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David Kirkman welcomes Pre-Budget Report

(10 December 2009)

"Our total net debt will be 56% of GDP this year. In the USA, Germany and France it will be half as big again," says David Kirkman, Labour's prospective parliamentary candidate for North East Hertfordshire. "At £178 bn, it is a lot of money and paying it off will be painful, but we mustn't get hysterical about it, like the Tories and the Tory press."

"The economy has been saved from disaster by Gordon Brown, Alistair Darling and the Labour Government. We must get to a point where we have a strong recovery before we start in earnest on the task of paying back the debt. The Tories want to put us back into recession by cutting back immediately," David says.

Alistair Darling (pictured left) has got it just about right, according to David. As originally intended, the temporary cut in VAT will end in January 2010, as will the temporary exclusion of some lower value house sales from stamp duty.

Other changes to repay some of the debt are brought in gradually as the economy recovers. The inheritance tax threshold will be frozen in April 2010. (The Tories would abolish the tax and give money to the richest 2.5% of estates.) The 50% tax rate for very high earners also comes in then.

However, the rise in National Insurance contributions of an additional 0.5% (making 1% in all) does not apply until April 2011 - and is off-set by an increase in the threshold for payment to £20,000, protecting 15 million workers. By then, the economy is expected to be recovering well. The threshold for the 40% tax rate will not be frozen until 2012. "The Tories are trying to make people believe that they would reverse the increase in NI contributions, without actually promising to do so," says David.

"It would be nice to think that we could repay the debt by taxing rich bankers. However, whilst you may believe that there are far too many of them, there are not enough - or of the very rich in general - to raise the money needed. Those of us in work have to contribute unless we are on very low pay. After all, it is those who are out of work as a result of the crisis - not those of us who still have jobs - who have really suffered."

Meanwhile, the Government will continue to protect the most vulnerable in society. State pensions will rise by more than inflation in April 2010. Increases in benefits and tax credits will be brought forward to 2010 from 2011, giving a 1.5% boost above inflation.

Front line services from schools, the NHS and the police will also be protected.

Click here for more information on the pre-budget report and to read Alistair Darling's speech to the House of Commons.

Gordon Brown returns from Copenhagen disappointed,
but ready to fight on

(19 December 2009)

"It is progress, but it is not enough," he said. "I am now going to lead a campaign round the world for a legally binding treaty."

Gordon Brown was the first of head of government to commit to going to Copenhagen for the climate change talks. In the end, 120 followed his lead, including President Obama. Last June, he proposed the $100 bn. fund by 2020, which seemed very ambitious at the time, but became the main positive outcome of the talks after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton give it the support of the United States. According to Kevin Rudd, Australian Prime Minister, the financial arrangement would not have been achieved "without his (Gordon Brown's) intervention".

Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, after his gruelling week in Copenhagen, says that the Copenhagen Accord provides a basis for a new chapter on climate change. "Let's work together to make it happen," he says. To read more about the positive outcomes from the talks and to give support to the continuing fight to get world agreement on action, click here.

Meanwhile, David Cameron has nothing to say at all about the way forward. He may genuinely hold the "green" views that he has expressed in the past, but he dare not express them now, because his party have been falling over themselves either to deny that climate change is happening or to say that we are proposing to spend too much on dealing with it.

Children's Services Not Good Enough

(10 December 2009)

The County's Children, Schools and Families Services has been rated only as 2 "performing adequately". Nigel Bell, Labour's deputy leader on the County Council, recognises that they say that a higher than average proportion of primary and secondary schools are good or outstanding than are found in similar areas or nationally. However, he is particularly concerned that Ofsted can find: "the difference in the performance of children and young people whose circumstances make them vulnerable and others of the same age is larger than the national average. This is particularly noticeable for young people from lower income families who are not as successful in achieving level 3 qualifications, leading to fewer than average students progressing to higher education when they are 19".

He has called on the Council "to recognise (that this is no time for complacency) and properly act to improve outcomes for ALL children in the County".

Former UKIP MEP jailed for expenses fraud

(12 November 2009)

Tom Wise was elected as an United Kingdom Independence Party MEP for this region in 2005. On 11 November 2009, he was sent to jail for two years for fraudulent expenses claims totalling £39,000. He spent most of the money on wine, a car, clearing credit card debts and party political activities.

It is ironic that UKIP benefited at the last European Parliament election from the Westminster expenses row, when they had had members like Tom Wise whereas Labour MEPs' expenses are externally audited.

Be Afraid ... Be Very Afraid ...

(6 November 2009)

... of a Tory Government. Johann Hari, writing in the Independent of 6 November 2009, suggests that the London of Boris Johnson is the laboratory of what a Tory Government's policies would be. He points out that half those working on carbon emissions have been laid off; plans to limit carbon emissions have been shelved; and the rich have been given a bonus by not extending the congestion charge to affluent west London, paid for by a 20% increase in bus fares.

Meanwhile, in David Cameron's "model authority" of Hammersmith and Fulham, twelve homeless hostels have been shut, the cost of meals on wheels have been increased by 60% and disabled people now have to pay £12.40 per hour for a home help. The leader of the council wants to abolish council homes and let rents rise to a market level.

Johann Hari goes on to say that:

• David Cameron will "casually write off British lives": he will not erect any more speed cameras, although the current cameras save 900 lives a year.

• He will give public money to any group of parents who want to set up a school: elsewhere this has meant mainly religious fundamentalist schools.

• He will promote "a fringe philosophy rejected by every other elected Government", namely paying back Government debt before the recession has ended.

• He will scrap inheritance tax, most of which is paid by the very rich.

• He will scrap the rules requiring commercial broadcasters to be politically impartial, "unleashing the rabid Fox News model against the British left".

• He will "abolish 10% of parliamentary seats, almost all in Labour areas".

(With thanks to Lord Kinnock for the heading.)

Read all of Johann Hari's article on the Independent website by clicking here.

Tories out of step with the world

(5 October 2010)

Gordon Brown, named Statesman of the Year (2009) by the American Appeal of Conscience Foundation, told the Labour Conference that all the G20 and all the European countries decided to act to stem the recession.   Only one party wanted to do nothing - the Conservative Party of Britain. Read more

Richard Howitt briefs youth delegation to Copenhagen

(1 October 2009)

Before the Copenhagen Conference, Richard Howitt, our Labour MEP, visited Buntingford to brief a delegation of young people from the charity Peace Child International (www.peacechild.org), who were about to go to the conference.

Richard Howitt (centre at front) is pictured with the students, with David Woollcombe, president of the charity (behind him to the left). Clyde Millard, constituency party chairman, is in the doorway at the rear. Click here for more on Richard Howitt.

Labour's Sure Start celebrated in Hertfordshire by the Tories

(14 September 2009)

One of the Labour Government's most important and widely supported policies of the Labour Government was celebrated across Hertfordshire in National Sure Start Children Centres' Week in September, including by the County Council. Jane Pitman, who is Executive Member for Children, Schools and Families in the Tory administration (and councillor for the Braughing division in this constituency), issued a press release to that effect. Nigel Bell, the Labour Group's deputy leader, said: "We know that the advice and support that parents and carers receive at the Centres is vital to the development of children from 0 to 5 years in our many diverse communities."

"It's ironic," he added, "that in the last week we have seen two organizations with links to the Conservative Party, the Taxpayers' Alliance and the Institute of Directors, float the idea of removing funding from Sure Start Centres."

Your important vote in the democracy of the European Union

(1 May 2009)

The European Parliament is a democratic body which really affects your life, for example by taking action to cut emissions across Europe: we cannot do this by ourselves in Britain. Here is the constituency chairman's response to one eurosceptic who has failed to realise the importance of the European Parliament.

He also points to the complete lack of logic in voting for the UK Independence Party and other parties opposed to the European Union: they cannot achieve the aim of withdrawal from the Union in the European Parliament.

Doctors' trade union opposes weekend clinics: G.Ps'. petition and leaflet seriously misrepresent Government's proposal

(28 November 2008)

"Throughout Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire G.Ps. are asking patients to sign a petition and some of them are issuing a leaflet, both of which seriously misrepresent the Government’s proposal for family doctor services,” says Richard Henry (at that time Labour’s parliamentary spokesperson for North East Hertfordshire).

Richard Henry

Richard Henry, himself a Non-Executive Director of a Primary Care Trust, adds that the leaflet, issued by the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Local Medical Committee, tries to scare patients by suggesting that the proposals will end continuity of care by a G.P. who knows you, forcing you to travel to a large clinic run by a faceless corporation. “The British Medical Association (BMA) is perhaps the most effective trade union in the country and what they really oppose is the requirement that clinics open at weekends. After all, they have just negotiated a very good deal for G.Ps. with the Government, which gave them weekends off.”

The Government proposal is quite different. In fact, they are investing extra money to improve G.P. services, both in G.P. practices and in new G.P.-led clinics. Patients will be able to use the clinics, but still stay with their current G.Ps. Even if they choose to register with a new clinic, there is no reason why they should not normally see the same doctor on each visit.

The crucial requirement is that clinics will be open from 8 am to 8 pm seven days a week. Thus, if you want to see a G.P. at a time when your usual surgery is shut, you can go without registering to your nearest clinic.  “There is no mention in the preamble to the petition or in the leaflet of the convenience for patients of this,” says Richard Henry. “ And this does not result it any change to the continuity of care. After all, in an emergency many of us see one of the other doctors who happens to be available at our own health centre, rather than the one who knows us well.” The Government wants one clinic in every area to provide this convenient service to patients and also to take pressure off accident and emergency departments at weekends. For East and North Hertfordshire, this new centre will be in Welwyn Garden City.

It is true that corporations may bid to run clinics. They already run some G.P. practices. However, they will employ G.Ps. to provide the care.The B.M.A. calls this privatisation, but the G.P. service is already privatised:at the formation of the N.H.S. the B.M.A. insisted on doctors being private contractors rather than employees. G.Ps. are therefore able to decide how much of the money paid to them to invest in services, just like corporations. Clinics run by corporations will only get patients to register with them rather than local practices if they offer a better service.

No time for a novice

(28 September 2008)

"Everyone knows that I'm in favour of apprenticeships, but let me tell you this is no time for a novice," said Gordon Brown in his speech at the Labour Party Conference. "...Britain cannot trust the Conservatives to run the economy."

"Where would our country be if we had listened to them? No paternity leave, no New Deal, no Bank of England independence, no Sure Start, no devolution, no civil partnerships, no minimum wage, no new investment in the NHS, no new nurses, no new police, no new schools.... no rescue of Northern Rock, no action on speculation, no protection for mortgages, doing nothing to stop banks going under."

In Hertfordshire, we have all just received the Conservative-controlled County Council's magazine Horizons. In it they boast about the 50 Sure Start children's centres that they have opened, with another 32 on the way. Excellent! But no mention that this programme was an initiative of the Labour Government. And no mention that David Cameron proposed to axe this programme!

Don't let a novice run the country. Back Gordon Brown.

Watch or read Gordon Brown's speech in full at www.labour.org.uk/gordon_brown_conference.

Crime down 39% under Labour

(22 July 2008)

Crime is down 39% since 1997, according to the British Crime Survey. "This reverses the upward trend under the Tories, under whom crime doubled, but convictions fell by a third," said Richard Henry, Labour's Parliamentary Spokesperson for North East Hertfordshire. "The increased number of police officers and the introduction of police community support officers is really having an effect. In Hertfordshire, recorded crime fell by 12% in the last year."

The British Crime Survey (BCS) began in 1981 and surveys the population to record the number of victims of crimes, whether they have been reported or not. It is not affected by changes in the way police forces record crime. The information for Hertfordshire, however, is based on crime as recorded by the police. Both sets of statistics record an overall fall in crime in the last year in Britain: the BCS records a 10% drop and recorded crime was down 9%.

Herts Primary Schools get £8 million a year from Labour Government

(21 July 2008)

The Labour Government's Primary Capital Programme will invest £8 million per year for the next 14 years in Hertfordshire's primary schools. This investment was welcomed last month by Cllr. Nigel Bell, who is the Labour spokesperson for education on the County Council.

Benington Windfarm

(12 July 2008)

Richard Henry, Labour's Parliamentary spokesperson for this constituency, has written to the planning authority (East Hertfordshire District Council) in support of the proposal for Benington windfarm.

The Comet newspaper also published a letter from him responding to an article by  the Tory MP for the constituency who is opposing  this move to generate green electricity:

The East Hertfordshire Rural Branch Labour Party, in whose area Benington falls, has also written to the planning authority in support of the proposal. Click here for the text of the branch's letter.

The NHS at 60

(5 July 2008)

Richard Henry, who was Labour's Parliamentary spokesperson for this constituency at the time, congratulated the NHS on its 60th birthday on 5 July 2008:  "Sixty years ago, the Labour Government of Clement Attlee, in spite of the problems of post-War Britain, introduced free universal healthcare. Nye Bevan, the health minister, had to fight the opposition of the Tories and of the medical profession to bring his dream to fruition."

"Eleven years ago, the NHS was struggling against underfunding after a long period of Tory Government. Patients were waiting two years or more for operations, buildings were crumbling and new high-tech equipment was spread sparsely across the country. The Labour Government tackled patients' number one priority of waiting lists, so that the maximum wait is right down - 18 weeks instead of over two years by the end of 2008. Incredibly, the Tories want to scrap waiting time targets, which would allow waiting times to drift back upwards."

"Gordon Brown, as Chancellor, provided extra resources, tripling the spend on the NHS. 32,000 more nurses and 88,000 more doctors now work in the NHS than in 1997. And look at the improved facilities at the Lister or at the completely new community hospital in Hertford - and thank the Labour Party."

For more information on Labour and the NHS, go to www.labour.org.uk/proud.

Red Rose Summer Party

(30 June 2008)

Members from Letchworth Branch, as well as from Hitchin and Harpenden Constituency Party and Hertford and Stortford Constituency Party, as well as a former member visiting from Canada, helped East Hertfordshire Rural Branch to enjoy their Red Rose summer garden party on 30 June 2008.

Richard Henry draws the raffle from a hat held by branch member, David Evans. His wife,
Cllr. Jackie Henry, looks on.

District Council Elections on 1 May 2008

(2 May 2008)

This was a very disappointing result for Labour. Arthur Jarman and Ian Mantle both lost their seats on the North Hertfordshire District Council, having won them back only one year ago. However, in Arthur's case he lost by only 11 votes.

The Labour candidates in all the other wards which had an election also lost. Labour did not field a candidate in Baldock East.

Elsewhere in the North Hertfordshire District, the news was rather better. Labour retained seats in Hitchin Bearton and Hitchin Oughton.

Full details of the result are on the District Council's website.

In East Hertfordshire there are no elections for another three years, so we are stuck with a Tory administration who spent £1.1 million on making the chief executive redundant and re-organizing staff, £620,000 on dealing with the resultant quarrels between staff, and then an unknown amount on recruiting a new chief executive to sort out the mess.

Speeding traffic in Ordelmere, Letchworth

(1 Feb. 2008)

The County Council has deferred any action to improve safety in Ordelmere. Read the newsletter issued in Grange ward: click here.

Tories to close Westbury Primary and Nursery School in Letchworth

(23 Jan. 2008)

At the County Council Cabinet meeting on Monday 21^st January, the Tory Administration agreed to close the much praised Westbury Primary and Nursery School in Letchworth, as of 31^st August 2009. Despite a petition on 1,095 signatures, 87 objections and the opposition of local head teachers, parents and children, the Cabinet rejected last minute pleas by local campaigners.

Labour Education spokesman, Nigel Bell, commented: "The Tories have dealt a severe cut to educational resources in Letchworth in an area that can least afford it. The much admired special needs, remedial work and pastoral care, taught at Westbury are in danger of being lost due to this short-sighted decision."

Westbury is in the top 5% for value-added assessments countrywide, and questions remain about the future level of special help and resources that will be needed at the neighbouring schools – Wilbury and Icknield respectively – to cater for children who will have to go there.

Nigel added: "Despite guaranteeing that the Children’s Centre will still be on the Westbury Site, we are still to be convinced that Early Years Provision and Best Practice regarding Special Needs will be properly maintained in this area."

Parents and children will now have to negotiate Icknield Way and the railway line to access the nearest schools.

We note that David Lloyd, Deputy Leader of the County Council, said "Westbury is a fine school, no doubt about that" and the Leader of the Council, Robert Gordon, admitted that recent figures had shown pupil numbers had risen at Westbury.

East Herts Rural Branch supports Benington Windfarm

(7 Dec. 2007)

At a meeting with Barbara Follett, the Labour MP for Stevenage, during a discussion on climate change the proposal for a windfarm in Benington was mentioned. (Under the new constituency boundaries, Benington comes into the NE Herts constituency from the Stevenage constituency and Oliver Heald, the Tory MP for NE Herts has been supporting the opposition to the windfarm.) Barbara suggested that the constituency party should examine the issue and form a view. The East Herts Rural branch, into which Benington falls, debated the issue and gave its support to the development of the windfarm. (This paragraph has been expanded because the earlier version had been subject to misinterpretation.)

Following the branch meeting, the following letter was published in the Hertfordshire Mercury:

The editor of the Mercury omitted the final paragraph which asked how many Bangladeshi refugees Benington was willing to accommodate when Bangladesh floods because of the lack of action on climate change.

More information can be found at www.yes2beningtonwindfarm.com

Estelle Morris in Letchworth

(4 Oct 2007)

Baroness Morris of Yardley (Estelle Morris), the former Secretary of State for Education and Skills,visited the Letchworth Arts Centre on 4 October 2007, to address a packed meeting of Labour Party members. The meeting was organised by North East Hertfordshire Constituency Labour Party, but the audience  included members from neighbouring constituencies as well.

Baroness Morris speaking to Labour Party members, watched by constituency party
chairman, Clyde Millard

Estelle Morris initiated a discussion around the direction of policy in the Labour Party at this time of change of leadership, what that means for areas such as education and what Labour should be thinking about for a possible fourth term in office. Stimulating questions from members led to a lively debate, particularly around education, which both speaker and members felt would make a useful contribution to the future development of policies.

In appreciation Estelle Morris was presented with a book covering the history of Letchworth Garden City and the egalitarian principles on which the First Garden City was founded.

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