Photos from SE Labour conference

Below are photos from this weekend's events in Whitley.


Cllr John Ennis has also posted hist thoughts on the conference on his blog - he gives a more detailed report than me, as he was there in an official capacity.

Labour party SE regional conference

It was great to see so many members, MPs and union members to Whitley (Hilton Hotel on Kennet Island to be exact).  There was a really positive atmosphere and good discussions.  Quite a few of them also came out to knock on doors and chat to Whitley residents and I had a good chat with John Prescott in the bar at his ‘tweet up’.  I don’t know what one of those is either, but Prezza seemed to!

Some highlights for me were:

Social care

This was clearly high on everyone’s agenda, with comments from MPs that this is ‘grown up politics’ and that it is a difficult issue that has to be tackled.

Off the cuff/side comments:

David Miliband describing the plans to remove hereditary peers (which the conservatives are against) as ‘humane – we weren’t proposing euthanasia or anything’.

John Prescott ‘I’m not allowed to talk about class… they [Conservatives] are a class party’.  ‘I’ve got an iphone AND a blackberry – after all I already had 2 jags’.  And numerous asides!

Harriet Harman ‘You’re not past it when you’re past 60.  Good thing, I’m about to be past 60 myself’

I'll post up photos shortly

Social care: time to end the postcode lottery

I'm getting increasingly frustrated about the "debate" on the future of social care.  Of course I expect people with different political views to me to disagree on the solution but for goodness sake - the problem is obvious.  We have an aging population, (which is one one level is great - we are living longer) but at the same time it is increasingly likely that families live far from each other.  For example I have one Grandparent in Reading but another in Leicestershire and it happens to be the one in Leicestershire who is in need of care. 

Nationally now isn't a great time to get a non-partisan debate on the issue with a general election coming up.  But it is a good time for charities and campaign groups to get their message across to politicians and for politicians to make proposals.  It's great that Labour, the Lib Dems and charities are meeting today to consider the options.  The Conservatives should have attended too - scare stories about what is being considered are just silly - surely all the options should be discussed.  There are no easy solutions.  There's no getting around the fact that one day we may all need help with every day activities like washing, cooking and using the toilet.  It's not cheap now and it won't be cheap in 10, 20 or 50 years.  It will have to be paid for somehow.

I don't know what the full solution is but I am completely certain that the current system isn't working.  Local councils are making decisions about whether to increase council tax and cut other services or (as West Berkshire have), leave folks with 'risk of requiring hospital care' or 'inability to carry out self care tasks resulting in significant risks to life or well-being' on their own.

The one thing I would say has to be a guiding principle is that there has to be an end to the postcode lottery - if you live in RG31 you should have the same care as if you live in RG2!

Home Access - computer access for all!

Use of computers and broadband is so widespread now that many teachers set homework which requires students to use the computer.  My husband for example produces lots of revision and study resources for his students that he puts on line.  However there are a few students in all schools who simply can't access this at home.  While printing off material for these students reduces the problem it can lead to embarrassment for the student, or duplication (and waste of money) if it's done for the vast majority.  That's why I think that the new Home Access scheme is such a good idea. 

I just sent the following letter to the Reading Chronicle which gives more details:

Home Access (Reading Chronicle, 4 February) is a great scheme.  It’s a shame that it is being referred to in some quarters in such a partisan manner as this doesn’t do anything to encourage take up of what is a
really important scheme.  Computer and Internet skills are increasingly important in the work place and during our young people's education.  Surely it is important to ensure children are able to gain
these skills regardless of background?

Home Access offers a free laptop and free broadband access to parents on low incomes with children in Years 3-9.
All parents whose children get free school meals are eligible, as are many other parents on low incomes.

Parents interested in applying for a Home Access Grant and checking whether they are eligible should call 0333 200 1004 or visit www.homeaccess.org.uk.
It is absolutely right that Reading Borough Council should be planning to publicise this grant - but you don’t have to wait for that, you can get your application in now and your child can start benefiting sooner!

What's in a graph?

Quite a lot if you are one of the people who needed an operation last year rather than in, say 1996.

Interestingly number of people waiting has increased in the last year, which people who know about about medicine than I do say is a result of the recession (less people on private healthcare schemes), but importantly the number waiting for longer than 13 weeks had increased far less sharply.  If you like cold hard numbers:  in March 1997 there were 1,030,947 people who had been on an NHS waiting list for more than 13 weeks and in December 2009 there were 57,586.

And investment in public services doesn't make any difference?

Thanks to Liberal conspiracy (left wing but not Labour blog) for the graph and numbers.