Let's Talk Mitcham and Morden

Moving location of Blog

2010-05-09T01:34:00.000-07:00

This will be the last post on this site. To follow the conversation, go to www.letstalkmitchamandmorden.wordpress.com Thank you for following my blog on this site - and I hope that you will continue on the new site.

Stand up for autism

2010-04-25T18:25:00.000-07:00

I have been contacted by a number of families regarding the NAS campaign which I am delighted to pledge my support to.

Despite one in every 100 people living with autistic spectrum conditions (ASC), there is still a great lack of understanding and awareness of these conditions. This is not just a problem in mainstream society, but as a National Audit Office report showed last year, in the very agencies that are supposed to provide support to people with autism and Aspergers. Indeed, this report highlighted that the very people who are expected to diagnose ASC have very low awareness of the spectrum and need additional guidance and training in order to treat people with autism more effectively.

Liberal Democrats recognise that our health and social care infrastructure is insufficiently geared to support people with developmental conditions such as ASC at present. All too often the costs of treating someone are shunted from one organisation to the other on the basis of budgetary considerations rather than what is in the best interests of the person living with autism.

This is one of the reasons why Liberal Democrats propose the integration of health and social care. We will require, by law, that Local Health Boards and Social Services Authorities develop and commission joint services and to establish joint budgets. By bringing health and social care together into one board or local authority, with one administrative hierarchy rather than several, we can provide better support to people living with ASC.

Answering the Climate Question

2010-04-25T06:19:00.000-07:00

A number of people have written to me about the issue of climate change. Our manifesto has a green thread running through it - with green policies identified in each chapter. In fact this has been the case for some years now.

Below I set out some answers to the Climate Questions I’ve been asked.

Liberal Democrats would set a new UK target for greenhouse emissions of an over 40% reduction by 2020 with no offsets and a 100% reduction by 2050 with only 10% offsets. To achieve this target we will:

Meet the EU 15% renewable energy target and meet our own target for a 30% energy efficiency saving, relative to 1990 levels, and make sure 40% of UK electricity comes from renewable sources - all by 2020.
Introduce a UK emissions Performance Standard to ensure that new coal-fired power generation plants use full carbon capture and storage technology (CCS), with a CCS regime phased in for all industrial emissions from 2020.
Implement the largest expansion of the rail network since the Victorian Era and undo many of the cuts made by Beeching. And to the question - how will we pay for this - it will be paid for by redirecting money from the major roads budget.
Invest £140m in a bus scrappage scheme to replace old polluting buses with new low carbon ones.
Begin a ten-year programme of home insulation and make sure every new home is fully energy efficient by improving building regulations.

We will protect the poor from the impacts of climate change and help developing countries curb their emissions. We will do this by:

Providing finance for adaptation in developing countries - I saw an example of these sorts of projects when I met Oxfam recently.

Looking at how we tackle international climate change we will:

Ensure any new international agreements are based on the best scientific evidence concerning climate change.
Ensure that greenhouse gas emissions peak no later than 2015.
Commit industrial countries to reduce their emissions by 40% over 1990 levels by 2020.
Phase out fossil fuel and industrial greenhouse gas emissions by 2050
Argue for an international target of zero net deforestation by 2020
Support a new system of payments to developing countries to enable them to reduce deforestation
Adopt a new law making it illegal to import or process timber produced illegally.

Colliers Wood RA

2010-04-23T16:11:00.000-07:00

Thank you to the Colliers Wood Residents Association for organising the hustings on Tuesday this week. It was well attended and we had some interesting questions. I went with Liz Barker, one of our candidates for the local election. It was billed as an opportunity for the RA to meet candidates for the local election, so the focus of questions was on issues directly affecting the Colliers Wood ward.

I would like to see us making more of our local heritage here in Mitcham and Morden. Peter Hardy, our candidate in Lavender Fields ward, has raised it as a personal concern of his too, and Liz made the point in her introductory address at the meeting this week.

I feel strongly that we must do more to invest in our heritage. I will be campaigning for resources to be made available and for local plans and policies to put protecting our heritage at their heart.

Nursing Counts Campaign

2010-04-19T05:33:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone who has been in touch with me about this campaign. I am pleased to support it.

Liberal Democrats believe that when it comes to improving NHS services it is important that we listen to those who work on the front line. Low staff morale is a big problem in today’s NHS because many people feel they have not been listened to. We believe that professionals like nurses, are best placed to know the day-to-day needs of patients and the hour by hour demands on staff.

We will give power back to nurses by giving them control over budgets and greater responsibility for running their own wards and units. Ward sisters and charge nurses are vital to hospital nursing and ensuring high quality patient care. Lead nurses should have responsibility for ensuring that wards are clean, patients are being fed and looked after and that staffing levels and equipment is up to scratch.

We will also give every NHS staff members that chance to vote on whether their hospital trust should become a wholly owned employee trust. NHS staff members would be trustees of their hospital and its assets for future generations. As co-owners, they would have greater control over the services they provide and shape the hospital’s future.

As part of our plans to radically decentralise the NHS, we are proposing elected health boards. Under this system it would no longer be appropriate to retain Strategic Health Authorities in their current form. This would mean that responsibility for planning tertiary services such as specialist medical units which cannot be provided in every area would move to a new light touch regional body made up of representation from local health boards. This board would also be responsible for staff training, education and workforce planning.

The NHS is one of this country’s greatest achievements, but it has become far too focussed on treating diseases rather than preventing them. While our nation’s health should be improving, alcohol, smoking, obesity, bad diets and lack of exercise means that for many it is getting worse. The long term costs of us failing to tackle this public health issue would be enormous. We will encourage the NHS to work with local communities to help tackle the public health problems and provide facilities and services to help people improve their health.

We also want to expand access to programmes of screening for cancer and other chronic illnesses. We will ensure that public health spending isn’t cut in the years to come by making savings elsewhere in the NHS and recycling the money to this vital element of care.

Three out of every five people aged over 60 in England have a long term condition. We believe that in a fair society, people suffering from long-term conditions should know that they can rely on the NHS. Whilst the NHS has received high investment over recent years, we believe that too much has been consumed by bureaucracy at the expense of frontline services. To ensure that frontline funding is maintained in the current tough economic climate, we will cut waste on quangos, bureaucrats and top-level pay and re-invest every penny to protect services that are under pressure. These include mental health provision, cancer, maternity services and dementia care.

Travel operators must not cash in on stranded passengers

2010-04-19T03:18:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine came over from Canada two weeks ago. Having spent some time taking a colleague round the sights of London and beyond, he then spent time with his parents on the east coast, and his stop off to me was for a quick meal, the night before his return to Toronto. Had his plane left before noon, he would be back at his office desk by now, but his flight was scheduled for three hours after the closure of Heathrow last Thursday. He is at least fortunate that he has somewhere to stay and today he is seeing if he can work from his company’s London office until the problem passes. I understand that current estimates suggest that a change in the weather is not expected until Friday - so it looks like he has another week in the UK. But for many people, things are more difficult. I heard last night that another friend is stuck in Crete and there are people around the world who are unable to get home and facing considerable, unplanned costs.

British Embassies in every country must act as a point of contact and information for those travelers who are stuck. Ministers need to talk to train and ferry companies to find out whether extra services can be put on to bring people home. Further, when services resume, train and ferry operators and airlines must behave responsibly and not use this as an opportunity to cash in on travelers desperate to get home.

I agree with Nick

2010-04-19T02:35:00.000-07:00

The leaders’ debate has certainly shaken things up a bit. Nick Clegg was put ahead on the night and since then, polling has shown our campaign gaining momentum. The soundbite of the night must be ‘I agree with Nick’.

I met a gentleman over the weekend as I was out door knocking and he told me, he had always thought he only had a choice between Tory or Labour - since the debate, he’s seen that there is another option. Out in Mitcham town centre on Saturday, people were coming up to me and saying they were shifting their vote - I’ve had people wave across the street calling out that they are for us. Whilst campaigning in Surrey on Sunday, Nick Clegg said, “The opportunity is immense. A growing number of people are starting to hope, starting to believe a little door has opened.” He added, “The old parties, when they feel things aren’t going their way, they start lashing out.”

It is clear that both Labour and Conservative entered the election on the basis that they were the only game in town - I think that speaks volumes about how they view the voter and how they see themselves in British politics. For 65 years, they have been passing the keys of No 10 back and forth and it suggests an arrogance in both camps, that they think that this should just continue. This election is about more of the same with Labour and Conservative - or real change with the Liberal Democrats.

Vote Bike

2010-04-18T16:19:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone who has been in touch with me about the Vote Bike Manifesto. I am pleased to support the drive to encourage cycling which is both a healthy and environmentally friendly form of transport.

I fully support the aim to double cycle use within ten years. We are committed to including the promotion of safer cycling and walking in all local transport plans and promoting ‘Liveable Cities’ with requirements for decentralised public services like schools and hospitals and safe walking and cycling routes in new developments.

I know that road safety is a key issue and through our commitment to improving road safety, road quality and reducing traffic levels, on-road cycling will be made easier, safer and more accessible to all. We will promote cycling competency schemes and encourage better facilities for cyclists. We will also ensure that road traffic law is enforced with equal vigour in relation to cyclists in order to secure the safety of all road users.

Liberal Democrats will require train and coach operators to accommodate bicycles on all new vehicles and improve cycle storage and parking at stations. We will introduce a cycling ‘Gold Standard’ award for all rail and bus stations which meet minimum cycle facility standards, including adequate provision of secure cycle parking and information on local cycle routes.

To encourage more people to cycle, we support the adoption of large scale bicycle rental programmes such as the ‘Cyclocity’ scheme running successfully in Paris, and for many years in Germany. We would also provide personal travel advice and promotional activities on walking, cycling and bus alternatives.

Finally, we would promote an expansion of the National Cycle Network, particularly off-road routes.

Thank you for making contact

2010-04-18T15:32:00.000-07:00

I am getting a lot of emails from campaign groups and residents asking me to pledge to various campaigns. Thank you to everyone who has been in touch, as it is giving me the opportunity to talk about important issues that affect us locally and nationally. Some call for surveys to be completed and others for pledges to be registered on various sites. I have taken the decision that I will use my blog to confirm my position on local and national issues. This will provide residents with one source of information. With RSS feeds, categories, tags and search options, I hope that readers will be able to find all they need. But if not, please use the email link to contact me with specific questions. I am receiving may questions and since the Leaders’ debate, increased offers of help and support, so the campaign is really busy. I am trying to get back to everyone as soon as possible. Sorry if there is a delay, I will get everything out as soon as I can.

Action for Children Pledge

2010-04-15T12:30:00.000-07:00

A number of residents have been in touch to ask if I am supporting the Action for Children pledge - Yes - I am happy to sign up to this pledge.

Digital Economy Bill

2010-04-12T07:20:00.000-07:00

The Digital Economy Bill has now passed into law. We have been highly critical about the so called ‘wash-up’ process which has enabled this Bill to pass with limited Parliamentary scrutiny before the General Election.

The ‘wash-up’ of the Digital Economy Bill was essentially a carve up between the Labour and Conservative parties that ignored Liberal Democrat arguments to consult more widely before introducing a measure to introduce web-blocking for copyright infringement. Liberal Democrats voted against the Bill at the third Reading and in the House of Commons and against the Labour and Conservative web-blocking amendment in both the Lords and Commons.

Liberal Democrats remain to be convinced about the necessity for technical measures, which could include disconnection from the internet. Liberal Democrats were successful in getting the Government to agree to a period of at least a year in which no technical measures can be considered and then to undertake a process of rigorous analysis and consultation into the need for any such measures. We also believe that the music, film and other content industries must work more urgently to develop easy and affordable ways for people to legally access their products.

The recent Liberal Democrat conference in March voted to establish a party working group to look into further detail about the issues raised by the Bill.

Where did our local Labour MP stand on pubic interest test?

2010-04-12T05:55:00.000-07:00

Liberal Democrats have been proposing a public interest test for some time - the issue is not whether there is a foreign bidder, it is about whether it is in the interests of the British economy. The Labour Government removed this provision in 2002 and we are now seeing the damage done by opening up a complete free-for-all.

Vince Cable, the Lib Dem Shadow Chancellor, led Liberal Democrat support for two amendments to the Enterprise Bill in June and October 2002 that would have compelled the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to take into account the damage to the public interest and employment levels when determining competition policy on mergers and acquisitions. Our local Labour MP voted against this amendment. Also of interest the eight Tory MPs that voted on this issue, supporter the Labour Government position.

Back in January this year, Vince wrote to Lord Mandleson about the Cadbury/Kraft takeover. In his letter he said: “Would you agree that there is now a strong case to review issues of share ownership and corporate governance to ensure that short term shareholders looking for very quick returns do not damage the long term stability of publicly listed companies and, with it, the longer term growth of the British economy?”

Again, back in January, at Prime Minister’s Question Time, Nick Clegg, asked: “... Last month, Lord Mandleson declared that the Government would mount a huge opposition to the Kraft takeover of Cadbury’s, so why does the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), which is owned by this Government, now want to lend vast amounts of our money to Kraft to fund that takeover? Nick Clegg further stated that while tens of thousands of British companies are crying out for money to protect jobs, RBS wants to lend to a multinational with a record of cutting jobs. When British taxpayers bailed out the banks, they would never have believed that their money would be used to put British people out of work.

The full exchange can be found on link: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmhansrd/cm100120/debtext/100120-0003.htm#10012070002828.

Hung Parliament

2010-04-11T03:14:00.000-07:00

I was asked on the doorstep the other day, what I would do if elected and there was a hung parliament. There is also an organisation contacting all Parliamentary Candidates asking a series of questions. For the record, this is where I stand.

The Liberal Democrats believe that it is the British voters who decide who governs Britain – not political parties making secret deals or pre-empting the outcome of the election.

If voters decide no party deserves an overall majority, then the party with the strongest mandate will have the right to seek to govern – alone or with other parties.

I believe it will be abundantly clear after the election which party has the strongest mandate and it is pointless for me to speculate on possible outcomes.

Whatever the election result, if I am elected I will be working to deliver the things I think will make a difference to the people I represent: fairer taxes, a fair start for every child, a green, sustainable economy and clean, reformed politics, so that things like the expenses scandal never happen again.

We are proposing that the first £10,000 earned should be income tax free, we want £2.5bn directed into education to support children who are struggling, we want to build a green economy, than not only provides jobs for the future, but does so with clear environmental objectives and we want real political reform. The Liberal Democrats have not picked up political reform like the latest fashion, it has been at the heart of our politics for decades.

And we are not making proposals on spending without having through about how to fund them. So we have identified £15bn savings and have identified other shifts in taxation to pay for our proposals.

Those are the issues I am campaigning on and if you support them, vote for them.

British Pubs and British Beer

2010-04-06T09:34:00.000-07:00

I have been approached to support pubs and British beer.

Beer is not my personal tipple of choice, but I have friends who enjoy a good beer and are particularly partial to something special from an independent brewer. Having said that, I did try some specialist ale recently which was very tasty.

I recognise the role that a good local pub plays in a community and I do enjoy a traditional British pub with a cosy atmosphere. Lib Dems have always been concerned that tax rises on beer will harm pubs which are already struggling in difficult economic circumstances. They will also damage smaller independent beer breweries. My party tabled an amendment in 2009 to scrap the 2 per cent rise on beer tax and signed a parliamentary motion which called on the Chancellor to use the November pre-budget statement to reverse the 8 per cent beer duty increase.

Having said all that, I am concerned about excessive alcohol consumption and the impact it is having on the heath of individuals and behaviour in pubic places. I want to see a broader and more intelligent response to binge drinking culture and an increased public debate about the role alcohol plays in our society. There are many people who would not put themselves into the ‘binge drinking’ category, but who are consuming unhealthy levels of alcohol. I think we must change our relationship with alcohol.

Macmillan’s Cancer Support Campaign

2010-04-03T02:46:00.000-07:00

Residents have been contacting me about the Macmillan’s Cancer Support campaign. I am very happy to support this important issue.

I want to see high quality care provided to cancer patients throughout their treatment and beyond, particularly with help back to work. Currently there is no strong framework for helping cancer patients get back into work - this situation must be rectified.

I am also concerned about healthcare inequalities. Quality of healthcare can vary depending on income, gender age and race - we must work harder to ensure that people get fair treatment.

Voluntary Sector in Merton

2010-03-30T11:22:00.000-07:00

Today I spent the afternoon at the Merton Voluntary Services Council AGM, which was followed by a question time where I joined Conservative, Labour, Independent and Green representatives to take questions about the issues affecting the voluntary sector in Merton.

By coincidence I got the London voluntary and community sector manifesto sent to me this week. Both the manifesto and the questions were realistic about the challenges we face in funding public services and the pressures that the voluntary and community sector will be under either in bidding for contracts or grant funding.

I am told that London’s Voluntary and Community sector comprises 60,000+ voluntary and community organisations, including registered charities, community groups and social enterprises, accounts for 7% of London’s workforce, has around 2.5 million active volunteers each year and an economic turnover contributing around £18bn annually to London’s economy.

MVSC clearly works hard to provide support for all the groups operating in Merton. Organisations are concerned about how they are going to cope as finances get tight. I think options such as merging, working on a consortium to bid for contracts, or working in a sub-contract arrangement delivering specialist services is a way forward.

I’d like to thank MVSC for the invitation today and also for the wonderful chocolate cake afterwards.

Living with climate change

2010-03-27T11:40:00.000-07:00

This week I attended a briefing from Oxfam on issues affecting Pakistan, given by their Programme Officer on Disaster Risk Reduction & Climate Change for the area.

He described his work with drought, flood and cyclone prone communities in Pakistan, explained how there has been an increase in the incidence, frequency and intensity of extreme climatic events and that in most areas rainfall patterns have become very erratic.

Some of the poorest communities are living the challenge of climate change. There are people finding it difficult to get enough water for their families, their livestock and their crops, while others see their entire livelihoods washed away in floods.

Oxfam’s projects work with people to tackle poverty and adapt to climate change.

Christian Aid – Global Poverty: Where do you stand?

2010-03-25T03:04:00.000-07:00

Thank you to all the residents who have contacted me regarding Christian Aid’s manifesto ‘Global Poverty – where do you stand?’

The Liberal Democrats have long been the leading party on international development issues and as set out below our party policy meets many of the demands set out in the Christian Aid manifesto.

We the first party to commit to the 0.7% target on aid spending and we will meet that target by 2013. We remain committed to supporting an independent Department of International Development represented by a Secretary of State in the Cabinet.

Liberal Democrats were deeply disappointed by the feeble outcome at the Copenhagen climate summit and will continue to push for an ambitious international agreement which delivers the $160bn needed by developing countries to deal with climate change. We are the only party to commit to providing this funding on top of existing aid pledges.

Liberal Democrats recognise the importance of improving taxation and transparency and tackling corruption in the developing world. In our recent policy paper, ‘Development in a Downturn’, we set out plans to reform international financing systems by cracking down on tax havens, improving transparency and tackling corruption – particularly by making it harder for western banks and financial institutions to facilitate that corruption.

Violent conflict is an everyday reality for millions of the world’s most vulnerable people and it continues to hamper efforts to meet the Millennium Development Goals. We believe that access to justice and security should be treated as rights in the same way as access to health and education. We support growing efforts by the Department of International Development to tackle the causes of conflict and help to establish post-conflict reconciliation. However, we do not believe that aid money should be used for arms or weaponry of any kind.

The Liberal Democrats have a strong record at the forefront of the international development debate and our manifesto for this election continues that tradition.

Labour and Tories failed to back lobbying reform

2010-03-23T05:05:00.000-07:00

Back in 2006, Liberal Democrats brought forward measures to restrict the influence of lobbyists in Parliament. Sadly Labour voted them down, including our local Labour MP, while the Tories failed to show up.

Labour and the Tories claim they want to clean up politics but you can’t just talk the talk, you have to walk the walk.

The Government has finally given the go ahead for the £219m St Helier Hospital redevelopment

2010-03-23T03:06:00.000-07:00

As I was born in St Helier Hospital it has special significance for me so I am so pleased that the much needed investment to rebuilt and upgrade this facility is to go ahead. I hope that this redevelopment will mark the start of a new phase in healthcare provision in this area, and that we will see the harnessing of new diagnostic and treatment regimes that will truly bring better healthcare closer to home.

The funding will mean that almost a third of the current site will be demolished and replace with a brand new building, which will house the majority of the hospital’s wards and clinics. More than 50% of the 346 beds in the new building will be single rooms. The building will include a local care centre costing £17m, purpose build outpatient facilities and a new pharmacy.

In addition, nearly £40million will be spent on upgrading the remainder of the 70 year d site, including opening a centralised eye clinic and refurbishing wards which will not be moving into the new building.

A new decked car park is also included. The press release from the NHS says that it will make it easier for patients, visitors and staff to park. I certainly hope it will make it cheaper, as the cost of parking was raised with me by residents responding to my survey on local health services. Most people who responded said it was too expensive.

Robin Hood Tax

2010-03-22T08:14:00.000-07:00

Liberal Democrats have proposed creating an immediate new levy on bank proﬁts at a rate of 10%. This would be a direct recognition of the beneﬁcial and explicit taxpayer support which banks have received: the UK banks owe their very existence to the British taxpayer. Some banks such as RBS, Lloyds-HBOS and Northern Rock have received direct taxpayer bailouts. However, all have beneﬁted from the explicit guarantee that none of them will be allowed to fail.

The Governor of the Bank of England has estimated that the UK banks have received the equivalent of £1 trillion in taxpayer support. Further, the banking industry is unique in having the taxpayer acting as its safety net and the Liberal Democrats believe that this should be recognised. Our banking levy would be expected to yield around £2bn next year and this revenue would be used for the moment to tackle the UK structural deﬁcit – thus ensuring that the banking sector helps to pay for the problems it has in part created.

The concept of a ﬁnancial transaction tax is a good idea in principle and is something which the Liberal Democrats would be happy to pursue. Although I am told that it would be technically possible to levy a small transaction tax on sterling transactions alone, it would be much better to have a common approach by leading ﬁnancial centres including the US, German, French and Swiss governments. The proceeds from such a tax could provide a modest source of revenue to be used for funding overseas development.

The ʻTobin Taxʼ concept has been advocated for many years and progress has been hampered by a number of issues. These have included technical problems with its implementation as well as competing and sometimes conﬂicting claims from its proponents over how to use the revenue raised. Demonstrating that the tax can work, by securing the co-operation of Europe and the US, should have priority over elaborate plans which are unlikely to be realised.

£81,000 spent on fur lawyers to clear Ashcroft

2010-03-17T07:07:00.000-07:00

The Electoral Commission consulted four lawyers - two Queen’s Counsel and two junior counsel - at a total cost of £81,000 - before it cleared Lord Ashcroft’s donations to the Conservative Party through Bearwood Corporate Services, according to a Parliamentary answer to the Liberal Democrats.

Chris Huhne, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary today said that the Electoral Commission should now publish all the legal advice so that others can make a judgement about whether to challenge this decision in the courts.

Sustainable Communities Act (Amendment) Bill

2010-03-15T11:22:00.000-07:00

Today I wrote to Government Ministers Ms Harman and Mr Denham, to ask them to ensure that the Bill receives the Parliamentary time it needs in order to become law before the General Election. The Sustainable Communities Act is an important piece of legislation and we must ensure that the innovation that it can enable, can continue - which is why the amendment bill is so important.

Mitcham needs action

2010-03-15T06:12:00.000-07:00

So Cllr Williams thinks Mitcham needs Tories (local Guardian, March 4). Whilst Tories and Labour throw political grenades at each other over the heads of residents, the streets remain littered with rubbish. In a recent Lib Dem survey, most residents who responded highlighted fly tipping and rubbish on the streets as a key concern. Local Liberal Democrats have called on the Council for a Big Clean of the area, starting in Lavender Fields. The residents who I speak to tell me they want something done, so if there is anything that Mitcham needs, it is action.

45 million voters are the kingmakers in the forthcoming general election

2010-03-15T02:11:00.000-07:00

During Nick Clegg’s keynote speech at the Lib Dem Spring Conference, he made it clear that the Liberal Democrats are not doing deals behind the scenes with either the Conservatives or Labour Party on who should be in Downing Street, in the event of a hung parliament. He made it clear that it is the voters that get to decide who they want to run the country - it is not up the politicians to predict outcomes and make deals in secret.

The one thing that Nick Clegg was prepared to predict is that the two old parties are going to make claims - designed to scare people into voting against their best interests. The Conservatives will say - vote Lib Dem ... get Brown. Labour will say - vote Lib Dem ... get Cameron.

How desperate must Labour and Conservatives be!

A vote for the Liberal Democrats is a vote for change

A vote for the Liberal Democrats is a vote for fairness

A vote for the Liberal Democrats is not a vote for anyone else

We’ve made it clear how our Party will change Britain.

Under the Liberal Democrats, no one will pay tax on the first £10,000 they earn.

We will give every child the fair start they deserve

We will rebalance the economy so that Britain is no longer just betting on things, but Britain is building things again

And we will build a clean, open, fair politics

And last night - Labour said that the next government will either be Tory or Labour. So accustomed are they at passing the keys to 10 Downing Street between the two of them, they just assume it will carry on. In 1951, only 2% of voter chose someone other than Labour or Conservatives. At the last general election, it was 32%.

And Conservatives say we are confused about what we stand for and how we would deal with the economy - that’s rich coming from a party that failed to see the crisis coming and who have flip-flopped on what to do.

The Queen is said to have asked why no one warned about the crisis in the banking system. Actually, we did.

Ten years ago a group of Lib Dem activists, fought the demutualisation of building societies: a consequence of Conservative legislation which led to the disasters of Northern Rock, Bradford and Bingley and HBOS.

We told Gordon Brown to curb the excess profits of banks which were dependent on a taxpayer guarantee.

We warned him for years that he was in denial about the build up of household debt and the bubble in property prices. He took no notice; nor did the Conservatives.

And most people I meet know that Vince Cable, our Shadow Chancellor, has been at the forefront of the debate about the financial crisis and more importantly ahead of the game in putting forward solutions.

Almost 1 in 4 voters chose the Liberal Democrats at the last election. If that increased to 1 in 3, we could lead the next government. So don’t accept that voting Liberal Democrat won’t change anything.

Whatever you do ... don’t settle for the way things are.

Be demanding

Vote for what you believe in

If you want a fair tax system

If you want a better chance for your children

If you want clean and open politics

If you want green jobs

Then vote for them - vote Liberal Democrat.

Stand up for children

2010-03-12T22:47:00.000-08:00

A number of residents have been in touch asking me to sign up to the NSPCC’s ‘I stand up for children’ pledge. I confirm that I support this important call.

The Liberal Democrats produced a child protection paper back in 2009, and within it we committed to many of the requests made by the NSPCC. This included continuing to fund Childline. We have also called for helpline services to be accessible and confidential so people know when and how to report suspected abuse.

We have supported calls to amend the Home Office's definition of domestic violence in England to include the impact of domestic violence on children. Indeed, Liberal Democrat Shadow Minister for Children, Schools and Families, Annette Brooke MP, recently tabled, in Parliament, Early Day Motion number 772 which explicitly outlines this issue and calls for the Government to address it.

Liberal Democrats have also set out plans for online bullying and abuse to be tackled by using quick-report buttons on social networking sites, enabling offensive postings to be speedily removed, or concerns about abuse to be addressed immediately.

We believe that the Children’s Commission should be a truly independent position; if it is to receive taxpayer’s funds then it must be given the power and authority to make positive changes for children and challenge the Government and media when children’s causes are being ignored. It is important that the Commissioner works closely with a variety of children’s charities, and is happy to stand up and be heard when they think things are going wrong.

Liberal Democrats are committed to therapeutic services and understand the real difference they can make. We would also adopt the Layard proposals beyond 2011 – ensuring that those that need it have access to appropriate cognitive behavioural therapies. Therapeutic services for young people are one of the most effective ways of ensuring that childhood trauma and abuse does not permanently damage life chances.

When I was a councillor, with the Young People portfolio and involved in the Pupil Referral Unit, I heard of and met young people who had been victims of appalling events. As a result of talking to young people, I became aware of hidden problems including self harm and eating disorders and so promoted awareness of issues around mental health. This resulted in a community conference being held back in 2005, on the subject, where young people presented the issues from their perspective. I want to see all children getting a good start in life, protected from exploitation and abuse, living in a safe environment, supported by adults who nurture and love them and with an education that provides them with the tools that will enable them to reach their own potential.

Another Tory policy that helps the wealthy but does nothing to help the working poor

2010-03-09T05:50:00.000-08:00

Figures released by the Lib Dems today revealed that 3.5 million pensioner households (66%) do not have assets of £8,000 excluding their home.

The figures show that;
63% of pensioner couples (1.4 million) do not have non-housing assets of £16,000
71% of single female pensioner households (1.6 million) do not have non-housing assets of £8,000
64% of single male pensioner households (600,000) do not have non-housing assets of £8,000

So this means that the Tory plan for pensioners to make a one-off contribution of £8000 to provide residential care if they need it, will not help the fast majority of pensioners. The Tories claim that their plan would enable older people to pass their homes on to their children, but this proposal does not stack up against the figures released today, and if implemented, would mean that on retirement, someone without £8,000 in the bank would have to sell their home to get the money, find an equity release scheme or borrow the cash - or, not be able to take part in the scheme at all.

The Tory plans for social care are unworkable, unfair and unaffordable for the majority of pensioners in this country and do nothing to pay for the costs of care at home.

Whoever wins the next election cannot avoid the fact that we are facing a crisis in funding for care. What we need is a long-term solution which is both fair and affordable.

The Statistics for the number of pensioners (over 65’s) estimated to have non-housing assets of £8,000 or for couples £16,000, were calculated by the House of Commons library on behalf of Norman Lamb MP. They were calculated using the most recent Family Resources Survey data (2007/08) which provides an indication of the proportion of pensioners that have non-housing related assets or savings worth £8,000 or more.

In 2010, the average cost of residential care has been calculated to be £26,000 per year, including nursing care and board and lodgings costs. The average length of stay in a care home is about two years for a man and three years for a woman, although some will remain in a care home for much longer.

Liberal Democrats are calling for a cross-party agreement to solve the problem of social care. We want a long-term solution based on the principle of fairness and affordability. Our preference is for a partnership model, with contributions by individuals and by the state, according to your needs and your income. The amount of money needed to provide decent long-term care is enormous and that is why we believe a cross-party commission is needed to reach a consensus on social care.

Don't give up trying to give up

2010-03-08T06:32:00.000-08:00

This is the 27th year of No Smoking Day which this year takes place on 10th March. It is designed to encouraging smokers in Mitcham and Morden to break free and kick the habit. No Smoking Day is a registered charity supported by an alliance of the UK’s health promotion agencies and major health charities.

I am supporting this year’s No Smoking Day campaign and will be visiting the exhibition at Morden Civic Centre on Wednesday.

No Smoking Day is a fantastic campaign to help and support smokers who want to stop smoking. I’m encouraging smokers in Mitcham and Morden to break free on No Smoking Day and give up cigarettes for good! In this current economic climate, hardworking families are finding it particularly difficult. I know people report significant savings when they stop buying cigarettes.

I would encourage anyone who smokes, to visit a local stop smoking service for help and advice on how to stop smoking and increase your chances of success by up to four times.

Duncan Bannatyne, No Smoking Day President, entrepreneur and Dragons’ Den star said: “Quitting smoking isn’t always easy. Most of the nine million UK smokers say they’d like to quit, and many have tried to stop several times over the last year. If you’ve tried and failed a few times, it’s easy to give up hope. But you’ll find few ex-smokers that quit the habit on their first attempt."

So the message is clear - don't give up trying to give up.

www.nosmokingday.org.uk

Commit to beating cancer

2010-03-02T01:55:00.000-08:00

I have been asked whether I support Cancer Research UK’s Commit to Beat Cancer campaign - the answer is yes.

Cancer is one of the main causes of death in the UK and the Liberal Democrats believe it must be a priority to improve cancer treatment throughout the NHS.

Improving the take up of screening is vital and we have argued the case for removing the upper age limit of 70 for being invited to breast cancer screening and of 65 for cervical cancer screening. The upper age limits cannot be justified given hat the highest prevalence of cancer is in older life.

Lifestyle factors have been linked to cancer and so one of the most effective ways to beat cancer is to encourage healthier lifestyles, in particular amongst younger people. Alcohol, tobacco and obesity are all factors that can increase the risk of contracting cancer and we believe that more should be done to encourage people to lead a healthy life.

Cancer care in the UK is unfortunately subject to much inequality. Not only does care vary from place to place - the quality can also differ according to a patient’s ethnicity, class or age. This problem needs addressing urgently to ensure that everyone can rely on high quality care wherever they live.

Finally we are eager that vital research continues into cancer treatment and screening procedures.

The Power Pledge - where I stand

2010-03-01T07:58:00.001-08:00

I have been asked to say where I stand on the POWER Pledge, which calls for the introduction of proportional voting system, the scrapping of ID cards and the roll back of the database state, the replacement of the House of Lords with an elected chamber, allowing only English MPs to vote on English laws and the drawing up of a written constitution.

Liberal Democrats have been calling for wholesale reform of our Parliamentary system for a long time and it is already our policy to:

Introduce proportional representation,

Scrap ID cards and roll back the database state,

Replace the House of Lords with an elected chamber, and

Draw up a written constitution.

The only part of the pledge which I cannot support is the call to 'allow only English MPs to vote on English laws'. I think we need a wider look at the constitution and our electoral system, rather than creating two types of MPs at Westminster. I think that the better approach to solve the anomalies in the current constitutional settlement is to address the status of England within a federal Britain, through a written constitution for the UK as a whole.

Part nationalised banks are for lending not bonuses

2010-02-25T10:01:00.000-08:00

So today, Royal Bank of Scotland announced losses - and at the same time a bonus pool. It is hard to believe that £1.3bn is being paid out in bonuses when Royal Bank of Scotland continues to make losses.

The Government has to get a grip and explain how it will exercise its 84% shareholding in RBS to benefit the taxpayer.

Gingerbread - Let's Lose the Labels Pledge

2010-02-25T03:45:00.000-08:00

I have today confirmed my support for the Gingerbread campaign - and will challenge prejudice against single parent families and support Gingerbread's campaign to lose the labels.

Tories abandon environment as a priority

2010-02-15T10:09:00.001-08:00

So the Tories have published their Ten priorities - and the environment is nowhere to be seen. David Cameron claims that he has 'sought to push the environment up to the top of the political agenda' and his Shadow Climate Change Secretary's assertion that Cameron 'wanted the environment to be a very important part of the proposition we put to the public at the General Election.

This announcement follows a recent revelation that reducing Britain's carbon footprint was at the bottom of Tory PPC's priorities.

So, Cameron the PR man is keen to have his picture taken with huskies and to talk the talk - but is not prepare to walk the walk and put the environment in a list of top ten priorities.

Liberal Democrats have put developing a green economy as a key objective - we can build our economy, create jobs and protect the environment at the same time.

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND)

2010-02-01T06:43:00.000-08:00

I have been asked by CND, if elected, whether I would vote for or against the replacement of Trident and if I back UK support for a Nuclear Weapons Convention banning all nuclear weapons internationally.

Our party policy is that there should be no like-for-like replacement of Trident and that Britain should adopt a cheaper, more minimal system, should it prove necessary to maintain a nuclear deterrent as a result of the Strategic Defence Review.

We unequivocally support the goal of a world without nuclear weapons and we will continue to support steps towards such multilateral disarmament.

If you want to ask me any further questions on this issue, please use the link on the blog to email me.

Default retirement age should be scrapped

2010-01-28T09:00:00.000-08:00

On Monday this week, the Equality and Human Rights Commission proposed the scrapping of the default retirement age - and the introduction of more flexible hours. I think that the Equalities Commission has got it right.

Liberal Democrats have tabled an amendment to the Equality Bill that would end this arbitrary injustice - now the Government must act.

We should not force people to retire at 65.

Cameron still pushing incoherent marriage policy

2010-01-27T10:00:00.000-08:00

David Cameron is still trying to defend his marriage policy.

He says he is a defender of marriage but this is a policy that will punish married couples who both work.

He admits his tax break won't convince people to marry or stay together, so, it would seem that in the middle of an economic crisis he wants to spend billions of pounds just to 'send a message'.

To really help families, whether married or not, the Liberal Democrats would put hundreds of pounds back in their pockets by overhauling the unfair tax system.

We need fair notice on fuel bills

2010-01-26T01:52:00.000-08:00

Energy companies would have to inform customers BEFORE they change their prices, under an amendment to the Energy Bill tabled by the Liberal Democrats last week.

Currently energy companies can increase their prices and they then have 65 working days to officially inform customers. Once informed, customers get only 20 working days to change their tariff. So this means that a customer can be paying a higher price for their fuel without knowing. I don't think that is fair.

Another amendment put forward by the Lib Dems is to make Ofgem publish a comparative table of all energy companies tariffs at least three times a year, making it easier for customers to ditch uncompetitive deals and to curb the influence of energy companies on the regulator by requiring Ofgem to have a majority of people on its board who are not from the energy industry.

I am concerned about the size of bills that people will face - especially since it has been so cold this winter. Energy companies have taken advantage of their customers for too long. This government has not done enough to protect customers and to reduce fuel poverty.

Government U-turn on water bill social tariffs welcome

2010-01-25T11:51:00.000-08:00

Millions of people could pay less for their water bills after the Government backed down on proposals for new social tariffs tabled by the Liberal Democrats.

Ministers promised to introduce new social tariffs, after the Liberal Democrats put forward a clause into the Flood and Water Management Bill that could cut the bills of the poorest customers.

The Government's U-turn came last Thursday (21st January) at the final Commons committee stage of the Flood and Water Management Bill. The Government 'conceded the principle' behind the clause proposed by the Liberal Democrats and promised to come back with their own proposals.

Only 24,000 customers currently benefit from the Government's WaterSure schme that provides assistance to vulnerable people with their bills despite estimates by Defra that as many as 300,000 households could be eligible. Primary legislation obliging water companies to offer new social tariffs could cut the bills of millions of people struggling to pay their water bills.

I am delighted by the Government's U-turn on this issue. With so many pressures on family budgets, it is right that we take action now to protect the most vulnerable customers.

The Conservatives opposed this measure. It speaks volumes about how Tories would behave towards our poorest citizens if they ever get into Government.

Labour has failed to improve social mobility

2010-01-18T09:58:00.000-08:00

So the Government plans to promote social mobility following a report by Alan Milburn - yet they have been in power for 13 years - and on many measures - Britain is less equal today than it was when Tony Blair was elected in 1997.

The key to opening up professional careers to more people is raising standards in our schools.

That is why the Liberal Democrats are committed to giving schools the money they need to cut class sizes and provide extra support, giving all children, regardless of their background, a fair start in life.

Senior Tory agrees with Nick Clegg

2010-01-14T05:43:00.000-08:00

Norman Tebbit, not a natural Lib Dem supporter, seems to have come out in favour of the Lib Dem proposal for increasing the income tax threshold to £10,000.

In his blog, Norman says:

"And I hate to say it, but only one party leader seems to have grasped that if you construct a system where unskilled people are worse off by taking a job than by staying on welfare, they remain trapped in poverty .... but the two main parties are unwilling to bite on that bullet and commit themselves to raising the income tax threshold from £6,475 to something like £10,000 or £12,000."

Our objective in increasing the personal threshold is a matter of fairness. Some of our better paid citizens pay less proportionally of their income in tax than our lowest paid citizens. This is simply not fair. A Liberal Democrat Government would introduce this radical tax switch, which would see the wealthiest and polluters pay their fair share and allow us to raise the income tax threshold to £10,000 - meaning four million of the lowest paid earners will pay no income tax at all and average earners will get a £700 tax cut. This is one of our Four Steps to a Fairer Britain.

Government won't step in to protect funding for Mitcham schools

2010-01-14T00:48:00.000-08:00

When the news that the Council were considering diverting funding intended to improve Mitcham schools to build new classrooms in Wimbledon schools, I wrote to Ed Balls, to ask him to step in and protect the funding.

Our MP in her letter to the Council, suggested that no funder would trust the Council with grants in future, if they used grant money intended for school improvement for school expansion. However, it seems that her own Government are not that worried, as they say there are no grounds for intervention by the Secretary of State. So they don't seem to be worried that the money they have given to improve Mitcham schools will now be used to create school places in Wimbledon schools.

Their letter said:

"There is nothing to prevent local authorities from using the funding delivered for the Primary Capital Programme to provide new primary school places where there is need. The Primary Capital Programme challenges local authorities to join up funding streams in support of a long term strategic approach to capital investment across the primary school estate. This may include providing sufficient permanent school places where they are wanted."

The letter went on to say that the aims of the Primary Capital Programme and the need to provide additional school places are not mutually exclusive.

Let's hope the Council does not rob Mitcham schools of much needed investment when they make their final decision on the 18th.

Diana Coman puts fairness at the heart of the Liberal Democrat campaign

2010-01-11T07:29:00.000-08:00

The Liberal Democrats announced today that we will fight the General Election on four key principles, designed to make Britain a fairer place. As PPC for the Mitcham and Morden constituency my campaign priorities will be: fair taxes, a fair start for every child, fair, clean and local politics and a fair, green economy with jobs that last.

People in Mitcham and Morden have been let down by their politicans and are rightly frustrated. I am going into the election with a clear direction and a manifesto that is short, direct and to the point.

We will introduce fairer taxes by closing loopholes for the richest, introducing a tax on mansions and tax cuts of £700 for everyone else.

If your child is at school in Mitcham and Morden, we can promise investment to help reduce class sizes, improve discipline and develop one-to-one tuition.

We would also give you the right to sack your MP. The Lib Dems are the only party committed to real change of our political system, flushing out big money and corrupt donors and reducing the number of MPs by 150.

We will rebuild the economy in every part of Britain in a way that promotes green technology and creates lasting jobs. We will put an end to casino banking, bring back competition and support local entrepreneurs to make sure Mitcham and Morden's businesses can find the money they need to grow.

The coming months are a crucial time for politics and I will be using them to focus on these four priorities and delivering real change for Mitcham and Morden.

In his speech this morning, the Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Nick Clegg said: "David Cameron and Gordon Brown are playing the politics of the airbrush and focus group. One doesn't know what be believes. The other doesn't know what to do with the power he clings to so desperately. I believe this country wants something different. The Liberal Democrats are different. We offer credibility where it's needed. And hope for our common future."

Mitcham Primary Schools should not be disadvantaged

2009-12-17T05:19:00.001-08:00

I attended Merton Council's Cabinet meeting on Monday 14th, where the funding for improvements to Mitcham schools, St Mark's, St Peter's & St Paul's, Garden, Links and St Ann's was discussed. According to the agenda, the meeting was being asked to agree moving Primary Capital Programme money, destined to improve our local schools, to fund school expansion in Wimbledon.

Our Labour MP accuses the Tory Council of raiding the fund provided by her government for the stated purpose of improving facilities in some of our neediest schools. At the meeting, the Council confirmed that they had met with members of the Government who had said that shifting the money in the Primary Capital Programme from upgrading existing schools, to expanding schools to accommodate the increase in pupil numbers was OK.

In the middle of this political ping-pong are the teachers, school governors, children and families of Mitcham who just want the money that was supposed to be spent on improving their schools, actually spent on improving their schools.

I am writing to the Secretary of State to ask him to step in to ensure the investment in the Primary Capital Programme, destined for Mitcham's schools is spent on Mitcham schools.

Mitcham has been neglected too long!

The Cabinet deferred making a decision on the future of this funding, so we have till the next Cabinet meeting in January to lobby to save this funding for Mitcham schools. If you support the campaign to keep this investment in Mitcham, get in touch with me.

I have pledged to do my bit

2009-12-17T04:42:00.000-08:00

I have pledged to do my bit for the British Armed Forces family. I made the pledge on the Royal British Legion's campaign website, www.timetodoyourbit.org.uk. The website also features the charity's general election manifesto. Kevin Shinkwin, the Legion's Head of Public Affairs said: "We are really grateful to Diana Coman for pledging to do her bit. The entire Armed Forces family needs the support of politicians from all parties, and our manifesto outlines practical ways the next government can help. We hope all the parties will give it serious consideration and that every Prospective Parliamentary Candidate will pledge to do their bit".

Liberal Democrats are campaigning for a fair deal for our troops. Many soldiers serving in Afghanistan are paid less than bobbies on the beat back home. We are calling for the lowest paid to be given a £6,000 pay rise and for the salaries of fully-trained privates and lance corporals to rise to £25,000.

Under Labour, 13,000 of the lowest ranking personnel earn less than £17,000. More than 51,000 earn less than the salaries of trainee police and firefighters.

Back in July, Nick Clegg made it clear that troops needed more pay and resources and, for the first time, openly questioned what our objectives were in Afghanistan.

How will we pay for this? By cutting desk jobs in the Ministry of Defense where currently there is one civil servant job for every two service personnel.

Wealthiest would benefit most from Tory's marriage tax break

2009-12-07T09:53:00.000-08:00

We've had the Tory inheritance tax policy - which would benefit the rich. Now we have the Tory Tax Break tax breaks for marriage. This would cost billions of pounds but would do nothing for the two in five children in poverty who live in single parent households. There is no evidence that a tax break for marriage will encourage people to get married or stay married. The money the Tories would direct towards this tax policy would be better spent tackling the poverty of all children, whether their parents are married or not.

Interestingly, last year Conservative Ken Clarke said "I got rid of the married couples allowance (when I was Chancellor) ... I really don't think it's anything to do with politicians whether you (get married) and mot of the younger people I know don't seem very keen on it. My view of Conservatism is that it's not for us to tell you (what to do through) the tax system ... my wife didn't put up with me because I was getting £150 by way of tax allowance. This is social engineering for God's sake and when I joined the party we weren't in favour if it."

The Tory proposals will do little to help many families in Mitcham and Morden. However, the Liberal Democrat tax proposal to make the first £10,000 of income free of tax would take around 4 million of the lowest paid out of tax altogether. This would be a real benefit to people living in this area.

10:10, Climate Change and Copenhagen

2009-11-24T16:42:00.000-08:00

Shortly after the Labour Energy and Climate Change Minister (and our local Labour MP) voted against the Liberal Democrat motion calling on the government to sign up to the 10:10 campaign, the Department of Energy and Climate Change announced it reaffirmed its pledge to cut its own carbon emissions by 'signing up to the 10:10 campaign'. This same minister, in a statement on the news, said that this cemented its leadership role in championing energy efficiency. Wouldn't it have been a demonstration of leadership on climate change if the Minister had supported our motion?

Now, figures obtained by the Liberal Democrats reveal that 19 delegates of the 38-member team going to the Copenhagen climate talks will be travelling by air - well that's the number confirmed so far.

Given that this summit has been known about for some considerable time, and that it is talking about climate change, it is disappointing that UK delegates did not plan ahead and get a train route sorted out. I'd like to know how this demonstrates leadership on climate change!

Flyers to the Caribbean face stealth tax

2009-11-11T05:15:00.000-08:00

Travelers flying to the Caribbean will be hit with a stealth tax that could see a family of four paying over £600 on top of their actual air fare.

The Air Passenger Duty will levy a tax based on a four-tiered system which will group countries together in terms of location.

Those flying long distances will be charged more. However, the proposed four-tiered system will see passengers for Caribbean countries charged disproportionately more than passengers going to the west coast of America - even though the distance is longer.

It is important that we do more to halt carbon emissions and Lib Dems have campaigned for this - but airlines should be taxed based on distance travelled and their emissions - rather than based on boundaries drawn up by a Government Minister. Essentially we should tax planes not people.

This tax will hit many families in Mitcham and Morden who travel to see friends and relatives and is not good news for the already hard-hit Caribbean tourism economy - a key source of revenue for most of the region.

Liberal Democrat MP, Sarah Teather, has lodged a Parliamentary Motion - which you can read on the following link http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMMi/EDMID=38960@SESSION=899

Liberal Democrats are calling for any duty to be based on the level of carbon emissions produced by flights rather than on arbitrary zones based on the location of a country's capital city. We are proposing replacing the air passenger duty with a per plane tax (which would be fairer for passengers flying on busy routes) and we are calling on the Government to abolish the air passenger duty and replace it with a per plane aviation duty based on the actual distance travelled.

£1000 for a train ticket - absolute scandal

2009-11-05T13:16:00.000-08:00

A survey in the Evening Standard this week has revealed the first £1,000 train fare. This is quite an astonishing landmark and hardly an encouragement for people to shift from car to rail.

Taxpayers should not be left with the scraps of Northern Rock

2009-10-28T05:39:00.000-07:00

So, the European Union has given its approval of plans for the nationalised Northern Rock to be split in two - so paving the way for a partial sale. What concerns me is that the tax payer will end up with the less attractive bit of the deal - with the private sector getting the prime cuts - as Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable put it. A sale should only go ahead when market conditions are right and the tax payer gets a good return on their investment.

Time to give our troops a better deal

2009-10-27T12:28:00.000-07:00

I am calling on the Government to award a big pay rise to our military personnel - many of whom are risking their lives in conflicts overseas.

I am backing new Liberal Democrat policy to give the worst paid servicemen and women, who earn less than trainee police officers and firefighters, pay rises worth almost £6,000 a year. New recruits to the police receive £22,680 basic pay and junior firefighters receive £22,038 basic pay. More than 51,000 members of the Armed Forces (over a quarter) receive less than that - about 13,000 personnel receive £16,681 - the basic pay of the lowest paid private.

Every day young men and women are putting their lives on the line, fighting in terrible conditions. This Labour Government has left them with shockingly poor pay that leaves them on the poverty line. Liberal Democrat proposals would put a stop to this straight away. We will raise the pay of the lowest paid troops by and extra £6,000 a year - the average basic pay across the ranks of private and lance corporal would rise to around £25,000.

I've pledged to do my bit for the whole Armed Forces family. I met with representatives of The Royal British Legion at the recent Liberal Democrat party conference in Bournemouth where I was presented with a copy of the Legion's manifesto for the next general election. I was delighted to meet with The Royal British Legion. They have a important role to play in highlighting the needs of the whole Armed Forces family. I have pledged to do my bit and would encourage everyone to do the same by visiting their general election manifesto website http://www.timetodoyourbit.org.uk.

All public spending should be published

2009-10-26T14:47:00.000-07:00

This Wednesday there will be a motion in Parliament that MPs will debate and vote on regarding the publishing of Local Spending Reports. These reports will show a breakdown of how ALL public money is spent. The motion is set out in Early Day Motion 1064 - which has cross party support.

The breakdown of public spending has never been available before, but the Local Spending Report is required under the Sustainable Communities Act 2007 and the Government promised they would include a breakdown of all public spending - however, the work needed to publish this information has not yet been done by government officials.

The Early Day Motion is as follows:

Early Day Motion 1064

Local Spending Reports and the Sustainable Communities Act 2007

Sponsors:

David Drew MP, Labour

Nick Hurd MP, Conservative

Julia Goldsworthy MP, Liberal Democrat

“That this House welcomes the provisions of the Sustainable Communities Act 2007 requiring the publication of local spending reports; believes that people have a right to know how their money is spent by public bodies; especially welcomes the assurances given by the Minister for Local Government, the hon. Member for Oldham East and Saddleworth, that the local spending reports will include all public agencies; further welcomes the Minister's assurance that the purpose is to achieve a report that identifies how much will be spent in each area by the authorities; is therefore very alarmed that the consultation now issued on the local spending reports proposes only to include local authorities, including fire authorities and police authorities, and primary care trusts, and to exclude all other public bodies despite the assurances of the Minister; believes it to be unacceptable that this document is now in blatant contravention of the expressed assurances of the Minister; and calls for proper local spending reports to be published, which give effect to those assurances.”

I have written to our local Labour MP to ask her to support this motion at the vote on Wednesday.

Local MP votes against 10:10 motion

2009-10-26T14:21:00.000-07:00

I am disappointed that our Labour MP voted against the Liberal Democrat motion on 10:10 - which would have signed-up the government to the ambitions of the campaign. If I'd had the opportunity to vote on this issue, I'd have supported the motion.

Short term headline grabbing but no long term solution from Tories

2009-10-26T06:38:00.000-07:00

It is a headline grabbing statement and I am sure I heard in the announcement this morning that instead of cash (restricted to £2000) they want people to receive share options instead - so not cash immediately but value as shares. Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable, said earlier today, that 'The Tories have been deeply ambivalent on the much more fundamental question of what we do about the future of the banking system. They have not given full backing to Mervyn King's proposals in splitting up the banks and these bonus proposals are short term, stop gap solutions designed to stem public anger but which fail to get to the heart of the problem". The banks are making profits on the back of taxpayer guarantee. I agree with Vince Cable - banks should be paying the taxpayer a premium for this guarantee - not paying themselves.

Labour has failed yet again to match words with action on climate change

2009-10-22T01:33:00.000-07:00

The Liberal Democrat Opposition Day motion calling for Government, Parliament and all public sector bodies to cut their carbon pollution by 10% by the end of 2010, was defeated in the vote yesterday.

Britain needs a Government which sets an example and delivers immediate and ambitious carbon reduction in the UK. Today the Government has stopped a clear message from going to the rest of the world that Britain will take action on climate change now.

Thousands of individuals and organisations, including many Councils, have signed up to the 10:10 campaign. It is a pity that this Government could not get behind this initiative.

Last year, Liberal Democrats successfully added an 80% emission reduction target to the Climate Change Act. The Liberal Democrats will continue to show leadership in dealing with the climate crisis and will continue to give the strongest backing to the 10:10 campaign.

More people in fuel poverty is a disgrace

2009-10-21T10:20:00.000-07:00

Today the Government announced that the number of people in fuel poverty rose to 4 million in 2007. This means that millions of vulnerable people are being let down by a Labour Government whose attempts to tackle fuel poverty have failed. Much of the explanation lies in the fact that ministers have shied away from tough action to make sure energy companies pass on lower wholesale prices in the form of reduced bills. Liberal Democrat Shadow Energy & Climate Change Secretary, Simon Hughes, today said that the energy market should be investigated by the Competition Commission.

The Liberal Democrats are calling for a change to the way units of energy are charged. I want to see the unfair system that makes the first units of energy used the most expensive, reversed. Those who use less should pay lower prices.

Also, with millions more people set to experience fuel poverty in the coming year, it is high time the Government accelerated efforts to get homes insulated so that every home is energy efficient by 2020.

I am very concerned for families in our area who may be cold in their homes because they are frightened what the bill will be - and for those who may be keeping the heating on by cutting back on other essentials.

Tories walk out before 10:10 vote

2009-10-19T06:56:00.000-07:00

Last week, the Tories on the London Assembly walked out of the Mayor's Question Time. Their action made the meeting inquorate - just as the Assembly was to debate a Liberal Democrat motion calling on Boris Johnson to get the Greater London Authority to sign up to the 10:10 campaign. Did they leave because they did not want to support the 10:10 vote or had they some more pressing things to do?

Liberal Democrats secure debate on climate change

2009-10-19T04:46:00.000-07:00

This Wednesday, the Liberal Democrats have secured a debate in the House of Commons on climate change. The Lib Dems will call for Parliament and Government to sign up to the 10:10 Campaign and commit to achieving a 10% reduction in emissions by the end of 2010.

I signed up to the 10:10 campaign in September and would encourage everyone to join the campaign. It is free to sign up and you will be part of a movement which is trying to make a positive impact on our environment. Use the following link to go directly to the site http://www.1010uk.org .

Once I've posted this message, I will be contacting our Labour MP to ask her to vote in favour of the Lib Dem motion on Wednesday. Sadly under this government there has been a lack of action on climate change - green taxes have gone down and the government are still pushing for environmentally disastrous policies like Heathrow airport expansion, new nuclear and dirty coal power stations.

Liberal Democrats are beating the Conservatives

2009-10-17T07:46:00.000-07:00

Yesterday the people of Bedford voted on who they wanted as Mayor. They chose Liberal Democrat Dave Hodgson.

Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg said: "This is a sensational victory for Dave Hodgson ... By electing Dave Hodgson as Mayor the people of Bedford have put their trust in the Liberal Democrats to work hard on their behalf. The fact that the Tories are losing in their South of England heartland is proof the General Election is not the foregone conclusion they think it is. People told me and Vince Cable at our visits to Bedford that they are enthusiastic about our message for real change. This result shows how misplaced the Conservatives' complacency about the next election really is. The Liberal Democrats have never taken a single vote for granted. With Labour lagging behind at a disastrous fifth this is yet more evidence that the real choice is now between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats.

After second preferences, Lib Dem 13352, Conservative 11543, Turnout: 30%

First preferences, Lib Dem 9428, Con 9105, Ind 7631, Ind 4316, Lab 3482, Green 1183

A video clip of Nick Clegg congratulating Dave Hodgson can be found on www.youtube.com/libdem

Youth Engagement

2009-10-13T08:38:00.000-07:00

Today I went to Merton Council's 'Youth Engagement Project Stakeholder Event'. The day started with presentations on The Youth Parliament, Children's Council, Children in Care Council and Your Shout Group, most of then made by young people, and then went into workshops and finally a review of the objectives and actions set out for the project.

I heard and met some interesting young people. I always walk away from events such as this inspired by the young people I meet - and this was no exception.

A personal thank you to the young people who attended the day - for those who travelled from Lewisham to share their experiences - and for all the children and young people who have taken part in the questionnaires and surveys that are conducted from time to time. However, a key message coming out of the event was that the Council should provide more feedback on the survey's they conduct - because some young people feel that the information flow is one way - and they never really get to hear how their contributions have influenced how services are delivered.

Big Lottery Funding Opportunities

2009-10-13T08:16:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I attended a seminar on bidding for funding under the Big Lottery Fund's 'Awards for All' scheme. Voluntary organisations can apply for grants between £300 and £10,000 - (one organisation cannot receive more than £10,000 of 'Awards for All' grants in any two year period). I am sure the organisations that attended benefited from the advice and guidance from the BIG team who gave the presentation and the case study presented by Kingston WelCare. The message is that BIG wants more bids from this area. So if you are a charity or community group working to support people in Mitcham and Morden, and you need funding to develop a new project, go onto the BIG website www.biglotteryfund.org.uk and find out more about 'Awards for All' and the other schemes that are available. There is set criteria for the scheme but don't be put off by the process. If you need any help, it is available from Merton Voluntary Service Council - you can call them on 020 8685 2277. Good Luck!

Boris must keep promise on rape crisis centres

2009-10-08T03:48:00.000-07:00

I am supporting the petition calling on Mayor Johnson to keep his election manifest promise to support rape crisis centres in London. You can find all the information on this campaign on 38degrees.org.uk which states that during his campaign Boris Johnson said he would cut the amount he spent on media relations and spend the savings on guaranteed funding to increase the number of centres serving the capital from one to four. For people who have been raped, crisis centres can be so important in providing support and advice on coming to terms with the painful and frightening experience. For people who decide to take their cases to court, the centres can also help with legal guidance and on dealing with giving evidence. So far it seems there are only plans for one of the three additional centres that the capital needs.

Tax on the sick should be stopped

2009-10-01T08:26:00.001-07:00

Earlier this year Liberal Democrat research revealed that NHS hospitals collected £112 million in total from car parking charges in 2007-2008. The information was released following a Freedom of Information request to the Department of Health. The information was provided by Trusts on a voluntary basis - 267 hospitals responded. According to the figures received, St George’s earned £677,915 from visitor parking and £170,078 from staff parking and the average hourly cost for parking was £2.00. St Helier hospital has the same average cost per hour for parking and in the same period earned £542,000 from visitors and £140,000 from staff.

I have been conducting an NHS survey and asked resident what they think about parking charges at hospitals. Virtually everyone who replied said it was too expensive or it should be free.

So, I was interested to hear Andy Burnham's announcement of free parking at NHS hospitals for in-patients.

What is sadly not clear from the announcement is how this initiative will be paid for and I am concerned that Trusts will increase the parking charges for out-patients and staff to make up the difference.

Let's Talk event launched

2009-09-25T04:12:00.000-07:00

Following our successful party conference in Bournemouth, where we agreed on a tax policy that would lift about 4 million people our of paying tax altogether by raising the personal tax allowance to £10,000, there was a lot to talk about at our first 'Let's Talk' event. We met at Park Place, Mitcham (by the Canons Leisure Centre) and topics of conversation included international affairs, terrorism, torture, the prison system and civil liberties - plenty to get our teeth into. We will be meeting on the last Thursday of each month, so if you want to join in the conversation, come along.