Our new MP asks a local question in Parliament (Debate)

Sat 27 Jul, 15:49

Play the ball, not the players.  Simples!

Fri 26 Jul, 23:57

Or we just ban Gareth Liz. Seems best thing for this forum 

Fri 26 Jul, 17:23 (last edited on Fri 26 Jul, 17:33)

Maybe we should return to the unspoken agreement that existed pre-election that we avoid party political affiliation on this Forum. Some of the discussion has made me quite uneasy over the past few weeks, though I admit to having contributed, and I have heard from others that they feel the same way.

Fri 26 Jul, 15:43

Harriet - I think your remarks directed at me could easily be interpreted as personal attack.

Fri 26 Jul, 14:17

Simon Jenkins wrote an interesting article after this weeks PMQs arguing for its abolition due to utter degeneration. Guardian, I'm pretty sure. What to replace it with? My experience leans me towards Parliamentary Committees, and maybe the PM should be examined by them - in public and broadcast.

Fri 26 Jul, 14:06

like a bunch of arguing kids on here

Fri 26 Jul, 13:58

Ok, Gareth, your words from a few posts below

"Factually inaccurate and sneeringly patronising"

While both may be correct depending on your POV, the second is unnecessary and leaning towards abuse, it's not just disagreement. 

Fri 26 Jul, 13:58 (last edited on Fri 26 Jul, 14:01)

My daughter lives in the Bicester et al constituency and most of the people I'm aware of there voted tactically  for the Libdems - you're deluding yourself that CBs forecasting error illustrates real support as the outcome was obvious long before. Student support abolition is not forgotten. Every one of the handful of my fellows from the lower social orders who became the first to overcome active obstruction from the county council to be the first cohort to achieve tertiary education and postgrad degrees would not have countenanced  a University course without our Full Student Maintenance Grant as we'd all been working 30+ hours a week to support our families in a low wage area with South Coast prices and utterly no, repeat no, family financial support possible. In fact, most of us worked during our student days supporting family and in particular siblings to carry on in education. This is way back in the 70s and I was hauled over the coals by the Dean for working because it was not technically allowed for full time students!

Fri 26 Jul, 10:32 (last edited on Fri 26 Jul, 10:38)

Not me, Harriet.  Disagreement is not personal abuse, having been subject to it in this and other recent threads.

Fri 26 Jul, 10:13

Maybe this thread should be closed? Gareth seems to be making personal attacks again. 

Fri 26 Jul, 08:45

Coming from you, Christine, any reference to bizarreness is truly a case of the pot calling the kettle black.  
Liz Leffman is right.  People in Charlbury are not, by and large, inward-looking nationalists.  They will quickly tire of the Faragist slant to Starmer’s government.

(By contrast, people in Bicester & Woodstock will I’m sure welcome the fact they have an active, forward-looking MP who campaigns on the issues that matter; someone Christine said would come third on a Labour surge that, as I predicted, did not come)

Fri 26 Jul, 08:01

Gareth, Starmer's reply to Miller included the phrase, "There's no re-joining the EU". Liz Leffman found his response rather unsatisfactory. That is why I was discussing the issue. 

I think the rest of your extremely bizarre response to my comments is best passed over or Richard and the other moderators will lose patience and close the Debate Section down.

Thu 25 Jul, 23:34 (last edited on Fri 26 Jul, 00:06)

I don’t know why Christine Battersby is incapable of understanding a simple statement, or of making a statement without being both factually inaccurate and sneeringly patronising in an off-topic manner.

Perhaps the two are related?

She is incapable of understanding the difference between the stupidly damaging severance arrangement with the EU promised by the likes of Hannan and Gove , and the even more damaging situation bequeathed us by Liar Johnson and his pals.  While Charlbury voted clearly to remain in the EU, the only person talking about rejoining at the moment (sadly) is Christine Battersby, who regards any rapprochement or damage limitation as surrender; no limit to the damage to future generations is a concern to her.  (Interest declared: I was an Erasmus student.  She wants to deny that right to my children)

(The possibility exists that she’s a supporter of Johnson and Farage, comfortable in the support of Starmer’s isolationist veneer because she knows there’s essentially no difference; their positions are essentially indistinguishable).

Anyway, Calum Miller (who she predicted would come third) has extracted an interesting ‘promise’ of Thames Water action in Charlbury and Finstock; clearly her tribal blinkers will prevent her welcoming that, but I’m pleased that there’s one MP in the area who’s already being effective.

Thu 25 Jul, 22:11

And I don't know why it is at all acceptable to misinterpret what I wrote, Gareth. Rejoining the EU is not on the cards right now -- even if our European ex-partners wanted us, and they don't. European student freedom of movement schemes, such as the Erasmus scheme, were always very problematic for the UK, as more students always wanted to come to anglophone countries to study than wanted to go from the UK to study in Europe. 

I am a great supporter of such schemes (and of the EU for that matter), and at one time helped numerous Erasmus and other exchange students. But it can't possibly be a priority right now, and would take lots of negotiation. I would have thought that a first step would have to be to stop overseas students counting in the statistics as immigrants, and also to allow graduate students on recognised University programmes to bring their families into the UK. 

Thu 25 Jul, 21:21

I don’t know why Christine Batrerstby thinks it’s in any way acceptable to deny future generations rights their parents enjoyed.

We are due an economic statement tomorrow, which will show the full extent of the damage to the public finances.  By the end of the Parliament, Rachel Reeves or her successor might have worked out that failing to tackle the root cause of economic failure in an effort to emulate Farage makes recovery rather difficult.

Thu 25 Jul, 19:44 (last edited on Thu 25 Jul, 19:46)

Oh dear, I see I have now unintentionally started a competition for the most questions asked by a new MP! And I think you may be right, Chris (about the hunch, can't speak for your haunch)

Thu 25 Jul, 19:44

Actually, I am beginning to wonder whether rejoining the EU might be a very live topic at the next general election, or at least Rejoining light, rejoining the single market. I think it might dawn that this hoped for growth may be only partially achieved, by the excellent GB energy policies, new skills policies and other Labour government policies, without rejoining what is the worlds largest trading bloc. Time will tell, but that’s my haunch. 😁🇪🇺

Thu 25 Jul, 19:34

Not sure why you think it unsatisfactory, Liz. It's clear that we won't be re-joining the EU, and any other freedom of movement for students would take time to sort out.

Sean Woodcock has also asked a couple of other questions, plus a follow-up question as well. One question was about domestic violence; one about social care; and the follow-up question about whistle blowers in the NHS. Details here: https://members.parliament.uk/member/5328/contributions

Glad Sean has found his voice so quickly. 

Thu 25 Jul, 19:12 (last edited on Thu 25 Jul, 19:14)

And on Monday, Calum also asked a question regarding free movement of students in the EU - with a rather unsatisfactory reply from the PM

https://x.com/bestforbritain/status/1815415091044425941?s=48&t=8pWQL7YH7dIuCNs7osd8Iw

Wed 24 Jul, 23:53

Calum Miller’s question was featured on Meridian tonight with a report that Thames Water has promised to upgrade sewage treatment works at Charlbury and Finstock (no mention of ending the dumping downstream at Combe though).  About 10 minutes in.

Wed 24 Jul, 19:04

It makes me happy to see that we have an MP who actually does something!

Wed 24 Jul, 12:06

Calum Miller, MP for Bicester and Woodstock, asks the first question at PMQs concerning the state of the River Evenlode and Thames Water. 

Tue 23 Jul, 14:11

Here is a clip of Sean Woodcock asking a question about improving the provision of maternity services in our constituency and receiving reassurance from Wes Streeting (Secretary of State for Health and Social Care) that maternity safety is top of his list.