They Blog For You

I am told that there is a new welcome emphasis on the public’s views at Downing Street. They are taking polling more seriously. It was worries by the public about the Health reforms that lies behind the recent decision to consult again and if necessary to change the plans. I trust [...]

  The Newport Chartists would have said ‘Yes’ to AV. It was in my constituency in 1839 that 20 Chartists were gunned down. They were marching for democracy. All the points of their Charter were achieved – except annual parliaments.  They were impassioned because of the gross injustices of the franchise of [...]

                  Based on doorstep conversations recently, and visits to speak to Conservative Associations, I encounter the following attitudes. Many Conservatives now see the Coaliti0n government as heavily Lib Dem influenced. They tell me they want changes in policy, to reflect the poor financial condition of the country and the preponderance [...]

               I stand accused of being unclear on public spending. Let me try again. The quicker the government can cotnrol the excess of spending over income, the quicker the economy will perform better.               I do not set out alternative spending targets or numbers to the Chacenllor, as experience has taught me [...]

Chloe Smith, Member of Parliament for Norwich North, today commended the Government's Budget with its plan to reform the economy to support jobs and growth, and to take steps to help families with the cost of living – including an immediate cut in fuel duty. Furthermore the Budget confirmed as part [...]

Public spending is still going up by 6% a year, though there are plenty  of discussions about cuts. One of the reasons is the surge in interest payments we now have to make, as so much has been borrowed in the last couple of years. It makes controlling the deficit all [...]

                 As an MP I have always thought I should be loyal to my constituents, to my country and to my party – in that order. I have always taken seriously what I promised electors at the last Election and done my best to further those aims. When the Conservative [...]

CARDIFF West MP, Kevin Brennan, has congratulated Riverside's newest councillor, Iona Gordon, after she won the Riverside By-election for Labour.Councillor Gordon polled 1,700 votes creating a 14.7% swing from Plaid Cymru to the Labour Party in the Cardiff West ward.“Iona Gordon has run a fantastic campaign and struck a real [...]

  The truth is slowly emerging. The British House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee has found that the objective of achieving security for the United Kingdom was attained “some time ago”, as al-Qaida had been significantly weakened in Afghanistan; and that the British military presence in that country has far exceeded the [...]

This is the best defense of our International aid policy that you will ever read.... http://j.mp/hl0dCf And here is the best defence of why the NHS could not carry on as it was, that and the fact that health services in other European countries ... [...]

               I was intrigued to see criticism of the BBC for running endless stories of cuts in public spending. However, I also recollect that last summer and autumn I was a very lonely voice pointing out that the government plans to increase current public spending in cash terms every year [...]

                   The scenes from Libya and Bahrain tell us that the successes of protest movements in Tunisia and Egypt are spreading. People are losing their fear of repressive regimes. The more that police forces and troops fire bullets and tear gas into crowds, the bigger the anger grows and determination [...]

Maybe you were one of the 11,278 Edmonton residents who topped up at one of the 45 PayPoint outlets across the constituency over the Christmas holiday, or one of the 848 who topped up on Christmas Day? Maybe your lights went out; your gas ran out? I bet you're glad [...]

The following letter from Dr Roy Spendlove (Miscellaneous Projects) to Dame Lucy Doolittle  (Director of Unit for co-ordinating cross cutting initiaitives and partnerships)has come into my possession. It shows latest civil service thinking on the cuts. Dear Lucy,                I felt it was time I reported to you on the progress we are [...]

Labour has launched a new campaign to ensure that the Coalition government keeps its promise to lift UK overseas aid to 0.7% of GDP by 2013. Click here for more details. [...]

Our domestic economic situation isn't exactly a bed of roses, but that doesn't mean we should break our country's promise to spend 0.7% of our GDP on aid by 2013 - aid that makes a real difference to the poorest people in the world. It is important that this [...]

                      Yesterday the No to AV campaign claimed that the referendum to change the voting system would cost taxpayers £250 million. This was an eye catching claim.  It did not cheer up many who want public spending brought under control without damaging important services. The cost of the referendum joined [...]

Chloe Smith Member of Parliament for Norwich North has given her support to the 'Cots for Tots' Appeal. The 'Cots for Tots' Appeal is aiming to raise £500,000 to fund building work and four new specialist cots for the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). The unit, [...]

Isn't it ironic that the Protection of Freedoms Bill seems to want to ban things?  Banning the state from doing things generally enhances freedom, but banning the public from doing things rarely strengthens our rights and liberties.  Amongst other proposals, the Bill wants to outlaw car [...]

Yesterday was a busy day in the Commons with a number of backbench debates taking place. One debate of particular importance was on the Coalition Government's decision to cut the £2.1 billion legal aid budget by £350 million.I am of the camp that believes that access to justice is [...]