News from Simon & Des |
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Tory control of Brighton & Hove - a wasted year
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| Labour City Councillors challenge Tory CouncilAdministration on lack of action and drift. The firstyear of Conservative control of the City Council has been marked bya lack of direction and action on key issues, cuts to valuedservices and broken promises say the Labour OppositionGroup. After oneyear, the new Conservative Administration has failed to get togrips with the major challenges facing the city on transport,housing and city regeneration and they show no sign of having anyplans ... |
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Kemptown Labour in London
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 Last week Simon took a minibusof Brighton Kemptown Labour activists to Greenwich to help in theLondon elections. "It's a great pity that Ken lost as he has doneso much to tackle crime and congestion, improve public transportand the supply of affordable housing. In contrast Boris has shownhe is a Thatcherite at heart, backing Bush's opposition to theKyoto Treaty, he wants to dump the 50% target for new cheaper homesto rent or buy and he has called for "real savings" in the policebudget", sa... |
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Des joins campaign on club licencing
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 Des has backed thecampaign to close a loophole in the law which prevents councilsfrom regulating lap-dancing clubs. The campaign, led by Labourleader on the city council Councillor Gill Mitchell and supportedby all three of the city's Labour MPs as well as the parliamentarycandidates NancyPlatts and Simon Burgess, calls on the Government to change thelaw so that lap dancing clubs and strip clubs are regulated in thesame way as sex shops and sex cinemas.The "Stripping The Illusion" campaign... |
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Des backs new equalities campaign
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| Des Turner is backing a new campaign in Parliament againstdiscrimination and abuse towards the gay and lesbian community.Des said "despite the huge advantages made in equalitieslegislation over the past decade, including equalising the age ofconsent, civil partnerships and adoption, there is still much todo. Homophobic bullying and discrimination in schools and in theworkplace needs to be challenged. I fully support this campaignwhich calls on the Government to take steps to tackle thecont... |
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Tories block wind turbines
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 Conservative councillors voted today to block wind turbines - similar to the one pictured here - from being installed on the Tory-run council HQ. Simon Burgess, who proposed the wind turbines when leader of the council, said: "I championed this proposal for the turbines at King's House not only as a practical move to cut the council's carbon emissions and cut costs to the taxpayer, but as a vital symbol of the commitment of this city to tackling climate change. I am angry that th... |
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Tarner Community Clean Up
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 The Tarner Area Community Clean-up and Eco-fair was held today. "It was good to take the children to something constructive where they could see the community pulling together, during the school holidays. We all enjoyed clearing up rubbish around Kingswood and Milner Flats, planting some herbs around Nelson Place and building a solar powered toy boat at the eco-fair. The sense of community around Tarner remains strong and it was good to see local residents, police, councillors and cou... |
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Support for Des on drugs law debate
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| "Dear Mr Turner I would like to convey my support for your brave comments in yesterday's Argus. I fully support the decriminalisation and regulation of currently illegal drugs in the interests of public health and in order to severe the prohibition induced link between drugs and organised or acquisitive crime. You may be aware already of the excellent work undertaken by Transform Drug Policy Forum. If you are not then suggest you ... |
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Des & Simon at climate demo
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 Des and Simon joined Friends Of The Earth and the World Development Movement members at a demonstration organised to highlight the need to toughen the Climate Change Bill currently going through Parliament. Des said "this groundbreaking Bill is very welcome but I want to see aviation emissions included in carbon emission reduction targets." Pictured above are Simon Burgess, Hove MP Celia Barlow, Des and Labour leader on the city council Gill Mitchell.... |
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Tackling domestic violence
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 Des has spoken out in support of new courts designed to help tackle the under reporting of domestic violence crime. The new courts - one of which is in Brighton - will have separate entrances for victims and offenders, and magistrates who are experts in dealing with domestic violence cases. Des said "This is a very welcome development. Sadly domestic violence is a problem in Brighton and Hove, just as it is pretty much everywhere." "Under reporting of domestic violence and many other ... |
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Des says "cut school costs"
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 Des has given his backing to a campaign to make school more affordable. "Adding up: The Range and Impact of School Costs on Families" by the School Costs Coalition reveals that restrictive supply arrangements often make the cost of buying school uniforms unaffordable, and that costs for learning materials such as books, sports kits and art equipment can be very high. The report also notes that disadvantaged pupils are often missing school trips due to co... |
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New advice surgery venue
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 Des Turner is announcinga new venue for one of his six monthly advice surgeries held in the Brighton Kemptown constituency (Palace Pier to Peacehaven, Marine Drive to Moulsecoomb.) Des will be available to meet constituents on the first Friday of each month between 3.30 and 5.30pm in the meeting rooms at Robert Lodge on the junction of Manor Way and Whitehawk Road. Upcoming dates are Friday 4th April, Friday 2nd May and Friday 6th June. This surgery will replace the one previously held a... |
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Des & Simon support Lights Out
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| Des and Simon are backing Southern FMs Lights Out campaign this weekend, which is asking people to switch off for an hour between 8 and 9pm to show how carbon emissions can be reduced. Des is backing an 80% cut in the UKs carbon emissions by 2050. Click on the campaign link to find out more and to give your support to the campaign. The campaign also has the backing of the Labour group of councillors on Brighton and Hove City Council.... |
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Simon presents Golden Handbags
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 On Easter Sunday the Metropole hosted the Golden Handbags, the largest charity fundraising event of the Brighton LGBT calendar. "This is my third year presenting awards at the handbags and as always it was a tremendous night. There's a lot of friendly rivalry for best hotel, bar and so on, but there's also a more serious side with a great deal of money raised for the Sussex Beacon and Spectrum. Well done to Pride for getting the community award this year and to the orga... |
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Back to school
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 Simon Burgess went "back to school" this week, attending a Question Time-style event at Peacehaven Community School, where he was quizzed on various local and national issues. "It was great to meet the pupils and staff in their impressive school building" said Simon, "and you can't help but be impressed too at the potential of these young people." Peacehaven Community School was founded in 2001 when the Labour Government delivered funding to help build it, after Peacehaven ... |
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Simon's six for Sport Relief
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 On Sunday Simon successfully completed six miles for Sport Relief on Brighton seafront. "Despite the wet weather it was good to see some many people of all ages making the effort to raise money for those less fortunate than themselves. I was delighted to complete 6 miles, running all the way which is a bit of miracle for me. I'd had such good support from sponsors that I knew I had to push myself." Simon has raised over £250 so far but you can still sponsor him at http://www.m... |
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Simon meets ministers
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 Simon Burgess has met with several senior government ministers today as Labour holds it's regional conference in the city. Amongst those Simon was able to discuss local issues with were Secretary of State for Universities and Skills John Denham, and Deputy Leader Harriet Harman. Also at the conference was Housing Minister Caroline Flint, who was able to discuss the challenges faced by many in the south east in securing affordable housing. Simon was able to highlight the lead taken by... |
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More for families, older people
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 Simon Burgess, Labour's candidate for Brighton Kemptown, has welcomed measures to help older people and families on lower incomes announced in the Budget. Up to a quarter of a million children will be lifted out of poverty by increases in child benefit, and families with one child will get £17 more a week. Chancellor Alistair Darling also announced increases in the Winter Fuel Allowance of £50 for the over 60s and £100 for the over 80s. Tackling climate change will be helped ... |
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Minimum wage boost welcomed
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| Simon and Des have welcomed Gordon Brown's announcement of an above inflation increase in the National Minimum Wage from £5.52 to £5.73 per hour. The PM said: "Some people said the minimum wage would cost us two million jobs. We have a rising minimum wage and we have created three million jobs." The new rate is 60 per cent higher than when the minimum wage was introduced by the Labour Government in 1999. Simon added: "this is excellent news for nearly one million low paid empl... |
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Des honours local police hero
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| Des Turner MP will be attending a reception next Thursday in the House of Commons to honour police recipients of the Queen's Award for Gallantry. Amongst those being honoured is local PC Eric Wells, who rescued two people from a burning house in April of last year and received the Queen's Commendation for Bravery in November. The reception will be hosted by the Home Secretary, the Rt Hon Jacqui Smith MP.... |
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Big Fairtrade breakthrough
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| Simon Burgess, long associated with Fairtrade in the city, has applauded the news that Tate & Lyle has marked thebeginning of fair-trade fortnight (25th Feb-9th March) by announcing that it will convert 100% of its retail branded sugar to Fairtrade by the end of2009. Simon, who is a Co-op backed Labourcandidate at the next general election said; “It just shows what people power can do. Brighton has been at the forefront of campaigning for fair-trade, it sums up the strong belief... |
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