Adrian Sanders

Update on my Private Member’s Bill

The Bill seeks to make a requirement for any private or public sector landlord to ensure there is a working mains wired smoke alarm at the start of a new tenancy.  From there-on responsibility transfers to the tenant. The Bill gets its Second Reading on Friday 19 November.  I should get at least 30 minutes to put the case to the House before a vote.  In advance of the 19th I have started discussions with the Government Department about how they view the Bill, why it isn’t already law, what the barriers are to progressing it as a Private Member’s Bill, what the chances are of the Government agreeing to it, if there are alternative ways to achieve what the Bill aims to do.  

The meeting with the Minister was the first of these steps and he has agreed for two of his civil servants to meet with me and a Fire Officer from Devon & Somerset to talk through some of the barriers.  These appear to be the rules on deregulation. You cannot introduce a new regulation without taking away an existing regulation of equal cost. 

There are also questions relating to the definition of rented accommodation, enforcement and some other minor matters that are not insurmountable with political will on the part of Government. Hopefully we will be able to fix the second meeting shortly and take matters from there. In the meantime MPs continue to add their signature to the motion calling for this change in the law, and Fire & Rescue Services from other parts of the country are campaigning to get their MPs to support the Bill. 

If I’m not your MP, please get in touch with whoever is and ask them to support the Bill on the 19th November.

What it's like to be well hung?

The first past the post electoral system has created this situation and it is a change in the electoral system that will get us out of it. 

The only way Liberal Democrats are ever going to change the voting system is by winning a majority of seats under the first past the post system, or by entering into an arrangement with another party or parties to secure a majority in Parliament to reform the system.

The 2010 election results dictate that the only two party agreement that can command a majority in the House of Commons – other than a Conservative Labour coalition – is between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats.  

Any arrangement with Labour would fall short of a majority and require the support of Nationalist, Northern Ireland, and other minor parties.

Were the Conservatives to offer a change to the electoral system the Liberal Democrats could not refuse to support them in the interests of stability and reform. 

The Conservatives are offering to jettison large parts of their manifesto and accept a number of Liberal Democrat manifesto commitments in order to secure a coalition deal.  But the Conservatives are only offering a referendum on the Alternative Voting system.  This is not a reform of the electoral system.  It is simply a poll on a voting system that like first past the post is not proportional.  It doesn’t bring a proportional voting system that gives people real power over politicians any closer.  It is not the political reform that was hoped for by the electorate. 

However, we are where we are and it would be a disaster if we were to prolong the uncertainty and instability the first past the post electoral system has thrown up.  Thanks to Labour MPs today ruling out what would have been a fragile agreement the Liberal Democrats have no choice but to put the country first and act responsibly with the Conservatives.

LABSERVATIVES - Telling the same old sTory

Labour and Conservatives, Conservatives and Labour: same difference, as the Lib Dems’ rather fabulous Labservative website points out. Here are just three examples from the past 12 months of ways in which the Labservatives have blocked Lib Dem attempts to reform our broken political system

The public’s right to sack MPs

The Liberal Democrats tabled an amendment in June 2009 to place a responsibility on the Secretary of State to review and report on procedures for constituencies to recall their MPs if they have been found guilty of misconduct.

Labour voted against these measures and the Tories refused to back them.

Cap on party donations

The Liberal Democrats tabled an amendment in June 2009 to introduce a £50,000 cap on donations to political parties.

Once again Labour voted against the amendment and the Conservatives abstained.

Lobbying reform

The Liberal Democrats tabled an amendment in 2006 to clamp down on expenditure on lobbying.

Labour voted against and the Conservatives failed to support the measure.

Can you face another 5 years of Labservative government?

Should we be worried about the demise of local media?

The importance of a free enquiring press can never be over-stated.  Yet up to half of the 1,300 local newspapers in the UK could be closed in five years' time.  The Chief Executives of Trinity Mirror and Johnston Press both insist that it is the worst crisis they have ever faced, but the government is refusing to accept there is a problem. 

Redundancies are already occurring and with fewer journalists on local papers and in broadcast newsrooms there are fewer reports from the courts, council chambers and other decision making arenas meaning less scrutiny of those who take decisions that affect our lives.  In future there will be fewer investigations of local institutions, charities, companies and individuals active in a local area.  Less will be known of those who seek public office or support for developments.

Many daily newspapers are being turned into weeklies or merged with other titles to cut costs. Some are closing down altogether.  Whereas in the past there were professionally trained journalists building links and working within their communities exposing the actions of elected officials, employees, the police, and breaking stories to the public, much of what now appears in the press has been churned from a press release without a conversation with anyone.

The big challenge facing local media is competition from other forms of media, especially online advertising. Google use a targeted advertising model to poach large and small advertisers from regional newspapers. This obviously reduces the revenue of local media.  We too are changing how we buy goods and services by using exchanges that can be based anywhere rather than local businesses. 

On the other side of the slate we have the blogosphere, but often this is just the opinion of a writer rather than a news story researched and verified.  Rarely does a blog break a story, but for every story broken by a newspaper there will be countless blogs commentating on it.

Local television is also disappearing. ITV, originally a consortium of companies based in the regions, is now having to ditch its local news in a bid to save money.

Should Government intervene to support local media and local journalism?  Or should we just sit back and make do with a diet of largely anonymous opinions being passed off as facts?  The question I would ask is who gains from the demise of local media.  Those in control of decisions, or those subject to them?

 

 

The Key to Unlocking Change

 

Votes on changing our antiquated and unfair electoral system don't happen very often so tonight's business is something of an occassion.  Reforming our voting system is the key to unlocking change across a range of subjects and for restoring trust in our political system. 

However, voters deserve a real choice – between the discredited status quo and a system where every vote matters and there are no safe seats.  Sadly, that's not quite what's on offer.

The Liberal Democrats have tabled amendments to the Government’s proposals for a referendum on electoral reform that would:

Offer voters a real choice between first-past-the-post and a truly proportional system (Single Transferable Vote), rather than AV



Bring forward the date of the referendum to next May



Close a loophole allowing the next Government to kill the proposals without an Act of Parliament

It is no coincidence that some of the worst expense abuse examples occured in safe seats made secure by the first past the post voting system.  If any politician is sincere about rebuilding trust in our parliamentary system then how we elect MPs has to be part of the process of reform.  Brown has dipped his toe into the reform waters, Cameron has set himself against any reform of the voting system. 

If you care about our democracy don't be short changed by the Tories.  Vote for real reform that gives the voters real choice and power with the Liberal Democrats.

What's the point of the Lib Dems - Part 10

As part of the slow, painful and vital process of restoring public trust in Parliament and our democracy the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) has been set up to oversee MP's expenses.  Last Wednesday Parliament was asked to approve its membership.

You would think that by now every MP would have got the message that the days when we thought we could determine our own pay and judge ourselves on our own behaviour were over.  But no.  On the night Conservative MPs attempted to move an amendment to interfere with the membership of the board of IPSA while the Government made no attempt to stop them undermining its independence.

In an effort to preserve both the independence of IPSA and the integrity of the independent public appointments process, we used an obscure procedural device to ensure that MPs were not able to pick and choose the membership of IPSA's board. Instead, the House was required to consider the full slate of names as the Act intended. 

The Tories and some Labour MPs accused the Liberal Democrats of attempting to stifle debate and prevent the setting up of IPSA. The procedure would not have delayed it any more than the Tory amendment - which by deleting a member of the board would have prevented IPSA being set-up. Our motion, if it had been won, would have delayed its setting up by no more than twenty-four hours. There was no attempt to stifle debate - merely to prevent Conservative MPs from undermining the independence of the IPSA appointments process.

MPs should not be picking and choosing the members of the authority in charge of MPs expenses. Nor should Conservative MPs be second-guessing a fair and open competitive selection process. We may have had to use an obscure procedure, but once again we kept Parliament honest.

Climate Change Sceptics Could Be The Death of Us All

There are some serious scientific brains working around the world on whether climate change is a consequence of human activity, or something way beyond our control.

 
Most of the world’s best brains have concluded that the climate is changing, that it is the result of human endeavour, and unless we take action our very survival as a species is under threat.

 
On the other side there are a number of vested interests against the changes that are being implemented, or proposed, to reduce our consumption of finite resources, or to tax pollution.  The oil and gas industry, their bankers and financiers and everyone else who feeds off them who employ their own ‘experts’ to challenge studies and propagate doubt about some of the measures being undertaken.

Battle lines were revealed in the recent debate over the phasing out of incandesent light bulbs for low energy alternatives.

 
We know experts don’t always get things right and it is right to question their findings, but where the climate is concerned I think cautious acceptance has to be the right way forward.

 
If the climate change sceptics are right, the worst that can happen is that we slow down our economic growth.  We may have to wait just a little longer to become a little more prosperous.

 
If on the other hand they are wrong, our ability to survive on this planet may be so short that a generation already born may be around to witness the death of our species.

 
In that context energy saving light bulbs are a small price to pay for a future.

Those Savage Cuts Revealed

If the Lib Dems are going to be able to take people earning under £10,000 out of tax altogether then savage cuts are going to have to be made to the tax loopholes the very wealthy enjoy.

 

If the party is going to meet its pledge to protect front-line services in education and health, then savage cuts are needed to the trident nuclear missile programme.

 

If we are going to ensure our armed forces are better paid and properly equipped then savage cuts will have to be made to the numbers of pen pushers in the Ministry of Defence.

 

I like the idea of savagely cutting the ID card scheme, banker’s bonuses and the number of MPs.

 

I’ve always welcomed the idea of savage cuts to poverty, ignorance and conformity which is why I joined the Liberal Democrats in the first place; and above all I like the idea of savagely cutting the number of Labour and Conservative MPs at the next election. 

 

The Lib Dems can make all of these cuts except cutting the number of Labour and Conservative MPs, that bit’s up to you.

Stand Down Or Deliver!

Torbay needs a new Mayor, but if Nick Bye won’t stand down, perhaps he can change and start again.

Following his failure to win the open primary in Totnes many people are calling on him to resign. This may seem a little unfair considering he was asked to resign when he applied for the position of Conservative candidate, and asked if he would go if he won the nomination, as well as to stand down were he to win at a General Election.

Personally I thought if he had resigned to fight for the nomination the Totnes electorate might have noted his seriousness and voted for him in larger numbers.

Nick did himself no favours when he initially said that were he selected he would continue to exercise executive power in the bay. Both Ken Livingstone and Boris Johnston resigned their Parliamentary seats in order to concentrate on being an elected Mayor, not the other way round.

It is an honour and privilege to serve your area in Parliament, but how much more of an honour to be trusted with almost unfettered power over the policy and resource distribution decisions that directly affect your community.

And what a challenge presents itself for the only executive Mayor in the region to show how the position can be used for the benefit of the people served.

Nick’s problem now is that he has to convince people and win their confidence that being the elected Mayor of Torbay is what he wants, that he is going to do things differently, and that the job will have his undivided attention from now on.

I think there is a way to lead Torbay towards a brighter and more prosperous future, and this is how he could do it.

Of all the regions in the UK the far South West, and Torbay in particular, face the greatest challenges over the next few years.

The four pillars of the region’s economy have been in various states of decline over the past three decades. Tourism, fishing, agriculture and defence all employ fewer people today than one, five, ten or thirty years ago.

The invention of the jet engine and the development of the package holiday offers people a bucket and spade vacation with guaranteed sunshine, often for less money, from a regional airport closer to their home than the English coast.

Fewer fishermen and boats are required for the same sized haul, as new technology has increased the catch to the point where some species of fish are near extinction.

Modern farming techniques and global competition have increased yields while forcing the small family farmer out of business.

The end of the Cold War and the reappraisal of Britain's role in the world has already led to a reduction in the amount of defence related economic activity, even before Devonport loses its role housing Britain's submarine fleet.

Tourist resorts have been particularly affected as today’s visitor is less likely to patronize locally owned business and instead stay in branded accommodation or self-catering, stocking up in a national supermarket. If they venture out to eat or drink it will be to a national branded pub or restaurant. The result is less of their money stays in the local economy.

Tourism is, and will continue to be, a major contributor to the local economy but the days of the mass exodus from our cities of bucket & spade holidaymakers heading down the A38/M5 for their main holiday are long gone.

We should concentrate on what we do well and hospitality, in all its forms from catering to language schools, health to heritage, alongside the electronic, new technology and creative industries are what we do best.

We start with a number of advantages. We have one the world’s most beautiful natural harbours and one of the most pleasant climates in all England. We have first rate hotels and conference facilities together with nationally renowned restaurants and good leisure facilities. With high performing schools, an outstanding further education college and a skilled workforce, Torbay ought to be easy to market to the visitor and the inward investor.

We know there are a number of local and national barriers to investment – our poor transport links with the rest of the country are top of the list. However, for far too long we have looked outside the bay for salvation. For a silver bullet to solve all our ills when the answer has been staring us in the face all along. The people and place that is Torbay. And perhaps we can use the position, influence and power that comes with having an elected Mayor to do something different, and to do it for ourselves.

Who else but a Mayor could invite all the movers and shakers in an area together to plan a strategy to meet the needs of the communities that make up Torbay over the coming years. A summit to determine the options that could then be put to residents in a formal consultation exercise to develop a ‘People’s Plan’ for the bay, rather than a ‘Mayoral Vision’.

It is not too late to rescue a plan for the future that originates locally and has public ownership and support to replace the oft criticized Mayoral Vision dreamt up by external consultants.

Without public ownership of where we want to be we will never unite the community behind the necessary changes the bay needs to address and meet the challenges that face us. Until we have a plan for the future shaped and owned by the people who live here, we won’t get the single unified voice that we need to get things done our way.

Perhaps the lesson Nick can learn from this is that it matters not who sits in the driving seat in the town hall and who sits on the Green benches at Westminster if the vision of the political leadership in the town hall doesn’t command widespread support outside.

What really matters is engaging the public with the decisions that need to be taken and letting them own the process of change. With no Mayoral election until May 2011 there is time to host that summit, get people together, and start the ball rolling.

That’s the challenge. A very different kind of elected Mayor, working with the people to realise their vision and plans for the future.

Can Nick change, drop his 'Mayoral Vision' and put the people of the bay first, or will he hang on as a lame duck Mayor whose term of office will only be remembered for his inflexibility and failure?

Hats Off to the Tories

Hats off to the Conservative Party for trying to involve more people in politics with their full postal ballot in Totnes to select a candidate to take on Lib Dem challenger Julian Brazil at the next election.

And congratulations to Dr Sara Wollason who won the ballot with nearly half the votes case.

Poor old Nick Bye, 3,088 votes (less than 20% of those cast) and mostly I suspect from people hoping that if they voted for him he would have to resign as Mayor of Torbay!

The Tories didn’t have to do it this way. They could have simply restricted votes to members, or to anyone who could turn up to a hustings meeting. Instead they spent an estimated £40k on a full postal ballot of 69,000 people within the boundaries of the new Totnes constituency. As an aside I wonder if they might have to select again if there is a by-election before the General Election on the existing boundaries given several thousand Totnes constituents were not sent ballot papers? Unless Anthony Steen MP was minded to resign I hope this doesn’t happen.

I do not share the cynical view that this was a desperate exercise to draw a line under the embarrassing circumstances of Anthony Steen’s decision not to stand again at the next election. I hope the Tories will repeat the exercise in future selection to prove the cynics wrong.

Sadly, I can’t see my party ever having the funds to engage in such an exercise. Unlike the Tories we don’t have super rich tax exile donors to help us out financially.

The result: Sarah Wollaston 7914 (48%) Sara Randall-Johnson 5495 (33.3%) Nick Bye 3088 (18.7%) Turnout 24%

Looks like Torbay is left with a lame duck Mayor who wants to be somewhere else.