Scrapping the Bedroom Tax

^{As we hear the Samaritans are now being called upon to advise council housing officers in local authorities to deal with potentially suicidal callers unable to cope with this reduction in housing benefit, surely we should expect the government to U-turn on this draconian and spiteful attack on hard working people. While we all want our local authorities to prioritise the need for appropriate council housing, a bedroom tax remains the wrong approach to an issue that has obviously been created by the lack of building new homes across the UK.}

^{The arguments in favour of some people needing what others might call a “spare room” is reported daily by the cases of partners and siblings with certain conditions, storing medical equipment, room for occasional carers and family members to stay over, or for the children of separated parents at weekends and in holiday times. All are valid reasons for the need for this space.}

^{Where the 17th century “window tax” was a tax on people’s light, the “bedroom tax” is a tax on community life itself as many are forced to give up their homes or are pushed further into debt by a reduction in this much needed housing benefit. Communities live and thrive on the neighbourly actions of friends and relatives sharing time and space together. The bedroom tax affects far more than those in one particular home, something the Tories will never understand as real community and its meaning is beyond their comprehension.}

^{Labour policy and our 2015 manifesto must include a scrapping of the bedroom tax. The argument for making the best of our housing stock is clear and many councils already offer incentives to downsize if a resident’s particular circumstances have changed.}

^{If we are to make sure that the needs of our younger citizens looking for their first home in the areas they grew up in are met, then we have to build. Slimming down the criteria and artificially reducing waiting lists do not address the issue. Having seen the effects of this Tory/Lib Dem policy in action and with the support of the shadow local government and communities minister, Hilary Benn MP, I have spoken up against the bedroom tax as an elected councillor in my borough. As the parliamentary candidate for South Basildon and East Thurrock I am doing the same within the constituency. Enough is enough. An elected Labour government in 2015 must scrap the tax.}

Lower Thames Crossing Pubilc Meeting

Labour candidate offers support to strong local group.

Residents' voice!

I was delighted to attend a public meeting at Orsett Village Hall on Friday evening (19^th July) at the request of Thurrock residents. I went along to hear local residents speak up about the government’s  proposals for a Lower Thames Crossing that could potentially see a motorway cutting through the heart of Orsett and other parts of the South Basildon and East Thurrock constituency. The residents were in large number  and made clear their opposition to Option C while taking the practical position of setting up a forum to formalise the way forward. Residents will also hold a march through the town at the beginning of August which they hope will get some press attention and promote the issue to a wider audience.

As Labour’s parliamentary candidate for the constituency I made my support for the residents clear and offered to take the forum’s concerns to a meeting with shadow Minister for Transport, Maria Eagle, that has been arranged for September to look at the wider transport issues for the region. I have arranged a meeting at DP World next week where I will also find out more about the impact that the new container port will have on the area.

Orsett residents are clearly organised and, although there was a strong feeling that the coalition government has already made up its mind regarding Option C, they definitely feel the need to express their views and I fully agree.  The democratic voice of the people is the main pillar of a society that values personal  freedom. Sadly for local citizens Option C is favoured by Tory run Essex and Kent County Councils.

I’ll leave residents to express their own views regarding ward councilor Mike Revell’s patronising advice to them on how to run a resident’s forum. Mr. Revell also made a lame attempt to play party politics and discredit Labour saying that the only way forward should be  through their Tory MP.  Party political slurs will not help the residents in any way and I felt that Mr. Revell would be happy to see the residents sleepwalk into an absolute disaster on their own doorstep.  Unfortunately their MP Stephen Metcalfe did not attend the meeting to hear his residents speak so Mr. Revell’s view on how to progress may be a little off the mark.

At Orsett Village Hall close to the path of Option C

Despite opposition from the ward councillor I remain at the service of all South Basildon and East Thurrock residents during my election campaign and hope the coalition government will listen to the resident of the constituency before a decision is made which is expected  later in the year.

Basildon Hospital Statement

STATEMENT REGARDING INITIAL INFORMATION ON DEATHS AT BASILDON HOSPITAL

 

"This is a very worrying time for all who use Basildon hospital or have loved ones receiving its care. We will have to wait until Tuesday for the full Keogh Report to be published but initial statements show there is real cause for concern. Party political point scoring is of no comfort to the families of those who have died and services will have to improve. The staff and patients of the hospital need confidence in the care it offers so this process will need to be open and transparent. Many bodies, including NHS regulators, have a part to play in this process which needs to happen as quickly and as efficiently as possible.”

Best wishes

Mike

Real Opportunity at Prospects College

Last Thursday (11th July) I paid a visit to Prospects College in Basildon with Gordon Marsden, MP for Blackpool South and Shadow Minister for Further Education, Skills and Regional Growth. The modern training centre helps apprentices develops practical skills whilst working towards an industry recognised professional qualification for our future carpenters, electricians, bricklayers, decorators, plumbers, engineers and welders.

We spent the afternoon with Neil Bates, Group Chief Executive of the Prospects Learning Foundation, touring the college, finding out about the opportunities available and meeting some of the apprentices.

The facilities and opportunities at Prospects College are superb creating a great environment for learning. It was great to meet some local apprentices who are benefiting from the courses. Training our young people to a high standard in vocational qualification will help us provide the skills needed in industries such as building, transport and green technologies. This has been severely lacking and something the next Labour  government will address with a work and training guarantee.

More Prospects College info here: http://www.prospectscollege.com/

ExTORYminate!

Labour Petition To Save Basildon Stroke Unit



Specialist Stroke Services currently provided to local people at Basildon Hospital are under threat.

Services are set to move from Basildon to Southend which will add to journey times and put vulnerable people at risk. There is a high level of stroke and heart disease in the area and the last thing stroke victims need is more time on the road. I was delighted to support members of the South Basildon and East Thurrock CLP today (Sunday 7th July) at the Stanford Fair. We took hundreds of signatures at the street stall where we also celebrated the 65th birthday of our NHS.

The Tories botched £3billion NHS reforms are putting lives at risk. You just cannot trust the Tories with the NHS. We need a Labour government in 2015 if we are to save our NHS from further privatization and I hope that the voice of the majority resident across the constituency will be heard.

 

Happy Birthday NHS

I was delighted to be invited to attend the double celebration at Basildon University Hospital this week for the 65th birthday of our NHS and the 20^th anniversary of my union, Unison.

Our NHS is under great threat due to the Tory led government and their Lib Dem partners so we must make sure that we do everything in our power to support the staff and the services that they provide. While at the hospital I signed the birthday card and met two of the many staff members who joined Unison today (Tuesday 2nd July) and it is clear that staff and the users of the hospital love their National Health Service and want to protect it. A Labour government will repeal the NHS Act and provide for the physical, mental and social wellbeing of all citizens by linking health and social care service together.

Specialist stroke unit under threat

It is very worrying that the highly-rated specialist stroke unit at Basildon is under threat of being downgraded and moving services to Southend. This type of action puts finances before patient care and must be challenged. This service must be provided at Basildon hospital, to avoid delays in treatment and provide a service near people homes. I will be hosting a stall at the Stanford Fair on Sunday 7th June to celebrate our NHS and to urge people to sign our petition to save the unit. We mustn’t let the Tories carve up our NHS so I hope people will come along and sign up.

 

You can't trust the Tories with the NHS

Survey shows 45871 people in Basildon and Brentwood say local GP opening hours are inconvenient

New analysis published today by Labour shows that 18%, around 45871 people, in Basildon and Brentwood find their local GP opening times inconvenient.
74% of people in the area want to see their GP surgery’s opening hours extended to include evenings and 67% would like appointments on a Saturday

Mike Le-Surf, Labour's General Election candidate for South Basildon and East Thurrock, said:

“It can be tough for people to balance work and family commitment and people often tell me squeezing a GP visit into already busy schedules can be a challenge.The Government should be doing more to help local GP surgeries offer the greater flexibility people want when it comes to appointments.
Under David Cameron, the NHS is going backwards. Only under a One Nation Labour Government are we going to get an NHS that works for all the British people.”

 

Liz Kendall MP, Labour's Shadow Health Minister said:

“Millions of people want to be able to book an appointment with a GP outside of normal working hours. It’s hard to take time off during work, and many people also have to commute or pick their children up after school. David Cameron promised he’d make it easier for patients to see a GP. But the number of patients who say their surgery opening hours are inconvenient is rising and fewer surgeries are now offering evening and weekend appointments.
This Government removed the vital incentives Labour put in place to make surgery appointments more convenient.  That’s wrong and must change.
Ministers should also instruct NHS England to ensure all GP led Clinical Commissioning Groups act on patients’ concerns about getting an appointment and give this issue the priority it deserves.”