Since being promoted to the Lib Dem Shadow Cabinet, I’ve had quite a lot of suggestions for issues around international development I should be campaigning or working one.

One was about championing a particular outfit working to aid encourage by investment in small businesses in the development field. I’ve been looking into its work, but thought – why not also ask more widely for what people think of its work? So – have a look at www.kiva.org and let me know what you think,

Visited Stroud Green Primary and Infant School today to see the product of their work with Creative Partnerships (CP). CP are part of a government program to go into schools in areas of deprivation and work with the school, an artist and the children on projects that will develop the children through arts and drama. This type of learning is indeed vital and is one of the areas that seems somehow to have been squeezed out of the normal curriculum – although in the end that’s where it really needs to be.

But with budgets squeezed and targets set – even for the youngest now – there is little resource in-house to even begin this sort of intensive specialist work. Which is where Creative Partnerships come in.

So basically – with the littlest children – Creative Partnerships find the school, the right teacher and the right Head (as you need the school to take this on with open arms if it is to work – and here they have) and an artist. We had Harriet – who seemed absolutely delightful and committed to the project and to the children. As CP pointed out to me, the last thing you need is a ‘resting’ actor who is only filling in; you need someone who really believes that through vision and drama children can learn through different pathways.

And therein lies the point – this form of learning isn’t academic but rather it helps develop the other talents children have. Sometimes a child who finds in normal class that they are last or worst or slow or whatever finds that here they can shine in a completely different way. And I personally am a strong supporter of bringing out the best in each child. And that certainly isn’t a one size fits all: life’s more complicated than that.

This is not about ‘putting on a play’ with the talented actor child always getting the main part. This is about thinking – writing and creating a story – and then having the teacher perform it at the childrens’ behest.

In Stroud Green’s case it was ‘Tom the Diver’s Last Dive’, about all the things he encountered in his last dive. It was quite clear that the children were completely engaged in thinking and speaking about all that was going on. There were no children who hung at the back not participating and there was genuine learning and enjoyment – so congrats to all.

However, when the funding runs out – the real challenge is to be able to maintain this type of teaching and learning within the normal school curriculum.

Do you remember it? I don’t.

Yesterday was my first Shadow Cabinet meeting, but the main event of the day was going to Oxford for a three hour briefing at Oxfam Headquarters. They are really huge these days and I guess that is reflected in the extension of what they do from where they started when first founded to a now much wider brief.

So – I was briefed on situations in Sudan, Middle East, Asia and the rest; on arms treaties and trade; on climate change and development and so on and so on. It was tremendously interesting and useful – as the NGOs are numerous in this field and are on the front line.

That having been said, I have some clear ideas of where I want to go with the portfolio and am setting up a strategy group to map out the next year.

I’ve just been filmed – it’s a short piece about becoming the Lib Dem Shadow Secretary of State for International Development:

Happy New(ish) Year to all! Today is back to Parliament day – and I apologise for not blogging much last week but given my days were taken with paperwork and emails I spared blog readers the blow by blow account of all that!

But now – it’s off with a whooshhhhhhhhh to 2007 and a whole new portfolio as the Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary of State for International Development. I have been devoting my attention to getting to grips with the issues, names and places that will now feature much more heavily in my work. Although there will undoubtedly be a bit of travel, I am not a great believer in gadding about for the sake of it – so have asked for assessments on where I do need to go and where not.

My previous Home Affairs job was very full on – both in terms of Parliamentary time (lots of legislation, statements etc) and media and speech demands outside Parliament. So I gain back some time in those areas – but will probably find that I do have to do some travel.

I don’t want to change the balance of my constituency / Parliamentary time as it seems to work pretty well at the moment. So – hopefully the change in portfolio will balance out to roughly the same time commitment as before. We will see.

Today I have my first meeting with my new team. The Parliamentary Lib Dem team I now join is home to Defence and Foreign Affairs as well as International Development. That’s this afternoon!

Anyway – just thought I’d let you know that blogging is back on. And say a big hello and welcome to a new MP blogger – my LibDem colleague Steve Webb! It was Steve’s move from Shadow Secretary of State for Health to being responsible for our new manifesto that shuffled a few people around leaving the gap at International Development in the Shadow Cabinet!

His blog is at webbsteve.blogspot.com

Webb on the Web – I like it! It was really Steve who inspired me to become an internet campaigner and I well remember attending a training event by him at an autumn conference – so he has a lot to answer for! In terms of trying to give the everyday life of a working MP to those who elected us – I am sure he will find it worthwhile. Good luck Steve!

I’m going to start up blogging again properly next week, but in the meantime I’ve added to my website an article I wrote about David Cameron (and Gordon Brown) just before Christmas:

For Conservative supporters, I guess this might sound a hopeful comparison – after all, Carter led the Democrats, who had previously lost twice in a row, to an election victory against an opposition disgraced by scandal. But it’s the manner of Carter’s campaign that makes the comparison interesting for me – and less hopeful for Conservatives.

You can read the full article here.