News Releases
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1st February: Don't miss out on Warm Front help
City Labour MPs John Denham and Alan Whitehead are today urging eligible constituents to take advantage of the Government’s flagship energy help scheme Warm Front, to make their homes warmer and cut their energy bills. More information
31st January: Welfare Bill will hit poorest parts of Southampton the hardest
The Government’s Welfare Bill will hit Southampton's poorest communities the hardest, says a new analysis by Southampton's Labour MPs. Bevois, Bitterne, Redbridge, Woolston and Millbrook will see the largest number of residents have their benefits cut. More information
30th January: Tackling rent and mortgage costs in the south
Alan Whitehead today pressed the Communities Secretary over measures to tackle spiralling house prices and rents in the south of England.
30th January: Extracts from Alan's diary this week...
- Monday – DCLG questions. Delegated Legislation Committee meeting regarding energy efficiency. Labour Environment Campaign meeting. Parliamentary Labour Party meeting.
- See more of Alan's week
27th January: Don't let energy companies cut heating help
Alan Whitehead has pressed the Government to reverse his decision to allow energy companies to substantially reduce the help they offer to make our homes more energy efficient. More information
23rd January: Extracts from Alan's diary this week...
- Monday – A Balanced and Sustainable Communities All Party Parliamentary Group meeting with the Unite housing group. Parliamentary Labour Party meeting.
- See more of Alan's week
18th January: Unlock urgent investment in Southampton's port
Southampton Labour MPs today secured a debate in Parliament on unblocking vital investment for the port of Southampton that is currently being held up by needless bureaucracy. More information
16th January: Extracts from Alan's diary this week...
- Monday – Parliamentary meeting on biomass.
- Tuesday – Briefing from Associated British Ports regarding the application to adapt Southampton’s port to allow access to deep-sea containers. Standards and Privileges Select Committee and Energy and Climate Change Select Committee meetings. Meeting with regarding barriers to offshore wind projects. Climate Change All Party Group meeting with a group of international scientists regarding the Arctic and climate change. National Energy Action event regarding fuel poverty.
- See more of Alan's week
9th January: Save Our Heads!
Due to the downturn in the economy, last night the Talking Heads held what may be its last ever gig. However a campaign has already sprung up to save the venue and possibly find new owners. The Talking Heads is a genuine part of the fabric of Southampton and I hope it can be saved. You fan find out some background to the campaign here and join the Save Our Heads facebook group here.
9th January- Extracts from Alan's diary this week...
- Monday – Correspondence catch-up. An Associate Parliamentary Renewable and Sustainable Energy Group telephone conference.
- Tuesday – Three meetings regarding solar PV and levy caps. Meeting about local energy investment. Environmental Audit Select Committee meeting. Meeting with Energy Minister regarding Green Deal legislation.
- See more of Alan's week
9th January: The Durban Climate Change Talks- just another 'event?'
Alan Whitehead's latest article for the Environmentalist is now online. This month Alan looks at the results of the Durban Climate Change conference- and how the results there compare and contrast with what was not agreed at the EU Summit in December. Read the Environmenalist article.
12th December: Extracts from Alan's diary this week...
- Monday – 3rd Delegated Legislation Committee on the Draft Electricity and Gas Order 2011. Parliamentary Labour Party meeting.
- Tuesday – Energy and Climate Change Select Committee meetings. Handing in Renewable Energy Association’s Feed-in Tariffs petition to 10 Downing Street. Back Biomass event. Environmental Audit Select Committee event.
- See more of Alan's week
9th December: Our Housing Market isn't Working
The average home in Southampton costs almost 9 times the average Southampton annual salary, a new report by the National Housing Federation reveals today. Alan Whitehead is backing the report's call for an urgent increase in building new homes in and around Southampton. More information
8th December: Feed in Tariff Cut Hits Local Housing Tenants
Some of Southampton’s poorest tenants are to be hit by the Government’s fast-tracked reduction in support for local solar power projects, Alan Whitehead MP can reveal. More information
6th December: Backing Local Apprenticeships with SETA
Alan Whitehead MP opened a new lifting rig built by SETA apprentices on Friday 2nd December at the training centre in Millbrook. More information
1st December: Alan Launches New Debt Advice Report
Yesterday Alan Whitehead teamed up with Hyde Housing and the Financial Inclusion Centre to launch a crucial new report on how better provision debt advice services can reduce homelessness. More information
29th November: Autumn Statement shows Southampton is Paying the Price for Tory Dogma
George Osborne’s austerity experiment has choked off economic growth, and families in Southampton are paying the price, Southampton MPs said today. More information
28th November: How to avert the strike on Wednesday
Alan was on the Politics Show South yesterday to talk about the government's plans for effectively a 3p tax hike on many people working in the public sector, and how the government addressing this could avert the strikes planned for Wednesday.
23rd November: Prime Minister Refuses to Endorse Wholesale City Council Privatisation
Prime Minister David Cameron refused to endorse plans by the Tory Council in Southampton to become a 'commissioning council' providing virtually no services directly to the public. More information
21st November: Extracts from Alan's diary this week
- Monday – Climate Week event. Delegated Legislation Committee regarding Schengen governance. Parliamentary Labour Party meeting.
- Tuesday – Energy and Climate Change Select Committee and Standards and Privileges Select Committee meetings. Business Solent meeting with Solent area MPs. Climate Change Forum briefing. Presenting awards at the Combined Heat and Power Association annual awards ceremony.
- See more of Alan's week
10th November: Southampton MPs launch #dropthebill NHS campaign
Labour is today launching a major national drive to unite the country in a call on the Government to drop its unwanted Health and Social Care Bill.
More information about #dropthebill
9th November: Tory Council plans for wholesale privatisation would be a disaster for Southampton
Proposals by Southampton's Tory-run Council for a wholesale privatisation of Council services will be a disaster for Southampton, Alan Whitehead MP has said. More information
9th November: Local Youth Unemployment Up 125% since January
As Labour led a debate in the House of Commons on youth unemployment Alan Whitehead MP today called for more to be done about the dramatic rise in long term youth unemployment in Southampton. More information
7th November: Extracts from Alan's diary this week
- Monday – Introducing the British Electrotechnical and Allied Manufacturers Association report launch regarding smart metering. Parliamentary Labour Party meeting. Seajacks (UK-based operator of purpose-built offshore wind turbine installation vessels) event.
- See more of Alan's week
2nd November: Alan presses the PM to intervene personally over solar cuts chaos
At Prime Minister's Questions today, Alan Whitehead MP urged David Cameron to intervene personally to sort out the chaos caused by his government's decision to slash promised funding for community and household solar energy. More information
2nd November: 1 in 5 fewer houses started under the Tories
Alan Whitehead MP has pressed the government over the revelation that there are almost 1 in 5 fewer homes starting along the construction process since the Tories’ flagship new housing policy came into effect. More information
1st November: Policy lurches are killing our solar industry's future
Alan Whitehead has slammed the Government’s disastrous and botched announcement that it will slash funding for solar installations across the UK by over 50%. More information
31st October: "No Excuse" for Council's Care Cuts, says Tory Government
Government Ministers have admitted there is ”no excuse” for Southampton's Tory Council’s devastating planned cuts in services for vulnerable pensioners. More information
31st October: Extracts from Alan's diary this week
- Monday – DCLG questions. Parliamentary Labour Party meeting.
- Tuesday – Standards and Privileges Select Committee meeting. Meeting with Friends of the Earth regarding energy access and renewable energy policies. Meeting with the Associate Parliamentary Renewable and Sustainable Energy Group Coordinator and Ofgem regarding the RIIO
- See more of Alan's week
25th October: Partial victory on HMOs, but the campaign goes on
Alan Whitehead has welcomed the City Council’s decision to finally implement tougher regulations on HMOs, after the Tory Government delayed the implementation of any new regulation by almost 18 months. More information
24 October: Extracts from Alan's diary this week
- Monday – Meeting with the new Deputy Head of Mission, Polish Embassy. Meeting with the Director General, OFTEC regarding the green fuels campaign for bioliquids to be included in the Renewable Heat Incentive. Parliamentary Labour Party meeting. Labour Environment Campaign meeting.
- See more of Alan's week
20th October: Alan speaks out for a fairer, greener energy deal
In a Commons debate last night, Alan Whitehead called for fundamental and far-reaching reform of the energy market to get a fairer deal for households struggling to heat their homes. More information
17th October: Extracts from Alan's diary this week
- Monday – Labour Party National Policy Forum Sustainable Communities Policy Commission meeting. Parliamentary Labour Party meeting.
- Tuesday – Standards and Privileges Select Committee meeting. Telephone interview with a PhD researcher, University of Leeds regarding EU-Russia energy security relations and gas pipeline politics. Committee on Climate Change and Green Alliance event.
- See more of Alan's week
12th October: Let's Fix Our Rigged Energy Market
We need urgent reform to our electricity market to get a fair deal for households, says Alan Whitehead. More information
10th October: Extracts from Alan's diary this week
- Monday – Meeting at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office with the local representatives of the Hazara International Forum and Hazara Organization UK members regarding the treatment of Hazaras in Quetta, Pakistan. Meeting with First Utility regarding the issues facing small energy suppliers in the UK and smart meters.
- See more of Alan's week
4th October: Alan backs local health experts over NHS threat
Nearly 400 health experts, including many from Southampton, have signed an open letter to members of the House of Lords urging them to stop the Government's dangerous plans to reorganise and marketise the NHS. More information
26th September: Extracts from Alan's diary this week
- Monday – Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders roundtable entitled 'UK Automotive: Driving Growth'. Labour Environment Campaign and Action Aid biofuels roundtable. Meeting with the Construction Products Association to discuss the Green Deal. Meeting with UNICEF regarding climate change. Labour Friends of Palestine and the Middle East event regarding the future for a Palestinian State. Moat Housing and A4e roundtable regarding housing and employment. Renewable UK event regarding the Labour Party’s Green Policy Review.
- See more of Alan's week
19th September: Extracts from Alan's diary this week
- Monday – constituency correspondence catch-up; meeting with Southampton Labour Councillors.
- Tuesday – British Marine Federation event at the Southampton Boat Show. Meeting with Freemantle & Millbrook residents to talk about the ongoing concerns about the plans for a large non-CHP biomass plant at the docks.
- See more of Alan's week
15th September: Energy Bill- bus in the ditch alert!
Just before Parliament broke up for recess, Alan wrote the following article for the Environmentalist on the delays in getting the Energy Bill- which containts critical decisions for Britain's environmental future- into law. Read Alan's article here.
14th September: We need a stronger local plan to tackle rising unemployment
Alan Whitehead MP has challenged the Tory Council in Southampton and the Tory-led government after new figures published today show unemployment in the west of Southampton has shot up by 10% in a year. More information
13th September: Boundary Review Plans are a Missed Opportunity that could Weaken Southampton's Voice
Alan Whitehead has raised concerns that the draft proposals from the Boundary Commission weakens the voice of cities like Southampton and misses a real opportunity to bring more of the city together. More information
12th September: Extracts from Alan's diary this week...
- Monday – Meeting with Mainstream Renewable Power regarding Electricity Market Reform. National Express event regarding withdrawal of concessionary fares.
- See more of Alan's week
7th September: Voting on the Health and Social Care Bill
Alan Whitehead has voted to protect out NHS and to protect a woman's access to abortion counselling in the Commons vote on the Health and Social Care Bill. More information
24th August: Save Our Heart Unit Consultation Response
The results of the nationwide consultation into the future of Children's Heart Units in England was published today. Read Alan's take on the consultation results.
8th August: Supporting the Stem Cell Donor Register
Alan Whitehead is encouraging Southampton residents to sign up to the Anthony Nolan stem cell donor register as part of a campaign started by a 15 year old with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
29th July: Don't punish tenants for Council rubbish build-up
Landlords should not charge their tenants for taking away rubbish that has built up because of the current Council industrial dispute, Southampton Labour MP Alan Whitehead has said. More information
26th July: Latest Constituents' Report Now Online
Alan Whitehead's latest Constituents' Report is now online. It covers Alan's work in Parliament on energy prices and climate change; coastguard cuts; funding for local Councils; and other areas.
18th - 24th July 2011: Extracts from Alan's diary this week
- Monday – National Policy Statements debate.
- Tuesday – Energy and Climate Change Select Committee meeting. Meeting with Unite regarding Northern Rock. Meeting regarding the Associate Parliamentary Renewable and Sustainable Energy Group. Meeting with Seajacks regarding onshore & offshore wind supply chains. Waste Management Adjournment Debate.
- See more of Alan's week
15th July 2011: Meals on Wheels price hike scrapped!
Southampton's Tory Council has scrapped its planned 38% Meals on Wheels Price hike, after research by Alan Whitehead MP exposed the plans earlier this year.
11th July 2011: Extracts from Alan's diary this week
- Monday – Labour National Policy Forum Sustainable Communities Policy Commission meeting. Wildlife Trusts 'Petition Fish' campaign event regarding Marine Protected Areas. Delegated Legislation Committee regarding the Draft Renewable Heat Incentive Regulations 2011. Parliamentary Labour Party meeting.
- See more of Alan's week
7th July 2011: Alan votes for bank levy to tackle youth unemployment
Alan Whitehead MP has voted in Parliament to support a higher levy on bankers’ bonuses to fund new jobs for young people in Southampton. More information
5th July: How to make progress on the Council strikes (continued)
Read Alan's take on the current industrial action involving Council staff, and his message to both the unions and the Tory Council. More information
5th July: Save Our Heart Unit Response
Alan Whitehead has made a full submission to the consultation on the future of children's heart units across Britain, highlighting both the excellence of the unit in Southampton and the problems with the way the review has currently being framed. You can read Alan's covering letter on the review here.
4th July: Extracts from Alan's diary this week
- Monday – All Party Parliamentary Local Government Group event. Meeting with the Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change.
- See more of Alan's week
1st July: Interview on Council strikes
Alan was interviewed by BBC Radio Solent today about his thoughts on the industrial dispute in Southampton and what local MPs can do while the dispute continues. Read a quick summary of the interview here.
1st July: Whitehead slams Fukushima PR plot
The Guardian today carries revelations that the UK Government worked to deliver a coordinated post-Fukushima PR campaign only days after the Fukushima disaster- and before the extent of any radiation leaks were known. Read Alan's statement on the revelations.
30th June: Pressing the Government on the hunting ban
Today, Alan pressed the government on whether or not they have dropped their plans to hold a vote on repealing the Hunting Act. Read Alan's question in the Commons.
27th June: Coastguard cuts criticised by independent committee
On the day the Transport Committee gave a damning assessment of the government's plans to cut coastguard centres from 18 to 3, Alan Whitehead spoke out on how these proposals will hurt coastguard operations in Southampton and across the country. More information.
24th June: Unionlearn launch to boost training and adult literacy
Southampton's Labour MPs were at City College today to launch a new initiative to support training at work, including increasing adult literacy. More information
23rd June: Cardiac Campaign- Don't stitch us up!
Speaking in a debate on the floor of the House of Commons today Alan Whitehead staunchly defended Southampton General hospital’s children’s cardiac unit, which is threatened with closure.
17th June: Saving Water with Oakwood Junior School
Alan met with Oakwood Junior students last week to see their work with Southampton Football Club on water conservation.
20th June: Extracts from Alan's diary this week...
- Monday – Meeting with Radian Housing Association. Energy and Climate Change Select Committee meeting. Interview with UCL MSc student regarding the Climate Change Bill Committee of 2007-8. Labour environment Campaign meeting.
- See more of Alan's week
15th June : Pressing the PCT on funding for Carer breaks
Alan Whitehead has written to Southampton Primary Care Trust to make sure that funding allocated for breaks for carers is not being re-allocated to other areas.
13th June: Extracts from Alan's diary this week
- Monday – Labour Party National Policy Forum Sustainable Communities Policy Commission meeting. Chairing an Associate Parliamentary Renewable and Sustainable Energy Group offshore wind supply chain event.
- See more of Alan's week
6th June: Extracts from Alan's diary this week
- Monday – Meeting with the Labour spokesperson for Children’s Services and Learning in Southampton City Council. Phone call with the National Housing Federation to discuss the Energy Bill. Lordshill Youth Project AGM.
- See more of Alan's week
6th June: "Get a Grip" Alan tells Southampton's Tory Council
Alan Whitehead has urged Council bosses to stop letting petty bureaucracy get in the way of ending the current industrial dispute. More information
1st June: Newsnight debate on nuclear power
Alan was on Newsnight last night to discuss the German government's decision to close all German nuclear power plants by 2022. Alan was arguing in favour of the UK government adopting a similar approach. You can see the debate below- skip 12.50 in for the start.
Watch Newsnight from Tuesday 31st May
May 24th: Rally for Children's Heart Unit Today
Alan Whitehead will be joining the rally in support of Southampton General Hospital’s children's cardiac unit today in the Guildhall Square from 4pm - 6pm.
More about the cardiac unit campaign.
May 23rd: Extracts from Alan's diary this week
- Monday – Chairing an Associate Parliamentary Renewable and Sustainable Energy Group seminar on the Green Deal. Informal evidence session of the Energy Bill Committee. Low Carbon Finance Group discussion regarding the Electricity Market Review.
- See more of Alan's week
May 18th: Alan & Friends of the Earth call for stronger Energy Bill
Alan Whitehead today joined Friends of the Earth’s green strong man ‘Energy Bill’ outside Parliament today to show his support for a tough new law to save energy and tackle climate change in homes and communities around the country.
More about changes to the Energy Bill
May 12th: Backing the Fish Fight campaign for sustainable seas
Alan Whitehead spoke out today on the need for a complete overhaul of UK and EU fisheries policy to safeguard the future of our seas and our fish stock.
May 6th: Labour wins 10 out of 16 Council seats- thank you Southampton!
Congratulations to all the new Labour Councillors elected last night at the local elections, and thank you to everyone who came out to support Labour and send a message to this Tory government.
More about the Southampton local election results
May 5th: Port Health Guardians Deserve National Support
Alan Whitehead MP today pressed the government to address the growing pressures on the guardians of public health at ports like Southampton.
May 2nd: Stop the backdoor privatisation of our NHS
Labour volunteers backed by Alan Whitehead will be out in Shirley precinct today as part of the campaign to stop the Tory government's plans for the backdoor privatisation of the NHS. NHS campaign information
April 25th: Extracts from Alan's diary this week
- Bank Holiday Monday – Saints v Hartlepool Utd at home
- Tuesday – Meeting with the Guardian. Meeting with Good Energy. Telephone interview with Solent University student regarding library cuts. All Party Parliamentary Balanced and Sustainable Communities Group meeting with Grant Shapps, Housing Minister regarding houses in multiple occupation. Labour Environment Campaign seminar on green homes & communities
- See more of Alan's week
April 11th: Extracts from Alan's diary this week
- Monday – 'Action for Renewables' campaign advisory board meeting. Meeting with Association of Port Health Authorities. Meeting with Association for the Conversation of Energy regarding the Green Investment Bank.
- See more of Alan's week
April 4th: Extracts from Alan's diary this week
- Monday – Briefing session on Paediatric Cardiology Unit, Soton General Hospital. Meeting with Air Products regarding plasma gasification from municipal waste plant on Teeside. Meeting with 'Which?' Magazine regarding the Energy Bill. Labour Environment Campaign Executive meeting. Debate on the Government’s green policies.
- More information
April 1st: The budget- an empty set of green propositions?
Alan Whitehead has slammed the Government’s commitments to green issues and stimulating growth in the economy in this week’s debates on Budget 2011. More information
March 28th: Extracts from Alan's diary this week
- Monday – Future Waste Management Policy roundtable with Jamie Reed, Shadow Environment Minister. Budget debate. Labour Friends of Palestine and the Middle East event. Institution of Mechanical Engineers Electric Vehicles event.
- See more of Alan's week
March 28th: The Government should suspend plans for new nuclear
Alan Whitehead has called on the government to suspend its plans for new nuclear power stations in the wake of the emergency at Fukishima. More information.
March 25th: Coastguard cuts could put lives at risk
Replacing local coastguard co-ordination centres with centralised national centres will put a greater strain on coastguard staff and cut put lives at risk, Alan Whitehead sais today. More information.
March 23rd: Budget's 1.7% growth forecast shows Tory cuts aren't working
The downgrading of Britain's economic growth forecast in the budget today shows the Tory strategy of deep cuts isn't working, Alan Whitehead has said today. More information
March 22nd: Backing the March for the Alternative
In advance of the TUC’s national demonstration in London, 26 March, Alan Whitehead along with the south-east's other Labour MPs has called on the Tory-led government to put forward a strong plan for growth in the region. More information.
March 21st: Extracts from Alan's diary this week...
- Monday – Meeting with the Hampshire Police Authority regarding the closure of police stations. Interview with Oasis Academy Journalism GCSE pupils. Environmental Audit Select Committee meeting. Associate Parliamentary Sustainable Resource Group meeting. Briefing from Energy and Climate Change Select Committee staff. Parliamentary Labour Party meeting.
- See more of Alan's week
March 18th: Nuclear Power- tragedy and choice
In his latest Energy Blog post, Alan explores what lessons we should learn about nuclear power in the aftermath of the Japanese tsunami tragedy. Read his full post here.
March 15th: Town Hall Meeting in Freemantle Community Centre
Alan Whitehead will be holding a town hall meeting at 8pm on Friday 25th March at the Freemantle Community Centre on Randolph Street. He'd like to hear from you! More information
March 15th: Millbrook Power Plant Proposals Won't Work
The current plans for a 100MW power station in Millbrook are unworkable, Alan Whitehead has said. Labour has also raised questions about the Tory Council's handling of the plant's application process. More information
March 14th: Backing the Have a Heart Campaign
Alan has backed the campaign to keep Southampton’s Paediatric Heart Unit open. More information.
March 14th: Extracts from Alan Whitehead's diary this week
- Monday – Soton University science and engineering researchers displaying posters at SET for Brit event. Speaking to Labour Party members. Meeting with the Construction Products Association regarding the Green Deal.
- See more of Alan's week
March 7th: Are the Tories poised for a Meals on Wheels u-turn?
Last week Alan helped expose the Tory Council's plans for a 37% price hike in Meals on Wheels charges. Now, a little like with the Forestry proposals last month, the Tories are claiming they haven't made up their mind about the proposals yet and they could still be dropped. More information.
March 7th: At Shirley Library for World Book Night
Alan was in Shirley library on Saturday to support World Book Night, where over one million books were given out across the UK.
Thanks to the Shirley library staff for organising the event!
March 4th: Tory Council hikes Meals on Wheels charges by inflation-busting 37%
Alan Whitehead has uncovered that Meals on Wheels charges will increase by an inflation-busting 37% as a result of the budget pushed through by Southampton’s Tory-run Council. For pensioners most dependent on Meals on Wheels, this will mean an annual increase of £478.15 in their payments. More information
March 1st: Cuts to Southampton Voluntary Groups
Alan Whitehead MP has pressed the government to come clean about the real impact of their savage cuts to the voluntary sector funding in Southampton. More information
February 28th: Extracts from Alan's diary this week...
- Monday – Asking DCLG question. Meeting with Consumer Focus regarding consumer protection in the energy market. Meeting with the National Association of Professional Inspectors and Testers regarding the smart meter roll out. Parliamentary Labour Party meeting.
- See more of Alan's week
February 25th: New Biomass Plant- what's your view?
Helius Energy has submitted proposals to build a 100MW biomass power station within the Port of Southampton, not far from Millbrook station. Alan Whitehead will be raising a number of issues about the proposals and would like to hear from you. More information
February 22nd: A "better deal" for Southampton?
Before the election, the Conservatives claimed they would get a better funding deal for Southampton. Alan Whitehead looks at how they're doing so far, and at new ways in which allocation of funding are now biased against places like Southampton. Read Alan's article.
February 17th: There cannot be another lost generation
Southampton’s Labour MPs have condemned the Tory-led Government in light of yesterday’s news that unemployment has risen dramatically. More information
February 16th: Council budget makes "almost no attempt to protect the vulnerable"
Southampton's MPs Alan Whitehead and John Denham have given their reaction to the budget set by the city's Conservative Council today. More information.
February 14th: Ropewalk Centre to be re-opened
For over a year Alan Whitehead and Labour Councillors in Bevois have been campaigning to save the Ropewalk Centre on Derby Road. Today we're pleased to report the Centre is on course to be re-opened thanks to the work of the Itchen Community Trust. More information
February 11th: Will our Tory Council stand up for Southampton schools?
Six local authority areas have won their battle with the current Government regarding the decision to axe the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) projects. The Education Secretary Michael Gove was ruled to have acted unlawfully when scrapping the project as he failed to consult on it. More information
February 11th: Thanks to everyone who came to our town hall meeting with Andy Burnham today
Shadow Secretary of State for Education, Andy Burnham MP, spoke at a packed town hall in Southampton today as part of Labour’s Fresh Ideas conversation with people across Britain. More information.
February 11th: The true scale of Hampshire police cuts
Alan Whitehead and John Denham have written to the Chief Constable of Hampshire Constabulary to confirm the true scale of cuts to front-line policing in Southampton. More information
February 8th: Alan calls for clarity on Lib Dem HMO stance
Southampton Liberal Democrats have launched a blistering attack on their own government over the watering down of Labour legislation on Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs). More information.
*Update*- Alan has now received an email from the leader of the Lib Dems in Southampton, which has been added to the original article.
February 7th: Extracts from Alan's diary this week...
- Monday – Meeting regarding mental health services in Southampton. Associate Parliamentary Renewable and Sustainable Energy Group conference call regarding the Solar PV Forum. Meeting with the Carbon Trust regarding marine energy funding. Committee stage for Wreck Removal Private Member’s Bill. Regional Labour Party meeting. Labour Environmental Campaign meeting. Chamber of shipping event.
- See more of Alan's week.
February 1st: Alan to vote against Forestry sell-off
A surge of Southampton residents have contacted Alan in the last 24 hours about the Government's plans to sell off Britain's forests. Alan is supporting the campaign to stop the sell-off and will oppose the Government's proposals when they are debated in Parliament tomorrow. More information.
January 31st: Extracts from Alan's diary this week...
- Monday – Meeting with Taunton’s College Principal regarding education funding. Associate Parliamentary Renewable and Sustainable Energy Group Inquiry evidence session. Attending a Royal Academy of Engineering lecture entitled ‘building confidence for a sustainable and secure low-carbon energy future in the UK’.
- See more of Alan's week.
January 24th: Extracts from Alan's diary this week
- Monday – Meeting with Moore Blatch, Solicitors regarding reform of civil litigation funding. Staff meeting. Meeting regarding the Labour Environment Campaign. Meeting regarding the Associate Parliamentary Renewable and Sustainable Energy Group Inquiry. All Party Parliamentary Group on Poland event.
- See more of Alan's week
January 18th: "If there is not the necessary financial devolution, then the wishes for devolution of power to local government are meaningless."
Alan challenged two key aspects of the "Localism" Bill on Monday- the lack of financial devolution to Councils, and the centralisation of many planning decisions to Whitehall. Read Alan's full speech here.
January 17th: Extracts from Alan's diary this week
- Monday – Staff meeting. Second Reading of the Localism Bill
- Tuesday – Standards and Privileges Select Committee and Energy and Climate Change Select Committee meetings. Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment event regarding the UN International Year of Forests. Practical Action briefing and All Party Parliamentary Climate Change Group seminar on the Climate Change Conference in Cancun. Meeting with Labour Environment Campaign representatives regarding the Energy Bill.
- More details from Alan's diary this week
January 14th: New article for the Guardian Energy Blog
Alan has written a new guest spot for the Guardian's Energy Blog on the government's plans for reforming the energy market, in particular the crucial choices government must make now to make sure we have an energy supply in the future that is sustainable and low carbon. Read Alan's piece here.
January 10: Extracts from Alan's diary this week
- Monday – Meeting with Rushmoor Borough Councillor regarding services & staffing reductions in Hampshire County Council and a review group on housing and regeneration. All Party Parliamentary Maritime and Ports Group meeting. Meeting with Drax Power Ltd regarding biomass.
- More information
January 6th: New Energy Blog Launches
Alan has launched a new blog covering his work on energy policy. You can read Alan's Energy Blog here, or find it more about its purpose here.
January 4th: The impact of the VAT rise on pensioners
Alan Whitehead has today highlighted the particularly unfair way pensioners will lose out because of the VAT hike. More information
January 4th: Monthly Report
Alan Whitehead's Monthly MP's Report for December 2010 is now online. The report covers his work on local government funding; the alternative vote; the vote on student fees; and other areas. Read Alan's December Report here.
What do you think about this story? Email Alan