One of the advantages of working as a barrister at the moment is that I have rather more time on my hands to devote to my political work. The disadvantage is that not being in court has an adverse effect on my income and contrary to some peoples beliefs I don’t get paid as a Parliamentary Candidate.  

Of course MP’s do get paid (£60,000) as it has become a full time job. One side of me would prefer MP’s not to be professional politicians stuck down in Westminster– but more in touch with ordinary folk sharing and doing the sort of ordinary stuff that most of us do, such as working, getting the children ready for school, going to the shops and so on. 

 
But on the other hand I have to recognise that political life is such that MP’s do have to be in the “Westminster bubble” throughout the week. That’s why I think it’s important that politicians use their weekends to get back to the roots of their constituencies and somehow squeeze in the time to enjoy family life.

I should add I have more time to devote to my political work because criminal barristers (and solicitors) are having a very difficult time at the moment. Now, I don’t expect any sympathy because only lawyers like lawyers, but I am more than happy to enlighten you as to what’s going on and why, if you send me an e-mail, otherwise I am in danger of boring you rigid. Anyway less  time in court means more time to work for you – so I hope you’ll keep in touch.

Kimberley Town Councillor Shane Easom invited me to the committee meeting on Monday evening.
Security or rather the lack of it is a really serious problem on the site. I have been up there a couple of times since Christmas and the vandalism and holes in the fence are plain to see. Lead and copper wiring have been stolen and arguably most concerning, there have been two fires in as many days. SOBS have been agitating to get the site made safe. They have been informed there is a new security firm on site.

I was really impressed by the committee members who are clearly “on the ball” and I thought somewhat frustrated at the lack of progress in getting the buildings listed. Towards the end of the public side of the meeting I was asked what the Conservatives are doing to help save the site. I explained how we have delivered a leaflet with a petition to homes in Kimberley calling on the Council to list the buildings and get tree preservation orders. Both the leader of the Conservative Group on Broxtowe Borough Council, Richard Jackson and I explained that although the Conservatives don’t run the Council (it’s a Lib Dem/Labour coalition) it doesn’t prevent us from putting political pressure on the controlling group. At the end of the day your elected representatives - the Councillors – should be in charge of the policy and decisions made by your Borough Council.

What I also undertook to do was to contact the police about the criminality on the site. I e-mailed PC Toon and the Local Area Commander Inspector Lees and later in the week spoke to PC Toon.

 

He is aware of the problem of site security as are the Fire Brigade (it seems they were quite shocked at how dangerous the buildings are).

PC Toon’s understanding is that as a result of representations, Greene King have agreed to secure the site and make it safe. I do hope this happens – there is a real risk that the buildings will fall into a state of total disrepair and time is clearly not on SOBS side.
Getting the buildings listed is in my view imperative and that is what I am trying to achieve.

Green Belt – The Campaign Moves On

I met with Councillors Jill Owen, Derek Burnett and Phillip Owen on Tuesday in Watnall/Nuthall to discuss the very real threat to the Green Belt in their wards. This issue has arisen again because of a new report, details of which are given here, which was published in November. We were straight onto this which is why the leader of the Conservative Group on the Council (Richard Jackson) raised it at the December meeting of the Council (which I attended). I have to say I got the impression that the other political parties were unaware of the report.

Anyway they certainly know about it now and hopefully we can all work together and see off this profound threat to large parts of Green Belt in Broxtowe.

Jill, Derek, Philip and I wrote a leaflet which we distributed to 5,000 homes in Nuthall, Watnall, Strelley and the relevant parts of Greasley over the weekend. We have also talked to colleagues on Greasley Parish Council who were so pro-active when the Green Belt was last under threat in 2002/3. We have arranged a public meeting at 11am on Saturday February 2nd at the WI in Watnall and hope there is a good turnout so we can unite and save the Green Belt.

Police Pay

I have given the Police Federation my full support in their dispute with the Government over pay. Last years pay talks went to arbitration and although the Federation wanted more, agreed to a rise of 2.5% which they quite properly assumed would be honoured by the Government. After all that is what arbitration seeks to do – bring employers and employees together to agree a binding settlement. The Government has not kept its side of the agreement, refusing to back date the settlement to September. The result is that the actual pay rise is 1.9% and not surprisingly the Police Federation is furious calling the Home Secretary “Jacq the Rip off” and will ballot members on whether they will seek to change the law forbidding them to take strike.

Police Officers will be working alongside civilian workers and PCSO’s who have been awarded a 5% rise – it doesn’t strike me as being very fair.

 

I am with the Police Federation – police officers have been short changed and if I were your MP I would be standing up and speaking out in support of our police men and women. I congratulate those Labour MP’s who have had the courage to go against their Government.

Family life

There has been much discussion in the Soubry household about chickens given this weeks Channel 4 series on factory vs. free range. I signed up in favour of the free range argument years ago. I know free range and/or organic food costs more but certainly in relation to meat I reckon to have solved the problem by simply eating less of it. I do think we eat too much meat – certainly compared to when I was a child (which is admittedly a long time ago…) I’d rather spend a little more on buying less meat knowing it came from animals that have had a good life.

 

Finally, my sympathies to all fellow parents (and youngsters) going through the stresses of “mocks”, “January modules” and so on. I have no doubt our children take far too many exams – but I will save my thoughts on that for another time.

Please get in touch and I hope you approve of our new web site. It’s been a nightmare getting it up and running but I hope you’ll agree it was worth it.

As ever
Anna Soubry