Happy New Year

Thursday: I'd like to wish everyone - whoever they are, wherever they live, and however they vote - a happy new year.

Happy Christmas

Friday: a brief post during a visit to the in-laws to say happy Xmas to everyone. It's good to get a rest before the hard work begins next year of keeping a Labour government in power.

Speaking to Acomb residents

Sunday: out and about in Acomb speaking to local residents. The weather was fine and sunny, albeit a bit brisk - perfect weather for canvassing.

Speaking to local residents in Hexham

Sunday: out speaking to local residents living on and around St. Matthews Road

Christmas tidings from St Theresa's R.C. Church

There comes a time in the life of every man, politician or not, when he has to admit that a Santa outfit fits with considerably greater comfort than it really ought to. Thus it was that I was the parents' unanimous choice to don Santa's garbs and dole out the presents at St Theresa's Roman Catholic Church, Heaton, Newcastle on Saturday afternoon. Thankfully my eldest daughter didn't cotton on, and proudly told me afterwards that 'Santa' had given her a present.

Heat is on - Hexham Courant reveals Tory candidate's plan to be part-time MP

Published on Friday, 11th December 2009

Visiting Woodhorn Mining Museum, near Ashington

Any way you look at it, there's no getting round the fact that mining has been integral to the identity of the North East for centuries, even now when virtually all the mines have long since ceased production.

As someone with 3 miners among his direct blood relatives (1 grandfather, 2 great-grandfathers), I have always felt a close personal connection to the mining industry even though, like most men of my generation, the closest I have come to a mine is a visit to a museum. A few years back we visited the Nenthead Mines Heritage Centre, close to where I was born, and this past weekend we visited the Woodhorn Museum, dedicated to the history of mining in and around Ashington.

My wife, who has an MA from Newcastle University in Museum Studies and therefore knows a thing or two about these things, was really impressed -the physical structure of the museum is itself a statement, and the history is well thought-out and provides a real insight into what life was like for tens of thousands of North East families. There's no attempt at a neutral viewpoint - it is unquestionably written from the miners' point of view.

What made a number of visitors stop and stare was watching archive TV footage, on an old TV set, of the 1983/84 miners strike. It made me wonder what would happen to the North East if the Conservatives win next year's general election - can we expect similar large-scale public protests if there are huge cutbacks in public expenditure in the North East? Chris Grayling, the Tory shadow home secretary, has already warned that the North East is too dependent on public expenditure, so it is predictable that given the chance, the Tories will target this part of the world again for major cutbacks.

Speaking out on global warming and climate change

Published in today's Journal:

Speaking to voters in Hexham

Sunday: out speaking to residents in Hexham around Priestlands Close.

Tory candidate wants to be part-time MP

Saturday: debate at Queen Elizabeth High School among the four declared Parliamentary candidates for Hexham - Labour (yours truly), LibDem, Conservative and Independent (we shall have to see whether UKIP and the BNP also field candidates).

I thoroughly enjoyed it - the first time I have met the other candidates, all of whom seem nice enough blokes (yes, an entirely male field). And after a number of evasive answers, I finally had my suspicion confirmed: if elected, the Tory candidate would be a part-time MP and do private work on the side. For me, that is an absolute no-no. We shall have to see what Hexham's voters think about that.

School governors meeting

Wednesday: a school governors meeting at Longbenton Community College, where we discussed the Fischer Family Trust data and set targets for the upcoming year.

Tory tax avoider

It must be embarrassing for David Cameron to have to admit that the Tory parliamentary candidate for Richmond, millionaire Zac Goldsmith, is a “non-dom” who does not pay UK taxes like the rest of us.

Goldsmith is regularly presented to the media as the ‘face’ of the new Conservative Party (anyone remember the slogan “Think Green, vote Blue”?). However, in order to maintain his “non-dom” status, Goldsmith must surely be spending a large amount of his time outside the UK. Unless he swims the Channel to leave these shores, presumably he uses such modern conveniences as airplanes.

So let’s get this right – a Tory multi-millionaire is lecturing us about changing our lifestyles to cut down on carbon emissions, then regularly flying into and out of the country simply so he can keep his tax bill down? I detect more than a smidgeon of hypocrisy here.

Global warming / climate change

Set out below is the text of a letter I sent The Journal yesterday about global warming and climate change:

"Readers of The Journal’s letters page could be forgiven for getting the misleading impression that there is still a serious ongoing debate in the scientific community about the fact of global warming and climate change. It’s vitally important for your readers to know that there is now overwhelming concensus in the scientific community worldwide about the following three facts.

First, global warming and climate change is real and is happening now. It’s no coincidence that at least 8 of the hottest years for global temperature have been since 1998, and at least 14 of the hottest years for global temperature have been since 1990.

Second, human activity is playing a fundamental role in driving global warming and climate change. Since the Industrial Revolution in Europe in the nineteenth century, the Western world has engaged in activities which have released huge quantities of carbon into the earth’s atmosphere. Those activities have now spread worldwide. For a long time, ignorance of the consequences of industrialisation was understandable and perhaps even forgivable. No longer.

Third, if global warming and climate change is not brought to a sharp halt, the consequences and risks to life on this planet are potentially grave.

Let me be clear – everyone has the right to express their opinions in The Journal about global warming regardless of their scientific background (or lack thereof – me included). But make no mistake– there is no serious scientific debate about the three facts cited above.

In the same way that a false debate rumbled on for decades about the health risks of smoking when the scientific evidence on that issue was unambiguous, one-sided and settled years earlier, we must not allow a false debate to be perpetuated about global warming, climate change and the urgent necessity of taking effective measures to tackle both when the scientific evidence on those issues is now equally robust."

Blyth Valley annual dinner

We persuaded my mother to baby-sit on Saturday night, so managed to make it to the Blyth Valley CLP annual dinner at The Spartan Hotel, Blyth last night. It was a great night out - around 100 people in attendance, including local MP (and legend) Ronnie Campbell, government minister and Hartlepool MP Ian Wright (pictured above), who gave a very funny speech, and party members from all over the North East, including a good half dozen from the Hexham constituency. It feels like Xmas has arrived.

MPs expenses: Part 127 ...

The papers are reporting that files have now been handed over to the CPS to consider whether criminal charges should be brought against four members of Parliament. I hope if the evidence is there, ie, if there's a realistic prospect of a conviction, prosecutions are brought. It's difficult to imagine any circumstances in which it would not be in the public interest to prosecute MPs caught fiddling expenses. Joe Public wouldn't receive preferential treatment - why should MPs?

Is Hexham a safe Tory seat any more?

Last week independent candidate for Hexham retired GP Dr. Steven Ford ran a full-page ad in the Hexham Courant publicising his candidacy. I agreed with some of what Steven said in his ad, and said so in a letter to the Courant published on Friday. Here's a link to the letter:

http://www.hexham-courant.co.uk/opinion/letters/tory_seat_1_639062?referrerPath=home

Speaking to residents in Hexham

The Labour team were out on Sunday afternoon speaking to voters in Hexham around Priestlands Crescent and Priestlands Road. Parking appears to be a major concern of residents on Priestlands Crescent.

Flooding in Cumbria

After visiting friends in the North West this weekend I drove back through Cumbria along the M6. The rain was torrential as I got within 30 miles of Carlisle, so it must have been unimaginable on Friday when the worst of the weather kicked in. We shall have to see how much damage has been done to the bridges and other infrastructure in the Hexham constituency, the second largest seat in England.

Congrats to Hexham's 'Bouchon Bistro' restaurant

A hearty congratulations to Hexham -- and the UK's -- leading local French restaurant, Bouchon Bistrot, located on Gilesgate. I had lunch there last year and it was great. Well done!

Glasgow by-election - good for Labour

One swallow does not make a summer, but there's no doubt that the Glasgow by-election result this week was a good result for Labour, albeit on a low turnout, a poor result for the Conservatives and a very poor result for the Lib Dem candidate who managed to get a measly 474 votes - fewer than many candidates get in local council elections. Here's hoping we can maintain the momentum.

By the way, Glasgow is a fantastic city - visit if you get the chance. I was there for 3 days in February last year on a case at the Glasgow Employment Tribunal, and managed to catch The Cult at the Glasgow Academy on the last night. Some people struggle with the Glasgow accent but being a Geordie, it makes perfect sense to me.

Speaking to voters in East Hexham

Today a hardy crew braved the elements - ok, I exaggerate, the weather was quite mild considering last night's downpour - to talk to voters in East Hexham around White Cross. Generally everyone seems pretty happy, though we received the odd complaint about anti-social behaviour and one or two complaints from more elderly residents about the problems leaves cause this time of year - slippy pathways, etc. A number of residents mentioned the fact I am the first candidate they've spoken to personally in years, in some cases even decades. Leaflets are fine for getting a message across, but there's no substitute for talking to people face-to-face to hear their concerns.

Durham Cathedral - the tattooed church

Tonight we visited the Durham Lumiere, and were blown away by what we saw.

Got those ol' A69 blues ...

Monday to Wednesday spent commuting along the A69 from Newcastle to Carlisle for a case in the Carlisle Employment Tribunal. The commute is ok in the morning, even with the problems caused by getting trapped behind slow moving traffic (eg, tractors), but the commute back at night was no fun at all - pitch black, foggy, with some truly terrible, dangerous driving on display by a number of motorists who appear to have a death-wish. The A69 at night west of Hexham is undoubtedly a dangerous road this time of year. I for one would like to see it dualled along its entire length where possible, but I am sceptical that any government, Labour or Conservative, will do anything about it any time in the near future given current public spending constraints.

Arriva pull out from Hexham

Readers of the Hexham Courant know that bus operator Arriva has reached a deal with competitor Go North East under which it is proposed that a number of Hexham-based drivers and other staff will "TUPE" transfer from Arriva's employment to Go North East provided the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) does not refer the deal to the Monopolies and Merger Commission (MMC), now called the 'Competition Commission'. Staff affected are understandably concerned about the consequences on their jobs and the future of the bus depot on Burn Lane which is currently only under a short-term lease.


On Sunday I attended a meeting at the Hexham Ex-Servicemens Club to discuss the proposals with affected staff and listen to their concerns. My background in employment law gave me some insight into the issues the staff are wrestling with.

Happy Halloween!

This afternoon spent at a Halloween kids party at Brocksbushes Farm, outside Corbridge. Everyone got dressed up and had a great time - even our dog.

Out and about in Prudhoe

Out and about in Prudhoe again talking to voters living on Cheviot View. Numerous residents complained about the state of the pavements, in particular the fact that when its been raining water splashes up from the paving - it badly needs replacing. Prudhoe town councillor Tony Reid, who was out with us today, took note.

Love modern Britain, not fossilised Britain

The Journal published my letter on Friday 30th October. To read Keith Hann's response to my letter, first published in The Journal, visit http://www.keithhann-whyohwhy.com/2009/11/conservatives-anonymous-i-own-up.html

Speaking to voters in Prudhoe

Saturday morning spent out and about in Prudhoe speaking to voters. The damp weather was not enough to put us off our stride - we're all from the North East, after all! - and in the end we managed to speak to a good few residents about local issues.

Above: Antoine outside the Prudhoe Community Allotment.

Educating children with autism

Last night I attended a governors meeting at Longbenton Community College (LBCC) where we listened to an extremely interesting presentation from staff working in the school's new 'Melrose Centre', a centre for students with autism and autism-spectrum disorders (ASD). The aim of the Melrose Centre is to bring students with ASD into closer contact with students in the everyday school community while making sure they have a safe place to go. The presentation was followed by a tour of the facilities, which are first rate. It's an embodiment of why LBCC is such a great school and why I am so proud to be a governor there.

Hexham MP a full-time job

On Friday, the Courant ran my letter confirming that if elected, I will be a full-time MP, ie, no 'fat cat' directorships or private legal clients for me. That has to be right: over 60,000 people live in the Hexham constituency, and if taking care of their interests is not a full-time job, the MP is not doing his job properly. I don't know whether the Tory and Lib Dem candidates have come off the fence on this issue. If not, they need to - voters have the right to know.

The letter can be found at: http://hexham-courant.co.uk/opinion/letters/commitment_1_621863?referrerPath=opinion/letters

Canvassing in Haltwhistle

Over to Haltwhistle on Saturday morning for a canvassing session - another good turn out. Unfortunately lots of residents were out, an occupational hazard of canvassing - there isn't any time of the day except late evening when you can be assured people will be home, and canvassing in the late evening is usually a no-no.

Celebrating a North East life

Today was my maternal grandmother Doris' 82nd birthday, so the family went over to her care home in Brunswick Village to wish her happy birthday. Unfortunately she's diabetic, so I was reluctantly forced to eat the cupcake I bought for her! She was born in Dinnington in 1927 -- 22 years before the founding of the NHS -- and has lived her entire life within a 2 mile radius of Wideopen and Hazlerigg. Her dad was a coal miner in the local pits. It's a tribute to the NHS that she has reached such a ripe old age - a smoker until her mid 50s, she had a quadruple heart bypass at the Freeman Hospital in 1995. Fingers crossed, she'll see her 90th yet.

Whittonstall threatened by prospect of open-cast coal mine

On Sunday I attended the public meeting at St Philip and St James’s Church, Whittonstall to discuss the horrific prospect local residents are now facing: an enormous open-cast mine being dug on the edge of the village.

In August, UK Coal announced a plan to submit a planning application for a site to the north-east of the village. The "Hoodsclose" scheme will allegedly create up to 50 jobs for 7 years.

I, and practically everyone who attended the meeting, are deeply sceptical of these figures: first, note the careful use of the words "up to"; second, bear in mind that modern coal mining is a hi-tech affair - any jobs created will require specialised skills which local workers looking for employment will probably lack; third, there is no cast-iron commitment to closing the site in 7 years time. One local resident voiced the words of her father in the 1940s, discussing an open-cast mine on the Northumberland coast, which was promised to last for only "5 years" - 65 years later, the mine is still going.

Local residents are up in arms, and rightly so. This part of the world is simply stunning, and could not have looked more beautiful than on a day like today - blue skies, a cool breeze, blazing sunshine. An open-cast mine will be an open sore, a blight on the landscape, will make moving away from the village impossible unless vendors are prepared to take a huge hit on their selling price, and raise the prospect of years of dust and trucks hauling coal off site - so much for a happy family life for residents with young children. From what I could see, the whole village turned out, and they are 100% opposed.

An awful lot of work will need to go into preventing this planning application from going through. It goes without saying: this is not a party-political issue. So I look forward to working with local councillors, the sitting MP and Hexham's other would-be MPs, if they agree that this plan is a really bad idea, to stop this nightmare vision from becoming reality.

NB: For the Hexham Courant report of this meeting, check this link

Official start of Autumn

Today was a day of two halfs or, more accurately, three thirds. Early morning spent at Kindermusic in Ponteland (Methodist Church opposite The Diamond), a music, dance and singing class which my eldest daughter loves. After I got her safely home it was off to Haltwhistle for more canvassing, with a quick stop in Heddon to pick up a colleague.

By 11am the winds were picking up a storm, and already there was lots of damage to trees and the foliage along the A69. Every minute of driving my car got a strong tug: God's hint to slow down.

We had a good turnout for canvassing. Among the more elderly residents, an important concern was the closure of the day care centres. Regrettably, one resident said she wouldn't vote Labour for that reason. When I patiently tried to explain to her that we opposed the closure of the day care centres and it is the Liberal Democrats trying to close them down, she told me she couldn't care less. Rather like the MPs expenses scandal: when something goes badly wrong which upsets voters, all parties get the blame, not just those at fault.


Final third of the day was spent at the Discovery Museum in Newcastle, where we got there just in time (4pm) to be told that the 'Play Tyne' exhibit "is now closed" - great ... Anyway, we had a good walk around before it shut at 5pm, and my eldest got very excited by the model boats. It's a pity my grandfather didn't live long enough to meet his grand-daughter: he loved building model boats and planes, and my eldest would have loved to see him building them.

Hexham Abbey Festival

Saturday spent at the Hexham Abbey Festival - unseasonably sunny weather meant I managed to get ever so slightly sunburnt. I chatted with Philip Clark who was involved in organising the food festival outside. The music rehearsals going on inside the abbey were impressive. After the festival, I headed over to Haltwhistle to do some canvassing, and met a number of voters who seemed pleased to see me even though I was keeping them away from their sunbathing! Dinner with my wife and kids in a local restaurant watching Newcastle United hammer Ipswich 4-0. Given his loyalties, I think Bobby Robson would have been both delighted and upset by the result. Night topped off at the Haltwhistle Working Men's Club's 'race night', where I managed to win £2.50 on a racing pig. Don't ask ...

School governors meeting

This evening was spent at a school governors meetings at Longbenton Community College, where I have been a governor since 2005. It was a nice meeting as we had something to celebrate - an excellent set of GCSE results, 60% meeting the government target of 5 A-C grades including Maths and English. The school's internal target was 58% so we exceeded our own expections - smiling (but not complacent) faces all around.

Lib Dem leader promises voters in Prudhoe, Hexham, Haltwhistle and Ponteland "savage cuts"

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg has promised "savage cuts" if elected. Has anyone told his Lib Dem Parliamentary candidates in the North East that this is their 'official' message to voters? Somehow don't think so. Is it just me, or do the Lib Dems look more and more like the Tories every day?

Hexham canvassing

Out canvassing in the eastern part of Hexham today in blazing sunshine - had I known how nice the weather was going to be, I would have planned on going to Wallington Hall today instead of yesterday when it was overcast.

Spoke to a number of older voters, most of whom appreciate that it was a Labour government which introduced (1) winter fuel allowances (2) free bus passes for the 60+ (3) free TV licenses for the over 75s, but didn't appreciate that (4) Labour just increased the single person's pension by £5 a week (the largest single increase ever) (5) Labour have restored the link between pensions and earnings which the Tories abolished in the 1980s. Labour has got a good story to tell on what it has done for older voters, but still has a job to do making sure everyone knows the facts.

Whalton village annual show, Wallington Hall

It's Saturday, so that means it's family day. We decided to go to Wallington Hall, which I've never been to before. On the way, we picked up my mother who lives in Morpeth, who suggested we stop off at the Whalton village annual show, which is what we did. I'm a sucker for classic cars, thought don't ask me to drive one (I only know how to drive automatic). There were some cool cars at the show, including this one:



Wallington Hall was great: the weather held, and we were all enchanted by the walled garden and the dragon heads.

Labour saves the day care centres till November

Yesterday I attended the "meeting in public, not a public meeting" (as the Lib Dem chairman charmingly put it) at Morpeth County Hall where the fate of the 7 day care centres in Northumberland -- destined for closure at the hands of the Lib Dem administration -- was decided. A coalition of Labour and, yes I admit it, Tory councillors, managed to stave off the closure of the day care centres until November when the matter will be reviewed again. So the day care centres live to fight on another day, and the Lib Dems go home to lick their wounds - not a bad result, all in all.

Terrier racing at Slaley show

I have (finally!) managed to crack how to download a video clip from my phone onto my PC and then upload it onto my blog. In August, we went to the Slaley Hall show, the highlight of which was undoubtedly the terrier racing - my eldest daughter loved it! Check it out:

Oh no, now it's the Lib Dems as well ...

Today's Journal quotes Lib Dem shadow chancellor Vince Cable as suggesting he would cut money used to support One North East and other regeneration groups while at the same time slashing the budget for the export guarantee credit department.

The export office has been described as having huge importance to the region, which still has a large manufacturing base dependant upon the guarantees offered in case foreign companies fail to pay up.

It effectively safeguards job in the North East by ensuring companies do not have to lay off staff if they do not receive payments.

Dr Cable said he would look to hand some regeneration cash to councils but warned of deep cuts as part of “a radical programme of reform”.

Choices in 2010 general election

As we approach a general election in 2010, with constraints on public expenditure tightening by the day, it is becoming increasingly clear that voters in the North East and in my Parliamentary constituency of Hexham will face a real choice.

On one hand, a Labour government committed to getting us through the worst financial recession in a lifetime, bringing forward capital expenditure to keep the economy moving forward, and taking hard decisions such as a temporary increase in the top rate of income tax.

On the other hand, a Tory government which would cut public investment now before the recession is well and truly over- a historic mistake. A Tory government which will almost certainly abolish key programmes such as Sure Start, designed to help pre-school children living in the most deprived areas of the UK. A Tory government whose shadow Home Secretary has already warned will target the North East in particular for extra cuts in public expenditure.

The Lib Dems, of course, do not present a credible government – and they know it.

It is fashionable these days to decry politics and suggest all politicians, and impliedly all governments formed by politicians, are the same. They are not. The national minimum wage, significantly increased investment in education and the NHS, and the restoration of the link between pensions and earnings, to give just a few choice examples, happened only because a Labour government was elected.

If North East voters want to protect these achievements, there is only one sure way of doing so – by voting Labour at the next general election.

NB: The Journal published this as a letter in the 'Your Shout' section on Monday, 5th October 2009. Unfortunately I can't find a link.

Battle of the barristers

The Hexham Courant ran a feature a few months back about my standing in Hexham - here's a link http://www.hexham-courant.co.uk/news/news_at_a_glance/battle_of_barristers_as_labour_chooses_1_509636?referrerPath=news/newsataglance

Are you getting your entitlements?

WHILE some pensioner households are getting up to £1,000 a year in pension credit, many pensioners don't claim state benefits they are entitled to – especially pension credit, council tax benefit and housing benefit.

Help and advice is always available at Tynedale Citizens’ Advice Bureau, which has offices in Hexham, Haltwhistle and Prudhoe.

The Tory Government under Mrs Thatcher broke the link between pensions and average earnings – which had the effect of significantly reducing the state pension over time. But this Labour Government’s pension credit scheme is actually giving pensioners more than they would get from restoring that link – and it directs the money to those most in need.

This is in addition to winter fuel allowance, free local bus travel, free NHS prescriptions, flu injections and eye tests for all pensioners as well as free TV licences for the over 75s.

Happy ending

For a change, here's a nice story with a happy ending: http://www.hexham-courant.co.uk/news/news_at_a_glance/labour_pains_1_592368?referrerPath=news/news_at_a_glance

My expenses pledge

I am still waiting for the Hexham Courant, and The Journal for that matter (!), to publish my letter containing my pledges concerning the claiming of Parliamentary expenses. Since I can't wait forever, here's what I said:

Dear Sir:

As the Labour Party's prospective Parliamentary candidate for Hexham at the next general election, and as someone who has spent his entire career working in the private sector where fiddling expenses is a straightforward sackable offence, I am appalled at the recent revelations concerning MPs' expense claims. Thank goodness the truth has finally come out.

I would like to put on record the following five pledges which will govern my conduct if I have the privilege of being elected to Parliament next year:

1. As a parliamentary candidate, I will subscribe to high standards of integrity, transparency, accountability and financial economy.

2. I do not seek elected office for personal gain but to serve the public.

3. I will publish my expenses online within a month of submitting them and publicise them annually in full to my constituents.

4. I will hold regular meetings with my community and will report back regularly to my constituency party.

5. I will apply the principle of best value to all decisions I make which involve the use of public money to cover my duties, including travel and accommodation.

Yours faithfully,
Antoine Tinnion
Labour Parliamentary Candidate for Hexham