Telford GUARDIAN

Telford and Wrekin Council is coming under scrutiny for its handling of the claims made regarding local investments, particularly concerning the establishment of a new defence facility by Rheinmetall.  New Gun Barrel  This situation raises significant concerns about transparency and accountability within the Labour led council, as well as the potential for misleading information being disseminated to the public. Unsubstantiated Claims Lacking Evidence May 19, 2025, at least two councillors made bold claims about the economic benefits of Rheinmetall's investment in Telford, including the creation of over 400 jobs, in the creating of the new "gun hall". Councillor Lee Carter, Leader of Telford & Wrekin Council, Cllr and MP Shaun Davies , were both quoted in the press. CEO and Chairman of Rheinmetall Germany, Armin Papperger, was heavily quoted in the press too , but he made no reference to any involvement or help in any form by Labour led Telford and Wrekin Council. How...

Reform UK Ltd and the Myth of "Fun Funds" Vs Reality of Care for Unaccompanied Children By Mark Webster, former Regional Manager Wackenhut Government Services, Home Office Immigration & Detention Contract Manager Recently, voices in the Daily "Fail" newspaper ( and that term is used very loosley here ), and right wing political spheres, such as Reform UK Ltd, have been stirring up controversy with claims about so-called "fun funds" for asylum-seeking children. Let's dive into the facts and clear up the misconceptions and race hate spread with facts , real, genuine, 100% facts ! The Reality Behind the Rhetoric First off, what are these "fun funds" everyone is talking about? According to the claims, councils are supposedly using taxpayer money to provide leisure activities for asylum-seekers and "illegal immigrants". The simplest one to deal with is asylum status of illegal immigrant. They are only illegal once due process throu...

A Broken System: Crime and Politics in May 2025 The latest crime stats have landed, allowing us to look at the recent crime figures for May 2025 compared to the previous year, it’s clear that our community is facing serious challenges—particularly with violence and sexual offences, which have doubled from 10 to 20 incidents year on year.  While some categories like criminal damage, arson, and shoplifting have seen slight decreases, the alarming rise in violence is impossible to ignore. Worse still, in May 2024, a staggering 90% of these violent and sexual offences couldn’t be prosecuted. That’s not just disappointing; it’s a failure of our justice system. The pattern over the past year shows that violent crimes fluctuate wildly, peaking at 28 incidents in July 2024, then dropping to single digits, only to surge again. This inconsistency highlights how ineffective current strategies are at providing lasting safety. What's most troubling is that many of these crimes are believed to i...

The Right-Wing Rape Rate Rhetoric: Using Women’s Suffering as a Political Weapon Once again, we’re witnessing a classic play from the right-wing playbook: shout the loudest about “crisis,” throw around alarming stats, and blame “imported criminals” or “grooming gangs” — all to stir fear and serve a political narrative.  This time, Telford’s right-wing "political" news page claims that the UK now has the highest reported rape rate per capita in the developed world — more than France, the US, Mexico, and Colombia — and then dismisses real issues like justice system failures and grooming gangs. But here’s the thing: this claim is deeply misleading, and it’s being used to distract us from the very real, systemic problems women face every day. Let’s unpack why. The Numbers Are Not the Whole Story First, claiming the UK has the highest reported rape rate sounds terrifying. But the key word is reported.  Rape reporting varies wildly from country to country because of differences in ...

Troubling Complacency in Telford & Wrekin Council’s Approach to Democracy When we hear a councillor like Ollie Vickers say, “most councils operate this way,” and dismiss concerns about last-minute amendments as simply “how politics is,” it should set off alarm bells — not just for those directly involved, but for every resident who cares about democracy, transparency, and accountability. His comments during the recent governance committee meeting reveal a troubling attitude: that accepting less-than-transparent practices is just the way things are, and that everyone else is doing it too. That kind of thinking — “it’s just politics,” “others do it too,” “that’s how it’s always been” — is exactly what erodes trust in local government and undermines the very principles that should guide our councils. Normalising anti-democratic practices isn’t acceptable Councillor Tyrrell’s legitimate concern about last-minute amendments isn’t just a petty complaint; it strikes at the heart of democr...

Shocking Sexism from Telford: When “Political News” Crosses the Line into Misogyny It’s hard to believe we’re still having to confront blatant sexism and misogyny in 2025, but here we are. Recently, a statement surfaced from a supposed “political news” platform based in Telford that left us utterly stunned. The comment? "Isn't it time to stop putting women in inappropriate jobs like prison guards, frontline police, army or fire brigade? Down with equality." Honestly, we couldn’t believe our ears—or our eyes. How can anyone, let alone a supposed voice of the community, spout such dangerous nonsense? The sheer ignorance and prejudice embedded in that statement are breathtaking. It’s a textbook example of sexism—suggesting women are inherently unfit for demanding, high-stakes roles based solely on their gender. And worse, it’s dressed up as “discussion,” when really it’s a thinly veiled attack on equality itself. This Is Not Just Sexism—It’s Misogyny Let’s be clear: this st...