Highgate Tube fence

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Met with key group against the Highgate Tube fence which was erected by Tubelines / Transport for London after a meeting where the predominant voices won – but were not fully representative of people in the area. And even though Tubelines / TfL were warned immediately after the meeting that this was the case and a public meeting was then held – they still proceeded.

Now we have a fence blocking the green view from Archway Road and reflecting much noise (and possibly pollution) back on to the Archway Road as if residents and shops there don’t already have enough to contend with. There’s a balance to be struck and it hasn’t been struck right.

Upshot of meeting is that I am to arrange a deputation to the Mayor of London by these key stakehoders – and try and knobble Bob Kiley too.

My first surgery

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Surgery all day at Wood Green Library. I’ve not yet put in place a regular surgery schedule – need some time to asses demand, where people want to come to, etc. But there are already so many requests for surgery appointments I have simply booked every Friday for the next few weeks for all day surgeries – tough going, but I don’t want to leave people waiting too long.

So this is the equivalent of three surgeries but all on one day. My sister comes along to help me with the notes and because I have been advised not to do it on my own.

As ever – all human life in its frailty is there – and it reminds me how difficult life can be if you are not coping. Immigration, housing and schooling are the main issues. There are about thirteen booked appointments. A couple of extra people show up and three don’t show – so it all works out. But come home to phone messages for lots more. It’ll be another long day next Friday!

Development in Wood Green

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Meeting with Charles Kennedy who is seeing us new kids on the block. Again a good meeting with lots of ideas and good humour. Charles seems very happy with his new intake.

Then back to the constituency (glad I’m a London MP!) for a meeting (“Development Control Forum”) on a proposed development in centre of Wood Green. It is revolting. There is no other way to describe the design – insensitive, unrelated to the buildings around it, ugly, poor materials and so on.

The residents attending gave the architects what for and then some. Three members of the planning committee were there – so hopefully they noted not only the adverse comments of everyone in the room but also the genuine planning objections that could rise from them.

The Mayor’s London plan was often sited as the reason they had done this or that. But it’s not much of an excuse. The London Plan at least aspires to good and sustainable design – it doesn’t demand cramming nor ugliness nor lack of appropriate infrastructure.

Haringey's 40th birthday

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Lively debate at our Parliamentary Party meeting. Much desire from everyone to ensure the party moves further ahead in this Parliament and lots to discuss about how best to do it.

In the evening dash back to join the celebrations at Ally Pally for 40 years of Haringey Borough. A whole line of ex-councillors from days of yore told their tale after the dinner – very interesting historically.

Undercurrents of tension around the room – seems to me there is much blaming going on by Labour of everyone but themselves for the loss of the parliamentary seat. I guess they can see the writing on the wall for the council elections next year. But, just like Tony, their ‘listening and learning’ from the results of the election and the message that Haringey residents sent to them doesn’t appear to have gone in at all. Jolly good I say. Let them blame me, blame council officers, blame Blair, blame anyone but themselves – that way they will be too busy fighting each other and moaning to stop the Lib Dems taking control of the council next May.

The Queen's Speech

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State opening of Parliament. I arrive about 10.15am and having been instructed fill out a prayer card and pop it in one of only two remaining seats. This is the parliamentary equivalent of towels on deckchairs – and so long as you report for prayers, you can keep your seat for the rest of the day.

Black Rod comes and does his thing – calling the Commons to go across to the Lords. We all troop through. As I am vertically challenged and standing at the back – my view is just of the top of the Queen’s crown and occasionally glimpsing her face.

Back to the Commons. We adjourn and then reconvene at 2.30pm for the opening debate on the Queen’s Speech.

This debate is traditionally opened (what isn’t traditional here) by an old backbencher and a new backbencher. They’re meant to give funny speeches. They were ok – but not that funny … then Michael Howard had his go – followed by Tony ‘I’ve listened and learned’ Blair.

Clearly he hadn’t as the 45 bills were the same program he waned last time – so the old game is back in town and it’s ID cards, removal of civil liberties and so on.

It is all pretty interesting for me at this stage. All the characters who have peppered my TV screen for years are live in the room. And the proceedings are all novel and certainly antiquated. I would love to think it could change – but the boys school is in evidence and better people than I have tried in the past – so the key will be learning how to use Parliament to deliver the things I need to fight for in Hornsey & Wood Green.

Swearing in

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We queue up to take our oath of allegiance etc (I affirm) in the chamber. I am introduced to Mr Speaker and then that’s it. Off to a Parliamentary Party meeting to discuss the Queen’s Speech for the next day. We run through what is in the Government’s program and each spokesperson says what they think about each proposed bill. The Lib Dem Shadow Cabinet has been published and it seems pretty good to me – lots of talent and go getting members.

LIB DEMS SECURE EXTRA CUSTOMER PARKING FOR STROUD GREEN TRADERS

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Following months of campaigning, Lib Dem councillors from Haringey and Islington last week secured an agreement from both councils on a project to provide parking bays for local shoppers on Stroud Green Road. Lib Dems say the move should provide a boost for local traders in Stroud Green Road by proving more short term parking spaces.

Stroud Green Lib Dem Councillor, Laura Edge has been working with Lib Dem colleagues in Islington on the issue, as Stroud Green Road forms the boundary between the two boroughs. Meetings with traders, officers from both boroughs and representatives from the Finsbury Park Business Forum and Finsbury Park Partnership have been held to work out a scheme.

The project proposes to install new pay-and-display bays on two sections of Stroud Green Road. Islington Council, which is responsible for the south western side of the street would install parking bays on the stretch of road opposite Ennis Road and Perth Road, while Haringey Council will put two pay-and-display machines between Perth Road and Tollington Park.

The plans are subject to resident and traders’ approval as well as consent from Transport for London’s Bus Priority Unit, which is responsible for maintaining bus traffic flow.

Lib Dem and Stroud Green Councillor Laura Edge says:

“I am very pleased that the two Boroughs have agreed on a way forward. Now we need to consult carefully over the scheme, which could provide really valuable short term parking, which will be a boost for the shops.

Tidying up at the GLA

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Crack of dawn off to ITN for what turned out to be a grilling by the newscaster. He was very shocked when he asked what people hadn’t liked about the LibDems – and I said I thought since we finally had some exposure in the election of our policies – they liked them all.

I know he wanted me to say one policy or another – but it is true – overall it was just the best prospectus to stand on – very comfortable.

Straight on to Sky with Adam Boulton. This time there is a Tory and a Labour new MP too. In fact, the Labour MP and I keep meeting on these ‘new MP’ programs. This interview is great fun. Of course, given I have spent an inordinate amount of time in TV studios – I know my way round them better than the House of Commons.

Later in day work on Parking Enforcement Report. This is my swan-song project at the GLA. I have spent the last year firstly trying to get the investigation to happen despite great opposition from boroughs particularly sensitive to having their parking policies looked at and who think the London Assembly should keep their nose out.

Then the actual investigation – and now am just working on the final draft report to go out Monday to the committee for comments. Hopefully, we will get the final version shortly and my intention is to see this report launched and agreed at Transport Committee. And then I can leave. This is one loose end I must tie up before cutting the umbilical.

Retail therapy

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Day off! Shock horror – first since the New Year barring two days away beginning of February. What’s a girl to do? Retail therapy – off I go to buy some work suits. It was great. Then took my youngest daughter out to lunch in Highgate Village – had a glass of wine – fell asleep all afternoon. Off to a party (parents of daughter’s school friend) for a couple of hours – but too tired and come hope and sleep rest of evening. Followed by sleeping all night – no problem with sleeping as you can tell.

Thank you party

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Love Friday the 13th! Used to live at number 13 Woodstock Road – was a really happy house – so a good day for my ‘thank you’ party for all those who helped in the election.

Over a thousand people were sent invites – yes – that’s how many people helped with delivering, stuffing, addressing, donating, poster sites, printing, etc, etc, etc. If they had all turned up – we would have been in big trouble!

I arrived at Hornsey Community Centre about 7.40pm and it was already packed – and everyone, all evening, came up to wish me well. It was absolutely fantastic – such a genuine grass roots campaign. Heart warming!

Monica (Hornsey organiser) and Ed (Stroud Green ward) stood on chairs to address everyone and say special thank yous to those who had done above the call of duty – particularly Mark (my campaign manager) and Neil (my agent and Leader of the Lib Dems on Haringey Council).

Now Mark usually checks my blog writings for legal matters – i.e. I don’t want to get sued. And no doubt he will try and remove this posting as it mentions him by name – but I will be checking!

Both Neil and Mark are remarkable – both in ability and commitment. We have all been together in this for about eight years – and what happened on polling day wasn’t just the four week campaign, wasn’t just the war – but was the sum of years of work by a fantastic team of about thirty key activists who have worked unstintingly over these years.

Apart from Mark and Neil – each ward had its own team who soldiered on delivering the campaign in their area. Harold was in charge of printing; David in charge of telephone canvassing; Justin in charge of stakeboards – with great help from Alan and Dave, and so on and so on. The ward teams – Stroud Green (Laura, Richard and Ed), Crouch End (Ron, Peter and David), Alexandra/Bounds Green (Susan, Wayne and Dave), Muswell Hill / Fortis Green (Gail, Martin, Steve and Matt), Highgate (Neil, Bob and Melanie), Woodside (Nigel and Shantanu), Hornsey (Monica), Noel Park (Neil and Fiyaz). And the team who ran HQ – Valerie, Susanne and Monica. My sister – who organised my diary, visits to sheltered housing, leaflets at stations and telling for three wards. Duncan, Mette and Thuranie were my home team helping deal with election enquiries, sending out posters, etc. The Rea family and Bjorn were at HQ constantly and were the backbone of the stuffing operation. Wayne – who did such a great job as our Tottenham candidate (moving up into second with a big swing from Labour). And of course, my daughters, Jenna and Cady. Plus many, many, more!

I just wanted to publicly acknowledge the key team and the hundreds of others who were so generous with time, effort and money.

And the buggers – they presented me with a framed poster of the Hornsey Journal’s paper that they put outside newsagents. It reads in HUGE writing ‘I’ve nagged my way to victory – New MP’.

It’s so true – whenever people ask how I have got so far so fast – I always put it down to my ability to nag (politer term – lobby persistently). After all – it is a middle-aged woman’s life skill!