Sexualisation of children by big retailers should be stamped out

Posted on 14th Apr 2010 by Lynne Featherstone

Commenting on the announcement by retailer Primark today that it will stop selling padded bikini tops for children, Liberal Democrat Spokeswomen for Equality, Lynne Featherstone said:

“Primark’s decision is welcome but how on earth could they have thought that this was a good idea in the first place?

“Young children need our protection and shouldn’t be the prey of greedy retailers selling them adult products.

“I will be writing to all the big retailers and asking them to pledge to stamp this kind of sexualisation of children.”

Labour caught red handed misusing public resources for election campaign

Posted on 14th Apr 2010 by Lynne Featherstone

Haringey’s Labour Party has been caught red handed this weekend, using a public library to run its campaigns. Local Liberal Democrats caught Labour putting up posters and holding an election meeting in Wood Green Library on Saturday, breaking the strict rules against misusing public resources for campaign purposes.

After the intervention of Liberal Democrat Noel Park councillor Fiyaz Mughal, the Labour activists, who were holding a campaign meeting, were forced by the librarian to remove them. The group included controversial Labour councillor Sheila Peacock who brazenly admitted putting up the Labour posters.

Liberal Democrat Highgate councillor Neil Williams comments:

“This shows the disgraceful way the Labour party misuses public resources. After 40 years in power, running the worst council in London, Labour thinks it owns Haringey, and can do what is pleases with facilities paid for by local taxpayers.

“I will be asking the Labour leader to sack these Labour candidates, to demonstrate that she takes seriously these sorts of abuses.”

Lynne Featherstone adds:

“This just goes to show that Labour will never change. They think that they have the right to govern in Haringey and will do anything, including breaking strict rules, to cling onto power.”

Lynne Featherstone supports residents in continued Freedom Pass mess

Posted on 13th Apr 2010 by Lynne Featherstone

To help speed up the renewal of the outstanding Freedom Passes and demand that lessons are learnt for the future, Lynne Featherstone MP has written to Haringey Council and London Councils to report a catalogue of Freedom Pass renewal issues brought to her by local residents.

The intervention follows a flood of messages from local residents outlining various issues with renewing their passes, ranging from not being able to use downloaded forms, to photos and forms going missing, and difficulties getting through on the dedicated helpline.

The Liberal Democrat MP met with one of the many residents who have come to her for help. Denysse Edwardes contacted the Hornsey and Wood Green MP after repeatedly failing to get through on the helpline and when her numerous letters, emails and faxes went unacknowledged. Following Lynne Featherstone’s intervention, Ms Edwardes finally received her new pass last week; it had been lost as the Post Office had written down the wrong address.

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

“I’ve been really amazed at the number of people who have had to turn to me to get their pass renewed – Denysse’s story is far from the only one.

“Clearly the renewals process has been flawed, from failing to properly inform people about the need for renewal, to failing to process passes adequately, and failing to be on hand to give residents correct and up to date information about what is happening with their pass.

“Thankfully there has been some level of response from London Councils, and the old passes are now valid past the 31st March. But London Councils must now sit up and take responsibility for this mess – by speeding up renewal of the outstanding passes, and taking steps to ensure that lessons are learnt for next time!”

Liberal Democrats launch manifesto for Haringey

Posted on 12th Apr 2010 by Lynne Featherstone

Haringey Liberal Democrats have launched their manifesto, ‘A fresh start for Haringey’ for the upcoming local elections to be held on 6th May 2010.

The ambitious plan sets out six priority areas which Liberal Democrats believe will take Haringey Council from being the worst-run council in London under Labour towards a well-run borough where all residents have the opportunity to succeed and have their voices heard.

Building on the previous launch of their key pledges, the party that is just a handful of votes from winning control of Haringey Council has presented its plans in six key areas:

Putting child protection first
Making Haringey safer and cleaner
Giving more power to residents
Spending money well
Action on the environment
Creating a fairer Haringey

Cllr Robert Gorrie, leader of Haringey Liberal Democrats, comments:

“We have set out today our positive vision for change in Haringey. Our energetic team has the new ideas, ambition and experience to steer the borough away from the failure that residents have endured during 40 years of Labour.

“The residents of Haringey deserve better than the worst-run council in London they currently have under Labour. This is why we have set out clear priorities that will improve our Children’s Services, make Haringey safer and cleaner, give more power to residents, whilst also spending their money better, taking real action on the environment and creating a fairer Haringey.

“With the Conservatives out of the race, its going to be a close campaign between the Liberal Democrats and Labour. The Liberal Democrats have the team that will change Haringey for the better, and give it the fresh start it needs.”

Lynne Featherstone MP adds:

“Local people have for too long had to put up with failure after failure by Haringey Council. I am proud that we have a Liberal Democrat team ready and able to hit the ground running on day one, to turn Haringey Council around. I am confident that they have the vision, talent and experience to put their ambitious plans into action.”

You can read the full manifesto here.

MP supports battle for blind and partially sighted people

Posted on 11th Apr 2010 by Lynne Featherstone

To continue the battle for better treatment of blind and partially sighted residents attending hospitals and doctors surgeries locally, Lynne Featherstone MP has visited a special blind awareness class at the Winkfield Centre in Wood Green.

The class was teaching 4th year medical students from UCL about the special challenges faced by blind and partially sighted people, and follows a visit a few months ago, when the Liberal Democrat MP and members of the Haringey Phoenix Group met with the Whittington Hospital. That visit formed part of a campaign by the RNIB to get hospitals to make its patient information available in accessible formats such as audio, Braille and large print.

To help increase awareness, the Hornsey and Wood Green MP and the medical students got to wear special sight impairing glasses whilst walking around in the centre’s garden.

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

“This is such a brilliant way to catch the doctors at an early stage and ensure they have special awareness of the challenges faced by blind and partially sighted people.

“Using the glasses was a great way of giving the young doctors an idea of what having impaired vision is like, and is a small step to help make life easier for blind and partially sighted people here in Hornsey and Wood Green.”

Local MP on special blindfolded guide dog walk in Noel Park

Posted on 8th Apr 2010 by Lynne Featherstone

To better understand the challenges blind and partially sighted local residents face walking on Haringey’s busy streets, Lynne Featherstone MP did a blindfolded walk with guide dog Zeus on the streets of Noel Park.

After the walk, arranged by Guide Dog UK, the Liberal Democrat MP also met local residents Julie, Annette and David and their dogs Merlin, Connie and Raffles, to hear of the special challenges of having a guide dog in a busy urban area like Haringey.

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

“Walking blindfolded with Zeus really brought it home to me how difficult it is to manage with a guide dog in a busy area like Noel Park.

“Things like bins and boards outside shops are really major obstacles to negotiate when you can’t see them.

“I think everyone should try this out, and then help spread awareness about small things, like making sure roads are clear and obstacle free, to make everyday life easier for people like Julie, Annette and David.”

Nick Clegg adds his voice to Whittington campaign as MP presents residents’ stories to health minister

Posted on 7th Apr 2010 by Lynne Featherstone

Liberal Democrat Leader, Nick Clegg, has backed the campaign to stop closure of the Whittington A&E. The pledge of support comes in the same week as Lynne Featherstone presents local peoples’ personal stories to the Health Minister about their experiences of the Whittington A&E to demonstrate just why local residents need the Whittington A&E to stay open, and to demand that the Government halts the threat.

The Liberal Democrat MP presented Mike O’Brien, Minster for Health, with a collection of over 200 personal stories, written by local residents, who are horrified by the threat to the Archway hospital.

The Liberal Democrats are committed to stopping this process dead in its tracks. They will replace health quangos with directly elected health boards, accountable to local residents for the decisions they make.

Nick Clegg, Liberal Democrat Leader, says:

“I support the campaign to save Whittington A&E. Decisions about local services should be taken by locally accountable bodies. I would not let North London Central NHS close this A&E. I oppose all proposals made by unaccountable bureaucrats which threaten local services.”

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

“I welcome Nick’s unequivocal support of this campaign. But thanks also to the many personal and moving stories sent to me by local
residents, I feel we’ve made a powerful case for why the Whittington needs to stay open.

“This is about real people’s lives not paper solutions.

“The many intimate and touching stories really help show why having a hospital close-by is so vital. Many residents praise the hard working staff at the Whittington, who have helped them deal with really difficult and life-altering situations.

“I hope this will help tip the balance, and send a strong message to the Government from the people of Hornsey and Wood Green – hands off our A&E!”

Liberal Democrats announce key election pledges

Posted on 5th Apr 2010 by Lynne Featherstone

Haringey Liberal Democrat launch Freezing Council Tax until at least April 2012 is a key election pledge announced by the Liberal Democrats. Ahead of the launch of their manifesto next week, Haringey Liberal Democrats revealed six key pledges in their bid to take control of Haringey Council in the upcoming local elections on 6th May 2010 and put an end to the failure under Labour that has led to Haringey being the worst-run council in London.

The six key pledges are:

1. More police on the beat – We will put more police on the beat when and where they are needed most with new 24 hour local police teams.

2. Fairer funding for our schools – We will fight to end Labour’s unfair school funding system, which gives every Haringey child £1,000 a year less than children in neighbouring boroughs.

3. Secure future for Children’s Services – We will end the culture of cover-up and secrecy on child protection, and protect funding for vital children’s services.

4. Freeze Council Tax – We will freeze Council Tax until at least April 2012, by cutting waste – such as Labour’s £3m PR budget.

5. Cleaner streets – We will clean up Haringey’s streets with 200 more litter bins and a ‘Clean Streets Warden’ from every neighbourhood.

6. Real action on the environment – We will take real action on the environment by boosting recycling and investing £5 million in a fund for green projects.

Commenting Councillor Robert Gorrie (Hornsey), Leader of Haringey Liberal Democrats, says:

“We have been listening carefully to local residents – and this has formed the basis of our pledges today. They will be the foundation for the type of council we want to run – one that puts the people it serves at the heart of everything it does.

“A Liberal Democrat administration will hit the ground running, with a clear set of priorities. Residents are fed up with high council taxes, but poor council services. This will change under the Liberal Democrats.”

“The fresh start will begin on the 7th May.”

Lynne Featherstone, Liberal Democrat MP for Hornsey & Wood Green, and former Hariangey Councillor adds,

“The Liberal Democrats are the only party that can challenge Labour’s stranglehold of Haringey Council. With these pledges, local residents have a clear idea of the difference they would see if the Liberal Democrats take control. The fight is on!”

Featherstone and Schmitz candidates in most important ever election in Haringey

Posted on 2nd Apr 2010 by Lynne Featherstone

“It’s a privilege and a joy to serve this community”. Those were the words of thanks from sitting MP Lynne Featherstone, who was formally adopted this week as the Liberal Democrats’ candidate for the Hornsey & Wood Green constituency.

Sarah Ludford MEP and Brian Paddick, former Lib Dem candidate for London Mayor, were guest speakers at the packed event in Hornsey Bowling Club, which also adopted local campaigner David Schmitz as the party’s candidate for Tottenham.

The elections in Haringey are predicted to be a very close contest between Labour and the Liberal Democrats, with local Tories out of the race. Ms Featherstone is defending a 2,395 vote majority over Labour, and elections for Haringey Council are on a knife edge between the two parties. The Conservatives have no elected councillors and finished a poor third in both the Parliamentary seats last time.

Ms Ludford described Lynne as, “a local treasure for Haringey and a national treasure for the party,” reminding the audience that she had been labelled a ‘Saint’ by the Daily Telegraph for her exemplary record over election expenses.

Brian Paddick, a former senior Met Police officer, welcomed the party’s policies to boost policing in Haringey, with plans for more out-of-hours police cover. Welcoming the adoption of David Schmitz as candidate for Tottenham, Mr Paddick stressed the need for a second Lib Dem MP in the borough.

Commenting after the meeting, Lynne Featherstone said:

“I want to thank everyone who has supported me over the last five years, and I am looking forward to the campaign. I will continue to fight for local people and for services in Hornsey and Wood Green, working for local residents, fighting for fair funding for our schools and putting a stop to threats to our local health services. And in David Schmitz, Tottenham can also have a Parliamentary champion who will fight hard for residents.”

Fortismere students in special Q & A session with local MP

Posted on 31st Mar 2010 by Lynne Featherstone

Fortismere School hustings Local students from Fortismere school on Friday got the chance to question Liberal Democrat MP Lynne Featherstone and the other parliamentary candidates on policy, in a special Q&A session led by the school’s head teacher, Aydin Onac.

The students quizzed the candidates on a number of issues, ranging from local school funding to the Middle East crisis and economic recovery.

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

“It’s been such an enjoyable and stimulating afternoon. I’m so impressed by the Fortismere students. They clearly have an impressive knowledge of political issues, as well as a hunger to learn more and understand the world we live in.

“With that kind of insight and interest, I’m sure they will go far in life, so keep it up guys!”