Very Humbling tales of the 9 Living Recipients of the Victoria Cross

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/11195513/Meet-the-nine-living-recipients-of-the-Victoria-Cross.html

Woodland trust competition to assess our favourite tree a great idea - enter before November 4

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/oct/27/englands-top-10-trees-shortlisted-for-tree-of-the-year

Good news on Tourism in the North East - up to 2008 levels

http://www.thejournal.co.uk/north-east-analysis/analysis-news/north-east-toasts-strongest-tourism-8018613

Getting behind the Sill and Gilsland Railway Station, with support from Nick Clegg

In the House of Commons a few days ago I managed to get the DPM behind these two projects, when I raised the following at Questions to the Deputy Prime Minister:
Guy Opperman:
The North East LEP has done great work, but does the Deputy Prime Minister agree that in rural Northumberland we need the LEP to support rural connectivity and economic regeneration projects such as The Sill and the Gilsland station rebuild?

Deputy Prime Minister
If those issues are not covered by the growth deal that has already been entered into, they are precisely the kind of items that my hon. Friend and others locally may wish to push for in the successor rounds, because devolving control over transport investment decisions is emerging as one of the common themes in all the different growth deals across the whole country.
Hansard source (Citation: HC Deb, 14 October 2014, c152)

We need commerical forests planted soon - my Q today at Farming / Environment Questions at 10.15 today HOC

What steps are being taken to increase planting of commercial forestry in the UK to alleviate the future lack of commercial or other timber for UK businesses?

Scottish Politics is at a crossroads - with change all around ..interesting times

My constituency borders Scotland and I have spent a great deal of the last 18 months in Scotland campaigning for the Union, against the SNP and helping the Scottish Conservative Party find its voice again in places as far afield as Aberdeen, Argyll, Fife and the Borders. What happens in Scotland affects us in Northumberland...and its politics is very interesting.

At the same time, since September 18 Labour support is declining. SNP lost the Referendum and yet the polls show they are doing well; the Scottish Conservatives are in second place and see support growing, with Ruth Davidson energised and the lone voice of fiscal responsibility; and, with a General Election less than 200 days away, the Scottish labour Party is considering who to choose to be their next leader. At present Jim Murphy is a Westminster MP, albeit everyone is clamouring for him to return to Scottish Politics and confront the SNP.

The Spectator has a great assessment of the situation:http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2014/10/scotland-needs-jim-murphy-even-if-he-doesnt-want-to-go-back-there/

The most interesting thing for me is consideration of Jim Murphy's present role: he was the manager of David Miliband’s leadership campaign and Murphy has paid the price. He was the best Shadow Minister during his time as shadow defence secretary. His demotion was to shadow international development; for my part I do not regard that as a job worth giving up if he truly believed Labour could win the General Election. Putting it bluntly, if Labour were to win the election I would want good men and women in the Cabinet. Losing Murphy to Scotland would energise Scottish labour [as I am sure he would win the leadership] and help halt the march of the SNP, but the UK will miss the David Miliband / Jim Murphy types if Labour were to win the UK General Election. This country needs intelligent centre left Labour Party politicians, and they are becoming ever fewer on the ground. Like I said, interesting times.

Great to get behind Egger's drive for more women in business

http://www.thejournal.co.uk/business/business-news/north-east-firm-egger-launches-8005491

Rail Infrastructure plans are good news

This from the North East Chamber of Commerce: "in response to today’s news that a new transport body could be created to develop a high speed rail strategy for the North, NECC Policy and Research Manager, Mark Stephenson, said:

"The Northern chambers are united in support of high speed rail. Even though our region is not part of the current proposals, the impact HS2 will have on our members and the ensuing economic uplift this will generate in the North of England will be significant. We welcome any efforts to speed up delivery. A new body for the North is something that would not only give us a voice at the decision making table, but also a better platform to make the case that a high speed rail link to Scotland must come through the North East. The last significant investment in the UK rail network was over 100 years ago. Future business success depends on infrastructure networks that meet demand. Rail is no exception. The UK rail network must have the capacity to meet rocketing business demand – for long-distance services, for commuter rail services, and for the transport of freight.

The channel tunnel, HS1 and countless other rail schemes all stand as monuments against those that said they were too expensive and too difficult: they have delivered and continue to deliver for UK Plc. HS2 could create 22,000 construction related jobs in the next five years, potentially rising to 50,000 by the late 2020s and how the Core Cities group predicts that HS2 will create 400,000 jobs and deliver local economic output productivity gains of £15bn per year by 2037."

Amazing news for Newcastle Airport as United Airlines New York flight announced - well done to all the Airport team

NEWCASTLE, Oct. 27, 2014 – United Airlines will introduce nonstop flights between Newcastle and its New York hub, Newark Liberty International Airport, during the period May 23 to Sep. 7, 2015 (both dates westbound), subject to government approval. The frequency of the service will be five times weekly. It will be Newcastle‟s first scheduled nonstop trans-Atlantic service.

 

Flight UA159 will depart Newcastle daily except Wednesday and Thursday at 9:10 a.m., arriving at New York/Newark at 12:00 p.m. the same day. The return flight, UA160, will depart New York/Newark daily except Tuesday and Wednesday at 7:20 p.m., arriving in Newcastle at 7:30 a.m. the following day (all times local). Flight times will be seven hours 50 minutes westbound and seven hours 10 minutes eastbound.

The flights will be operated by Boeing 757-200 aircraft with a total of 169 seats – 16 flat-bed seats in United BusinessFirst and 153 in United Economy, including 45 Economy Plus seats with added legroom and increased personal space.

"We‟re very excited about introducing nonstop flights to New York from Newcastle next summer," said Bob Schumacher, United‟s Managing Director Sales – U.K. & Ireland. "We‟ll be offering the people of Northeast England easy, convenient travel options not only to New York City but also to destinations throughout the Americas. United already offers trans-Atlantic service from more cities in the U.K. than any other airline and we‟ve every reason to be confident that this new service will be a success."
‘Game-Changing New Route’  David Laws, Chief Executive, Newcastle Airport, said: "For many years, and everywhere I go, people have been stopping me and asking „when is the North East going to get a New York service?‟

I have been clear throughout that this is a route that we have been determined to deliver for the region. We have been carefully and quietly working behind the scenes, with our shareholders, to secure what will be another game-changing new route. I am delighted today that we are finally able to make the announcement everyone has been hoping for. United Airlines is the best airline to operate this service. They have an exceptional track record of linking U.K. regions to their New York/Newark hub, where customers can then connect to over one hundred onward destinations."

My Question to Foreign Secretary on Syrian Refugees and UN resolution 2139

"What action the uk government has taken to ensure United Nations resolution 2139 is being complied with in relation to the humanitarian crisis in Syria and if he will make a statement?"

 

I am low down the list of questions tomorrow at 11.30 but still hope to get called. If I do not get called the question is answered in writing. This follows the visit I made earlier this year and the debates I have held in the house. The simple point is that the UN is not ensuring the aid is getting through; for more detail read here: http://centrallobby.politicshome.com/latestnews/article-detail/newsarticle/guy-opperman-mp-ensuring-proper-humanitarian-support-and-aid-for-syrian-refugees/

Ashington is not the way forward: I support local councillors efforts to stop the County Hall move to Ashington

http://www.thejournal.co.uk/north-east-analysis/analysis-news/northumberland-county-hall-move-decision-7966680

Westminster this week -Syrian refugees, lunch with Sir John Major & Electrification Task Force

Education questions at 2.30 today, and my meeting with Andrew Jones MP, who leads the Electrification Task Force that advises the Secretary of State for Transport. Later we have both the PMs reaction to the European Council meeting and the votes on the recall bill and the 38 degrees / Zac Goldsmith amendments to the Recall Bill at 10pm.
Tuesday I am much looking forward to a lunch with Sir Joh Major, our former Prime Minister. I have also got a question to the Foreign Secretary on Syrian refugees and the support given to them by the UN. There is likely to be a debate about David Freud that day as well, as the opposition have an opposition day debate on Tuesday. I will oppose efforts to get rid of Freud.
Wednesday is PMQs and a bunch of Home Office meetings spilling over into Thursday, where there are a number of backbench business debates. We have several constituents coming to the Commons this week for tours, events or to meet me and raise issues. A busy week.

Big Energy Saving Week

This week has been Big Energy Saving Week - and I have been delighted to get behind the campaign. We have held meetings with DECC, local oil buying clubs, met with regional coordinators, and have finally finished our new Energy Saving Guide. This will be going out very shortly all across Tynedale, and I am meeting most of the leads of the oil buying groups on a Saturday afternoon in Hexham on Saturday November 8 to:
- hear of the progress they are making
- get a better understanding of the successes + difficulties
- discuss best practice and what government can doer products.
- and discuss how best we can offer alternative lending and credit union facilities to local people who are budgeting for oil buying in particular.

One point was recently raised with me and that is the minimum limit of 500 litres to be purchased when oil is bought. I raised this personally when the Minister Amber Rudd and I met a week ago, but I also got the chance to flag the point up in the Commons on Tuesday during a short debate on domestic energy:
 

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Guy Opperman (Hexham, Conservative)

In private meetings, and in meetings with my constituents, I have spoken to the Minister about oil companies having a 500-litre minimum limit for delivering to people who are off-grid. If the Department were to change that minimum delivery to a lower figure, it would have a massive impact on people who are particularly fuel-poor and off-grid. Could she please look at that and get back to me?

Hansard source (Citation: HC Deb, 21 October 2014, c232WH)

 

Amber Rudd (The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change; Hastings and Rye, Conservative)

I thank my hon. Friend for that comment. He has raised the matter with me previously, and I will get back to him.

Internet Trolls must understand that what is illegal offline, and in public, is illegal online + means jail

2 Labour MPs and 1 Conservative - all female - have had to "put up" with unbelievable & criminal abuse online.
Most MPs have suffered some form of Twitter abuse but the 3 worst examples I know best are Luciana Berger, Stella Creasey and Nadine Dorries.
Creasey is one of Labours brightest and most authentic young MPs - she has done great working taking on payday lenders: she was bombarded with rape and other threats. Her online assailant went to jail:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/11127808/Twitter-troll-jailed-for-campaign-of-hatred-against-Stella-Creasy.html

Recently a Judge sent a neo- Nazi twitter troll to jail for the hate crimes he was heaping on Berger.
Her alleged crime? She is Jewish: http://www.jewishnews.co.uk/bergers-neo-nazi-twitter-troll-jailing-important-precedent/

Similarly awful campaigns have been launched against Dorries, and other celebrities who have dared to have an opinion or even exist in some cases. Chloe Madely was bombarded with rape threats online. No one would dare do this in a crowded pub or a workplace or in front of a policeman 

So I am pleased the Justice Secretary has decided to act and increase prison sentences for these
offences to 2 years. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2798573/crackdown-cyber-mobs-poisoning-britain-sentence-web-trolls-quadrupled-two-years-shocking-high-profile-online-abuse-cases.html

There have been some who oppose this measure: I emphatically do not. I was in the Commons for m colleague Charlie Elphick's debate on this issue on Wednesday night: I was a good debate: http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2014-10-23a.1146.0&s=speaker%3A24777#g1146.2

Luciana Berger was there, and I spoke to her after wards and made clear my absolute support for her. She made the key point that this is an offence and it needs to be reported to the police. No one has to "put up" with this. Rape threats, and worse, will mean custody for sure.  

Ouch! Scots Labour in meltdown and now Tony Blair says Ed is too left wing to win election

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/ed-miliband/11187285/Tony-Blair-Miliband-has-failed-to-connect-with-voters-and-is-doomed-to-election-defeat.html

In his last public comments about British politics in July, Blair warned Ed Miliband about retreating into a left-wing “comfort zone” and said the party has not yet developed a “narrative that is about the future of the country.” Even John Prescott, Mr Blair’s former deputy, has said Mr Miliband is pursuing a “core vote strategy” of appealing only to traditional Labour supporters.

All this on the day after Johann Lamont steps down as Scots Labour leader, 5 days after saying she was not going to quit - and blames Westminster politicians for meddling and scheming against her.

Hexham Hospital is 1st Hospital in UK bought out of a PFI and back into public ownership

Raised the good news in the House this week:

Guy Opperman (Hexham, Conservative)

Hexham hospital is outstanding but was built under a very expensive Tony Blair PFI. Does the Minister welcome the fact that Northumbria NHS trust is the first in the country to buy out the PFI and put it into public ownership, thereby putting millions more into front-line care?

Hansard source (Citation: HC Deb, 21 October 2014, c747)

 

Daniel Poulter (The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health; Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, Conservative)

My hon. Friend makes an important point. The PFI schemes negotiated by the previous Government were, quite frankly, disastrous for many hospitals. His hospital has seen that the way forward is to buy out the PFI and free up more money for front-line patient care. We will support as many more hospitals in doing that as can be achieved, because this is about making sure that we deliver more money for NHS patients.

Full story here:
http://www.thejournal.co.uk/north-east-analysis/analysis-news/hexham-hospital-changes-hands-private-7975734

Second visit to Rochester today - this is a by election that can be won for sure

Today I went to Rochester. It is a town steeped in the history of Dickens, from the Bull Inn in Rochester High Street, where Mr Pickwick and his companions stayed, and where Dickens stayed himself, to the old Rochester High Street and Restoration House, where Miss Havisham lives in Great Expectations.
When I popped down last week to Kent I canvassed in the town and spoke to voters who were planning to vote in many ways - some for several Conservatives, one Lib Dem, who opened his front door dressed only in a pair of boxers, one Ukip and several Labour, including two teachers who voted Labour in 2010 but were unimpressed by Miliband. Budget reductions and By Elections make for anger at the world and governments in general, and I accept that there is a genuine anti politics / anti tough times Ukip vote here in the Medway. 
Today was a little different. I genuinely feel that this will be a very close fought battle and that the Conservative Candidate, Kelly Tolhurst, can defeat Mark Reckless, a man who sadly has lied and lied to his colleagues about his intentions; Mark was also barely weeks ago fully accepting that a Referendum will only be obtained [however one wishes to vote post the negotiations with Europe] by supporting the Conservatives. All that seems to have gone out the window in a vanity trip. 

The picture is of Restoration House in Rochester which was the House Dickens used for the home of Miss Haversham and Estelle. It is 100 yards from the Conservative campaign centre in Rochester. I did not go round as I felt that now was not the time! But I picked up Great Expectations after last weeks visit and a Dickens quote made me appreciate the nature of the struggle against a party that is so xenophobic, extreme and unfit to govern. 

“No varnish can hide the grain of the wood; and that the more varnish you put on, the more the grain will express itself.”
― Charles Dickens, Great Expectations
The Guardian makes good reading as to why this is a party I will happily fight robustly against in Rochester:
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/oct/22/ukip-needs-polish-rightwinger-money-talks

Got my Flu Jab yesterday - over 30% of our population are failing to get the protection they need

I need the flu jab because I had my spleen kicked to bits in a racing fall at Stratford nearly 10 years ago - I liked the horse so much that I tried to catch it as it fell on top of me at the second last fence at Stratford races; it crushed my left side, gave me a pneumothorax and perforated my spleen; this was then taken out by a great surgeon called Mike Stellakis, at Warwick General Hospital. As a result I am immuno compromised. Without the operation I would have died.

The loss of my spleen puts me in a group that includes pensioners, the pregnant and other at risk groups. It is a scandal that some people who are entitled to a free flu jab are failing to take up the jab, which could save their life.

Please make sure you ask your elderly relatives or those like me who are in an at risk group to get the jab. Some people will die or get very sick this winter because of the lack of this and it is totally wrong, and totally avoidable. The jab is free and available at all GPs. Not only is this a potential tragedy, but if people get sick through failing to have the flu jab they can occupy much needed hospital beds with everything that this entails for both the hospital and the wider community.

Last year I had my jab done in less than 3 minutes by Sarah at the Haltwhistle GP Clinic. It does not hurt [much!] and will save your life!! Please make sure you check your parents, relatives and neighbours have done the same thing.

Greek economic meltdown and debt, Mrs Clooney and the Elgin Marbles

The Greek government continue to chirp about the injustice of the Elgin Marbles staying in the British Museum. Let us not forget the stones were rescued with permission from authorities in Athens to save them from destruction locally. You would never think there is an election brewing in Athens would you? I have no objection to the return of the marbles myself but I do object to the Greek government - horrendously in debt as it is - focusing its time on this of all issues. I am presuming that Mrs Clooney is not working for free - if she is doing this case pro bono then I am delighted and surprised.

The Spectator puts it well: 

"In the name of European harmony, we would like to propose a compromise: we will return the Elgin Marbles once Greece has repaid the €240 billion of emergency loans made by EU states during the crisis, and honoured all its government bonds.

Until then, we suggest Greece recognises the role Lord Elgin played in rescuing its deteriorating heritage and accepts that the British Museum has done an excellent job in preserving the marbles and displaying them to scholars and the public alike.

To have a little bit of the glory of ancient Athens in London hardly seems out of line with the spirit of shared European culture."

Far be for me to be robust with a fellow former lawyer but Mrs Clooney is clearly the one being used here. 

For more details on the story have a read: http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/dominicselwood/100289580/the-clooneys-should-back-off-lord-elgin-was-a-hero-who-saved-the-marbles-for-the-world/

I will vote for the Recall of MPs Bill tonight after listening to todays debate, but not the proposed Goldsmith amendments next week

Today the Commons has been debating the Recall Bill and we will vote on the second reading of the Bill tonight at 7. The Bill then has various committee days in the Commons next week before it goes to the House of Lords for their Lordships to consider the matter over the winter. I tried to speak today but was not able to. So I will try and set out some points here on the blog.

I stood on a manifesto to bring in a Recall Bill in 2010 following the expenses scandal when several MPs were rightly sent to prison. The Coalition Agreement included a commitment to bring forward legislation to introduce a power of recall, and there has been a draft bill and white paper considered and then assessed by a cross party committee under pre legislative scrutiny. The Government identified recall as a means of restoring faith in the political process, by increasing the accountability of Members of Parliament to the electorate between elections. However, it believed that a recall petition should only be triggered following a finding of serious wrongdoing; it should not be triggered for political reasons – perhaps because MPs had voted in a particular way that constituents opposed. The evolution of the Coalition Government's Draft Recall Bill is well set out here: https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/reforming-the-constitution-and-political-system/supporting-pages/recall-of-mps

The actual draft Bill is here: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/2014-2015/0094/cbill_2014-20150094_en_1.htm
I have also received a campaign email doing the rounds from 38 Degrees to say that the planned recall proposals do not go far enough; as 38 Degrees often do, they have decided to draft their own Bill. As always, in these matters, the devil is in the detail, and having researched the 38 Degrees Bill and listened to the debate today I am going to support the Coalition Governments Recall Bill tonight and will not be supporting the 38 Degrees version. As always, I will try and explain why.
 
The first issue to sort out is what is recall for? In my view it should be a facility to be used if an MP has behaved badly in ways which damage their work as an MP. I don't think it should be a chance to re-run the election in any given seat, simply because a group of people did not like the result.  

The Bill addresses bad behaviour at clause 2 and looks at criminal offences in particular. Where I disagree most strongly with the 38 Degrees approach is that it encourages recall where an MP makes a decision on a political issue, a matter of conscience, or a local issue with which some constituents do not agree. Many of the examples have been cited in the debate today, whether it is the Iraq War vote in 2003, the same sex marriage vote in 2012, the hunting ban, or issues concerning divorce, abortion or death penalty decisions.  I voted for the same sex marriage bill and then led the campaign against the Coalitions proposed Forestry Bill. Both were highly contentious issues.  

More difficult still is political behaviour. Some constituents think an MP should face recall for breaking his or her word, or reneging on promises made before an election. Tempting though this is, it could prove difficult to enforce and would probably lead to parties and candidates declining to make any promises at all that could later force their resignation. This would be the import of the 38 Degrees / Goldsmith Bill.

Let us take the case of the Lib Dem promise to oppose tuition fees in the 2010 election. It was a clear promise. In the circumstances of the coalition it was subsequently a Lib Dem Secretary of State who then presided over the development and implementation of the tuition fee system. Should there have been 50+ by elections immediately that happened, with a possible change of government and a period of instability? Or is the change of circumstance, a realisation that some promises were unaffordable, given the financial disaster left behind by Labour and Gordon Brown, and the formation of coalition, sufficient reason to change a party’s stance? I, for one, would not support recall in such circumstances, but am certain some would have tried to make it a recall matter under the 38 Degrees / Goldsmith arrangements. The reality is that the Liberals, never having been in government for a century, made a rash promise thinking it would never have to then implement it. None of us also realised how broke the country was going to be after Brown's Boom and Bust. As we have discovered the reality of running a balanced budget is very difficult and very tough decisions have had to be taken. I do not shirk from this, albeit it has been very difficult and not every decision has been got right. But the reckoning in such a case is the General Election, not 57 by elections. 

The issue also arises of what proportion is required to justify recall? The Goldsmith / 38 Degrees proposal seeks only 5% of the electorate as a trigger. I would campaign strongly against such a figure - not least as in a marginal seat there will be at least 40% of the electors who feel very partisan in favour of the main losing candidate. Should they have the right to demand a re-run at the worst time for the incumbent MP? One of the parts of this job I admire most is the fact that we represent everyone, without fear or favour. I have had strong proponents of the BNP - some of whose behaviour was fairly feisty, to say the least, at the last election - come to me seeking my help as their MP: they are treated the same as any Coalition supporter. MPs help all of their constituents, whoever they are. This needs to be maintained.

38 Degrees no longer reply to my emails, or respond to my letters, even though I have gone to great lengths to engage with them, but I will happily set out their amendments to the Coalitions bill here: https://s3.amazonaws.com/38degrees.3cdn.net/5f6fde153d0e49a936_enm6bnzus.pdf
It may be that the Goldsmith / 38 Degrees approach will be carried next week but again this is what a parliamentary debate is about. The Bill will be assessed on several occasions by both Houses of Parliament. That is what parliamentary debate is for.

For the final word do not take my word for it - read the Guardian. The Guardian is not normally na supporter of the Coalition, but is a fairly robust critic of the 38 Degrees / Goldsmith approach: http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/jun/05/mp-recall-bill-not-meaningless

In his brilliant article Michael White, who cites the Andrew Mitchell MP example very powerfully, makes the wonderful point about the attempt to remove Winston Churchill as an MP in 1938:

"Unfashionable MPs and unpopular causes need to be defended from popular passions of the moment and from majoritarian bullying, orchestrated from tax havens. My favourite example remains Winston Churchill, who faced a campaign to remove him in his Epping constituency in 1938 because he was upsetting Neville Chamberlain's efforts to make lasting peace with Mr Hitler."
As always, on the blog, comments are welcome. But, as usual, I will make the usual point that we in the Commons debate the Bill line by line twice, as does the House of Lords, and that the Bill always evolves with the parliamentary process. Given the Churchill example, and the reasons set out above, I shall be voting for the Coalitions version of the Bill tonight, but not the future amendments.

Labour make it clear: A1 dualling will never happen on their watch + Hexham is north of Newcastle

http://www.thejournal.co.uk/north-east-analysis/analysis-news/labours-shadow-transport-secretary-says-7959722
"there’s also the one north of Newcastle up to Hexham as well, the A1 - these were looked at in 2006, and rejected.”....Interesting geography....!
Miss Creagh obviously misspoke when she said Hexham was north of Newcastle on the A1 - but doubtless if she was Lord Freud she would be told she was unfit for her office - there is an irony here.

Westminster this week

Several key debates this week - starting with the social action and responsibility bill, and the vote on women bishops tonight; also debated this week are the fixed term parliaments act and the Recall Bill starts it's long journey through the Houses of Parliament on Tuesday. I have meetings galore with everyone from the Air Ambulance association and several constituents who are coming to London to discuss energy saving plans. This week is Big Energy Savings week and our 2014-2015 energy booklet is nearly finished and will be launched this week. Questions to departments this week include defence, health, wales, and transport and on Friday we have another Private members Bill day, which plays havoc with the diary.
On Wednesday we have the Labour Party's attempt to get rid of lord Freud. I will blog about this more later in the week, but I am certain he should not be dismissed.

SNP struggling to accept they lost the referendum

Alex Massie writes well on how to hear the SNP talk you would have thought they had won the referendum:
http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2014/10/i-vow-to-thee-my-scotland-a-small-number-of-earthly-things/

On Wednesday I raised this exact point in Scottish Questions in the Commons: when discussing the Smith Commission and the Joint Committee that is meeting:
Guy Opperman (Hexham) (Con):

Surely the key question for the Committee to take to the Scottish National party of Government is that no means no?

Minister David Mundell MP:

I certainly hope that it is now clear that the decisive result of the referendum is respected and that we move forward on behalf of all of Scotland to deliver the new devolved Scotland that everyone wants to see.

One can but hope.

Busy Friday Morning - breakfast at Number 10, BBC Radio Newcastle at 9 & Euro Referendum Bill from 9.45

On the radio I will be discussing Dementia and the huge strides we are making in tackling this disease, both nationally and locally, working in partnership with the Alzheimer's Society and innovative councils like the Corbridge Parish Council.
I recently took part in a dementia friend training day and an assisted walk in Corbridge. Details here:
http://www.thejournal.co.uk/news/north-east-news/mp-joins-assisted-walk-corbridge-7621737

Women Bishops are a big step to a modern church and long overdue - totally agree with Justin Welby

http://www.thejournal.co.uk/north-east-analysis/analysis-news/archbishop-canterbury-hails-decision-permit-7939400
The long march for women Bishops is almost over and appointments will happen soon.
As anyone who goes to church knows one of the biggest improvements in the last few years has been the presence and leadership of some ground breaking and hardworking female vicars. Two outstanding local Christian examples I know very well spring readily to mind:
- Dagmar Winter is the new rector of Hexham Abbey:  http://www.newcastle.anglican.org/news-and-events/news-article.aspx?id=1929
- and Bellingham Deanery is led by the inspirational and hard working Susan Ramsaran - see her blog here: http://northumberlandrector.blogspot.co.uk/
And in the House of Commons we have the Speakers Chaplain, the Reverend Rose Hudson-Wilkin, who is wonderful:
http://www.parliament.uk/business/commons/the-speaker/supporting-the-speaker/speakers-chaplain/

This is a very welcome move.

The Guardian: "Labour has given up expecting to be inspired by Miliband" -ouch!

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/oct/14/ed-miliband-party-alan-johnson-leadership-labour-mps

Will be at Falstone Church Service this Sunday at 11am to help dedicate new war memorial

I am looking forward to visiting and worshipping at the St Peters Church in Falstone, high up in the upper north Tyne valley, this Sunday. This is another of the dozens of local churches I am trying to make sure I visit during my 5 year term - I will fail, for sure. Aside from the service, to which many prominent church leaders are coming, and the dedication, there is a exhibition and pooled lunch in the village hall afterwards, along with book sales from my old friends at Cogito Books. Many congratulations to all the organisers and I would urge anyone interested to make the beautiful journey up the North Tyne on Sunday morning. I shall be spending much of the rest of the day in the local area, and hope to pop up the road to Kielder, but have a speaking engagement near Darlington on Sunday night.

North East Transport Debate in Parliament tomorrow at 9.30- I will be raising the A69, Tyne Valley Electrification and Gilsland

Bridget Phillipson, MP, has a debate tomorrow and I will try and speak and expand upon the debate I had on the 3^rd September 2014 = “Transport Infrastructure in Northumberland”: the transcript is here: http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2014-09-03b.399.0&s=speaker%3A24962#g399.2

There are essentially 2 connectivity projects and 1 economic regeneration / connectivity projects that I am hopeful of getting support from the North East and Cumbria LEPs, Network Rail, DFT, and the respective County Councils. At the moment we are doing very well. I will have limited time but will be raising:

1. A69 dualling west of Hexham to Carlisle: our aim is to get this project into the 2016-2021 Funding round of upgrades. Both I and John Stevenson have met and made the case to the Secretary of State for Transport. I have a further Meeting with the Highways Agency plus Rory Stewart + John Stevenson – on the 4^th November at 11am in the House of Commons.
2. Tyne Valley Line: we are pressing for electrification to connect the electrified services of the East Coast and West Coast Mainlines. Again our concern is to get into the long term economic plan and its timetable as this will not happen for several years, but without getting into the plan it will never happen! I have the Minister Claire Perry coming to the North East and seeing the line in January. I have an Electrification Task Force meeting with Andrew Jones MP, its chair, on 27^th October at 16.00 in the House of Commons.
3. Gilsland Station rebuild: This is moving forward slowly but surely, and I have had recent discussions with key COGS leaders. They have a meeting with key Northumberland County Council leaders on Thursday October 16^th. to ensure that the NCC are fully behind the project. I recently met Network Rail and they are supportive albeit they are making the case for further work on the project management process called GRIP. 

The benefits in terms of rural economic development and tourism and connectivity again are significant.  Gilsland Station starts in Northumberland but ends in Cumbria. The Connectivity issues are well addressed in the One North report:

http://www.manchester.gov.uk/downloads/download/5969/one_north

The Devolution Journey of powers and finance to Scotland and the North East takes a big step today

Today in the House of Commons, MPs will debate the consequences of the Scottish devolution settlement agreed during the Scottish Referendum.
Along with those promises are the subsequent demands that England be treated equally. Within hours of the No vote being announced, David Cameron appeared in Downing Street to insist that English MPs alone should vote on English-only legislation. Now that the principle has been so firmly enunciated, there is no going back on it, just as there can be no retreat from what has been promised to Scotland. Where Labour are on this is still hard to see but I have met no one who does not agree it is mad to have devolution to the Scots but their MPs continue to vote on matters affecting Hexham and Halifax.

Indeed, the doctrine of English votes for English laws could well be reinforced in Parliament before Christmas, though in an ideal world Scots MPs would simply excuse themselves from voting on matters that did not concern them without being told to. All that is needed is a simple change in Parliamentary Standing Order 39 to make it clear that when designated English-only legislation is before the House then Scottish MPs would not be allowed to vote on it.
However, the House has acted swiftly and changed the government timetable so that the Scottish debate can get started and there is an airing of opinions as to the way ahead from lunchtime today.  The debate is from 1-7pm.

The Health Secretary will make a statement to Parliament on the UK response to Ebola

Jeremy Hunt will be making a statement to the Commons today on this issue, and I will update when I have heard it. The crucial point is that unlike some diseases or common killers this is not an air born infection.

All call handlers on the NHS 111 service will ask anyone reporting potential symptoms of Ebola about their recent travel history, so appropriate help can be given.  The NHS and Public Health England are well prepared for Ebola, and I know that they are determined to make sure that we continue to do everything we can to protect the public, based on the best medical advice.
The background to this terrible disease that is affecting Africa is set out here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-29556006

Westminster this coming week

The Commons is very busy this week - starting with Home Office Questions on Monday, the start of the debate on the Recall Bill on Tuesday and a debate on North East Transport on Wednesday morning at 9.30, followed by Scotland Questions for the first time after the Scottish Referendum result. Thursday and Monday we have a number of backbench business committee debates - on cycling, the national pollinator strategy and Palestine / Israel and on Friday we have the Private Members Bill debates. I will be sprinting for the 4pm train on Friday in order to get home for the Ponteland Supper Club on Friday night.
We also have multiple constituents coming to the commons and a variety of meetings, including a reception to which Healthwatch Northumberland are coming on Tuesday.

Corbridge Memory Cafe to open Thursday October 16th - another Dementia first for Corbridge

Delighted that the amazing work of Councillor Melvyn Stone and the Corbridge Parish Council are getting the recognition they deserve with further coverage in last weeks Courant of this innovative idea; this is an another example of why Corbridge is leading the way in Dementia awareness.
The official opening is next Thursday October 16th from 10.30-12.30 in the Parish Hall.
I will also be taking part in a BBC Radio Newcastle Dementia Discussion at 9am on the Friday 17th October.
Sadly I cannot go to the Corbridge opening next Thursday as I have a 5 day week in parliament next week, before coming home late Friday night; the radio programme I will record from the BBC Radio "bunker" live in Millbank, on the river in London.

Academies improve children's education - the evidence is clear

Great article in the Journal with Labour MPs supporting academies.
http://www.thejournal.co.uk/north-east-analysis/analysis-news/north-east-jobs-market-failing-7911160
The irony is that the Labour government invented them. We, in the coalition, are expanding them and giving head teachers and governors the freedom and opportunity to create the school they and their local community want. This transmits itself to the parents and, most importantly, the children who then have the opportunities denied them by some local authorities. Yet, the labour leadership and front bench in the commons are against the idea, as are most of the present set of North East labour MPs, with honourable exceptions. The evidence from academy organisations nationally like ARK = Absolute Return for Kids or the Excelsior Academy in west newcastle is overwhelming. Academies work. To all Northumberland locals who doubt this I urge them to go to the excelsior academy.  This from today's article in the Journal:

"Excelsior Academy, in the west end of Newcastle, has seen a remarkable turnaround in its fortunes since becoming an academy in 2008.

When it was Westgate Community College it was deemed to be a failing school by education watchdog, Ofsted.

Nearly 60% of children left the school without a single qualification and only 14% achieved five good GCSE grades.

However, pupils’ performance at GCSE and A-level is above the national average in English and maths and their progress is among the highest in Newcastle, according to the school’s head Phil Marshall.

She said: “We haven’t changed our community; we’re still taking the same children from the same houses, homes and families.

“You have to believe, that despite a lack of aspiration at home, these young people can do well."

New Train "For the Fallen" to be named next Tuesday at Newcastle Station

There is to be an event at Newcastle Central station on 14 October 2014 at 0920hrs to mark the centenary of the outbreak of World War One and the raising of the Tyneside Scottish Regiment. To mark these solemn anniversaries, East Coast is honoured to be naming a locomotive ‘For the Fallen’ and wrapping it with images portraying the lives of men from regiments across the East Coast route. 

750,000 people volunteered for service in Kitchener’s ‘New Army’. On 9 October 1914, the first Tyneside Scottish Battalion was raised and little more than a month later over 5,500 men from Tyneside volunteered for military service. Of these, many would pay the ultimate price in the pursuit of world peace. 100 years later, along with our stakeholders, East Coast is marking the sacrifice of these volunteers.

At the event on 14 October, we will be joined by soldiers from 101 Regiment – Royal Artillery, a Battery of which retains the name ‘Tyneside Scottish’ and other representatives of the military, civic, business communities in Tyneside. We would be very pleased if you could join us as we dedicate this train to The Fallen. I have been asked to go but cannot as I am in London in the Commons all next week.

Appearing on At the Races being interviewed about the future of racing 11.30 14th Ocotber

Long ago I recorded an interview with the racing channel At The Races and this is being aired on Tuesday 14th October at 11.30am - it is a programme called King for A Day and is all about the changes I, and other racing people, would like to see. Channel 415 on Sky, 534 on Virgin.

Apprenticeships should be paid more - my article in today's Journal

http://www.thejournal.co.uk/north-east-analysis/analysis-news/apprenticeships-should-pay-more-says-7905204

North Korea leader Kim Jong Un looks like he is on his way out

All North Korean Communists are equal but some have clearly been more equal than others for several generations. Officially the short, fat, violent, weird hair styled Dear Leader is resting a broken ankle but suspicions are raised that someone broke his ankles for him. Given his track record this is not surprising - as he was always going to go the way other dictators have gone in the past.

In any event the relationship between North and South Korea appears to be improving and this can only be a good thing. I have just finished reading the Orphan Masters Son, the Pulitzer Prize Winning assessment of life in North Korea by Adam Johnson. It makes fascinating but terrifying reading - clearly North Korea is like Animal Farm meets Brave New World - with a lot of violence, and the potential for nuclear weapons use thrown in for good measure. In addition, Wednesdays article in the Times by Roger Boyes spells out the problems we face with one of the last of the truly communist states very well.
All of our safety depends upon a peaceful resolution of a North Korean descent ... from dictatorship to a slow path one day to democracy; what is clear is that without a managed exit the world will be facing a much more serious North Korean problem.

Road Trip 2015 to Stockton South this Saturday

The success, fun and enthusiasm of The 2015 Road Trip teams is well known
See here in Great Yarmouth: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wP1hmQ7sHtc
Or here in Enfield: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAILnaaafHY
or many of the other locations they have been to all across the Country
This Saturday the team is going to STOCKTON SOUTH...
Well over a hundred activists will be going to help James Wharton MP get re-elected. The team have transport options from all around the country. There is always space for more.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/roadtrip2015-to-stockton-south-tickets-13444523933

The All Women final on Friday in South Cambridgeshire is good evidence that the Conservative party is changing on merit

4 Women chosen on merit in the final of a safe Conservative seat - things are definitely changing.
All 4 have had real jobs. All would be outstanding MPs, and all will be. Some I know very well; some I have coached as part of Women to Win. This assessment comes from the excellent Mark Wallace at Conservative Home:

Andrew Lansley MP announced recently that he intends to stand down from parliament in May and the local association will choose a candidate to succeed him on 11th October. 

The shortlist comprises:

• Cllr Heidi Allen. A Councillor in St Alban’s, Allen is Managing Director of the family manufacturing business. Born in Yorkshire, she studied Astrophysics at University College London before going on to work as an operations manager in organisations as diverse as Royal Mail, Tubelines, Esso and Churchill Insurance Group. In December, she was runner-up in the selection race in South East Cambridgeshire.

• Cllr Jo Churchill. A Lincolnshire County Councillor, where she represents a ward in Grantham, Churchill is the Finance Director of a scaffolding firm. A former school governor, she spends her spare time campaigning for Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

• Charlotte Vere. Currently Executive Director of the Girls’ Schools Association, Vere has worked in the private sector for 25 years. She was the Conservative candidate in Brighton Pavilion, where she increased the Tory vote but saw Caroline Lucas turn the constituency Green. She was Finance Director of the victorious No2AV campaign in the 2011 referendum, and has campaigned for Conservative policies to be better targeted at women voters. Like Cllr Allen, she was a finalist in South East Cambridgeshire.

• Helen Whately.  A management consultant working in the health sector, Whately stood against Ed Davey in Kingston and Surbiton in 2010, where she increased the Tory vote share by 3.5 percentage points. Having worked at PwC among other firms, she helped launch the first online film service int he UK for AOL, and advised the Conservatives in Opposition on Media policy. She was a finalist in Wealden and North East Hampshire, and was longlisted in South East Cambridgeshire.

Observant readers will note that all four finalists are female – the association included the following note in its announcement:

‘As it happens, it’s an all female shortlist – it definitely was NOT imposed upon us by anyone.  It’s simply that the Sifting Committee thought these four were the very best from a field of 102, mainly high class candidates.’

Full article here:  http://www.conservativehome.com/parliament/2014/09/shortlist-announced-for-south-cambridgeshire-selection.html

Miliband reels as Prescott and now his own supporters website say "core vote" strategy is going nowhere

Last week John Prescott piled in http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/john-prescott-labours-ed-boys-4378508 now it’s the grassroots: LabourList have flipped out about the often denied, yet clearly obvious, 35% strategy that Labour seem hell bent on pursuing. Four polls in a row have them dipping well below 35%  with the Conservatives out in front: this from the Labour List criticism

“So is Labour pursuing a core vote strategy? Compared to what’s on offer at the moment I wish we had a core vote strategy. At the moment we have a “take much of our core vote for granted strategy.
Labour needs to prove that it’s on the side of Britain’s forgotten millions…
At the moment, those millions must still look at Labour and wonder what on earth – and who on earth – we are for.”

The full article is worth a read:  http://labourlist.org/2014/10/how-can-labour-have-a-core-vote-strategy-if-our-core-vote-dont-know-what-were-for/

Delighted that Canon Dagmar Winter is to be the new Rector of Hexham Abbey

Religious leaders matter. Whatever the faith there is no doubt that the church, in its many forms, has a pivotal role to play in any society. This extends far beyond religious belief, faith and support. And the Tynedale faithful who go, in particular, to Hexham Abbey have been without a leader since Graham Usher was created the Bishop of Dudley. So the announcement of Dagmar's elevation is very good news. It is also a rare example of the Church promoting someone local from within the local clergy and they should be praised for this. I believe this is the right person in the right job at the right time.

On BBC Radio Newcastle tomorrow live at 8.05 discussing if Northumberland Council should spend £40 Million moving to Ashington?

Labour in Westminster now openly discussing replacing hopeless Miliband with Alan Johnson

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/danhodges/100288863/ditching-ed-miliband-will-only-help-if-labour-learns-the-lessons-of-his-tragedy/

No to Prescott's talking shop - Yes to more powers.

"The North East rejected the creation of a new regional assembly in a referendum in 2004.
What was on offer then was NOT devolved powers, but a talking shop with no authority.
Devolution is not about creating a new class of politician. It’s about bringing powers and control over funding to the region – so that we can set our own priorities for training, education, health services and more, and carry out vital infrastructure projects without going cap in hand to Whitehall."

Read the full piece here: http://www.thejournal.co.uk/opinion/journal-opinion-dont-want-re-run-7817329

Cutting your taxes! No tax on first £12,500 = more money in yr pocket

We want to make the tax system fairer so that people get to keep more of the money they earn. That is why a Conservative Government will cut tax for hardworking people.

A future Conservative Government will raise the tax-free personal allowance from £10,500 to £12,500. That will take 1 million more of the lowest paid workers out of income tax – and will give a tax cut to 30 million more. We will also raise the threshold at which people pay the 40p rate from £41,900 to £50,000. This will bring fairness back to the tax system. This will be paid for by taking difficult decisions on spending – we will cut taxes and cut the deficit, just like we have in this Parliament.

We believe that if you work hard and do the right thing, you should keep more of your own money to spend as you choose. That’s why cutting taxes is a key part of our long-term economic plan – securing a better future for Britain by making hardworking taxpayers and their families more financially secure.

I owe my life to the NHS - pleased the NHS budget is to be protected again.

It is well known that I have had my life saved by the NHS ....twice ... Once as a jockey and once when I had a brain tumour. And I have spent a large part of my career before coming into parliament, and since becoming an MP, supporting and helping our health service in its many forms. Whether this is speaking up for our doctors and nurses in the House of Commons, fighting regional pay, visiting all our many care homes, hospitals and GPs, fundraising for the Tynedale Hospice at Home, or chairing the All Party Group for Air Ambulances, our health system is my number one concern.

During this last 4 years the NHS budget, international aid and 4-16 education are the only things that have been protected in this parliament - every other department has taken a serious hit. So it is rubbish to say that the Coalition are not supporting the NHS, during the worst recession in living history. Bear in mind that it was Labours Andy Burnham who was the health secretary who presided over the mid staffs disaster.

Yesterday, the PM set out debunking some of the Labour myths:

Displaying a flash of anger, he told the conference hall: “From Labour last week, we heard the same old rubbish about the Conservatives and the NHS. Spreading complete and utter lies.”

He added: “For me, this is personal. I am someone who has relied on the NHS – whose family knows more than most how important it is . . . how dare they frighten those who are relying on the NHS right now? It might be the only thing that gets a cheer at their Party conference but it is frankly pathetic.”

The PM pledged to protect the NHS budget if he won a second term in office - and “continue to invest more” on top.
In Northumberland we have outstanding medical care. For example, in Haltwhistle we have the country's first truly integrated NHS and local authority joined up hospital. Rest assured I will go on speaking up for,our NHS and fighting for more funding locally. 

The PMs speech today

Support for the NHS, tax cuts, apprenticeships and a lot lot more. Worth listening to / reading here:
http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2014/10/david-camerons-speech-to-the-conservative-conference-full-text/