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If you have ever wondered what an MP does in Parliament and their constituency you can follow what Anne has been up to in London and Aberdeen over the previous week here.

My Month - February 2010

I don't know how some of my colleagues find the time to blog two or three times a day as well as Twitter half a dozen times when I haven't had time to write my weekly roundup for the whole of February.  Sorry if you are one (and I use the number advisedly) who waits with baited breath for my weekly missive. 

So what have I been busy doing?  Well not having a holiday, that's for sure, even although Parliament was in recess for one of the weeks in February.  While we have been campaigning for the election for almost a year now, the intensity has certainly increased so every spare moment either sees me out on the doors or on the phone speaking to constituents.  This comes on top of all the normal Parliamentary and constituency work which normally fills my time.  In fact both of these activities seem to have intensified as well.   

Lots of individuals and groups want to have meetings with me.  I think they would be better waiting to see if I get re-elected first so that they are not wasting their time speaking to someone who could be unemployed in two months time! 

There is also a lot going on in Aberdeen, what with even more Council cuts and the proposals for Union Terrace Gardens.  We held a very successful public meeting on the issue where all sides of the discussion were put.  Also held an event for first time voters and a women’s forum.  Both events showed that people are interested in politics and issues which affect their lives, it is just Party Politics which puts them off. 

Anyway, I am now up and running on Twitter as well as Facebook so will try and give a running commentary on what I am doing so this will be the last of my weekly – or as in this case monthly – roundups.

Burns Suppers – my week from 25th Jan 2010 

Another two Burns Suppers this week – one in Westminster, the other in Brechin, where I was replying on behalf of the lasses.  Three down and only another one to go.

The week began with the funeral of a constituent, Bruce Nobel, a great Torry loon, and someone who worked tirelessly for his community.

More Chairing this week, Westminster Hall, a delegated legislation committee then two All Party Groups – at the same time!  Too many meetings in the diary to be able to go to them all so missed as many as I attended.  Members of the CWU were down from Aberdeen to lobby on the future of Royal Mail pensions.

Back to Aberdeen in time to go to the opening of the Wallace and Gromit exhibition at Satrosphere.  Spent too much time speaking to people rather than seeing the exhibition but the children who were there certainly enjoyed it.

A very snowy Aberdeen all weekend.   Had to cancel my Saturday diary so spent the day on the phone.  Same for Sunday.

 

Tube excitement - Week from 18th January 2010

Thought I would have more spare time this week as I no longer have meetings of the Speaker's Conference, but it is amazing how the diary fills up with other things.  As a member of the Chairmen's Panel I had some Chairing duties to do and a dinner hosted by Mr Speaker to mark the stepping down of a large number of Panel members at the next election.  It also gave Mr Speaker a chance to pay tribute to my colleague, David Taylor, who tragically died at Christmas. David and I became members of the Panel at the same time so would often compare notes.

 I also did some work for the Industry and Parliament Trust by addressing one of their seminars for Civil Servants on the work of Select Committees. The next day I was work shadowed by one of the attendees who works for the DWP as a decision-maker.  It was purely a coincidence that my Select Committee was finalising its report on decision making in the DWP!

 The big adventure this week was a trip on the Underground.  You would think this wasn't a novelty for someone who lives a large chunk of the year in London. Not if you use a wheelchair! Few stations are accessible so there are only a limited number of journeys possible.  Going out to West Hampstead was one of them as both Westminster station and Kilburn are accessible.  So, clutching my Oyster card in hand, we excitedly ventured forth.  It was great.  Once there, I had to address and audience of female NUS members.

 Friday saw me take part in two Radio Scotland programmes. Firstly Good Morning Scotland who phoned me at 7.45am asking if I would come on at 8.00am to talk about the Prime Minister's appearance before the Chilcot Inquiry into the Iraq war. The second was at lunchtime, as part of the panel for Brian Taylor's Big Debate.  The main question was about the proposals for Union Terrace gardens as Sir Ian Wood was one of the other panelists.  Asked for my opinion I said that I preferred the Peacock proposal to covering over the whole gardens.  The audience approved.

 Had a great night on Saturday at the annual Aberdeen South Labour Party Burns Supper.  All home grown talent.  Larger turnout than expected and the Party in good heart.  What was that about an election?

 

Early Mornings and Late Nights - week from 11th January 2010

 Down to London on the last plane on Sunday evening so can be in BBC's Millbank Studio for a 7.15 am interview for the Today Programme.  The final report of the Speaker's Conference is published so at least some media interest.  Quite a lot in the broadsheet press and a good editorial in the Guardian. Late night votes so not home until 11.30.

 Early alarm call again on Tuesday as had to be in Millbank studio for 7.30 am.  This time for Good Morning Scotland about the coup that never was.  In the evening I hosted the annual Offshore Oil and Gas reception.  Very good turn out and encouraging words from Ed Miliband. Votes continually interrupted the event.  After the House rose for the evening at 10.30 took a few people from the event who hadn't seen around before through the Chamber.  So didn't get home until after midnight.

Not quite so early a start on Wednesday, as didn't leave flat until 8.30 am but had to trudge through a snow storm to get in on time for Select Committee. Another busy day.

Up early again on Thursday as left at 7.30 to get plane back up to Aberdeen to get a longish spell in the office without too many interruptions.  Agreed to do Scottish Newsnight on Cold Weather Payments so yet another day when I didn’t get home until almost midnight! 

Friday was a whole day of constituents, apart for a live interview for Radio Scotland on Haiti. The day ended with one of my regular Women's Forums.  A lively discussion but didn't get home until 9 pm.

And no time to catch up over weekend as diary fairly full.  Ah well, that's the job. And if you want to experience it then you can.  On Tuesday the Parliamentary Education Service launched their on line game called 'MP for a Week'.  You can find it here.  You might even recognise some of the people who appear.  It really is fun.

 

Mixed fortunes – my Week in Westminster from 4th Jan 2010

A very strange week indeed, dominated as it was by the weather and the coup that never was.

It felt as though I spent most of the week in airport lounges. The plane down on Tuesday was delayed a couple of hours and I only got into Westminster with ten minutes spare before the 10pm vote. However, Thursday was the worst I've ever faced in all the years as an MP. It took 13 and a half hours to get from the centre of London to my home in Aberdeen!

On Wednesday morning we finalised our report for the Speaker's Conference, unanimously too so I was feeling very happy after a brilliant performance by the Prime Minister at Prime Minister's Questions. One of the best I've witnessed from any leader. That was all to come tumbling down when I arrived back in my office to discover two of my colleagues had managed to undermine all this work with a single ill-judged e-mail to Labour MPs.

Short week - Westminster from 14th Dec 09

Parliament rose for the Christmas recess on Wednesday but I was already on my way back to Aberdeen for a round table meeting with a constituent and Aviva, the insurance company, to try and resolve a dispute which has gone on for 3 years.  Not that I've been involved for all this time, but my experience since the summer would suggest that for all their rebranding from the Norwich Union, they haven't developed an effective complaint handling system.

Had a meeting with the PM on Monday to discuss the progress of the Copenhagen climate change talks.  Gordon is definitely at his best when dealing with the difficult global issues. Was able to pass on my constituents' views who want him to push for a 30% reduction in emissions.

Attended an event organised by Barnardos to showcase a project paid for by the Electoral Commission to get young marginalised people interested in politics.  They were down from Newcastle and had certainly got a lot out of their experience. Then it was carols at Mr Speaker’s before having dinner with a group of colleagues to celebrate the 70th birthday of Ann Cryer and the 65th of Dari Taylor.

Experienced a bit of the old hours on Monday as we didn't get finished until after 11.30pm and it was after midnight before we got back to the flat.  This used to happen all the time, even sitting beyond midnight at least once a week, when I was elected in 1997.  Now it is rare because of the reforms which brought in the programming of business.

Tuesday was dominated by what I hope will be the penultimate meeting of the Speaker's Conference.  I had hope we could get everything fully agreed this week but as there is still some redrafting to be done we will have to meet in the New Year to formally agree it.  Puts back publication, but can't be helped.

Some good stuff in the statement on Welfare Reform by Yvette Cooper, some of which my Select Committee has recommended.  My only intervention in the Chamber this week.

Only got to do my Christmas cards now!!

Week beginning 7th December 2009 - Week of Select Committee

Not a week in Westminster this week, but rather 2 and a half days. The other day and a half was spent in Glasgow with my Select Committee. While other committees go off to exotic lands, we on the Work and Pensions committee visit the Jobcentre in Pollock.

However it was a good visit and the most interesting part was seeing around the RSBi factory which used to be the blind workshop in Springburn before it was turned around and became part of City Building. This is what should have happened at Glencraft rather than it closing. Glad to hear a delegation from Aberdeen are visiting on Wednesday to see if they can learn some lessons. The big difference is that they had a sympathetic Council who didn't withdraw their funding and now get £9 million a year in return. Yes, that's right, the factory pays £9m back to Glasgow City Council every year.

Once back at Westminster there was more Select Committee work. A session with the new Head of Jobcentre Plus on Wednesday was followed by a Westminster Hall debate on our Pensioner Poverty debate on Thursday. I arrived late after a meeting with the Chancellor about taxation of the offshore developments West of Shetland but was still able to speak.

Another good performance at PMQs by the PM this week and then the Pre Budget Report and the week flew by. Didn't win the Charity Champion but it was nice to be shortlisted in the Health section.

Thursday saw more publication of MPs’ expenses for 08/09. Mine have been on my website since the summer so there should be no surprises but the press always have to pick something out.

Week beginning 30th November 2009 – Teenage Kicks

Another split week between Glasgow and Westminster, so very busy days in London.

A much less frenetic week in Westminster than the last two, and helped by a couple of visits to Glasgow North East and the by election.  MPs’ expenses is still an issue for some people and it was an issue which was all over the press again this week with the leaking of the Kelly Report which is due to be published next week.  It is very hard to comment when the press know more about an issue than you do and you can't check to find out whether what they are saying is true or just speculation.  The changes being suggested don't affect me as I rent in London so don't have a second mortgage, nor have I ever employed a relative.

On Tuesday night we had the annual visit of the CBI in Scotland to Dover House.  There was a very good turnout of both businessmen and MPs helped by the fact we were on a one line whip from 7pm which meant there were no more votes to keep us in the House.

The Chamber was quiet on Wednesday for a statement on the report into the Nimrod crash in Afghanistan in 2006, which was damning in its criticism. 

I was doing a pre-record for the Radio Scotland programme 'Scotland at 10' from the Millbank Studio when the text message came that the votes at the end of the Marine Bill were happening.  I had to rush back to the House leaving the programme in the lurch.  Once the division bells start ringing I have 8 minutes to get into the correct voting lobby.  Some fast footwork from my assistant meant I made it by a whisker before the shout, 'Lock the doors!'.  The programme makers had to improvise when it went out on Tuesday night, but at least I had managed to welcome the government's proposals for tightening up on credit cards before I rushed off.

Had a Ministerial meeting with Ann Keen MP and the All Party Chronic Pain Group to make sure that Pain is pushed to the top of the government's health agenda.  On Friday I am visiting Aberdeen University medical school to see the pain research of the doctors there.

The big event of the week was a lobby of Parliament by grandparents who are also kinship carers, organised by a charity called Grandparents Plus.  Kinship grandparents get a raw deal as they are not treated as foster carers and so don't get the money and support available to foster parents.  Without them, many more children would be in care or classed as 'looked after children'.  It is an issue I am determined to lobby the government on. As it was the English schools’ half term there were lots of children there too and as everyone had on a red T-shirt advertising the event they made quite a show.

 

 

 Week beginning 23rd November 2009 – Shock Jock

 This week I had my first experience of being interviewed by a 'Shock Jock' on LBC, one of the London radio stations.  He was just rude and really wasn't interested in my views, or anyone else's for that matter.  His argument was just invective.  I found myself shouting down the phone before remembering I was on live radio.

I was on because the Speaker's Conference had produced a second interim report saying we were tabling an amendment to the Equalities Bill next week to oblige Political Parties to report on the diversity of their candidates.  A modest little proposal, you would think.  As vice-chair I was to do the media.  Women's Hour didn't materialize: instead I got the white, middle aged, middle class man at LBC who thinks only people like him can run the country.  He couldn't grasp the concept that the choice of people he had to vote for at an election was determined by the political parties, who are the gatekeepers of the whole process.

The rest of the week was filled with the usual meetings and a failure to get called at Scottish questions.  The statement on the government's White Paper on the future of Scottish Devolution, better known as Calman, delayed the Church of Scotland Moderator's lunch at Dover House.  This is an event which is normally attended by all the Scots at Westminster, including the Lobby – the journalists who cover Parliament.  A late start unfortunately meant that attendance was down.

Week beginning 16th November 2009 – Queen’s Speech

 Because the Queen’s speech is on Wednesday, I don’t travel to London until Tuesday evening.  That means two days meeting constituents and deputising for the Minister for Disabled people when he missed his plane to Aberdeen.  I had to deliver the Ministerial speech to a conference about getting blind people into work.

 Wednesday's Queen’s speech day has its own ceremonial – into the Chamber before 11.30 when we slam the door on Black Rod who has been sent by the Queen to summon us to hear what is called the Gracious Address.  He knocks three times to be let in.  Dennis Skinner always makes a joke when Black Rod appears in the Commons.  I follow the front bench and get as far as the Peers lobby where I watch the Queen deliver her speech on a monitor. 

 Then there is a break which gives us a chance to welcome the arrival of Willie Bain as the new MP for Glasgow North East.  At 2.30 he gets sworn in before the debate on the Queen’s Speech begins.  The proposer is Frank Dobson MP this year.  He is very funny and is followed by his neighbouring MP, Emily Thornberry who also delivers an excellent speech.  They then get mocked by the Leader of the Opposition who speaks next – all part of the tradition.  The same happened to me when I seconded the Queen’s Speech in 2000.  We now have another 5 days of debate on the contents of the speech.

 Wednesday ended with an appearance on Newsnight Scotland.  As it is live, I don’t get back to the flat until midnight.

 Thursday beings early with an interview on my route into Parliament for a study the Equality and Human Rights Commission are carrying out for the Speaker’s Conference.  Then it is some filming for the Trade Union Unite website called Unite 4 Labour, pointing out what could be lost if we don’t have a Labour government after the next election.  A quick bite to eat and a constituent arrives.  I have organised a meeting with the Minister in charge of the CSA so he can explain his case.

 On the plane home I try to get to grips with an initial draft of our Speaker’s Conference report. 

 

Week beginning 9th November 2009 – Sad loss of Glencraft

Although the decision to close Glencraft was taken last Friday, it has still dominated this week. One of the saddest things I've had to do in my life was speak to the workers on Friday after they had heard the news the company was to go into liquidation and they would lose their jobs.  During this week in Westminster I heard about what was happening through numerous phone calls.  After ignoring the pleas from the workforce to visit for seven months, Alex Salmond finally appeared on Tuesday.  I can't help thinking that if he had only shown the same interest seven months ago, we would not be facing closure.  On Thursday I found myself on the Radio 4 programme 'You and Yours' talking about it.  That's because I got a phone call from one of the programme’s producers on Friday afternoon, just after I had visited Glencraft so I launched into a tirade only to discover she had phoned about something else!

My other media appearance this week was on Tuesday when I was interviewed on BBC Radio Scotland lunchtime news about PM's letter to Mrs Janes, the mother of a soldier killed in Afghanistan. It takes time and effort to write a hand-written letter rather than merely sign a letter typed by someone else.  With the widespread use of computers, the only way you can prove you have written the letter yourself is to hand-write it. That's what I do.  It will be a sad day if the level of a person's sympathy is measured by the neatness of their hand-writing, otherwise my doctor brother is in deep trouble.

I came out number 1 in Prime Minister's questions this week - the first time that has ever happened.  You don't really have much of a choice about the question you can ask when you are number 1 as it has to be about the main issue of the day.  For me this was about the equipment of the troops in Afghanistan.  Considering the week the Prime Minister had had, and the personal abuse he had suffered at the hands of the Sun, he came out fighting and clearly won the weekly tussle.

Two meetings of my Select Committee and another of the Speaker's conference and it should have been off to Geneva to speak at a conference on the under representation of minorities: but it wasn't. The Whips told me I couldn't go as I was needed to vote on the amendments coming back from the Lords.  I had no choice but to cancel. As it turned out there was not a lot of ping pong – that's when an amendment goes back and forward between the Commons and the Lords until one gives in.  This is because Parliament has to finish all outstanding business before the end of the Parliamentary year, which was Thursday this week.  The next year begins on Wednesday with the Queen's Speech.

For now, Parliament is prorogued and we don't exist!

Week beginning 2nd November 2009 – PM promises to look into Glencraft troubles

 The big issue of the week for me was the threatened closure of the Glencraft factory which provides employment for 34 blind and disabled people in my constituency.  The factory has really been turned around in recent years but the Council has slowly been removing its support so things are looking grim.  This was a week where my constituency work impacts on the work I do at Westminster.  One of the best ways to get an issue on to the news agenda is to raise it at Prime Minister's questions on a Wednesday.  Only problem was that my name hadn't come out in the random shuffle and it looked like there were only three possible opportunities for Labour MPs who weren't on the Order paper to 'catch the Speaker’s eye'.  For everyone else that means standing up and down, for me it means putting my hand up holding my order paper so I can be seen.  Luckily I was called and so asked for the Prime Minister's reaction to the news.

The big issue of the week for Parliament was the publication of the Kelly Report into the future of MPs expenses. It is something we are going to have to accept but at least he acknowledges that some MPs have special needs.  I had made a submission explaining the difficulties for disabled MPs in finding and adapting suitable accommodation and had suggested that it might be better if this was taken out of MPs' hands.  He has followed this recommendation but I'm not sure many of my colleagues are too happy in not having a choice about which flat they can rent in future. However there was agreement from all four parties when we were interviewed for Politics Scotland, which goes out live on BBC2 on Wednesday afternoons.

The rest of the week was taken up with the usual round of Select Committee and other meetings. I also asked as question at Treasury questions on Tuesday. My week also included some visitors to show around, a young constituent lobbying me on behalf of Amnesty International about women victims of violence, and a group from Torry Academy who have, for the 5th year running, made the final of the G giving Award.

And to top it all I was the cover girl for this week's House magazine. Lots of jokes from colleagues but really nice pictures!

 

Week beginning 26 October 2009 – Standing up for Grandparents

I also entertained a couple of constituents who had bid lots of money in a fundraising auction for Cornerstone to have tea on the Terrace with me.  The weather wasn't great so we had lunch instead.  All of this didn't leave me much time in the Chamber but I did ask a question on Monday and again on Thursday.

I had a few media encounters this week but not the appearing kind. Wednesday began with a breakfast meeting of the All Party Commercial Radio group talking about the future of Digital Radio. It included the group's AGM.  I remain chair of the group.  In the afternoon I attended an event going out on Radio 2 in a couple of weeks which included folk singer Ralph McTell singing three songs including his famous 'Streets of London'.  The highlight, however, was a screening of the first episode of the third series of 'In the Thick of It' which goes out on BBC2 this weekend.  It is very funny.

And look out for me in the House magazine in a couple of weeks as I was interviewed for their profile piece.

 

Week Beginning 19th October 2009 - A first for Party Leaders

The big meeting of the Speaker's conference was on Tuesday morning this week.  For the first time ever the three main Party leaders gave evidence to the same committee.  Mr Speaker chaired the session himself to show how important it was, which gave me the chance to ask the first question of the Prime Minister. It was a lively session and all three went further in promising to reform the procedures of their own Parties to ensure a greater diversity in the candidates they select.  We all thought it was a good session although it didn't get as much coverage as it would have had all three appeared together; however that would have meant their appearance would have been the story and not what they said.  Now all we have to do is write the Report.

Although I didn't chair the Speaker's conference this week, there were a couple of other occasions when I was chairing.  I had a Northern Ireland Delegated Legislation committee on Wednesday afternoon which had the potential to last five hours but thankfully only lasted half an hour, then a three hour stint in the Chair for the Thursday afternoon debate in Westminster Hall.

 

Promoted by Ray Collins, General Secretary, the Labour Party, on behalf of the Labour Party, both at 39 Victoria Street, London, SW1H 0HA.
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