Writings about my hard work for Harlow and the surrounding villages of Hastingwood, Matching, Nazeing, Roydon & Sheering. I love watches, mobile technology, Chelsea F.C. and the Countryside - in that order. Not so keen on big government, bureaucrats, dictators, terrorists, high taxes and the politics of envy or hatred. I write and tweet about all such things.New Website
This blog is no longer being updated as all future updates are being made on my facebook page and new website. Please follow the links below to visit them.
Happy Australia Day
I’d like to wish every Australian living in Harlow and around the UK a very Happy Australia Day.
Earlier this Summer I had the privilege of meeting former Australian Prime-minister John Howard at Australia House for the launch of his book ‘The Menzies Era’. The book tells the tale of Sir Robert Menzies, the longest serving Prime Minister of Australia since federation and the founder of the Australian Liberal Party.
One of his speeches, entitled ‘The Forgotten People’, resonated with me on a personal level, and is something I would like to share with you:
“I do not believe that we shall come out into the overlordship of an all-powerful State on whose benevolence we shall live, spineless and effortless – a State which will dole out bread and ideas with neatly regulated accuracy; where we shall all have our dividend without subscribing our capital; where the Government, that almost deity, will nurse us and rear us and maintain us and pension us and bury us; where we shall all be civil servants, and all presumably, since we are equal, heads of departments.
If the new world is to be a world of men, we must be not pallid and bloodless ghosts, but a community of people whose motto shall be, “To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.” Individual enterprise must drive us forward. That does not mean we are to return to the old and selfish notions of laissez-faire. The functions of the State will be much more than merely keeping the ring within which the competitors will fight. Our social and industrial laws will be increased. There will be more law, not less; more control, not less. But what really happens to us will depend on how many people we have who are of the great and sober and dynamic middle-class – the strivers, the planners, the ambitious ones. We shall destroy them at our peril.”
You can read his full speech here. …
Ensuring Apprentices are equal to going to University
In my first ever speech in the House of Commons in 2010, I urged the following:
I have campaigned on this issue throughout my time in Parliament. Last year, with Labour Peer Lord Glasman, we chaired the Demos Commission on Apprenticeships, which came to clear conclusions about schools pushing forward apprenticeships.
For this reason, I was really pleased to see the following announcement by the Education Secretary, reported in The Independent newspaper:
The Government plan to introduce a law to ensure that Secondary Education encourages pupils to do apprenticeships at the same level and intensity in which students are pushed to go to University.
Surveys show that 65% of teachers do not encourage their students to do apprenticeships, meaning that there is a two tier type of careers service.
I have had three Parliamentary Apprenticeships since I was elected and hope to have more. The skills, training and work that Apprentices have to do, is easily comparable to those doing university degrees and – if anything – are much harder.
The Government states: “The legislation will mean state schools, including academies, will be required by law to collaborate with colleges, university technical colleges and other training providers to ensure that young people are aware of all options – including degree-level apprenticeships”
You can read the Demos report on Apprenticeships HERE.
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John Walton revisited
My Cousin Eddie Woolf and his late father Horace Woolf used to own the John Walton Shop in Harlow Market Square.
The shop was opened in the 1950s by Arthur Aske and closed in 1984 (it had briefly moved into the Harvey Centre).
On Friday my cousin came to Market Square to visit the old shop – which is now the Harlow Citizens’ Advice Bureau. He also went to visit Bernard Chapman who owns the florist, to discuss old times and how the Town Centre used to be. Bernard remembers John Walton, as both the florist and John Walton opened in 1956.
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£3.3 Plan to Improve Mental Health for Young People in Essex
I have had many residents contact me about their concerns for mental health services. For this reason I meet regularly with the NHS to talk about health issues that are affecting Harlow residents.
This year our local NHS, in partnership with Essex County Council, will be launching ‘Open up, Reach Out’, which is a 5 year plan to help the emotional well being and mental health of children and young people. This will include an additional £3.3 million pounds of investment per year.
You can read their full plan here.
January edition of CM17
In case anyone missed it, here is my article in the January edition of CM17…
Jobs and Apprenticeships Coming Back To Harlow
New figures from the Office for National Statistics show that the number of young Jobseeker Allowance claimants (aged 18 – 24) in Harlow has gone down by 29.8% since December 2014. In addition to this good news, it was also published that the number of JSA claimants in Harlow has gone down overall by 233 in the last 12 months, and this shows that businesses and apprenticeships are coming back to Harlow, providing a good solid future for our town.
This comes at a time when UK employment is at a rate of 74% – the highest it’s ever been.
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Trees on First Avenue
Some people have written to me about the works going on at A414/First Avenue in regards to the hedge and tree removal which has been ongoing. I thought it would be helpful to post an update about future action planned by Essex County Council.
A temporary fence will be put in place in the near future to replace the hedge, with a permanent fence (accompanied by the planting of a replacement hedge) in place by the end of Spring. The permanent fence is designed to reduce noise, so will provide a more effective barrier for local residents, for both noise and safety than the existing hedge.
The ecological survey undertaken as part of this scheme identified that trees being removed were either coming to the end of their natural life, or were not native species.
Essex County Council will be replacing the trees with appropriate species.…
Just in time for Valentines Day….
In the next few weeks a stall selling flowers is due to be opening at Harlow Town Train Station, as well as a free to use cash machine.
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Army Cadets in Old Harlow
Last Thursday I had the pleasure of visiting the Army Cadets in Old Harlow.
I inspected the cadets and spoke to them about their ambitions and why they had decided to join. It was wonderful to see so many young people dedicating their free time to learn how to do drills and other basic army training.…
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