Durham - In the High Street in this beautiful and friendly city
Posted by harriet in Uncategorized | October 29th, 2007
In the High Street in Durham on Friday with my friend and fellow MP Roberta Blackman-Wood, chatting to people. Everyone one was very friendly and happy to stop and tell me their views and concerns. People were positive about schools and health services. No-one said they were worried that they were going to lose their job or couldn’t find work. People favourable to Gordon Brown - but saying “It’s early days yet”. Concerns about immigration. Recognising the hard-work of the newly arrived Europeans but worried about housing and the effect on other local services. And very adamant that all newly arrived immigrants should “play by the rules” - work rather than claim benefits and stay on the right side of the law. Our Migration Impact Forum is important on this issues. We need to explain more about its work.
5 Comments Add your own
1. Womble On Tour | November 1st, 2007 at 17:25
E-mail us to report this comment as unsuitable. (What's this?)
Go on, then, explain more about the work of the Migration Impact Forum…
To me migration per se is only some of the issue. If inward migration were matched by outward migration it wouldn’t be as big a deal.
What we need is a Population Growth Impact Forum. It’s very simple for me; this country cannot have population of 70m + and maintain quality of life and services. The place is chocka block.
2. Stephen | November 7th, 2007 at 14:37
E-mail us to report this comment as unsuitable. (What's this?)
Harriet. I wondered how you responded to this article from Monday’s Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,2205308,00.html
3. Stephen | November 27th, 2007 at 13:25
E-mail us to report this comment as unsuitable. (What's this?)
Harriet. It’s nearly a month now since you posted here; I hope you’re not unwell.
It is particularly fortuitous that you have just been to Durham. I am sure that you want to fill us all in on the exciting Durham Green Business Park development, with its oh so topical connection to Labour Party funding. And do you think we should be calling the developer David Martin or David Abrahams? Or maybe Ray, or even Janet perhaps?
It’s not been a good month, has it? I doubt if they’re quite so favourable to Gordon on the streets of Durham now, are they?
It’s a real shame that you chose to accept a cabinet post, as well as being deputy leader of the party. Because the Labour Party right now needs a clear voice representing the views of its members, which are in several crucial respects entirely at odds with the policies of the government. It’s surely time now to do the decent thing and resign so that you are free to express your own opinions without the constraint of collective cabinet responsibility. Or step down as deputy leader and leave the field clear for Jon Cruddas.
When can we expect you to visit Norwich by the way?
4. A devout labour supporter | November 27th, 2007 at 17:02
E-mail us to report this comment as unsuitable. (What's this?)
Must be a hard time for you, our thoughts are with you.
5. Womble On Tour | November 28th, 2007 at 17:46
E-mail us to report this comment as unsuitable. (What's this?)
Completely off-thread….
You must be going through a tough time right now, what with everyone going on about donations and what-not. Personally I don’t know how you put up with it all. Just don’t lose sight of what’s really important, which is your own well being and that of your family.
Leave a Comment
Some HTML allowed:
<a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>
Trackback this post | Subscribe to the comments via RSS Feed