Nick questions MP on Iraq War Cabinet minutes veto

Nick campaigning with Charles Kennedy MP in 2005

Nick Perry, the Liberal Democrat parliamentary campaigner for Hastings & Rye, has written to the local Labour MP to check whether he supports the Government’s veto on a Freedom of Information Act request for the minutes of Cabinet meetings which decided that the country would go to war in Iraq.

Justice Secretary Jack Straw used the Government’s veto on the Act to block the publication of the minutes. His announcement came yesterday, in response to a decision from the information tribunal, which last month ordered the publication of the minutes of two cabinet meetings, held on 13 and 17 March 2003.

Speaking on Wednesday morning, Mr Perry said,

“It is important that we find out our MP’s position on this issue. When I have questioned Michael about the Government’s stance on ID Cards, on 42 day detention and the DNA database, his response has always been that if people have nothing to hide, they have nothing to fear.

“From this perspective, it is not acceptable that the public will not be given access to information about one of the most contraversial foreign policy decisions in the country’s recent history.

Nick added, “I have also written to my Conservative counterpart asking if she backs her own party’s decision to support the Government.”

Only the Liberal Democrats voted against the Government veto. Just as they were the only party in Parliament to vote against the Iraq War.

Cable rewarded as the voice of common sense

It is not easy to turn on the news without seeing the Lib Dem Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable MP, holding forth about something or other.

This last week, Vince has received two awards at the Channel 4 News political gongs: Opposition Politician of the Year – beating David Cameron and Ken Clarke among others – and an award for the most political impact over the last 12 months (voted by Channel 4 News viewers).

Essentially, this is because, whilst he was derided and mocked by the then Chancellor Gordon Brown, when (from as early as 2003) he was warning against the over-heated housing market and the consumer debt bubble, Vince has turned out to be right on a host of scores.

He was right about the need to nationalise Northern Rock and to slash Interest Rates, and he is right about the way forward for helping low and middle income families and small businesses.

If the truth be told, I have never been a fan of the Guardian journalist Martin Kettle, but as his column has it this week, with the help of people like Vince Cable, the Liberal Democrats are increasingly being listened to for talking sense on the social and economic problems facing the country.

Kettle evens suggests that it may be the Liberal Democrats who will replace the Labour Party as the progressive force in British politics if Labour implodes, as is likely, after they lose the next General Election.

One of a number of radical ideas coming from the Party at the moment is about how we use the commercial property that is becoming newly vacant in our high streets (such as the old Woolworths shops) as the recession takes hold.

Again, in the Guardian last week, Sarah Teather MP (Lib Dem spokesperson on Housing issues) was explaining our plans to facilitate the use of this kind of property as good quality temporary accommodation for people who are made homeless by the economic crisis.

Nick campaigning with Vince Cable MP on rising food prices

Whilst it is important not to talk the economy down, we must also be realistic about its effect. For example, home repossessions rose 54% last year to 40,000. The Council of Mortgage Lenders estimates that there will be 75,000 next year.

We are also advocating a massive expansion in energy conservation measures, and new zero carbon social housing to help kick-start the construction industry.

What is crucial about the action that we take as a country to help our economy is that it must be based in the knowledge that just as human rights are indivisible, so (often) are social and economic problems.

We must have a joined-up approach to how we help people.  This is what the Lib Dems are trying to achieve in these difficult times. And, judging by the awards that Vince has scooped up in the last week, I am glad to say that it is beginning to be recognised.

Nick asks questions about youth provision in Old Hastings & Tressell

Here is an extract from my letter to Conservative County Councillor Keith Glazier, who is the Lead Councillor for Children’s Services:

‘The Liberal Democrats have undertaken a community survey recently in Tressell Ward and, accompanying various concerns about community safety, there have been numerous comments made about the lack of provision for young people.

First of all, I would be glad if you could let me know what ESCC provides in respect of youth facilities in the division at present. Certainly, if there are things going on for young people, they do not appear to be visible enough.

There is a strongly held view from respondents to our survey that a Club or Centre for young people is desirable, and that this may prevent the involvement of ‘bored youth’ in illicit or criminal activities.

I appreciate that young people are often unfairly maligned by the community, but I hope you will address the concerns raised by local people and give as full a response as you can, and that there will not be a necessity to use the Freedom of Information Act to access the information.’

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Labour and the Tories must carry the can for Post Office failings

I have been very pleased to note the obvious affection in which the Winchelsea Post Office is held by many of its customers.

As I recall, a few weeks ago, a concerned Winchelsea resident even wrote to the Rye Observer encouraging all those who were fed up with the shenanigans at the Rye Post Office to come and use the one in their village.

It is embarrassing that it has come to this.

First, Rye residents had to swallow the disappearance of the Tilling Green Post Office, and for months afterwards have been having random unannounced closures and a level of service which has been, quite frankly, unacceptable.

I, like many others, have made a formal complaint to Post Offices Ltd. I have also asked for a formal apology to the residents of Rye.

Local people deserve a fuller and more contrite statement than the one made in the last few days, which, to say the least, was a bit limp.

Derick Holman, from the Rye Chamber of Commerce was right to say that last week’s antics amounted to a ‘fiasco’.

With the move of the Post Office to Jempsons/Budgens set for 23 February, I just hope that this will be a watershed in the quality and reliability of the Post Office service for Rye.

But why have things gone so badly wrong?

We should look at the history.

To be clear, the Royal Mail Group consists of two distinct operations: Post Office Ltd, which is responsible for all the post offices, and Royal Mail which is responsible for the collection, sorting and delivery of mail.

The answer to the problems of Rye, and other towns, lies in the fact that the Post Office network has been badly under-funded by a succession of governments. Both the last Conservative and the present Labour administration have overseen a huge programme of Post Office closures as a direct result.

This is why Tuesday’s outburst from the Chair of Rye Labour Party, Chris Mears, beggars belief. Blaming other people for the Government’s failure is highly unattractive.

The Liberal Democrats have long campaigned for the maintenance of the Post Office network. Our policy calls for it to be ring-fenced as a publicly owned enterprise, which should benefit from investment to enable it to develop into a ‘Postbank’, as well as a point of contact for people requiring advice with regard to benefits, pensions and tax credits.

The Royal Mail, as the Hooper Report points out, is having serious difficulties in adapting to the new technologies of communications. The most significant competitor to the Royal Mail is now email, text and other forms of electronic communication. It is vital that Royal Mail begins to use modern techniques in order to be able to continue to uphold the universal service obligation.

Liberal Democrat policy therefore is to sell 49% of the Royal Mail, ensuring overall control is retained by the Government and the staff, and to use some of the proceeds to invest in a modernised Post Office network.

Further, we would put at least one-quarter of the Royal Mail into an employee-owned Trust, so Royal Mail workers become employee owners along the lines of the John Lewis model.

This is the kind of thinking that is going to be necessary in order to enable the Post Office to combine its historic community role – particularly for the benefit of our most vulnerable citizens – with an effective business model for the future.

Remember – you heard it here first.

Lib Dems turn up the heat in hospital parking charges debate

Following the decision of the East Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust in November 2008 not to take up a Liberal Democrat recommendation for a two hour free period of parking in the pay as you leave scheme to go live this year, Lib Dems in Hastings and Eastbourne have joined forces, and are seeking the support of their political opponents.

The Lib Dems have lodged a request under the Freedom of Information Act in order to access information on average length of stay in the car parks on both the Conquest and District General Hospital sites.

Speaking at the weekend, Nick Perry, the Lib Dem parliamentary campaigner for Hastings & Rye said,

“We believe that hospital parking charges are a stealth health tax, and that the NHS should be free at the point of delivery. But we appreciate that the recession is biting, and that our hospitals are not in a position to waive all charges. This is why we proposed an initial free period. Our proposal of two hours was not accepted, but whilst English Trusts have failed to match the Scots and the Welsh and abolish charges altogether, there are Trusts around the country that are agreeing to free short-stay parking.”

Hands Off the Conquest campaigner and Liberal Democrat activist Margaret Williams said,

“I do voluntary work in the hospital shop and we are forever being asked for change for the car park. Everyone thinks the charges are too high. I am sure the public would not object to nominal fees for the upkeep of the car parks, but object to the hospital making a profit out of them. Also, if there was no clamping, then the private firm employed to enforce the fees would not be needed, hence saving the Trust money.”

Nick added, “As with all things that are important to our local area, the issue does not need to become party political. I hope that Labour and the Conservatives will join the campaign for a fairer deal on hospital parking.”

How long before the return of the Workhouse?

I wouldn’t go as far as to call our Labour MP a one-eyed Scottish idiot…

Obviously, he has still has both peepers, and will tell you for as long as you have the endurance to listen that he has an unparalleled Hastings pedigree.

But his recent spouting of the party line on the Government’s plan to remove the benefits of people with drug addictions who won’t attend rehab, is far from intelligent.

I am genuinely disappointed – with this, as well as his call for our Conservative counterpart to back the plans.

It is a flagrant and unsavoury attempt to out-Tory a Tory. It’s not big, and it’s not clever.

I had exchanged positive emails with both Michael and Amber over the last couple of weeks on substance misuse issues. They have both backed my call for a cross-party, multi-agency debate about the combination of services available to people with addiction problems across Hastings and Rother.

I had hoped that we might develop a mature and informed partnership. But it seems that we are by no means destined to agree about everything. And so I must tell you why the Work & Pensions Secretary’s current plan is nothing more than macho gesture politics. The reason is simple: it won’t work.

Let’s just think about the practicalities for a moment…

One of the first rules of thumb for successful substance misuse work is that lasting change occurs when someone has decided for themselves that they must act to curb their addiction.

This process is not going to be assisted by a crude compulsion such as the removal of benefits.

The second rule of thumb is that people with addiction problems can be crafty in the pursuit of their substance of choice.

So, as a ‘for example’, what would there be to stop someone agreeing to go to rehab and then calling their dealer the minute that they finish their residential programme on the Surrey-Hampshire borders?

What a waste of public money that would be.

And what about the user who doesn’t even see the potential loopholes in the scheme? They just can’t contemplate rehab at that particular point, but they also have a young family to support. What about those children? Is it fair that they be dragged into penury due to their parent’s actions?

What would be the cost to the state of this?

How long before Labour advocates the return of the Workhouse?

There is a sad but serious point to be found in the putting forward of this particular policy idea. It is that Labour has completely lost its focus on some of the key contexts of drug and alcohol addiction.

It has lost its focus on the connections between poverty, poor housing, poor mental health, poor educational and employment opportunities, poor self-esteem and substance misuse.

It is not disloyal to a community to say this – it is realistic.

What is needed is a major assault on these great social ills. We need a joined-up approach, which is why we need to talk, and engage different experts.

What we don’t need is posturing.

Labour has clearly failed to take the numerous chances that the electorate has given to make a fairer society.

And it will face the electoral consequences.

Nick consults ex-users in research on substance misuse

Lib Dem parliamentary candidate for Hastings & Rye, Nick Perry, visited local charity Stumped on Monday to speak with volunteers who are themselves ex-users.

Nick made the visit as part of his research on the current combination of services available to people with drug and alcohol addictions in Hastings and Rother.

Speaking after the visit Nick said,

“I am very grateful to the staff and volunteers who spared time to talk to me of their experience.

“It is clear that there is great motivation and determination for ex-users to be as involved as possible in the development and delivery of aftercare services for other ex-users locally. They have an enormous amount of expertise to share.

“I hope that my own efforts on these issues will play a small part in helping to promote an holistic, ongoing conversation between all the key agencies that provide services for this vulnerable client group.”

Children in Hastings & Rye will benefit from schools plan

Proposals from the Liberal Democrats for big improvements to schools and teaching will see around £18 million of extra cash for schools in East Sussex to boost the education and life chances of thousands of children say local party members.

The plans were launched by Party Leader Nick Clegg and Shadow Secretary of State for Schools, David Laws MP. They call for higher standards in all local schools; closing the gap between children from rich and poor families and ending the era of Government meddling in education.

Speaking about the proposals to today, Nick Perry, Lib Dem parliamentary campaigner for Hastings & Rye said,

“There are a number of radical ideas to ensure all young people get the best start in life. The extra cash will make a real difference in our local schools.

“I am particularly pleased that funding is proposed to cut infant class sizes to private school levels of 15.

“We will also introduce a £2.5bn Pupil Premium, to ensure that extra funding goes to the pupils with the highest needs, whichever school they are in. And some of that extra money will pay for after school and Saturday classes, and extended school days.

“We will also get central government off the back of schools, teachers and pupils. The days of ministers in Whitehall stifling schools, and interfering with everything that happens in the classroom, must end.

“Schools here need to be freed to teach children rather than spend their time obeying ministerial orders and trying to achieve government targets.

“There are few places in the country that need these proposals more than Hastings & Rye, where the Conservatives have failed to deliver improvements for so long. Local children who go to local schools deserve to have at least as good a start in life as the small number who are educated privately.”

The proposals will be debated at the party’s spring conference in Harrogate in March.

In whose hands is Rye’s future?

I hope that I am wrong, but I may have stumbled upon a worrying trend in Rye.

I have attended a couple of public meetings over the last two weeks – first the annual meeting of the Rye Partnership, and then on Saturday the Local Action Team meeting at the Community Centre.

At both meetings, in which the current state and future improvement of Rye was up for discussion, I could well have been the youngest person there. And I’m knocking on 33.

More concerning than the fact that there weren’t any younger people at the meetings (there probably should be more alluring things for young people to do, particularly on a Saturday afternoon) is that it was evident that the systems of decision-making for the two areas of community life being addressed – regeneration and community safety – do not have built into them ways of tapping what young people think about, and want for, their area.

I am not saying that it is easy to engage young people in community decision-making. It isn’t. But the responses to questions I have asked at both meetings have given an indication that, as yet, this issue is not sufficiently high up the agenda of our key strategic partnerships.

There are practical reasons why it would have been useful to have young people’s input to these discussions. In respect of regeneration, because it may well be younger workers who will have the IT know-how to help an old, historic town like Rye create and embrace new opportunities – particularly in tourism and the green industries.

And in terms of community safety, because statistically, younger people are more likely to be victims of crime than they are its perpetrators.

I have called on both organisations concerned to make a more determined effort to reach out to our younger people, and to help them to contribute to the future of their town.

In community development terms it makes perfect sense to ensure that younger people feel that they have some ownership of what is going on.

It will make it Rye a yet more interesting, vibrant and safe place to live.

This has to be to the benefit of the whole community. And, specifically in the interest of the 90% of the 200 people who recently returned the Local Action Team’s crime survey, and who were all over the age of 44.

I am pleased to hear from Town Clerk Richard Farhall that there will be a specific attempt to engage young people and get their views for the Rye part of the Rother Local Development Framework.

So maybe I am wrong to suspect a trend.

But I will keep on asking the questions until it’s a certainty.

Nick backs WHAC protest

Angry residents demonstrated on the West Hill in Hastings this lunchtime ahead of the Council’s decision on the communal bins consultation for Hastings and St Leonard’s.

Speaking after the protest, Nick Perry, Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate and Manor Road resident said,

“Before they take their decision in March, the whole Conservative Cabinet should come up to the West Hill and see for themselves just how many ‘NO BINS’ posters there are in the windows of every street.

“WHAC has done a fantastic job in co-ordinating the community’s response here. Their message is echoed in all the emails I have received from across the different consultation areas saying that local people will fight communal bins every step of the way.”