Showing posts with label Articles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Articles. Show all posts
Wednesday, 18 March 2015
A Broke Budget for the Little Guy
I have written a column today for City AM on how the Chancellor's Budget should spark a second wave of the consumer revolution.
You can read it here.
You can read it here.
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Monday, 23 February 2015
Visa Bans - a Public Right to Know?
Should the public be told whether or not the Home Office have refused visas to individuals linked to serious crime?
I have tabled an amendment to the Serious Crime Bill, for consideration today, making the case for greater transparency. You can read my blog-post outlining the case for the change on The Spectator's Coffee House blog here.
I have tabled an amendment to the Serious Crime Bill, for consideration today, making the case for greater transparency. You can read my blog-post outlining the case for the change on The Spectator's Coffee House blog here.
Monday, 9 February 2015
Lib Dem Spin Doctor feels ‘Disenfranchised’
On Sunday morning, I was made aware of a blog-post by Roisin
Miller on Liberal Democrat Voice, an
independent website for Lib Dem supporters, entitled: ‘An
MP who takes me for granted has left me feeling disenfranchised’. What
followed was a nebulous - but direct - attack on me as an MP, saying that I
took my so-called ’safe seat’ for granted. In particular, apparently my
responses to Ms Miller’s communiqués were ‘half-hearted’, I’m not ‘a
particularly good MP’, she hasn’t received any literature from me in 3 years,
and locally Conservatives are failing to ‘engage with the electorate’. I think
Ms Miller deserves a response.
First, she might have mentioned that she was Ed Davey’s
local spin doctor and Kingston & Surbiton Lib Dems’ campaign manager until
August 2013 – and has run as a candidate in various local elections. Nothing
wrong with that. But Ms Miller is not just any old local ‘activist’. She’s a
professional politician having a go at her local Tory nemesis.
Nonetheless, it’s fair game to highlight lazy MPs who take
strong majorities for granted. It’s just that, since I was selected as the
Conservative candidate by open primary in 2009, in a process open to every
resident regardless of political affiliation, I have been anything but lazy. In
the 2010 election, we had 72% turnout – compared to 65% nationally, and higher
than Kingston – a tribute to the efforts my team and I made to galvanise
interest. Neither I nor voters were remotely complacent.
Ms Miller lives in Molesey. I live in and commute from
neighbouring Thames Ditton. I spend a lot of time in Molesey – all documented
on my blog here. Up at
Westminster, I’ve been independent-minded, for example, campaigning against the
snooper’s charter, and supporting a beefed up Right of Recall against MPs –
examples of issues that many Lib Dems care about, as well as Conservatives.
Ms Miller says my replies to her emails have been
‘half-hearted’. Really? I won’t disclose the content, but I have written to
senior officials and Ministers on a wide range of issues. Ms Miller is no
stranger to the ‘campaign email’, but has invariably got a personal reply from
me. I have written to her substantively seven times in two years.
Next, Ms Miller says she hasn’t had any other literature
from me in three years. In fact, I send an annual ‘Westminster Report’,
delivered by Royal Mail, to every address in the constituency. She should have
had at least two since she moved here - perhaps one or other got swept up into
the bin with pizza leaflets, who knows? But, since Ms Miller signed up for my
monthly e-bulletin in April 2013, I am starting to wonder whether she isn’t
being rather economical with the truth, when she says she‘s ‘had nothing’ from me
in three years.
What about face-to-face contact? In addition to the local
events I do, like any MP, I also hold public meetings every six months across
the constituency – advertised variously, including via my e-bulletin – so
residents can raise any local or national issue. I have held six in Molesey alone
since February 2012, 40 in total since May 2010. These meetings have been
vibrant, sometimes challenging. In Molesey, working with local councillor Steve
Bax, we’ve tackled a range of issues – including parking regulations, getting
behind community ideas for buying the Jolly Boatman site (a longstanding local
bug-bear), and liaising with Heathrow to secure the suspension of local flight
trial paths. If Ms Miller is so ‘politically engaged’, why hasn’t she been
along to any of these meetings to make her voice heard?
There are two ironies in all this. The first is that, if the
Lib Dems had their way, and we changed the voting system to Proportional
Representation, it would break the constituency link between elector and
elected that ensures local residents can hold MPs like me to account. The
current system may not be perfect, but the alternatives are far worse.
Second, for all Ms Miller’s attack on ‘Tory complacency’,
she was in charge of Ed Davey’s local PR and Kingston Lib Dems’ local campaigns
until recently. As we went into the last election, Ed Davey had a bigger
majority than my predecessor did in Esher and Walton. Mr Davey’s seat is now
viewed as ultra-marginal, and Kingston Lib Dems lost control of the council. In
contrast, my majority in Esher and Walton doubled in 2010, and since then local
Conservatives have assiduously retained a council long controlled by opposition
groups.
For my part, working with a great local team, I’m energetically
engaging with voters, regardless of their political views and by any means
possible. For hers, Ms Miller confesses she hasn’t even bothered to register to
vote. If she really feels disenfranchised, I can only extend a warm invitation
to her to attend my upcoming Molesey public meeting - as it happens next
Wednesday, 7.30pm start, at St Mary’s Church hall in East Molesey.
Update: having originally declined a right of reply, Liberal Democrat Voice changed their mind and published this post on their site. Credit where it's due.
Friday, 6 February 2015
Meritocracy & Democracy
Yesterday, the Sutton Trust released some research showing the proportion of candidates at the next election from public school and Oxbridge. So, I have written a column for The Times today, looking at the state of meritocracy - inside and outside the Westminster village.
You can read it here.
You can read it here.
Wednesday, 3 December 2014
End the Snobbery around Vocational Training
I have written a column for the Yorkshire Post, arguing we need to end the snobbery around the vocational route to success for youngsters.
University has a key role to play in the education system. But, it's not the only route to success. If we want to boost social mobility, make Britain more meritocratic, and fill the skills gaps in the UK economy, we need to broaden choices for bright - but not necessarily book-ish - youngsters. You can read the article here.
Monday, 1 December 2014
The Autumn Statement: Santa wanted, Scrooge needed
With the Chancellor's Autumn Statement coming on Wednesday, I have penned a column for The Daily Telegraph today. I argue that with voter mistrust of politicians' promises so high, we need more honesty about the cuts to government spending that inevitably lie ahead, whether it's for the purpose of cutting debt, reducing taxes or finding extra money for public spending - or some combination.
You can read the article here.
Sunday, 16 November 2014
The European Arrest Warrant - a problem that's not going away
Last Monday, Paliamemt's long-awaited debate and vote on the European Arrest Warrant (EAW) descended into a navel-gazing farce. This week, there will be a second chance in the House of Commons.
Today, the Mail on Sunday features an interview with the latest victim, Keith Hainsworth, a Greek tutor from Hampton, caught up in an absurd Greek EAW, which turned his life upside down and cost him around £40k in legal fees. You can read the account here.
I have written a column to accompany the interview with the Hanisworths, which you can read here.
Today, the Mail on Sunday features an interview with the latest victim, Keith Hainsworth, a Greek tutor from Hampton, caught up in an absurd Greek EAW, which turned his life upside down and cost him around £40k in legal fees. You can read the account here.
I have written a column to accompany the interview with the Hanisworths, which you can read here.
Tuesday, 11 November 2014
The Vote on the EAW
Yesterday, the House of Commons debate on the European Arrest Warrant descended into procedural shambles - which meant no debate on the substance of the various EU measures, and no vote on 24 out of 35.
I have written a column for The Times on the lessons we need to learn. You can access it here.
I have written a column for The Times on the lessons we need to learn. You can access it here.
Sunday, 26 October 2014
Defending British Justice from Brussels
I have written a column for The Independent tomorrow, making the case for opting out of the European Arrest Warrant and various other EU regulations covering the British criminal justice system.
You can read the article here. I also discussed the issue on Radio 4's Today program, accessible here (from 1 hour, 33 minutes).
You can read the article here. I also discussed the issue on Radio 4's Today program, accessible here (from 1 hour, 33 minutes).
Saturday, 4 October 2014
Defend Freedom, Protect our Democracy
I have written a column for The Sunday Times, setting out the case for a Bill of Rights, and addressing the critics of Conservative proposals.
You can access it here.
You can access it here.
Thursday, 2 October 2014
Policing the Internet, Defending Free Speech
I have written a column today for the Daily Telegraph, on the proliferation of criminal activity online - and how we should strive to strike the right balance between defending freedom and security.
You can read the article here.
You can read the article here.
(Photo by Ewan Munro)
Sunday, 21 September 2014
What next for the Union?
In the aftermath of the 'No' vote in the Scottish referendum, the debate has turned to carving out a new devolved settlement for the Scots. I have written a column for The Sunday Telegraph, here, arguing that any new deal for Britain must be fair for the whole of Britain - and what that involves.
I also discussed the issue on the Sunday Politics show this morning here.
Thursday, 4 September 2014
Stamp Duty: an Assault on Middle England
I have written a column in the Daily Telegraph today, making the economic and social case for scrapping stamp duty for homes under £500,000. You can read it here.
Wednesday, 20 August 2014
Should prisoners have the right to vote?
In this month's issue of Prospect magazine I debate prisoner voting with Liberty boss, Shami Chakrabati.
It's a lively discussion, which you can read in full here.
It's a lively discussion, which you can read in full here.
Friday, 25 July 2014
No Terrorists or Torturers Please, We're British
How do you solve a problem like Vladimir Putin? In a column today for The Independent, I make the case for beating him at his own game by imposing automatic smart sanctions on anyone connected to a list of international crimes - from torture to terrorism.
You can read the column here.
You can read the column here.
Wednesday, 23 July 2014
Less Tick-Box Diversity, More Meritocracy Please
I have written a column for Conservative Home, here, on the Equality Regulations that require 40,000 councils, police forces, schools and other public bodies to account for the social make-up of their staff and promote diversity - and section 159 of the Equality Act which licences positive discrimination.
I am opposed to these measures, because they place unnecessary red-tape on hard-pressed public bodies and businesses, and they are unmeritocratic and socially divisive.
I am opposed to these measures, because they place unnecessary red-tape on hard-pressed public bodies and businesses, and they are unmeritocratic and socially divisive.
Wednesday, 25 June 2014
Should Britain Return to the Fray in Iraq?
Given the renewed terrorist insurgency in Iraq, Tony Blair has been leading calls for Britain to re-engage militarily in the conflict.
I have written an article for Prospect magazine, here, arguing the case against.
(U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 1st Class Arlo K. Abrahamson)
Sunday, 22 June 2014
Equality versus Meritocracy
Labour leader, Ed Miliband, is increasingly taking his cue straight from the playbook of egalitarian socialists like Thomas Piketty, who wrote Capital in the 21st Century. Writing in The Sunday Times, I point out why this egalitarian agenda is economically dangerous for Britain - and a political opportunity for the Conservatives.
You can access the column here.
Monday, 16 June 2014
Oxfam's Vanity Fair
Oxfam and allied campaign groups are up in arms that Conor Burns MP has complained to the Charity Commission about its politicised advert attacking coalition austerity.
I have written a post of The Spectator's Coffee House Blog, setting out why I think Oxfam need to show more self-restraint given their charitable status. You can read the article here.
Oxfam's advert, as shown on twitter
Monday, 9 June 2014
The Meritocrat's Manifesto
As trailed yesterday, today I am publishing The Meritocrat's Manifesto with the Social Market Foundation (SMF). I will be debating it at the SMF on Wednesday.
You can read the report here.
You can read the report here.
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