Repealing Identity Cards

I almost forgot to tell you that for the past two weeks I have been on what is termed a 'Public Bill Committee' (PBC). A PBC considers Legislation coming through Parliament clause by clause, before it goes back to the Commons for consideration by the whole Chamber.

My PBC was in some ways historic as it was the first one of the new Parliament and the first piece of legislation from the Coalition Government.

As you will have guessed from the title of this blog, this PBC was about the repeal of Identity Cards. I was utterly opposed to ID Cards so I was delighted to be on this Bill.

The first two sessions examined evidence from advocates for and against ID Cards. The rest were to debate the various clauses.

Somewhat astonishingly, the Labour members - who, as a Government had introduced the cards in the first place - argued that the cards would stop terrorism. This was despite the fact that they were voluntary!

I was glad to be on the Committee that repealed ID Cards, especially given the billions of pounds the scheme costed and the infringement on our civil liberties it represented. It is good that repeal was promised in the Conservative Manifesto and the Coalition Government have fulfilled that pledge.

Now that the Committee has finished considering the Bill, it goes back to the Commons for Report Stage and Second Reading.


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Government failure to equip our troops

If you have any doubts as to the Government's failure to properly equip our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, I urge you to read this story in The Times yesterday, and reported widely on news outlets. The report, entitled 'Death by a thousand cuts' states the following - in a somewhat chilling manner:

"The coroner was unequivocal. The last four soldiers to be blown up in a Snatch Land Rover in Afghanistan were unlawfully killed. They should not have died, and did so because they were inadequately equipped. By now, this must surprise nobody. It certainly would not have surprised those troops themselves. As the Wiltshire and Swindon Coroner David Masters reminded us yesterday, their commanding officer had requested a different vehicle for the mission, only to be told that none was available.

Corporal Sarah Bryant, Corporal Sean Robert Reeve, Lance Corporal Richard Larkin and Private Paul Stout were killed by a roadside bomb in 2008. Not only were they driving in an inadequate vehicle, but equipment shortages had also led them to be equally inadequately trained in the detection of exactly the kind of bomb that killed them. To be more specific, a lack of mine-detectors meant that many troops left the UK with no training in their use whatsoever. Once on their bases in Afghanistan, they were forced to seek informal instruction from their peers. Some troops gave evidence that their training with an Ebex mine detector had lasted under 20 minutes. Others said they had been forced to figure it out for themselves, with a manual.

Gordon Brown could not have been surprised by the coroner’s verdict on Snatch Land Rovers, either. In Afghanistan last weekend he announced that 200 new heavier vehicles would finally replace them. This sounded like a better pledge that it was. For one thing, the Conservative Party has claimed that there was an earlier plan for 400 vehicles, and Mr Brown’s announcement represented a reduction. For another, the timing was both suspiciously convenient in terms of the coroner’s inquest, and at least five years too late in terms of the military need."

And this judgement came after Gordon Brown's surprise 'election' visit to Afghanistan last week.

P.S. the response of Bill Rammell is pretty illustrative of what has gone wrong with this Government:

"I accept that the training regime was not as good at that stage as it should have been."

You can read more at this weblink.

P.P.S. You might like to read these two blog postings I have previously written on this subject. HERE and HERE.

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com

Desperate MPs say desperate things

It is of no surprise to me - sadly - that the local MP has again taken to promoting the fear factor in the run-up to Christmas. In a Press Release he put out recently, he implied we sought to cut the fuel allowance to pensioners.

Mr Rammell claimed that the Conservatives oppose the extra Winter Fuel Payments announced in this year's budget of £100 for pensioners aged over 80 and £50 for those aged over 60s.

But the MPs scaremongering is unjustified.

The facts are these:

The next Conservative Government will re-link the state pension to earnings and we have made clear that we will keep the Winter Fuel Allowance that is valued by so many in Harlow.

Government figures show fuel poverty is up 64 per cent on what it was in 2007.

Pensioners and other families are more vulnerable to high fuel bills during this cold snap than they have been for years.

Conservatives have a comprehensive plan to reduce fuel poverty. With high home energy prices, Harlow's poorest people face their toughest winter for years. Without immediate help, many will face going into debt to stay warm.

Conservatives will introduce a new entitlement through its Green Deal for every home to be fitted immediately with up to £6,500 of approved energy efficiency improvements, with the costs being repaid through the very much greater savings made, thus delivering immediate reductions in energy bills.

We will require energy companies to provide information on energy bills that shows customers clearly whether they are on the cheapest tariff offered by that company - and if they are not, shows them exactly how much they would save if they switched to the cheapest tariff, and how they can do so.

We will expand the role of the Post Office Card Account (basic cash accounts run by the DWP for receipt of welfare, pension and tax credit deposits), so it could be used by pensioners to make direct debit payments on utility bills. This could cut the energy bills of up to four million POCA holders by up to £100 a year.

And we will require complete transparency in the energy market so that when energy prices fall in the world market they fall for customers too.

P.S. The latest figures show, that under this Government, in 2006 (last figures available) there were 2.567 households in fuel poverty in Harlow.

P.P.S. Councillor Tony Hall, Chairman of the Council Environment Committee, reminds me:

"Under the Conservatives Harlow Council is working to combat fuel poverty by insulating all Council homes and offering through the Herts&Essex Energy Partnership (HEEP) free or discounted insulation (loft and wall cavity) to home owners. The charge for those who do not qualify for the free service is £99 for each. Search under HEEP on the internet."

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The Government's Decision to disband Harlow's Territorial Army is a disgrace

Like many in Harlow, I am appalled at the Government's decision to disband our Territorial Army - as reported in this week's Harlow Star.

My view is that it is short sighted and a massive slap in the face for the town's volunteers who are prepared to put their lives on the line for their country.

The decision to merge the group with a troop in Chelmsford is extraordinary.

I call upon Harlow Labour MP Bill Rammell - the Government's Armed Forces Minister - to think again.

It makes no sense whatsoever. Bill Rammell has said the move will help the Government save £32.5 million and 'help us to prioritise resources to the frontline in Afghanistan'.

But, if this Government had not wasted and squandered our money to such a massive extent then such short-sighted and misguided changes would not be needed.

There are a number of incredible stories about how ministers have wasted our money.

For instance they bought 14 specially armoured vehicles for £4.5 million then sold them for £44,000, including to a private security firm working in Baghdad, at a time when the MoD was short of them.

In addition, the order for the new stealth Nimrod plane has not only been cut nearly in half, from 21 to 12, but the cost of the project has also risen from £2.8 billion to £3.5 billion, with the project now seven years behind schedule.

As Armed Forces Minister, Bill Rammell should be made to overturn this ludicrous decision. Nothing that the Government has proposed makes any sense.

As I understand it Harlow (Territorial Army) will close while Hertford and Chelmsford will remain.

It is a poor excuse to use financial reasons to close Harlow TA in order to adequately finance Afghanistan. Harlow still occupies a better strategic position to take volunteers from the region.

The current battery has a healthy number of volunteers, especially cadets, which provides a great benefit to the town through its young people and to the Army in terms of potential future recruits.

The cost of keeping the Harlow centre open could be mitigated by working with the community in Harlow including Harlow and Essex councils to make better use of the facility, perhaps to the extent of finding alternative accommodation for a TA centre and turning the whole TA centre over to other community or commercial uses.

If this were not bad enough, It is wrong that the Government have also cut £20m from TA reserve training over the next six months. This will hit recruitment, while some serving TA soldiers will simply quit. This will damage the TA's ability to deploy in future. We oppose that cut.

It is vital everything possible was done to maintain the number of Territorial Army reservists who at one point accounted for one fifth of the force in Iraq and for one eighth of the force in Afghanistan.

It is Conservative Party policy to increase the amount spent on TA training and condemned the decision to do the exact opposite. The dedication and commitment shown by these soldiers is astonishing and everything possible should be done to make sure this country has the troop numbers it needs if we are to continue committing soldiers to these wars.

P.S.For further information, please see THIS weblink from the East Anglia Daily Times

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Back to Libya - now Mr Rammell is involved

I have written in a previous posting about the sophistry of the Government, regarding the release of Libyan mass murderer, Abdul Baset Ali al-Megrahi. Sadly, my worst fears have been confirmed as day after day, Government papers have been leaked which show all the manoeverings behind the scenes by Whitehall and Government Ministers. Moreover, Gordon Brown's continued silence over the matter has simply fuelled the suspicions people have.

Now it seems that our own MP, Bill Rammell, is deeply involved, having previously been senior Foreign Office Minister (he was recently moved to become Armed Forces Minister). According to Iain Dale's website, and today's Guardian:

"In a major setback for Downing Street, which has insisted the release was entirely a matter for Edinburgh, it emerged that a Foreign Office minister intervened last February to make clear to Libya that Brown hoped Abdelbaset al-Megrahi would not "pass away" in prison.
Amid warnings from Tripoli that allowing Megrahi to die in prison would amount to a "death sentence", Bill Rammell, then a Foreign Office minister, passed the message to Abdulati Alobidi, Libya's Europe minister, during a meeting in Tripoli.

His intervention was revealed today in a note of a meeting which took place in Glasgow in March between Scottish officials and Alobidi. The note disclosed that the Libyan minister had said: "Mr Rammell had stated that neither the prime minister nor the foreign secretary would want Mr Megrahi to pass away in prison but the decision on transfer lies in the hands of Scottish ministers........

In a sign of ministerial unease, it took Rammell almost two hours to respond to the publication of his reported remarks. Rammell – now a defence minister – made no attempt to deny his intervention when he released a brief statement which reiterated the British position that
Megrahi's status was a matter for the Scottish authorities. "Neither the Libyans nor the Scottish executive were left in any doubt throughout this entire process that this was a decision for the Scottish executive over which the UK government sought no influence," Rammell said. "I made it clear in all my dealings with the Libyans that the decision around Megrahi was exclusively one for the Scottish executive." David Cameron seized on Rammell's intervention to demand a public inquiry into the release of Megrahi, claiming that Brown now stands accused of double dealing".

The Guardian report indicates that the UK Government, prepared the way for Al Megrahi's release. They can no longer claim that it was entirely down to a decision of the Scottish Executive.

Mr Rammell's apparent actions are an example showing that the Government's so called 'ethical foreign policy' is nothing more than a sham - a pretty headline for the newspapers. Any fair interpretation of the above shows that the Government was doing everything possible to secure the return of the Libyan to Tripoli. No wonder critics of what occurred, argue that Mr Rammell was seemingly a willing tool in the machinations that went on. As many will be aware, Mr Rammell has plenty of form on this sort of thing. Remember the Iraq war anyone?

The release of Al Megrahi and his return to Libya, was an outrage, and an action which will give succour to terrorists across the globe. It will be unforgivable if it emerges that the's Government's decision was made for commercial reasons. There has to be a point where morality in foreign policy begins and the pursuit of profits ends - especially when the security of our country is at stake. Otherwise we might as well just sit back and turn out the lights.

-- by Robert Halfon Post From My iPhone

Time for a Public Meeting

Last Thursday, I wrote a post about the expenses scandal hitting Harlow, following the relevation of the local MPs expenses in the Star and Herald. Well, since that posting and on my rounds - out and about in Harlow - a number of people, have mentioned this issue to me, asking me what my views are.

Having thought about this quite hard - and, despite the political temptation - I am not going to comment on the individual items of expenditure that the MP has spent our taxes on. I still believe that the best judgements for this should be made individually, by local constituents, who should be able to see the expenditure items of the MP. We can then make our minds up accordingly, as to whether, he has taken advantage of the expenses/allowances, or done what is correct and necessary, in his position as an MP.

I do believe however, there is an urgent need for Mr Rammell to do two courses of action:

First: as a matter of priority, to publish all his expenses and allowances online (without black out areas - as the House of Commons has done). He should do this from 1997, when he was first elected as MP for Harlow. Many other Parliamentarians have now published their own details on the Internet, including Ministers, so there is no reason why our MP cannot make this information available.

Second: Mr Rammell should hold an open public meeting for all his consituents, so as to answer their concerns about his expenses/allowances. The MP, often holds public meetings on a huge range of issues, and it is only right that he has one on the matter of his expenses and allowances.

By holding a Public Meeting, the Mr Rammell can answer, or even allay, concerns from local residents and set out why he spent the expenses and allowances in the way that he did.

Many other MPs, from all parties caught up in the expenses scandal, have held public meetings, in order to justify themselves to their constituents. What better way to demonstrate openness and transparency, than to meet with his constituents and explain his actions?

One of the reasons this expenses scandal has come about, is because there was a culture of secrecy and 'an old boys network' in Parliament. By publishing all the receipts on his own website from 1997, and holding a public meeting, Mr Rammell would show that this culture of secrecy is over - at least for his Harlow constituents.

P.S. You may be interested in reading this article which I wrote last week, which also contains weblinks to the Star and Herald.

By Rob Halfon ~ Working hard for Harlow, Hastingwood, Nazeing, Roydon & Sheering. http//roberthalfon.blogspot.com

The Expenses scandal hits Harlow

As you will see from the Herald and the Star, the MPs expenses scandal has hit Harlow this week, with the local MP, Bill Rammell, coming under the spotlight. His claims for home decoration, kitchen sinks, food, council tax and TV licence fee are claims that most seem to have irked local residents in Harlow.

My own view, was published in the Star, and I reproduce it below:

"As far as the individual items Bill has claimed for, I think it should be left to his constituents to decide whether or not they feel each purchase was an appropriate use of taxpayers’ money.

One of the most disappointing things to have come out of the recent revelations is that he classes his London house as his main residence. It is a bit rich for him to criticise me for living in Roydon instead of Harlow while at the same time deeming his main home to be in London. It’s all very well for him to say he has stopped claiming the ACA and welcomes a shake-up of the expenses system, but it’'s like shutting the barn door after the horse has bolted.”

I feel aggrieved that the MP chose to attack me for living in Roydon - an essential part of the Harlow Constituency (as is Harlow, Hastingwood, Nazeing & Sheering) - when it has now emerged that he describes his 'main home' as being in London (probably also funded by the taxpayer). Harlow is deemed his 'second home' allowing him to make all the claims - as outlined in the local papers. Contrary, to what has been suggested, there is no 'requirement' on Ministers to make London their 'main home', and many Ministers have 'main homes' in their Constituencies.

As a Parliamentary candidate/Prospective MP, I dont get any expenses or funds from the taxpayer, or even any kind of wage, and I entirely fund my home, by myself (like most people). I live in Roydon for a few reasons, the most important being that I was able to live in a ground floor flat - at reasonable cost. My walking disability makes stairs very difficult, and this ground floor dwelling is an absolute blessing.

In previous columns on my blog, I have been at pains to mention that this expenses problem has afflicted all parties and some Conservatives have found themselves - like Mr Rammell - in very hot water. However, it is very disappointing that the Harlow MP has seemingly taken advantage of the expenses and allowances available, for all they are worth, whilst giving out an image that is somewhat 'holier than thou'.

Even a Labour Party member (Pat Roberts), has been moved to make a public statement to the Harlow Star:

"I have known Bill for many years.........what he has done may be within the law, but as an MP having been brought up in a working class town with huge social problems, he should be more aware that he should not have claimed expenses such as those for a partial makeover on his own home. MPs take a lot of credit for their success stories, they must also face up to and take the consequences when they have failed us".

Mr Rammell should publish all his expenses online, since he was an MP (as many other Parliamentarians are now doing). He should also call a Public Meeting for all his constituents, so they can question him on his expense claims, so he can justify all the decisions he has made, in the way he has spent hard-earned taxpayer's money.

P.P.S. More details of Mr Rammell's expenses can be found HERE and HERE.

P.P.S. The Liberal Democrats' statement about the MP's expenses (also in the Star), was as follows:

“Bill owes his constituents a sincere apology for the way he has spent their money over the years and I think he should pay it all back. The fact he has made these claims according to the rules is neither here nor there; he should have realised his actions were immoral and unnecessary. Why should the taxpayer foot the bill every time he decides to redecorate his home or goes to the supermarket? It’s difficult to have any faith in him as an MP when you see the way he has exploited this privileged position for his own benefit."

P.P.P.S. I have written a number of articles about the fallout from the expenses saga, and what can be done to make a difference. You can read them HERE and HERE.

By Rob Halfon ~ Working hard for Harlow, Hastingwood, Nazeing, Roydon & Sheering. http//roberthalfon.blogspot.com