Could someone please tell us the point of the rather grandly-titled “Hampshire Senate”?
The Senate was set up by Conservative-controlled Hampshire County Council and its leader, Ken Thornber, supposedly to bring together politicians and 'leaders' from various government agencies and businesses in Hampshire.
Some people have likened it to a 'House of Lords' for Hampshire. It is an unelected talking shop with no democratic mandate - but the potential for enormous influence on decision-making. However, set up 18 months ago, all it seems to have achieved to date is introduce yet another burden for local Council Taxpayers to shoulder.
What has turned this farce into local fury are newly-uncovered plans to hire expensive PR lobbyists to promote the Senate at a cost of £100,000 a year – plus a decision to BAN the public and media from many key Senate meetings.
Last month, the County Council organised a conference for the Senate at a 4-star hotel, sending the £11,500 bill to local Council Taxpayers. Credit is due to the leaders of Portsmouth City Council and Eastleigh Borough Council who have boycotted this absurd body and are calling for it to be scrapped forthwith.
Monday, 9 November 2009
Sunday, 8 November 2009
No to Sham Open Primary - Yes to Peter Viggers' resignation
Gosport's “lame duck” Member of Parliament, Sir Peter Viggers, has brought disgrace upon himself … and SHAME on the proud name of Gosport.
For years, he and his fellow Conservatives have presided over the slow decline of our once proud town. Remember the Ritz? They tore it down. The A32? As gridlocked as ever. Haslar Hospital? They gave up without a fight.
Over the last 5 years alone, Sir Peter has taken home almost £1 million in pay, allowances and 'expenses'. We may never know how much of our taxes he has pocketed during his 35-year rein as Gosport's MP. But what we DO know is that – whilst he was supposed to be representing us in Parliament – Sir Peter was ALSO working as a Director for companies in the oil and gas industries, banking, textiles, telecommunications, as well as working for an American University.
No wonder he has one of the WORST voting records in the Houses of Parliament. Over the last decade, he has turned up to just HALF the votes held in the House of Commons.
Yet not only does he feel he has the RIGHT to claim tens of thousands of pounds of YOUR money in expenses for Christmas lights, manure and the infamous duck house – to name but a few of his more absurd claims – he now INSISTS on staying in his job until the end of the Parliamentary session (at OUR expense), when he stands to receive a handsome TAX-FREE pay-off of several thousand pounds, AND a gold-plated PENSION worth £1 MILLION!
Many people in Gosport believe Sir Peter should be stripped of his knighthood, forfeit his pension and be put on trial. Almost everyone agrees he should give back his mis-claimed expenses, as well as his tax-free pay-off when he eventually steps down. Voters throughout Gosport, Lee, Stubbington and Hill Head have strongly backed Lib Dem calls for Sir Peter to RESIGN NOW.
The only people still supporting Sir Peter are the Gosport Conservatives. Instead of passing a vote of no confidence in him and forcing him to stand down immediately, they have ALLOWED him to continue. Little wonder – seeing as Sir Peter claimed £18,000 of taxpayers money on their behalf for nice new furniture for their office on Stoke Road.
Now, the Conservative Party's HQ – sick and tired of the embarassing antics of their Gosport Conservative Association – are holding a sham 'open primary' in Gosport and are asking people to pick their next candidate from a hand-picked shortlist of Dave "Hug-a-Hoodie” Cameron's favoured few.
NOT ONE OF THE WOULD-BE CANDIDATES IS FROM GOSPORT. Indeed, the Conservative Party STOPPED anyone from the Gosport Conservative Association from even making it onto the shortlist! Which is not really all that surprising, seeing as they can hardly be trusted...
Local people, however, are seeing through the charade. Whoever the Conservatives announce as their next candidate, Gosport Council Taxpayers will STILL be asked by the Gosport Conservative Association to CARRY ON footing the bill for Sir Peter's wages and expenses.
More and more people are backing the Lib Dem campaign demanding that Peter Viggers RESIGN NOW. You can join us by visiting our website: www.gosportfocus.co.uk.
You can also help Gosport Liberal Democrats stamp out the stench of corruption and the cancer of Conservative complacency that has brought our town to its knees – and start rebuilding a better future for local people.
For years, he and his fellow Conservatives have presided over the slow decline of our once proud town. Remember the Ritz? They tore it down. The A32? As gridlocked as ever. Haslar Hospital? They gave up without a fight.
Over the last 5 years alone, Sir Peter has taken home almost £1 million in pay, allowances and 'expenses'. We may never know how much of our taxes he has pocketed during his 35-year rein as Gosport's MP. But what we DO know is that – whilst he was supposed to be representing us in Parliament – Sir Peter was ALSO working as a Director for companies in the oil and gas industries, banking, textiles, telecommunications, as well as working for an American University.
No wonder he has one of the WORST voting records in the Houses of Parliament. Over the last decade, he has turned up to just HALF the votes held in the House of Commons.
Yet not only does he feel he has the RIGHT to claim tens of thousands of pounds of YOUR money in expenses for Christmas lights, manure and the infamous duck house – to name but a few of his more absurd claims – he now INSISTS on staying in his job until the end of the Parliamentary session (at OUR expense), when he stands to receive a handsome TAX-FREE pay-off of several thousand pounds, AND a gold-plated PENSION worth £1 MILLION!
Many people in Gosport believe Sir Peter should be stripped of his knighthood, forfeit his pension and be put on trial. Almost everyone agrees he should give back his mis-claimed expenses, as well as his tax-free pay-off when he eventually steps down. Voters throughout Gosport, Lee, Stubbington and Hill Head have strongly backed Lib Dem calls for Sir Peter to RESIGN NOW.
The only people still supporting Sir Peter are the Gosport Conservatives. Instead of passing a vote of no confidence in him and forcing him to stand down immediately, they have ALLOWED him to continue. Little wonder – seeing as Sir Peter claimed £18,000 of taxpayers money on their behalf for nice new furniture for their office on Stoke Road.
Now, the Conservative Party's HQ – sick and tired of the embarassing antics of their Gosport Conservative Association – are holding a sham 'open primary' in Gosport and are asking people to pick their next candidate from a hand-picked shortlist of Dave "Hug-a-Hoodie” Cameron's favoured few.
NOT ONE OF THE WOULD-BE CANDIDATES IS FROM GOSPORT. Indeed, the Conservative Party STOPPED anyone from the Gosport Conservative Association from even making it onto the shortlist! Which is not really all that surprising, seeing as they can hardly be trusted...
Local people, however, are seeing through the charade. Whoever the Conservatives announce as their next candidate, Gosport Council Taxpayers will STILL be asked by the Gosport Conservative Association to CARRY ON footing the bill for Sir Peter's wages and expenses.
More and more people are backing the Lib Dem campaign demanding that Peter Viggers RESIGN NOW. You can join us by visiting our website: www.gosportfocus.co.uk.
You can also help Gosport Liberal Democrats stamp out the stench of corruption and the cancer of Conservative complacency that has brought our town to its knees – and start rebuilding a better future for local people.
Monday, 11 May 2009
MPs' expenses - time to end this scandal NOW
The recent revelations about MPs’ expenses have focused on government ministers and senior Conservative politicians. But it now emerges that Gosport’s own MP, Peter Viggers, is claiming £24,000 a year on a “second home” and, according to local press reports, was involved in claiming £18,000 from the taxpayer in order to redecorate local Conservative Party offices in Gosport. Viggers’ Conservative colleagues go so far as to boast of “taking advantage” of this rotten system.
Norman Baker, the Liberal Democrat MP for Lewes, has succinctly summarised the rights and wrongs of the current debacle – rights and wrongs it seems so many MPs, including our own Mr Viggers, seem to find it so hard to understand. Writing in The Independent, he says:
“The basic problem is this: claims for expenses should reflect expenditure legitimately and necessarily incurred by a Member of Parliament as part of his or her duties – no more, no less. Instead, they have been used by too many MPs as an alternative income stream, as a way of bumping up salary without having to vote through an embarrassing increase.
“It is quite wrong that MPs should be taking out mortgages with money provided by the taxpayer, then pocketing the capital gain when the property is sold. It is even worse when they regularly change the designation of their second home in order to maximise the income they can generate through the allowance system.
“Does the Home Secretary not realise how wrong it looks to the average person when she calls her sister's spare room her main home, while running up bills at taxpayers' expense for her real home, where her family lives?
“And how can it be right to charge the taxpayer for oil paintings, goldfish bowls, pot plants, and mock Tudor beams?
“The standard defence trotted out is that everything done has been within the rules. But that does not make it ethically correct, not least because those rules have been written by MPs themselves.
“And so we have the unedifying spectacle of Peter Mandelson, who after all knows a thing about houses, claiming £3,000 to improve his house less than a week after he announced his intention to stand down as an MP. Within the rules? Yes. Defensible? No.”
Quite.
Norman Baker, the Liberal Democrat MP for Lewes, has succinctly summarised the rights and wrongs of the current debacle – rights and wrongs it seems so many MPs, including our own Mr Viggers, seem to find it so hard to understand. Writing in The Independent, he says:
“The basic problem is this: claims for expenses should reflect expenditure legitimately and necessarily incurred by a Member of Parliament as part of his or her duties – no more, no less. Instead, they have been used by too many MPs as an alternative income stream, as a way of bumping up salary without having to vote through an embarrassing increase.
“It is quite wrong that MPs should be taking out mortgages with money provided by the taxpayer, then pocketing the capital gain when the property is sold. It is even worse when they regularly change the designation of their second home in order to maximise the income they can generate through the allowance system.
“Does the Home Secretary not realise how wrong it looks to the average person when she calls her sister's spare room her main home, while running up bills at taxpayers' expense for her real home, where her family lives?
“And how can it be right to charge the taxpayer for oil paintings, goldfish bowls, pot plants, and mock Tudor beams?
“The standard defence trotted out is that everything done has been within the rules. But that does not make it ethically correct, not least because those rules have been written by MPs themselves.
“And so we have the unedifying spectacle of Peter Mandelson, who after all knows a thing about houses, claiming £3,000 to improve his house less than a week after he announced his intention to stand down as an MP. Within the rules? Yes. Defensible? No.”
Quite.
Tuesday, 17 March 2009
Barclays slammed over tax document secrecy
Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor Vince Cable today criticised Barclays for obtaining a court order banning The Guardian newspaper from publishing documents showing how the bank set up companies to avoid paying hundreds of millions of pounds in tax.
He has also offered to provide a witness statement to support the press in court, saying:
"These documents are clearly of immense public interest, suggesting as they do a systematic attempt to avoid paying tax.
"At a time when banks are receiving massive support from the Government, the public has a right to know if those same banks are also trying to avoid paying their tax bills.
"Barclays is negotiating for substantial government backing under the Asset Protection Scheme. The Government must make it an absolute pre-condition that tax avoidance at the expense of the taxpayer should stop.
"The scale of tax avoidance by banks has not been previously exposed because it is so hard to report on. These documents provide chapter and verse on the banks' activities. Banks have been able to hide behind commercial confidentiality and threats of legal action to prevent their tax avoidance becoming known.
"There needs to be an open discussion of the banks' tax avoidance and its role in causing the financial crisis. Allowing independent tax professionals to examine these documents is vital to regulating the banks in a way that properly protects the UK taxpayer."
He has also offered to provide a witness statement to support the press in court, saying:
"These documents are clearly of immense public interest, suggesting as they do a systematic attempt to avoid paying tax.
"At a time when banks are receiving massive support from the Government, the public has a right to know if those same banks are also trying to avoid paying their tax bills.
"Barclays is negotiating for substantial government backing under the Asset Protection Scheme. The Government must make it an absolute pre-condition that tax avoidance at the expense of the taxpayer should stop.
"The scale of tax avoidance by banks has not been previously exposed because it is so hard to report on. These documents provide chapter and verse on the banks' activities. Banks have been able to hide behind commercial confidentiality and threats of legal action to prevent their tax avoidance becoming known.
"There needs to be an open discussion of the banks' tax avoidance and its role in causing the financial crisis. Allowing independent tax professionals to examine these documents is vital to regulating the banks in a way that properly protects the UK taxpayer."
Lib Dem victory on data sharing plans
The government has DROPPED controversial plans to allow people's personal details to be shared between different organisations.
The move follows a campaign by the Liberal Democrats to drop the clause in the Coroners and Justice Bill, which is currently being considered by MPs.
In a humiliating climbdown, Justice Minister Michael Wills today conceded that the powers were "drawn too widely".
The plans prompted heated debate in the Commons when the bill was first discussed in January, with even former home secretary David Blunkett raising concerns about whether they were justified.
The Liberal Democrats argued that, under the bill, data sharing would not just be restricted to public bodies, and that people's information could have been given to private companies in any country.
Mr Wills today told Lib Dem MP Adrian Sanders: "I hope it will give your constituents some reassurance that we have now withdrawn the clause that they are worried about."
The move follows a campaign by the Liberal Democrats to drop the clause in the Coroners and Justice Bill, which is currently being considered by MPs.
In a humiliating climbdown, Justice Minister Michael Wills today conceded that the powers were "drawn too widely".
The plans prompted heated debate in the Commons when the bill was first discussed in January, with even former home secretary David Blunkett raising concerns about whether they were justified.
The Liberal Democrats argued that, under the bill, data sharing would not just be restricted to public bodies, and that people's information could have been given to private companies in any country.
Mr Wills today told Lib Dem MP Adrian Sanders: "I hope it will give your constituents some reassurance that we have now withdrawn the clause that they are worried about."
1,000+ police have criminal convictions
Over a thousand serving police officers in Great Britain have criminal convictions, according to new figures revealed by the Liberal Democrats.
The information, gathered from Freedom of Information requests to Britain’s police forces, shows how:
- There were 1,063 serving police officers in 41 police forces across Britain who had criminal convictions
- This includes five officers who were sacked by the force but reinstated by the Home Office
- There are 77 serving police officers with convictions for violent offences who have kept their jobs: 59 with convictions for assault; 14 for violence against the person; two for battery; and one for wounding
- In the last five years, just 45 have been dismissed from the police for violent offences
- 96 serving police officers have convictions for offences of dishonesty: 36 for theft; five for perverting the course of justice; three for fraud; and one each for dishonesty and forgery
- In the last five years, just 37 have been dismissed from the police for dishonesty
- 210 officers have been dismissed or required to resign in the past five years as a result of other criminal convictions
Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne MP, said:
"It is staggering that so many of the people entrusted to protect us from crime have criminal convictions themselves.
"It is even more worrying that so many police officers convicted of serious crimes involving dishonesty or violence have been allowed to keep their jobs.
"There is a disturbing lack of consistency in how police forces deal with officers who are convicted of crimes.
"The public entrust the police with the use of legal force precisely because they are self-disciplined and restrained, which is why anyone convicted of a violent offence should be dismissed.
"I cannot see how a police officer convicted of dishonesty can perform their duty effectively, as any prosecutor would be reluctant to call them as a witness for fear of being taken apart by the defence.
"The public will be rightly concerned that there are serving police officers who have committed crimes as serious as GBH, assault, wounding and robbery.
"The trust that is absolutely vital in policing is seriously undermined when police officers are being convicted of crimes of dishonesty.
"Allowing police officers convicted of offences of violence or dishonesty to continue serving merely brings the vast majority of law-abiding and diligent officers into disrepute. Police forces should get tough on bad apples."
The information, gathered from Freedom of Information requests to Britain’s police forces, shows how:
- There were 1,063 serving police officers in 41 police forces across Britain who had criminal convictions
- This includes five officers who were sacked by the force but reinstated by the Home Office
- There are 77 serving police officers with convictions for violent offences who have kept their jobs: 59 with convictions for assault; 14 for violence against the person; two for battery; and one for wounding
- In the last five years, just 45 have been dismissed from the police for violent offences
- 96 serving police officers have convictions for offences of dishonesty: 36 for theft; five for perverting the course of justice; three for fraud; and one each for dishonesty and forgery
- In the last five years, just 37 have been dismissed from the police for dishonesty
- 210 officers have been dismissed or required to resign in the past five years as a result of other criminal convictions
Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne MP, said:
"It is staggering that so many of the people entrusted to protect us from crime have criminal convictions themselves.
"It is even more worrying that so many police officers convicted of serious crimes involving dishonesty or violence have been allowed to keep their jobs.
"There is a disturbing lack of consistency in how police forces deal with officers who are convicted of crimes.
"The public entrust the police with the use of legal force precisely because they are self-disciplined and restrained, which is why anyone convicted of a violent offence should be dismissed.
"I cannot see how a police officer convicted of dishonesty can perform their duty effectively, as any prosecutor would be reluctant to call them as a witness for fear of being taken apart by the defence.
"The public will be rightly concerned that there are serving police officers who have committed crimes as serious as GBH, assault, wounding and robbery.
"The trust that is absolutely vital in policing is seriously undermined when police officers are being convicted of crimes of dishonesty.
"Allowing police officers convicted of offences of violence or dishonesty to continue serving merely brings the vast majority of law-abiding and diligent officers into disrepute. Police forces should get tough on bad apples."
Monday, 16 March 2009
We need more bobbies on the beat
Lib Dems are calling for measures to pay for 10,000 more police within our communities.
The party is calling on the government to scrap its costly plans for huge 'Titan' prisons, currently estimated at between £1.7bn and £2.3bn. New evidence shows that smaller prisons are more effective at rehabilitating prisoners, meaning far fewer commit crimes when they are eventually released.
The Liberal Democrats say that better policing and improved detection are more effective in cutting crime than ‘posturing over penalties'. Money saved from scrapping ID cards would provide an extra 10,000 police officers.
The party is calling on the government to scrap its costly plans for huge 'Titan' prisons, currently estimated at between £1.7bn and £2.3bn. New evidence shows that smaller prisons are more effective at rehabilitating prisoners, meaning far fewer commit crimes when they are eventually released.
The Liberal Democrats say that better policing and improved detection are more effective in cutting crime than ‘posturing over penalties'. Money saved from scrapping ID cards would provide an extra 10,000 police officers.
Don't keep innocent people's DNA
The UK has by far the largest DNA database in the world, with 4.5 million people registered. Now, innocent children are having their DNA taken and it is being held on the database for ever.
Holding innocent people's information on the database contradicts one of the fundamental tenets of British democracy: 'innocent until proven guilty'.
It is particularly worrying that information on 700,000 children who have never been convicted, cautioned or charged with any offence are on the database.
Some of the most bizarre examples include that of the three children who climbed a cherry tree to build a tree house. They were arrested for criminal damage and had their DNA taken, but the case was never taken any further.
Another is that of a the 14-year old boy who was a victim of mistaken identity when teachers at his school gave police the wrong name after a brawl between pupils. Even after admitting they had arrested the wrong boy, the police refused to remove his DNA.
Liberal Democrats believe that innocent people should have their DNA records removed from the database.
Holding innocent people's information on the database contradicts one of the fundamental tenets of British democracy: 'innocent until proven guilty'.
It is particularly worrying that information on 700,000 children who have never been convicted, cautioned or charged with any offence are on the database.
Some of the most bizarre examples include that of the three children who climbed a cherry tree to build a tree house. They were arrested for criminal damage and had their DNA taken, but the case was never taken any further.
Another is that of a the 14-year old boy who was a victim of mistaken identity when teachers at his school gave police the wrong name after a brawl between pupils. Even after admitting they had arrested the wrong boy, the police refused to remove his DNA.
Liberal Democrats believe that innocent people should have their DNA records removed from the database.
Sunday, 8 March 2009
Nick Clegg's message of hope
"We are the only party that will put money into people’s pockets with fair tax cuts. The only party to offer universal childcare and smaller classes in our primary schools. The only party that will use Gordon Brown’s wasted billions to create thousands of jobs today by investing in homes, hospitals, schools and public transport to build the green economy of tomorrow. The only party that will rebuild the jobs, homes and hopes this recession has destroyed. So don’t believe the doubters, the nay-sayers, the professional cynics. This time it can be different."
- extract from Nick Clegg's speech to Lib Dem conference today
You can read his speech in full at http://tinyurl.com/betterfuture
- extract from Nick Clegg's speech to Lib Dem conference today
You can read his speech in full at http://tinyurl.com/betterfuture
Lowest Council Tax increase in years
The Liberal Democrats have given Gosport one of its lowest Council Tax increases for years. The inflation-beating rise of just 2.5% is also one of the lowest in the country.
Gosport Council's share of the Council Tax for a Band D property will go up by just £4.94 a year this April. That's less than 10p a week.
Sadly the Conservative County Council have increased their share of the Council Tax by four times as much, adding £19.17 for a Band D property and increasing their share of the Council Tax for a Band D to over £1,000 for the first time.
While Liberal Democrat Gosport cuts Town Hall waste and bureaucracy, the County Council Conservatives are spending £40 million on new Council offices!
Gosport Council's share of the Council Tax for a Band D property will go up by just £4.94 a year this April. That's less than 10p a week.
Sadly the Conservative County Council have increased their share of the Council Tax by four times as much, adding £19.17 for a Band D property and increasing their share of the Council Tax for a Band D to over £1,000 for the first time.
While Liberal Democrat Gosport cuts Town Hall waste and bureaucracy, the County Council Conservatives are spending £40 million on new Council offices!
Bank boss should pay us back
The Lib Dems are demanding that the ex-HBOS boss blamed for the bank’s collapse give back his pension.
Sir James Crosby, 50 — who has quit as a City regulator after claims he ignored disaster warnings — has a £10million pension pot.
Details were buried in a new annual report from HBOS, which has merged with Lloyds. Taxpayers now own 43 per cent of the firm.
Lib Dem Treasury spokesman Vince Cable said Sir James had a “moral obligation” to repay some of the money.
Sir James Crosby, 50 — who has quit as a City regulator after claims he ignored disaster warnings — has a £10million pension pot.
Details were buried in a new annual report from HBOS, which has merged with Lloyds. Taxpayers now own 43 per cent of the firm.
Lib Dem Treasury spokesman Vince Cable said Sir James had a “moral obligation” to repay some of the money.
Do you really trust this lot with your data?
Government staff are misplacing their security passes at a rate of 23 a day, it has emerged. Almost 17,000 civil service passes have been lost or stolen over the past two years. Around two thirds of the misplaced cards have been misplaced by staff at the Ministry of Defence (MoD).
The figures follow a series of other security lapses by civil servants, including an incident where highly sensitive intelligence files on al-Qaeda were left on a train by a senior Whitehall official. In January last year, a laptop with the details of 600,000 people on it was taken from a Royal Navy officer’s car in Birmingham, and in November 2007, two CDs with details of 25 million Britons were lost after being posted from a Revenue and Customs office in Tyne and Wear.
This government cannot and should not be trusted with our personnel information. All this latest incident does is demonstrate the serious issues around data security should National ID cards be introduced.
The figures follow a series of other security lapses by civil servants, including an incident where highly sensitive intelligence files on al-Qaeda were left on a train by a senior Whitehall official. In January last year, a laptop with the details of 600,000 people on it was taken from a Royal Navy officer’s car in Birmingham, and in November 2007, two CDs with details of 25 million Britons were lost after being posted from a Revenue and Customs office in Tyne and Wear.
This government cannot and should not be trusted with our personnel information. All this latest incident does is demonstrate the serious issues around data security should National ID cards be introduced.
Fight for our Freedoms
"I'm a liberal – I'm against this sort of thing." That's what Harry Wilcox, a dry cleaner from North London, said when asked to produce his ID card in the 1950s. He drew the line.
It's time we drew that line again. The actions of two repressive parties – first the Conservatives, now Labour – have robbed us of too many of our fundamental rights and freedoms.
The Liberal Democrats are proposing the Freedom Bill - http://freedom.libdems.org.uk - and here's a selection of the measures it incorporates:
• Scrap ID cards for everyone.
• Restore the right to protest in Parliament Square.
• Scrap the ContactPoint database of all children in Britain.
• Remove innocent people from the DNA database.
• Reduce the maximum period of pre-charge detention to 14 days.
You can read the full set at http://freedom.libdems.org.uk/
It's time we drew that line again. The actions of two repressive parties – first the Conservatives, now Labour – have robbed us of too many of our fundamental rights and freedoms.
The Liberal Democrats are proposing the Freedom Bill - http://freedom.libdems.org.uk - and here's a selection of the measures it incorporates:
• Scrap ID cards for everyone.
• Restore the right to protest in Parliament Square.
• Scrap the ContactPoint database of all children in Britain.
• Remove innocent people from the DNA database.
• Reduce the maximum period of pre-charge detention to 14 days.
You can read the full set at http://freedom.libdems.org.uk/
Tuesday, 24 February 2009
New bid to save Haslar backed by Shadow Home Secretary
Chris Huhne, the Shadow Home Secretary and Liberal Democrat MP for Eastleigh, has launched a new Liberal Democrat website, www.gosportfocus.co.uk, and an online campaign to save Haslar Hospital.
Chris Huhne called on Gosport residents to visit the website and to sign the online petition which calls on the MOD to hand over the site to a Council-led partnership which plans to take it over and keep beds and services open. He also warned that the Tories were not to be trusted on health issues.
Huhne said that the Liberal Democrats were now the only party committed to saving Haslar following The News’ report which revealed that the Tory leader David Cameron thought Haslar has no future, adding that Gosport Conservatives cannot even convince their own party leadership to support Haslar. Chris Huhne gave support to the local Liberal Democrats’ efforts to find a viable future for the Haslar site which ensures beds and health services are kept on after the Ministry of Defence leaves.
The Gosport Liberal Democrat plan includes redeveloping part of the site to pay for the cost of keeping 250 beds open plus clinical services and medical research. Gosport Council’s Lib Dem administration has been in talks with developers who are prepared to back the bold plan to keep the historic hospital open, but they say that the public’s support is vital to its success.
Chris Huhne called on Gosport residents to visit the website and to sign the online petition which calls on the MOD to hand over the site to a Council-led partnership which plans to take it over and keep beds and services open. He also warned that the Tories were not to be trusted on health issues.
Huhne said that the Liberal Democrats were now the only party committed to saving Haslar following The News’ report which revealed that the Tory leader David Cameron thought Haslar has no future, adding that Gosport Conservatives cannot even convince their own party leadership to support Haslar. Chris Huhne gave support to the local Liberal Democrats’ efforts to find a viable future for the Haslar site which ensures beds and health services are kept on after the Ministry of Defence leaves.
The Gosport Liberal Democrat plan includes redeveloping part of the site to pay for the cost of keeping 250 beds open plus clinical services and medical research. Gosport Council’s Lib Dem administration has been in talks with developers who are prepared to back the bold plan to keep the historic hospital open, but they say that the public’s support is vital to its success.
REVEALED: British police taser children
Liberal Democrats have forced the Home Office to admit that police 'shot' children with taser guns 28 times in a 20-month period.
At the same time, experts have questioned Home Office claims that tasers are “non-lethal”.
Police officers must be able to protect themselves, but these weapons have killed more than 300 people in the United States and should not be issued to untrained officers.
We need an in-depth inquiry into the use of Tasers before they become commonplace on British streets.We must not slide down a slippery slope towards fully-armed, US-style policing.
At the same time, experts have questioned Home Office claims that tasers are “non-lethal”.
Police officers must be able to protect themselves, but these weapons have killed more than 300 people in the United States and should not be issued to untrained officers.
We need an in-depth inquiry into the use of Tasers before they become commonplace on British streets.We must not slide down a slippery slope towards fully-armed, US-style policing.
We can't have a bonus? Then we demand a pay increase – bankers
According to the Independent online, bankers are demanding a pay rise to compensate for the loss of bonus payments. “Base salaries at investment banks across the board will have to rise to compensate people for the falls in bonuses they have seen,” said one senior corporate finance investment banker.
Surely the laws of supply and demand suggest that this is completely perverse, as there is a currently a significant reduction in the demand for bankers as the sector contracts. If members of the financial services community are managing to pull the wool over the eyes of their shareholders, this suggests that the problems of governance in the sector are even deeper than we imagined.
The continued ability of the semi-nationalised banks to put highly paid staff ahead of taxpayers shows that the Government has been far too detached and pathetic in its arms-length approach to them.
Surely the laws of supply and demand suggest that this is completely perverse, as there is a currently a significant reduction in the demand for bankers as the sector contracts. If members of the financial services community are managing to pull the wool over the eyes of their shareholders, this suggests that the problems of governance in the sector are even deeper than we imagined.
The continued ability of the semi-nationalised banks to put highly paid staff ahead of taxpayers shows that the Government has been far too detached and pathetic in its arms-length approach to them.
Schools still failing teenagers
Government education adviser Mike Tomlinson estimates that up to 25,000 teenagers are leaving school before starting to study for GCSEs. In other words, thousands of young people are dropping out of school early because the education system has let them down.
This shows just how ludicrous it is for the Government to raise the education leaving age when it can’t even get 14 year olds to turn-up. Ministers need to get a grip on this problem and create a system which motivates and challenges all young people.
Instead of producing more targets and gimmicks, ministers need to provide a better range of vocational qualifications and allow students to access college education from age 14.
This shows just how ludicrous it is for the Government to raise the education leaving age when it can’t even get 14 year olds to turn-up. Ministers need to get a grip on this problem and create a system which motivates and challenges all young people.
Instead of producing more targets and gimmicks, ministers need to provide a better range of vocational qualifications and allow students to access college education from age 14.
Every UK home could be made energy-efficient within 10 years
Every UK home could be made energy-efficient within 10 years in a revamp of British housing stock equivalent to the "digital switchover".
It is estimated that carbon emissions from British homes account for a quarter of the country's total. Under EU agreements, the government has 42 years to cut emissions by 80%.
Currently just one per cent of our housing stock is energy-efficient, yet only half of Britain's poorest households are ineligible for help from the £852m “Warm Front” scheme set up by the government to try to cut fuel bills with grants for home insulation and heating.
The government should underwrite renovation work worth £6,500 per household. Householders should be able to apply for commercial loans to revamp their homes, with the cost being repaid through energy bills that should fall because of improved energy efficiency of the renovated house.
It is estimated that carbon emissions from British homes account for a quarter of the country's total. Under EU agreements, the government has 42 years to cut emissions by 80%.
Currently just one per cent of our housing stock is energy-efficient, yet only half of Britain's poorest households are ineligible for help from the £852m “Warm Front” scheme set up by the government to try to cut fuel bills with grants for home insulation and heating.
The government should underwrite renovation work worth £6,500 per household. Householders should be able to apply for commercial loans to revamp their homes, with the cost being repaid through energy bills that should fall because of improved energy efficiency of the renovated house.
Lib Dem plans for education to be launched
Liberal Democrats are gearing up to officially launch their new package of education education policies which aim to offer long-term proposals to invest in every child from their first day in childcare, through their time at school, to their last day at university.
The policies will be a key plank of the party's manifesto at the next election, just as education has been in past elections. It is through education that we can break down the barriers to social mobility and truly create an opportunity society in Britain. We can train our young people to be productive members of our economy - filling skills gaps for industry and competing in the global economy.
With increased childcare, smaller class sizes and greater funding for the
most disadvantaged, we will ensure that we provide the best education for our
children. With the abolition of tuition fees we will ensure that students
are no longer crippled by debt and with greater support for adult education
we will support life long learning.
The policies will be a key plank of the party's manifesto at the next election, just as education has been in past elections. It is through education that we can break down the barriers to social mobility and truly create an opportunity society in Britain. We can train our young people to be productive members of our economy - filling skills gaps for industry and competing in the global economy.
With increased childcare, smaller class sizes and greater funding for the
most disadvantaged, we will ensure that we provide the best education for our
children. With the abolition of tuition fees we will ensure that students
are no longer crippled by debt and with greater support for adult education
we will support life long learning.
RBS plans £1bn staff bonuses... out of taxpayer bailout
Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor Vince Cable has hit out at the Royal Bank of Scotland's plans to pay almost £1billion in bonuses - despite being propped up with £20billion of public money.
"This is unbelievably crass and irresponsible behaviour by people who have learned absolutely nothing and appear to have no standards of honesty."
Around half of the total would be "discretionary" payments to RBS staff. RBS are "contractually" obliged to give the rest of the cash to employees of ABN Amro, the Dutch bank they bought last year in a catastrophic deal.
"This is unbelievably crass and irresponsible behaviour by people who have learned absolutely nothing and appear to have no standards of honesty."
Around half of the total would be "discretionary" payments to RBS staff. RBS are "contractually" obliged to give the rest of the cash to employees of ABN Amro, the Dutch bank they bought last year in a catastrophic deal.
How we are now “forbidden” from knowing about MPs' foreign trips
Michael Martin, the Speaker of the House of Commons, has started a new row over Parliamentary secrecy by blocking the release of information about foreign trips for MP’s.
The dispute started after the Commons Registrar of Members’ Interests, decided that MPs should not have to declare details of trips they make abroad as guests of the British Council, which is a taxpayer-funded body.
Since February 2007, 12 MPs have travelled overseas with the British Council to destinations including Thailand, India and Malawi, often at a cost to the taxpayer of thousands of pounds.
MPs are required to declare any hospitality they receive from outside organisations, and the British Council does not appear on a list of bodies whose gifts are exempt from the requirement.
When The Sunday Telegraph attempted to use the Freedom of Information Act to ask the Commons authorities why the trips were not being declared, Mr Martin, the Speaker, took the highly unusual action of issuing a certificate preventing the release of any information about how the decision was reached.
The document claims Parliamentary privilege to avoid releasing the information. The certificate even prevents any further investigation by the Information Commissioner, who would normally have the power to intervene.
The Speaker’s decision not to allow the release of information that campaigners claim should be in the public domain has been condemned by MPs from all parties as well as civil liberty experts.
Mr Martin has been previously criticised for trying to suppress details of MPs’ expenses, and for trying to exclude some of their work from the Freedom of Information Act.
It is not the first time that the Speaker has used this controversial certificate, as in 2006, he also issued a certificate which prevented the release of a list of MPs’ staff under Freedom of Information laws, claiming that identifying the employees would “prejudice the effective conduct of public affairs” despite the Information Commissioner ruling that there were no legitimate grounds for witholding the names. Last year, The Sunday Telegraph revealed that two MPs and a peer travelled to Bangkok with the British Council for a two-day conference, two flying first class and the other flying business class.
Documents obtained from the British Council under the Freedom of Information Act reveal that other MPs have enjoyed business and first class flights. They show that the British Council spent £5,018 on business class flights for Mark Lancaster, the Conservative MP, who travelled to Malawi in 2008.
Sally Keeble, the Labour MP, who went on the same trip, flew out economy class and returned business class at a cost of £2,452. In May 2007, Derek Wyatt was flown to India business class by the British Council at a cost of £2,142. Other MPs who have received hospitality from the British Council in the last two years include Phyllis Starkey, Tony Baldry, Denis Macshane, Charles Clarke, Edward Garnier, Patricia Hewitt and Paul Keetch.
The dispute started after the Commons Registrar of Members’ Interests, decided that MPs should not have to declare details of trips they make abroad as guests of the British Council, which is a taxpayer-funded body.
Since February 2007, 12 MPs have travelled overseas with the British Council to destinations including Thailand, India and Malawi, often at a cost to the taxpayer of thousands of pounds.
MPs are required to declare any hospitality they receive from outside organisations, and the British Council does not appear on a list of bodies whose gifts are exempt from the requirement.
When The Sunday Telegraph attempted to use the Freedom of Information Act to ask the Commons authorities why the trips were not being declared, Mr Martin, the Speaker, took the highly unusual action of issuing a certificate preventing the release of any information about how the decision was reached.
The document claims Parliamentary privilege to avoid releasing the information. The certificate even prevents any further investigation by the Information Commissioner, who would normally have the power to intervene.
The Speaker’s decision not to allow the release of information that campaigners claim should be in the public domain has been condemned by MPs from all parties as well as civil liberty experts.
Mr Martin has been previously criticised for trying to suppress details of MPs’ expenses, and for trying to exclude some of their work from the Freedom of Information Act.
It is not the first time that the Speaker has used this controversial certificate, as in 2006, he also issued a certificate which prevented the release of a list of MPs’ staff under Freedom of Information laws, claiming that identifying the employees would “prejudice the effective conduct of public affairs” despite the Information Commissioner ruling that there were no legitimate grounds for witholding the names. Last year, The Sunday Telegraph revealed that two MPs and a peer travelled to Bangkok with the British Council for a two-day conference, two flying first class and the other flying business class.
Documents obtained from the British Council under the Freedom of Information Act reveal that other MPs have enjoyed business and first class flights. They show that the British Council spent £5,018 on business class flights for Mark Lancaster, the Conservative MP, who travelled to Malawi in 2008.
Sally Keeble, the Labour MP, who went on the same trip, flew out economy class and returned business class at a cost of £2,452. In May 2007, Derek Wyatt was flown to India business class by the British Council at a cost of £2,142. Other MPs who have received hospitality from the British Council in the last two years include Phyllis Starkey, Tony Baldry, Denis Macshane, Charles Clarke, Edward Garnier, Patricia Hewitt and Paul Keetch.
Beating the housing crisis
Lib Dems have launched a raft of proposals to boost the availability of affordable housing, stem the tide of repossessions and rescue the beleaguered construction industry.
Among them are plans to introduce a “Repair and Renewal” loan scheme for owners of empty properties if they agree to lease them for at least five years to housing associations.
As the recession deepens, social housing queues are growing ever longer while the construction industry has ground to a halt. Renovating empty and abandoned properties can provide low cost homes while boosting the struggling construction sector.
Among them are plans to introduce a “Repair and Renewal” loan scheme for owners of empty properties if they agree to lease them for at least five years to housing associations.
As the recession deepens, social housing queues are growing ever longer while the construction industry has ground to a halt. Renovating empty and abandoned properties can provide low cost homes while boosting the struggling construction sector.
“No frills mortgages” will help kickstart lending
The Liberal Democrats have called for the introduction of basic mortgages secured by the Government to protect borrowers from the collapse in lending by banks and building societies.
“Safestart” mortgages would be fixed for five years at a suggested interest rate of around 4.5 per cent and would be available to borrowers with a 15 per cent deposit. There would not be any fees attached to the deal.
The plan by the Lib Dems is designed to break the deadlock in the mortgage market, caused by the collapse in wholesale moneymarkets which traditionally supported new mortgage lending.
Mortgage lending fell to a record low in January. Lenders granted £12.4 billion in mortgages last month, down 8.4 per cent from £13.5 billion in December and down 52.1 per cent year on year, figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders show.
“Safestart” mortgages would be fixed for five years at a suggested interest rate of around 4.5 per cent and would be available to borrowers with a 15 per cent deposit. There would not be any fees attached to the deal.
The plan by the Lib Dems is designed to break the deadlock in the mortgage market, caused by the collapse in wholesale moneymarkets which traditionally supported new mortgage lending.
Mortgage lending fell to a record low in January. Lenders granted £12.4 billion in mortgages last month, down 8.4 per cent from £13.5 billion in December and down 52.1 per cent year on year, figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders show.
Failed bank boss should pay us back
The man responsible for the collapse of HBOS back will collect a pension of over half a million pounds a year.
Whilst 50-year old Sir James Crosby is picking up a fat pension, the taxpayer is picking up the pieces of his mistakes. Crosby ignored repeated disaster warnings, and now we are all paying the cost.
Can we have our money back, please Sir?
Whilst 50-year old Sir James Crosby is picking up a fat pension, the taxpayer is picking up the pieces of his mistakes. Crosby ignored repeated disaster warnings, and now we are all paying the cost.
Can we have our money back, please Sir?
Saturday, 7 February 2009
Annual Dinner latest
The menu for the Gosport Lib Dems Annual Dinner (see below for detailed post) – at which CHRIS HUHNE MP is guest speaker – reaches us:
Fan of Gallia melon
Chicken wrapped in Parma ham served with vegetables and a white wine sauce
Profiteroles
Tea and coffee
The vegetarian option is mushroom tagliatelle.
The annual dinner is taking place at the Alverbank Hotel on Friday 13 February, at 7.30 for 8 pm. Tickets are available from Bob Forder: r.w.forder@btinternet.com
Fan of Gallia melon
Chicken wrapped in Parma ham served with vegetables and a white wine sauce
Profiteroles
Tea and coffee
The vegetarian option is mushroom tagliatelle.
The annual dinner is taking place at the Alverbank Hotel on Friday 13 February, at 7.30 for 8 pm. Tickets are available from Bob Forder: r.w.forder@btinternet.com
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