Planet Westminster

lab: Andy Love: "It's a bit of a ruin that Cromwell knocked about a bit"

2010-07-30T14:36:00.007Z

The Tuesday before last I had the rare treat of getting off the whip in Parliament to attend a very special unveiling in Edmonton - a series of mosaics celebrating old music hall star, Marie Lloyd.

I was joined by Year 6 pupils from St Edmunds Primary School who had made the mosaics, with help from community arts project, ArtStart (you can just see Debbie Dean from ArtStart at the back on the left), as well as the St Modwen Centre Manager, who had enabled the mosaics to adorn the entrance to the Market Square at Edmonton Green.

Thanks to a Heritage Lottery grant of £38,000, which I happily supported, the project was designed to commemorate Enfield's lost cinemas, theatres and music halls. The artwork - eight mosaics in total - is a depiction of the Empire Music Hall, which became the Granada Cinema before the building was demolished in 1970, for those of you who can remember that far back. Marie Lloyd gave the Empire much of its fame by giving her final performance there (she literally staggered off stage during the last song in her act, "It's a bit of a ruin that Cromwell knocked about a bit," and died a few days later), so it's only right that she is now remembered pictorially so close to the original site of the music hall.

It was great to see young children getting so involved in their local heritage through the project and having fun at the same time. Congratulations to everyone involved - the artwork gives Edmonton a great sense of character as people go about their shopping.

con: Douglas Carswell: Crude localism

2010-07-30T12:00:00Z

There is something a little blunt in giving people the right to veto council tax increases. While vastly preferable to what we have at present, real localism ought to allow people a slightly more refined way of setting local tax and spend options.

Eric Pickles is a formidable advocate of “radically extended direct democracy”. He ought, therefore, to look at devolving control over existing central government revenue streams, rather than just a veto over council tax hikes. Localising fuel duty? A local sales tax in place of VAT? Perhaps even a local land tax?

At present £3 out of every £4 local councils spend comes via the Treasury. Not only does this allow Whitehall to micromanage town halls, but it means that any right of veto people are given will be a judgement passed on the margins.

To give people real local control over council budgets, as opposed to a veto over the periphery, ministers are going to have to overcome those vested interests in the Treasury who’d loath any such moves.

With Lib Dems - who've been talking about this for years - now in government, and the trauma of the poll tax a distant memory, I'd have thought there's a good chance the Coalition might be willing to be bold.

Local councils have also been given the right to beg money from a regional growth fund, presided over by Lord Heseltine. Hummm.

Rather than asking the Lord H’s of this world for taxpayer cash, localism ought to be about local town halls having to persuade local residents to part with their money, in return for delivering certain levels of local service.

Some civil servants and SpADs can be relied upon to tell ministers it can't be done. Ministers might want to read this and see that it can.

ld: John Hemming: Privilege and today's judgment - Chaytor & Ors, R v [2010] EWCA Crim 1910

2010-07-30T11:46:00.003Z

I link to today's judgment impressively quickly uploaded onto Bailii.This relates to the question as to whether expenses fraud is covered by parliamentary privilege (readers of this weblog will know that I believe that it is not).The judgment is worth reading for those interested in the law of parliament.There are some interesting precedents that I have not heard of before such as Att-Gen of

lab: Tom Watson: Wolverhampton by-election

2010-07-30T09:54:15Z

I don’t normally post by-election results but this one is significant. Lynda Leach won the Bilston North By-Election last night for Labour on a massive 13.1% swing from the Tories since May 6th. The Lib Dem vote collapsed (their vote was down over 90% since May 6th) and the Conservatives were roundly beaten by more than 800 votes.

The victory gives Labour our 30th seat of 60 on Wolverhampton Council and puts us a whisker away from overall control.

Lab 1292
Tory 460
BNP 131
Lib D 52
UKIP 55

ld: Lynne Featherstone: Made in Dagenham

2010-07-30T07:43:34Z

Went to a screening last night of a new film to be released in the autumn - Made in Dagenham. Invited - because it is the story of equal pay - how the women machinists at Ford Dagenham car plant went on strike for equal pay over forty years ago. Their action led to the Equal Pay Act forty years ago.

That fight still goes on today - with a pay gap between men and women in full time work - as unacceptable now too.

But outside of the issue itself - which is extremely timely with the coalition commitment to promoting the right to request flexible working to all and promote equal pay - it is just a brilliant film.

It is in the genre of Billy Elliot and Brassed Off - and I hope that everyone sees it - as it is truly inspiring. Although for reasons I don't understand (other than the 'F' word is used) it is going to get a 15 certificate. Given the violent films that are passed for children - I am a bit surprised that something this educational, entertaining and brilliant cannot be seen by those under 15.

Huge congratulations to everyone who worked on this great British film.

con: John Redwood: Public Sector Pensions

2010-07-30T05:18:06Z

There’s been a lot of noise for some years about the high cost of public sector pensions. The last government talked a little about it, but tried to ignore it. Indeed, most of their actions led to a large surge in the overall costs, as they added to the public sector payrolls, put the pay up, and finally presided over a surge in UK inflation. BY the time they left office the unfunded liability of public sector pensions was over £1 trillion, or more than the stated public sector debt.

The pubic sector overall gets better pensions treatment than the private sector. There the ravages of inflation, poor investment returns and greater longevity of pensioners combined with Mr Brown’s tax attack and regulatory strictures to close most final salary schemes or lead to cuts in future benefits in the ones that survived. The more the last government regulated the funds, the fewer stayed open or survived. The funds were literally taxed and regulated to death.

Within the public sector there are very different terms and conditions. At one end of the spectrum lie the contributory schemes with employees paying a sum each month creating a fund to pay the bills – like the MPs scheme. At the other extreme are the pension plans like the civil service one where there are no funds put aside and no contributions.

The Public Sector Pensions Commission has recently reported on this topic. They claim that the government will pay £18 billion in 2010-11 for pensions, when it should be putting aside £35 billion if all the pensions were properly funded. The huge gap between public and private is summed up in two figures. In 2008 94% of the public sector employees were members of a final salary pension scheme, compared to just 11% in the private sector. The normal pension age in the public sector outside local governemnt is 60 and in the private sector 65.

The Review offers nine different ways of closing the gap – a flexible menu from which a suitable set of policies can be drawn. They are:

1. Higher employee contributions
2. Later age of retirement
3.Lower accrual rate – so people have to contribute more over their lifetime
4.Using a career average salary for the final pension
5.Salary ceiling
6.Lower index linking of pensions in payment
7.Ending the contracting out lower rate of National Insurance
8.Switch to funded defined contribution, ending the final salary promise – people get the value of what they save
9.Notional defined contribution

Different people will have different views of how they would like to see reform. As a future beneficiary of the MPs scheme I prefer 1 and 2 – a full contribution rate to cover the cost coupled with a higher age of retirement. As long as the extra burden is removed from the taxpayer there is much to be said for fashioning flexible choices for public sector employees to gain the maximum consent to changes that will be far from popular with many of them.

ld: John Leech: Floodlights Approved for West Didsbury Football Club

2010-07-29T16:37:42Z

After the site visit at 11.30am earlier today, Councillors returned to the Town Hall to make a decision on the floodlights application made by West Didsbury and Chorlton AFC. To recap, some of the key details surrounding this matter, the club had applied last year for an all-weather pitch, new main pitch and floodlights to [...]

lab: Paul Flynn: Exit strategy in operation

2010-07-29T15:58:14+01:00

Tonga's government has agreed to deploy 275 soldiers to Afghanistan over the next two years. They will help guard the British garrison of Camp Bastion in Helmand Province.

An initial contingent of 55 marines will be deployed in November, the first of four six-month rotations of 55 troops. Britain will command the troops and pay for the deployment

Tongan Prime Minister Feleti Sevele said the deployment would help to ease unemployment in his nation of 104,000 people, and foster closer ties between Tonga and Britain.

Brigadier Tauaika 'Uta'atu, the Tongan defence services commander said, "This is an invitation from the British Army who saw our soldiers work in Iraq and then - Prime Minister Gordon Brown wrote to our prime minister and asked for support. This is something we think is an honour to be a part of."

'Uta'atu said the British government would pay $4 million to cover Tongan costs the first year, including uniforms, ammunition, accommodation, travel expenses and a daily stipend for each soldier in Afghanistan. The soldiers will receive six weeks training in Britain before deployment, likely starting in late September or October.

Tongan officers chose the location for the deployment from among four sites during a visit to Afghanistan in May, the brigadier said.

"It looks safer than Iraq," he said. "Our soldiers will not be doing street patrols where there have been a lot of deaths. We will be doing force protection, and security on the boundaries of a camp, which is in the desert."

The next step must be to stop foot patrols in Afghanistan. When this happened in Iraq, the deaths stopped.

con: Robert Halfon: Very Busy Harlow day: Big Society, Courts, Art, Hairdressers, Harlow Hospital Radio

2010-07-29T09:34:00.006+01:00

Today is a really busy day in Harlow. It starts off with a visit by Charities Minister Nick Hurd MP to our town to see the our Big Society in Action. He will be meeting with Rainbow Services, and other community groups. I am really looking forward to this, as Harlow Council and I are pushing hard for Harlow's thriving community organisations to benefit from the Bug Society reforms planned by the Government.

I then go to the County Court and some solicitors, to discuss the Government consultation on closure of Magistrates and County courts. This is followed by the new sculpture exhibition at Harlow Civic Centre. Then I will go off to launch Maria's Hair Salon at Slacksbury Hatch and finally a dinner with the fantastic Harlow Hospital Radio.

I will get a good night's sleep this evening!

P.S. Tomorrow, I have a drop-in surgery at Harlow Welfare Advice Centre from 0900-1100. All welcome.

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com

con: Jeremy Hunt: Report from India

2010-07-29T00:00:00Z

I am having a fascinating time in India where David Cameron is managing to woo everyone, not least because of his age. There seems to be widespread surprise at such "young" politicians - once my host even failed to put out his hand to greet me because he was expecting someone older. The reception, it must be said, is extremely warm. When there is so much shared history, it is particularly challenging to refresh and renew a relationship but that is exactly what we have to do with the world's second fastest growing economy.

On the sports side, I have been able to see preparations for the Commonwealth Games here in Delhi in October this year. I had extensive discussions with the organisers and also the Sports Minister about how to create a sporting legacy - obviously very relevant for us. I also saw a remarkable social action project run by a charity called Magic Bus which raises awareness of social problems using sport, and football in particular. One of their main funders is the Premier League, and Richard Scudamore, the Chief Executive, was visibly moved to see the huge difference made by a relatively small amount of money. Football, incidentally, is now the no 3 most watched sport in this cricket-mad country - behind wrestling interestingly enough.

On the cultural side I have met my counterpart. Tonight we will both be signing a Memorandum of Understanding for cultural exchanges. Both India and Britain have these with many other countries, how extraordinary it is taken until now to happen for two countries with so much shared history, culture and values.

Finally it has been fascinating to see Indian democracy at work. I met an MP yesterday who has 5 million constituents - surgeries must be a blast - and there is one constituency on the border of India and Pakistan which is the size of Wales. This is a country in which 80% of the poor vote - rather humbling for us when we are struggling to engage people so much in politics.

lab: Michael Meacher: Government patronage over public appointments is deeply corrupting

2010-07-28T18:14:33Z

Yesterday an innocuous little announcement was dribbled out of Whitehall with little or no pick-up in the media. It said that the Government had decided to wind up the Appointments Commission. Since this Commission was set up as an independent body precisely to stop political interference in public appointments, particularly in the health service under the Thatcher Government, it starts to ring alarm bells when this notice of abolition has been issued by the Department of Health whose Minister, Lansley, has just announced ‘reforms’ which will effectively eviscerate the NHS. It strongly suggests the Tories are set on packing the NHS with compliant placemen/women to ram through highly contentious changes to privatise large chunks of the health service. Nor is that the only area where patronage is now being used corruptly for highly partisan political ends.

Two other examples have arisen in the last week or two, unconnected, which illustrate the sensitivity of who makes the appointment. The coroner’s choice of Freddy Patel as the pathologist to undertake the autopsy on Ian Tomlinson after the G20 demonstrations, perhaps influenced by pressure from the police, clearly changed the course of justice after his death. Equally, the DEFRA choice of a scientist, Prof. Jones of the Sainsbury Laboratory at the John Innes Centre at Norwich, to carry out a taxpayer-funded trial to determine whether GM crops should be grown in the UK was obviously designed to achieve a predetermined answer since he has been exposed as having close commercial links with the US biotech giant Monsanto. It is clearly relevant that the new Tory Secretary of State at DEFRA is Caroline Spelman who has been a partner with her husband in their own biotech firm.

Should not all such sensitive public appointments have to be vetted and confirmed/rejected by Parliament through hearings before the appropriate Select Committee? Winning an election should not give the governing party the right to rig appointments across the spectrum in order to achieve some preconceived political or partisan purpose.

Rather surprisingly, but under intense pressure, slasher Osborne conceded that exact principle just two weeks ago. After the furore over the Treasury-appointed OBR suddenly producing future employment projections after the Budget which most economists thought pure fantasy and which were clearly aimed to protect the Prime Minister at PMQs, Osborne accepted that the Treasury Committee should be given powers to reject the Treasury’s recommendation of a successor to Sir Alan Budd as head of the OBR. I never thought I would agree with Osborne, but if this is conceded over the OBR (albeit only after enormous embarrassment to the Government), why not for all such important and sensitive political appointments? Including not just Quango heads, but also the appointment of Cabinet Ministers?

On that happy note I’m off on holiday; see you again in a fortnight!

lab: Kerry McCarthy: The Matador

2010-07-28T17:31:10Z

I was thinking Arctic Monkeys with the previous post (although annoyingly I now have Y Viva Espana in my head: “if you’d like to chat a matador…”). But then I remembered Johnny Cash. Great stuff. I think I prefer this, the faster version. Could imagine Calexico doing it.

lab: Sadiq Khan: Sadiq lobbies for tougher sentences for Ekram Haque's killers

2010-07-28T17:00:49Z

Sadiq Khan has written to the Attorney General and asked him to urgently review the sentences of Leon Elcock and Hamza Lyzai, who were responsible for the death of Tooting pensioner Ekram Haque last summer.

To read Sadiq's letter to the Attorney General, click here.

lab: Harriet Harman: In Loving Memory of Clare Cozens - Wednesday 28th July

2010-07-28T12:35:12Z

We are all devastated about the tragic death of Clare Cozens who was an inspiring and remarkable woman. Our thoughts are with Declan, Clare's parents and brother and all her...

con: Robert Buckland: Work at Westminster

2010-07-27T14:35:57Z

We are now coming to the end of the Parliamentary session, which has been an extraordinary few months for me. I am now delighted to say that the new office in Swindon, jointly run with North Swindon, is up and running. I have tried to learn as much of the procedures of Westminster as possible by taking part in debates, tabling questions and joining All Party Groups. I have spent much time here meeting interest groups ranging from local employers in Swindon to national organisations such as NACRO (National Association for the Care and Rehabilitation of Offenders).

I have particularly enjoyed starting my work on Committees. Last week, the Justice Select Committee met with the Lord Chancellor, Ken Clarke, and asked him questions for nearly one and a half hours. The topics ranged from court closures to offender management. I asked some questions about the role of guidelines in sentencing, and about the dangers of passing legislation without the means of implementing it. In the context of community sentences, I am extremely anxious to see that they become a more effective sentence. Very often, it is the lack of meaningful alternatives to custody that give judges no real choice when it comes to sentencing offenders. A short term of imprisonment may be the only way of protecting the local community, albeit for a short time.

Ken Clarke has signalled an important change in strategy when it comes to short term prison sentences. The choice for policy makers here is not tough versus soft, but smart versus dumb. In many cases, well-targeted intervention to deal with the causes of offending will be money much better spent than on a few short months of incarceration. For a number of years prior to the election, sentencers were being regularly told by the Probation Service that short sentences were not working and did little if anything to reduce crime levels. The last Government ignored this reality; it takes a politician of the calibre of Ken Clarke to recognise it and to have the courage to try and do something about it.

I have undergone the experience of taking part in a number of votes on a range of issues. Sometimes, members of Parliament vote with a heavy heart on certain issues. A week or so ago, I was not very happy to see an extension of the provisions that allow detention before charge for twenty-eight days, but having heard the Home Secretary declare her personal preference for a reduction in length, I decided that I could accept her call for the review into terrrorism provisions to take place before any change to this limit is carried out.

Another important debate that has allowed me to question the detail of Government policy was the debate on the Academies Bill. Whilst I support the Bill and its provisions, I was glad to see that amendments made in the House of Lords that enhanced the position of pupils in receipt of SEN were accepted by the Government. In my contributions to the debate, which can be accessed via Theyworkforyou (link provided on this website), I sought further clarity as to the procedures to be adopted by parents who had a complaint about the implementation of Statements or other action plans for pupils by schools or who had an issue about the admission of their child to an Academy. I am glad to know that these issues will form part of the review into SEN provision that will be carried out by the Government in the Autumn.

I am learning that an effective way of making progress on issues such as this is to raise detailed concerns about them so that the Government has to listen. I will be taking part in the SEN review and will encourage Swindon residents with a shared interest/expertise to participate too.

The All Party Groups at Westminster proliferate, reflecting the huge range of experience and interest that exists. I have joined many, including APPGs on Autism, Credit Unions, Speech and Language Disabilities; Disability; St. Helena; War Heritage and the All Party Kidney Group. Membership of these groups is based upon personal or constituency interest, plus a wish to expand my knowledge into new areas. The groups will orgainse information meetings and other events at Westminster, which will bring volunteers and experts into direct dialogue with MPs. They can be an excellent way of raising issues of importance to all of us, and bring politicians of all parties and both Houses of Parliament together.

The recess beckons, but this will mean only some days of rest. As usual, there is plenty for me to see and do in South Swindon, and I will try and adopt a slightly slower pace in the weeks ahead. This should give me some more time to read and blog.

ld: Adrian Sanders: 10 Weeks Making A Difference

2010-07-21T12:45:00Z

In just 10 weeks since the start of the Coalition Government, the Liberal Democrats have exerted a huge influence over its agenda.Going into the election the Liberal Democrats made clear that they had...

con: Nadine Dorries: IPSA in the air...

2010-07-19T11:20:00Z

It's a windy day today. So, there I was sat at my desk working when someone opened my office door. In walked a gust of wind. It lifted my idiots guide to IPSA right up from my desk and into the air. It took it all the way across the room up and out...

green: Caroline Lucas: More NHS shake-up is the last thing patients and our wallets need

2010-07-15T00:00:00+01:00

This week, Coalition Government health secretary Andrew Lansley has announced yet another re-organisation of the NHS in a Government White Paper.

Under his proposals the NHS, already weary from years of restructuring under Labour, now faces the prospect of reorganisation on an even bigger scale.

GPs - our local family doctors - are likely to be asked to manage a budget of more than £60 billion so that they will have responsibility to commission - essentially to buy in and decide what types of healthcare services are needed for their local communities.

At present NHS primary care trusts working across an area about the size of Brighton and Hove undertake this vital function. They have the expertise and professional background to enable them to do it.

But no one has really asked GPs if they are able to do it and if they want to do it.

Why would they want to practise healthcare management with all its budgets and bureaucracy when they opted for a professional vocation caring for individual patients - providing medical care?

Meanwhile, primary care trusts and their regional health authorities will be abolished with more than 20,000 people likely to lose their jobs in the process.

In these challenging times for public finances, further disruptive reorganisation is the last thing the NHS, patients and healthcare professionals need if we are to achieve the highest quality patient care.

Nigel Edwards at the NHS Confederation, which represents NHS organisations, has warned that the reforms could lead to the health service looking more like the "gas and telecom market" than the NHS we've been used to, and that the proposed changes will create "a market dynamic."

Increasing the role of the market in the NHS will not make it more efficient, nor make the NHS more responsive to patients needs.

Instead, an increased role for the market will fragment care and increase the costs of provision.

As any economist will tell you, markets need mechanisms to operate.

For the NHS, that means increasing the number of managers and accountants, which will result in a cut in front line services, just the opposite of what Andrew Lansley announced he wanted a few weeks ago.

By expanding the role of the market, handing powers to consortia of GPs, privatising hospitals, and scrapping important targets, the Coalition Government is creating the perfect conditions for high costs, poor practice, unaccountability and long waiting lists.

Lansley's plans will also ensure that there is even less health care to go round with our aging population.

I'll do my best to put the case in Parliament that there are better ways to ensure value for money and achieve high quality patient care than this needless, wasteful reorganisation.

con: Maria Miller: Equitable Life

2010-07-07T16:00:14.310Z

Basingstoke’s MP Maria Miller will meet with Equitable Members Action Group from Basingstoke to discuss the Chadwick Inquiry.

Maria has previously met with Basingstoke’s Equitable Life Policy Holders and has pledged her supports for the compensation scheme.

Maria said: “The Equitable Life situation is unacceptable and needs to be resolved. I fully support the need for a policy holder’s compensation scheme, justice is long over due.

The coalition Government is clearly committed to putting a compensation scheme in place which is transparent and fair. That is why we have rejected Labours preference for means testing compensation and rejected the exclusion of decreased policy holders.”

The final report from Sir John Chadwick is due in mid-July.

lab: Mark Lazarowicz: In Memoriam John Crichton - a proud Leither

2010-06-22T19:08:00.002+01:00

News has come in today about the sad death of John Crichton. John was the oldest member of Edinburgh North & Leith Party, with a long history of political activity, on the old Edinburgh City Council before 1974 and then on Lothian Region, where he served as Convener. Although John was in his 90s, he continued to be active in the Labour Party until the last year or so, and still came along occasionally to meetings and events, most recently to wish us well in the general election campaign.

I had immense respect for John - he kept on going sometimes in difficult circumstances - he was a man of great integrity - and always a proud Leither!

His family can be proud of him, and we in the local Labour Party have lost a great friend and comrade.

con: Ed Vaizey: My Ministerial Role and My Constituency

2010-06-14T12:18:00Z

I have been made the Minister for Culture, Communications and the Creative Industries. This is a long title, possibly one of the longest in Government. It also includes in effect two jobs. One is to cover the arts, libraries, broadcasting and the creative industries over at the Department for Culture Media and Sport (known as DCMS). The other is to cover broadband roll out, telecoms, and illegal filesharing over at the Department of Business (known as BIS). Phew.

As a local MP, it is interesting to consider how these responsibilities affect people in the constituency. The first and most obvious is broadband rollout. About ten per cent of all homes do not have broadband at all, and about one in 3 have very poor broadband, mainly in rural areas. There are some parts of the constituency that remain affected. Our aim is to get everyone to have a basic broadband service by the end of 2012, and to roll out high speed broadband over the next few years. If you have any issues with broadband do let me know.

I also cover what is known as illegal filesharing. This is a new law which would allow internet companies to temporarily disconnect people if it could be proved that they have been copying music or films without proper authorisation. This is something we have to act on, as every piece of music that is copied illegally takes money away from artists and creators, who provide a lot of money for the economy. We're looking to introduce the new measures next year, but no one will be cut off (and then only temporarily) without plenty of warning and a chance to change their behaviour.

Another issue that is likely to be prominent is libraries, which I also cover. Libraries are very important to local communities, but as money becomes tighter, they may suffer. I will use my position to try and ensure that we can make responsible savings so that libraries continue to provide important services for local people - not just book borrowing, but also education and access to broadband and other local and national services.

One local issue has already cropped up which affects my ministerial responsibilities directly. The local television transmitter burnt down, and cannot be replaced until September (they have to build a new one from scratch). Many people have had their TV coverage affected and are understandably looking for a speedy solution and I am looking into this.

I continue to focus on other local issues as normal. I met with those campaigning against the reservoir, ahead of the public enquiry. I am continuing to campaign for a new station at Grove. And I was delighted that the new Government threw out the housing targets which have led to plans for huge housing developments across the constituency. It may not affect those where planning permission has already been granted but it could lead to a rethink where no decision has yet been made.

Recent constituency engagements include a spot of metal detecting (I also cover archaeology!) and as a judge for Didcot's Got Talent, a great night for pupils aged 6-11 to show off their talents. I tried not to be too Simon Cowell-ish!

I can still be contacted at the House of Commons, SW1A 0AA, 020 7219 6350 vaizeye@parliament.uk

Next surgeries are 9 July: Grove, Old Mill Hall and 23 July: Didcot, King Alfred Drive Community Centre both at 530pm

con: David Jones: A long haul

2010-06-07T22:07:27Z

As Monty Slocombe has pointed out in his usual courteous and understated way, there has been little blogging on this site over the last few days. Primarily, this has been due to a significant increase in my workload; I thought an MP’s life was busy, which it is, but ministerial duties have taken that workload up another gear still.

Sadly, therefore, I have to conclude that light blogging is likely to be the rule, rather than the exception, for the foreseeable future. My profuse apologies to my readers, but there we are. I’m sure you’ll understand.

A second reason for the lack of blogging has been the fact that we have just moved house – a significantly harrowing experience, bedevilled and delayed by all sorts of hiccups.

The move itself took place on Friday. We said goodbye to the old family house, loaded our worldly possessions in a couple of vans and headed two miles eastward, over the next hill but one. There we disgorged the same possessions and settled down to a summer in which we will be sharing our new home with builders, electricians, heating engineers and decorators.

It will be a long haul, but I’m sure it will be worth it.

Filed under: Miscellaneous, Wales Office Tagged: Life

con: Chloe Smith: Chloe is appointed as a Government Whip

2010-05-21T00:00:00+01:00

What does a Whip do?

As well as being MP for Norwich North, Chloe Smith is a Government Whip.

The term ‘whip' within Parliament was first used in the 18th century and refers to a huntsman's assistant who steers straying hounds back to the main pack using a whip.

Although no longer involving a physical implement, the job of the modern day Parliamentary whip is to assist the delivery of Government business in Parliament, through votes or ‘divisions'.

Whips keep their MP colleagues up to date on legislative business, and keep the leadership informed of backbench opinion.

Whips also take on specific departments. Chloe is responsible for the Department for International Development and the Department for Work and Pensions.

It is, of course, important that MPs take part in national legislation as well as representing their constituents. Chloe balances these two roles by working in Westminster Monday-Thursday and returning home to Norwich Friday-Sunday.

Government Whips are not permitted to speak in House of Commons debates or table Parliamentary questions (written or oral). However, she is continuing to raise constituency concerns directly by writing to and speaking to Ministers about local and national issues.

On her appointment, Chloe said:

"The prime minister has asked me to join the government as a whip and I was delighted to accept," she said. "I'm looking forward to getting my teeth in to the role but also ensuring I remain an extremely active constituency MP and I'll take this opportunity to represent Norwich North's interests at the highest level."

"There is an enormous appetite for getting on with this chance to govern," she said. "There are serious issues facing the country and this is a chance to tackle them in a stable, constructive supportive manner. Being part of that operation is very exciting.

"But I'm determined not to forget that first and foremost I want to continue to be a hard working constituency MP.

"Being a whip is a very opportunity to work quietly and effectively in the middle of things," she added. "It isn't about keeping in the headlights and I think if you do it that way you are doing it wrong."

ld: Steve Webb: A real rollercoaster

2010-05-12T14:06:00.002+01:00

The events of the last few days have been a real rollercoaster, from the highs of the election campaign and the surge in Lib Dem support during the campaign, to the lows of polling night, through several days of tense negotiations to finally agreeing to a five-year coalition deal last night. I know that to many people the place where we have ended up will seem at the very least suprising, so I thought I would put down my thoughts.

My starting point is that we have to respond to the hand that the electorate deals us. No party got a majority of MPs, and even the most successful party didn't get much more than one third of the votes cast. In that situation, one party trying to run the country on its own was unlikely to be sustainable for the long term. I suspect a Conservative minority administration would have been followed a few months later by another General Election. In that election the Conservative demand for a clear mandate and 'strong government' would almost certainly have resulted in a five year majority Conservative government.

Against that backdrop, the only alternative was some form of co-operation between two parties - something that the Lib Dems have always argued is quite normal in most democracies.

Working with Labour would have raised a number of issues. With Gordon Brown kept in post, many people would have accused us of thwarting the will of the electorate. With Gordon Brown gone we would have ended up with a second successive Prime Minister who had not been elected through a General Election. Furthermore, even Lib + Lab votes would not have been a majority in the Commons and the instability of relying on Nationalist votes would not have given us a stable government.

In the end, it was clear that Labour MPs were not ready for joint working, as many said publicly. In particular, there was no appetite for a move on reform of the electoral system which in our view is the key to unlocking more progressive politics.

This left only one option - a coalition with the Conservatives. We had always said we would negotiate with the largest party first, and the Conservatives proved willing to adopt a large number of Lib Dem policies, including putting through legislation to give a referendum on a preferential voting system, as well as fairer taxes and a greener economy.

Clearly, the jointly agreed programme does not give us everything we want as Lib Dems. But it means that a lot more Liberal Democrat policy and principles will be put into practice in government than any of us could have dreamed just a few weeks ago. Let us hope that we can now demonstrate that different political parties can work together for the good of the country.

lab: Andy Reed: Thank You

2010-05-08T13:55:00Z

I want to thank the thousands of people who voted for me on Thursday and the hundreds who have since contacted me with warm words of support. I have been overwhelmed by the generosity of the messages and the deep felt loss that people are expressing.

During the election I was touched by the thousands of people who seemed to appreciate my time as the MP for Loughborough. Since the defeat on Thursday the tributes have been even stronger - somebody on my facebook site had to remind people I had not died!!

It is time now to move on. I am proud of the work I have done as a constituency MP and felt there was still so much more I could offer.

The overall election result is something I will speak about later (and certainly blog about) but now I am taking a well earned rest to spend time with a family who have been so patient for far too long. It is time to invest time with them.

As I am no longer an MP I cannot take up any more casework - that should all now be sent to our Tory MP.

I would also like to put on record my thanks to the team of staff in Loughborough and London. For many they will have been the first point of contact and they too will be made redundant in the next few days. I am sure you would like to pass on your appreciation too.

I will continue a wide range of voluntary Leicestershire roles I hold and will be looking to do charity work - so I will not be disappearing - just moving away from front line politics for a while.

It is also important to note that the Tory MP is now defending a slim 3000 majority. I know from experience that this is all too easy to slip away. I am sure the Labour Party locally will be holding her to account and scrutinising every move. If Limehurst is threatened with closure and an Incinerator given the go-ahead this year we know who to blame. Cuts in Surestart and educaiton and health will not go unpunished."

lab: John McDonnell: Len McLuskey Addresses Unite Cabin Crew

2010-03-27T16:39:00.004Z

I joined the picket lines again today to support the Unite Cabin Crew members, who are on strike. For the second weekend running I spoke at a rally of the pickets in their temporary headquarters at Bedfont FC. I have many Cabin Crew staff in my constituency and they need all the support we can give them. Many of them are in no doubt now that Willie Walsh, BA's Chief Executive, is aiming to break the union and many consider that he is willing to destroy the company to achieve this. Despite all the provocations from the company and denunciations from politicians the Cabin Crew are holding solid and are maintaining a dignified willingness to negotiate a settlement that is in the long term interests of both the staff and the company. I filmed Len McLuskey's speech to the Unite Cabin Crew members at the rally.

lab: Julie Morgan: Spy Sunglasses At your Best, SunglassExtreme.com

2009-09-18T20:25:23-07:00

You wont bet a better shade then Spy Sunglasses at sunglass extreme. they carry the top quality and design of any designer. Dont waist your time buying anyone else.

ld: Sandra Gidley: Outside "earnings" update

2009-07-09T12:45:00.002Z

Following my declaration of the strawberries I must complete the record by stating that I received the following reply from the registrarThe Registrar advises that the charity event does not come into the category of employment. You might only have to register this if anyone sponsored you for more than £650 to take part in the event. I assume this was not the case but please let me know if I am

lab: Tom Harris: Making a dummy out of Bush

2009-02-11T11:49:01Z

I READ in The Independent that many of Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s supporters turned up at a rally yesterday “with effigies of Mr Bush”.

Now, am I the only person who finds this a bit odd? Am I alone in being unaware of Iran’s thriving papier mâché industry?

Mind you, they’d probably sell more of them if they weren’t so combustible. Every time I see one on TV, it’s caught fire and the owner’s looking pretty peeved (I assume they’re quite expensive).

Can I suggest to The Tehran Effigy Company (“We make ‘em, you burn ‘em!”) that instead of soaking them in petrol before they go in the shop window, they instead fill them with sweeties or something? That would make for a much nicer day out and everyone could go home afterwards in a much better mood.

ld: John Pugh: Starting with a Bang

2008-07-30T16:07:00.002+01:00

Starting with a Bang

The long parliamentary recess has started - weeks without time being spent in the weekly grindingly boring train ride to London and back. Mind you its a hectic pace back at Southport but you can control your agenda better.

Yesterday I found a little time for light exercise the odd game of table tennis and a workout with heavy weights.
I've done the latter all my adult life and it has a slight addictive quality. If you don't do it for a while you actually feel muscle cramps only relieved by putting the old system under pressure.
Constraints of time often mean I forego all the warm ups and warm downs etc. So there I was on Tuesday doing a few front squats in excess of 300lb. I finished, replacing the barbell on the shoulder-high squat stand or so I thought. The stand was not aligned right .It tilted sideways as I released the weight and as the weight crashed to the floor the stand was pulled rapidly down by it pausing on its way to hit the stooping me on the head and catching me on the hand.
If you wanted to dramatise it , it might be compared to being hit on the head by a 20 stone man with an iron bar from a short distance. I thought I'd better take a break. We've had enough by- elections recently
When the family saw me with a lump as though a tennis ball had been buried in my scalp I was advised to pop into A&E. So clutching a plastic bag filled with ice cubes to my temple and bleeding from my finger I was run there and tested by some very nice jolly staff who established so far as we could tell that there was no skull or brain damage.At any rate I could still recall who the Prime Minister and reigning monarch was. I left a wiser man with a determination to avoid photo opportunities for a few days.

con: David Davies: Knife Crime photo opp

2007-08-26T23:29:00.001-07:00

Desperate to prove they are doing something about the rising toll of deaths from guns and knives the government have resorted to the old idea of an "amnesty." This will enable a few aging war veterans who collected a "souvenir" and some farmers who forgot to renew their shotgun licenses to hand over guns that would never have been used for any kind of crime. Some of the younger "wannabe" gansters may also find that their weapons, usually replicas, are handed in by angry mothers.

This will be enough for the amnesty to achieve its real objective - photos of a smiling Minister in front of an impressive looking array of guns claiming that the government have "taken action".

But make no mistake the serious criminals will continue to roam the streets without any fear of being stopped and searched, (human rights) and knowing that even if by some chance they are found in poossession of a gun or knife the sentence will be minimal.

The toll of death will continue to rise.

lab: Emily Thornberry: Slideshow

2007-02-16T16:39:48Z

The Guardian has a slideshow of amazing photos from the Arctic challange. Click here to watch it.

con: Dominic Grieve: The Tesco Tunnel

2007-01-05T00:00:00Z

the consequences of the Gerrards Cross tunnel collapse are still being felt

lab: Eric Illsley:

2004-10-27T10:32:00.000+01:00

Thank you to those who contributed to Barnsley Central Labour Party Annual
Dinner

On Friday 22nd October I attended Barnsley Central Labour Party's Annual
Dinner, which I thought was a great success and a very enjoyable
evening. The dinner, at Ardsley House Hotel, was attended by the
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Paul Murphy. Paul and I are
good friends, having entered Parliament on the same day and I was
delighted that he was able to address the dinner with an entertaining
speech. After dinner entertainment was provided by Barry Cheese, a local
comedian. There was also a raffle, prizes including a Mountain Bike, DVD
Player and a Hi FI, as well bottles of whisky and I would like to take
this opportunity to thank the donors of these prizes, in particular Mr
Barry Smith. I would also like to thank the Speakers, the staff at
Ardsley House, Tom Sheard and Mike Stokes of Barnsley CLP and to all
those who attended for making it such a great evening.

Eric Illsley

lab: Pat McFadden: MURDER IN BILSTON

1970-01-01T01:00:00Z

Once again this week we have the sad and shocking news that there has been another murder in Bilston. Another family grieving, another life snuffed out before its time. My thoughts go the family of the victim, Tom Berry, a father of two children. Bilston has...