Lynne's Parliament and Haringey diary

Bit like a yoyo today. Had to go to Westminster then back to Hornsey & Wood Green then back to Westminster then back to Hornsey & Wood Green. The middle H & WG was to address Haringey teachers on Labour's Education Bill. I was definitely preaching to the converted - in terms of them and me and the Lib Dems (and some Labour members) being against the proposals. The whole Bill is about structures really - not standards which it should be. As to selling off our schools to commercial sponsors (and if you buy three - now you get a discount) - it is a frightening scenario. But all our agreement in the hall won't change Labour's stony ears I fear. Maybe a massive lobby by teachers will have some good effect. As far as I can gather from Sarah Teather - our Education Spokesperson - the Government haven't moved an inch in all eighteen sessions in committee stage on the Bill.

At Westminster end go with cross-party group to meet with Beverly Hughes about the situation surrounding parents wrongly accused of child abuse. I present my constituent's case as do the others. Ms Hughes listens well and promises to look into the case I give to her. It is devastating for families wrongly accused. Failing to intervene when you should brings tragic results – but so does intervening when you shouldn’t, and in this case it seems that procedures were just not followed at the school etc. Those sort of mistakes should not happen. I await Ms Hughes follow-up.