They Blog For You

The Lloyds TSB Foundation wrote to me recently to let me know about the £194,800 it had invested in local community groups in 2010.The grants, which ranged from £15,000 to £36,300, were given to nine charities serving Edmonton and the Enfield area, including the Enfield Women's Centre, Crossroads Care Enfield, [...]

A demo with everything. Well done TUC.  500,000 people who walked 30 deep and took 4 hours to pass through Parliament Square. 24 news outlets broadcast ten hours of interviews with the sensible moderate young and old demonstrators. The pictures were strong and appealingThe speeches were restrained and persuasive.  The violent scenes [...]

  Once the darling of the middle-of-the-road voters Nick Clegg has had a hideous 48 hours. Anyone can forget a microphone in the pocket,but his comment will return to haunt him. If he is to recover a separate identity for the LibDems his confession  of no differences between the two parties will [...]

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 [...]

  Tomorrow will the day from hell for the coalition.There are likely to be statements on Japan and Libya. The indefensible Prince Andrew may again come under critical attack. The world is traumatised by the nightmare images we are witnessing from Japan. I am sure the Government and charities will do all [...]

CARDIFF West MP, Kevin Brennan, is backing The Big Issue Cymru's recruitment drive to help the homeless and vulnerably housed in Cardiff.They are trying to increase awareness of their service which aims to help people back on their feet by offering a hand up and not a hand out."The Big [...]

The Chilterns Multiple Sclerosis Centre has for years operated out of  what amount to portakabins at the top of the hill by what used to be the Princess Mary RAF Hospital on the border between Wendover and Halton. Dedicated staff, supported by an amazing team of volunteers, provide therapy for [...]

I spent an hour on Friday at Walton Parish Hall at an exhibition that brought together many different local government, private sector and voluntary agencies that work together to help people in and around Aylesbury who can live independently but need some kind of support to do so. Their clients [...]

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 [...]

  The Big Society was investigated this morning by the Public Administration Committee. Here is the first report which is subject to corrections. Yes, you will find to hard to believe.   Witnesses: Justine Greening MP, Economic Secretary, HM Treasury, and Nick Hurd MP,  Minister for Civil Society, Cabinet Office, gave evidence.    Q137 Paul [...]

Digital UK and the Switchover Help Scheme hosted a briefing in the House of Commons last week to discuss the digital television switchover of the Anglia TV region. The switchover will see analogue TV channels turned off and Freeview services boosted to reach virtually all homes. From that point onwards analogue [...]

                    A government needs both strategy and tactics. A sensible government, if it makes a tactical error, will quickly apologise, adjust and move on. If a government makes a serious strategic error – like John Major’s ERM decision or Gordon Brown’s boom and bust policy-  it is likely to be [...]

The new Tory dream has sunk into a nightmare. Hapless Cameron is picking up the deflated remains of his `Big Society''s big flop. All MPs, except a few uber-loyal Cameronians, openly mock the big nothing. The LibDems are in open contempt. Right-wing Tories are resigned and braced for embarrassment. Savagely cut [...]

            The Prime Minister has said he wants to explain the Big Society idea better. He has appointed a couple of Big Society advocates to spread the word.          The good news for him is that the Big Society is alive and well. I take it to mean that the public [...]

                   The government is mired in criticisms from the public sector. Only the state, they claim, can care for us. Only the traditional public sector  can look after our woods, educate our children and provide us with health care. Any attempt at reform will make things worse, they say.                 They are [...]

  Newsnights’ Michael Crick claims to have inside knowledge of Tory plans to safeguard their MPs after the reductions in seat. Their cunning plan is to guarantee that no Tory loses out by the loss of the 50 seats. Among those they hope to nudge up to the upper house are Roger [...]

One key part of the proposal from the government about Forests that causes concern is the proposal to allow charities and trusts to own the Heritage Forests.In Acocks Green we recently had the 10 year anniversary of creating the Westley Vale Millennium Green. This was an interesting ceremony with [...]

Chloe Smith, MP for Norwich North, will tomorrow, Saturday 22nd January, be taking part fitness classes to raise money for three cancer charities. Chloe will be joining many other local people keen to support Breast Cancer Care, Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust and Ovarian Cancer Action by taking part in fitness classes [...]

Basingstoke MP Maria Miller and members of Basingstoke’s Over 55’s Forum met representatives from the Payments Council on 14 January to highlight the importance of the cheque book for Basingstoke’s residents.   Maria launched a campaign to save the cheque book in October last year, in response to the Payments Council’s plans [...]

Chloe Smith, MP for Norwich North, today encouraged others in Norwich to join her in signing up to fitness classes to raise money for three cancer charities. Chloe has joined many other local people keen to support Breast Cancer Care, Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust and Ovarian Cancer Action by signing up [...]