Whoosh - another year gone
Posted by Lynne Featherstone, MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, at 17:53, Thu 14 December 2006:
Dear Friend,
I Cannot believe another year has whooshed past. And I still haven't managed to get my new fireplace in for Christmas - just as I didn't manage it last year. Where does the time go?
Well - it goes doing the job I was elected for and it is the most fantastic honour to be your Member of Parliament - if somewhat frenetic! So I thought I would just like to round of the year with literally, just a very few, of the things that have whizzed into frame during 2006.
I get to ask Parliamentary Questions, and have done so with much enthusiasm as it is one of the few opportunities you get as an opposition politician to wring information out of the Government. And you can ask anything - I have asked over 800 hundred questions this year have covered a wide variety of subjects such as Iraq, policing, knife crime(locally and nationally), funding for Hornsey Central Hospital, the siting of future police stations, Alexandra Palace, and many, many more. You can catch up at anytime by reading my website http://www.lynnefeatherstone.org and my blog (diary): http://www.lynnefeatherstone.org/blog.htm
With the Metropolitan Police Service planning major changes to their estates - I have been haranguing the local Commander not to take any of our police stations away unless something equal or better is put in their place - and local people are fully consulted. And consulted in my terminology means listened to - not just told what is going to happen.
Another major and long running issue is the 'Action Now' campaign to reopen Hornsey Central Hospital, on which I chaired a recent meeting: http://www.lynnefeatherstone.org/2006/12/hornsey-central-hospital.htm
No one can say Hornsey & Wood Green is dull. Who would have thought that Muswell Hill would become the centre of international media interest, but sadly it did when Alexander Litvinenko was poisoned http://www.lynnefeatherstone.org/2006/11/alexander-litvinenkos-death-questions.htm. Russians have always lived in the area - especially around Highgate, resting place of Karl Marx and home to Russian diplomats and dissidents alike.
On the party political front, the Liberal Democrats had their leadership election back in March: http://www.lynnefeatherstone.org/2006/03/finishing-fifth-in-leadership-election.htm
Then in May, the local elections here in Haringey saw another huge increase in the number of Liberal Democrat councillors as we very nearly took control of Haringey Council. Before May it was Labour councillors 41, Lib Dem councillors 16 and no Conservatives. Following the elections it finished Labour 30, Lib Dem 27 and no Conservatives! We now have the first Liberal Democrat Councillors in Tottenham too: http://www.lynnefeatherstone.org/2006/05/haringey-council-results.htm
July and August were taken up with campaigns on Controlled Parking Zones, postal surveys and Noel Park playground - http://www.lynnefeatherstone.org/2006/07/noel-park-playground.htm - and a much needed family holiday. Yes - I do take holidays!
I won't go into every street party I have been to, but in September I went to one in Greenham Road raising money for Wateraid: http://www.lynnefeatherstone.org/2006/09/street-party-with-twist.htm
Little did I know that a month later I would be raising more money for Wateraid by embarrassing Thames Water myself: http://www.lynnefeatherstone.org/2006/10/thames-water-not-generous.htm.
Anyway - just a fun mini-round up. If you are really keen to see how I have spent my year - please visit my blog, http://www.lynnefeatherstone.org/blog.htm. There you can see exactly what I do!
Wishing you all the very best as always
Lynne Hornsey & Wood Green MP (Liberal Democrat)
PS I have just announced the winner of my second Christmas Card competition: http://www.lynnefeatherstone.org/2006/12/jemima-hammett-wins-christmas-card.htm Well Done Jemima!
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