Food banks in North Northumberland are at an all- time high with families struggling to feed families

Welcomed news but don’t let it hide the issues

Labours Parliamentary Candidate Scott Dickinson today welcomed the news about the 11miles of the A1 that is set to be duelled, Northumberland County Council officers and politicians playing a vital part of that writing economic plans and meeting with the DFT to present them. However the devil of course will be in the detail, securing the remaining 22miles and ensuring that these current plans are actually delivered. We MUST however not let this cloud our view of the issues faced in this Constituency. While the Libdems and Tories fight out who should take credit for the duelling of the A1 important issues are not being focused on.

Food banks in North Northumberland are at an all- time high with families struggling to feed families. The NHS is under threat from the Coalition Government with the Labour Politicians at County Hall stepping in to finance a new Hospital for Berwick to ensure new modern day facilities are available. Local Government Cuts of £130million impacting on jobs and services while Council bosses minimise the impact and think of innovative ways to work differently and support communities.  Housing issues rarely talked about by the other parties with houses now being built across North Northumberland supporting those left on the Housing lists by Libdems for years. We must also remember despite these financial restraints Labour bosses at County Hall have allocated without any support from Government £33million towards the Ashington, Blyth and Tyne Line which will open the Rural Coalfield area and wider communities to new jobs and experiences to benefit Northumberland creating a gateway network  to Northumberland.

So this is a gentle reminder that I know many people don’t need but for others let’s remember that the A1 is an announcement welcomed its timing is electioneering and its creating a smoke and mirrors approach to cover or shift the discussion from some incredibly important issues in North Northumberland that are being totally ignored or brushed away for the election.

'COALITION PENSION TIMEBOMB'

LABOUR REVEAL ‘COALITION PENSION CON’

‘Beith needs to explain why he didn’t come clean when 80% of the people he claims would benefit from his unfair changes to the state pension may lose out’ – Scott Dickinson, Labour

 

Labour PPC for Berwick Scott Dickinson has revealed his fears that the ‘coalition’ policy announcement that state pensions would rise under coalition plans highlighted by Lib Dem MP Alan Beith last week was a ‘ticking time bomb for pensioners’

Beith claimed that 63,000 pensioners would benefit from coalition plans to make the state pension more complicated yet a respected ‘independent’ website THIS IS MONEY has raised fears that as many as 4 out of 5 pensioners won’t see the ‘Beith Boost’ when it is due to be introduced in 2016. It says highly complicated and technical changes may see public sector workers hit hardest.

Public sector retirees will be hardest hit and Labour are highlighting the huge impact that would have on North Northumberland where over 30% of those in employment rely on public sector wages.

Beith claimed the rise in the state pension to £155 in 2016 would benefit 63,000 people in North Northumberland yet it has emerged that more than 50,000 may miss out of the pension boost.

Scott Dickinson said

‘It’s a typical, back of the envelope, piece of shoddy spin to claim that thousands of people in North Northumberland will benefit from a pension rise that the government hasn’t even worked out the impact of. The reality is that because of technical and highly complicated tinkering with the state pension rules, this government has created a situation where over 50,000 people in North Northumberland may not get a full state pension. It seems that Alan Beith doesn’t even know the potentially devastating impact of his own policy’.

 

NOTES FOR EDITORS

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/pensions/article-2634215/Why-millions-WONT-155-new-state-pension-theyre-expecting.html

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/pensions/article-2629474/Why-vital-check-state-pension-youre-going-get.html

 

Now Labour’s PPC for Berwick Scott Dickinson has slammed Beith for ‘turning his back’ on the legitimate rights of a Palestine free state and he’s calling on the retiring MP to explain his decision to vote against Palestine.

Scott slams Beith ‘sell out’ over Palestine vote

MP accused of indifference to the plight of Palestinian’s

 Outgoing Lib Dem MP Alan Beith has been accused of ‘indifference to the plight of Palestinians’ in yesterday’s vote in the House of Commons on a motion to recognise a state of Palestine. The MP who has close ties to the Lib Dem Friends of Israel lobbying group was the only Lib Dem to vote against the motion to recognise an independent state of Palestine.

The vote has followed a fraught period of conflict which has seen thousands of bombs dropped on the existing Palestine state, many of the bombs killing thousands of civilians.

Now Labour’s PPC for Berwick Scott Dickinson has slammed Beith for ‘turning his back’ on the legitimate rights of a Palestine free state and he’s calling on the retiring MP to explain his decision to vote against Palestine.

Scott said

“This was an important opportunity to send a message that parliament was alive to the sufferings of the Palestinian people and that we recognise that a 2 state solution is the only way to tackle extreme factions on both sides. Berwick may seem like a long way from Palestine but we’re faced with the humanitarian aftermath of mass bombings and it’s at time like this parliament should make their voices heard. He should explain why he felt the need to vote against recognising the legitimate rights of a free Palestine and he needs to explain why he thinks a solution to the problems in the middle-east are best solved by denying the legitimate rights of self-determination to one side while promoting the other?  

http://ldfi.org.uk/