Lynne's Parliament and Haringey diary

Bucketing down, so I was not expecting a huge turn out for my litter pick along Parkland Walk. Not a complete washout however, as five very stalwart people turn up to do the honours. As it really is bucketing - we decide that today isn't the day to do this as so much of the path is under water because of poor drainage. Now that is something that it would be worth spending Transport for London's funding on improving the walk.

It is such a shame at this time of year when everyone has their fetes and summer fairs and street parties that the weather is so cruel.

But go ahead they do. So after Parkland Walk, I go on to the Open Day at St Ann's Police Station where it is always fun as the station opens itself up to local people. A great example of the police trying to work productively with the local community - better police-resident relations means fewer crimes and more criminals caught.

Despite the weather there is a good showing of people - and I get to be friends with one of the police dogs and ride (well sit on) a police bike.

All good fun!

And then on to the last wet outing of the day - to Bounds Green School (now with Junior and Infants with a single Head) for their summer fete.

The playground activities are somewhat hampered by the weather - but inside the stalls are doing a great trade. Last year I helped serve the hot food - this year I am on the lucky dip stall.

I don't know whether that is demotion or promotion - but we did a roaring trade. 50p a go - and tickets ending with 0 or 5 - every one a winner!

I am pictured with William Wawn - the new Head of the two schools. It was very buzzy - and with a jazz band playing - the weather didn't spoil the fun at all!

And then it was back home to stay out of the rain for a while!

Labels: haringey schools, parkland walk

Advice surgery all morning - but the backdrop of the day is the bomb in Haymarket. Predictable really I guess – if you think about the timing. Fantastic that it was spotted before it went off. But it is a horrid sense that our well-being can be instantly threatened and our lives put on guard again - just like that.

Lesser matters - but a while back, I had a letter from Haringey Council asking if I would present an award for the Better Haringey Awards tonight which I said I would be happy to do. Because it clashed with my daughters 'A' level art show - I asked my office to telephone before the event to ask if I could present an award in the second half of the award ceremony - giving me an hour at her show and an hour at the awards. On telephoning, my Head of Office was told that this wasn't an event for MPs. It was a Council event and MPs weren't wanted. Nice! Labour Haringey clearly hasn't caught up with the new Prime Minister's desire to work with all the talents!

Evening - get a call from Ming about my future - but can't tell yet!

Labels: ming campbell

Off to Reading to exhort Liberal Democrats there to win the seat! Really enthusiastic group - and well ahead of where we started in Hornsey & Wood Green. Looking back - it is extraordinary to think we started with just a very few people determined that Labour should not go on treating local residents with such contempt. So - I expect good things of Reading as they know what needs to be done - and have a very, very good core team.

Gordon's Cabinet is the main political business of the day – with the biggest surprise being the first woman Home Secretary with Jacqui's elevation. Good luck to her. Have always believed that job would be excellent for a woman; sorry for prejudice on this - but less bluster and ego and macho sabre-rattling are to be hoped for. A particular relief after John Reid - who I felt generally made matters worse and heightened the difference and public expectation by his bullish pronouncements.

As to the rest of the Cabinet - pretty tame and quite dull. Certainly a Cabinet of more intellect than the last Blair cabinet - but sense the extension of the Chancellor's modus operandi - dullness and sobriety will rule. Will this be good or bad? In a world where Paris Hilton dominates the airwaves on release from prison - we will see how long it takes for media needs to win the day. The only thing being, that the media may just not cover politics at all - if it becomes pure drudgery.

Labels: gareth epps

Visited our local community women’s training group this morning. Run by Raphat Mughal who is like an unstoppable mother hen fighting every step of the way to get grants for one thing or another to improve the facilities for women from our communities.

Today there were two classes going - early steps in bringing women from their homes into the wider world and giving them language and other skills so that they can help their children with their homework (sometimes quite an issue), or so they can themselves begin accessing work opportunities and so on.

Today I am there because they have managed to get an award of around £5,000 for computers. But now they are stymied because they need to build some benches for them to go on and for someone to pay for the materials, the work and then to wire up and install the computers. Until they can get some help to do this - the award money cannot be put to the good use it is intended for. So - if anyone out there can help with this - let me know.

So the long goodbye is finally over. Tony has faced the final curtain. 'Well - no - actually. Not final. Not me. You know me - I'm Tony. I'm going to do something more important than being Prime Minister - I'm going to be part of the quartet - well I guess that's a quintet then!' (Please read aloud using a Rory Bremner version of Tony Blair voice.)

'That is that. The End.'

It was a good ending. You have to hand to TB. He is so much more appealing than GB! I thought his last Prime Minister's Questions was quintessential Blair - witty, sharp, super-quick and well delivered. Sotto voce ending. And I was moved by the occasion - but then I cry at Coronation Street. It is, however, quite something to witness first hand the end of an extraordinary premiership - more extraordinary 'cos most of us think he made an unforgivable error in Iraq, he trashed any trust the public might have had in politicians, he set a terrible example of standards in public life - but he delivered peace in Northern Ireland, was brave in regard to Sierra Leone and Kosovo - but could have been, so, so much more.

As for his new role as Peace Envoy for the Quartet in the Middle East - well - he isn't the obvious choice in terms of all sides putting their faith in him - but on the other hand - he has clearly phenomenal skills in this arena. And it will take phenomenal skill to deliver peace. It's funny really - I wrote to Tony not long after I was elected and berated him over Iraq, then suggested to him that if he wanted to make any sort of amends he should use his time more fruitfully in office - and better devote the rest of his time to sorting out the Middle East. Clearly persuaded by my missive - albeit after leaving office - that is what he is going to do!

It fits really. He must bear a weight of either such guilt over those who died because of his decisions (although he believes he was right) but whether guilt or not in his mind - his only redemption (and I use the word because of its meaning to TB not me) would be to succeed in delivering a viable state for Palestine and permanent security for Israel. So - whilst as I say - he isn't an obvious unbiased player in this arena - sometimes it can take someone involved and passionate - whether for or against - to bring people together.

I wish him every success.

So Camelot dies with Blair. And now the dark and icy hand of Mordor is spreading through the land as the new Wizard's deathly grip circles our lives. Not encouraged by GB's first speech outside of No 10. Starched, formal, uncomfortable and termed with phrases to send chills throughout the public services. Change this. Change that. Yes - the country wants a change - a change from being lied to, cheated, manipulated and strategised. But Gordon isn’t change. He was there all the time - and if you didn't argue for change then - we won't believe you now. You did, after all, sign the cheques; support the war; flip-flop on tuition fees and privatise our tube spending millions on consultants rather than services.

More mundane, I know, but went straight from Parliament to Haringey Police Consultative Group meeting. That calmed me down!

Labels: gordon brown

At last some new news on the report from the contractors contracted by Haringey Council to measure the levels of Pollonium 210 in the Litvinenko House and recommend what further work will be needed to clean said house.

No - the report is not yet handed to the tribunal and the lawyers for the other side - as it is being finalised and reviewed by the key agencies in charge of our safety. The one thing that is public at this point in time is that the Health Protection Agency has said that there is no risk to any of the neighbours by virtue of what is in the house.

Good news. I hope, however, that the report is soon submitted (expected to happen in another week) and that then the remediation work and who is to pay for it can be agreed and carried out. That is what everyone wants and needs to happen.

Labels: alexander litvinenko

Second day of the Finance Bill which Julia Goldsworthy is nobly leading on for us. But the big hoo ha today - Quentin Davies' defection from Tory benches to Labour. I don't really know him - other than he has been in the House for 20 odd years. His letter - damning the Tories to hell – is not what Cameron will have wanted on the eve of Gordon's accession! Spitting and blood are the words that spring to mind.

Not hugely surprised that the Lib Dems have not become his natural home as haven't truly witnessed a liberal tendency of any kind in his utterances in the House. Politics sure has its moments of high drama. It is quite something to swap parties after twenty years. I try to imagine what it must be like to be so fed up with my own party that I would do such a thing. We all have our frustrations, politically speaking, but this is way out of the natural order of things. I mean, why not wait and simply step down rather than wreak this damage? Not that I am hugely discomforted by seeing the Tories dropping in public esteem - to which no doubt this will contribute. It does feel a bit like a come uppance!

Gordon is happy! And I don't want to rain on his parade - at least for a day or two. However, from the look on his face, I kind of felt that the drama of Harriet's startling victory (a drama helped both by its closeness - and also by Sky merrily reporting the wrong result in advance) was regarded as raining on his parade.

The image of a man / woman team is a good one for Labour. The only down side is that Gordon and Harriet are both a bit hard-going and substance based. Now - I think substance is good - but it is quite helpful if one of them had substance masked with charm. Clearly Gordon has recognised this and been working hard at his Charms lessons (not the same Charms as in Harry Potter)! So - off we go to new challenges, challenged challengingly by the challenge of challenging changes and challenging times!

Labels: gordon brown

There's an important consultation meeting coming up about the future of Parkland Walk - do make it if you can!

Here are the details I've been sent:

Dear All,

I am writing to invite you to a public consultation event that is being organised for the Parkland Walk (Highgate to Finsbury Park section) on Saturday 21st July. The aim of the event is to give members of the public an opportunity to participate in deciding and fine tuning the specific proposals to be implemented along the Walk.

Mayer Brown Ltd. is organizing the event on behalf of the London Borough of Haringey, as part of the overall project for Parkland Walk. Having received extensive public feedback during the consultations for the preliminary design stage, the Consultants are now amending and refining the design proposals for the Walk.

The amended and more detailed proposals will be displayed at the public consultation event, which is scheduled for SATURDAY 21ST JULY, between 10am and 5pm, at:

THE MEETING HALL, ALL SAINTS CHURCH, TALBOT ROAD, HIGHGATE, N6

The proposals for Parkland Walk will be displayed on large scale drawings laid out on trestle tables. The public are invited to drop in at any time to inspect the proposals, and indicate their preferences in various ways (e.g. by means of stickers, flags, post-it notes, comments form, etc).

The display will include photographs, illustrations of specific features, and various options that people can look at and choose between. Mayer Brown staff will be on hand to answer questions and record people's comments.

It is hoped that this event will help to ensure that the proposals adopted are the best possible for the Walk and reflect the wishes of the majority. I hope you will be able to attend the event, which is open to everyone, and please do inform anyone else who might be interested about the event.

If you need any further information, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Yours sincerely,

Robert Gallagher
Principal Transport Planner
Mayer Brown Ltd.

Labels: parkland walk

Street Party season is in full swing - and I go to as many of those that I am invited to as I possibly can. Today first off was the Woodland Fun Day organised by the Friends of Queens Wood. Yes - of course it was a shame about the weather - but they had a really good turn out anyway because the activities for children were a big draw. And children need entertaining whatever the weather - and it is fantastic for parents to have such organised fun - story-telling and face-painting and a giant chess board, a band and much more.

Congratulations to the Committee for organising such a lovely day for local families. Huge amounts of work go into these events - and there is no better way for children to come into one of the most beautiful natural environments in our area.

Second off was the Hillfield Park 'Olympic Games' street party. Peter Thompson (my local hero for the work he does in the community) and his team organise a really fantastic bash every year. During the afternoon there are organised competitions for everyone - from Grow your Own (a plant growing competition where we all got to vote); dog agility course (my personal favourite - see me pictured with the winner 'Vegas') and three-legged races, and much more – including in the evening the banquet and the bands. Well done Hillfield.

In fact, it is these events that I have put in my chapter in a book on social liberalism to be published this autumn. Without going into detail - I am suggesting that communities provide structures that we need to nurture. Did you know that crime falls in proportion to the number of people who know each other within a fifteen-minute walk from their house? I rest my case!

Labels: olympics

Well, nearly - as you can see from this new photo of that sign at Finsbury Park station:

Save the Children published a report this week about our failure to get education to all children around the world. As their news release said:

Save the Children's animated report reveals that at least 30 million children, most living in conflict affected countries, are still likely to be out of school by 2015, the target year for the Millennium Development Goals.
The Story of the Future, the first ever animated report of its kind published today, shows that the current trend of providing education for just over 4 million extra children per year is not enough to reach the 2015 education target the world set itself in 2000.

The animated report itself is at www.savethechildren.net

Many thanks to everyone who has taken part in my online survey into the future of Parkland Walk. You can read about the survey results so far on my website.

Labels: parkland walk

So - Fortismere - our local educational star in the Haringey firmament - has decided to move out of our close-knit school community and change to foundation status. That will now go out to statutory consultation for a very, very short four weeks - so if you want to have your say have it quickly. My understanding of the 'informal' consultation results were that there were 70% against this move albeit from a rather small response rate of 6%. I stand to be corrected on those figures as they are from reportage and memory.

The community is upset and divided on this issue. My personal position - as I am asked continually - is that the school should simply stay a good local community school. My role, however, is to try and make sure that the parents and community have a fair say in the future of this excellent school.

This proposal and decision has set parent against parent and has been extremely distressing for many of those involved. Parents of statemented children have come to me worried that the school will reduce their number. Parents in favour of the proposals have contacted me to say that they have been intimidated by those against the proposals - to the point of feeling unable to even voice their views in public.

I receive so many different stories about promises unmet on mode and extent of consultation, on one group thinking x and another wanting y. That is why I very early on wrote to the Head and Governors to hold an all-parent ballot. This was refused. But how else can we really know what parents want as a body? And the teachers? And the pupils? And the local community? We are all inter-linked.

The LEA are not blameless in all of this either. Nor the Government. One of the factors that prompted the school to take this path - or at least seems to have confirmed it in the direction it is bent on taking - is the Labour Government and the Labour LEA between them refusing to grant enough capital funding to deal with a degrading sixth form building and Portacabins that have been there for decades.

I went with the Head and school governors to Ministers before all this started because the Building Schools for the Future fund provided by the Government for new buildings and apportioned to Haringey schools by Haringey Labour LEA had put Fortismere at the very bottom - with clearly no potential to solve their building problems for the next ten years. The Government wouldn't consider giving any more money - saying it was up to the LEA to distribute that fund. The LEA said they couldn't distribute it any other way as the Government controlled the funding allocation by criteria which were weighted less to do with the need for new building and much more to do with deprivation factors. Inevitably the poorer areas received more funding – even if buildings in less deprived areas were more in need of work. That means that a high-achieving school like Fortismere with a relatively comfortable catchment wasn't even in the game despite having crumbling building fabric.

So - I feel that the combination of LEA and Government has given the school the ideal excuse to go to parents and explain that if they didn't take this path etc etc they would not be able to have the desperately needed new buildings. Only control over their own assets - which comes with this change - would supply the funding they need. Of course - a whole raft of other concerns are involved from possible selection to reducing the numbers of statemented children. Denials of this from the school. Counter denials from the campaigners who want to keep the school comprehensive.

I don't know if the moves to call for a judicial review on the grounds of flawed consultation will come to anything - there may well be some mechanism and maybe some mileage. I still believe that there should be a ballot - not just to canvas true opinion but also so that once the decision is finally made it could have been fair and seen to be fair and therefore all parties could move forward together and put this miserable experience where no one trusts anyone behind them.

I offered to broker a meeting between Fortismere and the LEA but the LEA could not find a suitable time or date for such a meeting. A great shame - but seemingly the process rolls on, and now - in the last phase - there is just this statutory consultation and that will finish mid July.

Labels: fortismere school, haringey schools

Last stop of the day is the Kurdish Community Centre in Portland Gardens N4. It is the start of the three-day festival celebrating women. Tonight I am on a panel of four women - two of the others of whom are famous Kurdish human rights campaigners and we are speaking on: 'Kurdish Women - Fighting for Freedom Against Violence'.

The struggle of Kurdish women is astonishing - the violence against them (and of course other women too - sadly it's universal) is too terrible.

But so is the reaction of our police - sadly. You may have read recently of Banaz Mahmod - the so-called Honour Killing. Domestic violence is what that was - men dominating women’s lives as if we are still their chattels. Makes me sick. But Banaz went to the police six times - and they took virtually no notice.

A woman in the audience this evening raised her hand to say that it happened to her too. She went to the police eight times - and they did not help her. I said to the women there - that if they find themselves in that position and the police do nothing after even the first time they go for help - then they must go to their Member of Parliament. For if I have a Kurdish (or any) women come to me who says she is in danger and the police are doing nothing I will raise it in Parliament and in the media and anywhere to get attention. The police have come a long way on rape and domestic violence - but clearly not nearly far enough.

After the Winkfield visit, it was on to Karyn Parker's house in Hornsey. Karyn is a registered childminder in Haringey - and exemplar.

Three parents are there to meet with me (some who used Karyn for years past and present) and their children. Jo, Vera and Tracy are mums who without the peace of mind of knowing that their offspring are safe and sound - and more to the point - loved, would not be able to go to work as they do. I know that one only too well myself. It was clear that the children of mixed ages had a lovely environment, were stimulated and socialised and safe. As Jo said to me - you want a childminder who as much as possible does what you would do. And that's the point.

Karyn is now mentoring other child minders. This is the real nuts and bolts of equality for me. Without good affordable childcare - women cannot get back to work. So I was really delighted to meet Karyn (who is absolutely wonderful) - and delighted to do so in support of National Childminding Week - which is why I was there!

Following my morning advice surgery at Wood Green Library, I went to the launch of the Renate Campbell Trust Deaf Job Club at the Winkfield Resource Centre. In short - this will be a facility, for the deaf and hard of hearing, where staff will be there to help them into work. This might comprise support in putting a CV together or learning skills - as well as educating employers and providing training awareness for staff.

Renate is the daughter of former Labour councillor Mary Neuner, who in middle life literally woke up one morning deaf. Mary worked tirelessly to improve things for the deaf and this launch today is on the back of her efforts. Mary was a real driving force and it is terribly sad that she, herself, died only recently. At least she knew that this was going to happen.

It is one of those things in life, you know. Most people don't even know someone who is deaf. Most people don't know someone in a wheelchair. And what people don't have in their own lives appears as strange and alien. And I am sure that employers or would be employers think that deaf people won't be able to do the job or it will cost them to have one working for them. And yet - if it is your mother or brother who is deaf, or blind or in a wheelchair or whatever - then they are just people - same as you or me. I have this total belief in a better world where the differences are as nothing compared to what we have in common. And that cuts across not just disability - but culture, race and religion too!

A little while ago I spoke at the All Party Group on Overseas Development about the future for international development. It was one of a series of speeches - one each from each of the main parties - and I see the series has now been written up on the ODI blog. Interesting to see how they compare what the three of us all said!

Met with OFCOM earlier today following my raising of the issue of pirate radio stations illegally broadcasting in my area and adversely affecting London Turkish Radio - which is in my constituency.

I can't go into details about the specifics of what they will be doing to act on this particular issue - but am assured that act they will.

I had a master-class in the issues around radio, bands, enforcement and so on. One issue that sticks up quite clearly is the complete nonsense of the difficulties of catching and raiding illegal stations and the costs involved therein - compared with the 'punishments' meted out when someone is caught and convicted.

The average fine is somewhere around £118. There's nothing wrong with the penalties that can be meted out - they are up to and including two years imprisonment - and other countries treat this seriously and apply such penalties. But for reasons I don't understand - here the judiciary doesn't to the same degree. No wonder they're raided one night and then start up again the very next day. It's financially still advantageous for them to do so as the fine and the cost of the equipment taken don't come to anything like the money they make per week - and clearly they have no fear that the court will lock 'em up.

Story of Ming and Gordon's siren voice rumble on. I am called by Sky, BBC and Daily Politics to see if I will just have a chat - off the record if I like. Hmmmmmmm - never be fooled by journalists saying they want a chat off the record! And there's nothing more to say - Gordon wants us. We don't want him!

PS If you want to know what I think Gordon will be like as Prime Minister - read this.

Labels: daily politics, gordon brown, ming campbell

On the way up to the weekly Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Party meeting - I found myself being propositioned in the lift by a Tory - politically propositioned of course. (And no - I am not going to name him). Very sweetly done, I thought and humourous and obviously off of the back of the Guardian's story about Brown's overtures to Ming. Personally, I expect a lot more shmoozing from both sides trying to woo us Lib Dems. Labour and Tory are after our voters and after us. And whilst I may enjoy the odd bit of flirting - I remain independent. My mum always said play hard to get!

Seriously, though, I don't know how many times we Lib Dems have to repeat the mantra - a plague on both their houses and we're going out there for maximum Lib Dem votes, maximum Lib Dem MPs and maximum Lib Dem policies! Labour are clearly terrified of what's coming down the track. The Tories are desperate. And we're concentrating on our work!

Labels: gordon brown, ming campbell

My colleague Martin Newton (Lib Dem, Fortis Green) is running an online survey to find out what people think about the Pay and Display schemes in Crouch End and also in Muswell Hill. You can take part in the survey at http://www.libertyresearch.org.uk/take/97

Labels: martin newton

First stop of the morning is a photo op with a sardine and Jenny Agutter. To all those too young to remember - Jenny Agutter was one of the three child actors in a now classic film 'The Railway Children' - a film I loved and still do (and yes I cry every time).

As for the sardine! Well this is about a better railway system for Britain - and the point being - in case you haven't twigged - that we are all packed together like sardines when we travel by train. This is a campaign by Transport 2000 who do really excellent work and in this campaign are highlighting the really appalling treatment we get when we use the railways.

High prices for overcrowded and uncomfortable journeys. Not good enough!

Went to an All Party Group on Genocide meeting that is especially on the Darfur genocide. Chaired by John Bercow. His tack on Darfur is the need to set up an oil trust where the income would be able to be used for humanitarian purposes but which would also put pressure on the Government of Sudan not to renege on its recent agreement to allow the AU / UN troops to be deployed - albeit not until next year. It seems a good idea to me!

There was a good discussion about divestment (to put financial pressure on the Sudanese government) and how it won't fall foul of all the obstacles that people throw up in your path. Pension funds are often an apparent obstacle – because of duties on trustees to seek the highest return on the money. But – as was pointed out – when you want to target one particular country, it is often possible to pull the money out from one firm and reinvest it in similar firms and similar industries with similar returns, but who operate elsewhere. Certainly something to be pursued!

Labels: darfur

Found myself on Corruption Panel - a cross-party ad hoc grouping of three MPs, one Baroness and one adviser from Transparency International. We were meeting with Ian McCartney, Minister from the DTI, to pursue what the Government are doing in terms of getting their act together on this scarring issue that is damaging our international standing and our business reputation.

Whilst we were not there to talk about BAE and the current scandal – it is pretty hard to divorce one from t'other. For most of the meeting listened to what was put to the Minister and what the response was. What I hear is that the Government is working hard to tackle corruption. There is an action plan - and it is progressing in terms of implementation. However, the big missing chunk, from this 'plan' is the legislation. (Ironic really when you consider how Labour passed new legislation at the drop of a hat – or a tabloid headline – in so so many other areas).

And the other big black mark is Al Yamamah - with the OECD coming to check up on us after the Government dropped the investigation into the bribes to Saudi shenanigans.

The OECD is very angry with us. I have no doubt that the US will launch an investigation into the BAE stuff – especially as BAE are big players in the US military market. The US – like France - has a much better track record than we do on corruption – they actually go ahead and prosecute people.

Labels: al yamamah

Before last Monday's Panorama about the Al Yamamah bribery scandal (in brief: lots of allegations about BAE breaking the law and bribing Saudis to get a big arms contract; big criminal investigation finds lots of evidence; but the investigation was axed before being concluded; both the BBC and The Guardian have unearthed plenty more since then) I emailed out to quite a few people to let them know about the TV show.

The gist of a few responses was that bribery being illegal didn't matter - everyone does it - so if you want the business you have to be willing to bribe. I'm going to write about this in more detail soon (and I wonder how people with this view would respond if someone burgled them and the burglar said, 'oh, that's ok - loads of people carry out burglaries, so you can't really expect me to be different'!), but I just wanted to highlight now the difference with France - there corruption allegations involving arms deal and powerful people with top political connections do get followed through; see here for example.

If France can take corruption seriously and prosecution people (and the US prosecutes people too), why should we turn a blind eye to corruption?

(And let's not forget - there are very, very few countries that could have sold jet fighters to Saudi Arabia - it really is feasible to stop corruption in these sorts of large arms contracts as there is - or was until the UK took its ball away - a strong international consensus to prosecute bribery).

And as for boy David and "tough on crime" Conservatives - they haven't been willing to speak up for enforcing the law on Al Yamamah either. I guess Labour and the Tories are just leaving it to the Liberal Democrats to be tough on crime!

Labels: al yamamah

Catching up on the week – on Friday I visited Highgate School. Now this was a repeat visit - obviously wowed Year 9 boys last year - so that I'm back by popular request. Always enjoyable to make politics live for young people. The questions were more serious than the ones I had to field last year - which seemed to concentrate on the shenanigans by certain grown up men in my party. This year it was very much about politics itself. I also met the new Headmaster who seemed very enthusiastic about working with other schools in the Haringey community to see where Highgate (independent) could perhaps offer other schools extra things that were available at Highgate but not at some other schools. All seems very exciting as a prospect. Never can get over how you walk into a completely different world once you walk through the front buildings into the seclusion of the inner open spaces of the school.

Labels: haringey schools

Still no change in the world order I see. Once again the United States has simply nominated their political appointee to the position of President of the World Bank.

No doubt when nominations close on Monday - he will simply then be appointed as the sole nominee.

Closed processes are not acceptable.

Mr Zoellick may well be the best man for the job - but we will never know -'cos he's the only name in the frame!

Labels: robert zoellick, world bank

A quick update on the saga of the Finsbury Park sign that puts Highbury & Islington on the Northern Line - Tim O'Toole from Transport for London has got back in touch with me:

Dear Lynne

I refer to your email dated 5 June and addressed to Peter Hendy. I have been asked to respond.

The sign is certainly misleading and the local Group Station Manager has arranged to have it amended.

The comment [on your blog] posted by Mr Mark Valladares, is indeed correct. The line from Finsbury Park to Moorgate was, until the 1970s, a spur ofthe Northern line. This is the type of quirk one finds on such an oldsystem and that is treasured by the cognoscenti. You are right toexpect us to eliminate such items, however.

Thank you for taking the time to contact us.

Yours sincerely

Tim O'Toole

Now that's what I like - Tim O'Toole, hands on and dealing with it! Thanks Tim and all hail the power of the internet!

Labels: peter hendy, tfl, tim o'toole

Today it is the three weeks since we were told the report from the company who had gone into do a critical survey assessing the risk would be back. Now it looks like Monday. I don't think we are expecting anything other than a diminution in the danger from the Pollonium 210 originally assessed - unless they have found new hot spots. Outside of that the report is likely to make recommendations based on the results of their findings as to what remedial work is necessary and what the specification for that work will be. So we wait…

Labels: alexander litvinenko

Addressing the All Party Group on Overseas Development today. In weekly succession they have had Gareth Thomas (Labour Minister), Andrew Mitchell (Tory) and obviously saving the best til last - me - today! The title of this series is 'What next for International Development? Political Perspectives.’

Despite the Labour Deputy Leader hustings on International Development being scheduled at the same time - the room was comfortably filled. Speaking on a subject where everyone in the room is an expert is far more testing than speaking to the public!

I spoke for about 40 minutes and then took 50 minutes of questions. It was very enjoyable and you can read my speech on my website. But for an abridged version - I said the Government has no consistency about where it is going between its different arms; that corruption eats up huge amounts of the money, hindering the good work that we try to do with development and aid – and that tackling corruption would now be seen as a bit rich given our current squalid failure to see through investigations into BAE and the Al Yamamah arms deal with the Saudis. But all of this is dwarfed by the complete failure of the Department for International Development to make the coming cataclysm of climate change central to its development funding programs. Enjoy!

UPDATE: Jonathan Fryer has an account of the meeting over on his blog. Shame about the photo though!

Labels: al yamamah, climate change

Last job of the day is campaigning with Matt Sanders door-knocking in Camden in the by-election. Matt is a great candidate - and so enthusiastic - great to see. We were in a street not far from Camden Market and much of the angst of the street is crime. The (Lib Dem led) Council is paying for night Police Community Support Officers who will come on stream shortly - so that should be part of the answer. This clearly used to be a Labour street - but equally clearly there has been a swing to Liberal Democrats last year in the local elections. So - go Matt!

Tony Blair, clearly demob happy, made mincemeat of Cameron at PMQs today - as has been his wont recently. I don't know who is writing Cameron's stuff - but it is well bad! He chose to go at Reid on the paedophile issue - but Blair just turned it right round by quoting back votes in Parliament. Of course – you can argue over the meaning of such votes sometimes. But the point is - that Cameron's team should have seen this elephant trap - and they didn't. And yet again Cameron's blushes (literally) were not spared.

Labels: pmqs

International Questions today before PMQs - and I go in on Darfur:

Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey and Wood Green) (LD): The Secretary of State has just said that pressure was important. Bashir’s agreement for the deployment of the force does not come into effect until 2008, so has the Secretary of State considered using the international spotlight on China, owing to the Olympics, as leverage to encourage China to use its influence with Khartoum to end the genocide and stop Darfuris being killed between now and when Bashir may or may not allow troops to be deployed in 2008?

Hilary Benn: We certainly have encouraged China and all members of the Security Council and other nations to play their part in encouraging the Government of Sudan to do the right thing. I welcome the fact that the Chinese have now appointed a special envoy, Liu Guijin. That, plus the effort made by China in November when we had the meeting in Addis Ababa, chaired by Kofi Annan, which came up with the proposals for the hybrid force that have now been agreed by the Government of Sudan, demonstrates that China has taken a greater interest in trying to play a part. But the truth is that every single country has a responsibility to do more and to use all the influence that it has, including, if required, the threat of sanctions, to ensure that fine words are turned into action, because action is what is needed.

So - he didn't really answer the key point - whether the Government has the guts to apply the screws to get China to help focus Bashir's mind on delivering on his promises - and earlier than he wants.

Labels: darfur, hilary benn, olympics, pmqs

Bebo event! Bebo - who are a social network outfit and on a promotional drive - and today took part in an event in Parliament about the impact of the internet and social networking on politics. Also there was Joe Trippi, but I was really there for the Bebo launch of the Be Cause scheme.

They have asked three MPs (one from each main party) to take part - using Bebo to promote a particular cause. In my case - it's a litter pick in Parkland Walk on the 30th June. You can see the Bebo event here.

This is a very good example of how the net can be a socially cohesive tool informing and bringing communities together over a local concern. In this case - people are concenred about the future of Parkland Walk, so I've used the internet to run an online survey to gather in people's views, emails to let people know what is happening on the issue and now - Bebo to bring people together (I hope!) to make a difference directly. And that's engagement.

Labels: joe trippi, parkland walk

I am sponsoring my Lib Dem colleague Tom Brake's 10 Minute Rule Bill today which extends the Freedom of Information Act to stop ministers having the final say and putting that say instead in the hands of the Information Commissioner and Tribunal. It also brings in laws about delay - as prevarication is often the game and non-supply - let alone timely supply. It would also brings private contractors who do public sector contract work into the remit of freedom of information legislation. So - a good thing to be sponsoring!