Pensioners present Hornsey Hospital petition to PM

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A delegation of local pensioners has presented a petition of over 500 signatures to Number 10 Downing Street protesting against the neglect of the Hornsey Hospital site and demanding delivery of long promised NHS service for older residents.

Lynne Featherstone, Lib Dem MP for Hornsey & Wood Green, who helped organise presenting of the petition, comments:

“Local campaigners have done a fantastic job collecting these signatures and now it’s for the government to take action.Hornsey Hospital has stood empty for too long and a new community hospital will make a real difference to older people, some of whom will depend on local NHS services.

“The key to any development is consulting – NHS chiefs cannot steamroller through any plans.They need to engagement our community every step of the way.”

See also: blog entry about the Hornsey Hospital petition.

Hornsey Hospital: protesters go to Number Ten

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Rush Lynne Featherstone MP presenting petition to 10 Downing Street about Hornsey Central Hospitalto Downing Street to meet three very, very old ladies who have come to present a petition to Patricia Hewitt via No 10! The Prayer (wording) on the petition reads:

We the undersigned condemn: the neglect of Hornsey Hospital and its site; the neglect of older peoples’ services in Haringey; the failure to inform and consult with local people. We the undersigned demand that services promised for older people at Hornsey Central are provided at the site with no sell-off of NHS property.

It is signed by over 500 signatories – but there could have been many, many more. I myself have met with both local and London-wide NHS officials to try to ensure that the proceeds from the sale of part of the site go back into the redevelopment of the site – as despite our protests I fear they are steamrollering through the sale of the land.

The three ladies were fantastic. I just hope I am like that in my advanced years. Hetty Bower is 101 years old, Violet Reiners was born in 1915 and Alison Flora Selford was born in 1920. I met them, and Janet Shaprio (who organised all of this) outside the railings at Downing Street. So we went through security. The police and guards were all soooo nice to us and we took lots of photos before knocking on the door of No 10. Sadly, T Blair didn’t open it and invite us in for tea! I thought how lovely it would have been if he had! Although I think he might have got the wrong end of our tongues if he had. The trio of ladies may have been old in years – but vigorous of conviction they definitely were. It was a joy to meet them.

Now I must pursue a request in the covering letter from Janet Shapiro to ask for a debate in the House of Commons on recent changes in NHS funding, and in particular the involvement of private partners. So that will go to Patricia Hewitt – and I will try in Business Questions next week to catch Mr Speaker’s eye to also ask for that same debate!

The Iraq debate

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The afternoon’s debate was ‘Iraq and the wider Middle East’. Blair didn’t lead on this and wasn’t even in Parliament for the debate. He should have been there and should have spoken. The first debate in government time for four years – and a Prime Minister who was only too keen to come to the Chamber when he wanted to persuade us into war (it worked on the Tories, but not on the Liberal Democrats) suddenly doesn’t have time to debate after all.

Ming was genuinely awewome. I haven’t seen him give such a bravura speech since I came to Parliament. It is his strong suit – so it was so impressive. This was acknowledged by all sides.

The Liberal Democrats put forward a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq. Yes – withdrawal with outline dates. Our premise is that without a deadline (based on what might be realised and pragmatic) there will never be a ‘right’ moment and now we have undoubtedly become part of the problem not the solution. We are making things worse now – not better.

Well – this proposal certainly upset the Tories (who voted for the war but are now saying they were duped by Tony; I guess they won’t be running their next election campaign based on a “you can trust our judgement” platform!). How can you name a date they asked. Supposing things aren’t quiet when you get to the date? We think sometimes you have to make things happen. Lib Dems voted against the war – but once there – we felt we had to support the troops etc. But once the democratic(ish) elections were held, then there had to be a plan to withdraw. Now is the right time to set a progam of withdrawal in place – and that’s what we set out today, and what Ming explained in his latest online broadcast:

The Doha trade talks: my first question time

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Today was the first International Development Questions since I’ve taken over as the Liberal Democrats’ Shadow Secretary of State for International Development. The ways the questions work is that there is a list of questions that will be orally asked of the International Development Secretary of State or his Ministers and they are published on what is called the Order Paper. We precede Prime Ministers’ Questions and have half an hour for questions and answers.

Each question on the Order Paper is answered by the Minister or Secretary – and then the author of the oral question can ask one supplementary, and also other people can join in. As Shadow Secretary of State – I get called by Mr Speaker to chip in on any question on the Order Paper that I choose – but with such a time limit it would be risky not to go on one of the first three questions as it can be quite a long time on one question if there are a lot of people standing to catch Mr Speaker’s eye.

I decided to come in on Question 3 on the Doha Trade talks:

Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green, Liberal Democrat)
There have recently been warm words from Europe and America about reinvigorating the Doha talks, but I am not convinced that there is any real political will behind that. It was certainly not at the top of the agenda of the President’s “State of the Union” speech last night. What new and different steps has the Secretary of State taken recently to break the inertia and take advantage of the different political landscape that now exists in the American Congress?

Mr. Thomas
I congratulate the hon. Lady on her appointment as shadow Secretary of State for International Development. Let me repeat what I have said in response to earlier questions. The EC representative, Peter Mandelson, has taken part in constructive discussions, as did my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on his visit to the United States just before Christmas. My right hon. Friends the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry held useful and productive discussions with their Indian counterparts last week, and we continue to talk to our allies in Europe with the aim of advancing the EC’s position further.

There are signs of progress, but we still have some way to go. Obviously we need to do more to lock down the deal which, as I think is recognised by Members in all parts of the House, is fundamental if developing countries are to make the progress that we all want in order to achieve the millennium development goals.

We are also after the Government over the BAe scandal (dropping of corruption inquiry by Labour). Hilary Benn is the ministerial champion for combatting international corruption. So we asked him whether he had been consulted by the Government over their decision to drop the prosecution. No – said Hilary – they hadn’t consulted him and that was OK because they did not need to. Now if I were Hilary I would be livid to not be consulted. We (my colleague Martin Horwood more accurately) were then hoping to get called in PMQs that followed so that he could then ask Tony Blair why he hadn’t consulted his champion for combatting corruption – but sadly – Mr Speaker again failed to call a single LibDem on a supplementary. He hasn’t called one this year!

Lib Dem doubts over Labour's new parking proposals

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Liberal Democrats have raised doubts over the Labour Council’s new proposals for parking charges in Haringey. Labour has proposed a new scheme mimicking Lib Dem plans in Richmond that will tie charges to CO2 emissions.

Lib Dem leader of the opposition Neil Williams commented:

“While we support environmental taxes in principle, and welcome the proposals made by Liberal Democrat run Richmond Council,it has yet to be seen whether Haringey can come up with a workable scheme, and not just engage in a knee-jerk reaction to raise cash without coming up with a workable policy or consulting local people properly.

“Rather like Stop-and-Shop, Haringey propose to go straight to statutory consultation.Haringey Council has just “consulted” with residents in Fortis Green, Bounds Green, Stroud Green and Hornsey over introduction of CPZs – and the Council gave cost for residents permit as £25 for 12 months. Is it any wonder that residents are utterly cynical about the way Haringey consults?

“Also, it remains to be seen whether this policy will work as effectively in Haringey as compared with other boroughs. Camden is pretty much one giant CPZ, and Haringey is not. The Labour lead member was completely unable to say last night what proportion of residents would end up paying this tax.

We would love to support a fair and workable scheme, but let’s see the Council demonstrate that it has come up with one – they certainly have not done so far.”

Cllr Martin Newton, Lib Dem spokesperson for Transport, Highways and Streetscene, added:

“What is being proposed is just “gesture politics” owing more to a need to fill holes in the Labour budget plan rather than doing anything significant to reduce CO2 emissions. The Labour Council must also ring-fence any extra revenue raised as a result of this review for environmental projects.”

Cllr Serge Lourie, Leader of Richmond Council, says:

“Richmond upon Thames Council has had an extremely wide non-statutory consultation and local residents voted by 48% to 39% in favour in astatistically valid survey of 3,500 local residents. Richmond Council listened to residents and made some substantial changesto the original scheme, which has always been revenue neutral”.

Talking Big Brother with the US ambassador

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Quite extraordinary today – I am having lunch with the American Ambassador (and five other senior Lib Dems – obviously not just me) and then later going to the premier of Blood Diamonds. I know – this is just not the staple diet I am used to – and like buses two things have come together on the same day.

The US Embassy is such an ugly building. And now – starkly guarded with concrete, fencing and guards – it feels hostile. Everyone was very nice at the lunch. And Mr Ambassador very genial. Given the slight tension between Lib Dems and the Government’s pro-American foreign policy I guess it could have been more difficult than it actually was. All sides recognised that we may have differences (!) but we still have a lot in common and that we may not like American foreign policy in Iraq but we don’t not like America.

It was a cordial affair – and yes – even with major world events on the agenda – Big Brother still raised its ugly head!

Liberal Democrat pressure secures second consultation

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Pressure from Haringey Liberal Democrats has ensured that a second meeting will be held to discuss bids for the new secondary school in Wood Green. Liberal Democrat MP Lynne Featherstone and Councillor Gail Engert (Spokesperson for Children and Young people) voiced their dismay at the disastrous turnout to the first meeting on Tuesday 16th January. Of the thirty-five attendees only six were members of the public – the rest made up of members, teachers, councillors and bid representatives.

Cllr Gail Engert says:

“I am delighted that that Labour have bowed to the request from Lynne and myself for a second consultation meeting on the new school as there were only six ordinary residents at the first one.

“It is paramount that residents, particularly parents, are fully informed of the options. The Liberal Democrats once again have ensured that the people will not be cut-out of the process by inadequate consultation by the Labour council.”

The new meeting is scheduled for 6pm on Tuesday 6th February at Alexandra Primary School in Western Road, N22. Liberal Democrats are urging more residents to attend. This is especially important as in a new blow to local democracy the Labour Government is changing the rules so that the competition for who runs the new school will be decided by the Schools Adjudicator and not the local School Organisation Committee.

Lynne Featherstone commented:

“I am very concerned that an issue of such importance to local residents will now not be decided locally. The Labour government has changed the rules to steamroller their academy programme regardless of local opinion”.

Hornsey Central Hospital: watch our campaign launch

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We (Lib Dems) launched our ‘prescription’ for the future Hornsey Central Hospital.

I and my Liberal Democrat colleagues are supporting a bid from the local health trust to the Government for £7million of public money to deliver the long-promised replacement for the closure of the old Hornsey Hospital.

Well Lynne Featherstone and Richard Wilson launch their 5 point plan for Hornsey Central Hospital– this ‘replacement’ has gone through so many incarnations over the last six or so years that the original promises of what would be provided have changed and changed and changed. It is now envisaged as a sort of super-clinic and we want to ensure that this new facility (should we win the bid) will deliver additional and wanted services – and won’t simply be a reorganisation of existing services.

We must have additional health facilities – not just reorganised ones.

Moreover, we want the Trust to work closely with local people and local health professionals to identify what services are most wanted and needed – and to make sure that the new facility doesn’t detract or impact negatively on local GP practices and local pharmacists. And we want to jump up and down about public transport links to the site. The old W2 was taken away on the basis that there was no hospital there – well now we need it back and more access. No new facility should require people coming for treatment to either live next door or have a car.

We haven’t heard the result of the bid as yet – but it must be imminent as the Government has announced the first few successful bids for the ‘Community Hospital’ pot. So – fingers still crossed.