Author Archives: Lynne Featherstone

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About Lynne Featherstone

I'm a Liberal Democrat member of the House of Lords.

Update on New River Village repairs

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Lynne Featherstone MP and a local resident make demands to the Circle 33 Managing Director outside the New River Village Colorado apartments. Lynne Featherstone MP has met with Circle 33’s Managing Director for an update on the ongoing problems with social housing at New River Village.

Residents at the Colorado apartments remain unhappy with living conditions, reporting ongoing damp and problems with the lift and roof.

The MP for Hornsey and Wood Green brought the issue to light last year, with a video showing the extent of the problem. Some repairs have been made and many residents have been relocated, but the situation remains unacceptable for the remaining residents.

Circle 33 have been involved in ongoing discussions with developers St James, as studies have now revealed problems with the way the apartments were built by the developers.

Circle 33 hope to reach an agreement with St James about how to make, and fund, the complete repairs as soon as possible and to minimise disruption to residents.

Lynne Featherstone MP commented:

“I have long raised concerns about the quality of development of the Colorado apartments. Residents have suffered for years with leaks, damp and broken lifts and doors.

“Circle have reacted to the problems and have relocated residents – but it seems that more substantial repairs are needed to the building itself.

“If the problems do lie in the way the building was built, St James must act without delay to rectify them – even if that does mean stripping everything back and rebuilding. I won’t let this issue drop – and will carry on pushing for better living standards for my constituents.”

Lynne Featherstone MP nominated for Politician of the Year award

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Lynne Featherstone MP on this year’s pride march – celebrating equal marriageLynne Featherstone MP has been nominated for Stonewall’s ‘Politician of the Year’ award.

The 25th Anniversary Awards, which will take place in the Raphael Gallery of the Victoria & Albert Museum, celebrate the outstanding contribution of individuals and groups towards equality over the past year.

In her former role as Equalities Minister, Lynne Featherstone MP was the architect of the Equal Marriage consultation and Bill – which has now become law.

Lynne Featherstone MP commented:

“It’s a huge honour to be nominated for this award – thank you very much to Stonewall! I look forward to attending the awards.

“In the UK, we have made incredible progress with equal marriage. Words can’t really describe the overwhelming joy I felt attending two beautiful wedding ceremonies on that historic day in March, when finally love became equal before the law.

“I still get very emotional when people thank me for my work on same-sex marriage. Often when I speak at an event someone, usually a young man, will approach me and say ‘thank you’ – it’s incredibly heart-warming.”

Campaign success as Network Rail land in Bounds Green finally cleared

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The Network Rail land alongside the alleyway, now clear of rubbish thanks to a campaign by Lynne Featherstone MP and local residents. Network Rail land in Bounds Green has finally been cleared of rubbish and weeds, following a campaign by Lynne Featherstone MP and local residents.

The land runs alongside a much-used alleyway, which connects Bounds Green Road with Bowes Park station, and then extends into Enfield towards the North Circular.

Residents approached the Liberal Democrat MP earlier this year to complain about the state of the alleyway. Since then, the local MP has made numerous representations to the council and held a residents meeting on site with Network Rail.

The council responded and cut back overgrowing vegetation on the northern side of the alley. In the last few days, Network Rail also finally cleared their land of the rubbish that had built up, and trimmed back the vegetation.

The MP for Hornsey and Wood Green has now called a further meeting with both the council and Network Rail, to talk about maintaining the alleyway in the future, including any possible improvements.

Lynne Featherstone MP commented:

“For the last few months, I have been working with local residents to get the council and Network Rail to clear up the alleyway and surrounding land.

“Firstly, the council responded and cut back overgrowing vegetation on the northern side of the alley. Now, following a meeting with residents and me, Network Rail have finally cleared their land of the rubbish.

“This is great news – but we must stay vigilant. I have called a meeting with both the council and Network Rail, to talk about the future of the alleyway – and to make sure it doesn’t fall back to its previous state.”

 

Lib Dems introduce new mental health waiting time standards

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On World Mental Health Day, Lynne Featherstone MP has welcomed Nick Clegg’s ground-breaking announcement on mental health treatment in the UK.

At the Liberal Democrat conference on Wednesday, the Deputy Prime Minister confirmed that treatment for mental health conditions will finally be brought into line with other NHS services, with the introduction of the first ever waiting time standards.

For the first time, from April 2015, most patients needing talking therapies – for conditions like depression – will be guaranteed the treatment they need in as little as six weeks, with a maximum wait of 18 weeks.

For many patients experiencing their first episode of psychosis, the NHS will start to provide treatment within two weeks of referral – bringing it into line with consultations for cancer.

Evidence shows that treating psychosis rapidly can dramatically improve patients’ chances of recovery and potentially save £44 million each year in hospital admissions.

Lynne Featherstone MP commented:

“Finally, thanks to the Liberal Democrats in Government, people with a mental health condition will receive the same standards of care as they would for a physical health problem.

“And it’s about time – given that at least one in four people will experience a mental health problem throughout the course of our lives.

“Mental Health treatment is rightly making its way up the agenda. I am so happy to also hear that one of our great local mental health charities, Open Door, has just been awarded two major new grants to support its work.

“We really are getting closer to equality between mental and physical health treatment!”

Lynne Featherstone MP named most influential Lib Dem woman

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TimesLynne Featherstone MP has climbed nine places in the Times’ ‘red box power list’ this year. The MP for Hornsey and Wood Green is listed as the seventh most influential Lib Dem – and is the highest ranked woman in the list.

The Times explained the decision by saying: ‘The equal marriage legislation was her baby and she pushed the scandal of Female Genital Mutilation to the top of the agenda. If she keeps her seat she will be a major player.’

The Liberal Democrat MP is currently a minister in the Department for International Development – where she leads the campaign to tackle FGM, and to promote disability rights in the developing world.

In her previous role at the Home Office, Lynne Featherstone was the architect of Equal Marriage, and a strong advocate of LGBT+ rights.

Lynne Featherstone MP commented:

“By being part of the Government, I have been able to push campaigns on Equal Marriage, on tackling FGM and many more – like promoting disability rights and tackling all forms of violence against women and girls abroad.

“These are all issues which have been on the back burner for far too long – and I’m so glad that we have seen change. But there is still a long way to go.

“With the strong support from the Lib Dem party, hardworking civil servants, the media and most importantly from the people in my constituency of Hornsey and Wood Green, I hope to continue working on these issues and others for many years to come.”

Iraq and ISIL

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Here is a copy of the email I sent to residents this morning, asking for their views on Iraq and ISIL. You can let me know your views here.

Parliament has been recalled for tomorrow to vote on taking military action to support the Iraqi government in its struggle against ISIL.

As I write, I have no real detail on what the Prime Minister will lay out tomorrow – other than the Iraqi government has asked for our help in fighting ISIL.

I am clear at this point that helping at the request of the Iraqi government and taking some action in Iraq is one thing – but that any further incursion (for instance into Syria) is not on the table.

The UN estimates that 1.8 million people have been displaced in Iraq since January 2014. These displacements are a direct consequence of ISIL violence, killings, and threats. In addition to the displaced population, 1.5 million Iraqis are considered vulnerable in areas controlled by armed opposition groups. The crisis has affected more than 20 million people across the country.

In the debate tomorrow we will know what the proposition is and will be able to make a better judgment. But for now I am laying down some of my thinking and asking for your views.

I think this is an extremely dangerous moment for us – and all the options are hazardous. Whatever we do – I can see that we are in danger in our own country from ISIL – either as terrorist atrocities here fail to be stopped and / or as reprisals for intervention.

The Liberal Democrat party voted against the war in Iraq in 2003 – but we were in the minority and the UK still went to war. Because of that decision, I believe that the UK bears a huge and particular responsibility for Iraq.

Part of what is happening in the region now can be laid at the door of that disastrous foreign policy.

It is also our responsibility to stop slaughter on humanitarian grounds.

We bear the scars from the last Iraq war. My instinct is to not to want to get involved because of that experience. Equally – I never want to feel that we could have done something to stop the slaughter of innocent groups, but we just stood by.

I am uncomfortable with sitting on the sidelines and letting others do the tough stuff, and staying out won’t protect us. So until the actual proposition and debate tomorrow – we all need to think hard.

I know it is difficult to make a judgment with no details available yet about the proposition – but I would truly welcome your thoughts.

Lynne Featherstone MP calls for urgent meeting on local travel chaos

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Lynne Featherstone MP has called for an urgent meeting with Transport for London (TfL) chiefs, as major roadworks continue to cause traffic chaos across parts of the Hornsey and Wood Green constituency.

Major works are currently occurring on Wood Green High Road and Muswell Hill Broadway. Both are causing buses to be diverted and cancelled, heavy traffic jams, and inconvenience for motorists and commuters.

Residents have expressed their concerns about the lack of notice given by TfL and Haringey Council before the works started. Traders are also not happy about the disruptions happening in the run up to Christmas.

A number of residents have contacted the Lib Dem MP to complain about the works and suggest alternatives. The MP for Hornsey and Wood Green will represent the complaints and ideas to TfL chiefs at the meeting.

Lynne Featherstone MP commented:

“The lack of notice from TfL and Haringey Council is appalling. As soon as I found out, I sent an email to residents to give them advance warning. It was the first many of them had heard about the roadworks.

“The works are now causing such a disruption, that I have called an urgent meeting with TfL chiefs. I will do all I can to get them to minimise the disruption over the coming weeks and months. I have a number of ideas from residents, which I am more than happy to pass on to them.

“I will also be raising the timing of the works at Muswell Hill Broadway with them. Surely, it should have been done over summer to minimise the impact on commuters and traders.”

Lynne Featherstone MP takes part in Finsbury Park Community Games

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Lynne Featherstone MP with volunteer organisers and children who participated in the Finsbury Park community gamesLynne Featherstone on Sunday attended the Finsbury Park Community Games – a sports day organised by Westminster Justice and Peace church group, in partnership with local churches, mosques and councils.

‘Community Games’ take place across the country, with the aim of bringing a community together to take part in sporting and cultural activities, inspired by London 2012.

The Liberal Democrat MP made a speech to the attendees, highlighting the importance of faith groups and community groups working together, and of keeping sport alive in the community after the successful London Olympics.

After giving a speech, the Hornsey and Wood Green MP met with the organisers of the games, and the people who attended and took part.

Lynne Featherstone MP commented:

“It was great to see the local community pulling together and organising the Finsbury Park Community Games.

“In 2012, we saw the most fantastic spirit from our athletes and our country. In Haringey we’re leading the way in keeping this up – thanks to the hard word of the community volunteers who organised these games and other events.

“Next year, I have promised to help the organisers of the Community Games promote the event more widely – so as many residents as possible get to take part.”

Lynne Featherstone MP joins the People’s Climate march in London

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Lynne Featherstone MP on the People’s Climate March, LondonLynne Featherstone MP yesterday joined thousands of people in central London on the Climate March. It was one of 2,000 similar events taking place in 150 countries.

The marches seek to raise awareness of climate change issues, in advance of the summit on climate change in New York.

The Liberal Democrats are the only major party that prioritises tackling climate change.

The Lib Dem Secretary of State for Energy, Ed Davey, has secured a commitment to halve UK greenhouse gases by 2025. 200,000 new green jobs have been created since 2010, and the amount of electricity generated from offshore wind has doubled.

Further Lib Dem achievements include planting 1 million trees in England (as part of the first government tree planting programme since the 1970s) and introducing a 5p plastic bag charge to help clean up the environment and protect Britain’s natural habitat.

Lynne Featherstone MP commented:

“I really enjoyed attending the Climate March. There were so many different people there, all united behind one cause – making our planet greener and safer, by protecting in from the threats of climate change.

“The Liberal Democrats will never abandon our commitment to the environment. We are the only party that has a record of prioritising and delivering green jobs and green growth in Government. My Lib Dem colleague Ed Davey has worked hard to make sure the environment stays at the top of the agenda, even though it isn’t a priority for the Conservatives.

“Thanks to this, we’ve secured a vital commitment to halve UK greenhouse gases by 2025, along with so many other measures like tree-planting, a plastic bag charge and greater use of offshore wind.”