They Blog For You

  Andy Murray's victory yesterday has managed to put a spring in the step of sports fans after last weekend’s disappointment. His progress to the final four is fantastic for the country and fantastic for the sport. And more importantly it is not just a huge boost to those who enjoy [...]

As I said at the rally to celebrate saving the Whittington A& E - we have to keep this in focus and remain eternally vigilant. The coalition government called a halt to the reconfiguration process (hurrah) virtually as soon as we were in Government but we need to be on [...]

Yesterday something predictable happened. Then something unpredictable happened. The unsurprising event was the arrival of a letter from the Head of Public Affairs of Network Rail, Ed Wilson. It was addressed to me as [...]

This is a reissue of my letter to Nicholas Clegg – others should write in to the formal consultation. The government has announced their intention to abolish all or most of items 4,16,17,18 and 27 so far. Please feel free to use the parts of this you support for your [...]

Our foreign policy priority must be to transfer responsibility for Afghan security to their local army and police as quickly as possible. Our wider foreign policy must embrace stronger links and more diplomatic interest in the emerging powers. I welcome today’s change of emphasis in foreign policy. You could have [...]

CARDIFF West MP, Kevin Brennan, has tabled an Early Day Motion (EDM) in support of the Performing Right Society's (PRS) call for a National Busking Day.The PRS also want cities and towns to develop designated busking spots to allow musicians to legally perform in appropriate areas. Kevin Brennan believes [...]

SHADOW Spokesperson for Apprenticeships, Kevin Brennan, has expressed his anger that the Further Education Minister failed to turn up for a debate on apprenticeships or the Tory MP that called for the debate.Mr Brennan felt compelled to call a Point of Order against the pair after the early morning debate [...]

Nobody emerges well from the heated exchanges at PMQ yesterday in the Commons.   The Guardian that morning had argued the Treasury estimated that the Budget would cost 1.3m jobs.   In the ensuing mele’e Cameron responded to Harriet Harman’s taunt in two ways by claiming that (a) “unemployment will be falling [...]

Did you know that the UK government recently made over 1,166 requests for data from Google?  I suspect that in many cases officials were asking for the contents of people's individual email accounts. [...]

Basingstoke's MP Maria Miller met  with Pat MacDougall and the Head of Governors Mrs S, Hicks to discuss OFSTED's Report into South View Infant School. Maria is concerned that the new OFSTED framework does not properly highlight the achievements of  the school. The disappointing report has lead to questioning of whether the [...]

Basingstoke’s MP Maria Miller met with local resident Vik Kumar to discuss problems of anti-social behaviour and steps that the local community can take to effectively tackle this unacceptable nuisance. Mr Kumar is keen to set up a local neighbourhood watch group to ensure that the community can work together [...]

  Grainger Developments visited Beggarwood on the 18th and 19th June to show local residents ideas on developing land situated by the Local Co-operative shop.   The initial proposals for the site include a pub/restaurant and retail units for local amenities such as a fish and chip shop.   Maria was keen to [...]

The Downing Street spokesman was asked if the date of the referendum on voting reform would be announced tomorrow – or ‘sometime next week’. He replied, ” When we can give you some guidance we will.” He was asked if there were any plans to fly the Saltire tomorrow for Andy Murray’s Wimbledon match. He [...]

IPSA: the “gift” that just keeps on giving… A slightly more serious note to this week’s round-up, as the first item comes in the form of a threat to MPs from an Ipsa functionary. While his boss, Ian Kennedy, was in front of the Speaker’s Committee this week defending the indefensible, [...]

According to the Foreign Office, their researchers have uncovered a shocking truth; they're getting fewer of the plumb jobs at the Euro table than others.  Quelle horreur!   [...]

SPOT-ON analysis by David Miliband today: “The message to William Hague is very simple: you don’t have to play politics any more. You’re the foreign secretary now. Behave like the foreign secretary. “William Hague built up a reputation as being very good at parliamentary jokes and very good at after dinner speeches. [...]

A day when I wanted to be in three places dealing with three issues. It would have been great challenging the British non-report on Swine Flu. What a damp squib. It does not come up with the right answers because it did not ask the right questions. I had dozens of [...]

Chloe Smith joined the team, which patrols areas abundant in licensed premises, from 9pm until midnight to get a first hand look at the alcohol-fuelled anti-social behaviour that they deal with. Commenting on the trip Chloe Smith said; "It was very interesting to go out with the team. Anti-social behaviour [...]

This morning I saw for myself how inspiring the paralympic dream can be. I went to Birmingham to see the training programme going on for wheelchair basketball. There I met two paralympic hopefuls, Maddie Thompson and Fran Ray. Maddie is 15 and was the youngest competitor at the Parlalympic [...]

• Gap in life expectancy between rich and poor has continued to widen • People in poorer areas on average die two years earlier than people in wealthier districts. Commenting on the National Audit Office report on the tackling of inequalities in life expectancy in areas with the worst health and [...]