Monthly Archives: Jun 2008

Four schools face closure in Haringey

Posted on by

Earlier today the Government announced that four schools in Haringey face closure. Here’s what my press release said:

Lynne Featherstone, commenting on the Government’s announcement that four schools in Haringey have been given a warning notices to improve exam performance or face closure said:

“We must challenge underperformance in our schools but threat of closure and job losses is hardly going to motivate the teachers whose help we need to drive up standards.

“I have long fought for fair funding for our local schools, so the extra money is welcome. However, this announcement seems far too much stick and not enough carrot.”

Councillor Gail Engert, Haringey Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Education added:

“I wait to see how exactly much extra money this will mean for our schools. But £400m over 638 schools nationally only works out at about £600,000 per school. This will hardly scratch the surface of the historic chronic underinvestment in Haringey’s schools.”

Tesco's naughy behaviour

Posted on by

Extraordinary news reaches me about Tesco’s behaviour. Celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley–Whittingstall submitted a resolution for debate at Tesco plc’s AGM was submitted with the support of 102 shareholders (representing something like 3.7 million ordinary shares). It is a resolution that challenges what Tesco says about its poultry welfare and urges them to set new minimum standards like lower stock densities and more environmental stimuli for the birds.

Unbelievably – Tesco have said that they will only take the resolution to the AGM if the person submitting the motion meets the cost of distributing the relevant papers to their shareholders. They are entitled to waive this fee, and the backers of the motion have requested that they do so, in the interest of shareholder democracy, but they have declined.

In other words, the resolution is dead in the water unless the proposers pay them £86,888 to print and post the papers out to all 269,000 Tesco shareholders.

So Tesco – as far as I can see you treat your shareholders just about as well as you treat your poultry!

More information – and the option to donate to help cover the costs – on Hugh Fearnley–Whittingstall’s website.

Another top prosecutor opposes Government's plans for 42 day detention without trial

Posted on by

The BBC story pretty much says it all:

Scotland’s top prosecutor has said the case has not been made for extending the length of time terror suspects can be detained without charge to 42 days.

BBC Scotland has learnt that Lord Advocate Elish Angiolini gave her opinion in a letter to the Liberal Democrat MP Alistair Carmichael.

She said the change from the current 28 days was not supported by “prosecution experience to date”.

Comments on threat of Haringey school closures

Posted on by

Lynne Featherstone, Liberal Democrat MP for Hornsey & Wood Green, commenting on the Government’s announcement today that four schools in Haringey have been given a warning notices to improve exam performance or face closure said:

“We must challenge underperformance in our schools but threat of closure and job losses is hardly going to motivate the teachers whose help we need to drive up standards.

“I have long fought for fair funding for our local schools, so the extra money is welcome.However, this announcement seems far too much stick and not enough carrot.”

Councillor Gail Engert, Haringey Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Education added:

“I wait to see how exactly much extra money this will mean for our schools. But £400m over 638 schools nationally only works out at about £600,000 per school. This will hardly scratch the surface of the historic chronic underinvestment in Haringey’s schools.”

Fathers for Justice

Posted on by

Saw the protesters on Harriet Harman’s house – Fathers for Justice. Actually think it is completely unacceptable to go to any public elected person’s house and carry out protest. By all means protest outside the House of Commons or elsewhere – but intimidating anyone in their own home is wrong – plain wrong. Having a reasonable amount of sympathy for their cause – this type of bullying and intimidation just turns me off. I will still fight for justice for fathers (and mothers) but I condemn this organisation for their action.

Dismay over Northwood Road closure

Posted on by

Highgate’s Liberal Democrat councillors have expressed dismay at the planned closure of Northwood Road in Highgate, due to the need for works on an important bridge. The Parkland Walk bridge is to be closed for a week on 30 June, causing huge inconvenience to Highgate residents while further temporary supports are installed to prevent further movement of the structure.

Local Liberal Democrat councillors are demanding an investigation into the recent maintenance of the structure – and why the use of heavy equipment on top of the bridge was recently allowed by Haringey Council. They also want to know how long the bridge will have to close to carry out proper repairs.

In March, councillor Rachel Allison reported cracking in the structure and expressed concern that heavy equipment being used to renovate the Parkland Walk, which runs over the bridge, might be doing damage. The Lib Dems want an investigation into whether any damage may have occurred and also, assurances that the bridge has had a proper maintenance schedule from Haringey council over the years.

Highgate councillor Bob Hare, who has also been monitoring the bridge, comments.

“Northwood Road is a vital local link, and this will be a real nuisance with closures. It is important that the bridge is made safe, but Haringey Council must also account for how this damage has been done. It really is a sticking-plaster approach.”

Liberal Democrat action on parking a real boost for Archway traders

Posted on by

Shoppers in Highgate will now be able to park at any time of day at a hard-pressed stretch of the Archway Road, thanks to Highgate’s Liberal Democrat councillors. The move will be a welcome boost to local traders, who often struggle due to the busy A1 and its strict, ‘red-route’ parking controls.

The change follows a discovery by Liberal Democrat councillor Rachel Allison, who was elected in a Highgate by-election landslide in March. Ms Allison discovered that the 10 until 4 parking restrictions on the road were not necessary, and following a site meeting with an official from Transport for London, which runs the road, these are to be relaxed from 7am until 7pm. This will allow shoppers to park in parts of the road for up to one hour throughout the day.The existing parking signs have already been blanked out by TfL, with new ones on the way.

The move is a welcome boost for firms like Papa Architects, which is determined to make a success of its offices on the Archway Road. The firm was one of several to raise the issue with local Lib Dem councillors, as it will enable them to have commercial visitors at any time of day.

Highgate Liberal Democrat councillor Rachel Allison comments:

“I’m delighted that Transport for London will be making this change to help the Archway Road traders. In addition to Papa Architects, other shops have been asking for action for two years, so it’s great that a face-to-face meeting with TfL on the Archway Road has finally made this happen.”

Liberal Democrat councillor Bob Hare adds:

“This is great news, but Haringey council should be more on-the-ball when it comes to the Archway Road, ensuring the parking restrictions are the minimum necessary, so that the shops can receive as much help as possible. There are some brilliant shops on the Archway Road, and sensible parking restrictions mean a real boost for traders.”

Iris Robinson

Posted on by

Reading Liberal Conspiracy, I see that Iris Robinson (MP in Northern Ireland and also member of the Northern Ireland Assembly, where she chairs the Health Committee) has recommended that people assaulted for being gay should seek medical help to “cure” them of being gay.

Back to the ark we go! I thought we had come a long, long way on the road to equality – and leaving behind the nonsense that being gay is a disease which people should be cured of. But remarks like this remind us that we’ve not got all the way there yet!

What harm did the teddy bear do?

Posted on by

You really have to file this in the “you couldn’t make it up” category – Haringey’s binmen are being told in the name of health and safety to remove their cuddly toy mascots from their vans in case a child rushes out into the street to grab them.

I mean – really! Not only is the sight of hordes of children running into the street to grab cuddly toys from the front of vehicles one scourge we’ve not been subjected to, but this is just the sort of misplaced small-minded pettiness that gives health and safety (both of which are pretty good objectives to have!) a bad name. If binmen like to have a bit of fun and liven up their vehicles with a cuddly toy – good for them.

Even more depressing is the narrow-minded attitude of the binmen firm’s general manager, Doug Taylor, who wrote: “‘Quite why adults would wish to decorate their vehicles this way is frankly beyond me.” Well in my experience it’s far from rare to see adults in vehicles with small cuddly toys somewhere in or around the vehicle – but even if you personally don’t see the attraction of a cuddly toy to brighten up a vehicle, surely we aren’t such a narrow-minded society that we can’t appreciate that other people might?

Anyways – as I told the Daily Mail, you have got to laugh. Haringey’s streets are among the dirtiest in London. I wish the council would concentrate on improving its services rather than worrying about teddy bears.