Transcript I honour the hon. Member for Dagenham and Rainham (Jon Cruddas) for giving a good defence of many of the good elements of the big society, and a good warning on some of its dangers. Much of the debate, however, reminds me of sitting in a room with a group of philosophers looking at […]
My opposition to wind-turbines used to be merely theoretical. I understood that they were an inefficient way of generating energy and that companies pushed them into inappropriate places, against the wishes of communities, because of extravagant subsidies. But Britain desperately needed clean energy. I knew struggling farmers, for whom turbines could bring enough income to […]
Sir, I have undertaken to steer clear of party politics in my column but you have invited me through Joe Ravetz’s letter last week to explain my national positions. Anyone wanting to know my views in detail please write to [email protected]. In brief, I am strongly in favour of the academy schools because I believe […]
Rory has issued a statement in support of the county’s many Teaching Assistants and Learning Support Assistants affected by Cumbria County Council’s review of job profiles and terms and conditions under the Single Status ‘Job Families Allocation’ review. He has responded to queries from a number of concerned constituents by contacting the Chief Executive of […]
Rory opened the new Penrith Headquarters of the Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust on Friday 11th February 2011. He was also shown the innovative developments in mental health and learning disability services in Cumbria. Trust Chair Bryan Betterton launched the first issue of the Learning Network’s new research journal which publishes research from eminent clinicians, […]
Rory backed the UK’s National Apprenticeship week initiative with a visit to Cranstons in Penrith last Friday. At Cranstons Rory donned apron and gloves and was shown by apprentice Chris Mitchell how to fillet and stuff a chicken ready for sale. Rory met and chatted with butcher apprentices at the Penrith food store, and talked […]
Rory walked from Reagill to Wintertarn, on Saturday 12th February, to visit proposed windfarm sites with CARST (Communities Against Reagill & Sleagill Turbines). Rory described it as a “wonderfully unique landscape, wholly inappropriate for wind turbines.” The walk organised by CARST showed local MP Rory the 50-foot high anemometer mast, recently erected at Reagill by […]
Nothing that I have done in my short time in parliament has been as exciting or as fulfilling as broadband. My constituency of Penrith and the Border is the largest in England and consists of over 200 villages. Our greatest problems stem from distance and isolation. My neighbour with Parkinson’s has to drive to Newcastle Hospital […]
Volunteers speak up for Big Society By Clare Lissaman BBC News, Wednesday 9th February 2011 Months before Prime Minister David Cameron launched his Big Society initiative with the aim of empowering local communities, villagers in Cumbria were making plans to build their own homes. A survey identifying the need for 23 affordable homes in […]
On Thursday, I defended Cumbrian community action in the London School of Economics, where the rhetoric was as extreme as the setting was bland. My opponents compared parish council initiatives to Athenian slavery and the Bombing of Baghdad, in front of a quiet scholarly audience in a lecture theatre. On Saturday, I was amidst the […]