Tories Looking Forward to Cuts

Reading the Guardian piece about Shadow Treasury Chief Secretary Phillip Hammond yesterday left me cold and angry. Hammond seemed to be almost enjoying the prospect of the savage cuts in public spending he is planning should the Tories gain power in next year's election. Lots of macho talk about taking "early action" and "establishing credibility" with the City and global markets. All about needing to keep the financiers happy - the same ones who got us into this current mess - rather than understanding the impact of such cuts on jobs and services for the vast majority of people in this country.

I was in Grantown on Saturday, meeting folk at the Figgat Fair. The three small care homes there are prime examples of what may be under threat if Hammond and his ilk get their way.

Hammond may fully expect to be the nation's hate figure, but he will clearly have a big smile on his face as he wields the spending axe with undisguised enjoyment.

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Digital Highlands

Last month, the Government published Digital Britain, a comprehensive strategy for the development of digital communications and services across the UK to meet the needs of individuals, business and government in the information age.

Communities in the Highlands in particular will benefit from the Universal Service Commitment, which will ensure we all have access to high quality broadband by 2012. Digital Britain goes further, with ambitious plans to deliver Next Generation Broadband to all of our communities. This is not just about giving us all ever faster access to uTube. Small businesses can thrive in the rural economy when they have high-quality communication links whilst we can all benefit from access to services and information across such digital networks.

Labour's priorities between now and the General Election are threefold: cleaning up politics, taking Britain out of recession and into recovery and modernising our public services and infrastructure.

I welcome Lord Carter's report as a major contribution to third of these goals.

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Nairn, Brown and the Royal Mail

We took our campaign to Nairn on Saturday. An hour handing out leaflets outside the Town House and then delivering the rest door to door in Fishertown. Of all our "meet the voter" activities, so far, this was by far the most difficult. Maybe it was just the aftermath of an election day, but there did seem to be a lot more people who wanted to put us in the "all you politicians are ****" category. The expenses scandal was the issue rather than Labour itself. And we did meet a some locals - including one former party member - who stopped for a good long talk. Despite the abuse, this did feel like a real community with a potentially strong Labour support. If we can motivate them to come out and vote.

I wanted the photo of me next to the post box, to use in my coming campaign to keep the Royal Mail public. However, I was enthused today to read that the government may indeed finally be listening and will decide to delay the Bill (even if its on the ground of stock market values, a delay is a delay). I said as much to some Coop Party members last night; Gordon Brown deserves our support to lead us through till the spring, when I believe the economy will be much better. Our voters may be prepared to come out and support us then, but he needs to help motivate party workers by kicking policies like this into the long grass. ID Cards next?

Cameron, the Tories and the Telegraph know the economy is going to be better by spring next year as well and I am sure this is why the Telegraph's expenses campaign was timed to de-stabilise us now, to try and panic us into an election now rather than in 6-12 months time. I have no time for those Labour cabinet members who put their own interests before the party and our people. Strong hearts and minds have seen us through this. Things CAN only get better.

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Dear Gordon.........

This isn't a great time to be a Labour PPC (Prospective Parliamentary Candidate). At best, most of our friends and colleagues think we are mad. And many others think much worse of us. But we all know what is motivating us to stand, so we do feel a bit like a particular "band of brothers" (and sisters) right now, but a very determined band. Many of us have been talking by phone and email today about how best to show our support for Gordon Brown in these difficult time. Along with many other PPCs, I have tonight signed and sent this letter.

Dear Gordon

As Labour's parliamentary candidates for the next General Election, we wanted to make clear our view on the current political events. Over the last 12 years in Government, and before, you have made an enormous contribution to this country and the Labour Party and this is very widely acknowledged. However what we also recognise that in the current economic crisis, you have been the only party leader with a real plan for how we can help people through these difficult times.

In particular, your work with President Obama and others to bring together the world’s leaders to address collectively the global economic crisis has ensured that Britain – and indeed the world – is better placed to emerge quickly from the current situation. Our constituents need to know that in contrast to the do-nothing Tories, our Labour Government will continue to take the steps necessary to protect our country’s interests.

To this end we are asking you to restate your commitment to continue as our Prime Minister and to remain focused on what really matters to the people of Scotland.

Now is not the time for rocking the boat, now is the time for a steady hand at the wheel of the ship. The actions of a handful of rebels cannot be allowed to derail the economic recovery that you have led. We look forward to working with you in the months ahead as we take our case to the country whenever the General Election is called.

With best wishes

So tomorrow, we will be out on the streets of Nairn. No hiding.

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Sunshine in Strathspey

The sun came out for us in Aviemore on Saturday. In weather like this, campaigning is almost a pleasure. There were a lot of visitors - who all got a Euro Election leaflet - but a good many local folk who stopped to talk. Needless to say, most just wanted to vent their anger and frustration over MPs and how they have been abusing the expenses system, but at least they weren't taking it out directly on the party volunteers like us.

A surprising number of people did actually want to talk about politics. Some raised very local issues - Tescos really need to get their car park policy sorted - but others talked about the economy and even the Euro (why haven't we joined it yet)!

We seemed to be the only political party out and talking to people that morning. Maybe even the Liberals are hiding, or maybe they just don't see the need. I got the impression that local people are not too used to their political representatives being seen out and about like this, and were genuinely interested. Hopefully, some people will remember that come election time.

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Politics Still Matters

Going door to door over the weekend, canvassing for Labour candidates in the Euro Elections, I've lost count of how many times people have -mostly - smiled sympathetically and just asked "why are you still doing this"?

They mostly mean, of course, why are volunteer, unpaid party foot soldiers like me - and my many party colleagues who were out on Saturday - still prepared to face up and take the flack on behalf of our elected politicians in the midst of the expenses furore.

The answer is that despite the appalling behaviour of some individual politicians I still believe that electing labour party representatives into office locally, at Holyrood, Westminster and Strasbourg really matters.

In Europe it matters because its only the socialist group who are working to create jobs, protect working people, enforce better regulation of financial services and deal with climate change.

Here in the Highlands it matters because Labour is doing everything it can to save jobs, keep businesses afloat and get Scotland back on track. Its a Labour government that has rescued Scotland’s banks – not to help failed bankers, but to save jobs, mortgages, homes and savings. Its Labour who has increased people’s spending power by giving people a little extra in their pockets to support the economy; lower mortgage payments, increased child benefits and raised pension credits. Its Labour who is helping small businesses with the Loan Guarantee Scheme and making sure that HM Revenue & Customs is just a wee bit more helpful when the tax bills are due.

In Inverness it matters. Last Friday's Courier exposed the shocking social inequalities in the heart of the City. As usual, its those with the least who pay the price when our current economic model fails. Those are the people who should expect Labour to stand up for them, not make it worse.

We need to grow our way out of this recession, not cut our way out of it.

That's why I'll be proud to be out on the street in Aviemore this weekend, standing up for Labour values for all our communities.

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My Pledge on Expenses

The Westminster expenses scandal raises a cloud of suspicion around all those who seek to represent their political parties.

As a measure of my intention to try and restore an element of trust between voters and political representatives, as a Prospective Parliamentary Candidate I would like to put on record the following five pledges which will govern my conduct if I am elected to Parliament.

1. As a parliamentary candidate I will subscribe to the highest standards of integrity, transparency, accountability and financial economy


2. I seek elected office not for personal gain but to serve the public and our democracy, which I consider an honour and a privilege


3. I will publish my expenses online within a month of submitting them and publicise them annually in full to my constituents


4. I will hold regular meetings with my community and will regularly report back to my constituency party


5. I will apply the principle of best value to all decisions I make which involve the use of public money to cover my duties, including for travel and accommodation.

A great many of our current Members of Parliament already embody these principles in their day-to-day conduct and their example should be recognised. We cannot return to a system where only those who are already independently wealthy can put themselves forward for election to Parliament, so necessary reforms to the system of MPs’ expenses and allowances should reflect the need for those representing constituencies outside Greater London - especially from areas like the Highlands - to claim for appropriate accommodation and travel expenses. In the absence, however, of a decision on the final form of the new system, these pledges will act as my guide if I have the honour of being elected to the House of Commons.

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