Heidi Alexander demands answers from Jeremy Hunt

On 19 May our Shadow Health Secretary, Heidi Alexander MP, demanded answers from Jeremy Hunt on his shambolic handling of the junior doctors’ dispute.

Emily Berrington is IN for Britain

Get out and vote for Willy Bach TODAY!!!

It's polling day for our next Police and Crime Commissioner.  

You've not voted for Willy?  OK if you're a member of another party or a criminal, but anyone else? Have a word with yourself!

Voting until 10pm tonight at your usual polling stations.  So get out there and make a difference!

Voting for Willy Bach as PPC this Thursday!

This Thursday we get our chance to vote for a truly local candidate as Police and Crime Commissioner - a candidate, moreover, who has actual experience of the law and leading big bureaucratic organisations.

Willy is obviously the best qualified candidate - but everyone still needs to vote on Thursday. The PPC elections are not popular but they are important.  Look at what happened last time - police stations closed, only some crimes investigated.  Policing matters and the responsibilities of PPCs are only going to increase, with Theresa May talking about hiving off all emergency services and even the courts.  It's time to make the right decision for everyone in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.

If you haven't already voted by post, voting in person is at your usual polling station from 7am to 10pm.

Dame Glenis Willmott, our Labour MEP in the East Midlands, reports from Strasbourg.

Every month Labour MEPS debate the big issues and vote on new legislation and proposals in Strasbourg. This Strasbourg session has been another busy one for Labour MEPs. We've voted for a range of proposals, from tax transparency after the Panama leak, to a new package to help combat terrorism while protecting your privacy.

EU adopts Labour proposals for tax transparency

Some welcome news while the Panama Papers scandal keeps unfolding: a Labour report has led to new proposals for EU wide rules on tax havens, including public country-by-country reporting and a common list of tax havens.

Conservative MEPs have repeatedly failed to support EU action in the past, and David Cameron and the UK government have continually blocked stronger EU measures at meetings of European leaders.

New rules for air passengers and data protection laws will help combat terror and safeguard privacy

The European Parliament voted this week for the EU Passenger Name Record (PNR) directive and data protection package.

The PNR directive will provide uniform rules on the processing and sharing of flight data between EU countries, and allow law enforcement to view the data in a dedicated database.

At the same time, the data protection package - long supported by Labour MEPs - will ensure the provisions of the measure are aligned and will mean a clear legal framework is in place for the use and sharing of personal data.

Labour MEPs back extending EU's Erasmus student exchange scheme to include more disadvantaged young people.

Labour MEPs have also voted for a report calling for the EU's Erasmus student exchange programme to be extended to more disadvantaged young people, for example those in vocational training rather than at university.

The report calls for expanding and improving mobility for vocational training and education, including specific support for disabled young people.

Labour MEPs believe one of the challenges of programmes such as Erasmus is to ensure they not only reach out to students in higher education but also to more disadvantaged young people who would not otherwise have access to such opportunities as learning abroad.  Research has shown that Erasmus participants are half as likely to experience long term unemployment and 5 years after graduation their unemployment rate is 23% lower, so the more of our young people have access to this scheme the better.

Many thanks to Glenis for keeping us all up-to-date. Who says the EU doesn't have positive benefits for the UK? Perhaps if we had more positive and active MEPs like Glenis the popular impression might be very different.

Constituency Gala Dinner 2016

On Saturday 27th February 2016 South Leicestershire Constituency held its annual Gala Meal at Braunstone Civic Centre.

Speakers were Jon Ashworth MP and our own Willy Bach, prospective candidate for Police and Crime Commissioner Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. 

Mr Ashworth gave a speech very appreciative of Labour achievements in government and concerned for the losses in services and quality since 2010. Mr Ashworth called for the Labour party to be more robust in its statements about how good Labour's achievements were, when statements are made during the current government period.  

Willy Bach talked about his campaign for Commissioner, in particular the need to support 'city' policing for those most in need in the area. Sadly most crime occurs in areas of the police authority where there is most need.

Over 50 members attended, with 21 from Lutterworth.  Together with a raffle and auction over £400 was made for constituency campaigns.  Many thanks to organiser, David Gair.  Planning is already underway for the 2017 event

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