Category Archives: Blog

Whittington Hospital

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Surgery at Wood Green library – from which I exit in order to run to the Civic Centre where the Public Inquiry on the Hornsey concrete factory plan is being held to make my statement. I do my best to make the Inspector understand that he should uphold the decision of Haringey Council to refuse the scheme. Fingers crossed. I rush back to my surgery and continue to try and help everyone who comes to me. Surgery is pretty draining. So much desperation, need and unhappiness. One man sobbed today.

Lynne Featherstone visiting Learn Direct centre, HaringeyI then go to meet the Learn Direct team and HALS – so that I can know more about what is available to skill people up so that they can engage better in work or whatever. Very impressed with the whole team. Clearly Learn Direct is helping raise education and skills for those people who, for whatever reason, missed out on some of their education.

And then last port of call of the day is a visit to meet the Chief Executive of the Whittington Hospital. Ostensibly it is a meeting so that we can meet. But I suspect from the conversation that he had been surprised by the coverage of particular complaints with regard to care that elderly people received when they were at the Whittington. I had written to the Secretary for Health describing the cases as a way of suggesting to the Minister that there needs to be some attention paid to whether these are infrequent occurrences or whether there is nationally any need to review training etc.

I found the Chief Exec extremely easy to get on with and look forward to working closely on health and public health issues. From what we discussed, the Whittington is actually doing pretty well. Forgetting the stars (not my favourite system) they are hitting their targets, they were not one of the hospitals on the recent expose of dirty hospitals and it looks like they will have a balanced budget this year. But even more importantly, I felt that Mr Sloman really cared about delivering good services at the hospital. And in the end – that is what counts the most. It is always down to people and leadership. We agree to meet quarterly to keep updated on all the key issues and hope to be able to attend the opening of the new building in the spring.

Christmas card competition

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Lots of journalists and broadcasters haranguing me to speak on the record or off the record – all desperate for news on Charles. I am not interested in speaking either on or off the record. Charles will stay.

Today is Christmas card day. I launched a Fair Trade Christmas Card competition for school children in Hornsey & Wood Green. Having picked the winner – to be announced next week – they have finally arrived printed and ready. So – hours upon hours of signing and messages on and off for the next few days … The card looks absolutely lovely – but you all will just have to wait.

Events get in the way of me going over to help colleagues in Barnet in their council by-election today – but they still won without me! Superb result – coming from third place to take a Tory seat on a massive swing. Not much of a Cameron effect there! Particularly pleased as many of the people working on the campaign have come over to help me in the past.

Also – update re Jerry Springer DVD issue. This is what Sainsbury’s have sent me as their version of events: “We sell many DVD titles throughout the year and our range changes from week to week based on what customers want and, of course, sales. In the first week that Jerry Springer – The Opera was released, we sold only 111 copies in all stores nationwide and received a high number of complaints from unhappy customers. In the early part of the second week we sold only 21 more copies and received further complaints. Due to these very poor sales figures this DVD would have been withdrawn at the end of the week, but in view of the complaints we had received we removed it a few days earlier than planned.” I’ve told them that I’m surprised and disappointed that they should have been willing to respond so easily and quickly to complaints from a very extreme organisation – and that the different messages they’ve given the media at different times have certainly left some confusion over what really happened and when.

Haringey Peace Alliance

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Busy bee today! First engagement of the day is 8am to a Haringey Peace Alliance breakfast. (If you’ve not heard of them, this is how they describe their aims: “The Peace Alliance was launched in July 2001 as a local initiative in Haringey. It was the result of a Church–led response to crime in the community. Key partners from the Church, the Home Office, the Metropolitan Police and the Borough Council, as well as local MPs, and community leaders pledged to work together to promote peace in Haringey.”)

Pastor Nims, who started this movement, is just an inspiration and I am really happy to be invited to attend and to speak. Having only been informed I was speaking a couple of days ago and with no time before today to prepare – I rise at 5am to compose my speech and my thoughts. I could have winged it – but I like always to give thought and time to those events that I attend.

I arrive and literally before I can get my coat off we are on. I make my speech. Seems to go down quite well. I think they are used to things in Haringey being a Labour show, with Labour MPs etc, so with me there, there is a kind of ‘let’s see what she says’ sort of atmosphere.

My main thrust is that we should put young people as a priority and that social cohesion (which is the theme of the breakfast) is best achieved by different groups doing activities that interest them – and then the activity is the common interest and the differences are irrelevant. In light of which I have my first stab at upping the ante on the regeneration of the Scout Park – eight acres of wild land in the middle of Hornsey & Wood Green. That was very well received as an idea.

Then it is onto the African Caribbean Leadership Council lunch for the elders. Here is a very large room and Christmas cheer. Very pleasant time talking to various people and a good lunch. Quick speech and then I have to rush off to Parliament. I missed Prime Minister’s questions because of all the engagements so far today – but caught it later. Between the rumour mill around Charles’s leadership and Cameron’s very weak performance – it was a shame not to have been there. I caught the program later and indeed, for all the talk of his first appearance at Prime Minister’s Questions, Cameron’s appearance this time was poor and he failed to make any good points. Worse than that – when it got rowdy – he was pictured basically looking to the Speaker for help to quiet the House. You have to have more balls than that David! And his punch line – something about less of a white paper and more of a white flag – was a) not very good b) clearly scripted. So soon after being crowned too … the House can be very harsh and cruel from what I have seen – and the boy didn’t do good.

As for Charles – well clearly I am not going to put any detail of the private discussion that went on in the Parliamentary Party. But I am under-whelmed by the anonymous briefings. These are difficult times, and I believe that a change of leader would simply be a gift to Cameron – who is already looking weak and in my view likely to be woefully exposed as inconsequential. The spotlight of leadership is extremely tough and I don’t believe he will prove to be the saviour the Tories are hoping for.

If any of the ‘would be’ leaders are responsible for the anonymous briefings then I would not support them as they have not had the courage to challenge in the appropriate way and showed appalling judgement over their timing.

Concrete Factory planning appeal

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The public inquiry into the plans for a concrete factory (batching plant) in Hornsey opens today. I arrive at 10am on the dot. Packed with residents, interested parties and so on – you have to be there for the opening as that is when Her Majesty’s Inspector judges the amount of public feeling and allocates the times for representations to be made by members of the public (and politicians). This is now (after a slow start by Labour) a cross-party affair. We united to fight the original planning application and are now united in fighting the appeal. So David Lammy – who is the MP for Tottenham (Labour) – and I sit together and agree that we will give evidence together. The Inspector allows us to return to make our statements next Friday at 10am. It is in the middle of my surgery – but as it is just down the road at Wood Green library I decide that I can manage both and anyone who comes in the time I am away – my assistant can either note down the case – or if they are disappointed I am not there, they can wait until I return.

After the ‘arrangements’ are all made and the Inspector has delineated the procedure, the two Counsels for each side make their opening statement. It is clear from London Concrete’s side that we are David up against Goliath in terms of the resources they are throwing at trying to get their plans through. His main thrust is that this application is sustainable, the very best way to make concrete and that he has the Mayor of London’s backing – that is the inference. He also infers that it is just the usual nimby’s who are turning out to make a noise about nothing. Hmmmmmmmmmm – don’t like him! Cannot bear it when real concerns and genuine fears are termed as basically an annoyance because they stand in the way of big business!

At lunchtime I go to Cranwood – which is a home for the elderly in Muswell Hill. Children from Tetherdown School are coming in to sing carols to the fold. They have been renovating – and as I walk up the builders are desperately trying to sweep up the external environs. Inside it is newly painted, brand new carpet and just lovely. The residents are brought into the lounge and the children sit on the floor waiting to start. It was absolutely lovely – shining faces and all that. Sentimental fool that I am – always a tear! At the end a bit of socialising. One of the helpers bangs into me and spills the drink being carried. First accident to brand new carpet – like the first scratch on a new car – you know it’s going to happen, it’s only a matter of when.

One of the children, Stefan I think, comes up and asks if he can ask me some questions. Given the focus and intelligence of those questions – definitely a politician in the making.

Jerry Springer: The Opera DVD – news from Sainsbury's

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It’s a small, small world – it turns out Sainsbury’s Director of Communications lives in my constituency – and has some views about the Jerry Springer DVD controversy!

The background first. The various campaigns against Sainsbury’s and Woolworths over their decision to pull the Jerry Springer: The Opera DVD from sale are gathering quite a head of steam – and both supermarkets seem to be feeling the heat.

Sainsbury’s first apparently told The Independent it has only received ten complaints before deciding to withdraw the DVD.

In subsequent media coverage this was upped to 10-20 complaints though outside the BBC and The Independent all the coverage seems to have been on blogs – most of the mainstream media have missed the story so far. That may be about to change as the actors’ union Equity have taken up the case too.

My favourite complaint to Sainsbury’s is The Customer is Always Right’s: – Jim Davidson and Rabelais in the same email – not often you see that!

So – what do Sainsbury’s now say? Well, their Director of Communications (Pip Wood) says they received “hundreds” of complaints, the DVD was selling badly and would have been withdrawn from sale anyway. The complaints just speeded it up.

This leaves some interesting question – where did the 10 and then 10-20 figures come from, and why were they left out there for so long? And why was the initial coverage all about how Sainsbury’s had been responding to customer complaints? Of course the media don’t always get stories completely right – but then why was none of this either given in the various replies from their customer services that people received either? Could it be that they realised they’ve blundered and are looking for a way out … ?

As for Woolworths, they’re now saying – “The product is not currently available in stores, however should a customer wish to purchase it, it is available from our website.” Looks like they’re trying to back out of their earlier decision a bit … especially as they’re now telling the press that they didn’t pull it after all because of complaints – see the PA story

So – in summary, keep the letters and emails going I think! More on this in my earlier Jerry Springer: The Opera DVD blog post.

Meeting Santa and drawing prizes

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I get to welcome Santa at the YMCA 2005 Dance Show held at St Mary’s School. The YMCA does a lot for kids in our area. It’s a shame that Haringey Council doesn’t count them as a partner and help their work – as it is one of the organisations that actually does something about giving youngsters alternatives to misbehaviour. Sadly, Haringey Council does not seem particularly interested in these sort of alternatives. The YMCA also recently set up a nursery for single mums – really fantastic – and organises the annual Fun Run!

Anyway – back to the dance show. An extraordinary number of children took part – aged about 4 -18 I would guess. Lots and lots and lots of short dances ranging from modern to ballet to tap and street dance. Kids on. Kids off. Gorgeous and talented. My kids are too old now to do shows at their school – but I remember crying every year when they used to. There is something so pure and so wonderful about kids performing. And the talent on show – absolutely unbelievable.

The pianist for the first section was introduced – Krystyna Budzynska. I thought that name sounds familiar – well you would wouldn’t you?

So at the end I go on stage to welcome Santa. I hear music, Santa must be coming … and we wait – and wait. The chap who told me what to do suggested that as the music played I should leave the stage – but Santa was still sorting himself out. Eventually he arrived and distributed presents to all the children who took part.

And as I left the stage and passed the piano, I said to the pianist, “Did you go to South Hampstead?” She looked at me and said, “Lynne? Lynne Ryness?” We had been in the same class and hadn’t seen each other for about 35 years! Now that was really lovely.

In the late afternoon I set out for Kingston where I am doing the Liberal Democrats Christmas Prize Draw at a dinner. The Christmas Prize Draw is one of the big fund-raisers for the Lib Dems and is a national one with really fantastic prizes. There are 50 prizes to be drawn for. It takes me two hours to get there. I drive because I know I will be coming home late – and then remember why I hate driving in London! The dinner is very pleasant and Ed Davey – the local Lib Dem MP – comes over at the end of the meal to say he will introduce me and then I will speak.

So I did. And then the hard work began. The tubs holding upwards of 45,000 tickets were deep – and I needed to be sure that I took from every corner of all three containers and at every depth! After the first 30 or so (which happily did seem to cover the length and breadth of Britain) – I decided that Ed should do some work and handed over to him for the last 20. It only took and hour and a quarter coming back. Partly less traffic – but coming back is always quicker than going doncha find?

Quernmore Road

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Really pleased to see that my Lib Dem colleague, Cllr Laura Edge (Stroud Green ward), is doing some stirling local work on a mural for Quernmore Road. It follows on from the work I did with her to improve the local railway station when I was on the London Assembly. I eventually managed to get the station surrounds improved with new bins, fencing and cleared dumped rubbish. The mural and other she is doing are great project – well done Laura!

Christmas lunch

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Outside of surgery this morning not a lot to report as I took my staff (from both constituency and Parliament offices) out for Christmas lunch (yes – a long lunch).

They have really coped superbly in an office that is mega-busy. And we have all been on a steep learning curve – but what is really great is everyone gets on and it is a good-natured office – which under the stresses and strains of the nature of such an office is just fab!

Hornsey Central Hospital

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Early morning meeting with Richard Sumray, Chair of Haringey Primary Care Trust (PCT). I have asked him to come and update me on the proposed development of Hornsey Central Hospital. It is now years since I joined local campaigners to campaign against the closure of the old hospital and then with local campaigners to ensure that a community health facility replaced what was lost.

Richard had been hoping to have a public meeting in December but this is now delayed until January because the relevant policy paper has not yet gone to the trust’s Board and won’t do now until January. The proposed scheme – the Primary Care Resource Centre, the Healthy Living centre and other health functions yet to be decided by the practitioners – is still on but there are still some big stumbling blocks remaining before the project can proceed. The second floor of the 2nd Stage, which was to provide offices, hit a dead end when it became clear that the costs were too high. The Strategic Health Trust rejected the project as it was thought to be unaffordable. Since then Richard Sumray and the Board have been re-examining the whole project for ways of making it more affordable and therefore viable.

The redevelopment is being funded through the Government’s LIFT scheme, which means involving a private partner. The PCT consulted their private partner over the idea that the private partner take on the risk of the top floor – developing it for themselves. This would theoretically make it financially feasible, and mean that there were no major changes to the amount of health services to be provided. However, there are risks. The PCT is pretty desperate to get the plans for Hornsey Hospital finished and through by March, because otherwise they will be left with a large financial deficit at the start of the next financial year. But because of the huge level of bureaucracy involved in LIFT schemes it is even money as to whether they will make it.

In the afternoon I am see an ‘informant’. Since my days on the Met Police Authority (MPA) I have been pursuing the use of DNA in the search for an abhorrent rapist. The crimes – against old women – are an abomination and have been going on for around ten years with no success by the police in capturing the criminal.

However, in recent years the police have been trawling the black community for ‘voluntary’ DNA samples. These samples have not, in my view, been voluntary at all. 125 refusniks received an intimidatory letter from a senior detective saying that he was going to look into their reasons for refusal and then let them know of his decision. Well – if it was voluntary – no need to look into anything or decide anything. Furthermore, five of those written to continued to refuse and in the end were arrested. Two gave in at that point, and the remaining three arrested had their DNA taken – as once arrested it is compulsory.

It is so easy to say end justifies means. It is easy to see the argument that this crime is so horrific that it is right to take DNA voluntarily or otherwise. Don’t get me wrong. The police are doing a great job. But it is a complete misnomer to call this type of testing ‘voluntary’. It is clearly mandatory in practice. And if mandatory DNA testing is happening, that should only be after a proper debate results in a decision to change the rules – we shouldn’t get mandatory testing introduced by the back door. Balancing civil rights, personal freedoms and the fight against crime are tricky – which is all the more reasons why such decisions should not happen on the quiet and without proper public debate.

Since then the trail had gone somewhat cold – for me. The police still hadn’t caught the culprit. Then I got an email from someone who only recently was pulled in to give a sample on a spurious excuse and refused. He said he couldn’t put it all in an email – so today he came into see me. And he had quite a tale to tell. Needless to say – I will be pursuing this as soon as I have put together an appropriate strategy to so do. It was extremely disheartening to hear some of the treatment he encountered.

Ironically, I then dash over to Earls Court for the Met Police Authority’s Christmas do! Very nice to see everyone again. I do miss the MPA – however being LibDem spokesperson on Police, Crime and Disorder and Prisons at least keeps me in the right portfolio.

David Cameron's debut

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Off bright and early to Parliament for a ‘Green Ministers’ breakfast briefing on the proposed Marine Bill – still in its infancy. I am the ‘Green Minister’ for our Home Office team. Our manifesto commitment was to interweave green issues into the heart of all issues – so each Lib Dem team has its own Green Minister.

Today’s subject is really interesting – although not directly related to my constituency (being landlocked). It is helpful to be briefed by the experts in the field of marine life to understand the issues. What strikes me is the point they make about us having land planning laws and regs until they are coming out of our ears – but virtually nothing for our seas. Rare species and environments are disappearing, virtually nothing is protected and there seem to be no rules about priorities in terms of planning at sea. So someone can create a port – anywhere – with no regard to damage by placement and no requirement to even consider it. At least the Government is prepared to bring forward the legislation – but not all the departments seem fully engaged and you need the ODPM and the DTI fully on board!

Home Affairs team meeting is followed by Prime Ministers’ Questions. Of course, it’s David Cameron’s debut! He did really well on his first bite of the cherry, nicely telling off Hilary Armstrong for sitting there shouting childish comments at him. She does this all the time and it is unedifying and a public telling off saw her blush nicely. However, he didn’t make much impact on his environment question – I guess the Tories and environment caring, sharing are still not believable even with that nice David Cameron saying he agreed with Tony Blair on this and education.

Tony B pointed out to the Notting Hill Prince that if he agreed with it all – he had better vote for it and the budget to fund it. They were both well-behaved – which personally I found quite refreshing. However, I suspect that the Tories agreeing with Tony Blair and the Government line is a one trick pony. Tony Cameron can’t say that every time he speaks – it just won’t ring true or (I suspect) be deliverable. Still an adequate start. Style 8 – content 3!

Now Charles Kennedy, on the other hand, asked a stonkingly good question on Extraordinary Rendition (that’s the American policy of picking up suspects around the world, and flying them off on secret flights to secret locations with no trial, no legal representation and no accountability). Charles put Tony B on the back foot for not knowing what he was talking about and not telling Jack Straw – anything! And this is what question time should be about – serious stuff.

Dash back to my office to do an interview with the Westminster Hour to go out Sunday night on Cameron and what it means for the LibDems. Pontificate – but the truth is – who knows fopr sure … yet!

Last port of the day is attendance at St Andrews Church in Alexandra ward to see the local amateur dramatic society perform three plays. This is their last outing after 81 years – as the Church is renovating (lottery money) and is taking away their storage room and the stage which will make it impossible to go on. Such a shame. I don’t quite understand as when I visited the Church recently to look at the plans for the renovation I thought they had built in storage for the theatre company and I didn’t remember the Vicar saying that they would have to go. Must write and ask if any chance of them staying – somehow.

The production was very professional. I used to do a fair amount of am / dram myself from the age of about 9 until about 22! It took me back to those days. And as I have been told that ‘politics is showbiz for ugly people’ I obviously found an alternative outlet for my thespian aspirations.