Monthly Archives: Jan 2006

Leadership

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So now it’s our turn for a new dawn. I guess all parties have to regenerate and reinvent as the political landscape shifts.

As we Liberal Democrats pick ourselves up and dust ourselves off my hope and expectation is that out of this pretty traumatic time, we will emerge ready to meet the new challenges. I am convinced that the right path is to stay true to our values and beliefs.

For all the talk about the dangers of the Lib Dems being squeezed, I’m actually very optimistic. Both Tories and Labour seem to be moving into competing on very narrow territory – becoming more and more alike, whilst they simply argue over the details of management options within a very restricted framework. That leaves an awful lot of scope for another party – especially one which is will to stick to its core beliefs.

This is a time when liberalism is needed more than ever – to stand against Labour’s assault on our civil liberties, our ancient freedoms and rights; to stand against illegal wars; to stand against an creeping authoritarianism where sound-bite punishments are meant to solve society’s ills. And to show a real commitment to the environment – as something crucial to our future, not just a fig leave to be picked up and discarded as the whims of focus groups and opinion polls take you.

As for public services in the round – well, the liberal response is to argue for quality public services for all, locally delivered and locally accountable. Quality services for all is important, because the current favourite mantra of “choice” means putting up with good and bad public services. That’s fine for those who are able to work the system to get their children into the good school or their partner into the good hospital. But what about everyone else?

Locally delivered is important because that’s where many of the services are at their best – such as the local police station where people can easily call in to report crimes or the local hospital which means people’s friends and neighbours can easily visit, offering support and help to patients.

And locally accountable – because that’s how we get better value for the huge sums of money that have been poured into some public services with so little to show for it.

So – four candidates’ hats in the Lib Dem leadership ring. The man who many people initially thought would almost certainly take over and who started as favourite was Sir Menzies Campbell. He’s been displaced as bookies’ favourite by Party President Simon Hughes. Then there is Mark Oaten, Lib Dem Shadow Home Secretary (and my boss in the Home Affairs Team); and my boy – Chris Huhne, who started as a rank outsider at 300-1 with odds now closing at 7-1.

I am supporting Chris because it’s not the office of leader he is interested in for its own sake. He wants to get the Lib Dems into power. And he knows what he wants to do with that power and where he wants to take the party. He has the credibility and substance on economic issues to take the fight to Gordon Brown and beat him on his own territory.

Chris Huhne (www.chris2win.org) has already made clear that a key part of his vision is about using taxation to discourage behaviour which damages our environment, whilst using the money raised that way to take those who are poorest out of taxation all together. So – overall, no increase in taxation, but a fairer society and a better environment for all. Redistribution and responsible consumption in one – that’s the combination that is both liberal and effective. That sounds good to me!

Meeting Ken Livingstone again

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Ring Peter Hendy to congratulate him. He has been chosen as the one (out of the two applying) for the job as Transport Commissioner for London, taking over from wiley Kiley. Peter was bus supremo – and we have argued across the transport spectrum for years now. And I still want a full time service on the hard fought for 603! What I always really like about Peter is his hands-on approach.

Whenever I put out a press release that he didn’t like – be it about the ‘free’ bendy buses or the ‘bursting into flames’ bendy buses – or whatever – he would phone me on my mobile and give me hell. Despite our opposite positions – we always got on well and I think he will be a great Commissioner. Look forward to seeing his negotiating style with the government. And – on the occasions when he was wrong – eventually he would admit I was right.

My favourite was over AVL – the system of countdown which tells passenger when the bus will be along and is plotted on a computer. Terrible system – never worked properly. I always told Peter that it was pointless finishing implementing an outmoded useless system across the rest of London (it was half in). Have to say – gave me great pleasure the day he told me I had been right all along. Anyway – he is a good thing and I hope to see London improve under his stewardship.

Sonia from the LSE is shadowing me today as part of ‘LSE Women in Westminster’. She and Mette, my researcher, come to Home Affairs Team meeting. We always run through all the Home Affairs Bills with each of the team responsible for that Bill – both Lords and Commons. Mark Oaten (Shadow Home Secretary) heads the team. Updates on Religious Hatred Bill – coming back for another row I think to the Commons soon; ID cards in trouble for the Government – as may be the Terror Laws soon. The Government seem to be having a go at getting back to 60 days on detention without charge. I trust the Lords will stick to the 28 we conceded in the Commons.

Rush off to Prime Ministers’ Questions (PMQs) next. Will Ming pass the test? Well – his question was on the Soham murders – so the House fell silent. And he was absolutely fine – not that in my view PMQs should have any sway. It’s just a blood sport. I do wonder why jeering, leering and making rude gestures is rated so highly by the boys and the media!

I race to City Hall for a London Day event with my old sparring partner – Ken Livingstone. He gives me a double peck on the cheek and I observe that he is clearly missing me since I left. He denies this assertion and tells me what a terrible thing we have done to that nice Charles. And what’s wrong with a drink anyway? Well – this from the man who claims to get bored at parties and only drank three glasses of chardonnay! Hey, Ho.

The lunch was fine – and then Ken orated. He is a good speaker – something to do with nasal tones and trying to shock. I learned a lot from Ken during my five years as an Assembly Member (only the good bits) so have a lot to thank him for in as much as I learned to keep in mind when I speak the audience outside the room as well as those present. And to be direct!

Ken wittered on for some time about water and desalination – but his surprise announcement was his endorsement of Simon Hughes as LibDem leader. Not sure if that’s the kiss of death for Simon!

ALARM EXPRESSED OVER MANAGER EXODUS FROM SHELTERED HOUSING

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Lib Dem councillors have called on Haringey Council to urgently fill vacant scheme manager positions at a number of Sheltered Housing Schemes across the borough, following revelations that five full-time managers have been moved to become part of a new specialist team in Housing in preparation for the ALMO starting in April.

Lib Dem Muswell Hill ward Councillor Gail Engert was initially alerted earlier this month when she heard that a local resident was enquiring why the scheme manager at The Priory, Priory Road N8, had left and there was no replacement.

Cllr Engert immediately contacted the Council to look into what was happening.

Meanwhile, she visited Cranley Dene Court, another Sheltered Housing Scheme, in Muswell Hill where she found that their full-time scheme manager had also left to join Housing. She heard from some of the elderly residents that they were very concerned that they no longer had a manager and were ‘worried and frightened’ about what would happen in the future. They also told her that all they were now being provided with was a short morning visit by an area relief manager and emergency cords in the properties.

Tenants claim that they are not being kept informed of plans and felt that their fees for the scheme includes provision of a full-time manager. Cllr Engert was also told that in all five full-time managers had been moved, four from schemes in the west of the borough and one from the east, and this was causing alarm among current tenants.

Haringey Council has confirmed that five managers have been moved. The Council have also assured Cllr Engert that all residents were informed of these changes and that it will make little difference to the service provision. However Cllr Engert and Social Services spokesperson Cllr Wayne Hoban, say that correspondence and meetings with the residents affected tell a very different story and they want full-time managers re-instated immediately.

Cllr Engert (Muswell Hill) comments:

“Residents I have spoken to feel vulnerable without an onsite manager and have claimed they were not adequately informed about the changes or what will happen in the future. I along with my Lib Dem colleagues will be pressing for an urgent solution to this very unsatisfactory situation.”

Cllr Hoban (Alexandra) adds:

“Social Services continue to make great claims about their improvements, but this situation once again raises questions about the Council’s ability to consult with and provide a satisfactory level of service for a vulnerable section of our community.”

LIB DEMS WELCOME ANOTHER LABOUR CLIMB DOWN

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Lib Dems have welcomed a spectacular u-turn from Haringey Labour over a controversial plan to spend £400,000 of Council Tax money on publicity for its Better Haringey PR campaign – much of it in the run up to this year’s local elections. The move follows questions and concerns raised by the Lib Dems over the issue in recent months.

Lib Dem Leader Neil Williams comments:

“I am delighted that Labour has been force to back down on this silly proposal. Such a huge budget for self congratulatory PR from Labour would have been a gross waste of Council Taxpayers’ money. Proper information for residents on recycling and other environment services is needed, but not this huge sum of money claiming how well the council is doing. It is a victory for common sense.”

Haringey Labour are now trying to pretend that this proposal never existed, proving that they are either in complete disarray over their running of the Council or are trying to mislead Haringey residents.

Cllr Matt Davies, who sits on the Overview & Scrutiny Committee which first saw this budget proposal, comments:

“For Labour to say that they never had any plans to double this budget is at best misleading. This proposal was considered in the budget scrutiny process and I had my opposition to this huge sum of money officially minuted.

“The Labour councillors on the committee all agreed that the proposal to double the budget should be passed. For the Labour Executive Member to say now that there were never any plans to increase this budget is a disgraceful attempt to cover-up the u-turn we have forced.”

STROUD GREEN: LIB DEM LAURA SHOCKED BY COUNCIL'S CPZ DECISION

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Lib Dem councillor for Stroud Green, Laura Edge has written to Haringey Council to express her deep concern at its decision to extend parking restrictions to 8.30am-6.30pm Monday to Saturday in the Finsbury Park area, and to include Oakfield Road, N4 in the CPZ.

The decision was made at the Council’s Executive meeting last month and despite Cllr Edge’s involvement in the consultation process as ward councillor, Haringey Council failed to send her a copy of the report prior to the meeting.

One of the main concerns Cllr Edge has lies with the potential impact on the local economy that the CPZ could have, with many shoppers opting to shop in other areas with car parking, rather than spend time finding a parking space amongst all the restrictions. She is also concerned at the amount of bureaucracy faced by local residents in getting visitors’ permits and alike and does not understand why the Council could not have imposed a two-hour restriction in the middle of the day to deter commuter parking.

Furthermore, Cllr Edge is angry at the news that Oakfield Road has been included in the CPZ plans. Having turned down proposals for an extension of the CPZ to cover their road, residents were re-consulted by the Council. They were given to understand that this was a statutory consultation in case an extension of the scheme was later approved by residents and that the scheme would not go ahead at the present time if residents voted against it once again.

Cllr Edge who has been contacted by a number of concerned residents in the area is awaiting a response from the Council.

Cllr Edge comments:

“I am deeply concerned at the Council’s handling of the consultation and its failure to keep me informed. This CPZ could be detrimental to the regeneration of this part of the borough and is being imposed in Oakfield Road against the will of residents. I will be looking at what options are available to fight this decision.”

Prostitution

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Meeting in the morning at Jacksons Lane Community Centre followed by Parliament. Had long interview for Liberal Democrat News followed by one for Hansard Society – who are following a few MPs and interviewing them three times over their first year. Little huddles from the various leadership camps can be seen in every corner. Guess and hope it will all revert to normal after the competition finishes.

I’m handling prostitution today – so to speak. The Government announces its policy – no surprises there. They will crackdown on kerb crawlers (for crackdown read displace). They will allow two prostitutes to work together from premises – but not regulate or license saunas or brothels. They will educate girls that it’s not a good idea to become a sex worker. As usual with Labour – all sound-bite and no solution.

Firstly – the bit about two working girls being able to operate from a flat or whatever does nothing to separate out the prostitutes from the residents. And it’s the residents who don’t want the business on their doorstep for the nuisance, the intimidation and because if they have children it’s not nice – not to put too fine a point on it.

Secondly, their big idea is to take driving licenses away from kerb-crawling men. Hardly a convincing measure. And the insult to injury I think is whilst they talk about educating girls not to go into the business – not a dickie bird about the dicks – i.e. educating boys to behave responsibly and to respect women.

Moreover – it’s a lost opportunity. Lots of good pilots in other cities with ‘managed’ zones where away from residential areas prostitutes can ply their trade between certain hours. Keep girls safe and supervised care for the health side of the business too. That’s being tried in Liverpool. In Edinburgh – although not an official zone – for some time the ‘area’ was out at the docks. Same principle – deal with the issue, the health and safety and the nuisance to others – and regulate the saunas etc where currently the police de facto ignore well-behaved saunas and establishments.

It’s our Opposition Day today in Parliament – which means the Liberal Democrats get to chose what is debated. Our two motions are the Child Support Agency (CSA) followed by nuclear energy – both explosive! Alone in the lobbies – our motions were defeated. Still it’s good to be on the side of the angels.

W5 BUS ROUTE – LIB DEM LAURA WELCOMES TFL U-TURN

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Transport for London has sensationally reneged on its plan to take out the ‘loop’ past Harringay Station from the W5 bus route following a petition delivered to London buses by Lib Dem councillor for Stroud Green, Laura Edge last month.

The petition, signed by over one hundred bus users and residents living in the loop, was arranged by a resident in Chettle Court, assisted by Cllr Edge and local Lib Dem activists. The loop diverts the bus off Oakfield Road via Stapleton Hall Road, past the Harringay Station before rejoining Oakfield Road.

Cllr Edge had expressed her deep concern at TfL’s lack of consultation with local bus users and residents over the proposed changes and had also experienced bus drivers already neglecting to pass through the loop.

She is delighted that the pressure has paid off and that residents have retained the proper service. She hopes that any future plans that TfL have for bus routes in the area will involve greater consultation so that residents’ public transport needs are met.

Cllr Edge comments:

“I am pleased that TfL have accepted that they made a mistake and scrapped the plans for re-routing the bus.

“I hope that TfL have learnt from this and next time consult resident and bus users before proposing changes to routes.”

VISION FOR MENTAL HEALTH PROVISION FOR NEXT DECADE

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Lib Dem health spokesperson Councillor Ron Aitken has spoken about the work of the Local Government Association Mental Health Taskforce, following the publication of its report “Future of Mental Health: A Vision for 2015”.

Speaking to Kurt Barling on BBC London News last week Cllr Aitken, who has campaigned for proper provision of acute mental health beds, said “The balance of power must shift from managers, accountants and Whitehall to the patient,” so that people who have serious mental health problems are not discharged from hospital on grounds of cost-cutting.

There have been several high-profile cases involving local mental health services, including the case of Roger Sutherland who was not admitted to the Whittington despite being seriously ill.

“The report has been produced working alongside colleagues from other parties and we have pooled our experience in different local authorities because it is often as local councillors that we witness the real effects of mental illness,” explained Cllr Aitken.

The project aims to scope and define the future role for local government in the delivery of mental health services, enable a shift from NHS led resources to community based responsive services and lobby for more help for those acutely ill.

Sky leadership debate

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Monday night was the live Sky TV hustings for the Lib Dem leadership contest. So I went up to Martin Horwood and David Howarth’s office to watch. I was somewhat surprised to see myself doing a sort of Big Brother walk on, sit down, speak to camera and off as one of three little pieces preceding the main event. I had simply forgotten that I had run into Sky the week before and done it – not realising it was for the live hustings.

Anyway – irrelevant! Chris Huhne did good. I have to say – he came over really well: determined, passionate, eloquent and convincing. And I really enjoyed seeing the other three already adopting the issues and ideas he had raised on the first hustings on green taxes, commitment to black and ethnic minority MPs, localism and so on. Imitation being the best form of flattery etc

Afterwards they went to a random grouping they had set up in a pub in Carshalton to see how the four candidates had gone down. The one I really liked was a floating voter who had thought that she would like Ming or Simon – but said that although she had not heard of him previously – Chris came over the best. Way to go!

Coleridge School

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Surgery all morning. So many people just sort of on the edge of society with such tremendous battles on their hands to even get through the day. Obviously the details are confidential – but today was full of people who have truly fallen by the wayside with no one to pick them up. What do you do when you are so ill and receiving severe medical treatment that you are too ill to deal with letters which you receive? That leads to unpaid bills or unattended issues – which leads to family breakdown, utilities cutting you off and then ultimately homelessness. All because for some the right intervention just isn’t available at the right time.

After surgery rush to meet parents at Coleridge School gates. Despite the rain – quite a large turn out. This is just a dreadful situation. Coleridge two form entry school with fab reputation is lined up for expansion to four form – making it the biggest primary school in the country. Local would-be parents are desperate for their children to go to Coleridge because over the last few years there has been a vast shortage of local places for local children. However, existing parents fear the expansion will ruin the family atmosphere of the school; that the disruption of building works will be detrimental over quite a long period for their children; that the dangerous road that divides the proposed second site from the first will mean injured or worse to their children at some point; that the need for places is in a different part of the local area.

This all heads towards decision at the Schools Organisation Committee on Wednesday. The really awful part is that the parents I met simply hadn’t had a real opportunity to talk to the necessary people. Their input has been limited and their concerns not addressed directly with them. Moreover, this is an occasion when the committee really should make a site visit before deciding.

No doubt this is a difficult judgement. However, it has to be made on real facts and proper proposals. Concerns have to be addressed satisfactorily. The issues around the road have to have safe solutions before proceeding. The planning of school places and their locations must be sound and based on proper research. All avenues need to have been explored so that the resultant recommendations deliver the best possible solution for both existing and future parents.