri 6 May 2022, 05:39)

I struggle to see what the point in asking him admit what every single person in the country knows to be the truth about care homes and covid? Firstly, he’s not going to go off script from what the rest of them say. Secondly, that’s a broader national scandal, shouldn’t any letter (that definitely won’t just get a generic reply and shoved in the shredder) focus on local issues? 
Brexit is a total mess, was always going to be so and exacerbated by all the other stuff going on for the last 2 years. I can’t see what the significance of getting some low-level, no-mark conservative dork to comment about the result of 6 years ago. They don’t care.

Thu 5 May 2022, 22:58

Should we perhaps agree to open a bottle of something friendly and have an agenda-setting and/or drafting meeting?  Purpose: to identify the key issues, put some flesh on their bones, agree how messages will be sent/received?  (Rabbit's Order of Doing Things, if you recall). 

For instance, I would nominate Accuracy as one issue, by which I mean for instance: admitting that care homes were not treated well in the early stages of COVID; not saying that Brexit was chosen by a majority (even, so help me, a substantial majority) of the electorate and referencing instead the majority of people who voted; not telling porkies about the 'record number of people in work' when this ignores the self-employed; and generally not getting into trouble with the UK Statistics Authority.  

I can speak Bureaucrat and have fairly fluent Government Report, if needed, though I suspect there's a fair few established citizens who'd do it better.  

Thu 5 May 2022, 11:01

I wrote to Mr Courts about the energy cost crisis and some suggestions for a way forward. "Dear Mr Courts .It has come to my attention that the European Union sets wholesale electricity prices using the "pay as clear" method, where the most expensive method of generating electricity sets the price paid for all methods. The reason for this is that there is a desire for generators to invest in renewables. However this system does not work when one method has become much more expensive, i.e. natural gas. Spain has lobbied for a change but EU refuses, they have recently been given a temporary concession with a price ceiling.

This is mirrored in the UK, but it is called the Merit order here. I would like to suggest that the Merit order pricing mechanism is halted temporarily, and instead the whole sale price is set depending on what method is used, i.e. if the mix is 60% wind and 40% gas the whole sale price should be 60% of the cost using wind power and 40% gas, instead of 100% gas as it is now. This way there may not be a need to raise the price cap in the autumn for electricity, and there would be no need to impose windfall taxes either. It may even be possible to claim this change as a Brexit benefit!

I can provide lots to links backing this up. I also don't mind if I am contacted to explain this further - although I don't think it is terribly complex.

Yours Faithfully"

That was sent on the 19th April. No response. Even though I think the proposal has a lot going for it (the idea is not original, it has been mentioned on the Today programme, in the FT and the Economist, and probably other places as well). 

Tue 3 May 2022, 17:13

To Caspar - I wrote to Courts about the invasion of Ukraine. There was little "substance" to his reply (verging on the robotic), and in fact he did not address AT ALL one of my comments (regarding a relation of mine who was killed at the Battle of The Alma in 1854, and who is buried in The Crimea). 
The man has the sensitivity of a lump hammer. Like many of his ilk.

Tue 3 May 2022, 16:03

It is no surprise to find that the only person defending Mr Courts here is….. the Tory party’s District Council candidate last year!

I have given up trying to engage him on any issue, even those where there should be complete consensus.  On the last couple of occasions I tried, the letter wasn’t even in his name but that of his researcher.  Neither was a matter that could have received a standard ‘copy and paste’ response.

Tue 3 May 2022, 15:39

The replies I've had to my two or three letters to Mr Courts betray no personality or character whatever.  I'm puzzled by this.  How can my elected member of Parliament be a person of no character or personality?  It's as though his letters are written by someone else.  Perhaps he's so busy he only has time to copy and paste from government statements.   Perhaps there's a conspiracy to prevent him articulating his strong, developed views and character? 

 Perhaps he's been kidnapped and brainwashed?   I think he's in danger.   I'm in.

Tue 3 May 2022, 12:57

My only comment to this is, I found Robert very helpful when my autistic son had issues with school and after attending a couple of surgeries he helped make sure processes met deadlines. His help encouraged me to join the party.

Robert replies to all emails and letters personally, and the volume of work for a modern MP is vastly more than for MPs in the past (like DC).

You only have to look at his Facebook page to see he has recently held 2 surgeries in charlbury and visited the primary school. I was also present when he visited the bowls club.

Tue 3 May 2022, 08:47

I have written to Robert. Kurtz 4 times since beginning of lockdown.  I too find his response takes very long, is impersonal, plus he is just a ‘yes person towhatever Boris wants.  I will definitely sign.

Mon 2 May 2022, 17:00 (last edited on Tue 3 May 2022, 10:13)

Thank you Helen and apologies to Paul; I didn't mean to hijack your post! I was attempting to state that the particular representative of the Conservative Party in question, in my experience, is not someone even prepared to listen to any view that opposes his. I can't imagine that even a thousand co-signatures will get more than a standard generic response.

BUT following in the fashion of what Charlie said; thousands of people read this forum and stating your opinion or experiences on here, could well have a far bigger influence than getting the considered response one would hope for from the currently elected local politician!

I would very much welcome further discussion on What Is and Isn't Other People's Business, on the "Debate" page. 

Democracy is alive and kicking in this town at least!

Sat 30 Apr 2022, 10:38

"Therefore is currently nobody else’s business what somebody might do with a property they own" - currently. The original point was that Vicky wanted to discuss with Mr Courts why this was a problem, and why we might want to change the law to make it less of a problem. And his response was rude and dismissive, which is not a very helpful one for an elected representative to take.

Fri 29 Apr 2022, 22:28 (last edited on Fri 29 Apr 2022, 22:31)

Paul, I would be happy to sign as I too have received generic replies.  I doubt that he would come to a face to face discussion though after the reception he received in the Memorial Hall during the By-Election campaign.

Fri 29 Apr 2022, 20:27

Potato potatoe

Fri 29 Apr 2022, 20:23

James. I know, but I'm trying to stick to the Forum's terms of use. We have a separate 'debate' section on Charlbury.info.

Fri 29 Apr 2022, 20:11

Paul - my suggestion would be a private message. If Mister Courts *is* in any way interested in Charlbury, I am sure that his supporters will report what is going on on here back to either him or the local tory party... for goodness sake - he might even be a member himself. It would be a shame to "dilute" the effect of the letter before it is finally sent to him.

Fri 29 Apr 2022, 19:44 (last edited on Sat 30 Apr 2022, 06:53)

A forum is for debating, Paul. That it can digress from the original point is a good thing.

By highlighting those powers elsewhere you’re acknowledging we don’t have them. Therefore is currently nobody else’s business what somebody might do with a property they own, even if it is annoying they keep it largely vacant.

Fri 29 Apr 2022, 19:39

I didn’t want to debate any substantive issues here, but I’ll make this small point – which I think shows why a more open discourse is needed on many political issues.

It really isn’t an ineluctable fact that it’s “nobody’s business” what they do with a property – particularly if they leave it lying empty for ages. As a community/society we have the right to ask if this is what we want, and change the law accordingly.

Indeed, some parts of the world have so-called “pied-à-terre taxes” to discourage people having non-primary homes that sit empty for much of the year (not communist countries, but the US and Canada). Some provide local authorities with the powers to ban the sale of specific homes to people for whom it would be their non-primary residence (the Netherlands, Singapore…).

If we had those powers in Charlbury/West Oxon, I suspect we would have (even more) thriving communities – and rather less plutocracy. Policies can change. For the better.

Fri 29 Apr 2022, 19:04 (last edited on Fri 29 Apr 2022, 19:05)

A very fair point, William. Once somebody has bought a place it really is nobody else’s business what they do with it, how frequently they are there or whether they intend to sell it on for profit. As with everywhere the world over, if there are no places in your budget where you’re looking, look for somewhere where your budget allows.

Fri 29 Apr 2022, 18:10

He may try the Edmund Burke quote:  Your representative owes you, not his industry only, but his judgment; and he betrays instead of serving you if he sacrifices it to your opinion.   So it could be useful to anticipate it and get the retaliation in first; I'd try for a way of saying that said representative should exercise his own judgment and not the anodyne pronouncements of his party managers.  (To be put in a caring way, possums). 

Fri 29 Apr 2022, 17:07

Hi all - thanks for these replies. I'm still keen to hear from people who would like to co-sign a letter asking for a more considered approach by RC to communications from his constituents. 

I'll put something together by the end of next week and will share it with those that indicate a wish to sign up, either on this forum or via a private message.

Main aim is to make democratic discourse work a little better here. I fear that Mr Courts is simply not engaging in an open and substantive discussion with his Charlbury constituents (we may not be alone). Political positions need to be debated and critiqued. I don't see that happening. Others may disagree, or not be too bothered, but I - and clearly many others - do. 

Fri 29 Apr 2022, 14:38

But if someone has paid for a house, what they choose to do with it is surely theirs to decide. It’s not ideal but as we know with specific examples in Charlbury, quite harrowing events may have taken place in order for someone not to take residence or simply it’s none of our business? No?

Fri 29 Apr 2022, 14:19

Oh dear Vicky - that response shows all the innate privilege of someone who has never faced any difficulty with finding somewhere affordable to live.

Fri 29 Apr 2022, 13:28 (last edited on Fri 29 Apr 2022, 13:29)

I met him at his surgery a few weeks ago to discuss vacant homes in his constituency. He stated he had no problem with people buying property as an investment and leaving it vacant because he "isn't a communist". He was also extremely rude in his demeanour.

Fri 29 Apr 2022, 10:07

It wouldn’t matter if you’d only lived here 4.5 days, Valerie. From the moment you do your local MP is duty bound to represent you and your interests. 

Fri 29 Apr 2022, 09:54

I'm in (does it matter that I've only lived here for four and a half years?).  I've had the same experience, ie sending a reasoned letter and receiving the formatted offering.  They are trying to turn the issue away from the significant one of telling porkies in the Commons, making it about the FPNs and nothing greater than that.  

There's an update from CRAG about the difficulties of hosting Ukrainian refugees; I'd like to copy it to him, ask for comment, and cause him to attend one of the planning committees.  (Welcome gathering?  I don't think he'd fit in).  

Fri 29 Apr 2022, 09:24

I wrote to him about Partygate and lying in the Commons, and just yesterday got exactly such a reply. It couldn't have been more generic and didn't address any of the points that I made or answer any of my questions. I also agree that DC was much better at addressing concerns directly and generally responded much more quickly. RC is a much less effective constituency MP imho. 

Fri 29 Apr 2022, 09:01

Yes, I would support this.

Thu 28 Apr 2022, 22:08

I can only agree with Paul - I have had very similar experience. Any time I have communicated with Robert Courts any responses have been generic, often sent by an underling and dismissive of my concerns. Responses from David Cameron were more considered - I felt he had at least read my letter - even if we didn’t agree..

Thu 28 Apr 2022, 21:38 (last edited on Thu 28 Apr 2022, 21:41)

I will say no more here, for fear of it being banished to the Debate page! 
So let's just say that I would be glad of a town hall meeting with him. But he will *never* agree; Charlbury seems to be little short of a "no-go area" for him.

Thu 28 Apr 2022, 21:02

I don't want to make this post too political, but I'm wondering who else in Charlbury is feeling a bit under-served by our MP. In short, I would like to put together a letter to him that carries a few more signatures.

Like many others, I have written to RC over the past year but only ever receive very generic - and quite dismissive - responses. Yes, he's busy, but this contrasts with my experience with David Cameron, who would often reply to emails personally. Even as Party Leader, I would receive tailored letters, on one occasion with personal annotations.

I have also, in my recent letters, invited RC to meet with the people of Charlbury in a town hall meeting. I have had no response to this suggestion.

If anyone shares my sentiments, could you please either reply to this post or message me privately? I will then work on a letter that others can check and add their signatures to, asking him for a more sincere exchange of ideas.

Best wishes to you all,

Paul