The Tories’ atempt to deny prisoners voting rights is about self interest not public interest

Posted on February 2, 2011 by maryhoneyballmep

The Daily Mail and David Cameron are trying to tell us that the Government’s decision to give MPs a free vote on whether or not long-term prisoners should have the vote is about asserting the supremacy of the British Parliament over the European Court of Human Rights.

It sounds good, doesn’t it, and is music to the ears of Eurosceptic MPs. Good old Blighty taking on those uppity continentals who want to destroy our way of doing things.

However, on closer examination it becomes clear that the European Court of Human Rights is not by any means the matter as a whole. Giving prisoners the vote could potentially upset the electoral arithmetic in some Tory seats.  For instance, Dartmoor Prison in the Tory held Torridge and West Devon constituency has an inmate population of about 1000. Since the current Tory majority is just under 3000, the potential for the prison vote to make a difference is very high.

I believe it is no coincidence that Cameron is seeking to deny prisoners the vote as his plan to reduce the number of House of Commons constituencies is going through the House of Lords, albeit with strong opposition from Labour peers. The move to stop prisoners voting is quite clearly part of the same process – to gerrymander constituencies so that the Tories gain maximum advantage by foul means or fair.

So while we have Cameron behaving extremely cynically in order to maintain Tory MPs in Parliament and dressing up in his best anti-EU rhetoric, his junior coalition partners now have a real problem. Since the Liberal-Democrats before the 2010 general election actively wanted to enfranchise prisoners, I wonder where this leaves them in relation to their coalition responsibilities.

Meanwhile the question of European Court of Human Rights rulings still remains. Quite clearly the UK should not go against the European Court. Former Lord Chancellor, Lord Mackay, who was incidentally appointed to the post by Margaret Thatcher, has insisted Britain must recognise its rights under the European Convention on Human Rights and is very clear that politics should be conducted under the rule of law.

This is, indeed, true and I wonder what former Labour Home Secretary was doing in signing a motion with Tory MP David Davies calling on the British Parliament to ignore the European judges.

In conclusion it is worth bearing in mind that the only EU countries with an outright ban on prisoners voting are Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Luxembourg and Romania. Were Britain to go down the David Cameron route, we would be among the EU countries that have the least respect for human rights.

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Could the Daily Express be more wrong?

Posted on February 1, 2011 by maryhoneyballmep

373,000 people have signed a petition saying that they want the U.K. to leave the European Union.  That does seem like quite a lot, but the petition was organised by the Daily Express, which carries a rather triumphalist story involving their political editor and a few MPs delivering the signatures to Number 10.

Let’s leave aside for one moment the arguments against such a move and focus instead on the story itself.  I must take exception with Tory MP, Philip Hollobone, who is quoted in the article as saying:

“Congrat­ulations to the Daily Express for saying so clearly what most of Britain actually feels.”

Now last time I checked 373,000 does not represent a majority of the British voting public.  Given that this was a campaign run by the Express for quite a while, it might be worth pointing out to Mr. Hollobone that it’s well under two-thirds of the Daily Express readership, whose circulation is around 640,000.

Given that, I’m not sure on what authority Mr Hollobone can say anything about “what most of Britain actually feels”.

It isn’t much of a surprise that Daily Express readers are not too fond of the EU, given that particular publications penchant for publishing sensationalist, under researched and often downright wrong information about the European Union.  They are famously one of the most prolific peddlers of the ‘Euromyth‘.

Leaving the EU would be absolutely disastrous for our economy.  At a time when we are looking for ways out of a serious financial crisis, cutting ourselves off from, or at least severely damaging links with, our primary export market seems like wanton madness.  It would also ruin the lives of many British workers currently with jobs through-out the EU and the many people from other member states currently contributing to the UK economy.

I don’t believe this is what most people in the UK want as they are generally a sensible bunch.  It clearly isn’t even what all the Daily Express readers want either.

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Ed Balls – the only choice for Shadow Chancellor

Posted on January 31, 2011 by maryhoneyballmep

Ed Balls was always my choice for Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer as I blogged, during the Labour Party Leadership campaign. I am therefore very pleased to now see him taking up that role.

I’m also delighted to be proved right. Ed Balls give a blinding performance on the Andrew Marr show yesterday, quite the best I’ve seen on that particular programme for a long time. While I was never a natural Balls supporter for the leadership of the Labour Party, I became increasingly impressed as the campaign went on.

It’s a massive task facing Ed Balls. There is no doubt in my mind that the Tory cuts are ideologically driven, just the same as they were under Margaret Thatcher. Make no mistake, David Cameron is Margaret Thatcher updated to 2011. This Tory government is a “conviction” government is the same way. They just hide it better.

Those of us who were active in the Labour Party when Thatcher was in power remember just how terrible it was – over 10 million unemployed, vast swathes on industry closed down, savage benefit cuts hitting the most vulnerable, to name but three.

Thatcher’s reign of terror was no good for Britain. We were never the international power we claimed to be and we were severely weakened at home. I, for one, never wish to see this happen to our country again.

This is why Ed Balls’s job is so important.  He set out his planes in the Independent on Sunday. Yes Britain does need to tackle the deficit, incidentally not caused by the last Labour government as the Tories would have you believe but by the international banking crisis. However we do not need to go as fast as George Osborne. The watchword is responsibility, something Osborne seems to lack all together.

Since growth in the British economy has come to a standstill we need to get things moving. As Ed Balls has said it’s jobs and growth first. This has to be right. The first duty of any government is to protect its citizens and improve their living, working and leisure conditions. Osborne is patently not doing this and neither does he intend to do so. Labour must keep on until we get the opportunity to form a government ourselves.

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Honeyball’s Weekly Round Up

Posted on January 30, 2011 by maryhoneyballmep

Sarkozy wants children of three to learn English

French President, Nicolas Sarkozy has suggested that children as young as three should be learning to speak English. The suggested change in the education policy has sparked fierce debate and staunch right wing traditionalists have called it a fad akin to learning German during the occupation.

However, the President will face further controversy because his educational reform will see some 1000 language teachers lose their jobs over the coming year.

Last week in my vlog I suggested that we needed to make a greater effort in this country with our language education. British students do not learn a language until secondary school and only have to learn one language. This isn’t good enough. It might be considered too young to teach a three-year-old a foreign langauge but whatever else it shows commitment to an important part of a child’s development. You can read more on the story here.

Mark Serwotka, the leader of the PCS (Public and Commercial Services Union) wrote an interesting article for the Daily Telegraph last week. He asserts that his members (civil servants) are modestly paid despite popular misconceptions and average wages of £22,850. They are suffering in the crunch, expected to take on increased work loads and for less return.

He sets out a convincing argument as to why the only option for his members will be to hold strike action. In fairness he is not saying this is the most desired option, but after exhausting all other avenues it is almost the last resort in order to fight for fair pay. You can read the article in full here.

Finally Ed Balls, the new shadow chancellor wrote an article for the Daily mirror this week. He explained how the Government had inherited an economy beginning to show signs of recovery with strong growth of 1.1 % with unemployment falling and inflation low.

But within months this potential was knocked and the Chancellor blamed it on the weather.

In addition business leaders pointed out, and as Balls highlights in his article, the Conservatives have not set out any real plan for growth.  You can read the Shadow Chancellors article in full here.

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The Hungarian Presidency addresses the Culture and Education Committee

Posted on January 28, 2011 by maryhoneyballmep

MEPs have during this week listened to the Hungarian Presidency outlining their priorities for the next six months. Yesterday I blogged on the presentation to the Women’s Committee and today I want to look at Culture, Education and Sport.  The practice whereby the presidency in office talks to European Parliament Committees is, I believe, useful providing as it does an opportunity for Committee members to question the national ministers and get a clearer idea of where the Council wants to go.

We were fortunate to have four Hungarian Ministers come to the Culture and Education Committee earlier in the week Attila Czene, Sport;  Rozsa Hoffman, Education; Geza Szocs, Culture and Miklos Soltesz, Social Policy.

The Presidency is organising a number of conferences and events on each of these topics, including one on early years education and care at the end of February at which I am speaking on my report. Early years is one of the Hungarian Presidency’s top priorities which I think is very good news as it’s been neglected for far too long.

At the other end of the age range, I was pleased to see that the Hungarians are promoting sport for senior citizens. Sport Minister Attila Czene is a former Olympic swimming champion so I expect to see more strong sport initiatives.

Moving on to culture, Mr Szocs talked about the Presidency’s support for the European Heritage Label legislation and for our S&D rapporteur Chrysoulou Paliadeli. He also told us how Hungary will continue the work to protect minors online. However, we did not get anything further from him on the new media legislation and the perception that Hungary is stamping out media pluralism.

Last but by no means least we heard from the Minister for Social Policy, Miklos Soltesz. As you nay expect her was particularly interested in the European Year of Volunteering and hoped that active participation in society may help to bring down youth unemployment.

I would like to thank the Hungarian Ministers for their presentations. They were all well-informed and took the concerns raised by the Committee seriously. However, I fear the media question will dominate unless the concerns of the European Parliament are taken on board by the Hungarian Parliament. I can only hope this will happen so we will be able to work together n a reasonable and constructive way.

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Hungarian Minister fails to inspire Women’s Rights Committee

Posted on January 27, 2011 by maryhoneyballmep

Hungarian Minister Miklós Réthelyi was in the European Parliament yesterday talking to FEMM Committee members. He laid out Hungary’s plans in the field of gender equality during the 6 months of its Presidency. It’s fair to say the reception towards him from some members was quite hostile.

I grilled him on the constitutional plans in Hungary to grant a new legal status to the foetus right from the moment of conception. This could eventually lead to the complete banning of abortion, and even to the banning of morning after pills. I asked him if he really thought there would be no illegal abortions afterwards and was he really willing to risk women’s lives in this way.

Unsurprisingly, Réthelyi did his best to evade my question. If this change does take place in Hungary, then it will be a massive blow for those championing Hungarian women’s sexual and reproductive rights. The potential consequences of this new legal status could be devastating.

I also asked about his comment that he favours part-time work for women so that they can care well for their families. I was interested to know if he really believes this is the path that leads to more children, and more secure and happier families. The Minister talked a great deal in his presentation about working and stay-at-home mums. But he seemed intent to lump them in different categories. He told me he believes equal opportunities are vitally important for democracy; yet his vision of the expected roles of men and women are in my view not conducive to gender equality, or democracy.

If the Hungarian Presidency really wants to take forward FEMM’s gender equality programme, then clearly it needs to step back and rethink its position in certain areas.

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The Socialist and Democrat Group is ahead of the Pack on Control of the Media

Posted on January 26, 2011 by maryhoneyballmep

First we had Silvio Berlusconi and now there’s Viktor Orban and the right-wing Fidesz government in Hungary. Control of the media, who owns it, who works for it and who distributes it – media pluralism in the jargon – is a subject which bubbles away under the surface much of the time in Brussels. However, the Hungarian new media legislation has put the issue very much on the current agenda.

This would perhaps not be such a big story if it wasn’t for the fact that the Hungarian government have just assumed the presidency of the Council of Ministers and are in the process of telling us their priorities for the  next six months.  Many of these seem to me to be very constructive and forward thinking, but unfortunately, they are being obscured by the furore surrounding these highly questionable new media laws.

Today though, the Socialists and Democrats had the pleasure of hearing what the European Commission have been doing to help tackle the issue of media pluralism.  In 2007 the Commission came up with a three stage plan for media pluralism.  The first stage was a working paper that looked at what efforts were being made already to promote media pluralism.  Then they commissioned an independent study to establish the parameters for judging whether a media is diverse and diffuse enough.   The final stage is to be a Commission Communication addressing the issue, but since stage two has only just been completed, this is still to come.

In the meeting we first heard from Mr. Adam Watson-Brown, who is the Head of Unit from the Commission’s task force on media pluralism.  He pointed out that ownership of media providers was only one indication of the plurality of a countries media and not always the most conclusive element since you had to take in to account media licensing and public service broadcasters.  Mr. Watson-Brown also pointed out that new technology was adding further difficulty to the discussion of media pluralism as large and established content providers could expand much faster in to new areas and begin to dominate nascent markets.  This isn’t necessarily sinister, we just need a period of adjustment.

The second speaker was Dr. Peggy Valcke from the Catholic University in Leuven, who was the project leader for the Commissions report on media pluralism.  She spoke extensively about the exhaustive methods used to establish a set of criteria for judging the media plurality of a country.  It was very interesting indeed and far too complex to go into here, but if you fancy an interesting and very technical explanation, you can read the report in full here.

So we wait now for the Communication from the Commission.  Media pluralism is one of the most important aspects of modern democracy.  We need a diverse media providing contrasting views to ensure that citizens can access all the information and form their own opinions.  I hope the Commission can provide some constructive solutions for this difficult problem.

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St Pancras and Somers Town Branch Fundraising Dinner

Posted on January 25, 2011 by maryhoneyballmep

I was absolutely delighted to go to a lunch on Sunday organised by Somers Town and St Pancras Branch of Holborn and St Pancras Labour Party, which just happens to be my own CLP .

The event, held in the excellent Euro Tandoori opposite Kings Cross Station, was hugely fun with great curry and very lively conversation.

My thanks especially to local councillor Samara Khatoom who organised the lunch along with activist Paul Tomlinson. It was good to see Frank Dobson, my MP, and his wife Janet as well as the Leader of Camden Council Nasim Ali.

Both Frank and Nasim spoke before we tucked in as did two guest MPs, Luciana Berger who represents Liverpool Wavertree but used to be a Somers Town and St Pancras council candidate and newly elected Bethnal Green MP Rushanara Ali. It was great to meet Luciana and Rushanara. I was also pleased to be asked to say a few words, always a privilege and also a good way to tell Labour Party members about what is going on in Europe.

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Buzz TV 1: Gove’s Education Reforms & Anti-Trafficking Film Obstructed

Posted on January 24, 2011 by maryhoneyballmep
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Welome to my first video blog (vlog).  I will now be doing vlogs regularly as another way to communicte with you.

I’d very much like to hear from you about new format, whether you like it or whether you think it can be improved.

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Honeyball’s Weekly Round-Up

Posted on January 23, 2011 by maryhoneyballmep

I couldn’t help but think that the Coalition Government is somewhat nervous of the new shadow chancellor appointment. Ed Balls is a brilliant economist but it didn’t stop Nick Clegg on the Andrew Marr show this morning raising some very odd questions about Ball’s experience. “I think we are entitled to ask questions about Ed Balls’ record.

Ed Balls the new Shadow Chancellor

“If you ask yourself ‘Who was in charge of the City when they were gorging themselves on bonuses and lending irresponsibly, who allowed the housing market to let rip, to become a casino and put thousands of families into debt?’

“Who was whispering in Gordon Brown’s ear budget after budget creating a huge fiscal deficit? The answer to all those questions is Ed Balls.” Asked Clegg. This kind of rhetorical questioning would suggest a party (coalition) whose leaders and senior figures are clearly nervous of how well Osborne can perform against the experienced and capable Balls.

Harriet Harman spoke very well, I thought, this morning on Dermot Murnaghan programme about Balls’ appointment (you can see her interview here).

She insisted that it is right to reduce the deficit over a period of four years. There is no split over the party’s economic policy she said.

Also this week education secretary Michael Gove said we had to go ‘back to basics’ with regard to History and Geography lessons. He believes we need to teach more facts and figures to our school children.

But what will we achieve exactly by going back to a 1950s style of education where you learn on rote and without question?

Another review of the curriculum will not solve the issue of children not learning enough key fats. Instead it is likely to create an extra burden for teachers who are already stretched to breaking point.

Another review will further knock their confidence. You can read more on the story here.

I will be speaking about this in my very first vlog which I shall post here on my website early next week.

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