Lazarowicz attacks government for 'betrayal' of disabled workers

Mark Lazarowicz MP has condemned the betrayal of Edinburgh Remploy workers by Government and calls on all sides to work together to support workers made redundant.

The North and Leith MP was reacting to news that the Edinburgh Remploy factory in South Gyle is to close. Mark Lazarowicz MP for Edinburgh North and Leith has attacked the betrayal by the UK Government of disabled workers at the factory and called on Remploy, the Department of Work and Pensions, Scottish Government and the City Council to work together to help find the workers alternative employment.

Mr Lazarowicz (pictured below) said: “The news makes me wonder whether the Government was genuinely seeking to find bids to keep factories open or whether it was simply offering false hope. One of the stated aims of its welfare changes is to support disabled people into work wherever possible – laudable in principle but it is hard to square that with the way that it has treated Remploy workers. Staff will now find themselves out of work at a time when unemployment in Scotland is almost two and a half million. I call upon Remploy, the Department of Work and Pensions, Scottish Government and the City Council to make a concerted effort to help them find alternative employment.”

The factory was reprieved from closure along with other factories in July as the Remploy Board deemed that there was a potentially viable business plan to secure its future, but those hopes have now been dashed.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) confirmed that there had been an expression of interest in the factory, but that it had gone no further. She added: “We have followed the advice of disability expert Liz Sayce to use the £320m protected budget for disability employment more effectively, to support more disabled people into mainstream jobs instead of loss-making segregated factories. We have put in place an £8m package of employment support for those affected, including a Personal Case Worker to help individuals with their future choices, as well as access to a personal budget.”

Lazarowicz attacks government for ‘betrayal’ of disabled workers

Mark Lazarowicz MP has condemned the betrayal of Edinburgh Remploy workers by Government and calls on all sides to work together to support workers made redundant.

Local MP backs action on pre-payment meters

Mark Lazarowicz MP (pictured above) backs action on fuel poverty to help cut bills of pre-payment meter users

With steep rises in energy prices on the way this winter, Mark Lazarowicz MP for Edinburgh North and Leith, is backing a new Bill to make it easier for customers who use pre-payment meters (PPMs) for their gas and electricity to switch suppliers.

Currently, users can switch providing they are not more than £200 in debt – the Bill would raise that to £300 benefitting over 200,000 people. Mark said: “This Bill matters because pre-payment meter users pay more for their gas or electricity even though they are over twice as likely to be in fuel poverty than those who pay by direct debit. People often use PPMs because they are trying to budget responsibly – in some cases precisely because they were in debt – but debts for fuel bills can take a long time to pay off when someone can only afford to pay off a small amount each week. The Government is always urging consumers to switch – this Bill would make it easier for PPM users to do so and they are the people who could benefit most.”

The number of pre-payment users has risen steadily in recent years either as a conscious choice or because suppliers install a meter where someone is in debt to them. Last year over 15% of electricity customers in the UK used PPMs (4.1 million) and 13% of gas customers (2.9 million).

A recently published study by Consumer Focus found that one in six pre-payment users cut off their own energy supply in order to make ends meet – a measure of how carefully they are budgeting. Traditionally pre-payment users have paid much more for their gas and electricity than those who pay by direct debit or standard credit.

There have been improvements more recently due to action by the regulator, Ofgem, so that the prices PPM users pay better reflect the costs of installing and maintaining the meters, but further action is needed to ensure PPM users get a fair deal.

Donald Gorrie dies

Former Edinburgh West MP Donald Gorrie has died aged 79.

Mr Gorrie represented Edinburgh West at Westminster before becoming an MSP for Central Scotland after devolution. Indeed, over a long political career spanning many decades Mr Gorrie represented the Liberal Democrats at every level of government save the European parliament.

A constant critic of the Holyrood building project, Gorrie was not afraid to upset his Party’s heirarchy – he was an outspoken critic of the Lib Dem’s coalition deal with Labour. He was also one of the first politicians to call for tougher alcohol laws.

A quiet and polite man, Donald Gorrie was respected across the political spectrum. He leaves behind his wife Astrid and two sons.

“I was saddened at the news of Donald Gorrie’s death. He was on Edinburgh Council for 12 years at the same time as me, and he was always respected for his straight talking and his hard work for his constituents. Above all, he was a great champion of Edinburgh and he was always ready to work with his political opponents to support projects and initiatives to benefit the city.” – Edinburgh North and Leith MP Mark Lazarowicz

“Donald Gorrie was a traditional Liberal who was respected by his political opponents and worked hard on behalf of his consituents. Only last year while I was canvassing in Edinburgh West his name would be mentioned on a number of occassiobs as the person who would ‘get action taken on our behalf’. My thoughts are with his family at this time.” – Councillor Lesley Hinds

I was very sad to hear of the death of Donald Gorrie. Donald was the dominant figure in Edinburgh Liberal politics from his election to the then Town Council in 1971 representing Corstorphine. He first came to public prominence as an athlete – the 880 yards was his distance and he competed for Scotland at this level.

Donald served in local government between 1971 and 1997 when he was elected as the first ever Liberal Democrat MP in Edinburgh and the first Liberal since WWII.

Donald was the Liberal group leader on both district and regional councils when I was first elected to the region in 1994; he was a man who had a strong sense of morality and his
politics were very much shaped by his sense of right and wrong. He had so much in common with the great Liberal hero Gladstone in that regard and like the Grand Old Man he became more radical the older he got.

I always like to tell people that I have more fingers in pies than I have fingers. Donald made
me look like a beginner in that regard! He was involved in everything. President of the Edinburgh Athletics Club, he was involved with the Association of Youth Clubs, Diverse Attractions and he was a great champion of youth, setting up the hugely successful 6VT Youth cafe when he was a councillor.

In 1997 Donald finally was elected to Westminster but served only one term before going
on to serve in Holyrood from 1999 until 2007 – his main reason for getting elected to Westminster was so that he could help set up the Scottish parliament.
He made an instant impact being named as the new parliament’s first Backbencher of the Year and busied himself with various issues from the Holyrood building fiasco to raising the issue of sectarianism and ensuring that this was finally tackled. I also recall he was the first politician I ever heard raising the issue of Hospital Acquired Infection.

He retired in 2007 but then was involved in more local groups. He became the secretary of the Friends of Corstorphine Hill and chair of the Corstorphine Dementia Project. The list of groups Donald helped is too numerous for me to list, as are his many achievements. He was so energetic – a real force of nature.

Personally as a young activist and then councillor his counsel was always worth listening to. He was perhaps the most influential figure in my development as a politician. A great man, a giant of Edinburgh Liberalism and a man who was always more interested in doing things than being things. Scottish politics has lost one of its most colourful and principled characters.

Councillor Paul Edie

I knew Donald Gorrie at both Westminster and the Scottish Parliament and thought he was an outstanding parliamentarian who always spoke his own mind and wassn’t afraid to depart from his party’s line.

Malcolm Chisholm MSP

Poverty? We're not having it!

Maybe it was the lure of Euro 2012 football on TV, or maybe it was the draw of the Olympic torch up at Edinburgh Castle, but whatever the reason there was a disappointing attendance at North Edinburgh Fights Back’s public meeting held in North Edinburgh Arts Centre last week.

Despite the draw of advertised speakers from the Poverty Alliance and Shelter Scotland, only a dozen people came to hear NEFB plans to fight back against poverty and social injustice.

The sparse attendance did provide NEFB members an opportunity to rehearse speeches before next week’s Full Council meeting, however. North Edinburgh Fights Back plans to present individual Community Charters to all 58 councillors during a delegation to the 28 June meeting, urging councillors of all parties to commit to a series of anti-poverty measures.

A group spokesperson said: ‘We would like more people to have been at the public meeting but it is always difficult to get people out to attend meetings. However we are sure that many more members of the community will be supporting us when we present the charter at the council meeting, and we would urge local people to join us to let the councillors know ‘Poverty – we’re not having it’!”

The Full Council meeting on Thursday 28 June is open to the public and begins at 10am.

You can find out more about North Edinburgh Fights Back by visiting their website at www.northedinburghfightsback.org.uk

Poverty? We’re not having it!

Despite the draw of advertised speakers from the Poverty Alliance and Shelter Scotland, only a dozen people came to hear NEFB plans to fight back against poverty and social injustice.

The Full Council meeting on Thursday 28 June is open to the public and begins at 10am.

You can find out more about North Edinburgh Fights Back by visiting their website at www.northedinburghfightsback.org.uk

Letter – Rights and Responsibility

Dear Editor

‘Rights come with Responsibility’ is a favourite call of the Cameron government. A second favourite: ‘strikes are wrong and evil in intent’.

The biggest and longest lasting strike – still going on and having disastrous consequences – is the strike of the very rich and their investment companies in ‘the Market’: they only invest if the profit return is large enough.

Although they are only investing money, ‘rights with responsibility’ obviously does not apply to them, whereas the majority of the population invest the whole of their working lives. The majority of workplace strikes are, in the main, by people exercising their rights and responsibility to their families in resisting efforts by employers to worsen conditions of work and pay – and being made to feel guilty for doing so.

A. Delahoy

Silverknowes Gardens

Letter – Thank You

Dear Editor,

We would like to thank the residents of Forth Ward for electing us at the election to represent them at the Council.

Two of our priorities are housing/fuel poverty, and the regeneration of the area. We have already approached Council Officers to start this process and we will keep you informed of our progress.

Since being elected in 2008 Cammy has done much for the community and attended many community meetings and events but it was difficult when events clashed. Now that there are two of us we can attend events more often.

Councillor surgeries will continue as advertised for the time being but from August this year, instead of fortnightly surgeries, there will be weekly surgeries at the Muirhouse Millennium Centre, The Prentice Centre and at the Royston Wardieburn Community Centre.

This is just an indication of how we will be working for the residents of North Edinburgh.

Councillor Cammy Day and Councillor Vicki Redpath

Labour Councillors, Forth Ward

New era for Edinburgh as Labour and SNP join forces

Labour and the SNP have vowed to work together to take Edinburgh forward following the local council elections on 3 May. The two parties finished first and second in the city council elections and, with a strong mandate from the electorate, they’ve jointly signed up to a ‘Contract with the Capital’.

No one political party could win an overall majority following the 3 May vote and negotiations with other parties were always going to be necessary to form a new administration. The election result – Labour 20, SNP 18, Conservative 11, Green 6 and Lib-Dems just 3 – left Labour, as the largest group, a number of options.

The resulting coalition with the SNP was a surprise for many; apart from the obvious party political differences at a national level – unionism or independence – there are some potentially fiery personality clashes too; some senior Labour figures have never forgiven former ‘comrade’ Steve Cardownie for defecting to the SNP back in 2006.

However it seems that there are now more issues that unite rather than divide the two groups, and group leaders Andrew Burns and Steve Cardownie have agreed to work together for the good of the city through a ‘contract with the capital’ which will ‘build a more co-operative and prosperous Edinburgh that benefits every individual and community’.

The agreement includes more than 50 pledges that the administration will be judged on, with a review going to Council each year detailing what progress has been made on meeting those aims.

Labour group leader Councillor Andrew Burns said: “Edinburgh is internationally recognised as a fantastic city. It is successful, prosperous and a great place to live and work. Yet our city has major challenges and we need to acknowledge that we have some work to do to rebuild trust between the residents of Edinburgh and their elected representatives. Tackling these requires strong leadership, which we will provide, as well as the political stability created by having a 38-strong coalition between the Council’s two largest parties.”

Councillor Steve Cardownie, leader of the SNP group, added: “This new contract with the capital marks a fresh start with a Council willing to listen to local people and work together with local communities, businesses and the voluntary sector. Together, we will move Edinburgh forward for the benefit of the city and its people, with decision-making that shows we are listening to public opinion.”

The agreement sets out six key priorities:

ensuring every child in Edinburgh has the best start in life
reducing poverty, inequality and deprivation
providing for Edinburgh ‘s prosperity
strengthening and supporting our communities and keeping them safe
ensuring Edinburgh, and its residents, are well cared-for; and
maintaining and improving the quality of life in Edinburgh.

Council Chief Executive Sue Bruce said: “The agreement lays out the goals that officers will be charged with delivering on behalf of the whole Council. It is a challenging set of objectives, as it rightly should be for a capital city. I’m very much looking forward to working with councillors, the senior management team, partner organisations and all of our committed staff on achieving them.”

The new administration has one distinct advantage over the outgoing one – experience. When the last administration came to power only Cllr Cardownie has any experience of running departments – while there were many Lib Dems councillors with years of experience, none had experience of power or responsibility, and there was a whole raft of councillors with no experience of local government at all. Almost from day one, the administration found itself on the back foot with a botched school closures programme and throughout it’s time in power it was beset with problems – in particular the tram fiasco, undoubtedly the biggest factor in the Lib-Dems dramatic demise on 3 May.

The new administration contains a good mix of politicians with strong experience of running departments, councillors with some experience under their belts and a fresh new intake – hopefully with fresh new ideas. There’s no doubt they’ll all have learned from the mistakes of the last administration – and that’s got to be good for Edinburgh.

Senior civic and committee positions will formally agreed at the first meeting of the new Council on Thursday (17 May).

They think it’s all over …

Final declaration from Meadowbank:

PORTOBELLO/CRAIGMILLAR: Child (Lab), Bridgman (SNP) and Walker (Lab) elected.

The composiiton of the new council is:

LAB – 20 (+5), SNP – 18 (+5) , CON – 11 (no change), GRN – 6 (up 3), LD – 3 (down 13).

So the count is over, but now the work begins to establish a new administration. That new administration could take a number of forms – Lab/Lib Dem/Green is one, but would Labour want to be associated with a ‘toxic brand’ like the Lib Dems? Or what about a Lab/Con coalition? Could Labour supporters stomach a union with the ‘old enemy’?

Negotiations will have already begun and all will become clear. In the meantime, congratulations to the successful candidates – all that hard work has been worthwhile. Enjoy the day, the real hard work starts soon. To the unsuccessful ones, commiserations – particularly to those good, hard-working ward councillors who found their party was just too unpopular. It’s tough, but it’s politics.

I’m signing off now, it’s been a long, long day and it’s time for a drink … and thanks to ~~(both the)~~ readers who have stuck with us!