Lynne's Parliament and Haringey diary

Had to change my schedule around to be at Ming's crime speech. I thought Ming did a good job on it - and was disappointed by the leader in the Independent which slags him off and the Lib Dems for not standing up for Liberalism. Bollocks! Press slag us off for being soft on crime and then when we state our credentials more aggressively - slag us off anyway. I do think we should take the world on our terms and I am for going out and being far more bold on our stance. I am convinced that we actually hold the intellectual and policy keys to making the world a better place - which is why both the other parties continually steal or try to steal our territory. It is irksome to see Cameron getting the coverage he does for doing sweet FA other than ride a bicycle with his shoe chauffer in attendance. He ought to have been slaughtered for that.

Then an afternoon of other peoples' problems at surgery at Wood Green Library. The BBC 'See Hear' team arrive to film me after surgery as they are doing more in depth coverage of the Blanche Nevile School for Deaf Children story.

Haringey Council would like to make out that we (the governors, teachers and me) have all made a fuss about nothing - that there was never any intention to close Blanche Nevile. Fly in the Council ointment of course is the letter in my possession from Sharon Shoesmith (Director of Children’s' Services) to Judy Downey (Chair of Governors) stating in black and white that the school is financially vulnerable and that there is a proposal to integrate the deaf teaching into Highgate Primary and Fortismere and to possibly close Blanche Nevile. I rest my case.

Actually, it is fine by me. I am more than happy to have upped the ante on this - now that the Council has been forced to publicly state that the school won't close - mission accomplished. They might not admit they’ve back-tracked, but the key thing is – they have, and that will be good news for the children and parents who rely on the school.

Labels: crime, ming campbell

Go to Oxford on Thursday evening to address Oxford University Liberal Democrats. Confess to them that this is my old stomping ground (Ox Poly!) and where I took my first political steps - both campaigning to save art and stop the poly becoming a University (we won - but as Oxford Brookes now clearly exists - only temporarily) and also marched against 'Maggie Thatcher - Union Snatcher' when Maggie was Education Minister trying to take away student unions. I even threw flour-bags at her effigy - street cred or what? Another campaign, which, although it worked in the short-run - Student Unions were saved - ultimately failed to dent her passage to Prime Ministerial greatness. Oh well.

I used the bulk of my speech to meander through the ills of modern society and more pointedly - the ills of the Labour Government and its mantra of over-controlled micro-management of public services, onslaught on civil liberties and put forward my strategy for winning seats at the next general election. Had a really enjoyable discussion afterwards - and it all seemed to go well - and then back to London by around 1am.

Education! Education! Education! Labour, supported by the Tories, push through their dreadful Education Bill this week - the one that moves the deckchairs, that will allow McDonalds to run a school and which does nothing to address standards within schools or meet children’s needs. There are a few Labour rebels - but with the unwavering and pretty uncritical support of the now cuddly Tories - our school system moves nearer to disaster.

Nick Clegg, myself , Roger Williamsand Mark Hunter (the Home Affairs Front Bench Team) joined by Simon Hughes, party president, go to the Passport Office to hand in our old passports and apply for new ones. This is to illustrate our protest at the Government forcing all of us to go onto the National ID database at the point at which we get a new passport. It doesn't start for a while - but is against their manifesto pledge that the ID card / database would be voluntary. They’ve broken that promise (surprise, surprise) - by linking it to renewing passports are basically making it mandatory. But if you renew your passport before these rules come in – you can put off joining the register for 10 years. But which time who know who will have won an election and maybe scrapped the whole scheme.

I truly don't think this will hit home with the public until they twig when and as they renew - but as the nation wakes up to the cost and the consequences - I am still hopeful that it can be stopped. The big problem will be how much has already been spent by the time this happens - too many billions that could have gone on effective crime-fighting measures – like more police - and there will be no turning back.

You can sign the Lib Dem petition against ID cards and also find out how you can renew your own passport (if you have one) before the Big Brother database kicks in at the Lib Dem website.

Labels: id cards, mark hunter, nick clegg, simon hughes

Quite emotional for me - tonight’s Haringey Council Mayor Making is the first sitting of Haringey Council since the local elections. I remember what it was like when I was first elected to the Council in 1998 along with Julia and June (the first ever Lib Dem group on Haringey) and I became Leader of the Opposition. Then the layout of the chamber meant there were three rows each side, and we would sit in a little clutch at the front on one side - surrounded by Labour members on all sides (and long ago two Tories as well) who laid into us in the most bullying way you can imagine. Toby Harris was the then Leader of the Haringey Council and he and his cohorts spent much of each meeting just slagging me individually and the Lib Dems collectively off. I had to rise to speak on every item virtually. I often think how lucky I was to have such a rough start in politics. It certainly makes the Commons Chamber seem like a nursery by comparison!

Anyway - tonight and only eight years later, as I sit as the MP at the front of the guest seats, - there are still three rows of councillors each side of the chamber - but instead of 54 Labour and 3 LibDems - now it is 30 Labour and 27 LibDems. And how subdued and conciliatory Labour have suddenly become. It felt fantastic! To see how we have grown and to recognise that change is possible and hard work does reap rewards...

Some things don't change, however, and all the important positions in the Council, as ever, are exclusively Labour - indicating that they are not yet willing to accept that the balance has changed in Haringey.

Labels: haringey council

Pouring with rain and freezing cold - the 10K run in the Hornsey YMCA's annual Fun Run and Children’s' Race day was still great - but not like a summer day when families spend the day having fun and picnicking.

I start the race and then give out prizes a couple of hours later when the runners have run. The money raised this year (and this was the biggest year of entry ever) is going to TreeHouse Trust - a local charity that provides top-notch education for children with autism in Muswell Hill. They have integrated well into the local community - and some of their children were taking part in the races today. Fab!

It was so wet and miserable, however, that despite the British stoicism that saw all the runners run regardless, not all the winners hung around for their prizes. The overall winners were there - and well done to everyone who took part. The Hornsey YMCA does fantastic work in the local community and deserves much more thanks and recognition than it gets. Today they had their new community bus at Priory Park. This bus will go out to reach those youngsters who normal channels don't reach to give them information on pathways to work and sexual health advice and so on.

Later in the day I go to St Mary's where the Lib Dems are having their thank you party to all those who helped us in the recent local elections. The room is packed - and the really great thing is that there are dozens of people I don't know. In the old days I knew everyone. But we have grown so hugely over recent years - this is the result. So I spend the next few hours talking to the people I don't know - all of whom really helped us to the fantastic result we achieved. Taking eleven seats directly off of Labour and topping the poll across the borough was no mean feat - and if there are a couple of by-elections now...

Cannot help but mention in passing the farcical state that the Home Office appears to now be in. It's like a Carry On film - where one gaff follows another. However, hate to say I told you so - but on every possible occasion since I was elected I have pointed out that the Home Office is the most incompetent and inefficient organisation I have encountered. I have a stream of people through my surgery every week whose lives are held in suspended animation because the Home Office loses their documents, takes years to answer, makes mistakes, and so on. Just glad its awfulness is now being so publicly exposed. This must herald substantive change as people’s lives are completely screwed by such a dreadful department.

Labels: treehouse trust

Guest on panel of speakers at Liberty's Annual General Meeting. Walking in slightly early I catch the tail end of motions being put. And extremely heated and controversial they were. The first I caught was on whether teachers who had had allegations made against them of child abuse issues - false allegations mind you - should be able to get them removed from the record. Currently the Criminal Record Bureau searches result in these allegations being recorded and remaining part of the record. Not surprisingly (and quite outside the current news about the CRB making mistakes on their checks) this has meant that perfectly innocent teachers have found that because of this they have been unable to continue in their profession. Very emotive - and so emotive in fact - that it got sent back (remitted) for further work I guess. But the interesting thing about this moral dilemma is that it follows a current trend where we are seeing the authoritarian view voiced saying that the tarnishing of innocent people is a price we have to pay for the protection of our children. I don't think that is right. I think we are sophisticated enough to get it far more right than we are getting - and it is not good enough to presume guilt 'in case'. Protection for children must be rigorous and paramount - but where it is found to be wrong (the allegations were found to be false), there can be no reason for leaving erroneous records in place to hound those falsely accused in perpetuity. You cannot argue that simply because an allegation - possibly malicious - has been made then there is no smoke without a fire. That is the danger of police records and the holding of innocent DNA and so on. These mistakes are perpetuated once systemised in the cyberworld and the potential extension across other databases means that errors or wrongs will be exacerbated and perpetuated.

The second of the motions I caught was whether a member of the BNP should be allowed to be employed in the public services - like the prison service. The argument raged - and it is a difficult one. Do you take the purist view and say regardless of politics or religion everyone should be employed on an equal basis until such time as they act or do something wrong. Or do you avoid the problem by not employing and thus excluding the possibility? These are the questions of moral dilemma for a free society - and seemingly even Liberty has difficulties finding the answers.

Labels: dna

Surgery all morning at Wood Green library followed by meeting with the council officers involved in the Wood Green Master Plan.

Master Plan is a bit of a misnomer - as this is really a Wood Green Planning and Business Improvement document. It's early stages - but as far as I could glean this was a bit of strategic assessment of what might improve the regeneration and status of the area. There are a number of big sites that will be developed in the relatively near future - like Heartlands and the old Civic Centre site. The issues of jobs in an area of high unemployment, planning, sustainability and so on need to be handled sensibly to bring in the sort of retail that will provide more trade and attract more people – whilst taking into account in the needs of local residents whose services – such as transport, schools and health facilities – will need to cope with any growth. And the confidence of residents is dented when ghastly looking buildings from lowest common denominator developers get built.

However, that having been said, I am heartened by the fact that strategic thinking is going on - so long as it is followed by strategic consultation before it gets to a stage where we all feel we have no effect on outcome. I was delighted to learn that the new Haringey Chief Exec - Ita O’Donovan - has been having a go about design quality of the built environment. In my first meeting with her, I made it clear that I felt Wood Green was being damaged by ugly buildings that people then had to live with for years. In fact my first speech in Parliament talked about this - as it is always those in areas of deprivation who get the most badly stuffed by this sort of crappy design and materials.

I also lobbied at the meeting for improvement to Wood Green station - which can barely cope with the numbers already using it. It is not just a lick of paint that is needed but a redevelopment and expansion of capacity. And my last thrust was on sustainability - this is an opportunity to bring some real meaning to sustainability and also to be innovative. Why not bring some real green-ness to Wood Green High Street - water, trees, landscaping, planting street furniture of a real high standard - would all make such a difference! And the front of the library … need I say more?

Last issue of the day is the tragic knifing of schoolboy Kiyan Prince in Edgware. Carrying a knife in a public place should carry the same sentence as that for firearms. If you are murdered by a gun or murdered by knife, the outcome is the same - you are dead. In the Violent Crime Reduction Bill going through Parliament the Lib Dems did put an amendment at Report Stage asking for this. Labour voted against increasing the sentence. The Bill will raise the age at which you can buy a knife from 16 to 18 - which we supported (despite Labour's attacks on us to the contrary) - but wanted Labour to put in what types of knives were prohibited. As it stands the new legislation means you will be able to get married at 16 but not buy your cutlery from John Lewis until you are 18!

The 7-year tariff for carrying a gun has reduced gun crime. Knives should be the same. I don't take the view that we should automatically have scanners in every school - that is not the answer to knife crime. I heartily approve of teachers being given the powers to search those kids they suspect of carrying - but don't believe we should treat all children as criminals. Even more importantly, as knife-carrying is epidemic, is to work on the why and the causes to change behaviour. The culture means that kids believe it is cool to carry a knife - a fashion accessory to gain status. Supporting teachers, the school police person, acceptable behaviour contracts (ABCs) which target behaviour improvement - we need a long sustained and well-resourced emphasis on working on children to turn this around. Punishment, strong sentencing and enforcement all play an important part - but they are not enough on their own to counter the ills of society.

Labels: knife crime, planning issues, violent crime reduction bill

Meet to discuss drugs policy. Clearly the Government's prohibition strategy isn't working - indeed it could be argued somewhat well that prohibition (much like drink in the most famous prohibition of them all) is making it worse in some ways. Addiction is flourishing in many places and the countries where the raw materials are grown have often seen drugs become industries that dominate and ruin large parts of those very countries. Much to be thought about.

In afternoon I visit The Spinney. The Spinney is just that - a little wooded spinney that adjoins on one side Rhodes Avenue Primary School and on the other Alexandra Recreation Ground. The school has got six months use of The Spinney. To date it has been a dumping ground and little used - but local volunteers have helped clear it up, the school has laid a nature trail and when I visited classes were busy studying nature for real. Absolutely fabulous. The Council have said in principle they are happy for the school to have some use of it in future - but that they will not be responsible for cleaning, health and safety or opening and locking the gates. And the local community also – understandably – wants to have access to the site too.

So - could I help? Well, after the meeting I spoke with my colleague Wayne Hoban (one of the Lib Dem councillors representing the area) about setting in motion a meeting of the key local interest groups - school, community, Friends of the Park and the Council to see where the land lies. You can perhaps see a solution where the children from the school have exclusive access during the school hours - but outside of school hours on a weekday, on weekends and during the holidays it is available for everyone. But would that be acceptable to all parties? And how would the practicalities of maintenance, care and safety be addressed? None of this insurmountable - and I have to say - it is a little magical space that would be wonderful for the Rhodes Avenue children and the local community to enjoy!

Labels: alexandra park school, wayne hoban

Main event of the day for me is the long-awaited meeting with the police about our local police stations. There has been a lot of concern about the future of police stations in the borough (and indeed across London). And we know that our precious stations like Muswell Hill and St Ann's are in the firing line. The police make no apology for wanting buildings that work and will deliver effective policing. Well - we all want that too - but if that means closing some stations - then there had better be something better on the table to persuade us that this really is an “improvement”.

So - the public need to be consulted properly on any proposals and fully informed about what alternatives there are. As I understand it at the moment - there will be a patrol centre and a custody centre at Wood Green, there will be an office and management block somewhere and - if we can find suitable premises to house up to three Safer Neighbourhood Teams in Muswell Hill – then those teams, along with a front counter open to the public, will be based in the centre of Muswell Hill. I gather it is difficult to find premises that are suitable – so a lot is still up in the air but it’s possible we’d end up with something better than the current situation.

My nervousness, or remaining nervousness, is not really about changing location (as in this case it’d mean moving the police building in Muswell Hill to a more central location). But firstly - it must be consulted on with local people. And secondly - if local people are amenable to a sensible program of estate renewal and agree that if suitable alternative is found in Muswell Hill - then they will need cast-iron guarantees about its future and longevity etc. Once bricks and mortar of our local police station are gone – it’s much, much harder to get them back. So - the sooner the consultation and debate with local people begins, the better.

Day begins filming with Channel 4 a program about Sir Ian Blair's first year in charge of London’s policing. Well - you'll just have to watch when it comes out - but suffice to say in terms of honeymoon periods, I don't think he had one.

Today is a mish-mash of meetings etc with the backdrop of the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill - the Bill that has been nicknamed the Abolition of Parliament Bill as in its original form it gives sweeping ability to ministers to wipe out all previous legislation without proper Parliamentary debate. Today is the first day of two days of Report Stage. Judging from the avalanche of Government amendments - the penny has dropped and the Government have realised what a pig's ear they have made out of this Bill. I don't think anyone disagrees with the need to reform some of the processes to facilitate effective legislative reform. But this Bill was so flawed the Government should never have put it out in the original form.

In the evening meet Peter Hendy (Transport Commissioner for London) who I used to scrutinise when I was Chair of Transport at the London Assembly. I have a couple of issues to harangue him over - and business out the way - we discuss what we know about everyone we know. Peter is a good guy and I am glad he made it to Commissioner. London has some huge challenges ahead - not least Thames Gateway and the North London Line. I am optimistic that we will see a real change in the aspiration of overground rail with this addition to the TfL family. Peter is certainly very excited about its future.

Needless to say I bring up the North Circular – where an inadequate scheme to solve the problem is incessantly delayed. My plea is to get the funding in for the rat-running prevention now. I really don't see why local residents should suffer endlessly because major schemes fall foul of one thing or another. In the latest case - if there is a public enquiry it could be years before anything goes ahead or not. We want our £4 million now. And just in case Peter was missing my campaigning - I asked him just exactly what I and local people need to do to make TfL extend the 603 bus route throughout the day and evening. What are the criteria? How can we prove we need it? What will persuade him to spend money on this route? I look forward to the answers in due course!

Labels: 603 bus, peter hendy

I receive an email saying: Encourage Your Constituents to Have Their Say on the Future of the Lottery

The National Lottery Commission is the regulator of the National Lottery and is responsible for deciding who will operate the National Lottery when the current licence expires in January 2009. They say they are committed to running a fair, open and transparent competition, which has been designed to attract high quality, credible bids to run one of the most successful lotteries in the world.

They have published the Draft Invitation to Apply (ITA), which sets out the near-final details of the opportunity to bid for the licence to run the National Lottery from 1 February 2009. Published alongside the ITA is the Draft Licence, which details the conditions under which the Lottery will be regulated. The Final ITA and Licence will be published in June 2006.

The Draft ITA is available to download from their website at: http://www.natlotcomm.gov.uk/Competition/

Public opinion is an important factor in the competition process they say, and ask if I am willing to encourage members of the public to contribute their views as part of the competition process. They have launched an online questionnaire to encourage people to have their say on the future of the Lottery. The questionnaire is available at www.natlotcomm.gov.uk

So as they say that they want my constituents to Have Their Say - I am publicising this so that you can!

Long, long surgery at Hornsey Library. Always fascinating - always draining. Tales of misery of families torn apart by Home Office decisions that would break your heart; housing problems with four in a room; benefits cock-ups that end with eviction because Haringey loses applications - even though client has proof of posting; a young woman with a disabled child comes to tell me of the dreadful lack of support given to those with disabilities and the rude and unhelpful treatment they get; a young man with autism receives cuts and bruises while in respite care - and his family cannot get any appropriate explanations of why. So many battles to fight!

John Reid (new Home Secretary) makes statement on the reports that have come out on the chronology and the intelligence about the July London bombings last year. The thrust is to tell the tale of what happened when and to present the findings of the Security Committee - which focused on intelligence and resources.

As the story unfolded it became clear that two of the bombers were known but not followed up on. So there was an opportunity to have stopped the bombings. I don't know that you will ever be able to stop everything happening. According to Reid three further attacks on London have been stopped since last year. However, the lack of resources to put possible suspects etc under surveillance is not acceptable.

We are pushing for a public enquiry. Reid refuses to authorise one. The remit of the committees who reported today is very narrowly focused - and doesn't touch on prevention. What a wider remit could examine is why British boys were able to be radicalised, turning on their fellow citizens and murdering them. What is going on? That is what we need to understand - and address. It is quite clear that these were not boys from some dreadfully deprived or socially excluded background. They were from decent families and as far as I can tell, actually active participating members of society in terms of helping youngsters in the area, being a classroom assistant and so on.

So yes - we need to work with communities where deprivation and lack of employment and housing problems afflict large swathes of the community - but we are fooling ourselves if we think that will address the fundamental causes of radicalisation. That is a whole other ball game. And we cannot really begin to tackle it unless we know the why – which is why a public inquiry is the best way forward. Even the USA has appropriate investigations post 9/11.

In the evening I am addressing Year 11 and their parents at the Fortismere “Record of Achievement Night”. It’s held in the Panorama Room at Ally Pally. There are nine forms at this age - so we are talking around 200+ pupils and a couple of parents each. So the hall is thronging! We start with fantastic music. Two of the solo female vocalists had voices so wonderful that you get a lump in your throat.

The National Record of Achievement - which was presented to each student individually when they came up - is a record not only of their learning but also their extracurricular activities. I am a great fan of extra-curricular activity. And as an employer - I am looking in terms of formal qualifications, but beyond that I am looking for character, and determination and the person beyond the qualifications.

It was a very heart-warming evening. Contrast that against the day before when Labour (Government and Council) refused to review the funding allocation to Fortismere to rebuild (or even make usable) the 6th form block. Fortismere is the sort of school the Government says it wants to expand. It is a good school and its buildings need work. But when the council allocated the money for buildings - Fortismere got the least in the whole borough.

Martin Horwood MP stands in for me for the first hour of the Police and Justice Bill in Parliament as I am going with the governors and Head of Fortismere School to present their case for funding. The school has a buildings crisis looming since Haringey Council allocated only £1.61 million out of the borough’s £165 million to Fortismere.

They present the case well - but the Government’s line was that they needed to work with the council on getting a fair share for their school. Well - they tried that didn't they - and it didn't work. There is a pretty underhand pressure being applied so that Fortismere will be forced to sell off grounds or assets. Whilst we all applaud funding being given with a bias towards helping areas with high deprivation - it goes too far when practically new schools are getting great dollops of cash and Fortismere - with buildings containing rooms that are actually unusable - is neglected.

Rush back to Parliament to take over from Martin on the Police and Justice Bill. The Government has changed diddly squat during Committee - and now at Report and Third Reading are similarly immoveable.

So the sweeping forced mergers of police forces against their will is still there. So much for local policing! They are bunging in the Prison Inspectorate with four others - a move condemned by all (except the Government); they are increasing summary justice without any judicial checks and balances; they refuse to go back and renegotiate our unfair and unequal extradition arrangements with the USA and they are centralising power into the hands of the Home Secretary - who will be able to direct the work of the police and police authorities throughout the land without appropriate safeguards.

Labels: fortismere school

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.

Today have meeting with Regional Director of Metropolitan Housing - the housing association in charge of the flat in Wood Green where Joyce Vincent lay dead for two to three years.

Having gone over the procedures at length, I am part re-assured that the association is looking at ways that they can pick up on the warning signs from persistent lack of contact with a tenant. He gives me no details at all on the crucial issues of timing - and we outside just have to take the assurance that there was nothing about Ms Vincent that indicated she needed any more support or contact than the rest of us.

Mr Mawson picks up something I had put on my blog - which was that I am surprised around the lack of follow up on anyone who leaves a women’s refuge. I had ventured to suggest that there should at minimum level be a follow up phone call or something at 3 months, and 6 months for the first year or whatever - just to touch base, not necessarily intervene in any way. Mr Mawson says he will add it into the safety net pot that he is trying to create to ensure this doesn't happen again. He promises to write to me when the report on the incident is finished and goes to the board. He seems determined to instigate better procedures.

The only niggle I really have left is that without any information as to the timing of any of the events leading up to Ms Vincent's death - you kind of feel as if you haven't made sure for yourself the facts of the case.

Spend rest of evening trying to deal with amendments for the Police Justice Bill on Wednesday.

Off to do the Sunday Politics Show for the third week in a row. Added to our number this week is Tony Travers. We hash over vagaries of London's voting patterns. After the show, Tim Donovan, Tony and I chat about the disintegration of the Labour party as it appears to descend into civil war with Brown's henchmen turning up the heat - hoping to force Blair into going, or at least stating when he will be going.

I try and persuade Tim to do a show on DNA. I have been championing a number of issues around DNA for some years - and the Independent on Sunday runs a story using a quote from me and the answer I got to a Parliamentary Question on what percentage of innocent DNA comes from black and ethnic minorities. It's about 24% nationwide - but the figure that no one is picking up on yet - is that in London this kicks up to 57% of innocent DNA is coming from non-whites. It's huge – way, way above their actual representation in the population as a whole.

Labels: dna, politics show, tim donovan, tony blair, tony travers

Our new Council group (plus me and a few others) meet for the first time to get ourselves organised. It is so fantastic to be in such a big group. You have no idea what the first four years were like when there were just three of us Lib Dems - myself, June and Julia versus 54 Labour councillors. It was just as if they were in a big gang - and bolstered by their numbers the bully boy tactics they employed steeled me in politics. Then after the 2002 local elections when we went to 15 - it felt much better. But still the chamber had rows on the Labour side of seats - and our side had only two short rows. But now - it is virtually even. I bet the bully boys will have lost a great deal of their bravado when the Council sits in future. Just a bit sad I won't sit there myself - as I am no longer a Haringey councillor. Anyway - much inspired by the energy and enthusiasm of the new group - I think the road ahead augers well.

See the press release on the Haringey Council election results on my main website.

Well - it was very close! Massive Lib Dem gains, but not quite enough to take control of Haringey Council - Labour majority cut to just three (30-27 - no other parties have any councillors) with Lib Dems making 11 gains.

We also topped the vote across the borough - adding up the top votes in each ward - and actually now have councillors in a majority of the wards in Haringey. So - very close! Best every Lib Dem result, including our first councillors in Tottenham, many in Wood Green etc.

Lib Dem highlights:

Alexandra - 3 Lib Dem holds - Dave Beacham, Wayne Hoban and Susan Oatway re-elected

Bounds Green - 2 Lib Dem gains - Ali Demirci and John Oakes

Crouch End - 3 Lib Dem holds - Ron Aitken and David Winskill re-elected, joined by Lyn Weber

Fortis Green - 3 Lib Dem holds - Matt Davies and Martin Newton re-elected, joined by Sara Beynon

Harringay - 2 Lib Dem gains - Karen Alexander and Carolyn Baker

Highgate - 3 Lib Dem holds - Bob Hare and Neil Williams re-elected, joined by Justin Portess

Hornsey - 3 Lib Dem gains - Robert Gorrie, Errol Reid and Monica Whyte elected

Muswell Hill - 3 Lib Dem holds - Jonathan Bloch and Gail Engert re-elected, joined by Sheila Rainger (who has taken over my old council seat)

Noel Park - 2 Lib Dem gains - Catherine Harris and Fiyaz Mughal elected

Stroud Green - 1 Lib Dem hold and 2 Lib Dem gains - Laura Edge re-elected and Ed Butcher and Richard Wilson elected

Congratulations and commiseration to all candidates and helpers - both those who made it and those who didn't, in all parties.

UPDATE: There are now further election result details on Haringey Council's website.

Labels: bob hare, dave winskill, gail engert, justin portess, laura edge, lyn weber, martin newton, monica whyte, neil williams, susan oatway, wayne hoban

Voting is open in the Haringey Council elections (and other council elections) from 7am until 10pm on Thursday.

You don't need your poll card to vote.

If you are a postal voter and haven't yet returned your ballot papers, they can still be returned to any polling station in Haringey by 10pm on Thursday too.

If you want to check who the Lib Dem candidates in your ward are they are listed on my website - and our manifesto for the council elections is also available online (pdf file).

I am due to go on GMTV for a 6.40am slot on the elections. The car is meant to pick me up at 6.00 and if there is any change to schedule they will let me know. Best laid plans of mice and men etc mean that the driver knocks on my door at 5.45am and has been waiting an hour. Instead of calling me on my mobile - they have paged me to let me know car was outside. But I wasn't wearing my pager - as was waiting for call. Arrive at GMTV at 6.11am to discover not on at 6.40 but on at 6.15. So - a frantic start to day.

The interview centred around Labour's apparent desire to self-destruct the very week of the local elections. Should Clarke go? Yes - is the answer. Clarke has been in dereliction of his duty to keep the public safe. He cannot go on or how else can anyone below him believe that they need to carry out their duties properly. If he survives - then no one can ever be sacked for any failure. Particularly as he had been warned.

However, it is now clear that Clarke has offered to resign - but Blair has refused. It would appear to me that the Prime Minister's desperate need for political support in the cabinet - and thus his efforts to hold onto Clarke - are clouding his judgement about right and wrong and he is putting his own survival above and beyond the well-being of governance and the public's safety. (You can sign the Lib Dem petition calling for Clarke to go at www.libdems.org.uk/charles-clarke.html)

A further development, in terms of a foreign national - now known to have been the prime suspect in the death of a woman PC - was a released prisoner. Ironically this particular criminal was considered for deportation and it was decided that he could not be sent back to Somalia as that country is considered too dangerous to send anyone back to. This presents a new dilemma in terms of what do we as a decent country do with ex-criminals who should be deported to countries - but these are countries where they may be in danger. Seems to me we need an urgent review - and a mechanism for keeping tabs on such individuals. I don't think just because we cannot deport them we should just then accept they should then be forgotten and no longer registered and checked.

However, the central issue remains, the Government has failed in its primary duty to keep us safe - and it gives the lie to all the talk and headlines about being tough on crime. From top to bottom of the justice system we see that nothing appears to be carried through properly. Once the headline is out of the way and the Government feels it is appearing tough and gaining kudos from being seen to be active by bringing in new tough laws - they abdicate their responsibility for ensuring that they are properly implemented and enforced.

Labels: charles clarke

Ring Susie Oatway to wish her happy birthday. Susie is one of our wonderful Lib Dem councillors standing for re-election on Thursday (Alexandra ward) - and poor woman - her birthday always falls during the election period. However, she is a trooper - and my call finds her out delivering leaflets in her ward. Good news is next May there are no elections for the first time in a while. Her celebration this time, however, was a quick break with her toddler and her mother and toddlers' group. Multi-tasking as ever.

Lunchtime I am invited to Highgate School to give a very short talk on why I wanted to be an MP and how I became an MP and my first year - all in ten minutes! Then questions from around 130 lively (and quite cheeky) Highgate boys - none of whom are old enough to vote - yet! Interest ricochets from prurient interest in the activities of our leadership candidates and former leader to the greater issues around the terrorism laws and the future of politics!

And then back to the campaign trail - finishing the day with mass canvasses in two wards - both of which are showing a healthy swing from Labour to Lib Dem.

Good news from the bookies - let's hope they are reading the form right!

What can I tell you? Delivery, canvassing, stuffing ... But one funny thing happened to my colleague David Schmitz who is standing as a candidate in Harringay ward (the Ladder area of Haringey). He was out delivering leaflets and came across a group of cross residents on the pavement waiting for the local Labour councillor to turn up to do his surgery. But no show! So David did an impromptu surgery of his own - right there, right then!

The Daily Mirror rang me whilst I was out delivering to follow up on my Parliamentary Question (PQ) about an email that my researcher had received. It purported to warn women about a new drug being used by rapists to spike girls drinks. This drug - Progesterex - would not only make them unable to remember anything or resist - it would also sterilise them. So - my PQ to the Minister Paul Goggins was to ask about the number of date rape cases brought over the last twelve months and what assessment he had made of the drug's use in cases of date rape.

Paul Goggins' answer was pretty weak. Firstly he said they don't collect statistics on date rape centrally. Well they should - clearly. How else can we be sure we know whether it is a growing problem or not? Secondly he said that the drug doesn't exist - but rather is the subject of a hoax email. But – the Home Office doesn’t seem worried by women being scared by a hoax email and doesn’t apparently believe there is a need to look into who is the originator of such a hoax.

It would seem that the prevailing attitude of the Home Office is simply to not deal with things or care about things. Probably explains why, even though informed that foreign nationals were being released without consideration for deportation, nothing was done.

Bad attitudes from top carry right through whole department.