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

Hexham General Hospital - tops at maternity

The Hexham Courant published my letter publicly thanking Hexham General Hospital's maternity unit for the wonderful care they provided my wife last year when our baby daughter was born. We have nicknamed HGH the "Hexham Hilton" - it was so nice we didn't want to leave! Thanks again to Annie and all the other great staff there.

I would be lapsing in my political duties if I didn't point out that it was a Labour government which delivered HGH to Tynedale. Can the Tories or the LibDems point to a similar local achievement? I don't think so.

Politics - a family business?

Today's edition of The Journal published my letter politely asking Hexham's Tory MP to disclose whether he employs any family members, and if he does, to disclose what they do, how much they get paid, and whether they work full or part-time. It is high time the cobwebs are blown away from Parliament, which needs to to be treated like any other public sector entity spending millions of pounds of taxpayers money - with absolute transparency and accountability.

For the avoidance of doubt, I don't see anything necessarily wrong with an MP employing his or her spouse or partner - professional politics is a hard business, often tough on marriages. What is crucial is that voters are allowed to know what goes on so they can make up their own mind on the issues raised by MPs employing family members at the taxpayer's expense.

Unlike Gordon Brown, David Cameron does not intend to order his backbench MPs to disclose their employment of family members. Since I am confident Hexham's MP has nothing to hide on this issue, surely it's right for him to disclose these matters voluntarily.