Bob questions the Foreign Secretary on Syria

In the House of Commons this week, the Foreign Secretary made a statement on the conflict in Syria. During the Foreign Secretary’s statement, Bob sought clarification on whether the House would be afforded the opportunity to make a decision on any potential future change in Government policy in relation to the provision of lethal aid to the opposition in Syria:  

Mr Bob Ainsworth (Coventry North East) (Lab): The Foreign Secretary does not appear to deny that the provision of lethal aid to the opposition would be a huge thing to do in such a complicated situation as Syria. Is he guaranteeing to the House—because many of us are really worried about this—that he will return here for a decision before that line is crossed?

Mr Hague: As I said to the shadow Foreign Secretary, I return to the House whenever there is a major development or change in Government policy. In all my time in government, I have never been one to try to deny the House an opportunity to make a decision about something. (Hansard, 20 May 2013)

To view the Foreign Secretary’s statement in full, please click here.

Latest jobs figures show the Government is letting down our area

In responding to yesterday’s disappointing unemployment figures – which showed that 70,000 more people across the country are now on the dole than last quarter, that youth unemployment rose by 20,000 over the same period and that long term unemployment rose yet again – Bob said:

“Here in Coventry North East long term unemployment is up 7% on the year, and long-term youth unemployment is up 3%.  It is getting clearer by the day that this government is letting down our area.

“We urgently need action to get local people into work. This is why Labour is calling for a compulsory jobs guarantee, which will get any adult out of work for more than two years, or young person out of work for a year, into a job – one they would be required to take.

“Coventry North East can’t wait any longer for action. Ministers must stop prevaricating and start helping now before they condemn a whole generation to joblessness.”

 

Bob Ainsworth leads a debate on Coventry City Football Club and the Ricoh Arena

Bob in House of Commons

Mr Bob Ainsworth (Coventry North East) (Lab): Thank you, Mrs Main, for presiding over this debate, which gives us an opportunity to discuss an issue of such concern to the city of Coventry, to local people and, most particularly, to Sky Blue fans……

To continue reading Bob’s speech and the Minister’s response click here

BOB AINSWORTH CONDEMNS POLICE CUTS IN THE WEST MIDLANDS

Bob has condemned government cuts to policing after figures show that the West Midlands has lost 1,607 police officers since 2010 under the Tory-led Government.

Figures released by the Home Office show the Government’s cuts to policing have resulted in the lowest number of police officers in England and Wales for over a decade. 

This comes on the back of recent figures showing the proportion of crimes being solved by police is falling, with 30,000 fewer crimes solved in the last year, including 7,000 violent crimes against the person.

Commenting on the reduction in police numbers, Bob said:

“It is extremely worrying that thanks to this Conservative-led Government’s cuts to policing, we now have 1,607 fewer police officers in the West Midlands.

“This Government’s reduction in police numbers puts our communities at risk with fewer frontline officers, fewer officers responding to 999 calls and less visible police. The morale of our officers is also at an all-time low.

“These huge cuts to policing are making it harder for the police to catch criminals and deliver justice. 30,000 fewer crimes were solved under this Government in the last year, including 7,000 crimes of violence against the person.

“I know that Chief Constables and their teams across the West Midlands are trying their hardest to deal with challenging crime issues, but thanks to the current Government’s cuts, thousands of victims are being denied justice. Thousands more criminals are getting away with it – so this Tory-led Government needs to urgently rethink next year’s police budget cuts and stop letting our communities down.”

The reduction in police numbers comes as a result of the Tory-led Government’s decision to cut over £1bn from the police since 2010.

The Home Office has now released the police grant figures for 2013/14 and confirmed that investment in police would be at a three year low with over £1bn pound cut from police in England and Wales since the last election.

During a debate on police funding in the House of Commons yesterday, Bob condemned the Government’s cuts, particularly in high crime areas.

Commenting on the cuts to police funding, Bob said:

“The cuts imposed by the Government have caused severe problems for police forces the length and breadth of the country, but in the high-crime areas, the cuts are even deeper and disproportionate.  For example, in the west midlands, which is a high-crime area, the cuts are deeper than they are across the nation as a whole.”

“The Government urgently needs to look again at the level of resources it provides to high crime areas, which have been hit much harder when compared to low-crime areas.”

WOMEN LOSE OUT AGAIN ON GOVERNMENT PENSION REFORMS

House of Commons Library research released by Labour reveals the true cost of the Tory-led Government’s proposed pensions reforms to 600 women in Coventry North East constituency who are set to lose out.

600 local women born in 1952 and 1953 will not be eligible for the single tier pension since they are due to retire in 2017, before the state pension reforms come into effect. Men born during the same period, however, will qualify.

The news comes after the government claimed that “we have to be absolutely transparent [about who will lose]” – yet they have failed to make clear the full consequences of the planned reforms.

The unravelling of this latest pensions announcement is the second time this government has been caught trying to hide the full impact of its disastrous policies on pensioners following the Granny Tax.

David Cameron’s pension changes mean 600 women in Coventry North East will be nearly £2,000 worse off compared to men. But instead of being honest with the women that will lose out, he has tried to bury the truth.

Once again David Cameron has shown he can’t be the One Nation Prime Minister that Britain needs. It’s about time he had the decency to be honest about who will lose out under his plans.