2nd rule of political engagement; Don’t dwell on the past or You’ll end up living in it.

The extreme right wing die-hards that speak on every subject for the Tories, haven’t quite twigged that they haven’t been in office since the last century because of the Miners. People cottoned on and booted them out for all eternity.

The meodernism under Dave’s crew, seem to beleive that being a bit anti Europe is the key and the way forward, but unlike his successful predecessors, Margaret and John (pro Europe to the core) he will never see inside No10 (unlike Margaret who comes to tea whenever she likes).

To not apologise for the near Civil War of unrest (Miners, Unions, pol tax etc etc..) and to be bordering isolation out of Europe is not what is required of an official opposition and I welcome the Liberals as this new Century’s rise to to the challenges this Country faces in the Global Economy.

Maybe the Tories should re apply in the 22nd Century.

Don’t think for a second that you can separate the effects of Thatcher’s government from the economic and social nightmare that preceeded it.

Dear John,

Please take a few minutes to email your MP about Fuel Poverty Bill debate on 20 March

I know you have already had an email from Warm Homes Group Chair and Labour MP Alan Simpson about this vitally important Bill.

As Head of Campaigns at the Association for the Conservation of Energy, I have been working closely with Alan and many other MPs and organisations on this Bill. But I’m also a Labour councillor – and I’m contacting you now wearing both my hats!

In my view – and I’m only slightly biased! – the Fuel Poverty Bill is the most important Private Member’s Bill to come before Parliament in many, many years. 5 million families in the UK are currently in “fuel poverty” – in other words, they can’t afford to heat their homes because they simply “leak heat”. A recent Help the Aged survey revealed the shocking fact that this winter over 3.5 million pensioners will be forced to live in only one room of their house. Another 1 million will be faced with the stark choice between heating and eating.

The Fuel Poverty Bill aims to stop this scandal. As it’s a Private Member’s Bill, MPs are not whipped to stay in the House to vote for it – and, on current estimates, we’re in the embarrassing position that there are far more Lib Dem and Tory MPs planning to be there than Labour MPs. As a Labour councillor, I think that’s really awful – and I also know the Lib Dems and Tories (in Parliament and in the country) are planning to create bad publicity for us out of it. Our 2001 and 2005 election manifestos put the eradication of fuel poverty at the top of our Labour agenda. It would be a tragedy – especially in these difficult financial times and after such a harsh winter – if we allowed the other Parties to steal this issue from us.

So, if you have a Labour MP – or you know one (or more) personally – please take a few moments to contact them today, urging them to be in the House next Friday to vote for the Fuel Poverty Bill. The Bill must succeed – and we must reclaim this agenda as our own.

Thanks very much indeed.

Jenny Holland.

***********************************************************
Jenny Holland,
Parliamentary Co-ordinator,
Association for the Conservation of Energy,
Westgate House,
2a Prebend Street,
London N1 8PT.

2 You don’t know how to spell monetarism