Richard Baum

Tonight I visited Bury Hospice at the invitation of the Chief Executive, to view their plans for a new facility, and to meet some staff and take a tour. It was a very informative and enjoyable hour and a half, for which I’m grateful.

The visit started in slightly surreal fashion, I must admit, as I arrived just when two other local PPCs were leaving from earlier appointments. It was clearly some kind of politician’s open day, as Michelle Wiseman the Tory PPC for Bury South, and Maryam Khan the Labour PPC for Bury North were in the lobby leaving as I was going in. I did fear slightly that the coming-together of three opposing political forces in one place unexpectedly would result in some kind of time/space vortex occurring, but thankfully there were no black holes to be seen. It was though the first time Maryam and I had met, which was a shame because I didn’t have chance to even say hello. I’m sure our time will come though. This politics lark is weird like that - candidates come to recognise their opponents names so well and yet sometimes barely ever see each other.

I had never been to the Hospice before, which is not something to be proud of when it’s clear that this is a wonderful and respected facility giving a very high level of care to local people reaching the end of their lives. I am glad I went tonight, and although the tour was only a brief one I did have a long chat with the Chief Exec about the Hospice, its relationship with the NHS, its funding challenges and the need for donations to keep it going. As someone professionally involved with the NHS and voluntarily involved in a charity myself, I know how hard it is to deal with those two things, so doing so in unison and on a massive scale as the Hospice does is extremely tough. The people involve deserve our thanks and respect for the service they provide.

Rick 

Unlike a lot of parliamentary candidates, I have a full time job which I am trying to do whilst campaigning. I work in the NHS, for a mental health organisation which provides services to Bury as well as other areas around here.

My wife-to-be (on 7th August) Tamsin is not only a PPC-widow but is also a full time public servant - she’s a primary school teacher, which means that we both get to moan about the state of public services at home! What annoys me is that I’ve been elected as a Councillor to try and fix them, so she gets to finger-point a bit more than I do, but neither of us run the show so that’s OK!

We were having a chat the other day in Nando’s, a place where I suspect high-charged political discussions are few and far between. But in between munching on my peri-peri chicken pieces and those nice nuts they have there, I got all philosophical and asked her what one thing she would do if she was in charge of education for the day. She said that she’d lower class sizes, which surprised me a bit because if I was in charge of education for a day I’d hack into the computer systems and give myself twelve degrees and a PhD, and then I’d remove all the A-Level records of that beautiful girl who turned me down when I was 17.

But she is clearly a lot more sensible than I am.

There are two things interesting about her answer though. First, that out of everything that anyone talks about regarding education - the gap between rich and poor students, discipline, grade inflation, skills shortages etc - she picked class sizes straight away. And second, that she followed it up with “ooh, no wait, maybe something else…” and then listed lots of other things she’d like to change, before finishing with “But we don’t have the opportunity.”

At that point we had to leave to go and see Cirque du Soleil, and so our conversation had to end because she wanted to talk about clowns. That’s a shame because I could have told her about the Lib Dem education policy, which was outlined by Nick Clegg last weekend.

We propose an investment of £2.5billion in schools, to reduce class sizes and achieve many of the things that Tam and lots of other teachers want to see. That equates to an extra £2,500 per pupil for the million pupils on free school meals in this country. This “pupil premium” would raise the amount spent per pupil in the state sector to that in fee paying schools.

Imagine what teachers could achieve with that kind of additional funding!

Our plans would get rid of anomalies which exist under Labour now, like catchment areas with different funding arrangements which means that needy kids in some areas don’t get the funding they need.

This money isn’t going to be given lightly, but what we will do is cut the reins between schools and the government to let the people who know schools best - the highly skilled and dedicated teachers who are frustrated under the current system - the opportunity to innovate. We invite teachers to re-invent the curriculum to challenge and stretch. We say to teachers, cut class sizes in your school if that’s where you think the money should be spent. And we ask teachers to make sue that this money means that more children achieve well at school.

I genuinely believe that this approach, a pupil premium where it’s needed most, is the fairest and most sensible way to give teachers what they want, and to give pupils what they need from our schools.

Rick

Nothing beats coming home from a freezing leafleting session to a nice warm house. Unfortunately for me and everyone else (even those sensible enough not to deliver leaflets on weekends!) the cost of keeping houses warm has more or less doubled in recent years. Despite the cost of wholesale gas fluctuating wildly, bills seem to only ever go up. However, those good people at Scottish and Southern Energy have cut their bills!! Sadly it’s only by 4%, which is nowhere near the commensurate fall in wholesale prices, and of course comes right at the end of winter when demand is about to plummet.

Commenting on the cut, Liberal Democrat Shadow Energy and Climate Change Secretary, Simon Hughes said:“Token price cuts in March won’t fool customers already hit by bumper bills.Wholesale prices have plummeted but customers have hardly seen any benefit. 

“The Liberal Democrats will change the rules so that fuel bills reflect fuel costs and consumers are not ripped off again and again.” 

Let’s be fair - any reduction is better than no reduction. But it’s time the energy companies were held to account. For too long they have been profiteering on the wild fluctuations in wholesale energy markets. Meanwhile people are struggling to stay warm and live in fear of the bill. I now pay well over £1,000 per year for domestic heating, and I know lots of other people are in the same boat.

Energy bills need to be tied closer to the real costs to the companies, when prices go down it should trigger immediate reductions to domestic energy tariffs. And with regard to tariffs people need greater support and advice to ensure they are on the best tariff deals with greater incentive for green energy. 

There are too many tariffs and special offers. We need streamlining across the industry with the emphasis on the best deal for the consumer not the shareholders. After all, there’s no real choice other than to keep warm.

Rick

The Bury Lib Dem campaign against congestion charging was finally vindicated today when it was revealed that funding for public transport may be made available WITHOUT the need for congestion charging after all!

A costly and controversial referendum on congestion charging was held across Greater Manchester after local Councils in the city region were the only ones in the country to bid for funding contingent on congestion charging. The proposals were rejected by almost 80% of local voters after a campaign led by the Liberal Democrats in Bury. We called for funding for public transport without unfair road charges, but were told at the time that there was no alternative.

 Now, that lie has been exposed after it was revealed that money from the Transport Innovation Fund, which was conditional on charging schemes being introduced, will now be made available to all councils – including those in our region - with NO strings attached.

Unsurprisingly lots of people are annoyed that we were lied to, leading to an expensive consultation exercise, loads of money wasted promoting the original TIF bid, and a hugely costly referendum.

The Manchester Evening News reports how then transport secretary Geoff Hoon warned on the eve of the vote that unless Greater Manchester said ‘yes’ it it would get NO extra transport cash. Council chiefs in Greater Manchester – who also warned at the time there was ‘no plan B’ – have since come up with an alternative £1.5bn funding package based on borrowing against future council tax rises.

A ‘discussion paper’ released by the Department for Transport says TIF’s ‘weaknesses’ lay in its ‘too narrow focus’ on congestion and its ‘failure to win public acceptance for the more challenging proposals’.

 Greater

Sean Corker, who led the campaign against the congestion charge as part of the pressure group Manchester Against Road Tolls, called for an inquiry into how much was spent promoting TIF.

“

Remember, the Lib Dems were the only party in Bury against the TIF bid’s proposals for congestion from the start. The Tories signed the TIF proposals, and Labour campaigned publicly for them.

I knew we were right then, and we have been vindicated. It is now up to the government to properly fund public transport in the area without imposing unfair congestion charges on motorists.

Rick

Fans of men emerging from lakes in wet t-shirts should vote Liberal Democrat according to a new book published this week. Actor Colin Firth, who played the dashing (but no more so than me…) Mr Darcy in the BBC’s adaptation of “Pride and Prejudice” is just one of a host of names from all spheres of public life to contribute to a book entitled “Why Vote Liberal Democrat.”

Other contributors include former Director of Public Prosecutions Sir Ken Macdonald QC and musician Brian Eno, who I like a lot at the moment because he worked on Paul Simon’s latest album. And any friend of Paul Simon’s is a friend of mine! 

The book, which goes on sale on Today, covers topics as varied as fair taxes, gay rights, looking after our armed forces, political reform and the fight against climate change.

Other contributors include Gurkha veteran Madan Kumar Gurung, political reform campaigner Pam Giddy and Duwayne Brooks, Stephen Lawrence’s best friend who was with him on the night he died.

Commenting Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg said:

“There are hundreds of reasons to vote Liberal Democrat, but there is also just one reason: the will to create a better, fairer Britain by doing things differently. This is what unites all the contributors to this book.

“I am delighted such a great group of people from so many different backgrounds have come together to share their reasons for backing the Liberal Democrats.”

Sadly there’s nothing in the book to explain why our election logo looks a bit like the Somerfield supermarket logo. But maybe they’re saving that for the sequel “Making Britian Great Again - Nick Clegg’s First 100 days in Downing Street” which will be published in September.

You can get a copy of the book here should you wish. There will be precisely no points for wit on offer for anyone who sends in a comment along the lines of “I bet it’s a very short book” etc etc etc.

Rick

I was very sad to hear of Michael Foot’s death today, at 96.

He was a political giant, whose contribution to parliament and to British political life was huge. I don’t share all of his beliefs, but I like to think I do share his commitment to democracy and the achievement of progress through parliament.

I never met Mr Foot. He was Labour leader at the time that I was born, and had long ago left the front benches before I even became aware of what they were. But his speeches and the ideals he espoused in them remain, as do the memories others have of a very decent man who stood firm in his beliefs. He wasn’t the most popular politician when he led the Labour party, nor was he the most successful in elections. But votes and passing trends mean less when conviction and personality are as strong as they were in Mr Foot. His legacy is much more than the votes give him credit for, and those seeking to make the country better in the future will owe him much.

My condolences to all those who knew him and are mourning his death.

Rick 

The Longfield Suite is safe from closure today after a successful campaign by Prestwich residents and Councillors against Conservative plans which may have seen the facility close.

A Best Value review of civic halls in Bury, undertaken by the Conservative Council, outlined several options for the future of the Longfield Suite, including the “reconfiguration” of the community hall which is popular with local people and the best used of all civic venues in Bury. Now, after a consultation process which saw thousands of local people sign petitions and protest to save the Longfield Suite, the Council has backed down. The Longfield Suite will be retained in its current format, with a plan for better marketing, awareness, usage and income.

The consultation process on the future of the Suite drew a 7,000 signature petition, 1,300 responses by survey, two large public meetings and a number of public protests including an “arms around the Longfield” event where hundreds of local people formed a human chain around the suite.

I am overjoyed that our campaign has been a success. The Conservative threat to close the Longfield Suite was a disgrace, but now after a huge number of Prestwich people told them how wrong they were, the Conservatives have backed down. It’s been great to see so many local people coming together to fight for a community space. It’s been a great example of local people power in action and proof that people can make a difference.

The Conservatives have been saying throughout this that because the halls lose money they need to be changed or closed. I disagree strongly with that. Not only does the Longfield Suite make more money than all the others in Bury (two of which were never threatened with anything) but for me community halls are about more than cash. They’re places for communities to come together. Thankfully Prestwich will have one for the foreseeable future.

Rick

David Cameron talks a lot about “change,” and says that’s what the country will get if we all vote Conservative. It’s simply not true, in my view.

For one thing, people like William Hague and Ken Clarke (both of whom are big players in Cameron’s Conservatives, and both of whom were there right behind him during his big speech at the weekend) were in the last Tory government that was booted out in a tide of sleaze in 1997. 

Back then the Conservatives were viewed as out of touch and out for the rich, uncaring and illiberal. They might claim to be different now, but look at the evidence both here in Bury and across the country.

In Bury, the Conservative Council has put up Council Tax above inflation every single year since it came to power. This despite the Conservatives nationally claiming to want low rises. The Conservatives claim to be the party of the environment, but in Bury they blocked the 10:10 pledge.

Nationally, they propose tax cuts for millionaires, won’t deal properly with bankers bonuses (because plenty of their core support receive them!) and their biggest donor has pocketed over £100m from the British tax man because of his non-dom status.

In fact, Lord Ashcroft is estimated to have saved more than £127m in British tax since he became a member of the House of Lords, according to Liberal Democrat research.

Lord Ashcroft’s annual tax saving is conservatively estimated to be £12.76m and he has been a member of the House of Lords for a decade.

Commenting on this, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said:

“Anyone who wants to pass laws in this country should pay this country’s full taxes and not hide behind the special offshore status of non-doms.
 
“Non-doms have to tell the taxman that their first allegiance is to another country. No-one should be a British lawmaker whose first allegiance is not to Britain.
 
“On even the most conservative estimates, Lord Ashcroft has avoided vast amounts of British tax by deploying the non-dom tax dodge. If he challenges our estimate of how much tax he has dodged, then there is a simple solution: publish the figure.”

So the Conservatives claim to be one thing, but are another. Bear that in mind when going to the polls.

Rick

It’s not that often I find myself in whole-hearted agreement with John Prescott, but I was pleased to see him praising Twitter as an aid to democracy in the Manchester Evening News today. Sadly his attitude on this matter isn’t shared by the Luddites at Bury

Today is the first day of spring, which meant that the misery of having to de-frost my car for the millionth time this year was tempered a little by the irony of the date. I should have known it was going to be a cold one, because I’d spent most of yesterday out leafleting with increasingly numb hands. That numbness was rendered doubly unfortunate because I couldn’t really feel the damage being done to my fingers by a succession of gates and letterboxes each more injurious than the last. Quite why people who live in suburbia need to festoon the front of their houses with gates that wouldn’t look out of place in front of some horror mansion designed by a tasteless hybrid of Jordan and Posh Spice is beyond me. Whatever the reason, gaining access to deliver Focus is like trying to undo a pair of someone else’s walking boots whilst wearing ski gloves. My hands are bruised and battered today.

I noticed a letter in the Bury Times this week asking three questions of Labour’s Bury North candidate. Question two, about the fairness or otherwise of her selection from an all-female shortlist, is fair enough. As is question three, about the funding for her plush town centre offices. But the first question is this: “How has she attained the necessary lifeskills for this important role at her age?”

I don’t think that’s a fair question, nor do I think its inference is right. The Labour candidate is slightly younger than me, but we’re both the same side of 30 and I believe that our ages won’t make a jot of difference to the job we’ll do if elected. I am a Councillor and have been for several years, and I don’t think my age has hampered me once. Although I am younger than most of my constituents I don’t think I lack an understanding of the issues facing them any more than anyone older, mainly because a lot of those issues are the same issues facing me! I have a mortgage and a job and bills to pay the same as lots of other people. I have to think about saving for the future, how I might bring up a child, and how to put petrol in the car when it keeps going up in price!

The age of a candidate is nothing compared to their outlook, attitude and commitment to the role. After all, Winston Churchill was elected as an MP at 25 and he didn’t turn out too badly. And let’s remember, the older a candidate is, the less in touch he or she is with younger constituents. I suspect both the Labour candidate and I could have a better conversation with a university student looking for a graduate job than could the middle-aged Conservative candidate.

Of more concern to voters should be not that the Labour candidate is under 30, but that she doesn’t live in the borough, hadn’t shown any interest in Bury until selected, and has landed here because the incumbent Labour MP is facing criminal charges!

I am 28. It may sound young if you’re 88, but I suspect it doesn’t if you’re 19, and I genuinely don’t think it matters. The Tory candidate isn’t too old, we’re not too young, and I think voters should base their choices on what we stand for and our commitment to Bury, not anything else.

Rick

Followers of mine on Twitter will have been expecting updates from the recent budget-setting Council meeting. Sadly, this wasn’t possible after a decision by the Conservative-run Council to ban Councillors from using mobile phones for any reason in meetings. As someone who tweets by text, this means no Twitter for me, and no updates for constituents.

At the start of the meeting, the Mayor informed us that anyone using a phone for any reason would be asked to leave the meeting because such activity is rude and discourteous. I respected the Mayor’s request, but I disagree with it.

It might seem like a sensible plan. After all, talking on phones during meetings is discourteous. Disrupting meetings using phones is discourteous. Wandering in and out of meetings to take calls is discourteous. I’ve seen all of these and worse at Council meetings, but the Mayor has never before been compelled to react.

If the Council thinks that mobile phone usage is wrong, that’s fine, but they’ve taken their time coming to that decision, and it’s odd that it’s come immediately after I became the first Councillor to start tweeting in Council meetings. Anyone would think the Mayor was put up to it by the Conservatives worried about me revealing their incompetence in real time!

I think that it’s perfectly possible to send text messages to Twitter (or anywhere else actually) whilst in meetings without either disrupting that meeting or concentrating any less than is required. Sending a tweet takes a few seconds, and is a fine way of keeping people informed on what’s going on. To ban it is not forward-looking or fair, in my view. Even if phones have been banned for another reason, they’ve chucked the baby out with the bathwater with a blanket ban.

At the last meeting of the Council, I sent various tweets. I don’t think they interrupted the meeting in any way, since the phone I was using was out of view and on silent. The tweets told constituents what was going on, and were even picked up by the Manchester Evening News who broadcast them live online alongside those of their own journalist. There was no difference between texting my thoughts and writing them down, except that by texting them to Twitter I was letting my constituents know about them there and then.

I managed to ask four questions and take part in two debates during that meeting as well, which is more than probably 45 of the other 50 Councillors in the Chamber. I see no reason to believe that my tweeting had any negative effect at all. In fact, I think we should be encouraging it so long as it doesn’t interfere with how the meeting goes on.

If the Council wants to tackle discourtesy in meetings, it needs to go further than stopping phones. It could start by banning pens, which are used frequently to doodle during debates, or to write down the thoughts that I’d otherwise be tweeting! It would then do well to talk to several high-ranking Councillors and ban them from talking, laughing or nodding off during questions and speeches. Many do that frequently.

Officers too would have to receive the Council’s ire, since they are not above reproach. One was the victim of one of my tweets, in fact, when I caught him mouthing “blah blah blah” during a Councillor’s speech and tweeted about it. I don’t know when my tweeting became ruder than his blah blah blah-ing, but apparently it is.

That type of stuff is far more discourteous than a bit of under-the-table texting. At the recent budget Council meeting both Cllr Trevor Holt (Lab) and I had to actually stop our speeches to allow for Conservative Councillors to stop talking, laughing and interrupting. The Council might want to look at that as well. It’s worse than tweeting in my view.

The behaviour of a number of Members is beyond discourteous and bordering on the rude. But worse is the frequent lack of complete answers given to simple questions and the Leader’s repetitive habit of leaping up and speaking without the Mayor’s permission throughout meetings. I’d like to see these things tackled too. They don’t add to democracy in this borough, and they put distance between the people and their Councillors. Tweeting does the opposite, and yet it’s this that’s been stopped because of the phone ban.

Sadly, I can’t see anything happening to tackle real discourtesy. By all means make it clear that phones should be on silent and nobody should take calls. I don’t want a speech interrupted by “Sex Bomb” blasting out as a ring tone. But there’s good stuff that can be done with phones, and I’d like to be able to do that.

Rick