News Releases
If you would like to be kept up to date with the latest news from Alan Whitehead's office, please email
news@alan-whitehead.org.uk
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2010
26th July: Extracts from Alan's diary this week
- Monday - Third Delegated Legislation Committee to consider the draft Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Consequential Amendments No. 3) Order 2010. Meeting regarding using community organising to deliver local change.
- See more from Alan's week
July 19th: Extracts from Alan's diary this week
- Monday - Meeting with the Chief Officer of the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service. Meeting with the Director of the British Electrotechnical and Allied Manufacturers Association
- See more of Alan's week
July 19th: Extracts from Alan's diary this week
- Monday - Meeting with the Chief Officer of the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service. Meeting with the Director of the British Electrotechnical and Allied Manufacturers Association
- See more of Alan's week
July 15th: Save Millbrook Library!
Alan Whitehead and Millbrook Labour Councillor David Furnell have launched a new petition calling on the Council to guarantee the future of Millbrook Library.
The Council has so far refused to guarantee they will provide a new library as part of the redevelopment of Cumbrian Way.
You can read about the campaign and sign the petition here.
July 12th: Extracts from Alan's diary this week
- Monday - Chairing All Party Parliamentary Renewable Transport Fuels Group AGM. Labour Party South East event. Micropower Council event regarding the microgeneration strategy, air source heat pumps and micro-wind.
- See more from Alan's week
July 9th: Campaigning against the VAT bombshell
Andy Burnham, Ed Balls, Ed Milband and David Miliband will be at Eastleigh market tomorrow campaigning alongside Southampton MPs John Denham and Alan Whitehead and local Labour Party members. More information
July 6th: Tories scrap Southampton school building fund, despite promising not to during the election
The Conservatives have broken a direct promise to the people of Southampton that school building projects across the city would go ahead
July 5th: Extracts from Alan's diary this week
- Monday- Meeting with Hampshire Community Health Care regarding plans for community care in Southampton. Socialist Environment and Resources Association meeting.
- See more of Alan's week.
June 28th: Extracts from Alan's diary this week
- Monday- Visiting the Citizens’ Advice Bureau to discuss casework. New Local Government Network event.
- Tuesday- Meeting with Grundfos regarding Part L Building Regulations. Meeting with the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management to discuss the valuation of the offshore renewable energy resource in the UK. Combined Heat and Power Association event. Institute for Government interview. Meeting with the Refugee Council.
- See more of Alan's week
June 25th: How the budget will affect Britain's green agenda
Alan spoke in Parliament yesterday about the implications in George Osbourne's budget for reducing our carbon emissions and tackling fuel poverty. In particular, Alan spoke on:
- the importance of long-term investment in greener industry;
- the government's role in setting a 'floor price' for carbon;
- protecting the financing for insulating British homes;
- why the government's policies are likely to result in more people being pushed into fuel poverty.
June 23rd: Does the Coalition have a plan for keeping the lights on?
Alan yesterday spoke in a Westminster Hall debate on the Coalition's energy policy. Alan said:
Keeping the lights on requires planning. For the new Government to announce a policy that says, in essence, that there will be no planning as far as new energy supplies are concerned seems perverse given the challenges ahead of us. The new Government's announcements about how they will manage the energy economy... appear to be moving away from ensuring that we plan our energy economy so that we can keep the lights on for the next 50 years
June 22nd: A Backwards Budget- bad for growth and bad for young families
Today's Tory-Liberal budget will put more people on the dole and place unfair burdens on young families struggling to make ends meet, say Southampton's Labour MPs. More information.
June 21st: Extracts from Alan's diary this week
Monday- Meeting with the Principal of Taunton’s 6th Form College. Meeting with UNISON regarding Tory cuts to Further and Higher Education. Rally at Central Library in support of local libraries. Making Point of Order in the House of Commons regarding Houses in Multiple Occupation. Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council event ‘Pioneering a Low Carbon Future’.
More from Alan's diary this week
June 21st: Rally for local libraries
Both of Southampton's Labour MPs will be rallying today in support of local libraries. The Conservative-run Council are proposing to cut the quality of service provided by local library services by replacing paid staff with volunteers. More information.
June 19th: Return of the Monthly Activity Report
Alan's monthly activity reports to over 1000 constituents to a brief break during the General Election campaign, but they have now returned. Read more about Alan's work in Parliament and Southampton over the last month.
June 18th- Shopmobility Campaign Update
Alan Whitehead and John Denham met with Shopmobility users today as part of the campaign to keep the service open. If you would like to help, you can join the facebook group or download a copy of the petition Shopmobility is running here.
If you do download a petition, remember- these must all get back to Shopmobility, 7 Castle Way Southampton SO14 2BX, by Monday 21st June 3pm.
June 16th: Save Shopmobility!
John Denham and Alan Whitehead will be urging Southampton's Conservative-run Council to reconsider plans to cut funding to Southampton Shopmobility. More information
June 15th: What the abolition of the Future Jobs Fund means for Southampton young people
New research by Southampton’s Labour MPs has revealed the potentially devastating impact on Southampton of the government’s cuts to help young people into work. More information.
June 7th: Extracts from Alan's diary this week
- Monday- GLOBE Inter-UK & Indonesia meeting on marine energy, meeting regarding future policy on academies, Parliamentary Labour Party leadership hustings and Local Government event
- Tuesday- Meeting with the Associate Parliamentary Sustainable Resource Group, All Party Parliamentary Environmental Group reception, meeting with the Micropower Council, briefing on renewable gas, Energy Saving Trust event.
- Wednesday- International Fund for Animal Welfare anti-whaling event, EDF Energy event to brief MPs on EDF’s climate and social commitments. Fabian Society event.
- Thursday- voting and correspondence
- Friday- Speaking to the Fellowship Dialogue Society in Southampton; judging MECCA BINGO'S GOT TALENT in Portswood
June 2nd: End the illegal blockade of Gaza
Alan Whitehead has signed a Parliamentary motion condemning the Israeli government's attack on a flotilla of ships bringing aid to Gaza. Read the full text of the motion .
May 27th: Government's nuclear policy could be 'catastrophic' for our ability to tackle climate change
In the debate on the Queen's Speech, Alan Whitehead raised key questions for the new coalition government over their real commitment for tackling climate change and fuel poverty. More information.
May 13th: Come home to Labour
Alan Whitehead has urged Liberal Democrat voters and activists in Southampton to 'come home' to Labour in the wake of the Liberal-Conservative coalition.
May 11th: Alan speaks on the role of the third sector
Alan recently spoke to Community Action Hampshire on the role the third sector should play under the next government. You can now watch Alan's speech below.
Alan Whitehead - The 3rd Sector and the next Government
May 7th: Thank You Southampton!
At about 5am on Friday morning, Alan Whitehead was successfully re-elected as the Labour MP for Southampton Test. Thank you to every constituent who voted for Alan and to every activist who supported him during the campaign!
April 29th: Answering questions from Lordshill students
Alan recently answered questions posed by students from the Lordshill Oasis Academy on Labour's policies for the General Election and beyond. Read the Q&A here.
April 21st: "More homes under Labour" pledge
Alan Whitehead and John Denham have visited a new housing project in Portswood that is only going ahead thanks to Government 'kickstart' funding to support the construction industry. More information.
April 14th: Alan gets adopted
At a meeting at St Mary’s Stadium tonight, Southampton Labour Party officially adopted long-standing MPs John Denham and Alan Whitehead as their Parliamentary candidates for Southampton Itchen and Southampton Test respectively.
April 12th: Out in Portswood for Labour's Manifesto Launch
Alan Whitehead was today meeting voters in Portswood High Street at the launch of Labour's General Election Manifesto.
Read Alan's comments on what Labour's plans mean for Southampton.
April 7th: Condolences to those who lost their lives at Shirley Towers last night
Condolences go out from everyone in Alan Whitehead's office to the families of the firefighters who lost their lives helping people out of Shirley Towers last night. Alan said:
"The firefighters exhibited unbelievable heroism in ensuring everyone was evacuated from the building under very difficult conditions. Tragically two of them paid with their lives for those actions and that heroism. It is a devastating outcome of this fire - but they did evacuate all the residents of the building."
April 6th: Video interview with Alan about the General Election
The Southern Daily Echo recently interviewed Alan about his pledges to Southampton for the next General Election. Watch the interview here.
April 6th: Alan's Five Pledges to Southampton Test
The General Election has now been called! Find out more about Alan's election campaign in Southampton, including his five pledges to the people of Southampton Test.
March 26th: Alan praised on 100% voting record on gay equality
Alan Whitehead MP has been praised by Stonewall for his 100% voting record on gay equality measures in this Parliament. More information
March 23rd: Alan welcomes budget help for first-time buyers and green investment
Alan said this about today's budget statement: “I particularly welcome the two-year Stamp Duty holiday for first-time buyers on homes up to £250,000, which will benefit huge numbers of people buying their first home in Southampton, as well as the new Green Investment Bank and the additional £60 million for offshore wind to bring cheap, green energy to the UK."
More information about the budget.
March 22nd: Extracts from Alan's diary this week...
Monday Meeting with Southampton City Council officers regarding the new licensing arrangements for houses in multiple occupation. Home visit to constituent in Shirley. Meeting with Arqiva regarding smart metering. Chairing the launch of the Associate Parliamentary Renewable and Sustainable Energy Group Committee of Inquiry Report.
March 18th: Parking victory for General Hospital neighbours
Alan Whitehead has welcomed new moves to improve parking provision around the General Hospital. More information
March 18th: Unemployment falls in Southampton
Unemployment in Southampton Test fell from 3026 (4.1%) in January to 2789 (3.8%) in February. It's a sign the extra government help for the economy is making a difference- but there is still a lot more to do. You can see the full unemployment statistics for Southampton on this BBC interactive map.
March 17th: Save our Sure Start!
Tory cuts to Sure Start children’s centres would deal a devastating blow to Southampton families on middle and modest incomes - that was the message from John Denham and Alan Whitehead as they launched their “Save Our Sure Start” campaign against Tory plans to take £200 million from Sure Start. More information
March 17th: 900 new local jobs created by the Future Jobs Fund
Alan Whitehead and John Denham have welcomed new Future Jobs Fund investment from the government to create new jobs in Southampton. The investment announced today will create up to 900 jobs for long term unemployed 18-24 year olds, undertaking a range of roles across urban south Hampshire. More information
March 15th: Extracts from Alan's diary this week...
- Monday- Chairing an Associate Parliamentary Renewable and Sustainable Energy Group event. Meeting with Mott MacDonald Fulcrum regarding zero carbon.
- Tuesday- Standards and Privileges Select Committee meeting and Justice Select Committee meeting. Meeting with Calor Gas regarding the Government¹s climate change targets. Meeting constituent to discuss the student Stop AIDS Campaign
- See more of Alan's week
March 10th: Alan runs for sports relief
Alan Whitehead MP today ran the Sports Relief mile with other MPs, and backed the Southampton run taking place on Saturday 21st March. More information
March 5th: Gearing up for carers week
In preperation for Carers Week 2010, Alan Whitehead today helped highlight in Parliament the fantastic work done by those who care for relatives and loved ones. More information.
March 4th: Alan signs fuel poverty pledge
Alan Whitehead has signed a Parliamentary pledge on eradicating fuel poverty in Britain. More information.
March 3rd: New support for asbestos victims
John Denham and Alan Whitehead have welcomed a multi-million pound package of vital help that the Labour Government is extending to individuals whose health has been put at risk due to exposure to asbestos. More information
March 2nd: Alan's fuel poverty amendment to the energy bill
Alan Whitehead MP has inserted a crucial amendment into the Energy Bill, which has just passed all its House of Commons stages. The Bill, if it also passes in the Lords, will help to significantly reduce the UK’s domestic carbon emissions from energy generation. More information
March 1st: Extracts from Alan's diary this week...
- Monday- Meeting with ABP regarding the future of Southampton Port. Meeting with Mott McDonald Fulcrum regarding zero carbon. Associate Parliamentary Renewable and Sustainable Energy Group meeting regarding the Committee of Inquiry Report. Justice Select Committee event.
- More from Alan's diary
February 28th: Monthly Activity Report
Alan's monthly activity report for February is now online. It covers his recent work on the Energy Bill, HMOs, prepay meters, electoral reform, and other areas. Read Alan's report.
February 25th: Alan calls for cut in train fares
Alan has backed the Campaign for Better Transport campaign for a regulation to reduce the cost of travelling by train. More information.
February 22nd: Extracts from Alan's diary this week...
- Monday- Meeting with Southampton City Council officers and councillors regarding the future of Lordshill. Meeting with GE Energy regarding Carbon Capture and Storage. Associate Parliamentary Renewable and Sustainable Energy Group meeting regarding the Committee of Inquiry Report. Launch of Ownergy.
- See more of Alan's week
February 25th: Alan calls for cut in train fares
Alan has backed the Campaign for Better Transport campaign for a regulation to reduce the cost of travelling by train. More information.
February 22nd: Extracts from Alan's diary this week...
- Monday- Meeting with Southampton City Council officers and councillors regarding the future of Lordshill. Meeting with GE Energy regarding Carbon Capture and Storage. Associate Parliamentary Renewable and Sustainable Energy Group meeting regarding the Committee of Inquiry Report. Launch of Ownergy.
- See more of Alan's week
February 19th: Southampton NOT sold short- Alan congratulates campaigners on saving city art
Southampton's Conservative Council has failed in its bid to sell off part of Southampton's heritage to plug a hole in its budget. More information.
February 18th: Alan commends Saints for community work
Alan has praised Southampton FC for its fantastic community work. Alan said:
"It is clear that the club's work reaches places that other organisations can't. The club is delivering real change across the City and I am very proud of the positive impact they are having."
Read the full story on the Saints website
February 15th: Extracts from Alan's diary this week...
- Monday- Meeting residents in Redbridge. Home visit to a constituent in Shirley.
- Tuesday- Meeting residents in Freemantle.
- Wednesday- Visiting the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance airbase and attending a presentation about their work. Briefing and site visit at the Adelaide Health Centre, Millbrook, where the integration of Southampton Mental Health Services and Portsmouth Community and Mental Health Services will be discussed.
- See more of Alan's diary this week.
February 11th: Big 6 energy companies agree to abolish prepay meter charges
The last of the big 6 energy providers has agreed to stop charging prepay meter customers more for the same amount of energy.. Today the head of the National Housing Federation thanked Alan Whitehead MP for his championing of the campaign to end these unfair charges.
"We are extremely grateful to Alan Whitehead MP who has been calling for an end to this injustice for years. His tireless campaigning has helped ensure that prepay energy customers don't pay a penny more than those who pay via a quarterly bill. This success will save some households over £100 a year."
Read more about this huge victory for Southampton's poorest energy customers.
February 10: Tory tax credit cuts- up to 14,000 Southampton families could lose out
Tory proposals to cut tax credits for families with a joint income of more than £31,000 could hit the pockets of thousands of young parents in Southampton. More information.
February 9th: Congratulations to Southampton scientists!
Alan has congratulated 6 local scientists from Southampton University who have been chosen to exhibit their work at the Science, Engineering and Technology Student Awards.
Alan said: "To have six students chosen from our city is a serious achievement considering the high demand for places at this exhibition. It shows that Southampton University is able to attract some of the top UK minds in the fields of Science and Technology."
February 9th: A community garden for Portswood?
Alan is working with local residents in Portswood to deliver a community garden on a wasteland site near Portswood school.
Read Alan's article on the proposals in the NBSP local newsletter.
February 8th: Extracts from Alan's diary this week...
Monday- Meetings with a consultant cardiologist (regarding trans catheter aortic valve implantation) and the Chief Executive (regarding parking) at Southampton General Hospital. Visit to St Mary’s Football Stadium to discuss the work of Saints in the Community.
Read more of Alan's diary this week.
February 5th: Justice reinvestment and cutting crime
As part of Alan's work on the Justice Committee, he lays out plans for cutting crime and prison numbers through the greater use of community courts, probation and youth courts, and other measures. Read Alan's article here.
February 4th: Would a council tax freeze lead to higher council tax rises later?
In Local Government questions, Alan analysed what the Tory proposals for a three year council tax freeze really mean. Read his question here.
February 3rd: Alan calls for early use of new HMO powers
Alan today used Prime Minister's Questions to press for the early use of new powers to regulate HMOs in cities like Southampton.
February 1st: Extracts from Alan's diary this week...
- Monday- Meeting with Ed Miliband at the Department of Energy and Climate Change. Meeting with the construction firm, Willmott Dixon, regarding their position paper, ‘A Low Carbon Built Environment’. All Party Parliamentary Environment Group meeting entitled ‘Beyond carbon: an industrial strategy for a resource efficient economy’. Chamber of Shipping event.
- Tuesday- Justice Select Committee meeting. Campaign for Better Transport event regarding train fare increases. Chartered Institute of Housing South East event. International Holocaust Remembrance Day Commemoration.
- Wednesday- Two Energy and Climate Change Select Committee meetings. PMQs. Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers’ Low Carbon Performance Awards.
- Thursday- Speaking on resource efficiency and recycling at the London Remade Conference
- Friday- First constituency surgery of the month. On panel at the New Forest Business Partnership Question Time.
- Saturday- Second constituency surgery of the month.
- Sunday- Meeting residents in Millbrook.
January 27th: Long campaign to protect family housing pays off!
The government today announced they would implement a change in planning rules to protect family homes in areas like Portswood, thanks in part to a long campaign by Alan Whitehead. Alan has welcomed the fantastic news. More information.
January 27th: Don't take economic recovery for granted
Alan Whitehead and John Denham have welcomed the news that Britain is out of recession, but warned there is absolutely no room for complacency if the recovery is to last. More information
January 23rd: Monthly Activity Report online
Alan's first Montly Activity Report for 2010 is now online. This report covers his proposed amendment to get a referendum on changing the voting system; his work on fuel poverty; schools; the HMO review; and other issues.
Read Alan's January report here.
Jan 18th: Extracts Alan's diary this week
- Monday Meeting with a DEFRA Special Adviser regarding waste as a resource.
- Tuesday- Standard and Privileges Select Committee and Justice Select Committee meetings. Two Energy Bill Committee meetings. On panel at an Associate Parliamentary Sustainable Resource Group conference entitled ‘A strategic approach towards a resource efficient economy’. Labour Friends of Poland meeting.
- Wednesday- Two Energy and Climate Change Select Committee meetings. PMQs. Electoral Commission Advisory Board meeting. Launch of the National Housing Federation’s ‘In Your Lifetime’ Report. Chairing a Sustainable Waste Forum dinner.
- Thursday- Two Energy Bill Committee meetings. Southampton Labour all-members meeting.
- Friday- Visiting Paediatric Services at the General Hospital. Meeting with the Southampton City and Region Action to Combat Hardship Charity. Fourth constituency surgery of the month.
- Saturday- Fifth constituency surgery of the month. Saints v Swindon Town at home.
- Sunday- Meeting residents in Bevois.
Jan 13th: Extracts from Alan's diary this week
- Monday- Interview with Southampton University student regarding voter turnout at local elections. Meeting regarding review of Higher Education fees.
- Tuesday- Justice Select Committee meeting. Two Energy Bill Committee meetings. Meeting on incentives to encourage local community ‘buy-in’ for new waste management infrastructure. Associate Parliamentary Renewable and Sustainable Energy Group meeting. Electoral Reform Society event.
- Wednesday- Two Energy and Climate Change Select Committee meetings. PMQs. Meeting with the Chamber of Shipping regarding issues affecting shipping in Southampton. Labour Friends of Palestine event.
- Thursday- Two Energy Bill Committee meetings. Home visit to constituent in Southampton. Speaking at the Southampton and South West Hampshire Trades Union Council meeting.
- Friday- Meeting with Business Southampton.
- Saturday- Third constituency surgery of the month. Meeting residents in Millbrook. Southampton Malayalee Association event.
January 12th: Victory in family homes campaign
Last year Alan pressed the government to invest more in sustainable council homes for families. Now, the government has announced Southampton will get nearly £1 million to build new council homes to just those specifications. More information.
January 11th: Help to stay warm this winter
Both Alan and John Denham are encouraging vulnerable people in Southampton to not be afraid to keep their heating up this winter, due to the extra help with heating being made available by the government.
Find out about the help available in Southampton here.
January 4th: Extracts from Alan's diary this week
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Monday- casework & correspondence catch-up
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Tuesday- Standards and Privileges Select Committee meeting and Justice Select Committee meeting. Energy Bill Committee, which meets for the first time today. Meeting with E:ON regarding carbon capture and storage and the mandatory price support elements of the Energy Bill.
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Wednesday- Energy and Climate Change Select Committee meeting. PMQs.
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Thursday- Energy Bill Committee meeting. Doing Q&A about parliamentary procedures with 6th form students from Taunton’s College.
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Friday- Meeting with Southampton Community Healthcare, PCT regarding the new service. Visit from an E:ON energy efficiency adviser. First constituency surgery of the month.
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Saturday- Second constituency surgery of the month. Saints v Huddersfield at home.
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Sunday- Meeting residents in Bevois.