UKIP condemns Government's referendum refusal on Norfolk and Suffolk unitary re-organisation

The Government has confirmed in an answer to a written question by UKIP's MP, Dr Bob Spink, that the people of Suffolk and Norfolk are to be denied a referendum on any proposals for unitary reorganisation. John Healey, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government said in a written answer: "We have no plans for local referendums on any proposals for unitary local government in Norfolk and Suffolk."

David Campbell Bannerman, UKIP's Deputy Leader and Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Suffolk South as well as the Party's Lead Candidate for the forthcoming European Election said: "The proposals for unitary authorities in Suffolk and Norfolk represent a massive shift in local democracy. It is scandalous for the Government to be considering such a dramatic change without consulting the people who live in those counties and who use and pay for local services through a direct vote.

"This is top down government at its very worst. It shows contempt for local people who would have their local authorities such as town, district and borough councils abolished and replaced by much bigger, more remote unitary authorities, which would have little or no idea about local priorities.

"UKIP vigorously opposes this dictatorial approach, which shows contempt for democracy by an ever more out-of-touch political class. With the Government's shambolic, so-called consultation having run into legal trouble, there will now be no decisions made before 15th July, instead of the promised 13th February. This gives voters the opportunity to make their views known in the county council elections in June.

"UKIP believes in local referendums on this and any other major issue that people are concerned about in the areas where they live. A mechanism to make that possible will be included in our manifesto. Democracy belongs to the people and we abandon it at our peril."


Local Government Re-organisation - Extract from Hansard - January 09

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will make it her policy that local referendums be held in Suffolk and Norfolk on the reorganisation of local government; and if she will include the option of retaining the status quo in the referendum. [246693]

2. Policies on reinvigorating democracy are contained in the UK Independence Party Constitutional Policy paper 'How We're Governed, see www.ukip.org website or http://www.ukip.org/content/ukip-policies/725-uk-independence-party-constitutional-policy-august-2008

Does Spink Have any Influence ?

Last week was quite typical for UKIP MP Bob Spink. He spoke in Parliament over 20 times, tabled over 50 questions (to hold the Government to account), tabled and sponsored 20 Motions, helped 117 individual constituents and worked about two days in Castle Point.

Bob got a meeting with the Prime Minister for local and national officers of Age Concern to get more help for all pensioners. As Bob said: “It is easy to simply grumble and score political points, but trying to get constructive action to help people is much more useful. It will be great to take local pensioners to No 10 to tell the Prime Minister, face to face, what really needs to be done.”

Bob tabled several amendments in the House of Commons to give greater transparency to MP’s expenses. The Leader of the Commons, the Rt Hon Harriet Harman said of two of Bob’s amendments: ‘That makes sense…. it is important for the public to be able to see year by year how things change’ The Deputy Leader of the House also appeared to agree to Bob’s move to stop a £14,000 ‘jobs for the boys’ MP’s pay rise.

And much more (for instance fighting for a better ‘Warm Front deal for pensioners)
Not bad for an MP who local Tories claim has no influence! They should stop bickering and work with Bob for the community. It is all on the record.

Bob Pledges Support For React

Last week, Dr. Bob Spink ,UKIP MP for Castle Point in Essex, joined staff and volunteers of the charity React (Rapid Effective Assistance for Children with potentially Terminal illness) at a drop-in session, hosted by MP Susan Kramer, at the House of Commons in Westminster. React was delighted to have the opportunity to introduce MPs to its work assisting children with potentially life-limiting conditions.

Last year, React responded to requests from 1,232 families caring for a terminally-ill child but there are many more children living in Essex who need help. Working closely with medical and social care professionals, the charity can provide any specialist, domestic or educational equipment which is considered to be a ‘basic, essential need’.

At the event, Bob Spink pledged his support for React’s cause and spoke strongly of his willingness to help within his local community.Bob Spink says: “It is essential that children born with life-limiting illnesses are given support and I have long campaigned for children's hospices winning an extra 27 million a few years ago from Prime Minister Tony Blair for them. I encourage everyone to become involved in this worthy cause.”

Vicky Andreas, Director of Client Services at React, says: “We’re delighted to have Bob Spink’s support in our quest to improve the lives of terminally-ill children. Families caring for children living with a life-limiting illness are often not given the necessary assistance they require and community support is vital in helping us to change this.”

With the help of Bob Spink, React hopes to engage the community in both fund and awareness raising activities, ensuring that all the children in Essex that need React’s help have access to their services.

UKIP MP Bob Spink call to scrap Christmas recess

Parliament's hardest working MP Bob Spink is calling for Parliament’s usual Christmas recess to be scrapped this year, so MPs can get to grips with the economic downturn.

Castle Point UKIP MP Dr Spink thinks the three-and-a-half week break is too long and says he will be working right through the festive holiday.

Dr Spink explained: “We live in extraordinary times and our constituents are upset when they are struggling to get two or three days off, we are taking a three-and-a-half week break.

“I understand MPs need time with their families like everyone else, but an e-mail went around last week, asking MPs if they wanted to go on a skiing holiday after New Year. I mean this isn’t the real world.”

The Spink told how he will be working right up to Christmas Eve and already had a busy diary between Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve.

Dr Spink told us what he'd done over previous Christmas breaks, he said he had worked just as hard.

He added: “I took a week off last year and only a couple of days the year before.

“In tough economic times when people are losing their jobs, Government must be held to account.”

EDM 2527 - Abolition of Prescription Charges in England

UKIP MP, Bob Spink, has proposed an Early Day Motion (EDM) calling for the British government to follow the lead of the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly and Northern Ireland Assembly and abolish prescription charges in England.

The NHS in England has done a deal with pharmaceutical companies which will save £400m, only £30m short of the total amount raised by prescription charges in England.

The Welsh Assembly abolished prescriptions charges a couple of years ago and prescription charges are being abolished completely in Scotland and Northern Ireland over the next 12-18 months. The ironic thing is that the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish health services are subsidising the cost of prescriptions using English taxes given to them under the Barnett Formula!

Write to your MP and ask them if they share UKIP's belief that it is unfair for the English to have to pay prescription charges when the rest of the UK get them free and to sign EDM2527.

The text of the EDM is as follows:

That this House congratulates the Government on its new deal with pharmaceutical companies which is estimated to save the NHS £400 million on its drugs bill; notes that paid-for prescriptions raise £430 million in England; further notes that people in England often cannot afford the drugs they are prescribed, leading to health complications and additional subsequent costs for the NHS; and therefore calls on the Government and opposition parties to take this opportunity to abolish prescription charges in England.

Car flag ban 'outrageous' says UKIP MP

UKIP supporters and others who bought national flag stickers to place over the EU "ring of stars" on their car number plates could face a £60 fine.Answering a parliamentary question from UKIP MP Bob Spink, transport minister Jim Fitzpatrick said number plates showing a union flag, the Cross of St George, the Scottish saltire and Welsh dragon were breaking the law.

Vehicles with such number plates might also fail an MoT test.Mr Fitzpatrick said regulations that came into force seven years ago permit only the EU symbol to be displayed.Dr Spink, MP for Castle Point, said he had raised the issue after being contacted by motorists fined for displaying national flags."No one believed it," he added. "This is outrageous."Europe is gathering around itself the trappings of a country because only countries can have a flag. Europe is becoming the country and Britain is just a region. This is just not acceptable."

The ban on national symbols, forced through Parliament by the government in June 2001 despite strong opposition, also applies CYM for Cymru or SCO for Scotland on number plates, though they can be shown as stickers elsewhere on vehicles.Ministers said the regulation were needed to allow easy circulation thoughout the EU, but Open Europe spokesperson Lorraine Mullally responded: "The use of EU symbols instead of national ones is part of a wider attempt to promote the idea of a common European citizenship, which EU federalists have been pushing for some time. The Government seems happy to buy into this.''