24 September

ALFRED - SATURDAY, 24TH. SEPTEMBER.

Visiting on a Saturday was at 9 am, and everything is a bit rushed if the routine is slow to start. But I was in my allocated seat by 8.50am. I had met the Bishop of Brixworth at a meeting of the Retired Clergy Association in Northampton. He was very new then and seemed very approachable. His wife is also an Ordained Priest. I cannot remember if he was wearing any clerical attire; may be a dog collar or may be not. But the impression he I had, was that he was casually dressed. I liked him. He asked after me, how I was coping, and also asked after Una. I offered him the chance to visit Una, but he was non- committal. His time was taken up with committee meetings, Bishop's Council, and visiting clergy in their parishes, and so on. He was not unfamiliar with prisons, having been a Youth Chaplain and visiting prisons was part of his agenda then.
We spoke of our protest, and I do not remember what he thought of it. If he did not agree with our action he was diplomatic about it.
I asked how his wife had settled in, and what she was doing. Apparently she was mostly involved in running support services, and attending meetings.
It was a short visiting time, so he was soon away.

On my return to the wing, I was banged- up, and except for meal times to collect our food, it was bang up, virtually all day.
I took the opportunity to write to Una, and to Anne and Jake, and it was when we collected our evening meal that I posted my letters. One does not stick down the envelope, as letters have to be censored.
Looking out the window, the weather was very overcast and looked as if it was going to rain. It only takes two officers to supervise recreation in the yard, but more to supervise association in the hall. We did not get either. While I was near the office upstairs posting the letters, I asked to be put down to visit the chapel to-morrow. But I was told I might have to choose between church and collecting my clothes from reception.

I am still concerned about Sylvia Hardy and her court appearance on Monday. She only expects a six day sentence. But the nearest women's prison is close to Gloucester. It will take almost a whole day for the hearing and the drive to Gloucester.
The unfairness of it all! The government and the councils are at fault in this matter. Once Britain was known as the great democracy, but is now the plaything of the most inadequate party politicians, who have no consideration of the consequences of their actions on people, and those worst affected are on low fixed incomes. I really hope the media make the most of her case, just as they did with mine.
But authorities have no shame, but justify everything they do with salacious arguments. It does not matter to them that there is no substance to what they say. But then bullies can get away with anything, if they have the power. Plain stupidity, and everyone knows it.

Angelo is a much happier man now he has had a letter from his girlfriend, She has assured him that they have a future together when their time in prison is over. His mother is trying to persuade him to move to Mexico, on release, near its border with the U.S.A., where his family have their homes. His sister, whom he loves greatly, married an American and runs his construction business close by. His mother and father live there as well. Apparently, it is easier to get American citizenship, and quicker by being just over the border.

So it is TV for the evening; the usual Saturday night programmes. I am lucky that Angelo watches from his upper bunk, so I can watch from the only chair, a hard backed one. What else can one expect in a prison!




UNA - SEPTEMBER 24TH 2005

Today, although it is Saturday, I am not seeing Alfred. His visitor is the Bishop of Brixworth who prefers to go solo.
I had no plans for this Saturday which was probably why I had no sense of energy. Going slow, I decided, would be the order for today.
I focussed on the annual concert that my students give to raise money for The Musicians' Benevolent Fund and decided that October 15th would be a suitable date for this event. I went ahead and planned the details. While I was doing this, a white wash of chef's clothing was circling its cycle in the washing machine.
Joel surfaced about 10.30 a.m. and came down for a drink and immediately lost himself on his computer.
When I hung out the clothes to dry the grass was still wet with the dew of another beautiful September morning.

The post was mixed with junk mail and four letters. One was from David Clark MEP. I read it through twice to make sure I understood what he said. Then I allowed myself to be absolutely furious.
He had decided to write to the Prime Minister urging him to release Alfred from Prison. He said we were his constituents and as such he didn't need to contact us! Sending us a copy of his letter apparently gave him carte- blanche to act on our behalf without any previous contact at all. He didn't bother to find out if we agreed with his view! The last thing we wanted was Alfred released ahead of his time. The media coverage was doing an excellent job in giving thousands the chance to air their views in unison, about the need to base the council tax system on the ability to pay from earnings. Our cause was strengthening day by day beyond any expectation campaigners had held before.
We were not keen to pay, what was to us, a large sum of money to the Council who had increased our debt from æÃ43 of council tax increases to æÃ691.15, enlarged by court costs and the use of bailiffs. If Alfred was freed ahead of 28 days, the debt could not be entirely wiped off according to the Council Tax Law of 1992.
I felt particularly angry with Mr Clark because of his arrogance in overriding any views we might have. Obviously his views were supremely important.

A large white envelope contained an unsigned letter from the Lyons Review Department to tell me what everyone already knew: that his Report had been distanced to 2007 !! This fired me up again. I phoned Christine but she was not there and I complained instead to her husband John. When will the Government act responsibly in this matter and stop backing away? Problems become worse instead of better when continually put off.
From this outburst came the source of energy I needed to tackle the rest of the day, although it came from anger instead of encouragement.

As I busied around I thought of an idea to help swell the number of petitions going to the House of Commons in October for Council Tax Reform. Too many people displayed a mild interest in our attempts to bring about reform but did nothing.
I gave John Kimber a ring, a public spirited man involved in several active groups including Probus (an organisation for professional and business men and women). Alfred was a member. John was willing to help if I would send him a copy of the Petition and all the details that went with it. The timing was great because this coming Tuesday Probus met for coffee, with wives included, at The Plantation, a garden centre in Towcester. He was not keen that I should bring the paper work there myself but instructed me to post it to him.

Before lunch Joel went to view the Beetle on the A5. It was too dark to see it properly last night. Although he admired there was not enough room inside for the kind of loads he carried from time to time, he noted that its year of registration, 1972, meant no tax needed paying and that almost tempted him.

The housework and Christmas puddings were finished by 3.15 p.m. and I was free to use the Word Processor to complete letters to my students' parents about their Concert.
Other letters were written to the Lyons Review Department asking why money is wasted on deferment instead of taking necessary action, to David Clark M.E.P. went a fierce reply, and finally to Blair, complaining about the Lyons Review delay.

As I was typing, the BBC phoned to arrange an interview at the Prison tomorrow, Sunday, so that it could be used for Monday, to strengthen attention on Sylvia Hardy. We arranged to meet at 12.30 p.m. at the Prison entrance, in the same way as yesterday with Channel 5. This meant that I would be appearing on two TV channels at the same time! I needed to prepare for this carefully because it was important to make best use of this opportunity to speak out about the delay of council tax reform until 2007. I wanted to give it my best shot.

One call I failed to answer today was recorded on the answerphone. It was from Joy Wootton who told me how shocked she was by Alfred's " dreadful prison sentence."
We never took that view because we had lived for a long time waiting for prison to happen, seeing only the advantage that it could bring: attention to the need for council tax reform. Of course we had totally misjudged the enormous effect of the media, not only in this country but all over the world.
But another view held by many, was that this civil offence carried a prison sentence in line with vicious criminals. This must be wrong equation.
We say as often as we can that it is absurd for someone of our age to choose to go to prison. But this was because there was no other alternative. Even today the Government are not prepared to use reform measures, preferring to continue with means tested benefits instead of establishing a fair system. Perhaps the answer is beyond their capabilities!

Another message left on the answerphone when Joel used his computer earlier, came as a pleasant surprise. Jane Taylor, mother of one of my former jazz students, had decided to look for lessons for herself. She was also concerned about us. I immediately phoned her back pleased to learn that her son Richard was now at University and still kept his laid back attitude to life. We left it that she would let me know the exact starting date for her lessons. It was lovely to make this connection again.

There was no call from Christine today. I learned from John that she was busy collecting signatures for the Petitions. She must be a bit overwhelmed by what was due to happen on Monday. She fields a great many E-mails. I kept away from phoning her because I would most likely blaze away about Clarkson and Lyons.

Just a short read of " Pi " slowed my mind down and made it easier to fall asleep. The pace of this book is just what I needed.
Before going upstairs I noticed an envelope lying on the hall floor. It was “Thinking of You" card from Jane and Alan Taylor, very likely pushed through the letter box on their way home from work,
It was in the morning that I found a beautiful bunch of freesias leaning against the front door, also from them.