Show me » Labour MP Blogs
 |
If it’s good enough for Prince William…While you lot were probably still gobbling Easter eggs, I was treading in the footsteps of none other than Prince William at the Royal Air Force base in Anglesey.My mission, though, wasn't to hobnob with royalty, it was to learn more about the RAF's Search and Rescue team, as part of my Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme.The Search and Rescue planes... |
More Articles
Pasty-gate and petrol shortages
Sorry for my recent absence on here. I've been busy. I know, I know, we're all busy but you have to admit that there's been some pretty dramatic political goings-on over the past week or so.I wrote about the Budget, but who would have thought that would lead to the so-called 'pasty-gate'? Did David Cameron...
No longer all in this together
To end a bit of a momentous week in Parliament I cannot sign off for the weekend without commenting on the Budget (which was leaked all over the press days in advance). I think the simplest way of summing up George Osborne's financial plans for the country, as outlined on Wednesday, would be to say,...
The state of our health
Way back, when Aneurin Bevan created the National Health Service, he made a very profound statement. "The NHS," he said, "will last as long as there are folk left with the faith to fight for it." If the Government's gross attempts to bring in a costly and damaging reorganisation of the NHS have shown...
Climb it while you can
Never before has Big Ben been the centre of such a furore, I'm sure. (Well, maybe it was when the original bell cracked and had to be completely recast, but, apart from that...)Did you see the news?Big Ben clock tower tours, which are currently free, were going to have a charge of £15 attached to them,...
Flamin’
Have you been on the Olympic Flame website and typed in your postcode to see if the Torch Relay route passes by your house?I have.And guess what I discovered? I discovered that probably the most historic bit of fire on a stick is going to be coming right through the very heart of Edmonton and past the...
Signed, sealed, delivered
You may remember my post back in December about the computers, sports equipment and a whole mound of other items that Brettenham and Forty Hill schools had gathered together to ship to Cameroon in Africa.I finally have news - the container has cleared customs and been delivered to the schools in Babessi,...
A tall order
This week, so I'm reliably informed, the demolition of the Highmead tower began. It won't be gone overnight. Instead it will be a process that will probably take us up to the end of July. But the fact that it's even started is a momentous occasion.Highmead has some serious structural problems. At one...
You want to take it outside?
So yesterday I asked an innocent question of Communities and Local Government Minister Eric Pickles on the prevalence of small (unauthorised) extensions that seem to pop up all over the local authority and I was asked if I wanted to take it outside.Eric Pickles is a big man, I'm sure he could see me...
Boundaries are back…
So, one final post for the week.Remember the boundaries consultation from last year? You must do. I wrote about it on here incessantly for weeks on end!Well, the second round of consultation opened on Tuesday. This time, you have the chance (until the 3rd of April) to comment on the submissions that...
How does Edmonton compare to the Maldives?
Earlier today I welcomed some international visitors to Broad House. It was part of a Commonwealth Parliamentary Association scheme where Parliamentarians and people who work in governments around the Commonwealth get to come and see what it's like being an MP in Britain.It's kind of like an exchange...
Syrian shockwaves
On Wednesday, as I mentioned previously, I secured a brief debate in Westminster Hall on the impact of the Syrian conflict on its neighbours, specifically Lebanon. As you may recall, back at the start of the year I visited Lebanon to try to assess how the humanitarian disaster that was unfolding in Syria...
Risky business
Have you seen the news that the Information Commissioner has ruled that the NHS risk register should be released immediately? So many constituents wrote in to me urging me to help make its publication possible. This is a victory for them as much as it is a victory for Labour and for transparency.The...
More on water
I mentioned a little while ago that water is quite a hot topic for me of late. This week I again had the chance to raise Edmonton's two most pressing water issues in the House of Commons.I made a speech, rather than ask just one question, so there is quite a lot to wade through but it's worth getting...
On the never-never
Sadly, we don't need a Netmums' survey to tell us just how keenly families are feeling the squeeze right now. With money so tight, many, many families are having to borrow, from family, from friends, putting everyday necessities like food shopping on the credit card, or taking out often unsuitable loans.On...
