Rochester Christmas Market Appeal

My letter below on the announcement that Rochester Christmas market is to close.

Dear Sir

I am particularly concerned to read that the Rochester Christmas market is to close. It was a very popular event with local residents and brought in significant numbers of people into our town centre at a core trading period.

Rochester highstreet will need to fight to attract shoppers that would otherwise be attracted to Bluewater or Maidstone and it is clear that without an incentive or ‘special attraction’ many local business may suffer this year should this fayre not go ahead.

Last year it was estimated that each visitor spend £30 on the high street netting a return on investment of £7.5m. Even assuming a sixth of that figure nets the area £1.3m which is crucial for local business; the return on investment for the Council is improved business performance in town centres

Successful events such as these could be managed by other bodies, including the Council, which has worked successfully on other similar sized events in the past. Given the amount of revenue for local business this is something I will be exploring with Council officers

Cllr Tristan Osborne

Ed Balls MP on Youth Unemployment

Ed Balls MP visited Chatham today to meet young unemployed on the day the figures by the ONS saw youth unemployment above 1m.

A Tory legacy of failure as they led on cuts to the Future Jobs Fund and the EMA. They trebled tuition fees and took the ladder of opportunity away from our young people.

Further videos:

Ron Sands Defects

Picture of Ron Sands joining the Tories
WITHDRAWN AFTER COMPLAINTS FROM COPYRIGHT HOLDER

Particularly interesting to see Mark Reckless MP bolting back from his wedding night to welcome the decision by Cllr Ron Sands, who stood as the English Democrats’ Parliamentary Candidate in Rochester and Strood at the last General Election and is currently a Parish Councillor in Hoo, to join the Conservative Party.

Pity that the communications guru for the Tories didnt do his research on some of the opinions of Ron before dropping out the press release this morning.

Ron has been regularly blogging over the last 18 months about his new found friends in the Conservative Party. Indeed, it does make me question his underlying principles as a Politician given some of the views he previously held.

You can read about the opinions of the Conservative Councillor on his blog.

The New Conservative Councillor believes that

"It is in the Tory DNA to punish the poor for being poor. Deep down they feel people on benefits are there because they deserve to be. They complete ignore the fact that in life as the historian A J P Taylor once said 'luck and fate play an enormous part in peoples lives'”.

"Personally I think Cameron and his Coalition have disenfranchised working people and now worry about the local elections in May and so now and only now does he come up with patriotism. Despite some optimism on the part of the electorate last year, many feel that the main parties have all made it abundantly clear that they only thing they are really concerned about is protecting the rich."

On the NHS

"Medway Conservative MPs Tracey Crouch, Rehman Chisthi and Mark Reckless who are supporting a privatisation agenda and the undermining of NHS through increased use of private-sector provision"

On the Coalition

"Remember that the Cons really do not have a mandate for their destruction of the public sector and only hobbled over the line propped up by the Lib Dumbs"

"Money doesn’t seem to just be talking with this Tory government, it seems to be positively shouting".

On Conservative Controlled Medway Council

"Medway Council the slapstick council

buy a tunnel for £1 …..oooops £500,000 repair bill
Knock down a local historic building for a car park… at a time of massive cuts spend £250,000 on a new web page…. In middle of a recession lets build a new bus station a new hotel and lets not worry about the traffic chaos hmmmmm a new hotel in Central Chatham what about Mountbatten House could that not be refurbished in to a hotel or better still converted into accommodation for single residents of council housing list. Stop free swimming for senior citizens and children Until that is we English Democrats made a promise in the River Ward By election to bring back. Produce council documents and advertising say City of Medway before any decision is known.
Medway your local council stated the The Medway CCTV car is ABOVE the law while it prowls the
Medway streets inflict parking fines on hard pressed local motorists from a law breaking position themselves.
Medway your council pays it chief executive more than the prime Minster
Medway your council which has one conservative councillor reported by Chief Constable of Kent as unit for a position as a councillor. One Conservative Council convicted of Kerb crawling in his own ward now there local for you………one labour councillor committing benefit fraud. And now the latest wheeze
Lets wallpaper of closed shops with pretty pictures of busy shops new meaning to papering of the cracks"

We are wondering whether Ron will keep his solumn pledge to campaign for an English Parliament because last time this blogger checked it wasnt part of the Conservative manifesto.

Ron is clearly an intelligent and erudite individual. We wish the Rochester & Strood Conservative Association well.

Victory for the Community

Positive news today from NHS Medway that the blood clinics that had been threatened with closure have been saved after a welcome u-turn.

It was clear that there was widespread and public opposition to the closure from residents, independent petitions, Conservative MPs (Mark Reckless) and Councillor Ted Baker and the Labour opposition locally including Councillors Teresa Murray and Nick Bowler who have been working hard door-to-door to get a mass petition signed.

Maximum pressure has been applied with open letters and public calls for appropriate consultation. A concerted effort has been made using all the mediums at local residents disposal to register our discontent and someone sat up and listended.

All credit where its due to local residents who signed petitions in pharmacies, on doorsteps and online.

We await to see the small print, but on the face of it a welcome development

Services for elderly people must be maintained in Rochester. There are many people close to retirement who use these services and who do not want to have to travel miles for basic care.

Healthcare is a right not a privilege.

Rochester Clinic Cut Concerns

There is much concern tonight that we are on the cusp of cuts to our local NHS services as a result of forced cuts being imposed on the Medway Primary Care Trust.

Labour councillors in Rochester East ward and colleagues across Medway will be launching a petition against the closure of blood testing facilities at Rochester Healthy Living Centre in Delce Road

The Conservative MP has remained totally silent, which is quite frankly a major concern, given this is a key service to local Rochester residents, and indeed he remains the serving Councillor for Rochester West.

We need all our local and national politicians to be 100% engaged in the saving of the facility. Leaving it to a few local Councillors and getting a few friendly pharmacists to do the leg work is lazy politics.

Labour and the former Parliamentary candidate are ready to fight these cuts. Where is Cllr Mark Reckless?

The petition will be launched at the surgery of Cllr Teresa Murray and Cllr Nick Bowler and will be held at 10.30 to 12 noon on Saturday 12th March at St Peter’s parish centre in Delce Road

Cllr Murray said

“I have written to the chief executives of NHS Medway and the Medway Maritime Trust to complain about this disgraceful cut in local services which affects people across the whole of Rochester. To date I have received no reply. It’s part of a hidden Tory agenda of NHS cuts and there has been no public consultation. The healthy living centre in the Delce is very popular with excellent new facilities and people have been able to get blood tests done there on demand for years.”

Cllr Nick Bowler said

” People in our ward are being disadvantaged, they will now be much more restricted when they want a blood test and will have to travel further and wait longer causing extra expense and inconvenience.”

No time to hug a hoodie

A common issue across all the wards I have canvassed is how local politicians are dealing, or unable to deal with, anti-social behaviour and petty criminality.

It is a tough nut to crack because criminality blights the lives of many but requires an holistic approach with Council, Police and government.

For a Council candidate it is but impossible to do anything other then highlight the comments of people to Police and attend PACT meetings. It is extremely frustrating to have to tell people that you can do bugger all, but in effect as an opposition candidate, all I can do is point to Police and local Councillors, who it is hoped are dealing with the problems.

One such case exists in Thorold Road in Luton. I have spoken with several residents who are at their wits end because of a problem family. The Police and the Community support teams are no doubt aware and are working to ensure problems do not escalate, but what more can this community do. Community tension in parts of Luton remains a real concern for all, and so we can not afford the ball to drop by any government agency or service. It is pressing problem.

It is also a political point because I also look at the future for the area and indeed, how communities such as Luton will cope when Police budgets are slashed by Conservatives, and indeed what will happen if they are being managed by a Police Commissioner, who is constantly looking over their shoulder for an election every four years.

Communities or wards with a lower vote turnout or wrong voter profile could suffer as a result.

Take a commissioner who stands on the premise of more rural policing in Kent - this indeed could win the election, but would be the wrong outcome for fighting crime. Despite the most voters pitching for this outcome, police will be aware that rural areas may lack police because of the lower risk of crime profile. Who is right in this case? Combat higher crime in areas that do not vote or visible policing in areas with lower crime who do. A very real potential outcome.

I passionately believe that this elected police chief is high-minded and intellectual frippery and a total waste of money. Not one person has asked for it on the doorstep, not one.

So it is with a mixed welcome that Medway Labour has announced its commitment to combating anti-social behaviour, kerb crawling, drug usage and alcoholism that blights communities.

Labour will also campaign against elected police chiefs, cuts to police budgets and will look to encourage community pay-back

Kerb crawling is a particularly vile and degrading act perpetrated by one human being on another. It lowers the status of the victim, who is often dependent on drugs and in some cases mentally vulnerable. The issue over Councillor Brice I believe highlights clearly where the Tories are on this; despite preaching a hard line on Kerb crawling, there was a gaping hole of silence after his antics.

Prostitution also remains a problem. There is a strain within the Medway Conservatives which seeks to liberalise this entirely. Once again, for the reasons above, I do not agree with that position. As a society it sets a wrong message on relationships and on the treatment of women.

The Tories did support the Labour Government on the establishment of PACTs and have developed a new ASBO which this blog is extremely sceptical about.

Worryingly though, the Tories opposed the introduction of Police Community Support Officers in Medway and are supporting a government which is cutting 1500 staff and £53m cut to Kent Police. Coupled with a soft-sentencing policy and cut to magistrate services we are perhaps months away from a collapse in parts of our Criminal Justice system.

The Labour Government did have some significant success at reducing crime, creating neighbourhood accountability, improving diversity in the workforce and introducing real accountability and transparency. There was a lot left to do, but crime was at a record low on leaving office in May 2010.

Labour locally will focus on stamping out anti-social behaviour by championing the Police and fighting to retain our PCSOs. We will also make the case for increased funding for PCSOs and community initiatives that include community pay-back for some, but yes prison for others.

The Tory 'hug a hoodie' approach will not work.

It is time we put the community first. It is time to stamp out anti-social behaviour.

Pinch of Salt

Tory Rochester East champions (left) and the Rochester West stalwarts (right)

Oops - It seems that the Rochester & Stood Conservatives are all in a spin across the backstreets of Rochester East.

With Conservatwit rumours of platoons of blue rosette foot soldiers out on the stump it was with much expectation that Labour campaigners were awaiting the recent Rochester East and Rochester West leaflets from the opposition.

Much excitement. The first leaflets in years.

Rochester Labour have been aware for sometime that the Tories have been struggling for positive news, but to picture the same salt box in two seperate leaflets and two sets of candidates is perhaps milking the point.

The picture with the salt box, also shows an exclusive with Mark Reckless MP, and comes on the back of the recent Medway Messenger poll showing the public have little confidence in the Medway Tory administration and its gritting of roads in December.

You can see why if it takes an MP, a Councillor and three organisers to get this one bin in place.

Both spin sheets are downloadable from the Rochester Tory blogsites, both here and here.

It even looks like they were taken on the same day too.

The Tories have got into trouble in Rochester for spinning to the public. From the MacKinlay leaflets attacking the Police to the Strood InTouch which was well, ironically, out of touch as it claimed River ward had turned blue despite the resignation of the Councilor several days before.

Many in the community have taken the local Tories with more then a pinch of salt for a few years, but it seems now they are even taking it themselves.

Horsted Development Concern

This blogger alongside many in the community, including Medway Labour campaigners continue to show concern around the development of the former Horsted Mid-Kent college site.

Medway Labour has challenged the Conservative administration for its casual disregard for building in Rochester.

The Tories in Medway have a poor record on allowing building developers to run roughshod over local peoples concerns. Watts Meadow and Copperfields are two such areas under threat.

Developments which are against the express wishes of the local population.

The Conservatives in Medway have a legacy of selling green space and land to the highest bidder for a quick buck.

The planning reference for this new Horsted development can be found at MC/11/0001 and can be accessed on the Medway Council planning portal

Despite opposition it appears that the Tories have not been able to articulate the very real concerns of residents to the developers, which has resulted in them submitting a new proposal which seeks a similar level of building.

In addition to this failure to represent local people, the Conservative-contolled Council has failed to provide full details online beyond the basic details of 154 units out of a project aprox 340.

The public do not have time to go to Council meetings. Details should be published in full and online.

It is extremely disappointing that despite community objections the Conservatives have not put pressure on these developers to think again.

Extremely disappointing indeed

Time for a New Movement

Another broken promise by Charles Kennedy and Nick Clegg

Ed Miliband has said it is time for Labour to "change the way it works" and form a new "broad movement of the mainstream" as we make an appeal for Liberal Democrat and Green supporters in Medway to join us in changing our towns for the better.

Neither the Greens or Liberal Democrats can oppose the Conservatives in Medway. Indeed, the Liberal Democrats now actively collude and support the administration as we saw in the last budget settlement for Medway.

The 'Orange' Tories can not be trusted to campaign for the most disadvantaged communities and Clegg has sold out on all his principles to achieve office.

The VAT rise, cuts to Police, train fare increases and the raising of tuition fees are only the most visible sign that the Coalition is Conservative dominated.

The Liberal Democrats are now the soft-wing of the Conservative Party. They are not a party of the centre or left.

In a speech at the Fabian society today, Mr Miliband emphasised that the Liberal Democrats had made a "tragic mistake" of signing up to the Conservatives' spending cuts. A mistake which now makes stands them on the cusp of defeat in a number of Medway seats.

Miliband told the Fabian Society that he was proud of much that Labour did in office, but that its failure to regulate the markets and, latterly, its belief that the state knew best, left it remote from the people it existed to serve. Labour made a massive strategic error in being too controlling and in thrall to a deregulated market.

"We became too technocratic and managerial,"

"But more than that: we sometimes lost sight of people as individuals and of the importance of communities. In our use of state power, too often we didn't take people with us. That is why over time people railed against the target culture, the managerialism of public service reform and overbearing government.

"At the same time, we seemed in thrall to a vision of the market that seemed to place too little importance on the values, institutions and relationships that people cherish the most."

Medway Labour has attracted a number of Liberal Democrat and Green members since May and is open to welcoming those who want to make a difference to our towns.

Labour is the only opposition to the increasingly fringe Conservative administration which is badly managing our towns. From incompetence of the Chatham regeneration to the failure to collect £4.2m of Council tax. It is one mistake after another.

If you are interested in getting more involved locally, or indeed thinking about perhaps one day representing your home area, please do contact us at Medway Labour or me directly on twitter.

Are you taking the piste, Mark?

Astounding revelations today from the News of the World that Rochester & Strood MP, Mark Reckless was skiing on a Parliamentary Ski trip whilst also campaigning on the South Eastern fair rises which have increased by 9% in Medway.

Mark Reckless MP accompanied other MPs including Prisons Minister, Quentin Blunt and Tory, Tim Loughton in an exclusive Parliamentary Ski Group trip to Switzerland. This group hired out an exclusive venue on the Davos slopes and dined and 'frolicked' in the £1,100-a-night Hotel Fluela for over 5 days.

Despite Mark being an avid Eurosceptic he was seemingly happy to sing German songs and socialise with our European partners in close quarters.

The skiing trip started last Sunday and ended on Friday apparently showed that Mark was not in the towns whilst apparently tweeting on fare rises.

The vacation came during the same week that he was able to articulate the views of hard-pressed commuters on the 4th January on twitter accusing South Eastern trains of being not 'fit for purpose.'

The Medway Conservatives are now open to the charge of being tasteless given the cuts agenda which is being foisted upon the public.

It raises serious questions about how much interaction Mark actually had with commuters at the time, given he was singing 'Ziggy Zaggy, Hoi Hoi Hoi' on the slopes of Switzerland.

Mark has been office less then a year but it now becoming very apparent that he has taken to the good life rather too much.

This blog is not suggesting that MPs are not entitled to a break, but given the sensitivites of huge increase in costs to residents across Medway, it could be considered tasteless for our representative to be living the high-life with fellow chums in Switzerland.

Update - 11/01/2011

This blog has been in contact with the MPs office who has clarified that Mark was actually in the UK whilst posting on the Train Fares and that he flew out to Davos at a later point.

I was not aware of this significant point, as was not disclosed in the News of the World Pirce, which has led me to change the above article to try and be fair to this point. Due to the legacy and damage of web-based blogs I have totally removed any area which could be considered unfair.

The News of the World article also did not disclose that the room prices were the maximum at the venue and may not indeed have the been the cost of the room that was paid by the MP.

In the interests of fairness this blog is happy to clarify this position. This change has been made in good faith.

All that remains to be said is that you should never trust the Murdoch Press and should treat articles from a such papers with a pinch of salt.

Tories target Sure Start

Labour is joining forces with Medway Sure Start users in Rochester, Strood, Chatham and Gillingham and families across Medway in a campaign to Save Our Sure Start children's centres from any potential plans to cut their funding and prevent access to these valuable services for families on middle and modest incomes.

Whilst we have received re-assurances that no Sure Start will be closed Conservatives have not clarified whether the budget for Sure Start centres will rise with inflation or whether indeed intend to reduce or freeze the grant that is being received by the centres.

If the Tories keep the budget static or reduce the grants for the Sure Start centres they will be fundamentally undermining the principle of targeted early-years intervention. This will force the centres to cut services.

The concern in Medway follows the evidence that Conservatives elsewhere in the Country are targeting Sure Start for budget freezes and/or cuts.

Medway Conservative press statements have not confirmed the budget for the centres nor whether they will increase investment by inflation.

Labour is working with Sure Start users and families to ensure that Tories are well aware that any budget cuts to this services will be highlighted as a grave betrayal to the most disadvantaged families.

Conservatives friends of the current administration in Hammersmith and Fulham have made an ideological decision to cut Sure Start centres and other local authorities have introduced a real term freeze in budget.

Tories in Hammersmith and Fulham have withdrawn direct funding to nine out of its 15 Sure Start children's centres, which provide childcare and support for parents with children aged under six.

Prime Minister David Cameron said at his party's 2009 conference: "Sure Start will stay, and we'll improve it."

Another Tory promise broken? We will find out soon enough.

The Tories need to be clear about the size of the education budget in Medway and stop the smoke-and-mirrors budget re-allocations which are no more then cuts in name.

Ed Miliband Q&A from Mid Kent College

Transcript of some of the more juicy questions from the Q&A with Ed Miliband in November from the new Mid Kent College campus.

The event was sponsored by KOS Media Group.

A number of interesting local specific questions were answered well.

Watts the Matter

The campaign to safeguard the Watts Meadow from land developers, backed by Tories, has stepped up as it became apparent that the Tory controlled Council has published incorrect notices of access on the Watts Meadow, a piece of land left to the people of Rochester in trust.

The Rochester Conservatives, who support the current administration in Gun Wharf, have allowed full development of housing next to the Watts Meadow, and as a result have cut access to this green lung. Dog walkers, elderly residents and parents now have restricted access to land that was left to the community and to be accessible.

Residents are in uproar as Rochester West Conservative candidates and Councillors have stayed almost silent on this major issue for the community. They have made no attempt to challenge the Tory administration publicly and have failed to comfort local residents about the safety of this piece of green space.

Indeed, it is only local independent campaigners and Labour candidates who have been challenging the Tories.

The lack of concern culminated in incorrect notices being placed on prominent display.

The notice (see picture), placed by the Council was a planning application for a high wall and gate at the entrance to Watt's meadow. It stated that,

'Medway Council has received a planning application for construction of wall and vehicular access gates to front of former Priestfields Nursery.'

Rochester West Labour candidates Derek Munton and Sarah Hehir drew this alarming development to the attention of residents who from the notice would interpret that Tories were restricting access to the Meadow on a permanent basis, against the interests of those who left it in Trust.

Labour candidate Sarah Hehir, who has been working hard in the ward led the opposition challenge against the Tory Council,

A pithy response was forthcoming:

'I hope I can provide some clarification to the situation... For your information, an incorrect site notice has been erected opposite the site, but unfortunately the poor weather has meant that I have been unable to affix a revised correct site notice. Hopefully if the snow clears over the weekend I'll be able to get a new one up at the start of next week.'

Given the campaign and the concern amongst thousands of Rochester residents it is a major error of judgement and Labour are demanding that Cllr Mark Reckless and Cllr Ted Baker start to take a grip on this issue which has been self-evidently badly handled. Incorrect legal notices on a piece of land of such a contentious nature is not sensible. It has left residents thinking, quite justifiably, that it is once again evidence of Tory management incompetence

Not taking into account that residents of Rochester are angry that Tories have rubber-stamped this building development and are restricting access, they have failed to effectively scrutinise the process.

Labour believe that the Rochester Conservatives have sold-out on the residents of Rochester by allowing rampant house-building in that part of Rochester. Great swathes of land adjacent to the site have been bulldozed with very little consultation with residents.

It is a slippery slope, something given the weather, and lack of grit, residents are all too aware of under this Conservative Council.

Incidentally, the plans for the wall look like a folly and Labour are opposing. It is a grandiose marketing tool for prestigious houses rather than an entrance to an area of natural beauty.

We need to work together as a community and protect our green spaces

People's Party message to Medway

Rochester Labour team: Derek Munton, Oscar Davies, Teresa Murray, Ed Miliband and Sarah Hehir

Ed Miliband visited Medway today to set out a vision for re-creating a People's Party that must re-connect with the voters in Medway. To a packed audience of local press and all Medway Labour local election candidates next year he pledged to make Labour the party of people's "hopes and aspirations" as he launched a major review of its policies in the wake of the general election defeat across the three constituencies in Medway.

The failure of Medway Conservatives to address the concerns of local residents is now being echoed in national government by a coalition which is cutting services and hurting the same people that voted it into power in May 2010. The middle class are being targeted by Mark Reckless, Tracey Crouch and Rehman Chisthi for aggressive tax rises and service cuts. Fully supported by Tory Councillors.

In his first address to the party's national policy forum as leader, he said it had to recognise the need for change and move "beyond New Labour".

Unveiling 22 policy inquiries, Miliband told the forum, that the same old stance would not restore trust in the party.

"We have to show again we are the people who are the idealists, we are the people who are the optimists, we are the people who can represent the hopes, the dreams, the aspirations of the British people," he said. "So please join us on this journey. Join us on this journey which makes us once again the people's party, the party of people's hopes and aspirations, back on people's side, back in power making for the fairer, the more equal, the more just country we believe in."

Miliband said that while there was deep anger at the "broken promises" of the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats, Labour could not afford simply to wait for the coalition to "screw up".

"I know that we have got to change in order to win,"

"There is no short cut or quick fix to this. We shouldn't mistake the anger we feel at what the coalition is doing to the country for a sense that it isn't as much about us as it is about them.

"The strategy that says wait for them to screw it up, simply be a strong opposition, is not a strategy that is going to work for us. We need to do that hard thinking of our own."

Miliband said that he made no apology for speaking up for what he describes as the "squeezed middle".

"People were feeling squeezed before this government. They are feeling much, much more squeezed now this government is in power,"

"So it is about standing up for the hopes and aspirations of people. That must be our mission, to narrow the gap between the dreams that people can see around them and their chances of realising them."

Labour locally are standing up for the squeezed middle classes of Medway and will be focused on the issues which matter. A fairer tax system, cutting train fares, stopping the tution fee madness, opposing the economic policy of the Coalition which is cutting too fast and deep in uncertain periods globally. Supporting sustainability in government and supporting families must be the priority for a Medway Labour group seeking office.

After his speech Ed met the Medway Labour team and gave same advice on how to defeat the Tories and pledged his support for May 2011. He was impressed that Labour has picked a candidate under 35 in every winnable ward and continues to select a diverse slate of candidates from varying backgrounds and careers.

Ed Miliband then visited Mid-Kent College where he attended a Q&A sponsored by the KOS media group. He was asked non-vetted questions from a mixed audience which included several Conservative candidates.

The questions were broad but particular interest from this blogger was placed on the questions from the young students at the college who raised significant issue with tuition fees and the cuts to the Education Maintenance Allowance.

Both Conservative and Liberal Democrat policies. Both supported by Tory and Liberal Democrat Councillors on Thursday.

Ed dealt with the questions well and was warm with the audience and did set out a clearly progressive agenda in relation to the European Union, for government action and support in the third sector and on a Graduate tax for tuition fees. He was not partisan and never once attacked David Cameron.

For a party coming out of opposition there is no requirement to set a policy agenda but to underscore a narrative.

The narrative was clearly set today. A People's Party from the community which listens and learns.

UKIP Voter? Got what you wanted?

You may remember from May 2010 this pledge by your Rochester & Strood MP, Mark Reckless.

A pledge to hold a referendum on Europe.

In the speech Mark Reckless stated

“We want an independent Britain with its own taxes, its own borders and its own laws.

“But we don’t want this EU racket. At every election I have pledged to fight to get back our country’s independence.

“I repeat that pledge tonight.

“We are a free people and a free nation and we should chart our own path.

“No-one under the age of 55 has had the opportunity to vote on how our country is governed.

“It’s time to have an in our out referendum on Europe.”

So lets look at the Conservative record on Europe since May 2010

- Agreed to move governance of financial regulation to the European Commission so undermining the City of London and power of UK regulator

- Agreed to give prisoners the vote

- Agreed to increase the budget of the EU by 2.9% despite Cameron pledge to cut the budget. No budget rebate secured.

- Agreed to a Rome treaty change on fiscal compliance of the nation state with no trigger referendum

- Agreed to further consolidation of defence policy with the European Union, including a shared policy on defence with France. Shared nuclear testing and carrier capability in a binding treaty with no Parliamentary vote

- Agreed to increase budget to European Foreign Department

It has to be said, as a 'New Labourite' this is an impressive list and more than Gordon Brown could ever have achieved.

Cameron has even silenced the pro-European suspects by giving Europe everything they could have wanted!

Not only have the Tories ceded more power to Europe to regulate the City of London but also the principle of sovereign defence, the treaty lock on the Rome agreement and have agreed to increase the budget to the EU.

The Conservative leadership have also scotched any idea of a European referendum on membership. There will be no referendum.

Glad you got what you voted for? I doubt it.

VOX Pop on Ed Miliband

Looks like more work to be done. Early days yet for Ed Miliband.

New Generation for Medway

Today, the three Medway Constituency Labour parties in Rochester & Strood, Chatham & Aylesford and Gillingham & Rainham have made a joint pitch to the residents of our towns to be part of a new and progressive generation of new activists, Councillors and campaigners for our towns.

Ed Miliband, the new Labour leader, has been elected with the full support of the Medway Labour membership, from each of the three constituencies which comprise the Medway conurbation. He was backed by the majority of voters across the national electoral college in what was a contest and not a coronation.

A new generation is not just a national campaign slogan. In Medway, we are well on the way to seeing the selection of a candidate under the age of 30 in the majority of marginal wards in Medway for next years local elections. This is not to state we do not want experience on the ballot paper as well, but we want a diversity of experience from all generations. We want a wide pool of talent from different backgrounds. We have attracted a new generation who may not have been natural Labour voters in the past.

We want a symbolic and generational change in local politics away from the same tired blue rinse who have badly managed Medway for seven years in direct control.

Ed represents a shift to a new generation and a shift in policy from the previous New Labour period under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. An era with significant achievement but which was increasingly conducted under a cloud of spin and PR, which had been disconnected with the mainstream majority of residents by the end of its tenure in May 2010.

For the press to state that New Labour was an unbridled success ignores the lessons from 2010. The Conservatives changed to win power. Labour must change to win power again. The natural party of government need not be the default. The Tories have a closed minded position on internationalism, on climate change, on equality, on globalisation, on the ability of government to improve lives and empower and build enterprize and business success.

The small business owner in Chatham owes nothing to Tories who have bodged the two-way road scheme and put up rates on their business. The tax payer in Strood owes nothing to Tories who have squandered £850,000 on the Aveling & Porter demolition only for it to become a car park. A car driver in Gillingham owes nothing to Tories who snoop using CCTV cars. A young parent owes nothing to Tories who have scrapped free swimming schemes and a young student owes nothing if he can not get a job because of cuts to the Future Jobs Fund and local Connexion services. People owe nothing to the current Conservatives in Gun Wharf.

Labour will seek to appeal to those who feel squeezed and disheartened by the Cameron cuts and to people who feel that government is not on their side. These are the mainstream majority of residents in Medway. We will appeal to those distrustful of the big state but do want a government which empowers people, improves schools, hospitals and yes, funds the Police. We will appeal to people who want to support small and medium sized business but do not want cuts to research & innovation budgets or cuts to infrastructure programmes such as Heathrow. We will appeal to residents who want a first-class health service free at the point of use; where education is always a priority; and where you and your family are treated equally and can feel safe and secure.

We will be realistic on deficit reduction but will focus on fair taxation to those who have the broadest shoulders. Millionaire bankers and tax exiles should pay their fair share of tax and not like Lord Ashcroft be allowed to siphon of millions of pounds to Belize whilst funding the Conservative Party.

Maybe you already vote Labour at election time? Maybe you don't? Maybe you have thought about joining but not actually done it? Maybe you think you are too young, too old or too busy? Maybe it's because nobody has asked you.

We're asking you now.

Ed Miliband made clear that Labour had to change to win for Britain. Labour has much to celebrate but his leadership will recast a new progressive left for Britain

Labour in Medway will push for:

• Support for small business and entrepreneurs across Medway. Low tax for small business and no return to the strikes of the 1980s. Ed believes in a fairer more liberal Britain not an outdated ideology of strikes.
• Action to reduce the deficit but not over-aggressive and ideological cuts which will undermine public services for the vulnerable whilst harming consumer confidence in business. We need a consolidated and caring approach to cuts.
• Focus on reducing the impacts of immigration on hard working families who feel the system has been designed against them. We will challenge the root causes of people's concerns including lack of affordable housing, jobs and local support services for mothers like Sure Start
• Funding for police to keep crime low and opposition to the politicisation of senior police positions which will waste money
• Opposition to the privatisation reforms in the NHS. Support for patient-centred targets including cutting waiting lists and patient-centred approach to NHS reform
• More ethical foreign policy. Apologising for Iraq. A two-state solution in the Middle-East.
• A living wage for young people and families and a reduction in child poverty across the UK
• Opposition to Tory cuts to education budgets to Mid Kent College and Kent Universities which undermine the future for Medway young people

The election of Ed Miliband represents the turning of a new page for Labour in Medway. Be part of that future as an activist, Councillor or local representative.

Be the future for Medway.