Government Acts to Protect Mortgages and Savings

I am very pleased that the Treasury and the Bank of England have acted to save Northern Rock and assist savers and borrowers in other banks. Once Northern Rock is sold to another buyer (preferrably British) the advances form the Bank of England and Treasury will be returned.

Labour Chancellor, Alistair Darling, has acted bravely and decisively in this issues
We cannot have an economy and society that is built on credit, especially unsustainable credit.

I cannot help but think of the warnings issued by Labour’s John Smith (God Bless his memory)
in the the 1980s when Thatcher deregulated banking and credit and the free-for-all began.
Now we are reaping the consequences of that deregualtion.

I believe it is now time for more banking and credit regualtion and more responsible codes of practice.

Australian Elections

Congratualations to new Labour Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on his victory in Australia’s General election today.

John Howard the out-going Prime Minister has lost his seat in Sydney with a swing against his Party of 6.3%.

School Governorships and the P.R.U. in Wyre Forest

Nigel Knowles has been appointed as Chair of Franche Community Primary School Governing Body at a meeting held on 22nd November 2007. Nigel is delighted with his new position and is looking forward to the challenge of helping to guide a new school forward. “A school like Franche is at the centre of our community” says Nigel. “Everyone is determined to achieve success for our children and establish a first class reputation for learning”.

Nigel has also been appointed the single LEA Govenor to St Catherines VC CE Primary School in Marlpool Lane and is equally delighted by this appointment.

Earlier this month, Nigel was also appointed to serve as a member of the Management Board of the Pupil Referral Unit in Kidderminster. This body  and its staff has a good reputation for ensuring children excluded from schools are helped back into main stream education. “Every child does matter” says Nigel, “and I look forward to working with colleagues in this challenging part of our education system”.

Remembering Those Who Fought for Our Freedom

I don’t just remember the war dead, wounded and widows on Remembrance Day, but also each time I walk into a council chamber and in all of the many elections I have stood in.

I would not be able to air my views freely and without hindrance were it not for those brave servicemen and woman who risked and gave their lives for our basic free rights.

Also, we must be ever mindful of those people from Poland, India and Pakistan and elsewhere in the Commonwealth and Europe, who joined the British Armed forces in their millions. The largest volunteer army in the history of the world was the Indian Army that fought for Britain.

People gave their sacrifices in the war to fight the scourge of dicatorship, genocide and racism. Let us make our democracy worthy of their sacrifice.

I honour and cherish every name on the new Kidderminster War Memorial and the memorials of Stourport, Bewdley, Arley Kings and Wilden and other memorials commemorating those who defended our freedoms.

Brown Promises More for Education

I was thrilled to read in the Queen’s Speech, the 11th under Labour since 1997, that Gordon Brown is to raise the the age of leaving compulsory education or training to 18.

For many years, the UK has been lagging behind the rest of Europe in skill development and the general education achievement of its population. Too many people had their education terminated at 16, for older people many left school at 14 or 16. The vast majority of western nations do not allow pupils to leave education until they reach 18.

Education achievements have made huge strides under Labour, with GCSE achievements rising 10 per cent in 9 years in Wyre Forest.

It is a scandal to let our children out of schools without developing their skills to their full potential Gordon Brown realises that an educated society is a prosperous society.

This will be a tremedous boost for schools and colleges to deveop new intiatives and lots of choice for those aged 14-19.

Oueen’s Speech

Nigel Knowles welcomes Gordon Brown’s First Queen’s Speech

Employees Pensions – Companies will be legally obliged to provide staff with a Company Pension.

Employees will be automatically in the new Personal Accounts.

Banks – Customers will get protection if a Bank collapses, guaranteeing perhaps up to £100,000.

Housing  – 3 million new homes to be built by 2020, much of it on brown field sites.

Education – By 2015 everyone aged 16 to 18 will have to be in either education or training, new plans announced for apprenticeships.

Environment – UK to be first country to cut carbon emissions by law, 60% by 2050.

Parliament – Gets the right to send British troops to war.

EU Reform – Reform Treaty will be voted on in Parliament as Governments requiremnt on “red lines” are met and Sovereignty protected.

Anti-Terror measures – Government will get a consensus on holdinfg suspects longer than 28 days.

Flexi -Time – Supporting Parents – up to 10 million parents will be allowed to work flexi-time so they can see more of their children (4 – 5 million people with children under 17 to get same rights as 6 million with children under 6)

Health – New Regulator to drive up standards and intervene in hospitals and NHS care.

Transport – Local road pricing schemes, new controls on private bus operators to to provide specific routes, £16 billion new London Cross Rail Link.

Full details of the Queen’s Speech 2007

Wyre Forest Education Review

The Tories have decided to scrap this Board. Last meeting at Kidderminster town Hall is on the 8th November. There is much work still to be done, the whole of the High School reorganisation has not even started yet. Special Education is still being considered for the final geographical siting.

During the Review, I asked for the ten Wyre Forest County Councillors to be involved and for the Board to be given more democratic and delegated power.

The Tories refused, instead opting for the autocratic Cabinet style to ensure they had their way. Their attitude is entirely autocratic. We need a Labour County administration in May 2009 to offer a more inclusive and efficient method of local Government.

Highway Partnership

Worcestershire Highway Partnership is Worcester HQ orientated. We are fobbed off with tiny dollops of money for footway repairs etc, but the Budget stays under the control of the Tories at County Hall.

Local schemes in Wyre Forest do not seem to be the priority for  the Tories at County Hall. Pot holes and bad road surfaces throughout Wyre Forest will receive some (about one sixth) of the £15 million the Tories will borrow to comply with safety requirements. I assume my campaign for 20 MPH Speed Zones outside every school will slip down the priority list and the Tories will blame our Labour Government, falsely citing alledged “cuts”. It’s all about priorities.

The Tories are spending millions on refurbishing County Hall!

Condolences to the Bereaved Firefighter Familes

Nigel Knowles and Wyre Forest Labour Party send deepest condolences and sympathies to the families, relatives, friends and comrades of  those brave firefighters who lost their lives at Atherstone.

We must never forget the great danger that firefighters put themselves in on a daily basis as they bravely rescue people from danger and provide a public serice to be proud of.

May God bless their bravery, their memory and their families.

Tories Call for School Breakfast Provision to be Axed

The Tory cat is out of the bag. The Conservatives in the Welsh Assembly have called for the provision of free breakfast in schools in Wales to be axed. Over half of Welsh school pupils take this meal. (BBC Saturday, Nov. 3rd)
What does this have to do with us here in Wyre Forest?  It is stark warning for us. The Tories will axe provision for breakfast clubs, Sure Start, and will attack the provision of free school meals,milk and fruit, just as Mrs. Thatcher did when she was Education Minister.

With over 8,200 households in Wyre forest receiving Working Tax Credits and many children receiving free school meals, there is much to worry about.

I will fight to ensure that there is decent provision of meals, both breakfast clubs and lunch, for Wyre Forest school pupils.

Mark Garnier and the rest of the Tories will use the taxpayers’ money saved to fund the charitable status of private schools for rich kids.

DON’T LET THE TORIES TAKE FOOD OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF WYRE FOREST SCHOOLCHILDREN.   VOTE LABOUR