Lynne Featherstone

Local MP Lynne Featherstone last week joined Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg as he signed Women’s Aid ‘Real Man’ pledge, backing a campaign fighting violence against women.

The Hornsey and Wood Green MP joined the Liberal Democrat leader in her role as International Champion on Violence against Women, to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence  against Women.

Women’s Aid is running a national campaign asking both men and women to help send out the message that ‘Real Men’ do not abuse and control women – physically, emotionally, sexually or financially. The campaign asks supporters to sign the ‘Real Man’ pledge, which is:

• A ‘Real Man’ doesn’t hit, abuse or control
• A ‘Real Man’ doesn’t hurt the ones he loves
• A ‘Real Man’ makes a difference
• I’m supporting the ‘Real Man’ Campaign for Women’s Aid, standing up to end violence against women and children.

Hornsey and Wood Green MP and Equalities Minister Lynne Featherstone said:

“I am happy to support the Woman’s Aid Real Man Campaign because tackling violence against women and girls is not a task for central Government alone. Men and women across society should feel able to speak out and challenge violent behaviour.

“But the Government also has a job to do, and by developing an ‘action plan’ to deliver practical steps we have helped reduce the risk to women and girls of being victims of these horrendous crimes. This has included the introduction of Domestic Violence Protection Orders to help keep abusive partners from being able to contact their victims.”

The Government has announced changes to its Health Bill to address concerns raised by the public, medical professionals and the Liberal Democrats.

Liberal Democrats led the calls for changes after raising serious concerns at the party’s Spring Conference in March. Nick Clegg and others have worked hard in Government to make sure the concerns have been addressed.

In particular, Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats have ensured:

• There will be no special favours for the private sector. There will be a level playing field, not a race to the bottom
• The pace of change is slowed down to ensure changes are not rushed into and those taking on new responsibilities do so when they are ready.
• The changes will be evolution, not revolution
• The NHS is properly accountable, both nationally and locally

Commenting, Lynne Featherstone, MP for Hornsey and Wood Green said:

“I am proud of the way Liberal Democrats have listened and acted to address concerns about changes to the NHS.

“The Bill is now a whole lot better and will make sure decisions are taken in the best interests of patients.

“Liberal Democrats believe the NHS must always be universal, based on need and free at the point of use.

“We have ensured there will be no special favours for the private sector, proper accountability and that the changes are not rushed into before people are ready to take on new responsibilities.

“But this is no time for resting on our laurels. The NHS still faces huge challenges, with an ageing population and the rising costs of new drugs and technologies. I am confident the NHS is now in better shape to meet those challenges.”

Well – the roar of rage by the Tory establishment was all over the right wing press this morning – and then some.

Clearly seeing their chance of gaining power slipping – they reckon their only hope is that old game of smear, smear and smear again.

Have they learned nothing from that first TV debate? 

When people saw the last debate they found Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats to be a refreshing and different alternative to the old abusive politics of yesterday.

And yet – the Tories seem to think that acting like children who have had a toy taken away by stamping their feet in a mammoth tantrum against the young upstart – will help them.  All they really do is demonstrate ever more clearly that they are yesterday’s political party and not fit to govern.

We need a really different sort of politics to change the atmosphere in this country to bring real change and real hope. That is what Nick Clegg embodied in the last debate – and what the nation responded to.

Yes – we have to keep our heads in the midst of all this heady stuff, remember one swallow doesn’t make you know what – and make sure we all carry on campaigning until we drop.

Meanwhile – Nick just has to carry on being himself and telling the people about our policies in the next Sky Leader Debate on Thursday. That’s all that really happened last Thursday – and when the nation finally got a fair look at Nick Clegg – they clearly liked what they saw and heard.

The Tories appear to have gone into a complete panic. ‘Knives are out for Clegg’ the headlines said. I see this morning that has transmuted into William Hague threatening a European superstate if the Liberal Democrats were to become the Government.

Well firstly this just smacks of sheer desperation and secondly it is not true – just sabre rattling.

But the real point is that the Tories still don’t get it. They are trotting out the old tired politics, the same old lines of attack, the yesterday approach to today’s problems.

If they looked squarely at what happened in the debate last week – then they have to know that returning to dog-whistle politics and banging the EU drum is not going to be the game-changer they need.

So the Conservatives clearly don’t agree with Nick.

Maybe that’s where they’re going wrong!

The Roundhouse has a whole weekend of engaging young people in politics – from political debate, to graffiti walls and musical, theatrical and film entertainment. Do you feel counted?

On a fantastically sunny day – it was rewarding that so many young people had turned up for this hustings on political reform. I represented the LibDems, Meg Hillier (Labour), Antonia Cox(Tories). The Legal correspondent for the Guardian, Afua Hirsch and Fumi Abari, 16 year old member of the UK Youth Parliament added real interest and different viewpoints.

What was so fantastic – were the contributions from the floor. As Youth Spokesperson for the LibDems I am always banging on about the misrepresentation by the media of all young people as trainee criminals. My experience is always that they are positive, good and want to get on in life.

The hustings was chaired by Evan Davis (Dragon’s Den and the Today program – there’s a mixture). The first half of the hustings was about voting systems and the second half about who can vote.

We all gave our views on both of the subjects and in each case Evan Davis took a show of hands at the end of the discussion as to whose position the young audience agreed with.

On voting – proportional representation won hands down with about 80% of the vote.
On lowering the voting age to 16 – 90% were in favour.

Both Liberal Democrat propositions!

No wonder Nick Clegg today is reported in the press as going on the campaign trail to appeal to young people today!

We know we are different. We know that just changing from Labour to Conservative and back again won’t really change anything. We know that the two old parties cannot get themselves out of the political game they have played so long that even they have no real enthusiasm any more. We know that it doesn’t have to be like this. It can be different.

Getting that message out there – and letting people see and believe that is the case has been our challenge and was Nick Clegg’s greatest challenge last night. And he delivered and then some!

Last night – we showed that in real terms. Nick Clegg – stood there – and demonstrated the difference. That difference runs all the way through – be that policy, manner, belief, optimism – all of it.

Watching the after coverage and analysis – it is quite clear the game has changed – and about time too!

Today Nick Clegg and Vince Cable launched the Liberal Democrat manifesto – setting out four clear priorities of fair taxes, a fair chance for every child, a fair economy, and a fair deal by cleaning up politics.

Nick Clegg said:

“Every manifesto needs to have an idea at its heart. The basic idea that animates this manifesto is something I have always believed. I believe every single person is extraordinary.

“The tragedy is that we have a society where too many people never get to fulfil that extraordinary potential.

“My view – the liberal view – is that government’s job is to help them to do it. Not to tell people how to live their lives. But to make their choices possible, to release their potential, no matter who they are.

“The way to do that is to take power away from those who hoard it. To challenge vested interests. To break down privilege. To clear out the bottlenecks in our society that block opportunity and block progress. And so give everyone a chance to live the life they want.

“There’s a simple word for those ideas, and it’s a word this manifesto is built on: fairness.”

To see more http://bit.ly/bq8EXa

The banks and bankers are still making people rightly angry. As Vince Cable says – we have to break up the banks. Let the ‘casino’ banks that want to take risks be completely separate from safe and reliable high street banks, building societies and mutuals – that will support local people and local businesses. As well as the 10% levy on bank profits, we have announced a five point plan to tackle those obscene bankers’ bonuses. Never again should bonuses motivate bankers to behave in the way that led to the banking crisis.

(Also on YouTube here)

Just read the Guardian piece on how both Gordon Brown and David Cameron have failed to respond to a Newsnight invitation to be interviewed by Jeremy Paxman. The deadline was today apparently.

Nick Clegg accepted straight off!

So – two of the three men who would be Prime Minister are obviously cowardy cowardy custards! Guess that leaves only one option then!

Liberal Democrat Leader, Nick Clegg, has backed the campaign to stop closure of the Whittington A&E. The pledge of support comes in the same week as Lynne Featherstone presents local peoples’ personal stories to the Health Minister about their experiences of the Whittington A&E to demonstrate just why local residents need the Whittington A&E to stay open, and to demand that the Government halts the threat.

The Liberal Democrat MP presented Mike O’Brien, Minster for Health, with a collection of over 200 personal stories, written by local residents, who are horrified by the threat to the Archway hospital.

The Liberal Democrats are committed to stopping this process dead in its tracks. They will replace health quangos with directly elected health boards, accountable to local residents for the decisions they make.

Nick Clegg, Liberal Democrat Leader, says:

“I support the campaign to save Whittington A&E. Decisions about local services should be taken by locally accountable bodies. I would not let North London Central NHS close this A&E. I oppose all proposals made by unaccountable bureaucrats which threaten local services.”

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

“I welcome Nick’s unequivocal support of this campaign. But thanks also to the many personal and moving stories sent to me by local
residents, I feel we’ve made a powerful case for why the Whittington needs to stay open.

“This is about real people’s lives not paper solutions.

“The many intimate and touching stories really help show why having a hospital close-by is so vital. Many residents praise the hard working staff at the Whittington, who have helped them deal with really difficult and life-altering situations.

“I hope this will help tip the balance, and send a strong message to the Government from the people of Hornsey and Wood Green – hands off our A&E!”