Three Cabinet Ministers, Alan Johnson, Tessa Jowell and Ed Miliband, delivered the message of the Labour manifesto at the St. Paul's Centre in central Hammersmith. Alan Johnson focused on the Conservatives' proposed cuts in safer neighbourhood police teams, which have made a huge impact on crime in London. While crime continues to fall across London and the country, it is rising in Hammersmith due to the incompetence of the current council whose first act was to cut police support in Hammersmith Broadway, which has the highest crime figures in the borough. Alan is a regular visitor to Hammersmith and we always welcome his passion for our community.
]]> Tessa Jowell spoke about the Tories plans to destroy affordable housing, not only in Hammersmith but across the country. Ed Miliband talked about the Labour Manifesto, which he wrote, and the contrast between Labour's protection of services and incomes, and the Tories' plans for cuts in tax credits and education.From the St. Paul's centre we walked up to Lyric Square and talked to local residents. We then had time to head down to Palingswick House opposite Ravenscourt Park, where we met a number of the community groups based there. Twenty-two organisations are currently in the building working with a variety of different communities in our area including Iraqi, Iranians and Afghanis community organisations, disabled groups and ex-offenders. As ever, the council is trying to evict these organisations doing invaluable work in order to sell off the building. It was great to be able to show Ed round and to meet the people who work there, particularly to raise awareness of the struggle they are currently facing.
]]>Dear Mr Hilton,Single parents' manifesto
With the election date now set, I am pleased to attach a copy of Gingerbread's Manifesto for single parents, setting out their priorities for a new Government.
Single parents are often talked about in political debates, but too seldom have their voices heard. Single parent members of Gingerbread and single parents who use NetMums forums told us that they want to see:
- Longer repayment periods for overpaid benefits and tax credits: the current tax credit system has overpayments built in. One way to achieve this would be a return to fixed tax credit payments, so that parents don't get into debt.
- More financial help with childcare: Government should increase the amount of childcare costs met through the Working Tax Credit from 80 to 100%.
- Government to encourage more employers to offer jobs at school hours. Nearly sixty per cent of single parents are now in work. But the biggest barrier to combining work and family is finding jobs to fit in with school. Government needs to do more to ensure public sector jobs are flexible, and encourage the private sector to do the same.
- Services that give practical advice to parents on money, housing and legal rights. Government needs to fund independent advice services as a key part of helping families.
- More support for parents when their relationship is breaking down. Parents going through separation need more help to avoid conflict, and maintain their parenting relationship.
- More support to children at school to help if their parents separate. Children can't always talk to their parents about what is going on at home. They need confidential support at school to help them cope with family change.
As debate heats up during the election campaign, there is a danger that single parenthood will once again become a political football. We are urging all prospective MPs to sign up to our 'Lets lose the labels' campaign to challenge prejudice against single parents. We hope you will sign up - you can do so at www.gingerbread.org.uk or by sending an email to campaign@gingerbread.org.uk to let us know that you support the campaign.
Please do get in touch with us if you would like to know more about single parents views, or need any information on the latest research on single parent families,
Yours sincerely,Kate Bell
Director of Policy
Gingerbreadhttp://www.gingerbread.org.uk
Ms Bell,
My mother met my step-father through Gingerbread when I was a baby so I have a very positive view of your organisation.
On your manifesto, everything within it seems entirely supportable, though it's not black and white. In most of those arenas, despite the fact that we could do more, we have improved the situation immeasurably. Even worse, the Conservatives are committed to retrograde steps; marriage tax breaks, erosion of tax credits and a distinct lack of clarity on the future of Surestart.
The sad truth is that when they talk about broken Britain, the Conservatives are demonising single parents as though it is better for society if a woman stays with an abusive or neglectful husband. So it doesn't matter whether you send every Conservative MP and candidate in the country a thousand emails, they simply do not wish to represent single parents.
That said, my own party's rhetoric has shocked me from time to time. The teenage mum homes announced at Labour conference last year made me cringe, as I have with every mention of "hard working families" from ministers over the past decade. But the proof is there, this government has done more to change the perception of single parents and the opportunities open to them than any that went before.
Your email makes an excellent point and if that is your aim then you have achieved that. But there's an election coming and points don't count, only votes. So I hope you will give some thought to how you can ensure that a party is returned to government that will continue delivering for single parents, regardless of its other flaws.
Yours,
Alex Hilton
Labour candidate for Chelsea & Fulham
07794 771 113
alexhilton@gmail.com
www.alexhilton.org
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Dear Sir,I am writing to ask you to pledge your support for total transparency in lobbying. Unless something is done to clean up politics, the next generation of MPs will be as unpopular with a disillusioned electorate as those who are currently in power.
As a constituent, I would like you to be aware of my feelings on this matter. I trust that you are committed to greater transparency in politics and accountable decision-making. One simple, but concrete way to open up politics to public scrutiny would be through a compulsory register of lobbyists.
A recent Parliamentary inquiry found the current system of self-regulation in lobbying to be a failure. Recent newspaper articles and television programmes have shown how some politicians are exploiting their contacts for personal gain. I urge you to pledge your support for a compulsory register of lobbyists to help make politicians more accountable to ordinary people, rather than private interests that lobby politicians in secret.
I would also like to see your Party publicly commit to introducing a compulsory register of lobbyists straight away if they become the next government.
Dear Sir,
I have enormous sympathy with your frustration and entirely understand where you come from on this matter. I should tell you right now that I am a political communications adviser for a living and that includes some lobbying from time to time.
It is absolutely essential that lobbying is clean and there is nothing more corrupt than paying legislators to advocate for you. I certainly will not take a penny from interest groups if I am elected.
However, I oppose a mandatory register of lobbyists and I have a column in a magazine where I explained last week why I have that position. The link is here. http://prweek.com/uk/news/opinion/993642/Alex-Hilton-Lobbyists-not-carry/
I'm afraid they only give me 350 words once a fortnight to express my views on political communications, but mostly the piece covers my view. In short, the recent lobbying scandal highlighted not one single instance of misbehaviour by lobbyists. The misbehaviour is by greedy politicians. The cross party demands for a register of lobbyists are a distraction exercise so that you can demonise people like me rather than MPs.
Lobbying is the means by which a largely stupid, corrupt, self interested or lazy parliament gets exposed to some actual expertise in the course of legislating. If they are making laws on the construction industry for example, lobbyists from companies, trade associations, supplier firms, unions, workplace accident charities and all sorts of other people all seek to explain to the politicians what their positions are and why their position should be law. At that point, the politician has to use their judgement to decide who is right and what compromises can be made.
All of those lobbying organisations ultimately represent voters and none of them should be paying money to MPs or Peers. But if you heavily regulated the lobbying industry, you would simply make it more expensive. If it is more expensive, the richest companies will pay extra without blinking, but the smaller organisations, the small trade associations and charities, would no longer be able to afford expert support. The effect would be to concentrate influence among the already-influential larger organisations.
The alternative solution is to regulate MPs' diaries. If they had to publish their diaries - live online - to the public, then there would be absolute clarity as to who they were meeting an how often. They could simply block out their diary with "private" or "constituents" if necessary, but such an innovation would provide for excellent transparency.
But they won't do this because they have chosen professional lobbyists to be their scapegoats instead.
In truth, There are more important things than a lobbying register for me to campaign for or against, so if it were implemented then I would accept it. However, If I am elected, I will push extremely hard for further measures that effectively combat greediness, laziness and mediocrity among MPs. The corrupt state of politics truly sickens me and fixing it is a massive priority for me.
Sorry you had to wade through such an extensive response from me but I think it's important I tell you what I believe to be true, not what I think you want to hear. I hope, if elected, you would trust me to have the same attitude in parliament.
Yours,
Alex Hilton
Labour Candidate for Chelsea & Fulham
07794 771 113
alexhilton@gmail.com
www.alexhilton.org
Neither of which are true by the way.
Nevertheless, the Chronicle has perhaps unwisely given me and a number of other parliamentary hopefuls access to their website. I'm quite keen to see whether this will go live as soon as I press save or whether my meanderings will have to wait to be checked by the sub-editors first. Subs aren't bad people; they often protect me from looking foolish by correcting my spelling or grammar, and nearly never change the meaning of a sentence or complain when I make up a word.
So I'm having a go a writing here because, if successful, this could be an fascinating innovation - a kind of 6 week online hustings debate where candidates can grill each other and be grilled in return by the voters. Alternatively I may be the only person reading or writing in this space.
Anyway, I'll have a go at making a success of this opportunity and I'm open to take questions from anyone. You can also take a look at my website, email me or phone me if you want to raise something. In any case, I'll look forward to hearing from you.
All the best,
Alex Hilton
alexhilton@gmail.com
www.alexhilton.org
07794 771 113
1. Four ways to contact Karen:
By letter: House of Commons, London SW1A OAA
By phone: 020 8968 7999
By fax: 020 8960 0150
By e-mail: k.buck@rpkn-labour.co.uk
2. I represent around 120,000 people, in a constituency which stretches from Regent's Park to Wormwood Scrubs. Each year I take up thousands of issues and problems on behalf of constituents - from housing and parking to questions about my position or the government's position on local, national and international policy. Much of my job also involves being in Parliament, where MPs hold the government to account and debate and help make the law.
3. I hold advice surgeries almost every week. I do these by appointment because it allows me to see more people and to limit the length of time people have to wait. I also hold regular Saturday coffee mornings and meetings in schools and other venues. During these, I can't always have personal conversations with constituents about problems, but I can help you fill in a casework form and get started on helping you.
4. Lots of people want to see me, which is great But please remember that I can often get started on your issue earlier if you let one of my assistants begin making enquires on your behalf, especially if your problem is urgent. If you can, get a casework form filled in as soon as possible.
5. Although I work hard to keep track of replies to queries on your behalf, I also rely on you to keep me informed. If a reply from the Council, or a government department, is wrong or doesn't come at all, please get in touch via phone on 020 8968 7999 or e-mail at k.buck@rpkn-labour.co.uk! None of us can be everywhere at once and I need your feedback.
6. As an MP, I do not directly run services like schools, and am not in charge of the local council. When it comes to housing problems, I can only try and persuade the Council to change its policy, or set right a mistake, or help maximise the number of points a family has. Quite rightly, I cannot ask the Council, or a school, to place one needy family in front of another.
7. MPs can take up issues or problems relating to government: tax and benefits, immigration/Home Office, housing education and health.
8. MPs can't take up 'private issues' such as between neighbours, and don't usually have much ability to take up issues involving private companies (such as employment disputes). MPs also won't usually get involved in cases of child protection, and have no powers to intervene in the courts.
9. My assistants and I have helped around 30,000 people since I was elected in 1997.
10. My assistants and I may suggest that you take legal or other specialist advice if, for example, we feel that you need expert help with benefits, or an appeal. Often, we get the best results when we work together with solicitors or advice agencies.
]]>I live in Westminster and I'm determined to make our city a better, more prosperous, and safer place for everyone.
]]> I have had a successful career, some good experiences and some bad, but I want to use the benefit of those experiences to give something back and serve my community.I am always delighted to hear from constituents who may have a question about my campaign to become your MP or may have an issue or problem you would like me to help with.
You can contact me by any of the following means:
Write - 51a Denbigh Street, London, SW1V 2EY
E-mail - david@davidrowntree.org
Telephone - 07503 237 136
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=154827987014&ref=ts
I will be adding more methods of contact in the near future.
He is a Policy Officer in the European and International Relations Department at the Trades Union Congress and a member of the Governing Body of the UN International Labour Organisation.
]]> His current areas of responsibility at the TUC include; the ILO, China, Latin America, South Africa, relations with the International Trades Union Confederation and campaign work on procurement and London 2012.Until July 2003 he was a Regional Organiser for GMB London Region. Before this he was an organiser at Connect the Union for Professionals in Communication. He studied at the School of African and Asian Studies at the University of Sussex (where he was also president of the student union 1995-96) and the Centre for Research in Ethnic Relations at the University of Warwick where he obtained a Masters with distinction.
He is currently the Labour Party prospective parliamentary candidate for Kensington. His areas of political interest include; international development, workplace rights and London governance.
He is Labour candidate for the new Hammersmith seat, which includes Shepherds Bush, in the next general election.
]]> Growing up in Hammersmith & FulhamAndy's family moved to Fulham in the 1880s. He was born there in 1960 and attended Peterborough Primary School in Clancarty Road. At 11, he went to Latymer Upper School in King Street, and then to Exeter University between 1979 and 1982.
For the next 16 years he lived in Fulham. In 1998, he moved to live off the Askew Road in Shepherds Bush.
Employment history
In the 1980s, he had a series of jobs in the voluntary, public and private sectors. Andy worked for the British Safety Council, a charity based in Hammersmith Broadway, and for Hammersmith & Fulham Council in libraries around the borough and at Fulham Town Hall. He also worked for commercial PR firms and in Parliament for two years as a researcher for Michael Meacher MP, when he was Shadow Secretary for Employment and Social Security.
He saved up to go to law school and after three years training became a barrister in 1993, practising from Bridewell Chambers in Blackfriars. From general criminal and civil law he moved on to specialise in personal injury and housing law. He stopped practising when elected MP for Ealing, Acton & Shepherds Bush in 2005.
Political and community activity in Hammersmith & Fulham
In 1983 he joined the Fulham Labour Party and in 1986 was elected a councillor for Gibbs Green Ward (later North End) in West Kensington, a seat he held for the next 20 years. He was elected deputy leader of the council in 1991 and leader in 1996, stepping down in 2005.
For almost 20 years he was a director of Broadway, the charity for the single homeless, and on the board of Hammersmith & Fulham Community Law Centre. He is still a governor of William Morris Sixth Form in Baron's Court, which he helped set up in 1993.
In his maiden speech on 23rd June 2005 he spoke of the racial diversity of his constituency with 50 major first languages, and its extremes of wealth and poverty.
Some of his achievements and campaigns since his election have included:
Post Offices Closures- Successfully campaigned to prevent 5 local post office closures
Shepherds Bush Job Centre Plus- Successfully campaigned to keep this branch open and now it is expanding its services within the community.
Visited Gaza and pressed the Government on the plight of the Palestinians
Heathrow- A committed opponent of a third runway at Heathrow for twenty years, Andrew continues to oppose expansion of the airport and resigned from the Government in order to independently campaign against it.
Affordable Housing - Led the campaign against the Tory Council's attempts to slash affordable housing in the borough
He campaigned successfully against the council's attempt to close Ginglik, a much loved local venue.
Parliamentary Career and Interests
In June 2007 Andy was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary to Lord Malloch Brown, Minister of State at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office. In January 2009 he resigned to campaign against plans to build a Third Runway at Heathrow Airport.
Prior to this he was PPS to Lord Jones of Birmingham, Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (and Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform) between July 2007 and October 2008, and PPS to Stephen Ladyman, Minister of State, Department of Transport between November 2005 and June 2007.
Andy has also been Vice Chair of the Parliamentary Labour Party London Regional Group since 2007. He is currently a member of the Communities and Local Government Select Committee (since October 2009) and the London Regional Select Committee (since January 2010). Previously he was member of the Regulatory Reform SC (2005-07) and Children, Schools and Families SC (2007-09).
Andy's interests include Palestine and the Middle East. He has made several trips to Gaza and the West Bank, and was part of the first Parliamentary delegation to enter Gaza after the 2009 invasion. He is a member of the Britain-Palestine All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) and on the Policy Committee of Labour Friends of Palestine and the Middle East.
Andy is Vice Chair of The Conflict Issues APPG and the Gypsy and traveller Law Reform APPG. His interests are reflected in the other APPGs of which he is a member, including country groups for Somalia, Kosovo, Spain and Cuba. He is a member of Labour Friends of Poland and of the Caribbean, and of domestic groups for Crossrail and for Housing Need and Homelessness.
He speaks frequently in the Commons on housing, local government and education. He has also been involved with Climate Change debates and efforts to promote local carbon reduction targets. He is a fierce defender of Human Rights both internationally and in his local area, and has actively campaigned in his constituency on issues such as restricting Air Passenger Duty, opposing Heathrow expansion, opposing cuts in essential services, asset stripping and the demolition of social housing.
]]>Although I am half Indian - the son of a refugee from Uganda - my step-father, a printer on the Mirror Group at the time, took me on before I was two years old. The Brady-bunch maths meant I grew up with six brothers and two sisters.
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