Mark Reckless News

New Blog Site

2011-05-26T23:19:00.002+01:00

Please note that, due to ongoing problems with Blogger, this site is no longer being updated.

To continue to keep up with all the latest news and views from Mark Reckless MP, please visit and bookmark http://www.markreckless.com

Thank you,

MR Webmaster

Eurozone, Not Britain Should Pay For Portugal 'Bail-out'

2011-04-07T16:06:00.003+01:00

European finance ministers are meeting today to discuss a request from Portugal to provide financial assistance to the country following previous ‘bail-outs’ of Greece and Ireland. The Treasury has failed to make clear so far today whether any UK contribution will be limited to that which may be entailed by our membership of the IMF or whether, indefensibly, it is proposed to use the EU natural disasters Mechanism.

I believe that the British taxpayer should not contribute to an EU bail-out for Portugal and that the Leader of Conservative MEPS, Martin Callanan, with Parliament in recess, speaks for the Party on this when he said that the UK should refuse to accept any liability for Portugal under the EU Mechanism.

Article 122 of the Lisbon Treaty states that other member states may be expected to help when another state experiences “difficulties caused by natural disasters or exceptional occurrences beyond its control”. The chronic issue for Portugal is that it has only been able to grow at 0.7% per year since joining the Euro and has failed to control it’s spending, so Article 122 cannot apply to this situation.

This is a matter for the Eurozone and I cannot see any basis whereby we could properly use the Mechanism to bail-out Eurozone countries. To use the Treaty this way is simply not lawful. Britain decided not to join the Euro, so we should not be asked to bail-out countries that did join. I don’t see how we can ask the British taxpayer to prop up a supranational European currency they do not want and they did not ask for.

Mark Reckless: Tackling Crime through Community Activism

2011-04-04T12:41:00.004+01:00

Mark Reckless MP welcomed the report of Baroness Newlove, the Government’s Champion for Active Safer Communities, which sets out a radical new approach to community activism. As she suggests, there needs to be a change of culture so neighbourhoods no longer view crime, anti-social behaviour and disorder as a problem for someone else to solve. Services and local agencies need to go beyond just asking communities what their problems are – they must see local communities as equal partners in tackling issues.

The Government has a clear plan to cut crime through reforming the police and the criminal justice system. They have already abolished all the complex targets that Labour imposed from Whitehall and set the police just one goal: to cut crime.

Communities also have an important role to play in the fight against crime. The www.police.uk website, launched in February, gives local people real information in map form about exactly what crime is happening in their areas and allows them to hold the police to account for their work.

Further reforms include:

• Introducing, from next May, directly-elected Police and Crime Commissioners to restore the link between the police and their communities.

• Driving out bureaucracy that wastes police time so that officers can be crime-fighters not form-writers.

• Reforming and strengthening the powers to tackle anti-social behaviour.

Mark Reckless MP said:

"I fully support this commitment from Government and Baroness Newlove to harness the great energy of communities across Medway in the fight against crime.
"Crime and anti-social behaviour are not someone else's problem but a real issue that we all must work together to address. I want to see streets right across Medway reclaimed by the people who live here".

Mark Reckless MP Discusses Personal Debt

2011-04-03T22:53:00.001+01:00

Mark Reckless Welcomes £12 Million Extra For NHS In Medway

2011-04-01T00:01:00.001+01:00

From today – 1 April – the NHS in Medway will enjoy an extra £12 million, to support key Government priorities such as the Cancer Drugs Fund, investment in talking therapies for those with mental health conditions, 4,200 extra health visitors, and support for carers’ breaks.

Spending on healthcare in our local area this year will total £435 million overall. The increase follows the decision by the Coalition Government to protect NHS investment over the next four years – investment vigorously opposed by Labour.

Across England as a whole, over £89 billion will now be spent on doctors, nurses and frontline services in the NHS – an increase of more than £2.6 billion over the year before.

Welcoming the increases in NHS funding, Mark Reckless said:

"We recognise just how important the NHS is to this country – and to patients here in Medway. That’s why the Coalition Government is protecting the NHS not just today, but for future generations.

"Next year alone, our constituency will benefit from an extra £12 million of investment going straight to doctors, nurses and other frontline services.

"Under Labour, billions of extra spending was swallowed up as the number of managers increased at five times the rate the number of nurses. Their plans would have meant cutting the NHS, denying patients the improved services we are putting in place.

"Their approach – to spend less and keep things as they are – would leave the NHS in crisis."

Mark Reckless MP: At Last, Democracy Is Coming To Policing

2011-03-30T10:41:00.002+01:00

Originally posted on ConservativeHome Today and tomorrow the House of Commons will put its finishing touches to the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill. It is a long title for one key reform, putting a directly elected individual “in charge” – as the Home Secretary put it on Monday – of each police force. That reform will have huge ramifications as power in policing shifts from the Chief Constable to the elected Commissioner. Unsurprisingly, the Chief Constables don’t much like that. However, unlike police authorities, which have spent public money fighting their own abolition, most Chief Constables, if not necessarily their Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), accept very professionally that it is for elected politicians to set policy under which they operate. Police authorities are generally considered to have been the weakest of the ‘tripartite’ pillars of police governance, the others being the Home Office and the Chief Constable. Our plan to deal with that, which I passed to Douglas Carswell to develop further when he replaced me at the Conservative Policy Unit in 2004, was to transfer the police authority powers to people who are elected, so as to reinforce those powers with a democratic mandate. David Cameron wrote that plan into our manifesto in 2005 and has evangelised it ever since, so much so that he appointed the hugely impressive Nick Herbert as Police Minister, having seen him make the case for democratic control of policing when leading the thknk-tank Reform. The Prime Minister then promised in July 2006 that “We will enshrine operational independence in legislation”. It is unfortunate that some concessions have since been made to ACPO, but any apparent increase in Chief Constables’ powers will surely prove illusory once they face Commissioners empowered with a democratic mandate. If this bill fails to give the elected Commissioners the power they need to deliver what the public wants, then they will come back and demand that power, and Parliament will give them the power, as we have for the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly. I will nonetheless make the case today and tomorrow for us to get it right first time, to give the elected commissioners the powers they need now, and to give a clear steer to the courts that, in the Home Secretary’s words, the elected commissioners must be “in charge”. Chief Constables must of course make operational decisions regarding investigations and arrests independently of politicians, but it is for the elected commissioners to determine policy and set priorities. Moreover, if panels of elected councillors are to scrutinise elected commissioners and potentially second-guess their budgets, then we shouldn’t need the Secretary of State to third-guess that process. It may make sense to give the Secretary of State a reserve power to require a referendum if a local council wants a really excessive council tax increase. For policing, that power would surely better be exercised in extremis by the Panel which will scrutinise the police budget and represent the local councils and electorate which would pay for a referendum. David Cameron, Theresa May and Nick Herbert are truly driving home the Direct Democracy agenda with the police. They deserve our support.

Mark Reckless MP Welcomes Improvement To Emotional Support Service

2011-03-28T15:35:00.005+01:00

Mark Reckless MP has welcomed the improvements to confidential emotional support for people in Medway and Kent. Medway and Kent will soon be among a handful of places in England to offer residents 24-hour confidential, emotional support, free of charge. From 1 April, support from the helpline Mental Health Matters will be available round the clock in Medway and Kent on 0800 107 0160. Previously the helpline was open in the evenings and at weekends but was closed in the daytime during the week. Speaking of the improved service, Mark Reckless said: “I hope the expansion of this service will provide residents in my constituency with the advice and support they need to cope in today’s current climate. Having spoken to many local people who have contacted me for help and assistance, I know this improved service will be of great benefit to many constituents who need a helping hand and confidential advice. This is an excellent addition to the wide range of support services offered to residents in Medway and I would like to congratulate everyone involved in making it happen.” The increase in hours is being funded by mental health commissioners in Kent and Medway (the three primary care trusts and two local authorities) and reflects the success of Mental Health Matters in helping people who are distressed. “Last year, the Mental Health Matters helpline in Kent and Medway received more than 10,000 calls,” said Lauretta Kavanagh, Director of Mental Health Commissioning for the Medway and Kent primary care trusts. “People called about relationship problems, loneliness, stress, bereavement – the whole range of emotional distress. “The team of highly trained and experienced support workers at the helpline use counselling skills to provide confidential emotional support and guidance. They also have details of local and national support services that people may find useful.” Rose Collinson, Medway Council’s Director of Children and Adults, said: “I am delighted that by working with our partners we are able to provide this improved and much needed service to people in Medway and Kent.” “Many people reach a moment in their lives when they badly need to speak about feelings they are struggling with and by making this helpline available round the clock, people will now be able to call when they need to.” People can also live chat with a counsellor by email if they prefer, at timeonline@mentalhealthmatters.co.uk Alan Heyes, from the voluntary organisation Mental Health Matters which runs the helpline and live chat email system, said: “In these uncertain times, it is often quite natural to feel anxious, apprehensive or just down. Job insecurity, debt, relationship problems, or emotional distress can all take a toll and, when this continues, it can start to impact on your health and mental wellbeing. “Since it started in Kent and Medway more than two years ago, the helpline has provided successful interventions for people with problems such as low mood, emotional distress and stress. Clients say they feel ‘held’.”

Mark Reckless MP: A Budget For Growth, Jobs And Families

2011-03-23T15:43:00.003Z

Today Mark Reckless MP welcomed the Government’s Budget with its plan to reform the economy to support jobs and growth, and to take steps to help families with the cost of living – including an immediate cut in fuel duty.

Key measures in the Budget to boost growth include:

• Tax cuts for businesses and entrepreneurs
• Scrapping burdensome regulations
• Radical reform of the planning system
• New investment in science and innovation; and
• More support for young people with additional apprenticeships and work experience places.

To help families facing the rising cost of living, the Budget also will:

• Immediately cut fuel duty by 1 pence per litre and delay April’s inflation rise in duty to next January. This means fuel duty is 6 pence lower than it would be under Labour.
• Introduce a Fair Fuel Stabiliser to tax oil companies more to stop above inflation rises in fuel duty
• Increase the Personal Allowance from by a further £630 from April 2012. That’s another real increase of £48 extra per year, or £126 in cash terms. Together with this year’s rise, that means a total of £326 extra each year for those working hard to support their families. And it means, just ten months into office, this coalition Government has taken 1.1 million low paid people out of tax altogether.

Welcoming the Budget, Mark Reckless MP said:

“Last year the Chancellor in the Budget brought Britain back from the brink of bankruptcy and I am delighted that the Chancellor didn’t have to come back for more today.

Instead this year’s Budget sets out plans to back enterprise and get Britain making things again. By cutting fuel duty immediately and cutting income tax for millions the Chancellor has done what he can to help families now.

Constituents have written to me about 40p a mile approved mileage allowance not being sufficient to offset the cost of driving and I hope they will be pleased that the chancellor has listened and increased this to 45p per mile.

This Budget has put fuel into the tank of our economy.”

Michael Gove Accepts Invitation To Open Strood Academy

2011-03-22T12:47:00.003Z

Mark Reckless MP is delighted that, during education questions yesterday in the House of Commons, Michael Gove, the Secretary of State for Education, accepted his invitation to open Strood Academy when construction is completed in 2012.

Mark, who attended the Turning of the Sod ceremony at Strood Academy on Thursday 17th March alongside fashion designer Zandra Rhodes, asked the Education Secretary:

On Thursday, I saw the beginning of construction for Strood academy in my constituency. Does the Secretary of State appreciate the extent to which confirmation of that investment is appreciated in the local community, and would he visit my constituency to open the academy when construction is completed next year?

To which Michael Gove responded:

My hon. Friend makes a good point, and I should be delighted to accept his generous invitation.

A Question To The Prime Minister

2011-03-21T10:48:00.001Z

Today is the Parliamentary debate on Libya. MPs' response to Friday's statement by the Prime Minister suggests that there will be strong support for the military action. Our Armed Forces will know that they have the backing of the whole country.

It is also important that MPs exercise oversight of how our Armed Forces are kitted out. To do this we need appropriate information from the government, so we can seek to ensure that the right procurement choices are made.

On Friday I asked the Prime Minister about the decision to decommission our current aircraft carrier capability, and whether this should now be reconsidered:

Simon Hoggart wrote up the exchange as follows in his Parliamentary sketch:

Then the laudatory slathering. Labour's Mike Gapes offered congratulations. So did the Tory Richard Ottaway, "as one of the doubting Thomases", now praising a "remarkable diplomatic success".

It was left to Mark Reckless, another Tory, to point out that the Ark Royal filled with Harriers would be the perfect weapon, except that they are being decommissioned. Mr Cameron had little response to that, except to say that other countries weren't using aircraft carriers.

I was surprised to read in yesterday's Sunday Times both that:

France, which had 20 aircraft in the air last night, will send its only aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle, into acton today.

...and that...

At RAF high command in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, senior officers concluded that the most flexible rapid response force would be aircraft stationed on a carrier off the Libyan coast. But there was no carrier nor any planes to fly off one since the Ark Royal's Harrier GR9 jump jets had been retired in December. So the planners considered another possibility.

They wondered whether they could bring some of the Harriers back into service and deploy them on a former container ship, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Argus, making vertical take off and landings.

Mark Reckless MP Supports Charter To Improve Mental Health Services For Children With Autism

2011-03-18T15:19:00.001Z

Mark Reckless, MP for Rochester and Strood and Hollie Ryan, a National Autistic Society (NAS) Young Campaigner from Chatham, both attended the parliamentary launch of the NAS’s You Need To Know charter, which aims to improve the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) system. Currently only a third of parents of children with autism believe CAMHS has improved the mental health of their child.

At the event, held in Parliament on 10th March, Hollie along with the rest of the Young Campaigners Group, who all have autism and have all used CAMHS services, held a special screening of their film ‘Open Your Mind’, which they created about their experiences. They also unveiled their 12 point charter to improve the system for other children with autism, that included the following:

- The environment should… not have ticking clocks – Many people with autism are extremely sensitive to sights, smells, noises or sensations. Ticking clocks, whirling fans and fluorescent light bulbs can be incredibly distracting and distressing for people with autism

- CAMHS professionals should… understand autism and that everyone is different - “You’re not ‘autistic’, you’re on the ‘autistic spectrum’ … think of it like a number line … not a hundred different numbers, like a thousand different numbers”

- CAMHS should work with education – “My secondary school at the moment is everything I might possibly need… I don’t have to leave school to go to all these appointments. I don’t have to get to know loads of difference professionals. I can just go to one place and it’s there whenever I need it.”

Mark Reckless MP says, “It was a privilege to meet these intelligent and talented teenagers from the Young Campaigners Group. They’ve worked extremely hard and overcome many difficulties to be able to produce their charter and film. Many of the points they have put forward are simple to put into practice, and some require little or no cost, and I will campaign locally to help our local CAMHS services to take these ideas on board”.

Hollie Ryan, 15, Young Campaigner, says, “Having had a bad experience with CAMHS, I felt very strongly about improving the service, as I wouldn’t want any other young people to go through what I did. For me, one of the most important things is that the CAMHS professionals should understand that everyone is different, and different things work for different people. On many occasions it has been assumed that I should act in a certain way because I have Asperger syndrome, when really I am totally different to every other young person, because I am me. A little understanding goes a very long way”.

Mark Lever, chief executive, NAS, says, “The work of the Young Campaigners Group is so vital in helping to turn things around for children and young people with autism and mental health problems. With the right support at the right time, children with autism can have good mental health just as anyone else can – and the Young Campaigners Group aim to make this a reality.”

To help the Young Campaigners with their cause, the NAS is calling on supporters to ask their local authority to pledge to use the charter to improve support from CAMHS for children with autism in their area. You can email those who are responsible for CAMHS in your local area by visiting the following page on our website www.autism.org.uk/youneedtoknow

Discussing Immigration Controls For Foreign Students

2011-03-18T01:31:00.001Z

Discussing the Home Affairs Select Committee report on immigration controls for foreign students on Radio 4's PM programme:

Mark Reckless MP Backs Peter Jones’ Tenner Tycoon Campaign

2011-03-17T23:45:00.001Z

YOUNG PEOPLE ACROSS THE UK ARE CHALLENGED TO START A BUSINESS WITH A TENNER IN LANDMARK SCHEME BACKED BY DRAGONS’ DEN STAR

Mark Reckless MP has announced his support for a scheme that sees school kids encouraged to start a business with just £10 each, in the biggest ever Tenner Tycoon challenge.

The Rochester and Strood MP is backing the landmark scheme, called Tenner Tycoon, which will see the campaigning charity Enterprise UK loan hundreds of thousands of pounds to young people across the UK to encourage them to start up their own businesses.

Participants in Tenner Tycoon will receive £10 and be challenged to make as much profit and social good as they can in a month.

Speaking of the scheme, Mark Reckless said:

"Tenner Tycoon is an innovative scheme which gives our young people in Rochester and Strood the chance to showcase their skills and ingenuity whilst gaining practical business experience. The programme’s relevance and importance has never been as great as it is this year – the year that aims to kick-start the ‘entrepreneurial decade’.

"Having visited a number of schools recently I know that there are many young people in this constituency with the potential to succeed. We need to support initiatives like Tenner Tycoon that aim to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs and therefore ensure the future prosperity of Medway and the UK as a whole."

This year, the challenge is to also ‘give something back’ and participants are encouraged to donate some of their profits to charity. The scheme, supported by the Peter Jones Foundation, has been a huge success since it launched in 2007. Previous winners have made their money in diverse ways such as fashion shows, cookery books and concerts.

-ENDS-

For more information please contact:

Jessica De Pree

jessica.depree@sevenhillsgroup.co.uk

0207 199 2205 or 07811 381445

Rosie Walkinton

rosie.walkinton@sevenhillsgroup.co.uk

0207 199 2206 or 07973 570967

Notes for editors:

About Tenner Tycoon

Enterprise UK’s ‘Tenner Tycoon’ campaign is the UK’s nationwide competition that generates excitement and enthusiasm about enterprise in school children.

Formerly known as ‘Make Your Mark with a Tenner’, the scheme will see Enterprise UK loan £400,000 to 40,000 young people across the UK to encourage them to start up their own businesses.

Each participant will receive £10 and is challenged to ‘make a profit, make a difference and give back’.

The campaign is generously supported by Dragons’ Den entrepreneur Peter Jones, Big Lottery Fund and Michael and Xochi Birch, founders of the social networking site Bebo.

For further information please visit:

www.enterpriseuk.org

www.tenner-tycoon.org

2011-03-12T00:40:00.003Z

Mark Reckless MP has called for the immediate postponement of the closure of the phlebotomy clinics at the Delce Healthy Living Centre in Rochester and Keystone Centre, Strood and is urging residents to sign the independent online petition created by local campaigner Brenda Towler.

Writing to the acting Chief Executive of Medway PCT, Helen Buckingham, on 28th February, Mark expressed his concerns that the closure of the clinics in Rochester and Strood would leave many elderly and frail residents being forced to make longer and more expensive journeys to the nearest alternative proposed clinics:

Dear Ms Buckingham,

I have been contacted by a number of constituents who are concerned about the imminent closure of the phlebotomy clinic held at the Delce Healthy Living Centre with little notice and no apparent consultation. I understand this follows an email sent to doctors and staff from Mr XXXXX XXXXXXX, XXX XX XXXXXXX at NHS Medway.

I would be grateful if you could confirm that the information I have been given is correct, and also advise me of what other phlebotomy clinics, if any, the PCT are planning on closing over the coming months here in Rochester and Strood. I understand the services at Keystones Centre in Strood may also be under threat.

Based on the information I have been provided with, I am concerned that such a move will result in many of my constituents being forced to make longer and more expensive journeys to Medway Hospital for a service that, to date, has been run successfully in association with local GP surgeries. Given government plans to hand authority for local healthcare commissioning to GP Consortia, I am somewhat surprised that this action is being taken at this time.

I am also concerned at the apparent lack of consultation on the proposed changes. Can you advise me as to how and when the PCT arrived at the decision to close these clinics, and what consultation and impact studies, if any, were undertaken?

Given the anxiety this is causing to my constituents and the relatively short notice period that has been given, I ask that the closures of these surgeries are postponed to allow for a proper review of the proposals.

I look forward to a response at your earliest convenience.

Yours sincerely,

Mark Reckless MP
Member of Parliament for Rochester and Strood

In a response received today, Helen Buckingham has stated that:

Following recent discussions with local GPs in Rochester we are working with them to provide a GP led blood-testing service at Rochester Healthy Living Centre; we will be providing more information about this as soon as possible.

Despite this assurance from the acting Chief Executive of Medway PCT, Mark Reckless remains concerned that the reorganisation of phlebotomy services in Medway, particularly in Rochester and Strood, are being pushed through without full and proper consultation of current users of the service.

Medway PCT have stated that an additional £83,500 has been set aside by Medway NHS to improve the phlebotomy service in Medway which will result in additional 266 hours of availability across Medway each week.

However, based on currently published plans this does not translate into an improvement for users of the clinic at Delce Healthy Living Centre. Mark does not believe it is acceptable for residents to have to wait until June for the current plan to be reviewed whilst the plans, as they currently stand, leave a huge gap in the service here in Rochester and Strood.

Mark is urging residents to support the independent campaign set up by local campaigner Brenda Towler. Petitions are now available in many local stores and pharmacies. You can also sign the petition online by clicking here, or you can join the Facebook group here.

Hound Is Found Safe And Sound

2011-03-10T00:19:00.001Z

Mark Reckless has welcomed the news that the Staffordshire Bull Terrier puppy known as Rocco has been found safe and well and is now back with his rightful owners.

Following a huge team effort involving dog lovers from right the way across the country, Rocco was eventually found by walkers in woods near Tescos in Gillingham.

Mark, who was happy to help with the search, responded to the news by saying:

"This is great news! It was obvious how much Rocco meant to his owners so I really am pleased to hear that this story has had a happy ending.

My congratulations go out to everyone who helped in the search, particularly all the volunteers at Doglost.co.uk. I trust Rocco will enjoy being back with his family, and in his own bed.

Whilst I am glad the puppy is back home, I would still urge anyone with information on who may have stolen Rocco in the first place to contact Crimestoppers confidentially on 0800 555 111 or Kent Police on 01622 690690."

Mark Reckless: The Government’s bold Tourism Strategy will boost the economy in Rochester and Strood

2011-03-04T16:25:00.003Z

The publication today of the Coalition Government’s Tourism Strategy will cut red tape, free up local businesses, and re-establish the tourism industry as a key priority for restoring the UK economy.

The bold proposals include a consultation on extending the tourist season by moving the first Bank Holiday in May to create a new St George’s Day holiday in England and St David’s Day in Wales.

The strategy will generate four million extra overseas visitors over the next four years, bringing an extra £2 billion worth of visitor spend in to the country and creating 50,000 new jobs.

Commenting on the publication of the strategy, Mark Reckless said,

"The Coalition’s Tourism Strategy will make a huge difference to the local economy here in Rochester and Strood.

"For too long, Labour ignored the vital importance of tourism whilst suffocating the industry with red-tape.

"After years in the Labour wilderness, tourism is finally being recognised as the crucial driver of our economy that it is."

2011-03-02T23:28:00.003Z

Mark Reckless MP has welcomed the announcement from Lord Hill of Oareford that the government has agreed to release funding for the feasibility phase of a new Academy to replace The Hundred of Hoo Comprehensive School.

The funding will allow the Sir Joseph Williamson’s Mathematical School, which is also converting to an Academy from April, to develop plans to establish an Academy that will cater for pupils aged 11-18 which will specialise in Media and the Performing Arts.

The Academy should open in existing buildings at Hundred of Hoo in September 2011.

Commenting on the news, Mark Reckless said:

"I am absolutely delighted that a school which was in special measures as recently as April 2009 has been turned around in such a short space of time.

I would like to congratulate Dr Gary Holden (pictured) of Sir Joseph Williamson’s Maths School along with Medway Council for achieving such an outstanding turnaround.

I would also like to congratulate all of the students and parents who stuck by the school and worked really hard to make this happen.

The Hundred of Hoo school will now benefit from the increased funding, freedoms and flexibility that Academy status brings. The school will have the freedom to manage its own budget and set its own priorities away from the National Curriculum. Students will be given the best opportunity to reach high levels of personal and academic achievement.

I really am pleased for the students who currently attend the school or who are planning on attending in coming years. Thanks to local efforts and hard work, the Hoo Peninsula will now have a first rate school to be proud of and I welcome this news.

Well done to all concerned!"

Mark Reckless MP Discusses Localism Bill

2011-02-21T11:17:00.001Z

Help Find Rocco

2011-02-18T17:29:00.002Z

Mark has been contacted by a constituent regarding the theft of a Staffordshire Bull Terrier puppy in Strood. The owners are obviously very distressed at the loss of the puppy and are offering a reward for his safe return. If you have any information, you can contact the owners by email at missingrocco@hotmail.com or you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. All emails or calls will be treated as confidential.

Talking Tots’ Welcome Mark Reckless MP

2011-02-16T14:15:00.005Z

The Talking Tots’ group in Strood welcomed MP Mark Reckless to one of its classes on Monday 14th Feb, to raise money for ICAN, a charity that helps children who struggle to communicate.

He took part in their usual programme of activities, as well as participating in various extra songs for the ChatterBox Challenge event, including ‘Heads Shoulders Knees and Toes’ and the ‘Hokey Cokey’.

More than 2,000 Talking Tots pre-schoolers in 150 centres in the UK took part in an extra 10 minutes of action songs and rhymes for I CAN’s 10th Chatterbox Challenge.

Talking Tots, the programme designed to develop children’s speech and language skills is fully supporting the Communication Trusts’ ‘Hello’ campaign with various activities, as they share the vision of giving every child the opportunity to be confident communications.

The Chatterbox Challenge, Talking Tots’ first activity for the year was an ideal charity choice. “Good communication skills are vital for children to enjoy their childhood. They need to be able to communicate confidently in order to socialise and make friends, learn and participate in class when they start school and this vital skill will stay with them for life,” said Lisa Houghton, co-founder of talking Tots. “Raising money for a charity that is dedicated to giving every child the opportunity to be confident communicators is a great fit for us at Talking Tots,” continued Lisa.

Children were sponsored to participate in action songs and rhymes including I CAN’s featured song, Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes. Children from Talking Tots classes in Gravesend and Strood joined in the charity fundraiser with excitement.

Claire Hitchcock, Talking Tots leader for the North Kent area said, “Our children were fantastic and we were pleased to see our local MP joining in with our songs. They and their parents enjoyed doing their bit for I CAN.”

Talking Tots classes will be raising further funds for ICAN when they attempt to break the world record for performing Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes. The event will take place in St George’s Church Hall in Gravesend on Tuesday 1st March. You can find out more about Talking Tots by visiting http://www.talkingtots.info/.

For more information please call Claire Hitchcock on 07754 866592

Could You Rock The House?

2011-02-14T14:39:00.002Z

Mark Reckless MP is looking out for the best local musical talent and venues to represent Rochester and Strood in the recently launched Rock The House competition.

‘Rock The House’ is a music competition with a political twist; supporting unsigned bands and artists, it will raise political awareness of the importance of music and other creative businesses to the UK.

Launched by Mike Weatherley - MP and champion for the music industry - Rock The House offers entry categories covering both Live Bands and Live Music Venues - and is open for entries now.

Bands and venues are invited to enter themselves, via their local MP, who will make nominations to a judging panel of music industry heavyweights on behalf of their own constituencies.

Entries can be submitted until the closing date of 31st March 2011. Further details and the official application form are available online at: http://www.rockthehouse.me.uk/ and winners will be announced by the end of May and all competition finalists will be invited to attend an exclusive star-studded event on the Terrace of the House of Commons on 30th June.

Local bands and venues in the Rochester and Strood constituency are asked to email rockthehouse@markreckless.com or send in a CD/DVD with details to his constituency office at Mark Reckless MP, Suite 6, 4A Castle View Mews, Castle Hill, Rochester ME1 1LA.

Sponsors and supporters include: UK Music, Future Publishing, EMI, Yamaha, Consumer Focus, Incorporated Society of Musicians, and All Party Parliamentary Group on Music (APPG).

Mark Reckless MP Congratulates Medway Council

2011-02-10T16:35:00.001Z

Mark Reckless, Member of Parliament for Rochester and Strood, congratulates Medway Council for finding £23 million of required savings, whilst protecting front line services.

Mark said:

"This is an excellent testament to the work done by my Conservative colleagues on Council to ensure that residents still get good services and an efficient Council. We understand the need for Councils to make cuts, in the same way as our residents and their families have had to, and I praise the responsible way in which Medway Council, and in particular Finance Chief Councillor Alan Jarrett have done this with minimal impact to our Medway residents.

What we do not understand is why similar cuts are not being made to the E.U. budget. We are delighted that other councils are following our lead and calling for MPs to force cuts to the E.U. budget similar to the ones local councils have had to make".

Mark Reckless MP Nominates Local Groups For National Award

2011-02-08T15:23:00.006Z

Mark Reckless MP has nominated two local organisations for a prestigious national award that could see them benefit from exposure on the national stage.

Mark Reckless recently called on Rochester and Strood residents to help him choose a local organisation for the awards.

Following feedback from contributors and regular visitors to this site, Mark has decided to nominate local community organisations Medway Magic and Strood Community Project for the prestigious awards.

The annual Centre for Social Justice Awards recognise effective poverty fighting groups from across the UK. Now in its sixth year, the CSJ Awards have brought over 70 winning voluntary groups to the attention of the national media and policy makers and a total of £223,250 has been given out to date.

Mark recently visited Medway MAGIC during their meeting at Woodies Youth Centre to hear for himself how the group is helping provide support to parents of children with Autism.

MAGIC stands for Medway Autism Group Information Centre and the group was formed to provide information and support to parents by parents whom themselves live with Autism.

In their own words:

Having an Autistic child is demanding in itself and often there is little time to find out more about Autism. Collectively we have a vast amount of information and experiences and are able to help each other get the best for our children. The children also benefit from having a network of friends.

MAGIC offers a point of contact for information on all aspects of Autism and co-existing conditions. We also aim to meet your child’s needs and make each event as individual and suitable as possible.

Speaking after the visit, Mark said:

“I was tremendously impressed by the enthusiasm and dedication shown by all the volunteers and parents at Medway MAGIC.

I know from my own MP casework that having a child with Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome or Autistic Syndrome (ASD) can be challenging in terms of finding the right help and advice. Having a local community network like MAGIC who can offer the support that parents need is very welcome.

Medway MAGIC has done a great job in raising awareness of the issues surrounding children with Autism and I found the meeting really constructive.

I’d like to thank all the parents and volunteers who gave up their time to meet me and I am proud to offer my support to both Medway MAGIC and Strood Community Project by way of nominating them for the CSJ Awards.

I was originally seeking to submit one group for this year’s awards, but having seen the fantastic work that is being undertaken by both organisations I simply couldn’t choose one over the other.

Though Strood Community Project and Medway MAGIC work with the public in different ways, they share a common purpose in helping tackle the underlying causes of social problems and challenges faced by the community here in Rochester and Strood and beyond. I wish them both well."

Responding to the nomination, Kate Broom of Strood Community Project said:

“We are a non-profit organisation so the work we do isn’t rewarded with a large bonus or a pay cheque. We rely on volunteers to give up their time to help others so having some recognition for all their effort is our bonus.

It is fantastic to have been nominated for this award and I know it will mean a lot to the people of Strood who have been there to support us since we started in 2006.”

To find out more about how Medway MAGIC and Strood Community Project are working to help our community, please visit their respective websites here and here.

Mark Reckless MP Helps Out Local Students

2011-02-07T16:00:00.000Z

Mark Reckless MP was very pleased to help out students at the University of Kent's Centre for Journalism.

Mark joined fellow Kent MP Tracey Crouch during the student's most recent news day where teams are tasked with producing 15 minute news broadcasts as part of their course.

Student Laura Hartmann welcomed Mark's help:

"For us as students, it was great getting a sitting MP into our tv studio as a live guest - especially as it was the first ever TV news day for us second years."

Mark responded by saying:

It's great to be asked and to be able to assist local students when I can. I really enjoyed the experience and would like to wish everyone involved the very best with their studies."

Mark Reckless MP On Unjustified CRB Checks

2011-02-03T23:11:00.001Z

Mark Reckless MP discusses the issue of councils carrying out unjustified CRB checks for job applicants

Mark Reckless MP: The Case For An In/Out Referendum On Europe

2011-02-02T10:36:00.001Z

Speaking yesterday (1st February 2011) in the House of Commons during the debate on the European Union Bill, Mark Reckless MP puts forward the case for a straight In/Out Referendum on the United Kingdom's membership of the European Union.

Mark Reckless MP Assured Ahead Of Digital Handover

2011-02-01T23:02:00.004Z

Local MP Mark Reckless has received reassurances from Ed Vaizey MP, the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, that residents in Rochester and Strood will not be left behind when the analogue signal is switched off in 2012.

Mark Reckless MP asked the Minister what steps his department planned to take to assist the elderly and people on low incomes with the planned transition from analogue to digital television and received the following response;

Mr Vaizey:

Mr Vaizey: The Government and the BBC have set up the Digital Switchover Help Scheme (DSHS) to offer those 75 or over, disabled and visually impaired people and care home residents practical help to make the switch to digital television on one of their sets.

We estimate that over 7 million households will be eligible for help through the switchover period.

By January 2011, DSHS had mailed nearly 4 million people and completed 430,000 installations and deliveries.

Participating in the scheme costs a subsidised £40. However, help is available free of charge where the eligible person is also in receipt of certain income related benefits.

The help scheme is rolled out in each TV region as switchover approaches and every eligible person in that region is contacted directly by post in the run up to switchover.

The help scheme will:

- provide easy-to-use equipment that suits a person's needs;

- help with installing equipment;

- fit a new dish or aerial, where they can, if it is needed to make the new equipment work;

- give people an easy-to-understand demonstration of how everything works;

- provide a free telephone support service and a comprehensive network of trained and accredited installers that will be able to deal with any queries about installation or use; and

- develop links with local charities and voluntary groups to identify ways in which they can help support aspects of the Help Scheme.

The scheme is funded through £603 million ring-fenced within the BBC's licence fee income over the period of switchover.

Mark also asked what steps will be taken to alleviate the difficulties which many households in Rochester and Strood currently experience with digital television reception ahead of the analogue switch off;

Mr Vaizey: In common with other areas of the UK yet to undergo digital switchover, it is the case that reliable coverage of digital terrestrial television (Freeview) signals is currently unlikely to be available in some parts of Rochester and Strood. The primary reason for this is that until digital switchover takes place, the power of the digital transmitters is necessarily restricted to relatively low levels in order to prevent interference being caused to the existing analogue signals. However, when switchover takes place, the power of the digital transmitters will be raised to, on average, 10 times their current levels which will significantly extend their coverage. By the time that the nationwide switchover process is complete, digital TV signals will reach the same number of households as the analogue signals they replace (approximately 98.5% of the UK population).

Viewers in Rochester and Strood can potentially receive signals from a number of TV regions. Viewers that receive Meridian and London ITV services will switch fully to digital in 2012; while any that receive Anglia ITV services will switch later this year.

Mark Reckless Quizzes Police Minister

2011-01-27T00:30:00.003Z

During last week's meeting of the Home Affairs Select Committee Mark Reckless MP took the opportunity to question the Minister for Policing and Justice, the Rt Hon Nick Herbert MP, on the role directly elected commissioners could play in making better use of taxpayers' money.

Q168 Mark Reckless: In Kent we have already identified £11.5 million of savings through collaboration with Essex, and there are one or two other examples—Herts and Beds comes to mind—where there has been good progress. But generally the savings from collaboration have been rather disappointing, and I wondered whether you thought Ministers might be able to accelerate this, or whether you would look to the directly elected police and crime commissioners to be able to drive out much more substantive savings through collaboration?

Nick Herbert: I think I agree with you that progress up until now has been too slow, but I think that is partly because there hasn’t been the kind of fiscal driver to do it. Now that police forces know that they are receiving less grant for the next four years, that is, I think, changing the incentives, both for chief constables and for police authorities. It is driving much more interest on the part of police forces in collaboration, outsourcing, better procurement, and so on. Because they all share the same desire as we do in the Government, which is to maintain the front-line policing service and the service that the public receives and find savings in other ways, in better use of taxpayers’ money.

Mark Reckless Meets Young Scientist Of The Year

2011-01-26T23:43:00.002Z

Mark Reckless MP recently met up with Tom Hearing, UK Young Scientist of the Year 2010, during filming at the House of Commons for a BBC TV science show to be broadcast later in March.

Green Light For Damhead Creek 2

2011-01-25T16:31:00.003Z

Mark Reckless MP has welcomed the announcement by the Department of Energy and Climate Change that consent has been granted for the construction of a 1000MW gas-fired power station at Damhead Creek on the Hoo Peninsula.

Speaking shortly after the announcement by the DECC, Mark Reckless said:

"There has been a growing need to improve the the South East's energy security for some time.

This new station will be one of the most efficient power plants in the world, and will produce relatively low CO2 emissions. It will also be built carbon capture ready meaning it can be retrofitted at a later stage once this experimental technology has become commercially viable.

Given the rural nature of the Hoo Peninsula, particularly the Marshes Special Protection Area, it is reassuring to hear that Natural England have confirmed that the proposed development will not adversely affect the local environment.

I especially welcome the commitment from Scottish Power to provide employment for local residents, particularly in light of the pending closure of Kingsnorth due to EU regulations.

After years of dithering under the last government, we are now taking the steps needed to secure our country's future energy supply whilst providing new jobs locally."

Mark Reckless MP 'Delighted' To Present Medal To Local Hero

2011-01-24T10:20:00.004Z

Mark Reckless MP was delighted to present local hero James Hargreaves with his GSM Medal with clasp Near East after taking up his case with the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

Picture: Mark Reckless MP with local hero James Hargreaves. Photo courtesy of Medway Messenger.

James, of Cliffe Woods, had previously been unable to get the MoD to accept his claim for the medal following his service with the 40th Field Regiment Royal Artillery during the Suez Crisis in 1956.

Mr Hargreaves sailed out from Cardiff on the US ship S.S. Kingsbury to the conflict zone with a small complement from his Regiment.

Although the ship was on the list of those eligible for the GSM with Near East clasp, the MoD had previously turned down James's request for the medal as the deployment was not shown on his service record.

In a bid to resolve the situation James turned to Mark Reckless to help break the deadlock with the MoD, and Mark was more than happy to take up the case on behalf of his constituent.

After contacting the Medal Office asking them to review Mr Hargreaves' case, the MoD wrote back to advise they would look into the matter. Shortly thereafter the MoD confirmed that, following Mark's intervention, they had agreed to issue the medal to James for his service during the Suez Crisis.

Speaking after meeting Mr Hargreaves, Mark said:

"I was absolutely delighted when I heard that the Medal Office had agreed to issue Mr Hargreaves with his GSM with clasp Near East.

Mr Hargreaves had tried for a long time to get the Ministry of Defence to review his claim for the medal, but had had no joy in doing so and subsequently asked for my assistance.

I was able to write to the MoD as Mr Hargreaves' Member of Parliament to insist they look into the case, and I am glad to report that the matter has now been resolved to my constituent's satisfaction.

Being able to help people like Mr Hargreaves was the primary reason why I entered politics. Casework is a large part of the role of being an MP, and I am honoured to be in the position to help a local hero like James gain the recognition he so richly deserves.

It was an absolute pleasure to meet James in person and thank him for his service to our country. I hope the medal will be a source of pride and pleasure for him for many years to come."

In response to the meeting, James Hargreaves said:

"I'd like to thank Mark most sincerely for his help and assistance in procuring my GSM and clasp Near East. I am sure that without Mark's help I would still be trying to obtain it.

Thank you again."

Visiting Strood Community Project

2011-01-18T17:03:00.010Z

Mark Reckless MP visited the Strood Community Project on Friday (14th January) to see for himself how the project is working to help the people of Strood and beyond.

Visiting the project’s office and shop in Strood High Street, Mark was keen to learn more about the wide range of assistance the Strood Community Project provides to local residents.

Strood Community Project was set up as an initiative of the Parishes of St Francis of Assisi and St Nicholas with St Mary, together with Strood Gospel Mission Church (Baptist affiliated). It aims to help the local community tackle fundamental issues such as education, safety, increased employment, life skills and crime.

The Project is run by a group of dedicated staff working alongside volunteers who provide advice and counselling to the public on a wide range of issues such as housing, debt, and employment.

Photo: Mark Reckless MP visits Strood Community Project. From left: Kate Broom (project manager), Paul Robinson (general manager), Mark and Paul Rai (volunteer)

During the visit Mark got the opportunity to discuss how Strood Community Project has developed since it’s establishment in 2006, and it’s plans for the future which include registering as a charitable company.

As well as offering ‘walk in’ advice to the public, Strood Community Project has developed the range of services it provides to include basic skills tuition in English and Maths, computer skills training, CV preparation and interview skills training, and bespoke projects which improve the physical environment within the local area.

Volunteer Paul Rai is calling for local residents to help as volunteers:

“I got involved with the Strood Community Project because I want to help the people in my community. The project can’t afford full-time advisors and relies on volunteers to help people who come in off the street with their problems. We make sure we listen to everyone and provide the support and guidance they need, no matter what the problem is.

Through volunteering I’ve learnt how to help people who have problems with debt or housing, and you often find that the issues people discuss with us are often caused by more serious problems that aren’t being addressed. We can help with that!

I would strongly urge anyone who cares about our community to get involved with the Strood Community Project. It brings our community together, and for some it could be a lifesaver.”

Paul Robinson, general manager, was encourage by the visit:

"It was a privilege to welcome Mark Reckless to our Advice Centre. This acknowledgement of the importance of community organisations in addressing local needs was a great encouragement and we look forward to keeping him informed with developments in our work.

Being an independent, local organisation we are able to respond to community issues as they become apparent and we see this as a vital characteristic of an organisation that intends to thrive over the coming few years."

Speaking after the visit, Mark Reckless said:

“I’m really impressed with how the Strood Community Project has progressed since I first visited when it opened. To me the SCP is a good model for how local charities and community projects can work to improve our local area by empowering residents and helping them to address their problems.

I was particularly impressed with the work they are doing with volunteers such as Paul Rai. By providing them with the skills to tackle issues such as poor social housing or debt problems, they are investing in more than just the volunteer. They are investing in our community.”

For more information on the Strood Community Project, please visit http://www.stroodcommunityproject.org.uk/ or call 01634 298747.

Campaign For Equal Tuition Fees

2011-01-15T22:56:00.004Z

Local MP Mark Reckless met with student campaigner Jennifer Watts earlier this week to discuss the inequality of tuition fees between English and Scottish students.

Jennifer, a local gap year student, is starting a campaign to end this discrimination. Mark welcomed Jennifer to Westminster to discuss some questions she had, such as whether or not introducing tuition fees in Scotland would mean that the increase in fees in the rest of the UK could be less drastic.

At the core of the discussion was the fact that the English taxpayer effectively props up the Scottish Government’s devolved budget, enabling Holyrood to provide Scottish students with free education, whereas English students have to carry debts of tens of thousands of pounds into their working life. Fair?

Speaking on the issue, Mark Reckless said:

“I agree with the issues Jennifer has raised. I support the campaign she has started to address the imbalance and to raise people’s awareness in an effort to make the system fairer.”

For more information on this issue, Jennifer has created a website: http://equalunifees.webs.com/

Local Residents Work 22 Days Just To Pay Labour's Debt Interest

2011-01-11T09:53:00.004Z

New research has shown that someone on average earnings in Rochester and Strood will spend 22 days just paying the interest on Labour’s debts.

Labour left the country with an annual overspend of £156 billion, greater than at any point in our peacetime history. Money spent just paying the interest on their £790 billion debt bill is money that could otherwise be spent on front line services.

Commenting, Mark Reckless said:

“Labour’s addiction to debt means each and every taxpayer now has to spend weeks of the year working just to pay the interest bill.

“If we listened to Labour the debt would be £100 billion higher. They must never be put in charge of our public finances again.”

NOTES TO EDITORS

New research has shown that someone on average earnings in Rochester and Strood will spend 22 days just paying for Labour’s debt interest bill. Labour left office with the country owing £790 billion, more than at any time in our peacetime history (HM Treasury, Public Finances Databank, Table Key M, link).

The independent Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts debt interest spending of £42.7 billion in 2010-11 (OBR, Economic and Fiscal Outlook, Table 4.14, link). There are 30.5 million taxpayers, so on average each taxpayer will pay £1,400 in debt interest (HMRC, Number of individual income taxpayers, link).

Figures from the ONS show median earnings in Rochester and Strood are £22,959 (ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 10.7a, 8 December 2010, link).

This means that 6.1 per cent of an average person’s income goes on debt interest.

This works out at 22 days spent just paying for debt interest.

Local MP Welcomes MidKent College Students To Westminster

2011-01-10T16:48:00.002Z

Local MP Mark Reckless met with students from Mid Kent College today at Parliament and answered their questions on topical issues such as student fees and the forthcoming referendum on a possible change to the Westminster electoral system.

Arriving back in Westminster following recess and before many other MPs, Mark was happy to welcome the students to the House of Commons and respond directly to their questions.

Mark said:

“It was a pleasure to meet such mature and interested young adults, who will be part of the future of our country. It’s really positive that young people are showing an interest in the political system and the issues that affect us all. I particularly welcomed the opportunity to listen to the concerns of young people studying in my constituency.

I am always happy to welcome students and members of the public from my constituency to Westminster in small or large groups. Anyone wishing to visit should call my Westminster office on 020 7219 7135 and we will do our best to accommodate any requests.”

Welcoming Regina Suleymanova

2011-01-07T12:12:00.001Z

Mark would like to welcome Regina Suleymanova who will be working as an intern in both the Westminster and constituency offices for the next couple of weeks.

Regina, a constituent of Mark's, graduated from Hull University last summer with a degree in psychology and previously attended Rochester Independent College and Chatham Grammar School for Boys (Mixed Sixth Form). A member of the British Psychological Society, Regina enjoys playing the classical piano and is a green belt in karate!

Mark is always very happy to consider requests for internships from young people in his constituency who may be considering a career in politics, or are looking for more general work experience. If you would like to register your interest, please email interns@markreckless.com

Mark hopes that Regina enjoys her time working as an intern, and the experience proves to be of value as she begins her working career. Welcome!

New Year With A Potential President

2011-01-03T15:19:00.004Z

I am delighted that my first engagement of the New Year was to meet a potential Party Flag Bearer of Sierra Leone.

Dr Alpha Wurie is competing in a primary to be the candidate for President of the centre-right Sierra Leone People's Party which was founded in 1951 and led Sierra Leone to independence on 27th April 1961.

I was told on New Year's Eve that Dr Wurie was spending New Year with family on St Mary's Island in my constituency and I was honoured to be invited round the next day to meet him, family members and supporters.

Dr Wurie's sister has worked at Medway hospital and he himself has connections in the UK, having graduated from Brunel University and been a visiting fellow at the School of Science, Greenwich University with its campus in Medway.

After the short New Year break Dr Wurie is heading back to Sierra Leone next week to campaign through to a vote of around 700 delegates of his party, who will choose their candidate for President on 5th March. The general election will then take place in 2012.

Britain has of course been closely and positively involved in Sierra Leone in recent years and we all wish Sierra Leone well for free and fair elections. Mr Wurie is campaigning for "Opportunity for Life" and is building on his decade-long record as Minister for Education under President Kabbah. I was fascinated to hear how he intended to extend some of the Health, Education and Infrastructural facilities available in towns into the rural areas of Sierra Leone and instil a stronger culture of respect.

My local Conservative Association has been delighted to welcome so many Africans who have recently moved into the Rochester and Strood area. It is also a real benefit for me as the MP to make links with leading politicians in other countries and hear about their campaigning. I certainly hope to stay in touch with Alpha Wurie and will be following his campaign with great interest.

Southeastern ‘Not Fit For Purpose’

2011-01-02T22:02:00.004Z

Mark Reckless MP calls for 'not fit for purpose' Southeastern Trains to be stripped of its franchise 'as soon as possible’.

Following Southeastern's Nightmare before Christmas where the managing director of the rail firm, Charles Horton, was hauled into Westminster to explain to Kent MPs the company's abysmal failure to cope with the snow at the start of December, Mark has slammed Southeastern's decision to increase season ticket prices by 9% or £276 for hard-pressed commuters in Rochester and Strood.

Speaking on the subject, Mark said:

"I have become increasingly frustrated with Southeastern Trains. I have tried very hard to work with Southeastern to help it deal with the concerns of rail users in the Rochester and Strood area, but I have now come to the conclusion that the company is not fit for purpose.

Southeastern's attitude to its customers is, in my opinion, nothing short of disgraceful. I have received numerous complaints from constituents regarding the level of service, or lack thereof, provided by Southeastern. As a regular commuter myself, I sympathise very strongly with hard-working taxpayers who are basically being held to ransom by a company which appears to have little interest in delivering a decent service to commuters, let alone one that provides value for money.

As a former City economist, I simply cannot make sense of Southeastern's justification for the distribution of the latest fare increases.

The average income in Medway is less than many other areas of Kent, e.g. Maidstone and Faversham (which enjoy comparable fares), and there is very strong competition from local commuter coach companies. One would have thought therefore that Southeastern might use the flexibility it now has to hold fare increases in Medway below the average, yet they are imposing a 9% increase in fares, higher than the 7.8% average they are allowed. Southeastern's actions are looking increasingly commercially self-defeating.

This is not the action of a sensible competitor and is simply unjustifiable. Why should commuters to London from Strood and Rochester pay the same as those from Rainham and nearly as much as those who commute twice the distance from elsewhere in Kent?

Having worked closely with Chris Irvine’s Medway Fares Fair campaign (pictured right), I have long considered, but not previously accepted, their argument that Southeastern should be stripped of its franchise.

However, the distribution of these latest fare increases, combined with the news that Southeastern commuters will not enjoy an automatic season ticket discount despite the pitiful performance in December, suggests that Southeastern Trains is beyond redemption.

The company is simply treating the Kent franchise as a cash cow and does not even appear to be making decisions which are commercially sensible. Southeastern should be stripped of the franchise as soon as possible."

Mark Reckless Welcomes Eastgate House Funding

2010-12-31T15:30:00.001Z

Mark Reckless has welcomed the news that Eastgate House in the heart of Rochester has been awarded a first round pass with development funding of £80,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The HLF grant will go towards a three year scheme which will see the Grade I listed Eastgate House repaired, conserved and transformed into a mixed use exhibition and community facility that is accessible for all including the mobility impaired.

The Eastgate House project is now in the running for a further second-round grant of £919,000 and Mark Reckless is fully supporting the bid to see the historic Elizabethan town house, built in the 1590s, restored to its former glory.

Speaking about the award, Mark Reckless said:

"I am delighted that the bid for Heritage Lottery Fund (hlf) funding has passed the first stage. The award of £80,000 will go a long way to ensuring that Eastgate House will remain a focal point at the heart of our community here in Rochester.

I welcome the HLF's recognition of the proposals put forward for Eastgate House, particularly in light of the tough competition it faced from other schemes nationally. The first round pass for funding shows that the HLF consider this project has real potential to deliver high-quality benefits and value for money.

Medway Council now has an excellent opportunity to develop the Eastgate House project to a second round application of £919,000. I hope everyone in our community will join me in backing the bid so that future generations can continue to enjoy this wonderful example of Elizabethan design made famous by Charles Dickens."

Show your support for the bid by leaving your name below with a message.

For more information on Eastgate House, please visit the Visit Medway website - Click Here

Mark's Christmas Message 2010

2010-12-23T15:34:00.000Z

Mark has recorded the following message to constituents and would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Support Ireland, Not The Euro

2010-12-16T13:34:00.002Z

Mark Reckless MP speaking in the House of Commons during the Second Reading of the Loans To Ireland Bill on 15th December 2010

Mark's speech was made following a series of questions in the chamber on the issue of the Irish bail out, starting with a question to the Prime Minister David Cameron during PMQs. These are set out below (courtesy of TheyWorkForYou.com)

Loans to Ireland Bill (Allocation of Time): Loans to Ireland Bill (15 Dec 2010)Mark Reckless: The package is described as a bail-out of Ireland, but it is important that we recognise that Ireland has not asked for the bail-out and that it is not the package that the Irish would have wished. Ireland and the IMF proposed to write down bank senior debt-that is, default on an element of that debt-because they recognised that it would be very difficult, although not impossible, for Ireland...

Loans to Ireland Bill (Allocation of Time): Loans to Ireland Bill (15 Dec 2010)Mark Reckless: All we are doing is passing on to Ireland the quarter per cent. or so of benefit that we gain by being a better creditor than the eurozone. Most hon. Members feel that we should help Ireland, but I agree with my hon. Friend that it is not necessarily helpful to Ireland to have a huge amount of extra debt on top of the great debt it already has. On that basis, I understand his point.

Loans to Ireland Bill (Allocation of Time): Loans to Ireland Bill (15 Dec 2010)Mark Reckless: Will my right hon. Friend confirm that, notwithstanding previous assurances, this loan will not rank pari passu with the EU funds extended under the mechanism, but will be subordinated to them?

Loans to Ireland Bill (Allocation of Time): Loans to Ireland Bill (15 Dec 2010)Mark Reckless: It is enormously welcome that this country is working with Iceland and Ireland to support them in these very difficult times. The Chancellor has mentioned the current 7.5-year swap rate; can he tell us how much higher it is than when he first announced our participation in this bail-out?

Loans to Ireland Bill (Allocation of Time) (15 Dec 2010)Mark Reckless: We may have heard one or two "Hear, hears", and I am certainly someone who wants to speak on Second Reading, but let me make clear my appreciation for what my hon. Friend is doing. Any responsibility for the curtailment of time for Back Benchers should rest squarely where it belongs, which is with those on the Treasury Bench.

Oral Answers to Questions — Northern Ireland: National Asset Management Authority (15 Dec 2010)Mark Reckless: What assessment his Department has made of assets held by the Republic of Ireland's National Asset Management Agency in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

Oral Answers to Questions — Northern Ireland: National Asset Management Authority (15 Dec 2010)Mark Reckless: Given the difficulty NAMA is having in managing these assets and the Republic's already over-indebted situation, would it not make sense for us to take some of those assets off its hands, as consideration for financial support we may give?

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Engagements (15 Dec 2010)Mark Reckless: The BBC reports that the German Finance Minister wants to set an interest rate to punish Ireland. Will the Prime Minister confirm that this country wants to help Ireland?

Statement On Tuition Fees

2010-12-10T15:18:00.003Z

Yesterday in a tense and emotional atmosphere, with student protest around Parliament, MPs voted by 323 to 302 votes to raise tuition fees from just over £3000, to £6000, and potentially to £9000.

I was one of the 302 who voted against that government proposal. Five other Conservative and twenty one Liberal Democrat colleagues joined me in the 'No' lobby. It is not easy to vote with only a minority of my side of the House but I know that it was also not easy for many MPs who did vote with the government to make their decision. I also pay tribute to Tracey Crouch MP who was as principled in her abstention as those of us who voted either for or against.

I found it particularly difficult to justify the suddenness of the move with one student required to pay only around £3000 but then another student, potentially a sister just one year behind at school, expected to pay two or three times more with very little warning. I also believe that as MPs we should make decisions and whenever possible try and explain those likely decisions before an election, rather than use a report from someone who is not elected, however distinguished, to justify a decision (the Browne Report).

I was enormously impressed by the students who put their case to me on this issue. They asked me why they should have to pay so much when Welsh and Scottish and in many cases EU students did not have to pay at all. I then showed David Willetts, the universities minister, detailed statistics showing that 46% of EU students due to repay a loan from the British taxpayer were in default. I have also asked govenment ministers how thay can justify an 80% decrease in grant to universities in the context of a 60% increase in our net payments to the EU.

I cannot justify it, and voted accordingly.

Mark Reckless MP Welcomes BT Broadband Initiative For Community Groups In Rochester And Strood

2010-12-09T10:40:00.003Z

Rochester and Strood MP, Mark Reckless, today welcomed the launch of a new initiative which will allow community groups in Rochester and Strood which help get people online to apply for a year’s free broadband with BT.

The BT Community Connections scheme offers the opportunity for community groups to be awarded a year's free BT broadband if they help their community access the internet and improve people’s ICT skills. The scheme welcomes applications from groups able to demonstrate how they help the local community learn about the benefits of the internet and how they will train people on how to use the internet. Priority will be given to applications from community groups that operate in areas of deprivation.

Mark Reckless MP said:

"Currently there are nine million people in the UK who have never used the internet. Learning how to use it can be truly transformational for those who don’t currently do so, for whatever reason. It opens up a whole new world, whether that relates to work, keeping in touch with friends and family or just doing the weekly shop. I would urge any group which helps people access the internet and improves their ICT skills, to apply for this opportunity to win a year’s broadband."

Applications close on Thursday 13 January 2011. Community groups can get more information and apply for the awards online: www.bt.com/communityconnections.

Over A Third Of Irish Want To Leave Euro For Pound

2010-12-05T15:14:00.000Z

I commissioned top Irish pollster RED C to ask the following question to a representative sample of 1,000 people across the Republic of Ireland between 29/11/10 and 1/12/10:

“In light of the current financial crisis, would you support Ireland leaving the Euro and re-establishing a link with the pound sterling, or not?”.

Over a third of the sample answered ‘Yes’.

Support was strongest among the younger age groups and people with children. A majority of those who have already lost their jobs want Ireland to leave the Euro and return to sterling. Even 43% of Sinn Fein supporters now want to return to the pound (see full results).

In the 1990s I was UK Economist for Warburgs and argued that “the UK and Ireland would be especially badly affected by monetary union with the Continent” with Irish bank lending exploding out of control under EMU (see link1 and link2). The fall-out from that has now caused ruling Fianna Fail to fall behind Sinn Fein, even losing in my grandfather’s old seat in Donegal (Henry McDevitt TD 1938-43).

The EU thinks it can order whoever forms Ireland’s new government to slash spending and hike taxes to bail out the European Central Bank (ECB) and European investors in Irish banks. The EU is also demanding that the Irish people submit weekly reports on what they spend and is imposing an interest rate which is intended to punish rather than help.

Such behaviour by the EU may be a miscalculation because it rather assumes that the Irish have nowhere else to go. That is not the case. Individually tens, and perhaps soon hundreds, of thousands are emigrating to England and elsewhere to escape the Carolingian economic settlement.

Collectively, Ireland wants to renounce its politicians’ self-serving guarantee of senior bank debt but, despite IMF support, this has so far been vetoed by the EU and the ECB. Ireland also needs monetary policy better suited to its economy so as to avoid repeated boom-bust cycles in bank lending under the Euro.

The EU may successfully bully Greece or Spain, calculating that it would be too risky for them to reintroduce their own currency, but Ireland has another option. Already over a third of Ireland want bilateral arrangements with the UK, instead of what is on offer from the EU and the Euro, and that is before the EU measures begin to bite.

Christmas Message To Our Armed Forces

2010-12-04T01:10:00.001Z

Video courtesy of Winkball

It's Snow Joke For The Elderly

2010-11-30T07:02:00.002Z

If you have urgent needs because of the bad weather with which the council may be able to help please call Customer First on Medway 333333 during business hours or Medway 304400 if it is an emergency out of hours.

Details of school closures can be found here and weather and travel updates can be found here

Once again I would like to take the opportunity to call on local residents to please take the time to check on their elderly or vulnerable neighbours to make sure they are safe and well. Even if the snow does ease during the day, our roads, streets and alleyways will remain virtually impassable to our less able residents for quite some time due to the icy conditions that will no doubt follow.

If you know anyone locally who you think may need some assistance then please call in on them. It really doesn't take long to just have a quick check on how they are and see if they need some help with shopping or clearing their paths.

Kent Police advice for drivers in bad weather:

If you do have to drive make sure you have full visibility before setting off, so allow time to de-mist and de-ice all windows. Poor weather conditions mean it can be harder for drivers to see, so use your lights.

When the roads are wet and icy it can take twice as long to stop your vehicle, so slow down. In poor visibility be extra alert for hazards.

Carry warm waterproof clothing, food, water and a torch in your vehicle in case weather conditions mean you have to stop. Make sure you have plenty of fuel for your journey before you set off.

Mark Reckless MP Questions Government On Train Fares

2010-11-24T17:46:00.002Z

Mark Reckless MP asked the Secretary of State for Transport to explain the Government’s policy: “on the application of a cap on fare rises on train services provided by Southeastern under its franchise agreement which enables a different rate of fare rises to that applied by other franchisees” and requested that the Minister make a statement on the issue.

The Government Minister replied that: “The Southeastern Franchise Agreement agreed by the last Government specified that from 2007-2011, regulated fares on the network would be capped at RPI +3 per cent”. She explained that: “next year will be the final one in which Southeastern has a different fares regime to most other parts of the network. From 2012, RPI +3 will become the standard formula for prices regulated by the Department for Transport, including Southeastern”.

Mark Reckless said: “I believe that Kent was not given a fair deal by the last government, which agreed a contract with Southeastern providing for our fares to rise faster than elsewhere. This will stop after January and Southeastern will henceforth be treated the same as the rest of the country. I hope that Southeastern, having been given four years of higher fares than other providers, will now improve their service to passengers”.

Questioning The Chancellor On Ireland Bail-out

2010-11-23T18:02:00.000Z

From Hansard (22 November 2010):

Mark Reckless (Rochester and Strood, Conservative)
Is not the fundamental problem that Ireland has the wrong interest rate and the wrong exchange rate, and that Irish politicians made a fundamental mistake by joining the euro? Does the Chancellor agree that we must stand and support Ireland, and that should Ireland seek a return to sterling, it must have a seat on the Monetary Policy Committee?

George Osborne (Chancellor of the Exchequer, HM Treasury; Tatton, Conservative)

The first time I met my hon. Friend was when we were both at university together, and he gave a speech about exchange rates and the European exchange rate mechanism. He was absolutely right in his prediction of what would happen shortly thereafter, so it is good to hear him talk about exchange rates here in the House of Commons. I would make this observation: decisions on people's currencies must, as I am sure he would agree, be decisions for the nation state involved. I have made the observation-just because there has been some interesting speculation about this-that much of Ireland's sovereign debt is denominated in euros, which would remain whatever its currency was.

Tesco for Schools

2010-11-19T15:21:00.002Z

I was delighted to have been asked to present computer equipment to schools in my constituency on behalf of Tesco via their excellent voucher scheme. Here are some photos from the day.

Thanks to all the children who came along. I hope they all make good use of the new equipment they now have.

Supporting Ireland, Not The Euro!

2010-11-18T18:06:00.003Z

Mark Reckless MP today called on the coalition government to allow a full debate on the financial crisis in Ireland.

Speaking in the House, Mark proposed that the British government give the people of Ireland "whatever support is necessary to support an orderly return to sterling" and called on the Leader of the House, Sir George Young, to send out a clear message that not a penny of UK taxpayers' money will be spent on bailing out the Euro.

From Hansard:

Mark Reckless (Rochester and Strood) (Con): May I repeat the request for a debate on Ireland? My grandfather served in the Dail for Fianna Fail, and if he could see it now, he would be turning in his grave. Surely the message from this House to those politicians must be that we will not vote for a penny to bail out their euro, whereas the message to the Irish people must be that we will give whatever support is necessary to support an orderly return to sterling.

Sir George Young: I understand where my hon. Friend is coming from. I repeat what I said to my hon. Friend the Member for Gainsborough (Mr Leigh). The Chancellor of the Exchequer will want to keep the House informed in the light of the discussions that are taking place in Dublin about the support that may be needed, but which, as I understand it, has not so far been requested by the Irish Government. This country has an interest in a stable and prosperous Ireland and, as I have said, we stand ready to do what we can to secure that objective.

A Better Option For Ireland

2010-11-17T00:01:00.002Z

Ireland is being bullied by Euro-zone countries to act in their best interests rather than its own:

• Portugal's finance minister urges Ireland “to do the right thing for the euro and accept a bail-out”;

• Spain’s finance minister tells Ireland to make the “proper decision”; and

• Angela Merkel can’t decide whether to protect German banks, who have over-lent to Ireland, or German taxpayers who would fund a bail out.

Ireland though will act in its own interests - and it has a better option than the two that were open to Greece. The Greeks had to do what they were told by the Germans, or re-establish the drachma.

In the long-term it might be best for Greece to go its own way. In the short-term though the costs of inflation, default and exclusion from the international capital markets would be high, and would only partially be offset by an inflow of bargain hunting tourists.

Unlike Greece, Ireland would not need to re-establish an independent currency, with all the short-term difficulties that would entail. Ireland could simply rejoin sterling and have a monetary policy more suited for Irish needs.

Germany’s Irish loans could be deemed to have been made in sterling, so as to provide a fair return but allow Ireland to start exporting its way back to growth. We would benefit from closer relations with Ireland and keep the spur of Irish tax competition which the EU would snuff out.

Every MP I have spoken to says they would be happy for Ireland to have a guaranteed seat on the Bank of England’s monetary policy committee. This would mean that, unlike before 1979, Ireland as a sovereign country would have a proper say in setting sterling interest rates.

When we raised the idea with David Liddington, our Europe minister, at the Conservative Foreign Affairs Committee yesterday he was positive, if Ireland wants to explore this option. I know the Chancellor will want to help Ireland stand up to bullying at ECOFIN today.

What better way than to let them know they can come back to sterling if the euro isn’t working for them?

Transport Minister Pressed To Fully Fund Medway Tunnel

2010-11-11T18:09:00.003Z

Medway tunnel could be fully funded by the government in the future if a local campaign is successful.

Mark Reckless MP and the local councillor responsible for transport, Phil Filmer, met with the Transport Minister, Mike Penning, on Tuesday (9th November) to discuss the future funding of the tunnel.

Currently Medway Council is the only unitary authority in the country to have responsibility for such a tunnel, which serves 46,000 vehicles every day.

Nationally, most tunnels are either funded from tolls or are on major roads where the funding comes directly from the government.

In contrast Medway Council only receives funding for the length of the road inside the tunnel, which is the equivalent of 725 metres, and not for its running costs. This means the council has to rely on its own highways budget.

At the meeting, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Mike Penning MP promised to raise the issue with his fellow minister to see if the tunnel could be included in a new asset register from 2012.

If this were to happen, the council would then receive the necessary funding from the government, as part of its formula grant, to manage the Medway tunnel.

Mark Reckless is also writing to the Transport Minister Norman Baker to see if he would be willing to visit Medway to see the tunnel for himself. This follows on from a campaign by local councillor Herbie Crack who is working in partnership with Mr Reckless to get the minister to come to Medway.

Portfolio Holder for Front Line Services Cllr Phil Filmer said:

"The minister was very sympathetic to Medway’s position as the only unitary authority in the country which has to maintain a tunnel with a value of £120 million from its highway budget. Funding for the tunnel is purely based on the equivalent of a section of duel carriageway 725 metres long, which does not take account of the tunnels running costs and needs to change".

Mark Reckless MP said:

"I was very pleased with how this issue is being progressed by the coalition government and, in conjunction with what other councillors are doing locally to convince ministers to visit the site, will hopefully result in a positive outcome and see the tunnel getting the funding it requires."

Mark Reckless Calls For Action On Student Loans

2010-11-10T11:44:00.003Z

Mark Reckless MP has called on the Government to take action over continuing delays in students receiving their funding, following a warning from the National Audit Office that the Student Loans Company scheme was at "substantial" risk of being hit by delays again this year.

In a question to the Secretary of State for Education, Mark Reckless called for action to be taken on behalf of students who have started the new academic year, but are still waiting for their loans to be processed. He called upon the Secretary of State for Education to "take action over the longstanding issue of student loans not being processed in a timely manner."

Commenting on the question, Mark said:

"In recent weeks I have been contacted by many students and parents seeking my assistance in sorting out the mess we have inherited from the last government. As the MP for a constituency which has transformed itself over recent years into a major destination for students from all across the country seeking to further their education at our top-class universities here in Medway, I am dismayed that so many of our young people are still struggling to pay their rent and bills despite repeated assurances from the previous government that this issue was being addressed.

At a time when we are asking students to share a greater burden of the cost in financing their own higher education, I think the least we can do is ensure they receive their money on time."

MP Web Awards Nomination

2010-11-10T10:01:00.003Z

Mark Reckless has been shortlisted for an award in BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, MP Web Awards.

Mark will be competing against 25 other MPs in the ‘social media’ category after his web presence was recognised by independent voters in a recent poll.

Mark will now have to await the decision of this year’s judges who include Quentin Letts of the Daily Mail, Mark Say, editor of Government Computing, Matthew Windle, a member of Youth Parliament and Rachel Gibson, Professor of Political Science at the University of Manchester. Judges will be looking for sites that successfully engage, excite, provide information and encourage two-way communication between MPs and their constituents.

Speaking of the nomination, Mark Reckless said:

“I am delighted that the work I have been doing to raise the profile of the constituency is being recognised further afield. Like most politicians I realise we need to do more in terms of engaging with the public using social media such as Twitter, YouTube and Facebook, as well as by more traditional means. I certainly think younger voters particularly appreciate being able to engage with their representatives using new and developing social technologies.

There are some great colleagues shortlisted for this award so I won’t be holding my breath, but being nominated so early in my Parliamentary career is very welcome and it is something I hope to build on. Plus, it can be great fun and doesn’t have to cost the taxpayer a penny!”

Mark was also recently voted 43rd in the Total Politics Top 100 Conservative blogs category and 11th in the Top 30 MP Blogs.

The awards ceremony will take place on Monday 15th November in the House of Commons and will be hosted by the Rt Hon Alun Michael MP, Chair of the Parliamentary Information Technology Committee.

For more information about the Awards please visit: http://www.bcs.org/mpawards

Congratulations For Safe Exit Success

2010-11-09T19:47:00.002Z

Mark Reckless has congratulated Kent Police after their Safe Exit team were presented with a national award at the Jane’s Police Review Gala Awards by the Home Secretary Theresa May.

The Safe Exit scheme, which was awarded first place in the ‘Diversity in Action’ category, was launched by the Kent Police in Medway in partnership with the Medway Drug and Alcohol Team, Medway Council and NHS Medway to tackle the negative impact that street prostitution has on local communities. To date the scheme has seen over 80% of women involved in the illegal sex trade in Medway sign up to receive advice and support, enabling them to take control of their lives and leave the trade safely.

Speaking of the award, Mark Reckless said:

"I am delighted that Steve Corbishley and his team have received this award from the Home Secretary. The Home Affairs Select Committee also showcased this work after I invited Keith Vaz, our Chairman, to Medway to learn more of our success. I will be seeing Steve Corbishley and his team tomorrow to congratulate them."

The awards ceremony took place at the London Hilton, Park Lane, London. One thousand people, including police officers and staff, were in attendance with the Home Secretary, to recognise and reward outstanding achievements in policing.

Debating The EU Budget

2010-11-04T11:15:00.000Z

Controlling Immigration

2010-11-03T11:30:00.002Z

Today we publish our first Report of the Home Affairs Select Committee in this Parliament. All our eleven members were elected by, and in competition with, other MPs, rather than on the say-so of party whips, so our conclusions are completely independent of government.

However, on the ‘Immigration Cap’, the subject of our first report, I am delighted to be full-square behind the government and to have a fellow Kent MP, Damian Green, as the minister controlling immigration. After a decade during which net immigration has run at hundreds of thousands a year we are going to deliver on our manifesto promise and reduce it to just tens of thousands.

Our Report today focuses on just one area of immigration, people from outside the European Economic Area (“EEA”) who apply for work visas. One key conclusion of the Committee is that the Government must move far beyond this category, and will need to impose tighter controls on students and, potentially, family migration if it is to cut net immigration to just tens of thousands a year as promised.

We cannot control some immigration, e.g. the increase last year in the number of UK citizens abroad choosing to return to the UK, so we must control others routes as stringently as necessary to cut net immigration to tens of thousands a year. This need not though mean damaging the economy, since:

• Perhaps half of Tier 1 migrants, who were defined by the previous government as being so highly skilled that we should give them a visa even if they didn’t have a job, have only been able to get unskilled work, so these visas can be reallocated; and

• If a particular business really needs a particular overseas national to work in the UK, then that can be accommodated within an overall cap by auctioning available permits to businesses which benefit most from foreign workers.

Mark Reckless MP Slams Peninsula Airport Plans

2010-10-25T17:01:00.004+01:00

Mark Reckless has hit out after an unjustified and irresponsible article stated that the Mayor of London is considering plans to build an airport on the Hoo Peninsula.

In an open letter to the Sunday Times Mark states;

Dear Sir,

Your article on 24 October referring to “new plans for a £14 billion replacement airport alongside the Thames estuary” has caused unnecessary upset to the twenty thousand or so of my constituents who live on what you describe as “the largely uninhabited Hoo peninsula”.

Rather than being “new” or “the brainchild of John Olsen” as suggested, the plan for an airport on the Hoo Peninsula is, as you recognise elsewhere in your article, essentially the same as the Labour government’s 2002-3 Cliffe Airport proposal. You noted that “the site was rejected because of the high risk of bird strike” but that was only one of many reasons.

In rejecting the proposal the previous government cited a lack of support from airlines and concerns that high up-front construction costs could make it financially unviable. Its white paper concluded that “the net benefits of Cliffe were lower than for any of the combinations of additional capacity at existing airports”.

The Prime Minister and the Coalition Government have repeatedly ruled out the building of a new airport in or around the Thames Estuary. Even the Mayor of London, who in any event has neither the power nor the money to build such an airport, has said he is no longer pushing the idea. It will not happen.

Yours sincerely,

Mark Reckless MP

Mark Reckless MP Calls For Reduction In EU Budget

2010-10-19T20:02:00.001+01:00

Mark Reckless MP has called for a reduction in the UK's contribution to the EU ahead of tomorrow's Comprehensive Spending Review.

Speaking alongside Sir Menzies Campbell on the BBC's Daily Politics show, Mark expressed his concern that the UK's contribution to the EU is set to rise at a time when the coalition government is forced find savings and cut public services in order to address the economic mess left by the last Labour government.

On top of the £1.9 billion increase to the EU budget the UK will be paying in 2011, the European Union has asked for a further increase of £380million to cover the cost of 'admin'. Mark recently joined 37 other Conservative MPs in supporting Douglas Carswell's amendment calling on the government to cut the UK's contribution to the EU.

Speaking on the Daily Politics, Mark said;

"In our country it is not the government that is sovereign, nor is it the EU. It is the Westminster Parliament, and if we say the EU budget is reduced, the government will reduce it.

Take child benefit for example. We're finding a billion by not giving it to top rate taxpayers although the commitment was to do so previously. There are now suggestions it will be taken away for children over sixteen. But at the same time I find that we are paying £70million every year to children elsewhere in the EU in child benefit who aren't even here. Now surely that is something we should consider. We can't have the EU as the only area that is exempt - that is going up 60% - while finding these reductions elsewhere. We must make savings."

Mark Reckless MP Welcomes Residents To New Sheltered Scheme In Hoo

2010-10-19T00:19:00.004+01:00

Mark Reckless, MP for Rochester and Strood, was the special guest at Kent-based housing association mhs homes' official opening of Great Paul House, a new sheltered scheme based in Hoo, Kent.

The formal opening of the scheme was also attended by representatives from the Homes and Communities Agency, Medway Council, national developer Taylor Wimpey and Employers Agent Calford Seaden as well as residents, representatives from Medway Older Persons Partnership and staff and board members from mhs homes.

Mr Reckless cut the ribbon in front of the crowd and officially declared the sheltered scheme open. He said, "It's a real pleasure to open this impressive scheme. mhs homes has managed the process in partnership with developers and contractors very well. This is a great development situated in the middle of properties that house a real mix of people, from the young to families and older residents. I hope everyone who lives here is very happy."

The Sheltered Scheme which is a development of 26, one bedroom quality flats, derives its name from "The Great Paul Bell" which hangs at St Paul's Cathedral in London and holds the title for the largest bell in the country.

Caroline Proverbs (pictured with Mark), mhs homes operations director said, "We were very pleased that Mark Reckless MP was able to open the scheme and help us officially open the final phase of sixty three new build properties which we have been working on with Taylor Wimpey for over a year and a half. Each flat within the scheme has been designed internally to provide spacious living. There is a sizeable lounge and kitchen area as well as generously sized bedrooms and luxury fitted bathrooms."

Angela Pething a resident of Great Paul House, is very pleased with her new flat, she said, "The flat is lovely and a perfect size, plus I've got fantastic views overlooking the River Medway. I've always lived in Medway and my family live close by so this scheme is ideal."

The Homes and Communities Agency helped to fund the development scheme and gave mhs homes just under £4.4million for the 63 units which all meet the Eco Homes Very Good standard. Akin Durowoju, head of area at the HCA, said: "These new residents can look forward to a high quality, affordable and comfortable new home at Great Paul House. I'm certain this development will be an asset for the community, providing opportunities for people to stay close to their families and friends as their support needs change."

John Eleckington another new resident said, "My wife and I came and looked round before we put down a bid for the flat. I'm an ex-builder and was very impressed with the scheme. We will be moving in shortly and looking forward to living here, especially with the views we will have every morning."

Thirty seven of the homes - (eight 2 bedroom flats, seventeen x 2 bedroom houses, five 3 bedroom houses and seven 4 bedroom houses.) a mix of flats and houses were handed over to the mhs homes housing team throughout January to March 2010 and are all fully occupied. All of the new homes have been let to general needs residents.

Managing director of Taylor Wimpey South East, Phil Chapman said, "Taylor Wimpey South East are proud to be involved in helping deliver such an important community scheme as Great Paul House and our close working relationship with mhs homes group has helped to ensure the scheme was delivered on time and to an excellent standard."

For more information please contact Kate Stevens at mhs homes on 01634 354226, or contact Tim Abbott at the HCA on 0118 902 8441, or email tim.abbott@hca.gsx.gov.uk

Working Together In The National Interest

2010-10-06T16:34:00.000+01:00

Fares Fair For Medway? Have Your Say

2010-10-06T10:46:00.002+01:00

Are you a Southeastern commuter? Do you think fares are too high? Well Mark would like to hear from you.

Following a recent meeting with Charles Horton, Managing Director of Southeastern Trains, Mark Reckless is to raise the issue of rail fares and the affect they have had on local commuters here in Medway with Theresa Villiers, the Minister of State for Transport.

Mark will be joined by other local MPs such as Tracey Crouch (Chatham and Aylesford) to discuss the fare regime agreed under the last government that allows Southeastern to raise fares by the July RPI +3% whilst the rest of the country have seen fares rise by only RPI +1%. Fair?

As commuters in Medway brace themselves for yet another above-inflation fare increase in January, reported to be 7.8% on regulated fares (season tickets), Mark Reckless thinks the travelling public have suffered for far too long due to the unfair franchise agreement negotiated under the Labour government and would like to make sure your concerns are raised at the very highest level.

"I want Theresa Villiers to understand how unhappy many of my constituents are with Southeastern Trains and the last government singling us out for bigger increases than anywhere else in the country."

If you would like to have your say on Southeastern’s fares or general service levels then please email Mark or use the contact form on Mark's website to ensure your voice is heard.

In Good Hands

2010-10-04T10:49:00.004+01:00

Mark Reckless, MP, recently visited a promotional event held at the Dockside Outlet Centre in Chatham to find out more about the Volunteer Management Programme in Medway.

The programme is a national project funded by the Office of Civil Society and managed by Capacity Builders. Supported by the Voluntary Infrastructure Consortium Medway and delivered through a partnership (CVS Medway, North Kent Training Service, Hope in the Community, Hands & Gillingham Volunteer Centre and Hands Rochester Volunteer Centre).

Representatives from the partner organisations attended to give information to those people who manage or co-ordinate the work of volunteers as well as to people interested in volunteering generally. There was also a chance to explore the Medway SOS Bus and find out about the valuable role played by volunteers.

Speaking of the visit, Mark Reckless said “I am always struck by the large number of people who vounteer and the huge range of ways in which people can vounteer. Hands Volunteer Centre provide a fantastic service in bringing vounteers together with the organaisations which need them and I look forward to a working in close partnership with them as we develop the Big Society.”

Gillingham Volunteer Centre Manager, John Guy, said “We are always grateful to others who lend their support to our work in the local community and it was good to have the support of the local MP for the work that we do”.

Above: (left to right) Yvonne Morgan, Chair and Ann Hopley, Projects Manager, of Hands & Gillingham Volunteer Centre; Jane Legg, Manager of Hands Rochester Volunteer Centre; Mark Reckless, MP, Rochester & Strood (also a Medway Cllr.).

Ann Hopley, Project Manager of Gillingham Volunteer Centre, added “if we can help make the experience of volunteering better for all concerned then it can only be to everyone’s advantage.”

Rochester Volunteer Centre Manager, Jane Legg, said “In our role as a Volunteer Centre we recruit volunteers for our direct services and for other local charities. We can help you find the right volunteering placement. Our thanks go to the management of Dockside Outlet Centre and everyone involved in this event”.

To find out about the Programme of Network Meetings, Mentoring Scheme and Training contact Laura Boone at CVS (Medway) on 01634 812850.

For support from local Volunteer Centres, or for information about Volunteering in general, contact Jane Legg (Rochester) 01634 830371, or Ann Hopley (Gillingham) 01634 362119.

To view Hands & Gillingham Volunteer Centre’s website please click here

To view Rochester Volunteer Centre’s website please click here

New Constituency Office Address

2010-09-30T12:39:00.001+01:00

Please note that as from tomorrow (1st October) Mark's constituency office will be moving to a new address. If you would like to write to Mark, please address your correspondence to;

Mark Reckless MP
Suite 6, 4A Castle View Mews
Castle Hill
Rochester
Kent ME1 1LA

We are expecting the new office to be fully up and running within the next two weeks, but we will be unable to take calls until further notice. If you have an urgent query in the meantime you can still contact the Westminster office on 020 7219 7135.

Mark Reckless MP Takes A Walk On The Wild Side

2010-09-29T09:31:00.003+01:00

Mark Reckless MP took a walk on the wild side when he visited RSPB North Kent Marshes reserves on the Hoo Peninsula yesterday (Monday 27 September 2010).

He joined RSPB area manager Alan Johnson and Friends of North Kent Marshes to look at the work that has been carried out on the sites. This includes the creation of a car park at Cliffe Pools to improve access for visitors.

Mr Reckless said: “The RSPB reserves at Northward Hill and Cliffe Pools give Medway the most extraordinary range of birdlife and biodiversity and the RSPB’s work goes from strength to strength.

“Above all though, the reserves are a wonderful day out for people in Medway and beyond.”

Viewed from two elevated viewpoints, Mark was briefed on the wider significance of the North Kent Marshes.

Alan Johnson, RSPB area manager, said, “Cliffe Pools and Northward Hill form part of a network of RSPB reserves along both banks of the Thames Estuary. This is one of the UK’s most important areas for wildlife, including hundreds of thousands of waders and wildfowl which depend on the Thames Estuary as their winter feeding ground.”

As well as protecting these vital sites for wildlife, the RSPB is committed to opening up access across the Thames Estuary to allow people to enjoy the amazing wildlife on their own doorsteps.”

For further information and to arrange an interview, please contact:

Sophie McCallum, RSPB South East, t: 01273 763603

Visit the RSPB website – Click Here

MP Mark Reckless Wants Kingsnorth Plant Reassurance

2010-09-18T15:47:00.003+01:00

From the BBC;

A Kent MP has asked the government for reassurance about the future of a controversial coal-fired power station.

Mark Reckless, the Conservative MP for Rochester and Strood, was speaking in Parliament about the Kingsnorth plant.

The power station near Strood is one of the sites in the running to house a carbon and capture storage facility.

Mr Reckless asked the energy minister Gregory Barker if the government would give “proper and full consideration” to the proposals.

The site has been a high-profile target for environmental protests by groups that argue a new plant would increase carbon emissions and climate change.

The energy firm E.On announced last October it was putting on hold the plans, claiming electricity demand had fallen during the global recession.

Mr Barker said the government was committed to carbon and capture storage technology and Kingsnorth was one of the schemes under consideration.

Photo courtesy of David Bowen

Supporting National Cholesterol Week

2010-09-18T15:43:00.004+01:00

HEART UK took its message on the importance of knowing your cholesterol to Westminster today. The nation’s leading cholesterol charity, organisers of the UK’s first National Cholesterol Week, set up cholesterol testing within the Palace of Westminster this afternoon. Local MP Mark Reckless not only attended this event, but also had his cholesterol tested.

“I am delighted to support HEART UK’s National Cholesterol Week. Heart disease is the biggest killer in the UK and if something as simple and as painless as a quick cholesterol test can make the difference between a long and healthy life or a shorter life expectancy, marred by illness, then I urge all my constituents to get their cholesterol tested as soon as possible,” said Mark Reckless after receiving his results. “All you have to do is make an appointment at your local GP’s surgery. A raised cholesterol reading is an excellent indicator of cardiovascular problems and so testing early is a good way of helping to keep your heart healthy.”

This Parliamentary Reception, sponsored by Welch’s Purple Grape Juice, was organised by HEART UK in conjunction with Chris Ruane MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Heart Disease. Aldo Zilli, the celebrity chef, also attended this event in his role as Ambassador to HEART UK. The author of Zilli Light and the owner of several renowned restaurants in London, he has lost several members of his family to problems associated with high cholesterol and so is a keen supporter of the work of HEART UK.

“I am delighted to be here this afternoon supporting HEART UK’s National Cholesterol Week,” he told MPs. “I am determined to raise awareness of the problems of too much cholesterol. Many people don’t fully understand how important it is to keep cholesterol in check or how to do it. People need to look at what they are putting into their bodies. Remember you only have one body and one heart.”

Cholesterol is a waxy substance that is found naturally in the body, but high levels of it can cause the arteries to narrow. Not only does this force the heart to work harder to pump the blood around the body but if arteries that feed the heart become completely blocked the heart can become starved of oxygen resulting in a heart attack. Cholesterol is measured in units called millimoles per litre of blood (mmol/L). According to guidelines laid out by the Joint British Societies, we should aim for a total cholesterol level under 5 mmol/l in order to keep our hearts healthy and an LDL cholesterol of less than 3mmol/l.

For further information on National Cholesterol Week, including an information pack supported by Shredded Wheat, please contact National Cholesterol Week Co-Ordinators Diana Butler or Rachael Gardiner on 01784 780093 or email Rachael at rachaelgardiner@echocoms.com.

Welcoming Keith Vaz MP To Medway

2010-09-08T22:27:00.004+01:00

Policing successes in Medway and Kent were highlighted in the House of Commons on Monday following a cross-agency meeting arranged by Mark Reckless in Medway, and attended by Keith Vaz MP, Chairman of the influential Home Affairs Select Committee (HASC).

Following an invitation from Mark Reckless, MP for Rochester and Strood and fellow HASC member, to visit the constituency, Mr Vaz met with key figures in the local community including Ian Learmonth, the Chief Constable of Kent, Cllr Rodney Chambers, leader of Medway Council, and Neil Davies, CE of Medway Council, to discuss how innovative and effective programmes such the Safe Exit and Integrated Offender Management schemes have achieved real and tangible results in the fight against crime and anti-social behaviour.

The Safe Exit scheme was launched by the Kent Police in Medway in partnership with the Medway Drug and Alcohol Team, Medway Council and NHS Medway to tackle the negative impact that street prostitution has on local communities. To date the scheme has seen over 80% of women involved in the illegal sex trade in Medway sign up to receive advice and support, enabling them to take control of their lives and leave the trade safely.

The Integrated Offender Management scheme is run by staff from the Kent Police, Youth Offending services and other agencies to tackle the most problematic offenders within a specific area or community.

Both of these schemes were praised by Keith Vaz when he returned to Westminster for questions to the Home Secretary. Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Vaz stated:

“This morning, at the invitation of the hon. Member for Rochester and Strood (Mark Reckless), I visited Medway and was shown two innovative, award-winning schemes pioneered by the police there to combat prostitution and to ensure effective offender management.”

Mark Reckless MP welcomed the visit, saying:

"I was really pleased to welcome Keith Vaz to the constituency in his role as Chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee. We had a really constructive meeting and debate on the role of policing here in Medway. In my role with the Kent Police Authority, and as a Medway Councillor, I have worked closely with the Police and other agencies to ensure we deliver the best possible service to the people of the Medway Towns.

I particularly welcome the Chairman’s recognition in the House of Commons for the innovative schemes we have developed here in Medway to tackle prostitution and reoffending. It has been shown that by working closely with local councils and other
agencies, the Police can tackle the root causes of problems within our communities. I hope that other forces will replicate this ground-breaking work which we have been doing in Medway and which Keith and I have promoted in Parliament this week."

Open Letter To Kent County Council

2010-08-23T00:52:00.002+01:00

Pension SectionKent
County Council,2nd Floor
Brenchley House
Week Street
Maidstone
Kent ME14 1RF

Dear XXXX

Firefighters Pension Scheme

I am writing on behalf of a constituent regarding your recent letter to them in which they are required to complete a Certificate of Entitlement.

Having read the contents of your letter and listened to my constituent’s concerns, I am concerned that the process of forcing widows and widowers of those who served so bravely in the Fire Service to prove that they are still eligible to receive their pension is, to put it mildly, insensitive.

As my constituent rightly points out, there is already a legal obligation on recipients of widow’s and widower’s pension to declare a change in their circumstances that may affect their entitlement. It therefore strikes me as being inappropriate and unnecessary to force recipients of this pension to declare their eligibility on an annual basis, a procedure which clearly does imply a lack of trust in recipients, notwithstanding your contrary assertion.

I would be grateful if you would give consideration as to how Kent County Council can go about administering this scheme in the future so as to avoid causing further undue distress to my constituent and others who are in a similar position.

I am, because of the importance of this issue to those that I represent, making my concerns known to the Kent media.

Yours sincerely,

Mark Reckless
Member of Parliament for Rochester and Strood

Strood Academy Saved

2010-08-06T22:09:00.002+01:00

We have received fantastic news in Medway today from the Coalition Government. All three of our Academies in Medway, including the Strood Academy which has already been up and running for a year albeit in old or temporary buildings on two sites, have got the go ahead to build brand new school buildings.

I am enormously grateful to Michael Gove, whom I am proud to count as a personal friend as well as someone I believe will prove to be an outstanding Secretary of State for Education, for keeping faith with us in Medway over these schools.

In these very tight economic times the Coalition Government has prioritised crucial schools funding for us in Medway and, because of the tough but necessary decisions being taken on the public finances generally, we now have funding which is not just an unfunded aspiration, but is secure and sustainable.

I did not feel able to say too much publicly before we had an official announcement. However, as constituents might imagine, following the initial announcement that funding for our three Academies was "under discussion", all three Medway MPs embarked on intensive lobbying.

I was fortunate to be able to arrange a meeting with Michael the evening after the initial announcement. I followed up with this letter once I had spoken with Les Wicks and met with Rose Collinson to agree a strategy where I focussed my efforts on the Strood Academy in my constituency. This complemented the work of Medway officers and Tracey Crouch and Rehman Chisthi in respect of the two schools in their constituences.

Throughout the process I have believed that we had an outstandingly strong case in respect of the Strood Academy. I am delighted that this has now been formally recognised, but also that the Coalition Government has been able to give the support it has to the Bishop of Rochester and Brompton Academies, which were a year behind us in Strood.

I am really pleased for all the children who will benefit as well as for their parents and teachers. I would also like to say thank you to the council officers who have worked so hard on this. Great news!

Addressing Residents' Concerns Over Watts Meadow

2010-07-21T14:01:00.003+01:00

Cllr Mark Reckless MP spent an hour on Monday visiting Watts Meadow with local campaigner Adrian Osborne of Rochester Avenue to inspect its current state.

Visiting the site with Rochester West ward colleague Cllr Ted Baker, Mark was given a demonstration of just how difficult it is to navigate the site if you are blind or disabled given the current condition of the walkways through the meadow. Wearing a blackout mask provided by Adrian to bring home the difficulties which the blind faces, Mark found the going really hard.

Mark said:

"The paths and walkways around Watts Meadow can be difficult to navigate for those of us who have full vision and no disabilities. Now, thanks to Adrian's intervention, I am only too well aware of just how hard it must be to enjoy this beautiful green space if you have problems with your vision or a disability of any kind.

It is clear that some work needs to be done to ensure that everyone can enjoy Watts Meadow, including getting particular pathways levelled. In some areas foliage, nettles and brambles also need cutting back, although I understand the case for leaving some of other areas entirely to nature.

Residents are currently being denied access to the meadow from Priestfields due to house-building work in that area. I have emphasised to Robin Cooper, the responsible Director at Medway Council, how upset residents are that this closure was not pre-notified. I believe that, subject to financial constraints, there is also a need for Watts Meadow to be brought up to a suitable condition more generally so that local people can fully enjoy this vital green lung in the heart of Rochester.

I will be working with Medway Council and residents such as Adrian Osborne to make sure Watts Meadow gets the care and attention it so rightly deserves. I will also be trying to understand why the Friends of Watts Meadow group have not had the success working with the Council which we have achieved with the Borstal Open Spaces Society."

Mark is also interested to hear from anyone who can shed some light on when the concrete road that leads up the allotments on Watts Meadow was built and why it remains, to this day, unfinished. One theory put forward by Adrian Osborne is that it was dug up by builders when the houses in Ethelbert Road were constructed. If anyone can help with this mystery, they can email contact@markreckless.com

2010-06-22T18:08:00.002+01:00

“This Reckless Tory Budget would not have been possible without the Liberal Democrats”

I managed to find a seat in the Chamber earlier, but it was next to the Liberal Democrats, and one or two colleagues caught my eye as Labour's acting leader, Harriet Harman, trotted out the above line of attack.

I first met George Osborne twenty years ago during freshers' week at university, so I did a little bit of a double take today as I saw him walk into the Chamber, have the Prime Minister pour him a drink, and then launch into the most important budget statement for a generation.

George seems to have grown into the role of Chancellor very quickly. As well as being politically sensitive and astute, I feel that he delivered just about the best economic package he could, given the mess which he has been left to clear up.

Only halving the deficit over five years, as Labour proposed, was never a serious plan, because investors would not have lent us the money at a price we could afford. We will eliminate the current structural budget deficit over the course of the Parliament to restore confidence in our credit, our currency and our country.

Harriet Harman is right. This Budget would not have been possible without, at a minimum, Liberal Democrat acquiescence. It is surely better though - however much Harriet Harman dislikes it – to have Liberal Democrats and Conservatives actively working together to clear up the mess which Labour have left behind.

We are all in it together. Today's Budget sets out, not Conservative cuts, but the best efforts of our national coalition to put our country back on track.

Decision Day For St John's

2010-06-08T16:14:00.003+01:00

Councillor Mark Reckless MP has welcomed the news that the Office of the Schools Adjudicator has today ruled against the closure of St John's Infants School in Chatham and the amalgamation of Delce Infants and Juniors.

Today's ruling will come as a great relief to all the parents, children and staff who campaigned so hard to keep these small and successful community-based schools.

In November of last year Mark called on the Council to take independent legal advice to clarify whether or not Medway Council was acting lawfully in its plans to close St John's.

Speaking on the ruling Mark said:

"Last year, I was extremely pleased to have helped keep St Peter's Infants School open, and I similarly welcome the decision of the adjudicator with regard to St John's. I was never convinced of the case for closing St John's and voiced my concerns, including with respect to the legality of the process, in Overview and Scrutiny, to full Council, and finally to the Adjudicator.

My congratulations go out to all the parents, children and staff at St John's on running such a spirited campaign. I am also delighted that the two Delce schools will retain their independence and hopefully now go from strength to strength. Let us hope that this is the end of these proposals once and for all."

Decision on St John's Decision - Click Here
Decision on Delce Schools - Click Here

Maiden Speech In The Commons

2010-06-08T12:19:00.002+01:00

I congratulate Gemma Doyle and Members on both sides of the House on the excellent maiden speeches we have heard today.

I thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, for recognising me for this maiden speech. It is, after all, five years since my predecessor, Bob Marshall-Andrews, took to the airwaves to concede defeat. Many Members may have heard him admit defeat on that occasion, but not all may have heard him make later what has variously been described as an Al Gore-style retraction or a Lazarus-like recovery.

Bob Marshall-Andrews represented the constituents of Medway for 13 years, highly ably holding the Government to account throughout that period. During that time he faced a pincer attack from my campaign and from his Front Bench. On one occasion, the Labour Whips were so keen to assist my campaign that they leaked the fact that they had given him permission to undertake legal work in Hong Kong for several weeks while Parliament was sitting. Such things are always opaque, but I understand that it was in retaliation for Mr Marshall-Andrews having auctioned a series of Whips' letters to recalcitrant MPs, to raise money for the Campaign group.

Bob Marshall-Andrews had a number of great successes. He defended the right to trial by jury-I am delighted that my hon. Friend Mr Raab took up that cause this evening-and he helped to prevent the extension of detention without trial. He played a major part locally in bringing the campuses of four universities to our constituency.

The counstituency of Rochester and Strood is the successor to the Medway constituency. It contains two of the five Medway towns. Rochester, with its castle and cathedral, was and should again be a city. Strood, its proud neighbour over the River Medway, grew in the patriotic fervour of the Boer war, along with Chatham dockyard, and that is recorded in street names such as Gordon, Kitchener and Cecil.

The constituency contains the historic dockyard of Chatham, which built and served our Navy from before the time of Pepys, to Nelson's HMS Victory, to the Falklands conflict. We are proud of that heritage, but we are also proud that, 25 years on, we have recovered from the closure of that dockyard.

The constituency is two thirds urban, but also a third rural. We have the Hoo peninsula, between the Rivers Medway and Thames, which stretches from Grain to Cliffe, and where we saw off the threat of an airport twice the size of Heathrow. The constituency also contains the north downs villages of Cuxton and Halling.

On the substance of the debate tonight, I should declare an interest: I am a member of the Kent police authority. However, on occasion, turkeys do vote for Christmas, and I should like to welcome the coalition's proposals to abolish police authorities and replace us with directly elected individuals. It must be right that those who exercise the coercive power of the state should be held to account by those whom they serve. That is a progressive cause. It is the cause for centuries of the parish constable against the remote magistracy. It is the cause of London Labour councils and the South Yorkshire police authority through the 1980s. It is the cause of the Levellers and, indeed, the Diggers, to which my hon. Friend the Member for Esher and Walton referred earlier. However, it is a cause today that is represented not by the Opposition, but by the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend Mr Cameron, who represents not just Burford, but democratic ideals of the Levellers who lost their lives there.

I have heard the odd senior police officer oppose those plans, yet there is no suggestion of any intrusion on the chief constable's prerogative. The powers that will be transferred are currently those of police authorities. Surely, the objection is not merely that directly elected individuals will exercise those powers more effectively than police authorities have done to date.

We will also codify operational independence. I would caution that that does not mean that the police should be allowed to get along with things solely as they wish. The Metropolitan police have a tradition of independence because we have had a concern to guard against them becoming the arm of central Government. However, our tripartite system is a compromise between counties, where chief constables would occasionally receive instructions, and boroughs, where oversight was much greater. Indeed, the watch committee of the borough of Preston met twice a day-once in the morning, to give the chief constable his instructions, and once in the early evening, to check that he had carried them out.

Before I close, I should like to draw the House's attention to what I consider the major trend in policing of the past 25 years. It is the movement of power from locally appointed and accountable chief constables to an organisation that is both a private company and a trade union with a closed shop: the Association of Chief Police Officers, which has grown to dominate the field of policing without the sanction of the House. It has its committees and its cabinet, and it issues instructions to us in Kent on how much we should charge for policing the Faversham carnival or the Maidstone water festival. It is right that we should now move and have directly elected police commissioners to rebalance the policing landscape and restore local democracy.

Hansard Source: 7th June 2010

Dunkirk Little Ships Visit

2010-06-02T11:04:00.002+01:00

Cllr Mark Reckless, MP for Rochester and Strood, attended the Dunkirk 70th Anniversary over the weekend, accompanied by fellow Conservative Association members Parish Councillors Chris Buckwell and Alan Marsh, as well as Conservative MEP for South-East England, Daniel Hannan.

Mark said "It was a very moving experience, and we had the chance to speak with veterans who are in their nineties. The Dunkirk Little Ships had made a great effort to return to Dunkirk and I wanted to pay my respects on this historic occasion".

Mark was particularly delighted to meet up with the Tolhurst family from Borstal, including Kelly Tolhurst who took charge of leading the Little Ships into Dunkirk harbour last week, and Ian and Doreen Pearson from Cuxton. Their boats, Lijns and Wendy Ken, had been at Dunkirk in 1940.

Councillor Buckwell also updated Mark on progress being made by the Medway Queen Preservation Society, which was represented at Dunkirk by way of her display vehicle and a number of visiting Preservation Society activists.

Catching Breath...

2010-05-25T21:54:00.002+01:00

It is two and a half weeks since the election and I apologise to readers for not updating here during that period.

There has been an extraordinary crush of commitments and expectations and the hardest part has been to prioritise.

I have done a few interviews, but turned down many more, and dealt successfully with some constituency casework, but fear that it may be a month or two before I am really on top of it.

Currently my office is a committee room in the House of Commons which I share with up to a dozen other MPs. The camaraderie is at least good for morale, one colleague teasing me that I should enjoy the view of the Thames before the whips install me in a windowless broom cupboard.

However, I am looking forward to having a permanent base for work, particularly in the constituency, and one or two people to help organise my work, and I am grateful to the one who has helping me a bit voluntarily now.

Today was the State Opening of Parliament and a wonderful experience. One MP told me that it was the 56th time that the Queen has read such a speech.

In the Chamber one area where colleagues are still feeling their way is in how we relate to the Liberal Democrats in our coalition. Don Foster, the Liberal Democrat for Bath, said he was proud to be the first Liberal since 1939 to propose or second the Loyal Address (which supports the Queen’s speech), and was generally supportive of our joint programme.

However, he then riled some colleagues by citing an historical quotation hailing the Conservative party being led to the left under aristocratic leadership. The Prime Minister shot straight back that, whilst the last Liberal to second the Loyal Address had indeed done so in 1939, he then sank into obscurity until he joined the Conservatives some years later.

Rochester and Strood Constituency Result

2010-05-07T10:37:00.002+01:00

1. Mark Reckless (Conservative) - 23,604
2. Teresa Murray (Labour) - 13,651
3. Geoff Juby (Liberal Democrats) - 7,800
4. Ron Sands (English Democrats) - 2,182
5. Simon Marchant (Green Party) - 734

Total votes cast: 48,044
Turnout %: 65.14%

The constituency swing is 9.8% from Labour to Conservative.

Vote Mark Reckless for Change Today

2010-05-06T00:32:00.001+01:00

Vote for Change today.

ADVERT

Rochester Fireplaces - Home Sweet Home
139 High Street, Rochester, Kent ME1 1EW
Tel: 01634 408 007

After 13 Years, Labour Gets An “F” In The South East

2010-05-03T00:45:00.006+01:00

As the General Election approaches the final stretch, Conservatives released a report card revealing Labour's failure across the English regions.

On the key issues of concern to voters, Labour have spent billions yet failed to improve the quality of life for many millions of people across the country.

Commenting, Conservative Party Chairman Eric Pickles said:

"Today we’re holding Labour to account. Thirteen years of Labour and what we're left with is a budgetary black hole and more empty promises. If I were a teacher, I’d look at Labour's record in the South East and give them an 'F'."

Conservatives released a "report card" of Labour's record of failure in the regions. The report card looks at Labour’s record on jobs, the economy, crime, NHS, education and transport.

Download the full report card here

Full South East data here

ADVERT

Xtremity - Stockists of Windsurfing, Snowboarding and Skateboarding Hardware and Fashion Items for Men and Women
2A Crow Lane, Rochester, Kent ME1 1RF
Tel: 01634 402944

We Need To Protect Our Border

2010-04-30T14:03:00.000+01:00

Mark Reckless is extremely concerned to learn that Labour are apparently slashing the number of immigration officers deployed at Dover to protect against illegal immigration:

Read the article here

As a member of the Kent Police Authority Mark is demanding to know whether Kent Police have been properly consulted about these proposals.

He is also questioning whether the civil service should be carrying them forward during an election period when they know that the Conservatives will introduce a new border force, combining police and immigration officers.

ADVERT

The Rochester Armoury - Bringing The Past Back To The Future
2B Crow Lane, Rochester, Kent ME1 1RF
Tel: 01634 845526

Campaign Diary Week 3

2010-04-27T23:18:00.003+01:00

It's a two horse race...

ADVERT

Nimbus Lighting, 144 High Street, Rochester, Kent ME1 1ER.
Great Lighting At Great Prices.
Tel: 01634 407724

It's A Two Horse Race...

2010-04-27T23:12:00.004+01:00

Candidates from other parties have been uniting behind Mark as the only candidate who can beat Labour here and ensure that we do not get another five years of Gordon Brown.

Robin Johnson, the UKIP candidate, has stood down and thrown the weight of his party behind Mark, saying that he wanted to put country before party. Geoff Juby, the Liberal Democrat candidate, has not endorsed Mark officially but he told Medway Council, in what is a tight Labour-Conservative fight, that it would be better to have Mark as a new MP because, in contrast to Labour’s record, he expected Mark to fight in Parliament for Medway to be treated fairly. The Medway Independent Party has also decided not to put up a candidate against Mark, who is delighted with the support he is receiving from other parties, saying:

“It is wonderful that so many people from different parties are uniting behind me to beat Labour. I will work for everyone in this constituency.”

ADVERT

China Palace - Restaurant | Piano Bar | Take Away
35 Maidstone Road, Rochester, Kent ME1 1RL
Tel: 01634 401777

1 Minute of Labour

2010-04-25T02:40:00.002+01:00

ADVERT

The Rochester Coffee Co. 45 varieties of tea, freshly ground coffee, freshly made Panini and so much more. 146 High Street, Rochester, Kent. ME1 1ER (Opposite Eastgate House)
Tel: 01634 540032

Celebrating St. George's Day

2010-04-22T10:38:00.004+01:00

Mark Reckless, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Rochester and Strood, is calling on the people of Medway to join him in celebrating St George's day this Friday, and is launching a competition asking the public to share their ideas on how best to celebrate St George's day in the Medway Towns in coming years.

Members of the public are invited to submit their idea via this website (see below) for celebrating St George's day, and these in turn will be considered by Mark Reckless, Rodney Chambers (Leader of Medway Council) and other members of Medway Council's group.

"I was delighted that, soon after the Conservatives took over from Labour and LibDems in running the Council, I succeeded in my campaign for us to fly the union flag over Rochester Castle. Why is it though that we in England are the only one of the British nations not to have a bank holiday to celebrate our national day? We should celebrate being English as well as being British."

Rodney Chambers, Leader of Medway Council, has given his support to the idea;

"I welcome Mark's initiative and look forward to considering, with Mark, ideas from our residents on how we might best celebrate St George's Day."

Medway Council's Conservative group have already made great strides in recognising and promoting our shared English heritage in Medway. Last year Mark Reckless and fellow Conservative councillors voted to hold the first 'English' festival celebrating all that is good about living in England, and the festival will be held again this year as a regular part of Medway's festival season.

And Rodney Chambers has confirmed that the flag of St George will be flown at the Council's head office at Gun Wharf this coming Friday to commemorate St George's day.

To enter, simply email your idea to Mark Reckless and he will select the best five entries for consideration. We welcome entries from both individuals and groups, but you must live within the Medway area and must be willing to present your idea in front of members of the Medway Council group. There is no cash prize, but winners will be given full credit for their winning entry.

ADVERT

Rochester Fireplaces - Home Sweet Home
139 High Street, Rochester, Kent ME1 1EW
Tel: 01634 408 007

Ending The Free Ride For Those Who Fail To Take Responsibility

2010-04-20T15:30:00.013+01:00

A Conservative government will tear up the old ways of dealing with worklessness, which has got worse under Labour.

David Cameron will pledge to introduce a new welfare contract by the end of 2010 - a single comprehensive Work Programme offering unprecedented support for those looking for work, combined with new sanctions for anyone who refuses to work.

Welcoming the announcement, Mark Reckless said:

"Again and again on the doorstep I hear complaints from those who work hard and are just above the level at which they might get welfare payments. They complain that neighbours who could work are just allowed to carry on indefinitely living on benefits. I know those who work hard to support, not just their families, but neighbours who could work yet live on benefits, will support David Cameron taking the lead to change our welfare system."

The new welfare contract will draw on the principles of the Big Society, backing people who do the right thing but ending the free ride for those who fail to take responsibility. The new sanctions will be introduced within six months of a Conservative Government taking office.

Speaking this afternoon, David Cameron will say "the old way" of big government has failed. "It's time to tackle welfare dependency a new way - the Big Society way."

"We're going to change the whole way welfare is done in this country so everyone takes responsibility and plays their part. This is our new welfare contract: do the right thing and we will back you all the way. But fail to take responsibility - and the free ride is over."

As part of our Work Programme, we will offer unprecedented support to all those who are looking for work. We will:

- make sure you get help as soon as you need it - straight away for those really struggling to find work, and after six months if you’re less than 25 years old;
- help you start your own business by giving you access to a business mentor and start-up loans;
- create a range of business-led training places to get you started on the road to employment, with 50,000 places in the hospitality and leisure industry to begin with;
- give you somewhere to go during the day - Work Clubs - so you can learn skills, find opportunities, make useful contacts and provide other people with support;
- if you're under the age of 25, provide a huge range of extra training opportunities - 400,000 apprenticeship, training and college places over two years;
- and, pay back-to-work providers in full only if they get you into work for a year or more.

If you can't work and need to be paid Incapacity Benefit (IB) then we will give you the financial support to which you are entitled. And if you can work, and you actively look for work, we will give you unprecedented help to find a good job.

But you must keep to your side of the bargain. We will make sure that you are claiming the right benefits and, within six months of taking office, we will introduce new sanctions for anyone who refuses to look for work. We will:

- cut the benefits of anyone on Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) who refuses to join the Work Programme;
- cut the benefits of anyone who refuses to take up reasonable job offers: the first time for one month; the second time for three months; and, the third time for up to three years;
- cut benefits for up to three years for anyone caught repeatedly committing benefit fraud.
- reassess all current claimants of IB - if you are fit for work then you will be transferred onto JSA and your benefits will be reduced; and,
- require long-term benefit claimants who fail to find work to 'work for the dole' on community work programmes.

You can download a copy of the Welfare Contract in full here.

ADVERT

Xtremity - Stockists of Windsurfing, Snowboarding and Skateboarding Hardware and Fashion Items for Men and Women
2A Crow Lane, Rochester, Kent ME1 1RF
Tel: 01634 402944

What It Takes To Change A Country

2010-04-19T16:55:00.000+01:00

Campaign Diary - Week 1

2010-04-14T12:00:00.001+01:00

ADVERT

China Palace - Restaurant | Piano Bar | Take Away
35 Maidstone Road, Rochester, Kent ME1 1RL
Tel: 01634 401777

Invitation To Join The Government Of Great Britain

2010-04-13T11:33:00.003+01:00

A country is at its best when the bonds between people are strong and when the sense of national purpose is clear. Today the challenges facing Britain are immense. Our economy is overwhelmed by debt, our social fabric is frayed and our political system has betrayed the people. But these problems can be overcome if we pull together and work together. If we remember that we are all in this together.

Some politicians say: 'give us your vote and we will sort out all your problems'. We say: real change comes not from government alone. Real change comes when the people are inspired and mobilised, when millions of us are fired up to play a part in the nation's future.

Yes this is ambitious. Yes it is optimistic. But in the end all the Acts of Parliament, all the new measures, all the new policy initiatives, are just politicians' words without you and your involvement.

How will we deal with the debt crisis unless we understand that we are all in this together? How will we raise responsible children unless every adult plays their part? How will we revitalise communities unless people stop asking 'who will fix this?' and start asking 'what can I do?' Britain will change for the better when we all elect to take part, to take responsibility - if we all come together. Collective strength will overpower our problems.

Only together can we can get rid of this government and, eventually, its debt. Only together can we get the economy moving. Only together can we protect the NHS. Improve our schools. Mend our broken society. Together we can even make politics and politicians work better. And if we can do that, we can do anything. Yes, together we can do anything.

So my invitation today is this: join us, to form a new kind of government for Britain.

Download the Conservative Party Manifesto 2010 - Click Here

ADVERT

The Rochester Armoury - Bringing The Past Back To The Future
2B Crow Lane, Rochester, Kent ME1 1RF
Tel: 01634 845526

Time Is Running Out...

2010-04-13T10:26:00.001+01:00

In less than a month the people of our country will at long last go to the polls to deliver their verdict on 13 ruinous years of Gordon Brown. This will be the first opportunity anyone in England has had to vote for Gordon Brown, so it is important that you make sure your voice is heard by registering to vote.

The deadline for registering to vote is just days away (20th April), and if you are planning on voting for the change this country so desperately needs then it is vital that you act now.

Across the whole world, people have fought and died to win the right to vote. One only needs to think of the brave veterans who attend the Cenotaph on Remembrance Day, paying tribute to fallen comrades to see the high price we have had to pay to ensure every citizen in this proud country of ours has the right to decide how the country should be run.

Voting gives you the power to bring real change to Great Britain. It gives you the power to make sure the Conservatives can get to grip with Labour's mess. It gives you the power to have your say on 13 years of social-breakdown, failing education, and rising debt under Labour.

It gives you the power to say it is Time For Change.

If you want to Vote For Change on May 6th, you must make sure you are registered before the 20th April. It's not difficult and you can find out all the information you need at www.aboutmyvote.co.uk, or call the Electoral Commission on 0800 3280280.

For residents in Medway, you can check to see if you're already registered to vote by calling Electoral Services on 01634 332030 or email electoralservices@medway.gov.uk

With less than a week to register, it is really important that you act now. The power to decide on the path our country takes is in your hands: five more years of Gordon Brown, or real change under the Conservatives. Vote wisely and thanks for visiting.

NHS Action Day

2010-04-12T13:06:00.002+01:00

Saturday was NHS Action Day for hundreds of Conservative candidates across the country. The Conservatives under David Cameron are determined to protect the NHS. We will remove the targets which distort clinical priorities and we are the only major party to have pledged real terms spending increases for the NHS every year.

For our NHS Action Day in Rochester and Strood I visited the Widsom Hospice in Rochester. The NHS provides the core clinical care at the Wisdom Hospice and volunteers and fund-raisers, like myself, work with the NHS to provide the extras which make the hospice such a loving environment for patients, including many in the last stages of their life.

As well as seeing families and learning more about what the volunteers are doing to look after them, I again heard today about the excellent care which the NHS nursing staff provide.

The Wisdom Hospice does not always find it easy top raise money in comparison to Demelza Hospice in Sittingbourne, so if you would like to join me in supporting the Wisdom Hospice, either as a volunteer or as a fund-raiser, then please visit the Friends of the Wisdom Hospice website for more information on how you can get involved.

Clean Campaign Pledge

2010-04-08T11:39:00.001+01:00

I, Mark Reckless, the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Rochester and Strood, pledge in the General Election campaign:

•To show by my actions that politics need not be a dirty game, but can be a clean and positive activity, engaged in genuinely for the good of all.
•To tell the truth about what I stand for and have achieved, and about what others stand for and have achieved.
•To refrain from personal attacks.
•To make only honest and reasonable promises.
•To fight a clean, positive and honest campaign around the issues that concern local people.
•To be honest about public spending, and not to scaremonger in ways that may frighten the most vulnerable members of our society.
•To take money only from organisations and individuals whose motives in giving money I do not have reason to suspect.
•To sign up to the transparency pledge on MPs’ expenses below.

I encourage voters:

•To expect from me decent and honest behaviour, as a candidate.
•To ask other Parties operating in this election to sign up to a similar honest campaign pledge.
•To help me enforce this Pledge, by reporting truthfully to me and to the media any apparent breaches.

Finally, if elected, I pledge:

•To publish online details of all of personal expenses incurred as a Member of Parliament.
•To publish online details of all office expenses incurred as a Member of Parliament.
•To publish online details of all donations in line with Electoral Commission rules.
•To appoint a local firm of auditors to approve expenses accounts at the end of every financial year.
•To open up the unedited expenses claims to local newspapers at the end of every financial year.
•Never to claim for food, furniture or household goods.
•To meet all tax liabilities – such as stamp duty – without claiming them from the taxpayer.

With thanks to Tracey Crouch

InTouch With Medway Commuters

2010-04-01T05:00:00.003+01:00

Mark Reckless and a team of local Conservatives handed out Mark's latest Commuter InTouch and Survey at rail stations across Medway this morning.

If you didn't manage to get a copy, you can download the latest edition by clicking here or on the photo. To help the environment you can also take the Survey online by clicking on the link to the right or click here

What's in this issue -

Effective Campaigning For Local Commuters

Mark Reckless Campaigned For Peak Hour Trains to Stop At Rochester ... And Delivered!

Last year Mark Reckless, the Conservative Parliamentary candidate for Rochester and Strood, met with Southeastern managers to discuss the impact of above inflation fare increases and changes to the timetable on Southeastern's Medway services. Working with the independent Fair's Fare for Medway campaign, Mark Reckless won a significant victory for local commuters when Southeastern finally agreed to introduce regular peak hour stopping services at Rochester station.

Previously Rochester and Strood commuters were forced to travel to Chatham station to catch the fast peak time services into London, but thanks to Mark's effective campaigning many hundreds of local commuters now find they have more time at home in the morning and in the evening.

But there is still much to do. Fares are still too high and the new timetable isn't working for many. The campaign continues!

How Much Will Rail Strike Cost You?

Mark Reckless is calling on members of the RMT and TSSA unions to reconsider their decision to press ahead with the national rail strike next week. At a time when many commuters and their families are already struggling to get through Labour's recession, the last thing people here in Medway need is aggressive union action that will prevent many from getting to their place of work. Many will find they have no option but to use precious holiday time they can ill afford or, worse still, be forced to take unpaid leave.

Once again, it's the hardworking taxpayers of this country who will be made to pay for Gordon Brown's weakness in the face of union militancy, and that simply isn't acceptable. It's time for change.

Penalty Fares Unfair On HS1?

Mark is currently looking at the issue of penalty fares issued to non-HS1 season ticket holders who have reported that the facility to purchase upgrades onboard the trains has been removed.

When the service began last December, Southeastern actively promoted the fact that regular season ticket holders could purchase their upgrades en route, but it appears this facility was removed at some point without any prior notification leaving many unsuspecting commuters facing unjustified penalty fare notices. If you have had this problem, let Mark know as he may be able to get you a refund.

Download Mark's Commuter InTouch - Click Here

ADVERT

Nimbus Lighting, 144 High Street, Rochester, Kent ME1 1ER.
Great Lighting At Great Prices.
Tel: 01634 407724

We Will Stop Labour's Damaging NIC Increase

2010-03-30T12:14:00.005+01:00

Mark Reckless has welcomed the announcement that a Conservative Government will stop Labour's tax rise on jobs by cutting waste.

"It is excellent that we will be reversing one of Labour's tax rises and reducing the National Insurance tax on jobs which both employers and employees have to pay. This will give people real confidence that we can deliver on what we say we and rely primarily on spending cuts and not extra taxes to close the deficit.

Well done George, and congratulations on your excellent and reassuring contribution to the debate against Darling and Cable last night."

Stopping the planned increases in National Insurance Contributions will result in 7 out of 10 working people being better off.

A Conservative Government will take immediate action to start cutting Government waste, in order to spend £6 billion less in 2010-11 than Labour's plans.

"The re-election of a Labour Government under Gordon Brown - with more debt, waste and taxes - will bring us a new recession", George Osborne said, speaking alongside Ken Clarke and Phillip Hammond.

"Labour will kill the recovery with their tax on jobs. We will cut Labour waste to stop it."

Former Government advisers Sir Peter Gershon and Dr Martin Read, now members of the Conservatives' Public Sector Productivity Advisory Board, advise that savings of £12 billion across all departmental spending are possible in-year without affecting the quality of front line services.

Having identified these savings the Conservatives can now commit to stop Labour's tax rise on working people and jobs at the same time as reducing the deficit faster:

Labour are planning to raise Employees National Insurance Contributions (NICs) for everyone earning over £20,000. We will stop this increase altogether for everyone earning under £35,000 by raising the primary threshold at which people start paying NICs by £24 a week, and raising the Upper Earnings Limit by £29 a week.

Relative to Labour's plans everyone liable for Employees NICs earning between £7,100 and £45,400 - which is 7 out of 10 working people - will be up to £150 better off a year under the Conservatives. Lower earners will get the greatest benefit as a percentage of their earnings. Nobody will be worse off.

Labour are also planning to raise Employers NICs for everyone earning over £5,700. This is a tax on jobs that will undermine the recovery. We will raise the secondary threshold at which employers start paying NICs by £21 a week, saving employers up to £150 for every person they employ relative to Labour's plans. This will reduce the cost of Labour's tax rise on employers by more than half.

Read George Osborne's speech in full

ADVERT

The Rochester Coffee Co. 45 varieties of tea, freshly ground coffee, freshly made Panini and so much more. 146 High Street, Rochester, Kent. ME1 1ER (Opposite Eastgate House)
Tel: 01634 540032

David Cameron's Pledge To Pensioners

2010-03-26T15:07:00.004Z

David Cameron and George Osborne will today outline the Conservatives’ pensioner pledge for the General Election campaign.

The pledge includes a personal promise to protect the Winter Fuel Payment, free bus passes and TV licences, and the pension credit.

David Cameron’s Pledge To Pensioners

The Government I lead will make sure that older and retired people are treated with dignity and given the quality of life they deserve. This is my pledge to support pensioners.

My Government will:

- Increase the value of the basic state pension for all pensioners and help to stop the spread of the means test by linking pensions to earnings. You won’t get a repeat of Labour’s mean 75p rise with us.
- Freeze council tax for the next two years, in partnership with your council.
- Make it worthwhile to save for a personal pension and get rid of the rules that force people to get a compulsory annuity.
- Help people protect their home rather than have to sell it to pay for care.
- Take all family homes worth less than £1 million out of inheritance tax.
- Increase spending on the NHS every year, which is our number one priority.
- Cut paperwork so we get more police out on the beat fighting crime.

Our opponents are trying to scare older people by telling deliberate lies about our plans. So here is a personal promise, from me, about the things we will protect.

- I will protect your Winter Fuel Payment.
- I will protect your free bus pass and your free TV licence.
- I will protect the pension credit.

These vital benefits will not be cut under the Conservatives. You have my word on it.

If he wins the election, Gordon Brown wants to introduce a number of measures which will hit pensioners. A Conservative Government will not penalise pensioners, as Labour are planning to do:

- We will NOT introduce a ‘death tax’ of up to £50,000.
- We will NOT cut attendance allowance and disability allowance for the over 65s.

We can afford to make these pledges because we have found the money from other areas, like cutting government waste and bringing forward the date at which the state pension age will rise to 66.

Read David’s speech in full

A Do Nothing Budget

2010-03-24T16:54:00.006Z

I covered budgets as an economist until 1997 but count myself lucky not to have had to examine the entrails of Labour's 15 budgets professionally.

However, there can be no doubt that this budget does less than any budget in living memory. We have a 'do nothing' budget at a time when there has never been a greater need for action to restore confidence in our country.

David Cameron, who was on very strong form, could not have put it better in his response, saying:

"The risk is not in dealing with the deficit now but in not dealing with the deficit now - what we need is a credible plan to deal with the government's debts starting now".

It is bad enough that the government says it will borrow £167bn this year and then boasts that it is only 11.8% of GDP, although I suspect that they are erring on the side of caution and the plan is to announce an undershoot on the 22nd April and present an 11½% deficit as a triumph of Labour economic management!

What is truly shocking is that the government still insouciantly plans to borrow £163bn next year, over 11% of GDP for the second year running.

No wonder the pound is down a cent and a half and gilts are down over a point. The key point everyone needs to understand though is that the market reaction would have been far, far worse, except that they are betting that they will soon have a Conservative government to clean up Labour's mess.

A lot is riding on us and, as a candidate, I will be doing everything I can do over the next six weeks to help put David Cameron in Downing Street, so we can make a start on putting our country back on track.

Pumping Up The Cost Of Living

2010-03-16T10:58:00.003Z

The AA has found that petrol prices are about to reach a record high. Petrol now averages £1.16 per litre, up from £1.12 in February and 89p early last year.

Ten years ago petrol protests almost brought the country to a halt when the price hit 80p and voters will certainly be noticing the latest price hikes under Labour when we go to the polls.

Tax on petrol went up another 2p last September and is due to go up again next month. Price hikes also reflect the falling level of the pound as markets took fright at some recent opinion polls showing a fall in the Conservative lead.

We need a strong Conservative government to restore confidence in our country.

Our Country Needs A Change Of Course

2010-03-13T23:30:00.002Z

Press Release re Rochester Castle

2010-03-03T15:35:00.004Z

I was woken around 4.30a.m. on Monday in my home next to Rochester castle by a noise that was more of a crunch than the usual screech of a train. Later I found out that part of a supporting wall for the castle had collapsed on Baker's Walk and first reported around 5a.m.

I have spoken to Simon Curtis and members of his team at the council as well as a representative of English Heritage. I was pleased to see that the site was quickly made safe (picture attached). It is also good to know that when remedial work is completed the renewed supporting wall, unlike the previous concrete, should allow water through so that, hopefully, this will not happen again.

I understand a) that a preliminary estimate is that repairs may cost £20-30,000 and that b) English Heritage, rather than Medway Council, is legally liable for structural repairs to the castle.

I recognise the importance of maintaining a good partnership with English Heritage, as we currently have, but given a) and b) above, I believe that a proper business case should be made out if the Council is to contribute significantly to the costs of repairs.

Councillor Mark Reckless (Rochester West)
Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Rochester and Strood

ADVERT

Rochester Fireplaces - Home Sweet Home
139 High Street, Rochester, Kent ME1 1EW
Tel: 01634 408 007

Boris Island Update

2010-03-02T19:54:00.002Z

Mark Reckless, along with Medway Council, Kent County Council, and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) are leading the campaign to get this £40billion scheme blown out of the water due to its expense and the massive impact it will have on our area and the environment.

Responding to Medway Council's meeting with Boris's deputy today:

"In my experience people on the Hoo Peninsula don't take 'Boris Island' seriously. Boris has no power to build an airport here, no idea how to raise tens of billions to fund such a fantasy, and he should confine his activities to London.

The Conservative party does not support Boris Island and it is not party policy, as David Cameron recently confirmed when in Gillingham. Our focus is high speed rail."

Councillor Mark Reckless
Conservative Candidate for Rochester

ADVERT

Xtremity - Stockists of Windsurfing, Snowboarding and Skateboarding Hardware and Fashion Items for Men and Women
2A Crow Lane, Rochester, Kent ME1 1RF
Tel: 01634 402944

Five More Years...?

2010-03-02T17:11:00.001Z