Lynne's Parliament and Haringey diary

I saw Ming Monday night, Simon Tuesday morning and Mark too - and all answered my questions pretty well. Different candidates better on different questions. I am not intending to go public with any of the answers on the Charles's downfall question. I also put the questions to Chris Huhne who I had been encouraging to stand but who, as I write, is still considering it. If he does run - I will back him.

Chris is an economic expert - so he's the man to take the fight to Gordon Brown on the central issue that decides elections. An ambitious, successful party needs to win the national debate on economic policy.

We need to talk about not just what to do with this country's wealth but also about how to create more - to lift more people out of poverty, to improve our public services and to have the resources to protect and improve our communities and our environment.

Anyway - we must see today (Thursday as I write) whether he will. When I saw him last night after the Parliamentary meeting, he was going to 'sleep on it'.

Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday was not as uproarious as I had thought it would be. There was some jeering and shouting - but both Ming and Simon (who had questions) did pretty well. Tony Blair was on song - and I still think Cameron seems like an earnest schoolboy - but did ok too.

The Ruth Kelly issue is breaking all over the place today - and this is serious in my view. We have had some of these issues in Haringey before - when we have complained because someone on a list has been employed because Haringey has decided to use their discretion. My colleague who has dealt with this portfolio over some time now (Cllr Ron Aitken) has pursued and pursued these type of standards failures - but found the same approach as that seemingly taken by Ms Kelly.

Since the dreadful events surrounding Victoria Climbie in Haringey, Ron has courageously and stoically continued to pursue the council about its procedures around the protection of children. He texts me late, around midnight, to say he is already working on the local associated issues to the rumpus.

I hope this gives us an opportunity to put pressure on Haringey again.

In the midst of all this I meet the High Commissioner of Cyprs, Mr Petros Eftychiou. I was very impressed with him and felt he gave me an excellent history of why things around the Cyprus issue are the way they are. I will continue (but better informed) to raise issues on this whenever I get the opportunity. It is important to keep it high on the Government agenda - so that one day - both Greek and Turkish Cypriots can live in harmony and they all can benefit from a Cyprus that progresses and prospers.

Finish the very long day with a meeting of the MPs willing to support Chris's nomination. Hope he sleeps well!

Labels: chris huhne, tony blair