Ealing North
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Steve Pound MP Ealing North |
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Question Times comes to Northolt Feburary 2004 I just can’t get a grip on these new “family-friendly” hours at Westminster. During the half-term week the House went into temporary recess and for five days I was one of the few MPs wandering round the deserted building checking out the new bullet-proof screen that is being fitted to the Strangers’ Gallery in the Chamber and feeling smugly self-righteous for slaving away while colleagues undertake arduous fact-finding trips to the Maldives. Fortuitously the break coincided with the birthdays of my little angels. A present for a sixteen year old girl was no problem. What more could she want than an original framed photograph of Sean Davis slamming one in against Sheffield Wednesday at the Cottage to seal promotion to the Premiership? The fact that the photo did not show Seanie’s celebration that followed, and which involved the removal of his shirt, rather upset my daughter but that memory is etched in her mind and needs no photographic reminder. What to buy a fourteen year old boy presents rather more problems. A subscription to a magazine called “Nuts” was vetoed on grounds of good taste and the fact that the Britney Spears Fan Club Magazine is stimulation enough for any boy. His second choice was an electric guitar and many thanks to The Flying Pig on Hanwell Broadway for coming up with the necessary; and a Marshall amp to really delight the neighbours. The music of Blink 182 drove me back to Westminster where I discovered that the incredible Mick Tully of Northolt had been whiling away the hours by discovering anagrams of the names of Honourable Members. Who on earth can “The red MP spun on” refer to? (Clue – Mr.Stephen Pound!). How about this one for the Rt.Honourable Peter Mandelson “No number Ten, Hartlepool dears” or Rt.Hon Theresa May “Man! Her tarty shoe” or for the Rt Hon Gerald Kaufman “Large, and frank, mouth”. I hardly dare tell Ms Diane Abbott that her name has been anagrammed as “A bimbo attends!” Enough of this frivolity – serious politics resumed at Northolt Grange on Thursday when the first Northolt Question Time took place. The brainchild of the great Linda Koupparis of Danemead Grove – and the “Gazette” correspondence columns – this was an opportunity for us to have our own version of Question Time with Mr.Northolt himself,Cllr.Dave Bond, in the Dimbelby role. Up for interrogation were Dave Wetzel of the Mayor of London’s office, Richard Barnes, GLA member, Cllr.Michael Elliott and myself. Questioning was, not surprisingly, rather robust but we all felt that this exercise in accountability and real local democracy was well worth it and the panel all offered themselves up for a repeat performance. The subject that dominated the evening was not Iraq, the BBC, immigration or university funding. What really mattered to the audience was public safety and the apparent impunity with which teenage yobs are destroying the community. Richard Barnes promised to get Borough Police Commander Martin Bridger to attend a follow-up meeting and this has my full support. It promises to be lively! |
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| Disclaimer | Copyright | Designed by Bassam Mahfouz. Promoted by Julian Bell, The Labour Party, Ruskin Hall, 16 Church Road, W3 8PP on behalf of Steve Pound MP |
