Pictures of Noel

 

Noel Rippeth was Leader of the Lib Dem group and Leader of the Opposition on Gateshead Council from 1994 to 2010.Sadly, he passed away last month. His family asked me to pass on any photos I have of him from his days as group leader. SO here are some of the ones I sent. All photos are pre 2005 and some date from the 1990s.

Above - Noel in his ward of Crawcrook and Greenside.

Mid 1990s, a social event at my house (I recognise the curtains!)

Mid to late 1990s, Noel with then Leader of the Party, Paddy Ashdown, with Cllr Peter Maughan in Whickham.

2003 - Noel and local members are joined by Ed Davey MP.

Mid 1990s - Noel as part of the group meeting Paddy Ashdown in Chase Park. At the tiime, Labour were planning to remove and not replace the play equipment in local parks. Paddy joined in the campaign and suddenly the Labour council found the money to replace the old equipment.

Noel joins the winning Lib Dem candidates from the local elections, 1990s.

Noel and Councillor Peter Maughan in Crawcrook, 1990s.

Noel and Ione join me in Ryton, 2017. This was 6 years after they had retired from Gateshead Council.

Save Gateshead from Reform's opencast mining

 

Don't bring Reform chaos to Gateshead

 

Lib Dem boy band

 

I set myself the task of sorting through a filing cabinet of photos in my office at home this morning. All my photos taken since 2005 are digital. So the contents of the filing cabinet are something of a historic nature, being at least 21 years old. Some were over 40 years old. I did however find this photo which we decided to scan. It was taken in spring 2001. These 5 young people (I'm on the front left) were the Lib Dem's youngest candidates in the North East for the general election which has been delayed (if I remember correctly) by an outbreak of foot and mouth disease.

We look something like a boy band on a comeback tour! I suspect I was the oldest. More middle-aged than boy!

Back to Bridges

 

On Sunday Gateshead Lib Dems had the last action day before the election expenses kick in. Again, it was another mopping up day in which bundles of manifesto leaflets were delivered. We split into 4 groups. All deliveries in the morning were in the blocks of flats on or near the Quayside. The final bundles were delivered on a new estate near Gateshead Stadium. The to Tesco (yet again) for lunch.

Promoted by Ron Beadle on behalf of Jonathan Wallace (Liberal Democrats), c/o 21 Beaconsfield Avenue Low Fell NE9 5XT.

Saltwell action day

 

On Saturday Gateshead Lib Dems had yet another action day, this time in Saltwell. The aim was to mop up remaining target letters. Job done and we then headed to Tesco cafe for lunch. Over the past two years of action days, Tesco has been our regular eating place. I dread to think of how much Lib Dems have spent in the place.

Promoted by Ron Beadle on behalf of Jonathan Wallace (Liberal Democrats), c/o 21 Beaconsfield Avenue Low Fell NE9 5XT.

Good to see the media at the manifesto launch

 

Gateshead Lib Dems held their manifesto launch at the Tynesider on Gateshead High Street on Tuesday. Good to see both the BBC and Chronicle attending.

The Chronicle focused on the battle for Gateshead being between Lib Dems and Reform. You can read the write up, and Reform's attack on us, in this link.

Birtley South action day

 

I missed the Birtley North and Lamesley action day last week as I was at the Whickham Library easter fair. I was however able to make it to the Birtley South event the following day. 13 of us finished the delivery of target letters in the ward.

Birtley South is an interesting ward. We first won a seat in the ward from Labour in 2023. A year later we won another seat from Labour but this time only by 5 votes. This is the closest result I have ever seen in my 45 years experience of political campaigning in Gateshead. Now, it appears Labour have largely given up, even though they are defending their last seat in the ward.

So the battle is now between Lib Dems and Reform though Reform's candidates are yet to be announced. Birtley South is definitely a "one to watch".

Labour's council tax rise in Gateshead

 

We'll be back

 

Gateshead Lib Dems meet for a monthly social gathering at the Tynesider on Gateshead High Street. The last gathering was on Thursday last week. We are however returning tomorrow. We will be launching the Gateshead Lib Dem manifesto "Get Gateshead Going". There is a 6pm kick off. I will be there with cameras!

Vote Labour - get Reform

 

There have been grumblings of discontent within Labour's ranks in Gateshead about our recent leaflet which included a page about the Lib Dems being the main challengers to Reform in the borough. The Labour vote, reflecting what has happened across the country, is collapsing. Labour, in by-elections and polls, are lucky to hold on to half their vote share.

Anyway, above is another graphic to demonstrate that only the Lib Dems can beat Reform in Gateshead. Labour are out of the race.

Goodbye Jim

 

Today I attended the funeral of Jim Turnbull. Jim had been a councillor in Gateshead since 1982, setting the record for membership of the authority at 44 years. The funeral was at Windy Nook Methodist Church. It was also an opportunity to catch up with retired officers and former councillors, some of whom I hadn't seen for 2 or 3 decades. 

Farewell Jim. Rest in peace.

The implosion of the Conservatives in Gateshead

We have heard on the grapevine that the Conservatives in Gateshead have imploded on the eve of the local elections. Perhaps we should not get too carried away as there was little to implode anyway. The last time a Conservative councillor was elected in Gateshead was in 1992 and much of that was the result of the Conservatives doing well nationally - they had just pulled off a surprise general election victory and John Major continued as Prime Minister. Given the history of the following 5 years, Major probably regretted his victory in 1992.

So, back to 2026, and we have learnt that there is deep unhappiness in the depleted ranks of the Conservatives at the merger of the Gateshead constituencies with Newcastle and Jarrow. Hopes of getting a full or near full slate of candidates for the May local elections are looking unlikely to be achieved. Indeed, it will be a challenge to get enough candidates to fly the flag in each ward, therefore leaving some wards uncontested.

The Conservatives may seem a bit irrelevant in Gateshead and to a significant extent, they are. But in tight seats, a couple of hundred people voting for the Conservatives rather than the Lib Dems has, in the past, saved Labour. So, the Conservatives do have some relevance in Gateshead. What we don't know is whether or not the Conservatives have lost members to Reform. I guess we will find out when nominations for the local elections are closed.

Dunston Hill - the full history

 

On Wednesday I will be chairing the next meeting of Sunniside History Society. The speaker is Dr Richard Pears and he will be talking about Dunston Hill, the home of the Carr-Ellison family.

The Kylie and Jason of Gateshead Lib Dems

 

This photo was doing the rounds of Gateshead Lib Dems yesterday. Marilynn Ord and I in 1987 at a party to celebrate the election of myself and Ione Rippeth to Gateshead Council. We were immediately dubbed the Kylie and Jason of Gateshead Lib Dems! Marilynn was elected councillor in 1998.

I am pleased to report that I have since found a decent hairdresser! Alas, I am no longer the brunette bombshell I once was. Aging and silverhaired are now more accurate descriptions of me!

RIP Noel Rippeth

 

Sad news. On Friday we learnt of the passing of Noel Rippeth, former Leader of the Liberal Democrats and Leader of the Opposition on Gateshead Council. He was a founder member of the SDP in 1981 and had been a Lib Dem campaigner ever since. He was elected to Gateshead Council in 1992 and became Leader in 1994, holding the position until 2010. Unfortunately, poor health forced Noel's retirement from the Council in 2011.

Despite his health, he still found time to join me on the campaign trail in Blaydon constituency in 2017, when this photo was taken.

RIP Noel Rippeth.

Get Gateshead Going

 

For the past year, the Liberal Democrats in Gateshead have been working on the manifesto for the local elections due to be held on 7th May. We have condensed the full document, called Get Gateshead Going, into a leaflet which has now been delivered to 30,000 houses across the borough. I am pleased to report that a copy of the leaflet was delivered to my house yesterday. On Tuesday we officially launch it at an event on 7pm.

At the Easter fair with Nettle and baby

 

On Saturday 21st March, Whickham Voluntary Library held their Easter fair. I take goats to each of the library's fairs so they can help raise funds. This time I took Nettle, one of our milking nannies, and one of her as yet unnamed babies. They raised £31, not as much as they raised at Christmas last year. Still, £31 is better than nothing.