The Northern no.

58
March
Democrat
The newsletter for Liberal Democrats in the North of England
2011

Burstow boosts
North East healthcare
Patients leaving hospital in the
North East will benefit from
over £9 million being made
available to front-line services
under new Government plans,
said Lib Dem Health Minister
Paul Burstow on a visit to
Newcastle today.
The extra money will be spent
on helping people to leave
hospital more quickly, get settled
back at home with the support
they need, and to prevent
unnecessary admissions to
hospital. Newcastle Primary Care
Trust alone will receive over £1
million.
Following a meeting with
healthcare representatives and
Newcastle City councillors, Paul
Burstow met with local residents
to discuss coalition plans to Health Minister Paul Burstow MP in Newcastle to announce £9
improve health care. million is being made available to spend on frontline health services.
Paul Burstow said, “Newcastle has a great reputation for innovation and leadership in public services. It was
great to have the opportunity to meet City and health leaders to discuss their plans for improving health. Their
vision of action to add years to life, quality of life to those years and equality of life too is spot on.
“We also talked through the difficult choices that are having to be made in Newcastle to help the country deal
with the deficit the Coalition Government inherited.”
David Faulkner, Lib Dem Leader of Newcastle City Council welcomed the Minister’s visit.
David said, “This was an opportunity for people to hear, first-hand, about the coalition’s plans and to question
the Minister about the direction in which the Government is headed. Clearly, there are concerns over the speed
of the coalition’s programme of cuts, particularly in relation to those facing local councils in areas of high
deprivation.
“Here in Newcastle we are taking bold and innovative steps to minimise the effect on frontline services and
we have frozen council tax for the coming year. However, there is no escaping the tough decisions that we have
been forced to make because of the huge deficit left by Labour
“We continue to make the case, very strongly, for Newcastle and the North East as a whole to be given a
fairer deal from the Government and I trust that Paul will take that message back with him to Parliament.”
Produced, printed and promoted by Jonathan Wallace, 7 Laburnum Grove, Sunniside, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE16 5LY
 Northern Democrat March 2011
Contents
Page 2 Redcar MP looking out for Coastwatch
Page 3 Chris challenges “Robo-Cop”
Page 4 Scrap excessive card charges - Hall
Editorial: please send material for
Page 5 North East backs fairer votes inclusion to the editor, Jonathan
Page 6 Hot news casts joy on Teeside Wallace, phone 0191 4883190 or email
Page 7 World Book Night jonathanwallace@compuserve.com
Pages 8-12 Sheffield Conference Coverage

Northern News March 2011

Redcar MP looking out for Coastwatch
Redcar MP Ian Swales paid a visit to Redcar’s
Coastwatch team on Friday 18th February 2011 to
discuss the planned streamlining of central 24hour
coastguard stations.
Ian met with the Station Manager Trevor Smith and
Controller Ray Preston.
Coastwatch is a volunteer group which monitors the
coast in the Redcar area. They work in conjunction with
both HM Coastguard and the Royal National Lifeboat
Institute.
Ian said, “It was great to meet the team and hear their
thoughts on the new proposals. I am pleased that a new
inquiry into the decision has just been announced by the
Transport Select Committee. I will be contacting
members of that committee as a result if my visit to
Coastwatch, to ensure their voice is heard in this
debate.” Ian Swales MP with Station Controller Ray Preston

Advertisement

A controversial biography of
T DAN SMITH
The North’s most charismatic politician
“T Dan Smith – Voice of the North – Downfall of a Visionary”
by Chris Foote-Wood
Former journalist and broadcaster Chris Foote-Wood, now an author and publisher, has had a lifetime in politics. Chris
first met T Dan Smith in 1962 when TDS was at the height of his powers as the dynamic Leader of Newcastle City
Council. Chris says: “to dismiss T Dan Smith merely as a ‘corrupt politician’ is wrong. Dan Smith was no angel, but I
make the case that he was not guilty of the crime for which he was jailed for six years”.
T Dan Smith – Voice of the North – Downfall of a Visionary (£14.99) is available from all good bookshops,
or direct from the publishers Northern Writers, 26 Clive Road, Middlesbrough TS5 6AG, Tel: 01642 824 694;
Fax: 01642 824 785; email footewood@btconnect.com
(add £3.01 for p&p); or on line via www.writersinc.biz
 Northern News March 2011
Redcar and
Robo-Chris takes on Robo-Cop Cleveland have
definitely got talent
Redcar and Cleveland held
an X Factor-style talent
show on Saturday 12th
February 2011 to raise
money for Coatham House.
Contestants demonstrated
a wide range of talents from
musical performances to
poetry and dance acts.
Guitarist and singer Zoe West
was crowned the winner by a
panel of judges made up of
Bridgette Colins; Manager of
Coatham House, Stella Rugg;
Community Skills Tutor Co-
ordinator and Redcar Liberal
Democrat MP Ian Swales.
The event raised £500 in
aid of Coatham House, a
community organisation
based in Redcar which has
been supporting local young
people into housing since
Middlesbrough LibDem mayoral candidate Chris Foote-Wood 1984.
launches his manifesto with the support of young and old. The event came after the
He’s known for his marathon running and his energetic campaigning. official opening in February of
Now, he’s set his sights on defeating Middlesbrough’s incumbent a new project which aims to
Mayor, Ray “Robo-Cop” Mallon. lease derelict property for
Chris Foote-Wood, has launched his 12-page manifesto “A Better Future local young people to
for Middlesbrough” on the Town Hall steps in his bid to be elected as Mayor renovate as a means to
on 5th May - see photo above. creating homes for
Chris was supported by local party themselves. Ian hosted the
chair Ian Jones (centre, rear), Cllr opening.
Maelor Williams (on right), council After the event Ian said,
candidate Emma Inkles (seated) with her “Coatham House is a great
four-year old daughter Charlotte, plus local organisation. Their latest
three sixth-formers who happened to be move to create a social
passing by at the time. enterprise which will bring
Ray Mallon, who has been in office for redundant local property back
nine years, is widely expected to seek a into use is a great example of
third term. Mayoral elections already a win-win for vulnerable
have a form of alternative vote, though young people in the area and
people are only allowed a first and the community at large.
second choice. “I was delighted to support
“If I can keep Mallon’s vote below 50% the fundraising event,
and gain enough second preference although with so many
votes, then I can win,” says Chris, who talented young people around
judging was very difficult.
was second to Middlesbrough Labour MP Sir Stuart Bell in last year’s Everyone should look out for
general election. Previous LibDem candidate Joe Michna was a strong winner Zoe West. Remember
second in the last mayoral election in 2007. the name!”
 Northern News March 2011
Scrap excessive MP welcomes halt
to forest sales

card charges - Hall

North East MEP Fiona Hall is backing a ‘super-complaint’ by
consumer watchdog Which? calling for excessive debit and credit
card surcharges to be scrapped.
Surcharges, sometimes called ‘handling fees’, ‘booking charges’, or
‘administration fees’, are frequently incurred by consumers when making
payments with debit or credit cards online. This additional cost can vary
and is often not made clear until the end of the purchase, creating a
disparity between the price advertised and the price paid.
According to the Which? super-complaint some retailers, including
certain budget airlines, are profiting from surcharges. Research shows Berwick MP Sir Alan Beith
that the actual cost to budget airlines for a debit card transaction is (pictured above)has welcomed
between 10p and 20p and between 1% and 2% of the value of the ticket the decision that sales of
for a credit card transaction but, in forestry land under the scheme
the case of Ryanair for example, a operated by the Labour
family of four would incur a £40 Government will be halted so
surcharge for return flights. In some that new criteria and
cases surcharges are incurred for safeguards can be put in place.
each leg of a journey. The Government had already
Fiona said: “Understandably, announced that there would be
retailers being charged a fee by strong safeguards for the public
banks to process debit and credit when it replaced the old scheme
card transactions want to pass that with leasehold-only sales.
cost on to the card-using consumer. Sir Alan said, “One of the key
However, it is wrong for retailers factors in my decision not to
such as Ryanair to profit by charging support the Government’s plans
consumers more, by way of a was my fear that woodland would
surcharge, than the original cost of continue to be sold without
the transaction. safeguards until a new scheme
“These days a lot of people do was put in place. This halt on
their shopping online. That includes sales until safeguards are built in
those who are unable, because of Fiona Hall MEP - wants end to is a very welcome step in the
disability or infirmity, to leave their excessive card charges right direction.”
homes to shop. It is unfair for those
Advertisement
that have no alternative but to shop
online to have to pay extra for the The Gateshead and Blaydon Liberal Democrats
privilege.
Invite you to a
“Therefore I will be pledging my
support for the Which? campaign Quiz Night
against excessive surcharges.”
at The Coachman, Broadway, Whickham
Those wishing to pledge their
support for the Which? campaign On Saturday 2 April 2011 at 7.30pm
can do so here: Tickets: £5 (including pie and pea supper)
http://www.which.co.uk/ Available from Susan Craig (tel 0191 4880787)
campaigns/personal-finance/card-
Please let Susan know by Wednesday 9 March 2011 if you plan
surcharges/pledge-your-support/
to attend.
 Northern News March 2011
North East backs fairer votes
Two-thirds of people in the North East plan to
vote Yes to fairer votes in May’s referendum,
according to a survey of over 1700 people from
across the region.
In the poll - carried out by Fiona Hall MEP - 66%
of respondents were in favour of AV, while only 11%
backed the current voting system.
“People from across the North East are in the
mood for a change,” said Fiona. “We had responses
from right across the region - from Berwick and
Newcastle to Darlington and Teesside and the vast
majority have decided to vote Yes to AV.
“The popularity of politicians has taken a real hit
over recent years and people clearly think a fairer
voting system would help reverse that. Interestingly
though, the most popular reason people gave for
supporting AV was that they thought it was fairer and
that it would give more power to voters.
“The referendum on May 5th will have long-term
consequences for the UK and I’m pleased people
are becoming increasingly engaged in the issue.
Improving the way we choose our MPs will make
them work harder to secure a broader base of
support. It will also help end the ‘safe seats’ that
currently mean MPs can do a bad job and still get re-
elected.
“A fairer voting system results in better MPs and
will lead to a more prosperous and fairer future for
the North East.”

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 Northern News March 2011
Hot news casts joy on Teeside
Blast off for Redcar steelworks
Redcar MP Ian Swales has welcomed
the news that Thai Company Sahaviriya
Steel Industries (SSI) has completed its
purchase of Redcar steelworks.
After months of hard work by all
involved with the plant, a deal has now
been agreed, meaning that the works will
open again to provide hundreds of jobs for
people in the area.
Ian has played an active part in the
campaign to reopen the steelworks.
Business Minister Ed Davey MP paid
tribute to Ian’s work to secure jobs at the
plant, saying, “I hope we will have good
news about the work to ensure that that Ian Swales MP with Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg who
plant continues and that jobs are not only visited the Redcar Steelworks on 28th February.
saved, but extended. Much of that will be down to the work of Ian Swales.”
Ian has pressed the Government on issues that could have stopped a deal, such as energy and
immigration policy, and he secured a meeting with the Energy Minister on behalf of SSI to address their
concerns.
Ian also questioned the Business Department on how it is supporting the steel sector. He has also been in
regular contact with SSI, Tata Steel, unions and workers at the plant to help push a deal forward.
Ian said, “The cast-iron backbone of our area is in place again. This means more jobs and a better
economy – it is a huge boost for everyone locally.
“It was clear when I was elected to serve the people of Redcar last May that finding a way to reopen the
mothballed steelworks was a key priority for the area.
“This was a tremendous responsibility, and having campaigned tirelessly with others to find a way forward
it is fantastic to finally see the deal done.
“As Redcar’s MP I have used my time in Parliament to get Ministers behind the deal and they have given
strong support when needed. Since being elected I have been pushing in any way I can to keep the deal
moving.
“I am immensely proud that everyone involved has shown a relentless determination to reopen the plant. I
want to pay tribute to SSI, Tata Steel, the Coalition
Government, steelworkers, unions and local people for
working together to put Redcar back on the map as one of
the leading producers of steel in the world.”
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg MP said, “The
reopening of the steel plant in Redcar is a great thumbs up
for Teesside and the North East, for the steel industry and
the UK. I would like to pay tribute to Tata and SSI who struck
this deal.
“We need to support investors such as SSI to create jobs
in other sectors in other parts, not just the South East, not
Ian Swales and MEP Fiona Hall who has
just in financial services. This deal underlines the great future
also welcomed the sale of the Corus plant.
we have as a country in manufacturing.”
 Northern News March 2011
WORLD BOOK NIGHT (ALL DAY)
WATERSTONES BOOKSHOP, NEWCASTLE (nr Grey’s Monument)
SATURDAY 5TH MARCH 2011
40 books by local authors will be on display. Author & Publisher Chris
Foote-Wood features his controversial biography of T Dan Smith, the
North’s most charismatic politician. Dan Smith, the dynamic Leader of
Newcastle City Council in the 1960s and later the first chairman of the
Northern Economic Planning Council, was jailed for corruption in the
1970s.
Chris says: “T Dan Smith was no angel, but I make the case that he was not
guilty of the crime for which he was jailed for six years”. Chris will be discussing
his book “T Dan Smith - Voice of the North - Downfall of a Visionary” at
Waterstones from 10am to 8pm.
T Dan Smith, the revolutionary Socialist who became a successful business-man and a director of
Tyne Tees Television, cleared the Newcastle slums, made Newcastle the first clean air city, appointed
the first city planning officer and the first chief executive. He led the moves which cleaned up the River
Tyne and developed Newcastle Airport.
He forecast the computer revolution and brought IBM to Peterlee, but his dream of creating a North
East “Silicon Valley” died when he was jailed. TDS initiated the Byker Wall but was not responsible for
the city centre concrete blocks built in the 1970s and since demolished.
Even if you already have a copy of “T Dan Smith, Voice of the North”, come along and discuss this
fascinating and complex character who rose high only to be brought crashing down. TDS – cleared of
corruption charges in two other trials – always argued that he was not guilty. In researching the book,
Chris had extensive interviews with Dan Smith’s son Cliff and both of Smith’s two private secretaries, as
well as studying the archives of Newcastle City Council, Amber Films and Cliff Smith who was a witness
to many of the events in his father’s life and kept extensive records.

Advertisement

Hexham
Liberal Democrats
Annual Constituency Dinner
19:30 on Friday 1st April
Hexham Beaumont Hotel
Guest speaker the Hon. Ian Swales M.P.
A four course meal for £22.50.
For tickets and meal choice
please contact Tom Appleby via email on
Appleby_tom@yahoo.com.
 Advertisement

Liberal Democrats
ALTER
Action for Land Taxation & Economic Reform
www.libdemsalter.org.uk £££££££££££££

ALTER
at Sheffield
Highlights for ALTER members and supporters of what is planned for the Federal
Spring Conference 11th-13th March 2011

Friday 11th
Mercure St Paul’s Hotel 3.00pm-5.30
Policy Consultation Session (open to all)
Inequality
Note: the paper includes a solid endorsement of LVT as a way of shifting the tax
burden “onto unearned wealth” and a Question: “Would LVT be feasible and helpful?”

Bessemer Suite, Leopold Hotel 8.00pm – 9.15

AGM1 & Dinner (paid-up full members only2)
Special Guest:
Rt Hon Chris Huhne MP (Hon Pres ALTER
and Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change)
(If you are attending this event and wish to stay for the meal,
please contact Tony Vickers on 01635 230046 / 07950 202640 /
tonyvickers@phonecoop.coop.)

Saturday 12th
Jurys Inn Suite 3 1.00pm-2.00
ALTER Fringe: “Housing & Land: putting needs first”
3

Chair: Jason Cowley (Editor New Statesman4)

Panel includes:
Dr Tony Vickers (Chair ALTER);
Rachel Smith (Chair, New Forest Villages Housing Association);
Toby Lloyd (Head of Policy, SHELTER)

Throughout the Conference

South Bar of City Hall – level -3/Ballroom
NB: Access to City Hall limited to delegates wearing security passes
(Friday 15.00-18.30; Saturday 08.30-18.30; Sunday 08.30-12.30)
Exhibition (Stand S6)
Our new logo, banner and latest publications available free
For further details on all the above, contact ALTER Chair Dr Tony Vickers (01635
230046 / 07950 202640 tonyvickers@phonecoop.coop )
1 Click ‘AGM’ above to download Chairman’s Annual Report and link below for online renewal form.
2 VisitALTER’s stand before 6.15pm Friday to (re-)join. Members’ guests may attend dinner (price
approx. £25 not included). You must have your Party membership card to vote in AGM.
3 A new ALTER Conference Flyer on Housing & Land is now available from the website
4 New Statesman plans to publish a special issue on Land Value Taxation for Conference week.
 In Government - on your side:
Sheffield Conference Preview
When the party meets at our Spring Conference at Sheffield on 11th-
13th March, Liberal Democrats will have been in Government for 10
months.
Conference will be an opportunity to showcase our achievements and
to highlight the Liberal Democrat policies that are being put into action.
There will also be strong calls for the party to retain its identity and to
fight the general election in 2015 as an independent party free to decide
its role in Government after the people have spoken.
On these pages we take a detailed look at some of the issues
members will be debating at Sheffield. Not every member is able to go to
every conference, but we believe it’s important that everyone has the
chance to see what is being voted on on your behalf.

Community Futures
The motion Community Futures gives strong backing to the voluntary
sector. It states, “Community and voluntary organisations, by virtue of
their independence, are a powerful means by which citizens can shape
and change society.”
The motion backs the key proposals in Lib Dem policy paper 98, Community
Futures. These include: Deputy Prime Minister Nick
helping voluntary organisations to update their infrastructure, IT and Clegg hold a question and answer
business development skills and social networking skills; session on Saturday 12th and
simplifying charity regulation; give his speech on Sunday 13th
improving the insurance available to voluntary groups; March.
develop a network of Professional Services Working Groups across the country, so that voluntary organisations
have access to services such as lawyers, accountants and architects;
develop a new Community Benefit Index in which companies are encouraged to maximise their ‘community
footprint’;
encourage local authorities to provide advice and resources to schools, residents and tenants associations and
other community groups to enable them to take an active role in managing open spaces to make them as
attractive as possible for people and wildlife;
help voluntary organisations to compete for public service contracts on equal terms with statutory and private
sector providers;
set up, in partnership with private investors, a high risk investment fund to enable innovative projects with the
potential to transform the voluntary and community sector to be supported through early stage research and
development.

Advertisement

ETHNIC MINORITY LIBERAL DEMOCRATS

EMLD lunchtime FRINGE on:
BME Representation Post Baroness Brinton’s Review
When? Saturday 12 March 2011 1.00-2.00 pm
Where? Mercure St Paul’s Hotel, Meeting Room 6
Who? Panel Chaired by Issan Ghazni, with Norman Lamb MP ,
Baroness Sal Brinton and Brian Haley
Discussing the impact of the recent diversity review on ethnic
minority representation within the Party.
 In Government - on your side:
Sheffield Conference Preview
Updating the NHS: Personal and Local
This motion is likely to be one of the major talking points of Conference
as the health changes, while being part of Conservative party policy,
were not specifically in the Coalition agreement. There could be a series
of key votes on several sections of what’s been written.
The motion raises concerns about the late detection of cancer and the lowest rates of survival when
compared with other European countries but welcomes the aims of the Government’s White Paper, Equity
and Excellence: Liberating the NHS. It says that in particular:
it will lead to an NHS that is genuinely centred on patients and carers;
it puts clinicians in the driving seat and sets hospitals and providers free to innovate, with stronger
incentives to adopt best practice;
gives citizens a greater say in how the NHS is run.
The motion also welcomes the increased role of local government in the NHS and calls on the Government
to uphold the NHS Constitution and publish an audit of how well organisations are living by its letter and
spirit. It also called on Liberal Democrats in local government to establish local Health and Wellbeing Boards
and make progress developing the new collaborative ways of working necessary to provide joined-up
services that are personalised and local.

Improving the Diversity of our MPs Strategy, Positioning and Priorities

Saturday afternoon will see a debate on
improving the diversity of our MPs. The
motion calls for the appointment of diversity
champions, the setting of targets for candidate
diversity for each region and the creation of a
Leadership Programme for outstanding
candidates from under-represented groups.
Where candidates from the Leadership
Programme apply to a priority seat, it is proposed
that at least two candidates from the Leadership
Programme should be shortlisted on their short
list.
The motion further proposes that groups of
development seats should get together to
advertise and recruit PPCs in clusters, using the
Region’s targets for shortlisting (eg 50% women
candidates, and a relevant local ethnic minority
percentage).
The motion asserts that the Liberal Democrats will
fight the next general election as an independent
party without any agreement with other parties and
no preference for potential future coalition partners.
The party will decide after the general election
whether or not to enter a Coalition based on the
circumstances and taking into account the will of the
people, the party’s manifesto and the position and
capacity of other parties to govern.
The motion endorses the key goals of the Federal
Executive’s Strategic Plan to win elections, increase
candidate diversity and build the strength of the party.
It calls for the development of a radical distinctive
and progressive set of Liberal Democrat policies for the
next election which should be derived totally
independently of the views of our coalition partners.

Advertisement

Visit the PCA stand

A must-visit stand in the exhibition area
is the PCA’s: B8 in the Ballroom of
Sheffield City Hall.
Talk to us about how your campaigning
is developing and raise any issues you
have with us. The stand is manned
throughout the Conference.
 In Government - on your side:
Sheffield Conference Preview
Disability Living Allowance –
Mobility Component
Conference
This motion raises concerns about the decision to remove the
mobility component of the new Personal Independence photo ops
Payment (replacing Disability Living Allowance) from people in
residential care and from children in residential schools with
effect from October 2012. The motion calls for the decision to
be reversed.

Taking Responsibility
(Youth Justice Policy Paper)
The motion welcomes the proposals in the policy paper to
invest in the prevention of youth crime and give
communities a greater role in policing through greater use
of police discretion and giving local people a direct say in
crime and policing in their areas through the empowering
of Police Authorities, including the right to set local
policing priorities. Northern Democrat Editor Jonathan
The motion calls for more appropriate and flexible approach Wallace will be running more photo ops for
to child justice, recognising that the criminal courts are not campaigners at the Sheffield Conference.
always the most effective way to deal with child offenders. The Saturday 12th
motion supports the raising of the age of criminal responsibility 11.45am - 12.30pm
to 14 and greater use of expert panels to deal with children’s with Nick Clegg
justice.
Candidates for the elections in May will take
A number of non-custodial alternatives to a custodial priority in this session. You must book a slot
sentence which can be used in appropriate circumstances and by emailing
proposed. It calls for the use of the use of secure jonathanwallace@compuserve.com
accommodation for repeat offenders, those for whom previous Please state whether or not you are a
sentences have failed and those considered a danger to candidate.
themselves or others. The paper sets the aim of rehabilitation People who are not candidates in May will
at the heart of custodial provision. More assistance to those be put onto a reserve list and notified
leaving custody is supported. before Conference whether or not they
have been given a slot.
Finally, a new approach to 18–24 year olds is proposed
including implementing some of the above proposals such as You are recommended to bring local
measures to divert young people from the criminal justice literature or something you can be
photographed discussing with Nick.
system, replacing short custodial sentences with more effective
community ones and, where custody is inevitable, holding them
separately from older offenders.
“Yes” Campaign
photos
Access to Justice Have your photo taken with the “Yes”
The motion notes that access to the courts is crucial in the Campaign poster.
protection of human and civil rights but those least The following do not have to be booked and
advantaged in society are often those who most need will be held in the North Bar of Sheffield City
assistance in getting access to the courts and legal advice. Hall:
Friday 5.15-5.45pm
The motion calls on the Government to review the impact of
any changes to the Legal Aid system and for alternative ways Saturday 10am-10.30am
to access legal assistance to be considered. Saturday 2.45pm-3.15pm
Advertisement