Labour fail the NHS

At an event in Bretby on Friday 21st August I got talking to a group of people who worked for the NHS. What struck me was not only their contempt for New Labour but also their Old politics and the way they felt that Labour treated the NHS.
Interestingly recently there have been attacks by Labour, attempting to misrepresent the Conservatives NHS policies. I think to cover up their massive failures.

In fact the last few days have seen a concerted media campaign to discredit our Party and our policies on the NHS. The fact that so many people who work for the NHS attended this event proves the lie in their words.

Let us remind ourselves what the Conservatives will do better:
We pledge to:
• End labour’s plans to close A and E and maternity Services in our hospitals
• Bring to an end labour’s programme of closing Doctors surgeries in order to replace them with centralised and non local polyclinics
• Accelerate measures to reduce drastically MSRA in our hospitals
• Within 5 years of taking office DOUBLE the number of single hospital rooms
• Make sure ALL patients have equal access to clinically approved life saving drugs –ending the disgrace of patients in Britain being refused free access to the life saving drugs available everywhere else in Europe
• End government meddling in the People’s Health Service – diverting the £Billions wasted on bureaucratic interference to the care of patients”.
The people’s taxes will continue to support a free at source NHS – the Conservatives however will make sure that patients needs are put first in all aspects of health care. At the next election the choice is clear: Labour‘s centralised, target led and over bureaucratic approach.....closing local facilities
OR David CAMERON’S practical vision of a patient first ‘People’s Health Service’

Brown’s Binge, Bonus and Borrow Economy

In Etwall on Sunday 16th August I attended a Conservative event where the main topic of conversation was the state of the economy and what Gordon Brown had done to it.

It’s time to call time on Brown’s Binge, Bonus and Borrow Economy.

Economies in Europe – notably Germany and France - are now out of recession. Their recession has been shorter and less deep because their economies were not based upon over borrowing and a government-endorsed speculative approach to banking, borrowing and our public finances.
Britain is experiencing a deeper recession due to Brown and Darling’s mismanagement and borrowings of over £1 trillion. Skilfully hidden until now, the result will be Brown’s legacy of misery.

The so called “Boom Years” were nothing more than unsustainable growth based upon government borrowing and dodgy banking with the next 3 generations picking up the bill - rather a contrast to the Golden legacy left by Ken Clarke in 1997 of falling unemployment, low inflation and low government borrowing with consistent real increased spending on front line public services.

It is becoming clearer and clearer that this Government is doing everything possible to hide the depth of Britain’s debt and refuses to come clean about the cuts in public spending that must be made because it fears the electoral consequences. Brown continues to act like the undiagnosed alcoholic: he is in complete public denial as he borrows and borrows to hide his economic failures.

Conservatives, in contrast, have made their position both crystal clear and fully transparent:
We will:
- Protect essential public services – like the NHS – and ensure that all
patients receive the best treatment possible free of charge.


- Slash waste and bureaucracy and, once we know the real level of
Brown’s borrowing, tell the public and produce a fair and open
plan that will cut Britain’s debt and bring back a savings-based
economy.”

It is vital that we end Brown’s policy of the ‘Binge, Bonus culture’ and stop banks and Financial Institutions, at risk, from paying their employees obscene bonus payments which encourage the high risk finance that led to the near collapse of our banking structure.

use Your Local

You might be interested in the UseYourLocal parcel delivery initiative which is trying to revitalise our pubs and clubs. With rural enterprise needing all the support it can get, and Post Offices threatened, this is a refreshingly straightforward way of utilising what we already have.

The website reads: "UseYourLocal Limited was founded in 2008 in conjunction with Scottish & Newcastle UK, the country's leading brewer. It is an initiative to help consumers get more from their local by:
1. Using the UK's network of 90,000 pubs and clubs as collection points for parcels sent to people by friends, family, retailers & e-tailers.
2. Better informing consumers about What's On and Who's Who down their favourite locals.
The site creators at UseYourLocal believe that local pubs & clubs can be a real force for good in our local villages, towns and cities and hope that this is just the first in a series of great ideas aimed at finding creative solutions to help breathe life back into local communities.”

I have just put in my own South Derbyshire Post Code DE15 0PT and I would be spoilt for choice as there are so many outlets handy, not least In Newton Solney where we suffer from the Post Office being closed in the last round of cuts.
Try clicking on the link at the top of the page and see how you can help bring business to our rural pubs.

The Collingwood Centre Age Concern

Friday morning I popped into the Collingwood Centre in Swadlincote. This is an excellent ‘drop in’ centre run by volunteers for Age Concern.

They were holding a joint event/Open Day with the volunteers that help run the Age Concern Charity shop on the High Street.

The place was buzzing and what was even better as the event was held in the school holidays all ages were there.

I am sure they will have raised hundreds for the charity but also, hopefully, enticed some more good people to come and be volunteers for this worthwhile cause.
Well done everyone.

Photo of the Chairman’s wife Mrs Bottomley and other Age Concern Volunteers Friday 14th August 2009

Young football fans have taken up the challenge to make South Derbyshire cleaner

I was so pleased to be joined by Chairman of the Council, Cllr Pat Murray. Pat said “TS Sports Junior Football Club were very keen to take part. It’s great to see young people who are prepared to give up their Saturday morning to make a real difference to their community.”

The team have been sponsored by family and friends. The money they raise will be donated back to the football club to buy uniforms and equipment. Meeting the organisers of the football club, the Mums and Dads was great. TS Sports Junior Football Club’s Justin Fuller, who has organised the litter pick, said “The team practice at Newhall Park and the litter pick is a great chance for us to give something back to the community.

“I hope our event encourages people to get out and use their local parks more or even organise a litter pick themselves.”

Our Council is encouraging all residents, schools and voluntary groups to get involved with the Cleaner South Derbyshire Campaign. If you spot any problems with littering, dog fouling or fly tipping, call the Summer Hotspots line on 0800 587 2349.


If you would like to organise your own litter pick, the Council can provide you with a Blitz Kit containing metal litter pickers, high visibility vests, gloves and bags. For more information, phone the Council’s Customer Services on 01283 595795 or go to

www.south-derbys.gov.uk/cleanersouthderbyshire

Small Business is being strangled

Whilst I was at the House of Commons for a launch of a crime and disorder initiative I was also able to listen to an excellent speech by Mark Prisk MP our Shadow Ministerfor Business & Enterprise.

Following on from the Federation of Small Businesses conference a little while ago Mark’s speech about red tape strangling innovation, complicated tax rules and just the mountain of rules and regulation affecting business really struck a chord with me.

Mark has been in the House sicne 2001 and as a former freelancer, he now takes a close interest in the self-employed and small businesses. He is Vice Chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Small Business Group, Chairman of the East Hertfordshire Business Forum, and Honorary Vice President of the Small Business Bureau. Mark has been proactive in Parliament fighting the red tape wrapped around small businesses.
So many of our businesses and business Leaders in South Derbyshire have been telling me about the uphill battle they face with this Government and certainly the threat of more taxes, particularly the increasing National Insurance people tax, is a deterrent to taking on more staff and a pledge we have given is that we will not introduce this increase.

Photo Heather and Mark Prisk Member of Parliament for Hertford & Stortford Shadow Minister for Business & Enterprise at the House of Commons

Hatton Carnival

I attended Hatton Carnival Saturday 18th July. I so hoped the rain would stay away they deserved good weather after last year when it threw it down but even then it was a great event.

What a relief bits of cloud and bits of blue sky. I particularly enjoyed the birds of prey. They were magnificent. Another interesting stall was the hydro-electric project that might be placed on the Mill-Stream between Tutbury and Hatton. This would be an amazing project if it can be achieved and might enhance the flow of the river further along by the wonderfully community run Thistley Meadow. It will be interesting to watch this idea grow and mature into a fully fledged scheme. The thought that both sides of the river could benefit from ‘green’ electricity is tantalising.

Well done to everyone involved in the Carnival especially, Andy, Alan and Andy, but really especially well done to all connected with the village.


This year the neighbouring retained fire officers from the Staffordshire side were in attendance this time and Heather is photographed with the fire engine.