Sad news.
Nick Hogan, the publican jailed for allowing smoking on his premises, who was freed by the goodwill of the blogosphere, has just phoned me – with great difficulty.
He has suffered a stroke and has to retire from active politics – we were due to meet up again in Brussels next month at the European Commission.
His indefatigable energy and enthusiasm in highlighting the essential unfairness of the anti-smoking legislation will be much missed. As will his boundless enthusiasm for promoting the UKIP party. Nick and I could never agree on politics, and he never made any headway in seducing me to the cause of UKIP – but it didn’t stop him trying at every opportunity!
I am glad he has decided to put his health and his marriage to Denise first, and devote his time to recovering his health; that is as it should be. Politics is important, but not more important than health and family.
I wish him and Denise well, as I’m sure we all do, and hope that the many causes and people he has supported in the past will give him the space in which to recover and lick his wounds – rather than to be always on the end of a telephone willing to help anyone who asked.
Fortunately the Doctors seem to have treated him in time, and with peace and rest he should make a full recovery – he is still such a young man, I am sure he will do.
If anyone wants to pass on messages of good luck and goodwill, then e-mail me at annaraccoon@gmail.com and I will pass them onto Denise – Nick’s doughty gatekeeper, co-publican, friend and now nurse – as ever.
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1
September 28, 2010 at 14:15 -
Good luck to Nick! hope you read this!
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2
September 28, 2010 at 14:18 -
Quite so!
I’ll be there when the ban’s over! takings will go up too! -
3
September 28, 2010 at 14:40 -
Beat wishes to you. You don’t deserve this, on top of everything else.
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4
September 28, 2010 at 14:54 -
I have written a peice about Nick Anna at our place. He is my friend. You made me smirk when you said he tried to lead you to UKIP. He does that but some people, in f2c especially, don’t like to be assocciated with him and his political credentials as this could compromise f2c’s ‘non political’ stance…bollocks! All the world’s a stage these days, no matter your political stance.
Nick, I am thinking of you always.
TBY
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5
September 28, 2010 at 15:17 -
Best wishes to Nick and Denise.
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6
September 28, 2010 at 15:25 -
Very sad to hear this.
Nick, you fought the good fight for as long as you could. No one could ask any more. Your health is the first bastion of any meaningful kind of freedom, so take good care of yourself!
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7
September 28, 2010 at 15:28 -
My best wishes to him – he sounds like a worthy trooper in the cause. We need more of his mettle.
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8
September 28, 2010 at 15:36 -
I am really sorry to hear this, please relay my very best wishes to Denise and Nick.
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9
September 28, 2010 at 16:43 -
Sad news indeed Anna. I wish him a speedy recovery.
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10
September 28, 2010 at 16:46 -
Yes – good luck to him. I applaud his stance.
Pubs should be allowed to declare themselves smoke-free or otherwise and punters can choose whether or not hey want to go in.
Keep well mate.
p.s.
UKIP are nutters.
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11
September 28, 2010 at 17:59 -
Now, do as you are bloody told and take a rest, this will be a long battle so you will be around for the victory bash .
Such news will make Chris Carter & I all the more determined to win the Court Case in Belfast later this year where we can confirm the support of a mainland publican who is prepared to testify against the Government. Victory will be ours …..
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12
September 28, 2010 at 18:55 -
As a stroke survivor myself Anna I wish him a good and speedy revover.
And when you see him pass on this message. Docotos talk of a six month “surge of recovery” is bollocks. Obvuiously revovery is most noticeable in the early stages but I, like many others, am still improving after 13 years.
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13
September 28, 2010 at 20:08 -
Sorry about that incomplete and cocked up post Anna, not a result of brain damage but temporary incompetence as I tried to finish what I was doing and hide the laptop before grand-daughter (4) saw it. I didn’t fancy an hour helping her to play Tetris.
What I intended to add was Nick may be inspired by the rock singer Edwyn Collins (frontman of Orange Juice also solo hits) Edwyn who is among my friends on MySpace was just starting to get over a serious stroke when he was hit by another. That was a few years ago, now with the support of his family and friends he is making music, recording and playing gigs again.
If Nick wants to chat about how things are going I’ll be happy to hear from him.
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14
September 28, 2010 at 20:27 -
So sorry to hear of Nick’s stroke. I hate to say it, but isn’t smoking popularly acknowledged as being a contributory factor to stroke? That aside, my best wishes to Nick and Denise.
Ian R Thorpe: There was a feature on Edwyn Collins in (I think) the Sunday Times a year or so ago. Very moving and informative. I believe he began to coax his hand/eye co-ordination skills back into shape by doing line drawings of animals and birds and, based on what I saw in the article, he’s a very talented artist as well as a musician.
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15
September 28, 2010 at 19:00 -
Nature is so cruel. Best wishes from me too. ΠΞ
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16
September 28, 2010 at 20:45 -
I’m very sorry to hear that. Unlike most of our professional politicians, he had the courage to pursue his beliefs. If only parliament had more people with Nick’s bravery, determination and honesty.
Take care Nick and look after yourself.
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17
September 28, 2010 at 22:15 -
Sorry to heard such sad news about Nick.
Maybe the stress of his ordeal took a physical toll.
Best wishes to him and hope he has a speedy recovery.
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18
September 29, 2010 at 03:56 -
Best wishes for a speedy recovery from Canada Nick. We met at the 1st TICAP conference, if you recall. Look after yourself!
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19
September 29, 2010 at 12:47 -
So sorry to hear this news. No doubt the stress & strain of jail etc didn’t help. Best wishes to both Nick & Denise & a speedy recovery to Nick.
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20
September 30, 2010 at 14:02 -
Sorry to hear the news.. The country needs more men and women like this… We have to constantly fight for liberty and the right to be responsible adults. I wish you Sir a speedy recovery!!!
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