May I share some gospel with Roger Helmer MEP through these columns. I am not a Christian but I sure that the Bishop of Leicester is correct if he says that it is a Christian duty to protect our planets' environment. Isaiah 24:4-6 - The earth dries up and withers, the world languishes and withers, the exalted of the earth languish. The earth is defiled by its people; they have disobeyed the laws, violated the statutes and broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore a curse consumes the earth; its people must bear their guilt. Therefore earth's inhabitants are burned up, and very few are left. 
Jeremiah 2:7 - I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and rich produce. But you came and defiled my land and made my inheritance detestable.
Revelation 11:18 - The nations were angry; and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your saints and those who reverence your name, both small and great — and for destroying those who destroy the earth.
More important than Roger's failure to read all of the Bible is his ridiculous claim that the Earth is cooling. Its temperature has steadily risen for over the last 100 years, what a small but vocal minority of scientists dispute is that this rise is man-made.  
With a General Election approaching who are we supposed to believe? Roger is the Conservatives most senior elected politician in the East Midlands, he opposes action on climate change, he wants a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty and he wants Britain to leave the EU. His party leader committed his MEPs to work together to tackle climate change, is opposed to a Lisbon Treaty referendum and wants Britain to stay in the EU.
Which Conservative are we supposed to listen to?  11/12/2009

County Hall Tories are destroying our schools. Holmfield Primary has just been closed, even though it achieved superb Key stage 2 results this year, with a 'contextual value added' score of 100.6 (which means that the progress was above average), and a 100% pass rate in Science. The reason I was given why this clear evidence that the school is improving was being ignored is that the Ofsted report was not good enough. I accepted that explanation. Now the Mercury has revealed that Limehurst School is to be closed, but it has an outstanding Ofsted report. It is now quite clear that the Conservatives simply have an agenda of closing schools to save money, and sell of the land. Independent Key Stage test results and Ofsted reports are meaningless to them, all they want is money to pay for their zero council tax pledge. So our children's future and education are now being sacrificed to finance a political slogan. This is just a foretaste of what a Conservative Government will do to our public services; and it will push the country back in to the Banker's Recession.

It is regrettable that the campaign to prevent Charnwood Borough Council approving a 5,000-home development between Thurmaston and Barkby has been hijacked by the Conservative Party. Central Government has laid down housing build targets ever since the regional planning bodies were established in 1946 to manage post-war reconstruction, a role now managed by the Conservative-controlled East Midlands Regional Assembly. The location of housing, however, has always been, and remains, a matter for local decision. It is the county council who applied to the Government for permission to build thousands of houses over and above what the we required locally, and they then went on to select the sites. In contrast to the erroneous claim that the Labour Party want to devastate Barkby and its surrounding countryside, Thurmaston Labour Party have submitted a comprehensive and realistic alternative that meets our housing need without losing green fields. There is an industrial wilderness of derelict, vacant and crumbling brown field sites that lies to the west of Thurmaston High Street, which offers the opportunity to develop a mixed housing development with waterside views. Such a scheme would bring life back to the traditional High Street enabling it to compete with the Asda complex. Reducing road speeds on the A607 dual carriageway that divides Thurmaston by making two lanes for buses only, would help; and we should lobby now for the Leicester tram to come to Thurmaston. New employment opportunities can be developed north of the village, offering the opportunity for small businesses and entrepreneurs to create new jobs, with easy access to the A46/A6. The only way to save the green fields at Barkby is to elect a Labour council for Charnwood that is prepared to stand up to the county council's grotesque housing plans and to make planning for Thurmaston a priority not an afterthought. Leicester Mercury  20th Jan 2010

As Jonathan Wheeler of Birstall rightly points out, unused traffic lights could be turned off. The Birstall Park & Ride, financed by a £2.75 Million grant from the Government will help reduce the traffic that clogs up Birstall. Can I make a related plea for Thurmaston, which is a community divided by the pointless A 607 dual-carriageway. It is responsible for unreasonable noise and air pollution, and simply deliver commuter cars to a clogged junction on the Leicester Ring Road. We need to get people out of their cars, so can these unused bus lanes and traffic lights be miraculously transported onto two lanes of the A 607 that cuts Thurmaston in half? It would reduce traffic speeds and thus noise & air pollution, and may persuade more drivers to stop outside of the city and get in to work on public transport.

In answer to Rob Fee's complaint that I said that crime rates are down (EU supporters in a fantasy world?, December 1), the reason is simple, crime rates are down! Whether you look at police figures, home office figures or independent figures, overall crime has fallen substantially over the last 10 years under Labour. Derby Telegraph Dec 2009

I was delighted to see that in the latest Key Stage 2 (KS2) results, Holmfield Primary School were given a Contextual Value Added (CVA) score (which measures the progress made by pupils from the end of KS1 to the end of KS2, using their test results) of 100.6. This ranks it among the top 40% of all primary schools nationally. With 100% of pupils also achieving grade 5 or above for science, this was an outstanding year.Well done, Holmfield! 
Surely this means that the county's threat of closure will now be lifted. Mercury Dec 2009

Conservative plans to require us to declare our marital status on official forms, just announced by Chris Grayling, would be a gross intrusion by the state on our privacy. Why do DVLA need to know my marital status when I apply for a driving licence, or my Local Council when I ask for planning permission? This unacceptable attack on our freedom sounds like a return to the discredited 'back to basics' campaign by the Tories of 1980s, which led to the State stigmatising children simply because their parents were not officially married. What matters is that children are in loving caring environment, not one that fits Chris Graying's definition of acceptability. His other crazy plan to have heads of our police forces elected is even more dangerous. The police know best how to maintain law and order, and they do not need or want day-to-day interference by politicians. These crazy Conservative plans must be stopped.

I am sure I was not alone when I watched the memorial service at the Cenotaph on TV this Sunday. I was particularly pleased that the British Legion has highlighted that remembrance day is not just about historic events, such as WW2, but is also about the sacrifice and dedication of our armed services today. British forces are currently deployed in 80 countries, where they are engaged in active operations, training, policing and support for local authorities that are for our benefit and security. This week we saw the continuation of the trial of Radovan Karadžić, a reminder that only recently British service men & women were enraged in active service close to home, in Europe, intervening to prevent further genocide of Muslims in Bosnia. The money raised by the British Legion supports our service men and women who are coming home now. So please remember that the British Legion appeal is always open to donations at any time, and not just at this time of year.

Is the correlation between climate change denial and Euroscepticism due to a belief that leaving the EU would isolate the British climate from interference by Brussels?

It is rare that I have to praise Roger Helmer. I hope that he now follows his conscience out of the Tory Party; who have always been wholly committed to Britain staying in the EU. I welcome the Lisbon Treaty, as it will streamline the EU, reduce the number of commissioners by 1/3, take power away from the unelected and give it to the elected EU Parliament and back to member states. It also ensures that a single intransigent state cannot block badly needed reforms, such as abolition of the CAP, by using a national veto. It will give us EU fit for the 21st C. If you want to leave the EU then wake up and support UKIP not David Cameron. Euroscepticism is a Tory sham to hide their Pro-EU policies; the issue is In or Out not varying shades of In.

The 25% drop in BNP membership in my constituency is no comfort for the the fact  that Charnwood has the highest number of BNP members in the country. The BNP is racist, and its leader is a felon convicted for 'Incitement to Race Hatred’.  However, many white Britons voted  BNP not because they themselves are racists, but because they fear for their jobs and homes during this world economic crisis.  That is why we must invest now  to build affordable houses, and stimulate economic growth. Recession is the fuel of fascism, and the road that starts out as Nationalism leads to the gates of Auschwitz.  The use of military images, even that of a Polish Spitfire,  to promote British Nazis  is wholly unacceptable. Especially so in the week that we see the launch of the annual poppy appeal for those who sacrificed their lives to rid Europe of those who held the same views as the BNP.  The racist BNP can be defeated, not just be exposing their lies, but by creating jobs, building houses and giving people skills and training.

At the last European Elections only 20% of people voted for political parties that want to take Britain out of the EU. This totally disproves Wendy Warren's claim that the majority of Britons want to leave, as does almost every opinion poll in recent years that asked the question 'In or Out'. The truth is that when the anti-marketeers lose elections, referendums or opinion polls they simply refuse to accept the results. Please do not try to claim that the Tories are anti EU, David Cameron is wholly committed to staying in, and wants to expand it to include the Ukraine, Georgia, the rest of the Balkans and Turkey. It is time to stop giving any attention to the vocal minority who want to leave the EU, and instead get on with taking advantages of the benefits.

I have just spent a superb morning at Holmfield Primary, and observed every class. What a fantastic and safe environment. The new head teacher, Paula Cummings, has only been in the job for 3 years, and took on a school that all agree was in decline - but she has done a fantastic job. This is is proven by the latest (as yet unpublished) results, the quality of the CURRENT teaching staff, the really caring atmosphere throughout the school, and the fact that parents from out the catchement area send their kids to Holmfield. . The school is undoubtably improving, even the County Council admit that - the new team have been in for just over 1 year - they need to be given a chance. As for the land, Leicester Forest East needs a new purpose built library, and the school has more than enough land to accomodate it. So come on County Council give Paula Cummings the opportunity to complete the job she has started, and lift the threat of closure.

NOW BORIS WANTS OUR HOUSES
Boris Johnson's latest scheme to solve London's housing problem is to buy up cheep houses in 'the country', which includes 'the Midlands' and move older council tenants aged over 55 in to them. This was reported in yesterday's Evening Standard. What a contrast to Gordon Brown's National Care Service, and the growing provision of assistive technology from Local Authorities, intended to enable older people to continue living independently in their own homes. At last the electorate have a real choice, independence and financial security in old age from Labour, or 
being moved 100 miles from your family home under the Tories.

When I was a child I used to build sand-castles on the beach. My favourite purchase was a pack of paper flags, for England, Ulster, Scotland and Wales plus the Union Flag that united us all. It was a childish thing, and I dreamed of the England of Bodacea, Kings Alfred and Arthur, Harold and Richard the Lion Heart, William of Orange and of course Robin Hood. It was a simple idea, much like the claim by the BNP that they represent the indigenous peoples of these Islands. Talk of indigenous or not is of course absurd. Britain has been absorbing migrants for millenia, and will continue to do so. That is why we live in such a diverse nation, with such strong regional diversity, 7 recognised native languages and numerous strong regional dialects. To claim, as one member of the BNP did recently, that only those who were present before the Battle of Hastings are acceptable rejects the vast majority of this country's population including the Royal Family. Fortunately, as a Jew I'm acceptable as we were well established in Britain before 1066, but I do not think that they would let me join their Party. Roma (Gypsies) and Black Africans first settled here in the 16^th C, Asians started arriving in the 17th. But talk of race is absurd. The BNP are a racist and fascist organisation who threaten the British way of life. This is not true of the many people who voted for them. I canvassed many people in June who told me that they were voting BNP, some even added the catch phrase “even though some of my best friends are Asian”. They did so as a protest, and out of fear for their jobs and homes. Yes we must expose the crude racism of the BNP, but we must also address the fears that led so many to vote them.

We badly need more houses, and especially affordable houses. There are just under 3000 families on Charnwood Borough Council's housing waiting list – they are not illegal immigrants or asylum seekers or any other scapegoat as the BNP tries to proclaim. They are all local people, who have qualified for housing need, and deserve to have it. Labour is committed to building these houses, and to ensuring that at least 30% of all new housing is affordable, for either sale or rent. Racism will not build a single house, but continued opposition to all new housing fuels the BNP myth machine.

The largest group of people affected by the Banker's Recession are youngsters. Labour is committed to driving the recession out of our economy by the Fiscal Stimulus, which is now turning the tide. Yes it has driven up debt, but the alternative scenario of ever-deepening recession, misery and unemployment is not 'a price worth paying'. In any case we will get our money back when the Banks are returned to the private sector. Labour has also increased the availability of apprenticeships, and access to higher education, as skills means employment. Racism will not create a single job, but cuts in public spending will undermine our economy and our public services.
The BNP can be defeated by the ballot box, and that will be achieved by building houses, creating jobs and giving our kids a decent eduction.
But what of my childhood heroes? The indigenous race of these islands were Neanderthals, displaced by Celtic immigrants like Bodacea, who herself fought against the Roman immigrants. Arthur, a Romano-Celt tried to stop the Anglo-Saxon immigrants. The Saxon Alfred tried to halt Danish immigration. Harold failed to stop the Norman French conquest. Robin Hood, a Saxon fought against the Norman-French who gave us our Royal Family. William of Orange was Dutch and led the last successful conquest of these Islands by a foreign power. As for Richard, well he was French, did not speak English and spent all his life killing Christians, Muslims & Jews in the Holy Land.

WE MUST NOW MAKE THE CO-OP A LOCAL PARTNER

Labour lost the election on Thursday, June 4 – the Conservatives did not win. If anyone can claim success it is Ukip and the other minor parties, as disgust at the expenses scandal has hit all major parties. What now matters is:
1) How will the Westminster system be cleaned up? (I for one support ATV voting, and Government-owned flats instead of second homes); and
2) Who will sort out the mess the bankers have got the country in to? The last question is easy to answer, with Lloyds Bank paying back £2.6 billion, house prices stabilising and sterling back to sensible levels, all the indications are that Labour have saved the British economy.
Pity that message got drowned out by the Westminster bubble. Locally, we now have a strengthened Tory administration who flogged off our care homes, priced school buses off of the road, proposed building thousands of houses on green fields instead of using that investment to regenerate brown field sites, who will build a waste incinerator instead of a bio-digester, and will continue to refuse to open up rail lines or collaborate on a tram system to stop congestion.
Let's vote local next time.
At least the pro-European Union vote was well up at 65 per cent, as Ukip failed to reach even 20 per cent. Leicester Mercury  12th June 2009

“It is in the more strategic areas that the Council is weaker.” “The Council lacks a compelling longer-term ambition” "While the Council has set out corporate priorities, these are so broad that they lack impact”Just some of the damning criticism of Charnwood Borough Council by the independent Audit Commission. It is therefore bizarre that the deposed leader of the Council, Richard Sheppard, and the man who ousted him, Mike Preston, can claim (letters 16^th July) that the Council is improving. I do not know what is worse for Charnwood, the fact that the Council has deteriorated so much since the Tories took control, or that they will not accept the facts when presented to them by an independent inspector.

The VAT cut is working, resulting in additional retail sales of £2.1 billion, according to the independent Centre for Economics and Business Research . Activity in the housing market is increasing. More money is becoming available for businesses and and public from the banks. The G20 consensus is to support Gordon Brown's call for a global stimulus, and to regulate the banks (a move apposed by the Tories for so many years). It is far too early to claim any sort of recovery, but let's for once be thankful for some good news, and give credit to Alistair Darling for holding his nerve and doing what had to be done to steer us through this global melt-down. What a contrast to David Cameron & George Osborne, who have sneered at all actions by the Government to bring real help to people now. Their only serious policy offering is to increase the threshold for Inheritance Tax to £1 Million; a move that would only help a handful of millionaires. The paralysis of the Tory Party Nationally is mirrored by their appalling legacy of failure locally. The Tory Leader of Charnwood Borough Council has been kicked out by his own party after a damning appraisal by the Audit Commission. At County level we go in to the June elections after years of savage increase in charges for basic services, asset sales to balance the books including care homes and country parks, and a County House Building programme in chaos. For a detailed analysis of the Tory years at County Hall please read our review at www.torys.co.uk

East Midlands Trains might increase business, instead of cutting staff, if they thought local. The new timetable to London is most welcome – anything to get cars off of the M1 is a good thing – but it is at the expense of local commuters, a ready-made market that wants to use the railway but is denied the opportunity. Leicester is congested. Rail offers a way out of the mess, but we are not allowed to expand the Ivanhoe line commuter services or reopen the National Forest rail line. Leicester Mercury 25 March 2009

May I be one of the first to welcome the proposal by Leicestershire County Council to set up a project team to develop and deliver the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme? This is a £45 billion Government scheme that will rebuild or refurbish every secondary school in England over the coming years. Fifty-four of Leicestershire's secondary schools will benefit from this money. I hope that they do a better job than the Primary Schools Capital bid that was rejected last year by the Government, and will have to be resubmitted. However, the biggest threat to the BSF money is the Conservatives' policy document Raising the bar, Closing the Gap, in which David Cameron has pledged to scrap BSF before any work starts in Leicestershire, and instead give the money to a few new Academy Schools. Perhaps, the Tories at County Hall are assuming that they will lose the General Election. Why else should they spend £300,000 on a project team to spend money that their party has said they will take away from Leicestershire? Leicester Mercury 23rd Jan 2009

BJ Morrison consistently claims that the majority of the British public want to leave the EU without offering a scrap of evidence in support of this claim.
Every opinion poll on the simple 'in or out' question has the pro-EU side winning by a typical margin of 2:1. At the last european elections the  get-out-of-the-EU parties' total score was only 20%. The latest YouGov Poll on joining the euro has only 31% opposed, as against 27% saying we should join when the conditions are right, and 11% saying join now. Next June the electorate have another opportunity to vote to 'get out of the EU' when we have the european elections. I have no doubt that the pro-EU parties (Conservative, Labour and Lib-Dems) will again score an overwhelming victory. And before anyone tries to claim that the Tories are anti-EU I suggest you read their manifesto first. A vote for Roger Helmer is a vote for Britain to stay in the EU.

IS THIS THE END OF THE LINE FOR THE NATIONAL FOREST RAILWAY?

You might well think so in view of the recent report prepared by Leicestershire County Council. Its' main assumptions & conclusions were

• Only 150,000 week-day journeys would take place a year, each at a cost of £3.15. As most commuters make a return journey, this equates to 300 people using the service a day.

• That no economic use would be made of it at week-ends, despite offering a convenient service to Leicester City, and the Tourist attractions of the National Forest and Snibston.

• That there should be a hourly service, costing £5 Million per annum

Thus it would lose just over £4.5 per annum.

However, like statistics you can always get the report that you want. Like anyone who has ever started a small business from scratch, I know that you have to build up your new business slowly. Why offer an hourly service, throughout the day, when it is well known that the main demand will be for commuters? I have spoken to transport experts based outside of Leicestershire County Council, and they told me that the LCC plan is just too ambitious. To be economically viable you should just offer trains when you know that people want them; thus the presumed running costs are grossly inflated.

The assumption that there would be no income from week-end use is at odds with the view of the National Forest Company; whose reports repeatedly say that re-opening the line would be good for their business. After all we are a nation known for it's love affair with railways. Based on the latest 'travel to work figures' 4000-6000 cars use the A50 per day, and 6000-8000 use the A47 per day. This means that about 12000 cars travel along part of this disused railway line every week-day. The least credible claim was that only 300 of them would be tempted on to the new train service.

Maybe this is all just sour grapes, and I should accept the facts that the line is not viable. But why is it that a different view is taken in Derbyshire? In that County they have consistently called for former disused tracks to be re-opened, Derby to Matlock being a recent success. Staffordshire too have been very positive in their support for re-opening the line. This support has now been rewarded with a Government Office for the East Midlands proposal that the Burton to Swadlincote section be reviewed pending re-opening. It could be years away, but it is a start. Perhaps when we have the site of Derbyshire passenger trains being turned back at the Leicestershire County border we may get a more enthusiastic response from the powers that be at County Hall.

May I welcome Anthony Ellis of the English Democrats to these columns, which tend to be dominated by the Pro-EU parties (Conservatives, Labour & Lib-Dems). It is vital for our democracy that the genuine anti-EU parties, The English Democrats & UKIP are heard. I was not using statistics when I stated that a majority of the UK's citizens are in favour of the UK being a member of the EU, I was giving the results of the last European Union Elections, in which 80% of votes were actually cast for Pro-EU political parties. His argument that the 52% who did not vote are anti EU is absurd; if they were they should have voted for his party or UKIP. Abstention means they are either content with the status-quo or are not bothered. Next June the electorate has another chance to express their desire to leave the EU, I have no doubt that the overwhelming majority will again vote for the 3 Pro-EU parties, Conservative, Labour & Lib-Dem. sent to NEP 29th Nov

In my part-time capacity as Managing Director of GSI Ltd, an SME specialising in the design and manufacture of precision measuring instrumentation, I have just been asked by a major US cosmetic company to supply a device to test skin creams. Had they asked 2 months ago it would have cost them $24,000. Today it will cost them $18,000. George Osborne has clearly never worked in the real world, else he would understand that a competitive exchange rate is good for exports, British Manufacturing and British jobs. The downside of rising import costs is offset by the worldwide fall in commodity prices. Now I understand why there is growing Remove Osborne Now (RON) campaign amongst Tory Backbenchers.

Barak Obama's intention to act on man-made global warming is a welcome policy change. Two of the Western World's major economic powerhouses, the USA and the EU are now committed to take action and can co-ordinate activity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Let us hope that the East Midlands Conservative Party now put their weight behind these international efforts, and come in to line with David Cameron's policies. To date their most senior elected representative, Roger Helmer MEP, has refused to accept that man made global warming exists. We must act responsibly for the sake of our childrens future, so I urge you to reject the Conservative List at the next European Elections until they change their policy on climate change.

Tory Threat to UKIP
“Halloween has been and gone and the spirit of UKIP has arisen from the pen of Derek Clark MEP. I guess the Euro elections must be coming. However he is attacking the wrong people, the greatest threat to UKIP next year are not the Labour & LibDem pro-Europeans – but the Conservatives who present themselves as anti EU but are as much committed to Britain remaining in the EU as the other two main stream parties. A vote for Roger Helmer is a vote to stay in the EU.”

Dorothy Wilson is trying to continue the myth the Tory party is anti-EU.

Totally disproved by a poll of Tory parliamentary hopefuls just published, in which 80% said that membership of the EU has been a good thing for Britain. Leaving the EU will represent a catastrophe for the UK, which has protected working people with a raft of legislation that Cameron opposes – including limits on the working week, an end to discrimination on ground of sex and age, an end to unscrupulous exploitation of people by keeping them on 'part-time' contracts for years, international action on pollution, and consumer protection. The EU's essential role of peace-keeping in Europe has been highlighted by the proposal that the EU will monitor the withdrawal of the Russian troops from Georgia. So if you want an end to the EU's role in ensuring a better life for all, economically and environmentally as well as its peace-keeping achievements – vote UKIP or ED. If you want to stay in the EU but moan about its benefits vote for Roger Helmer. If you support working with our Allies to promote individual freedom, prosperity, a clean environment and European peace then Labour has to be your choice. NEP 13th October 2008

LEICESTESHIRE TORIES FAIL TO PROTECT CHARNWOOD FOREST FROM QUARRYING AGAIN

Changes to the Regional Plan, proposed by the Government Office of the East Midlands, has stated that the Peak District National Park, Lincolnshire Wolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site should not be considered for mineral extraction. County Hall Tories considered their response to this proposal at last weeks Cabinet meeting, and failed to call for the same protection to be afforded to Charnwood Forest.
Last May Leicestershire County Council proposed a new 'Minerals Strategy for Charnwood Forest', this replaced the earlier policies for Charnwood Forest which stated that it's primary role 'was to be exploited for woodlands'.
Eric Goodyer, Labour's Prospective MP for Charnwood said “Yet again County Hall Tories have failed to use the planning system to protect Charnwood Forest from Quarrying”.
He is urging others to act by logging on the the GOEM website and lodging their own demand that Charnwood Forest be protected from quarrying. The consultation period closed on the 17^th October.

The Government has put the National Forest Rail line back on the agenda. The Regional Plan, proposed by the Government Office of the East Midlands has called for a review into the feasibility of reopening this passenger rail service, but only the Burton to Swadlincote stretch. Leicestershire's section of the line has been left out. Significantly the cabinet meeting held at County Hall last week failed to object to this omission, so yet again we see that County Hall Tories are doing nothing to promote the reopening of line from Burton to Leicester. However, you can take some action, even if the Tories will not. Go to the GOEM consultation website, ( http://goem-consult.limehouse.co.uk/portal/regional_strategies/rss/empc ) find paragraph 4.2.26 and submit your own comment in support of reopening the National Forest Rail Line all the way from Burton to Leicester. If we all work together we can this railway running again.

I was deeply saddened to hear of the resignation of Councillor Sharon Williams, who has worked so hard for the residents of Hathern and Dishley. The decision by the Conservative Council to propose building on Garendon was the it seems the final straw. Many of us have fought hard to protect the Green Wedge from development. Many years ago I successfully forced the the re-convened Government Planning Enquiry to change the plans to protect Dishley Farmstead from development, Max Hunt fought a long campaign to have Garendon turned into a park for recreation and the benefit of all Loughborough residents, and Sharon continued that battle against this loss of green space. Charnwood Constituency Labour Party has long called for the River Soar to have special treatment, and be designated as a Linear Park. It should be protected from developments, such as the ghastly Rothley Lodge, and instead exploited for leisure and recreation. A Linear Park running from Watermead, taking in the Loughborough Canal and linking with the historic farmstead of Dishley Grange, and Garendon could have offered so much. Instead Tory Controlled Charnwood Borough Council seems intent on building on it, and Leicestershire County Council have recently changed the rules to allow sand and gravel extraction from Green Wedge land. Labour has done its' best to protect our local environment, now we need the support of voters in the by-election to carry on that battle.

It is a rare event that I find myself in agreement with Cllr Sprason, but I must thank him for highlighting the Government's substantial and ongoing investment into using new technology to give Older People the choice to continue living independently in their own homes. Leicestershire County Council's Adult Service department has an excellent record of using this money to such good effect, that they were awarded the highest rating for excellence in the most recent round of Social Service Department inspections. Using technology (known as Home Telecare) to support independent living was pioneered by Labour Controlled West Lothian Council, who started a five-year Telecare project in 2001, providing monitored sensors in the homes of older and vulnerable people and a 24-hour emergency call and response service. Everyone was a winner, older people were given the opportunity to choose to continue living independently at home, dramatic savings were made in health budgets as patients were able to released earlier from hospitals and intermediate care-homes back in to the security of their own homes; and the workload for care professionals was reduced. Home Telecare is now well established, and is being advanced by both the County and City Council's. At DeMontfort University where I work part-time we are researching the future of Telecare, including the use of Artificial Intelligence to analyse an drespond to the data more effectively, new technology for the 'wired home' and the use of GSM and GPS to provide the next generation of 'Mobile Telecare'. The future for our ageing society will become more heavily dependant on the use of new technology to give people more choice as to how they wish to live, and to support our dedicated care staff – who I hope will continue to be directly employed by both Councils.

Leicestershire's selection as part of the pilot scheme to support low income families with free childcare, so they can access training and return to work, has been welcomed by Eric Goodyer, Labour's Prospective MP for Charnwood. Low income families can now benefit from this new £75million programme announced by the Labour Government today. The ‘Free Childcare for Training and Learning for Work’ programme will support 50,000 low income families where one parent is working and the second parent wants to improve their skills so that they can return to work. As well as free childcare, families will receive help from the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) to identify and attend training. Workless families who cannot get support from elsewhere will also be eligible.Childcare costs of up to £175 per week per child (or up to £205 per week per child in London) will be paid directly to the childcare provider.
Children’s Secretary Ed Balls said: “We are committed to eradicating child poverty and have already lifted 600,000 children out of poverty. This new programme will help families break out of the poverty trap.  High quality, affordable childcare is vitally important. By making this offer we are helping parents who would otherwise find it difficult to get financial help for childcare, to gain the skills and the confidence they need to return to work.” 

This vaccine programme represents an incredible success for East Midlands Euro MP Glenis Willmott who is campaigning to cut death rates in women in the UK and across Europe from one of the biggest cancer killers. Cervical cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in women worldwide, killing over 1000 women every year in the UK alone. Glenis plans to help change this by backing this new treatment which experts have dubbed the most exciting development in cervical cancer research for years. Glenis is co-Chair of the Cervical Cancer Interest Group (CCIG) which she has helped to set up to make awareness raising and prevention of the disease a priority in the UK and across Europe. The online Stop Cervical Cancer petition has been launched by the European Cervical Cancer Association (ECCA). It calls on the European Commission and all National Governments of Europe to implement effective organised cervical cancer prevention programmes for all the women of Europe. To date the petition has been signed by over 156,000 European citizens. The petition can be found at http://www.cervicalcancerpetition.eu/

What the HPV vaccine protects against
The HPV vaccine protects against the two strains of HPV (16 and 18) that cause cervical cancer in over 70% of women. It does not protect against any other sexually transmitted infections or against pregnancy. Because the HPV vaccine does not protect against ALL cervical cancers, it is really important for all girls to have cervical screening later in life. The NHS cervical screening programme will continue after the introduction of the HPV vaccine (cervical screening in England is offered from the age of 25).

Glennis Willmott MEP for Charnwood and the East Midlands said
‘The NHS cervical screening programme is the envy of the world, saving around 4.500 lives every year. But we can make a dramatic difference even to those figures with the new vaccine."
Eric Goodyer, Labour's Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Charnwood said
“Preventing this disease must have the highest priority, and I urge everyone who has access to this vaccine to take advantage of it. I welcome this Government health programme.”
Full details can be found at http://www.immunisation.nhs.uk/Vaccines/HPV or Call the HPV helpline on 0845 602 3303.
Notes for editors
Extensive information, posters and press material is available from the Department of Health
http://www.immunisation.nhs.uk/Vaccines/HPV
Glennis Willmott also has extensive material whcih cna be found at these two sites, along with images
http://www.gleniswillmott.eu/campaigning_against_cervical_cancer
http://www.gleniswillmott.eu/more_on_gleniss_cervical_cancer_campaign

INCREASE IN SOCIAL HOUSING WELCOMED BY CHARNWOOD LABOUR PARTY
Charnwood Labour Party was expressed particular support for the Government Initiative to build more Social Housing. Over 2000 families are currently waiting for homes on Charnwood Borough Council's housing waiting list, and much of the existing stock is in need of repair. Labour contrasted this to past Conservative Policies which was based on selling off social housing, which while of great benefit to those who were able to buy homes at discounted prices, meant that there are today not enough affordable homes for rent. Eric Goodyer, Labour's Prospective MP for Charnwood said

The Tories environmental credentials are in tatters, following demands by their leading elected representative, Roger Helmer MEP, that we should ignore global warming and build more conventional power stations burning fossil fuels. His decision to robustly reject David Cameron's professed green policies is more in tune with our Tory controlled County Council, who whilst professing to be defenders of our countryside are in fact hell-bent on a programming of trashing the County. Recent County Hall decision include 1) Lifting the ban on quarrying in Charnwood Forest 2) Progressing a waste incinerator without commissioning an independent Environmental Risk Assessment Study 3) selling off Country Parks 4) allowing sand and gravel extraction from Green Wedge land 5) Failing to progress the National Forest Rail Line 6) Pricing school buses off of the road. However, this comes as no surprise as David Cameron has to have a car following his bike-ride to work.

May I welcome Geoffrey Littlejohns robust rebuttal of my recent submission relating to the racist policies of the BNP. As UKIP are discredited, and a vote for the Conservative Party is a vote for the EU, the existence of a strong and credible anti-EU party is essential for our Democracy. What Geoffrey fails to understand is that I am as proud of my English & British heritage as he is. Where we differ is that I know our history better than he does. Britain has been absorbing immigrants for millennia, and it is that rich cultural heritage that makes us what we are today. Our language is spoken worldwide because it has roots in so many other tongues, testimony to our rich cultural history (in chronological order) of Celts, Romans, Germans, Danes, Roma, French, Jews, Black Africans, Chinese, Dutch and more recent arrivals that have enriched our heritage and culture. We are what we are today because of our past, multi-cultural, multi-racial and diverse united under the Union Flag.

Eric Goodyer has urged older people to get their applications in for Winter Fuel Payments in as quickly as possible. That way older people in Charnwood will get their payments by Christmas. The Winter Fuel Payment is one of a number of initiatives Labour has introduced to help older people keep warm and well during the winter months. Anyone aged 60 or over on or before 21 September 2008 may qualify for a Winter Fuel Payment of £250 per household. Households with someone aged 80 or over could get a payment of £400.

Anyone aged 60 or over who is eligible and has not got a claim form can get one by visiting the Winter Fuel Payment website – www.thepensionservice.gov.uk/winterfuel, by calling the helpline on 08459 15 15 15 (0845 601 5613 for textphone users). Amongst those who are eligible are people already in receipt of the Winter Fuel Payment who's circumstance have not change; and those in receipt of a State Pension or some qualifying social security benefit. If you are unsure then Charnwood Labour Party is advising you to ask by calling the helpline.

The Labour Party is also urging people to consider home inprovements to enable better energy efficiency. The Warm Front scheme ( www.warmfront.co.uk) offers grants in England to help with the costs, so it is wrthwhile contacting them to see if you are eligible for help; either via their website or0on freephone 0800 316 6011, textphone 0800 072 0156 (from 8.00am to 6.00pm Monday to Friday).

Eric Goodyer, Labour's Prospective MP for Charnwood said:
“Even though it is mid-summer I do not want anyone to miss out on their Winter Fuel Payment; especially with energy prices being forced up by speculators. If you think you may qualify then it is worth a phone call”
"This year for households including someone aged 60-79 there will be an extra £50 this year – bringing the total up to £250. And households with someone aged 80 or over will receive an extra £100 this year – £400 in total - to help older people cope with higher energy costs.
"If you claim by 19 September you should receive your payment before Christmas.”

40 years on and the Czech & Slovak Republics are free

THE BNP THREATENS THE REGION'S ECONOMY

Tourism is a major source of income for the East Midlands. The attractions of the Peak District are well known, Charnwood Forest is also a tourist destination. Nottingham Forest attracts others, the Lincolnshire Coast Line, and the Gardens of Northamptonshire are also highly valued. We would all hope that the National image of our Region is one that would help build our local economy and attract visitors. Instead the East Midlands has been portrayed Nationally as the home of intolerance and racism as the host of the annual BNP festival of racial purity. The BNP is an organisation with one principle, an irrational fear of immigrants.

Yet, as the cul-de-sac of Europe, Britain has been absorbing people for millenia. There were others living here before even the English arrived, displacing Romans and Celts, who themselves arrived in a land already inhabited. What puts the Great into Britain is our multi-cultural heritage, as witnessed by our diversity, regional character and language; English itself being a mix of German, French, Norse as well traces of Arabic, Gaelic and Hebrew. A BNP 'spokesperson' complained about 'Gypsies', clearly ignorant of the fact that Roma arrived in Europe around 900 AD, before even William the Conqueror founded the lineage of our German/French/Dutch Royal Family. They may even have been in Britain before his ancestors arrived as immigrants!

I am proud of our multi-cultural history. What matters is a person's deeds, and what they put in to society – not their heritage. Afro-Caribbeans saved Britain's economy and public services after the devastation of WW2, Leicester's economy has been revitalised with the arrival of so many hard working and dedicated Asians. Black Africans have lived here since they started arriving at our ports in the 16^th C. Today our service sectors, agricultural and building industries rely on East Europeans.