Labour Party Candidates Pledge

Given the grim situation regarding MP’s expenses (not all of them) and the public’s justified reaction, the Labour Party has drawn up a “Candidates Pledge” which I have signed and returned by post today.

The Pledge reads, ” The Labour Party is a great movement for change, made up of people determined to serve the public interest and not their own”

As a Labour candidate:

* I seek elected office for the honour of serving the public and our democracy not for personal gain.

* If elected I will subscribe to high standards of integrity, transparency, accountability, and prudence with public money.

* Constituents will always come first and I will comply with the current and any new rules on outside earnings.

* I will publish online my full salary and parliamentary allowances.

* I believe it a duty to hold regular meetings, engagement events and surgeries with my community and constituents and will do so.

* I will communicate regularly with my electorate and will be available through email, telephone and other means to my constituents.

* I will regularly report back to my constituency party as well as to my constituents.

Renting or Buying?

As a mere mortal, may I raise a few questions about the allowances claimed by our MP St Richard of Wyre Forest? Firstly, why is there a need to claim for so many ink cartridges? For what purpose is the ink used – letters or leaflets?
Secondly, why is it that the saint’s office expenditure and running costs are so high?
Thirdly, it was reported in newspapers on at least three occasions that the saint rented a flat in London. It is now reported that he claims for a mortgage on a property. Which property exactly? Is it a mortgage or a rent situation or both?
Just for the record, I ask these questions, for which there are surely proper answers?

Support for Gordon Brown

Thursday 4th June was a very bad day for the Labour Party. We lost control of all our Labour held County Councils, twelve seats in Worcestershire (including mine) and now have three from fifty seven.
Let’s just refer to the “London effect” as being responsible for our downfall. The MP’s expenses scandal has cost us virtually everything,  and I do accept the voters decision. Labour is at its lowest point. Obviously at the moment, our Government is unpopular. All of our electoral losses are down to that, the same I guess, as when we were very popular between 1993 and 2005 when Labour people got elected to Local Authorities, the Commons, Europe etc.
I am not calling for Brown to go. Polly Toynbee, right wing Labour MP’s are not considering the consequences of ousting Brown. If  we had a new Leader, he or she would have to call a General Election shortly afterwards. We would probably lose. Our only chance is for Brown to clean up the Commons and assert the Government’s authority over the Banks and Finance system to ensure the economy is stabilised. We have just under one year left. Brown should take this lastopportunity to deliver on jobs, protect Public Services and introduce democracy into the NHS.

Worcestershire Acute NHS Foundation Trust

A meeting was held on 1st June for members in Kidderminster Town Hall. About 1700 people have signed up to join as members in Wyre Forest, the highest number in the six district areas in Worcestershire. We were told that the Worcestershire Acute Hospital Trust now has a total of 5,600 members in the county.

In my opinion, there are one or two problems in the undertaking.

Firstly, it’s not on that the newly elected non-paid Governors ( 3 in Wyre Forest) would not be able to attend all parts of the Director’s Board Trust meetings (with the possible acknowledged occasion regarding personnel or some aspects of absolute confidential business).
Secondly, whilst acknowledging that Government has set the rules and structure, it’s pretty clear that the Governors will play second-fiddle to the Directors. What is on offer is a half-way house at best, and at worst, a members-elected Council of Governors who could be incredibly frustrated by regulation strictures denying them opportunity to home in on particular local issues.
Like any set of rules, some seem in conflict with others. For instance, one would seem to deny the right to particularly advocate that a Radiotherpy Unit beplaced at Kidderminster Hospital. That could be considered “proscribed activity”. However, a later rule states that Governors can represent and advocate community causes and issues. Given that over 10,000 people have signed my Petition for a Radiotherpy Unit for Kidderminster Hospital, surely it could be deemed an appropriate community issue?
Finally, I want directly elected NHS Trust Non-Executive Directors. In 2000/2001, I ran a National Campaign to get that facility. About 70 Districts and other Councils in England and Wales signed up, across all Party Political control.
We can’t have this lack of NHS Democracy. The Labour Government has funded the NHS in a fantastic way since 1997. However, we now need democratic provision and accountability. I believe the public is way ahead of the status quo on this issue.