Back to Downs School

Many readers of this blog will know that I have visited Downs School in Harlow on a number of occasions. I was pleased to be invited again today to present some healthy eating awards.

The school was given these awards by the NHS, for all its activities in relation to healthy eating. All the pupils participated and it was an award well deserved.

I was also there to present some playground champion certificates. These are given individually to children who act as monitors during break time - looking after children who may be vulnerable and ensuring that every child has an enjoyable and peaceful break.

Downs School is a really impressive school. The Head Teacher, Mr David Yeld, has put the school on the map, winning a range of other symbols of recognition, including an eco-award from Essex Council (I was even given an eco badge!!). He has also brought some traditional values back into the school - as I walked into the entrance, I was greeted by two pupils in very smart blue blazers. Downs is also now divided up into 'houses'. There is also a school council and plaques around the school which highlight individual recognition of various pupils.

Mr Yeld has a strong philosophy for the school and has a great vision for the future. He believes that standards can be improved by building individual self esteem - not just by recognising pupils through awards but though excellence and achievement through additional activities like music. I am sure he is right and I look forward to see how the school develops over coming months.

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Victory in Lower Sheering

It has been a long Thursday. After many weeks of campaigning, it was the final day of the By-Election in Lower Sheering.Harlow and Epping Conservative activists were in Lower Sheering from 0700, campaigning for Charlotte Edwards, who was our candidate.

What was astonishing was that Labour did not even put up a Candidate to stand in this election - a symbol of how their grassroots infrastructure is falling apart. The Liberals, also, almost gave up the ghost. Despite putting up a Candidate (who, unlike Charlotte lived miles away from Sheering), did no real campaigning, not even bothering to put a leaflet around the ward.

I was really pleased to see that Charlotte romped home. She will make an excellent candidate. Part of Charlotte's victory was due to former Cllr Heather Harding who worked so hard in Lower Sheering - and did so much to lay the foundations for tonight's success.

The response we got on the doorstep was great - and a good sign for the General Election next year.

P.S. The Lower Sheering results were as follows:

Conservatives 302
Liberals 93

Charlotte's majority was 209


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Alan Sugar - your fired

Despite enjoying The Apprentice, I have never understood why Gordon Brown appointed Alan Sugar to spearhead the Government's task force for business. Only last week, Mr Sugar thought it apt to lay in to struggling small businesses stating:

"I can honestly say a lot of problems you hear from people who are moaning are from companies I wouldn't lend a penny to. They are bust. The moaners are bust. They are bust and they don't need the bank - they need an insolvency practitioner." (Daily Mail, 4 November 2009)

The arrogance of this comment is breathtaking, particularly, when many small businesses are struggling to keep to keep afloat - because of Gordon Brown's mishandling of the economy.

I am sometimes asked, so what would Conservatives do differently to help small businesses in this difficult climate. I thought it might be useful to set out Tory policies below (incidentally, the Conservative Spokesman for small businesses is Mark Prisk (neighbouring MP for Hertford and Stortford):

Conservative action for small business

Simpler, fairer taxes

We will reverse Labour's planned increase in small company corporation tax, from 22p in the coming year back to 20p.

We will simplify the tax system, to reduce complexity for small businesses.

Securing finance

We believe Labour's loan guarantee schemes are too complex, narrow and bureaucratic. We believe that, during the recession, there should be a single national loan guarantee scheme, to guarantee billions of pounds of loans for all business sectors and for viable firms whatever their size.

Cutting the burden of regulation

We will create a one in-one out requirement where any new regulation must include cuts in old laws which, together, produce a net 5% reduction in the total regulatory burden.

We will apply a 'sunset clause' to all regulators. During the first term of a Conservative Government all regulators will be re-assessed and their duties, size and functions reviewed. Our aim is fewer, smaller and cheaper regulators.

Many small businesses complain of unfair treatment in employment and discrimination tribunals. We will consult carefully on reforming these tribunals so that the system is fair to all sides.

The powers of government inspectors will be curbed, by letting businesses arrange their own, externally audited inspections and, providing they pass, to refuse entry to official inspectors thereafter.

Helping people start and grow new businesses

We will introduce a Work for Yourself programme to help people become self employed. Working with proven specialist organisations like the Prince's Trust and the Bright Ideas Trust we will enable the building of a network of business mentors and appropriate business support and loans to help the next generation of entrepreneurs.

These policies at least give some impetus to business and are far removed from Alan Sugar's approach of harsh criticism. There is a big difference between a reality TV programme and the real business world.

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Local residents have a right to know the true level of public spending

Don't' you agree that all of us have the right to know the true level of public spending in Harlow in Epping? Is there not a greater need for open Government?

That is why I have urged that Gordon Brown stops dragging his feet over a new law which requires the Government to tell us how much taxpayers' money is spent in Harlow and Epping Forest, and in every other part of the country.

What is really astonishing, is that in Parliament on 28 October, Labour MPs actually voted against a motion calling for more openness on public spending.(Bill Rammell abstained - or wasn't in the Commons to vote).

The new law, The Sustainable Communities Act 2007, was introduced by a Conservative MP and passed by Parliament with wide cross-community support from local and national organisations.

I strongly believe that it could help fix Britain's broken politics - by giving local people the power to decide how their cash is spent in their area, and requiring a regular breakdown of spending by central government departments and quangos in new 'Local Spending Reports'.

The reality is that more and more taxpayers' money is being spent by unelected quangos. A new report published on 26 October by the Taxpayers' Alliance has revealed that quangos now spend an astonishing £90 billion a year - equivalent to £3,640 a year for every household across Harlow and Epping Forest.

Amazingly, Labour Ministers have been trying to water down the new law. They initially only wanted to publish spending by councils and NHS Primary Care Trusts - facts already in the public domain. Further information will only be "developed over time".

But this is not good enough. Conservative plans callfor greater openness and accountability, and pledge to:

* Use the Sustainable Communities Act to publish detailed Local Spending Reports including central government and quangos, and devolve more power to local communities.

* Require Harlow and Epping Forest district councils to publish online figures for all expenditure on goods and services over £500, as is already being piloted by Windsor and Maidenhead Council.

It's time for the Government to show us the money - and tell Harlow, Hastingwoode, Nazeing, Roydon and Sheering residents how much of their money is actually spent in our area.

Gordon Brown wants to stop local people finding out that they get a raw deal from his Government, and conceal that his unelected quangocrats spend almost £4,000 a year per household in our area with little or no say for local people.

Local communities deserve a far greater say on how their money is spent. It's time for change. We need a Conservative Government that believes in openness and transparency. Its time give power back to local people.

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A busy time in Harlow: From Lloyds Bank to Moat Housing to Firework Night

I have mentioned in other postings, that the life of a Parliamentary Candidate can be a very varied one and the last few days have been no exception. Its been quite a busy few days! I thought you might be interested to see what I have been up to:



Lloyds Bank

Last Friday, I met with staff at Lloyds Bank in Broadwalk, who gave me a tour of the branch and also set out to me how the bank and customers were faring, given the recession.

Lloyds is a community based bank, and It was noticeable that its staff are actively involved in the regeneration of Harlow Town Centre, working closely with groups like Harlow Renaissance, Although Lloyds Bank - (a few hundred yards away in Eastgate) is closing (the old TSB Branch), I was pleased that the main Lloyd is expanding onto two floors, so that customers will continue to have a proper service. They also told me that Lloyds in Bush Fair (Tye Green Branch), is one of its strongest branches in the area, and had a good future - there were no plans to close this branch whatsoever.

I left feeling quite impressed with Lloyds in Harlow. Although City Bankers are getting a rough ride at present, it is important to make a distinction between what goes on in the City, and what happens in a local Community such as Harlow. Most of the staff I met in Lloyds were not only dedicated and enthusiastic about their roles, but very much Harlow focused - and local residents.

Moat Housing

After I went to Moat Housing Trust, and was taken on a tour of Moat Housing across Harlow by their representative Claire Lomax. Cllr. Lee Dangerfield also accompanied me to places as far afield as the Briars and NewHall. Although some Housing Trusts get a lot of stick, my overall impression is that Moat does a good job and has taken great care. Claire is born and bred in Harlow and knows everything there is to know about local housing issues, so it was quite a good education for me. The Moat Houses at New Hall are simply stunning - we were taken to an open courtyard with apartments around that has won a gold standard award. The place had a care for beautiful design and attention to detail. A real example of the very best that housing can offer.

Education, Education, Education

Later in the afternoon, I had a campaign meeting and then I had to attend a local dinner in Epping, in which Michael Gove MP was the guest speaker. He highlighted Conservative plans to let parents and charities set up their own schools, so that parents and children could have more choice. He also said there would be more rigour in the national curriculum, with real emphasis on Maths and English.

To Soham

On Saturday, I had to attend a conference of Eastern Region Conservatives alongside members from across the East of England. It was a good day, although driving through Soham, I could not help think of that terrible tragedy that befell those poor children a few years ago. It is sad that a town will always be known more for this episode, than for its many other attributes.

But, it was important to be amongst fellow Conservatives and discuss plans for the forthcoming election - there is much work to be done over the coming weeks and months. I was pleased to get back on Saturday night and watch the X Factor - something which you will know from my tweets and blog postings that I am a great fan of!

Its fireworks

Sunday was such a lovely day. Although the morning was spent answering constituency correspondence and email, I was really pleased to go the Firework Show. It was a brilliant evening and the fireworks were the best ever. The music was great too. I have to say it was very cold, and I was glad to be warmed up with some hot donuts from the food vans - even if I did have to break my diet. It seemed that there were thousands of people who came to enjoy themselves.

It was impressive to see Harlow Council Chairman Cllr. Edna Stephens, out in the cold, collecting money for her Chairman's Charity, Harlow Carers, working with some other Council volunteers. Even more heartwarming was the presence of Harlow St John's Ambulance, who are always there at every event to offer a helping hand to anyone who falls sick.

It is not often remembered that the St John's Ambulance rely on its volunteers and it is quite amazing, that so many are willing to give up their time in this way - in a voluntary capacity, to help those most in need. I was glad to attend a recent St John's Ambulance event in an Old Harlow in which they held a special ceremony in honour of two new ambulance vehicles that they had raised funds for. All in all a wonderful way to spend a Sunday evening.

By Rob Halfon ~ Working hard for Harlow, Hastingwood, Nazeing, Roydon & Sheering. http//roberthalfon.blogspot.com

Talent TV versus Reality TV

Many of you, reading my tweets will realise that I am somewhat a fan of the X Factor and and especially Stacey - although I think Danyl pretty good too. The X Factor is one of those Marmite programmes - you either love it or hate it.

So much so, I had an argument with a friend of mine the other day, who could not believe I watched such programmes. My friend's view was that X Factor, Britain's Got Talent, and Big Brother were just simply dreadful.

I begged to differ. My response was that X Factor was completely different to Big Brother (which I can't stand). The former was genuine talent TV, the latter just a motley of individuals abused -often in a salacious manner - for television entertainment. Big Brother is a kind of freak show that is anti community - it brings people together, only to smash them up one by one. Big Brother is just reality TV at its worst - a kind of Jim Carrey Truman Show without the suburban aesthetics.

X Factor is entirely different - it is genuinely about talent - few can doubt this seeing those in the final rounds, Although X Factor has some comic moments (particularly in the early stages), at least it provides - with the input of the public, as well as the judges - some genuine pop stars of the future.

Far from being curtailed, these kind of programmes should be encouraged. It is no accident that the ratings for talent TV are going up, whilst those for programmes like Big Brother, are in free-fall. At the end of the day,the public prefers genuine talent over mediocrity. We should welcome talent TV and encourage more of it.

By Rob Halfon ~ Working hard for Harlow, Hastingwood, Nazeing, Roydon & Sheering. http//roberthalfon.blogspot.com

Radical changes to Housing

One of the biggest beefs I have had with Government policy on housing targets and building over our green belt, is not just because of environmental considerations - although I care about those deeply.

It is also because of the huge concerns over the lack of financial support for infrastructure development (the building of extra roads, schools and NHS facilities to accompany the extra housing).

But, even more than this, I have real problems in the way these housing targets have been decided. Numbers have been set from Whitehall alongside an assortment of various quangos - from the unelected East of England Regional Assembly, to Regional Development Agencies et al.

I think this is approach is fundamentally wrong. If you are to drastically change housing in an area - such as change the nature of a village by building thousands of houses around it - you have to have the consent of the local people affected, through genuine consultation.

By this I don't mean the sham consultation that usually takes place, such as a few public meetings and the odd road show.

Well, I am glad to say that the policy being developed by Grant Shapps MP, (the Conservative Housing Spokesman), seeks to radically change this. He has developed plans that will radically change how, when and where we decide to build the extra housing that is needed.

First: all the regional quangos and regional spatial strategies will be abolished. Constituents will be given a chance to have a referendum to decide whether they accept housing policy. Parish Councils for example, will be able to hold a referendum, and, if there is 90 percent approval, they will be able to bypass local planning committees. Local housing trusts will be established and allowed to deal directly with developers with powers to decide housing. - in some cases having the power to bypass planning committees.

Second: there will be real incentives for people to accept some extra housing.

The Government would match all council tax receipts on local housebuilding and would match by 125% all receipts on social housing. The money would be given directly back to the local community.

I believe that these proposals will do much to involve local people in decision making - and incentivise communities to grow housing organically. This is far removed from the sweeping hand of big government that imposes hundreds of thousands of extra houses on our communities, with no thought for the feelings of local people.

It will mark the beginning of a real housing revolution across our country.

You can read more about these proposals in the weblinks HERE and HERE

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The genius of mobile technology

Sometimes when you read this blog, you might see it end with the immortal words: "sent from my blackberry handheld". Well, this is because I live on a Blackberry mobile smart phone, to run my daily office - and life. It really is an amazing machine. As well as enabling email & internet, it takes pictures, allows sat nav, has an electronic diary and can also play MP3 downloads and the like. Now you can sync it with google, so that every time you update emails, contacts and calendar, it automatically updates your google account, wherever you happen to be.

Now I know, I may sound like the latest Carphone Warehouse advert, but I can't help but be astounded by the genius that mobile technology provides.

I never take for granted the machine's capabilities and see mobile technology as one of the great wonders of our time. It is definitely a technology that empowers, and it is noticeable that the developing world countries are going straight to mobile technology and leapfrogging landline systems. When I was teaching in Rwanda, most of the students had mobiles and you could buy a decent Nokia imitation offline, as cheap as £10 - although this is a huge sum for Rwandans.

Of course all this mobile business has its downsides. Blackberries can become electronic tags in which everybody can contact you and you spend almost every minute replying to emails. They also become instruments of discourtesy, as people look/text/email when they are in the middle of face to face conversation etc.

But these are easily outweighed by the benefits. Waiting for a doctors appointment, you can read an ebook downloaded on the machine, or glance at a newspaper via the mobile internet. Going on holiday, you can take all your favourite music without having to have a Walkman or pack loads of CDs.

Whether it is Blackberries or iPhones, these kind of smart phones are changing our lives and enabling us to contact each other and interact with the Internet, in ways we never ever imagined. I am convinced they will gradually replace the personal computer, even if we do link them up to a bigger monitor and keyboard when needed. It will be fascinating to see what the next generation of mobile technology will bring.

By Rob Halfon ~ Working hard for Harlow, Hastingwood, Nazeing, Roydon & Sheering. http//roberthalfon.blogspot.com

The Government's Decision to disband Harlow's Territorial Army is a disgrace

Like many in Harlow, I am appalled at the Government's decision to disband our Territorial Army - as reported in this week's Harlow Star.

My view is that it is short sighted and a massive slap in the face for the town's volunteers who are prepared to put their lives on the line for their country.

The decision to merge the group with a troop in Chelmsford is extraordinary.

I call upon Harlow Labour MP Bill Rammell - the Government's Armed Forces Minister - to think again.

It makes no sense whatsoever. Bill Rammell has said the move will help the Government save £32.5 million and 'help us to prioritise resources to the frontline in Afghanistan'.

But, if this Government had not wasted and squandered our money to such a massive extent then such short-sighted and misguided changes would not be needed.

There are a number of incredible stories about how ministers have wasted our money.

For instance they bought 14 specially armoured vehicles for £4.5 million then sold them for £44,000, including to a private security firm working in Baghdad, at a time when the MoD was short of them.

In addition, the order for the new stealth Nimrod plane has not only been cut nearly in half, from 21 to 12, but the cost of the project has also risen from £2.8 billion to £3.5 billion, with the project now seven years behind schedule.

As Armed Forces Minister, Bill Rammell should be made to overturn this ludicrous decision. Nothing that the Government has proposed makes any sense.

As I understand it Harlow (Territorial Army) will close while Hertford and Chelmsford will remain.

It is a poor excuse to use financial reasons to close Harlow TA in order to adequately finance Afghanistan. Harlow still occupies a better strategic position to take volunteers from the region.

The current battery has a healthy number of volunteers, especially cadets, which provides a great benefit to the town through its young people and to the Army in terms of potential future recruits.

The cost of keeping the Harlow centre open could be mitigated by working with the community in Harlow including Harlow and Essex councils to make better use of the facility, perhaps to the extent of finding alternative accommodation for a TA centre and turning the whole TA centre over to other community or commercial uses.

If this were not bad enough, It is wrong that the Government have also cut £20m from TA reserve training over the next six months. This will hit recruitment, while some serving TA soldiers will simply quit. This will damage the TA's ability to deploy in future. We oppose that cut.

It is vital everything possible was done to maintain the number of Territorial Army reservists who at one point accounted for one fifth of the force in Iraq and for one eighth of the force in Afghanistan.

It is Conservative Party policy to increase the amount spent on TA training and condemned the decision to do the exact opposite. The dedication and commitment shown by these soldiers is astonishing and everything possible should be done to make sure this country has the troop numbers it needs if we are to continue committing soldiers to these wars.

P.S.For further information, please see THIS weblink from the East Anglia Daily Times

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Government Housing benefit changes hurt the vulnerable

How can it be that Housing benefit system is failing Harlow's most vulnerable tenants?

With my involvement with Harlow Homeless Centre, (the picture shows a visit made by David Cameron to the HHC in 2006), some months ago, I was asked to meet with a Landlord (Andrew Hammill), and tenant who were concerned about the Government's plans to change Housing benefit rules. Both Mr Hammill and the tenant said it would have a detrimental effect. I subsequently lobbied Shadow Housing Minister Grant Shapps MP, who came to visit the HHC to discuss this very issue with Director Patsy Dye. I am glad to say, that the Conservative Housing team have listened - and acted.

The primary problem is that these changes are harming the most vulnerable tenants and reducing the availability of affordable accommodation.

Last year, Labour Ministers introduced a new ‘Local Housing Allowance’, with housing benefit being direct to the tenant rather than to the landlord. But vulnerable tenants often struggle to manage their finances and spend their rent money on other things. Homeless charity, Crisis, has warned that this can result in rent arrears and eventually homelessness.

Landlords who were previously happy to take on tenants on housing benefit have suffered from non-payment of rent. Many landlords now routinely refuse to let to Local Housing Allowance claimants. According to the National Landlords Assocation, half of all landlords are reluctant to lend to tenants on Local Housing Allowance.

7005 people in Harlow are on local housing waiting lists, and a sizeable proportion of them are on housing benefit. Housing waiting lists have risen by 294% per cent under this Labour Government – reflecting the shortage of affordable accommodation.

I am pleased that Conservatives have pledged to change Labour’s failed policy. Tenants will be able to choose whether to have their housing allowance paid direct to their landlord. This will increase the availability of quality low-cost housing.

The issue is that Landlords are put off from renting to those on benefit, slashing the availability of decent places to live. Some tenants struggle to manage their finances, using up their benefit money by rent pay day. They get into arrears and trouble as a result.

Tenants should have greater choice, and be free to specify that their housing benefit should go direct to the landlord. This will help those most in need.

I have further and more detailed information for your perusal below:

LOCAL HOUSING ALLOWANCE

Local Housing Allowance was introduced in April 2008 and is a new way of calculating housing benefit for tenants living in the private rented sector. The housing benefit is paid direct to tenants. See here.

A recent survey by the homelessness charity, Crisis said that 82 per cent of respondents had noticed tenants falling behind on their rent since the introduction of Local Housing Allowance. The same number said that the Allowance was leading to more tenancies being terminated. More than two-thirds reported landlords “stipulating conditions over and above those requested for working tenants” while 38 per cent said that fewer landlords will accept housing benefit recipients since the introduction the new system. They warn: “These findings raise some major concerns about the way in which LHA currently operates. It appears that LHA may be working against the Government’s fundamental aims for the scheme along with Government policy to prevent and reduce homelessness.”

Crisis, Local Housing Allowance: One Year On, April 2009.

Research conducted by the National Landlords Association has found that 52 per cent of landlords have decided they would not let, or be ‘less likely’ to let, to tenants on Local Housing Allowance. A further 43 per cent of landlords who have already tried the new system said they would now be leaving this part of the market because of increased uncertainty about rent payments.There are currently 1.8 million families on the social housing waiting list.

By Rob Halfon ~ Working hard for Harlow, Hastingwood, Nazeing, Roydon & Sheering. http//roberthalfon.blogspot.com

Roydon Packaging - A great example of a Green Business

The packaging industry often gets a bad press green-wise, but yesterday, I went to a company that deeply cares for our environment.

I was invited to visit Roydon Packaging Factory in the Pinnacles. The company is a major manufacturer of cardboard packages to major businesses and retailers. It was an education for me to see first stage of cardboard arriving from a Mill, being moved from a fork lift truck to machine after machine, and ending up as some serious cardboard packaging.

What was great about this company, was both its employer ethic (many of the employees I met had been there for 20 plus years), but that everything it produces was environmentally sustainable. Not only was all the waste recycled, but the cardboard was all recyclable too. The Managing Director, Simon Coverdale, told me that it was now possible to track paper from a Mill, down to the very tree it had come from. He also noted that all the cardboard the company received, came from sustainable Forests.

This was a very special company, started originally in a garage in Enfield, then moving to Roydon and later to the Pinnacles. Simon, had started on the shop floor at the age of 17, working for his Father who had founded the company. It was a true example of a family run, small business, producing a great product at excellent value. I was very glad to have the opportunity to visit.

By Rob Halfon ~ Working hard for Harlow, Hastingwood, Nazeing, Roydon & Sheering. http//roberthalfon.blogspot.com

Missing the point

I have received a lot of stick today for my article on enfranchising the licence fee-payer. Broadly my main point was that every BBC Licence fee payer should have the right to take part in major decisions of the BBC - such as whether or not the BNP appeared on Question time. I wrote an article that was published on the Conservative Home Website and I reproduce it below for your perusal:

"Have we all the missed the point about the debate on the BNP appearance on Question Time?

The issue is not whether the BBC should have invited Mr Griffin. The issue is that the licence-fee payer had no right to make a decision either way. In fact the licence-fee payer was disenfranchised from this decision.

I have that licence-fee payers must be given the chance to vote on major decisions made by the BBC (including programming quality, executive and celebrity pay and the level of the licence fee).

Each licence fee payer would be given a vote via a Pin number, in which they could register their voting intentions on various issues.

Recent major controversies that the BBC has been involved in (Jonathan Ross, the Gaza charity appeal and now the BNP), have been all the more controversial, because the decisions made have been decided by senior management alone.

The only involvement has been the so called 'court of public opinion', politicians and the media.

In the BNP's case, opinion seems to have veered between Unite against Fascism, media commentators and Mark Byford, with the genuine licence fee payer having no real say.

Such a state of affairs can no longer be allowed to continue. In an age of personal empowerment, the BBC can no longer act as a 1950s paternalistic institution, enforcing its decisions on its customers.

If we are to have to pay the licence fee, then it is right we should have a genuine chance to be involved in BBC decisions. It is we, the licence fee payer, who should have been consulted - and then decided whether Mr Griffin appeared and no one else.

PS In case your wondering, I was in favour of the BBC decision as I believe that it is better to fight evil with truth, rather than sweep it under the carpet. I also believe that Mr Griffin's shambolic performance would have thankfully have cost him thousands of votes.

This article follows a previous article I wrote on the subject some months ago:

"Time to emancipate Licence Fee Payers and end the BBC’s feudal monarchy

If we are to keep the Licence Fee, then it is time to emancipate those who are to forced to pay. At present, whether the BBC is good or bad, no Licence-Fee payer has any genuine say-so about programming, no genuine right of consultation about BBC operations and no right to question the level of the Licence Fee. Of course there are always the sham consultations (in which most things are decided in advance), votes in Parliament about the Licence Fee and an ability to complain by telephone, email etc etc etc.

But none of this amounts to very much in reality. If the BBC chooses to over pay its presenters, do we have any real say? If the BBC is biased, do we have any real right of address? If we feel that the BBC need not own travel guides or even local radio stations, do we have any real chance of stopping it? If we feel the Licence Fee is too high, can we get it reduced? Of course not. The BBC has a monopoly not just over broadcasting, but has put a straitjacket over every Licence Fee payer in the land. Just a little wriggle room, but no real movement.

So how do we change this? Well, if Licence Payers were born free, but are everywhere in chains, it's time to break the chains. Every Licence Fee Payer should be given a pin number and be allowed to vote - via the Internet - annually on the BBC’s performance. Questions could include the quality of programmes, the level of BBC Operational activity (i.e what they should run and not run), salaries, and judgements on the behaviour and standards of BBC programmes. There are various options as to how this could be done. For those who want to ensure Parliamentary input, the questions could be decided by an independent Committee of MPs and Peers, to be ratified by the respective Chambers. For those who think it should be, entirely in the hands of Citizens, questions could be set by Licence Fee Payers and there would be a vote on the questions. Every five years, there could be a vote as to whether to retain the Licence Fee, retain part of the Licence Fee (and mix it with advertising), abolish the Licence Fee and have full advertising, or abolish the Licence Fee and have voluntary subscription.

BBC management like to justify their actions by stating that everything occurs is because of the wishes of its viewers – or even ‘stake holders’. If this is really true lets make that a reality by letting hard-pressed Licence Fee payers have a genuine stake in what goes on......"

Well my idea, has not gone down well in some quarters. Various insults have been hurled at me on the Conservative Home website. Even the intellectual wizard (and comment Editor of the Times), Danny Finkelstein in the Times Comment Blog has described my idea as "one of the worst policy ideas he has heard in his life".

Well, not much encouragement. Enough to make me to change my mind?

But I ask again, what is so wrong about giving licence fee payers some say in the major decisions of the BBC? At the moment the Corporation is able to do what it wants, without the licence fee payer having any real say over key decisions. Why is it so ludicrous to involve them in decision making of the BBC, thus giving people a real stake in their programming?

By Rob Halfon ~ Working hard for Harlow, Hastingwood, Nazeing, Roydon & Sheering. http//roberthalfon.blogspot.com

Our atomic test veterans deserve backing from the Government

As I wrote on the website, Conservative Home today, after the Gurkhas, there is another group of veterans that strongly need our support.

During the 1950s, members of the armed forces were told to watch atomic test blasts in the South Pacific. As a result, many of these veterans subsequently suffered varying degrees of sickness, most probably linked to radiation and three veterans a month are now dying.

Although for many years they were denied the right to compensation, in a landmark ruling in June this year, these veterans were given the right to take legal action to claim compensation from the Government - and a chance to get an acknowledgment of both their suffering and regret for having had to endure the atomic tests.

Astonishingly, the Government has opposed the veterans' actions, arguing that they had waited too long to claim compensation - despite the fact that their efforts of some years had been rebuffed. This is despite the fact that other countries - most notably the USA and Canada, which undertook similar tests - have accepted that it was a mistake to conduct such tests.

The Government is now appealing against this decision, trying to kick this into the long grass.

Time and time again, this Government has demonstrated cavalier treatment of our armed forces. They only acted on the Gurkhas after tremendous public pressure.

They should now recognise that the atomic test veterans deserve justice.

Instead of penny pinching and legal sophistry, they should act without  delay and give these former members of our armed forces the compensation they deserve. Let us hope the Government will act before being pushed once again by public opinion.
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Time to support the Tamils

I was very pleased to be invited yesterday to the British Tamil Conservative Association (BTCA) & Tamil Essex Conservatives dinner, in Brentwood Essex. With over a hundred people there, it was a remarkable occasion. Lee Scott (Ilford North MP) and Shadow Home Office Ministers' James Brokenshire, and Andrew Rosindell, were guests of honour. There were also a number of local Tory Parliamentary Candidates like myself in attendance.

You could not fail to be struck by the warmth of the Tamil community - and their love of Britain. The toast to the Queen that took place during the meal, was a clear demonstration of this as was the traditional - and Delicious English Roast Lamb that was served.

As we sat down over dinner, I was glad to have an opportunity to discuss the ever increasing misery for the Tamils in Sri Lanka with senior members of the BTCA. After a number of speeches, including a short one I gave myself, there was a very moving talk, given by Jane Jananayagam, from Tamils against Genocide, who described how the killings of the Tamils, had been in line with other scientific genocides, such as that which happened in Rwanda in 1994. As so often, the International Community had failed to properly intervene.

It is not hard to remember the images on our TVs and in our newspapers, earlier this year as thousands of Tamils were killed, or displaced from their homes, in the civil war that took place. As The Times reported on May 29, 2009, up to 20,000 Tamils lost their lives in the final stages of the war alone - as a result of Sri Lankan Government shelling of Tamil encampments.

No wonder there were heartfelt demonstrations in Parliament Square by the UK Tamil community, as they sought to highlight to the world, the tragedy that was befalling their Community.

Yet, months after the war has ended - and when the Sri Lankan Government say that they have completely vanquished the Tamil Tigers - close to 300,000 Tamil refugees are being kept in Internment camps without real access to proper food or decent sanitation. Why is it that these refugees have not been allowed to return to their homes? It is no surprise that Amnesty International has written to President Obama urging him to call an inquiry into war crimes committed against the Tamils, as well as ensuring that those refugees in the camps are protected. But much more needs to be done by the International Community. There must be full and proper access to the camps by aid workers and the Sri Lankan Government should announce a timetable in which the refugees will be permitted to leave.

This desperate situation cannot continue. It does nothing to bring about peace, and if anything exacerbates long held grievances felt by the Tamils.

As the Economist magazine (a journal noted for4 its impartiality, suggested in an article in October1, 2009:

"So long as Tamils feel abused by a racist Sinhalese state, the conflict may resume. Economic development of their shattered regions, which the government is planning, is unlikely to change that. Hence the government’s continued war-footing—but this is in turn also reinforcing Tamil grievances".

The Tamils have a right to their dignity and respect, and to be treated equally before the law. They also have a right to some autonomy in the regions in which they are a majority. Such actions by the Sinhalese Government would do much to bring back stability and peace to the Island.

The Tamils deserve nothing less.

P.S. I was delighted to be sitting next to Mr Tony Arul, a structural engineer who works for Harlow Council. He is second from left, standing next to me in the second photograph down.

By Rob Halfon ~ Working hard for Harlow, Hastingwood, Nazeing, Roydon & Sheering. http//roberthalfon.blogspot.com

It's got to be Smiths

Some of you will remember this blog posting, about a company I visited in April by the name of Smith's Limited.

Smith's (Harlow) Limited is a private high precision subcontract engineering company established in 1948 to serve the aero-engine and airframe sectors. In practice, the company supplies machinery to Airbus and much more beside. Next time you fly out of Stansted, it is very likely that you will be flying on a plane with parts made by this company.

It was for this reason that I invited Shadow Chancellor George Osborne, to see Smiths at first hand. Not just because I wanted to champion a key Harlow family run and independent company, but also to ensure that Mr Osborne saw at first hand, a successful example of local manufacturing.

During his visit - in which he toured the company - the Shadow Chancellor highlighted Conservative proposals to boost apprenticeships by up to 100,000, which would benefit many youngsters in Harlow and companies like Smiths.

All in all it was a good afternoon - and great to meet Managing Director John Tennison once again. He started at Smiths thirty years ago as an apprentice. But John is not the only long timer. Mr Osborne met with many employees at the company who had worked there for twenty years or more.

You can read more in this weeks Harlow's Herald and Star.

Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Supporting the British Legion Manifesto

Hearing the Prime Minister read out today, for two solid minutes, the names of the latest forces personnel to have tragically lost their lives in Afghanistan, reminded me of a recent blog postabout my support for the British Legion Manifesto.

I was pleased to meet the British Legion at the Conservative Conference last week, to discuss these issues and restate my support.

I have pledged to do "do my bit" and was presented with a copy of the Legion's manifesto for the next general election.

The manifesto sets out priorities for the next Government to improve conditions for the British Armed Forces past and present and their families. It encourages politicians of all parties to "do their bit" for Service Personnel and their families, the bereaved, veterans and dependants.

After my meeting, I was glad to receive the following message from the British Legion HQ:

"We're really grateful to Mr Halfon for making the time to meet with us and listen to our concerns. Our message to every candidate standing at the general election is very simple: 'It's time to do your bit'.

"The entire Armed Forces family needs the support of politicians from all parties," he added. "Our manifesto outlines practical ways the next government can help, and we hope all the parties will give it serious consideration".

I was delighted to meet with The Royal British Legion and support their work. I have seen at first hand, the wonderful work that the Harlow British Legion does and know how important it is to our community.

The British Legion has in my view an essential role to play in highlighting the needs of the whole Armed Forces family.

That is why I have pledged to do my bit - and would encourage everyone to do the same by visiting the general election manifesto websit - to find out more.

Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

St John's Ambulance in Harlow gets two new vehicles and a blessing

What is the difference between a society that is civilised and one that is ruled by barbarians? I thought of the answer to this question yesterday, as I attended a special event organised by the Harlow Branch of St John's Ambulance. We were assembled to bless two new ambulances, that local members and volunteers had spent months, raising thousands of pounds in order to pay for them. A local priest, blessed the vehicles and the St Johns Branch - in what I found to be a very moving event. The very act of blessing the St John's new ambulances, showed that they were more than just machines, but vehicles in which dedicated people would look after the sick and vulnerable. In other words, they were the purest emblem of everything that is good about a civilised society.

Afterwards, we went into the garden, behind the St John Ambulance Home in Old Harlow, to eat the most wonderful food - as a means of celebration - prepared by none other than the Chef of Tottenham Hotspur F.C. It was a lovely way to spend an afternoon. I look forward to visiting St John Ambulance at a future date,to see some training sessions. It truly is a wonderful institution.

The pictures show St John Ambulance member, Stephen Hines by the new vehicles, and me with Emma inside the Ambulance.

By Rob Halfon ~ Working hard for Harlow, Hastingwood, Nazeing, Roydon & Sheering. http//roberthalfon.blogspot.com

An award should not be given in expectation, but only after the expectation has been achieved

Imagine watching a great Oscar winning film like Slumdog Millionaire. Fantastic. Every Oscar awarded was well deserved. Now imagine that Slumdog was at the beginning of its production, but had not yet been fully made, let alone completed. Instead of the Oscars being awarded after the film was released, they were given in advance, in the expectation that the film would be superb. Such a scenario seems implausible - wrong even. There would probably be uproar, as people would say that the Oscars should only be given to the finished product.

Of course, such a scenario is inconceivable - if not impossible. Yet the Nobel Prize judges have taken precisely this course of action. They have given the coveted Nobel Peace Prize to President Obama, in the expectation, that he will do great things, rather than because he has actually done them. This seems to me to be entirely wrong.

Of course I understand (despite disagreeing with some of his policies) - and feel - the romantic attachment to President Obama. His achievement in reaching the White House was truly historic. The aspirational 'Yes we can' motto', can be felt by millions of people all over the world. Yet, there must be a difference between admiring and idolising. Perhaps President Obama will achieve great things in the future. He may even bring peace to the Middle East. But to give him the Nobel Award now, is too early, and too presumptuous.

Nelson Mandela, won the Nobel Peace Prize, because of the great things he had done, not because of great things he hoped to do - and that is the difference. The Nobel Prize should always be about achievement, not expectation. President Obama should respectfully decline the award and ask the Nobel Committee, to judge him on results.

In my view, the President should have the courage of his convictions, return the prize to the Committee, saying that 'now is not the time'. The respect he would earn from such an action would be enormous. How much better to have been offered but to decline, than to accept, always wondering whether it had been truly deserved.

P.S. You may be interested in THIS article from The Times, by Malcolm Rifkind MP.

P.P.S. Just seen this excellent piece from distinguished Guardian journalist, Michael White. Well worth a read.

By Rob Halfon ~ Working hard for Harlow, Hastingwood, Nazeing, Roydon & Sheering. http//roberthalfon.blogspot.com

Family, Community, Country

I have just come back from the Conservative Conference in Manchester and it was a long drive from the North West back to Essex. But it was well worth it. I have been there since last weekend, to attend as a representative from Harlow Conservatives, and as the Parliamentary Candidate. It was quite a sober week. Although the Conservatives are way ahead in the opinion polls, the party leadership refuse to be complacent. Everyone knows that whilst the sun is shining in the distance, there is still a huge mountain to climb.

That is why I was particularly pleased with David Cameron's speech today. Not only did it set out a guiding philosophy for the party - helping the vulnerable, supporting family and community, and strengthening our nation -but the Tory Leader showed that he was not afraid to duck hard decisions on the need for public expenditure cuts - because of the deep economic crisis caused by the Government.

This could have been a conference, in which the Conservatives pledged anything and everything to try and please everyone. Wisely, they did not go down this path. Most voters are fed up with big promises which are never delivered. Much better to set out things as they really are , than to over promise, and disappoint later on.

P.S. You may be interested in this article from Tory Policy Chief, Oliver Letwin, which summarises Conservative policies if we were to be elected to Government.

By Rob Halfon ~ Working hard for Harlow, Hastingwood, Nazeing, Roydon & Sheering. http//roberthalfon.blogspot.com

Cutting the ribbon for the Harlow Gymnastics Club

I was really privileged to have been invited today to the opening of Harlow Gymnastics Club new premises and asked to cut the ribbon in the Sumners Leisure Centre, where their new home is. I first visited HGC some months ago, when the Club faced an uncertain future (it was based in the Sports Centre). I was pleased to meet Gordon and Peter who run the club, and some of the members - and was glad to help in a small way.

It really is a great place to be. The club has over 300 members and makes a dramatic difference to the physical fitness of a huge numbers of children - and adults -many of who have had their lives transformed for the better. The passion of the staff and volunteers who run HGC is infectious, and you can see that everyone lives and breathes the Club and do all they can to make it such a special place to be.

The great thing about the HGC being based at Sumners is that they now have a permanent home (under the auspices of the Great Parndon Community Association), and will be able to hugely expand their range of activities, no doubt attracting loads more members as well. The Open Day was very special, with the children doing a fantastic range of gymnastics, a barbecue and much fun everywhere. I wish the HGC every success.

By Rob Halfon ~ Working hard for Harlow, Hastingwood, Nazeing, Roydon & Sheering. http//roberthalfon.blogspot.com