Sir Jeremy Heywood

Cabinet Office

70 Whitehall

London SW1A 2AS

United Kingdom

24^th March 2015

Dear Jeremy,

I understand that the Prime Minister intends to appoint David Willetts, the Conservative MP, to the Board of Trustees of the Science Museum Group.

Coming one week before Parliament is dissolved and purdah begins, this appointment would be yet another flagrant abuse of government patronage.  Voters would be entitled to see it as the Conservatives giving out jobs to the boys for retiring MPs. This is especially galling after the appointments of Sir Peter Luff to the Heritage Lottery Fund and David Heathcoat-Amory to the National Heritage Memorial Fund– one is a current Conservative MP, the other a former Conservative MP.

These organisations are of great importance and deserve the right people to be leading them, not to be used as sinecures for retiring MPs in what the Financial Times has described as "Italian" style. These organisations should not be used as a reward for government supporters.

I am therefore writing to you to ask that you confirm whether this appointment has been made, and if it has been made, could you answer the following questions:

1. On what date was an offer of appointment made to David Willetts, and when did he accept the post?
2. What qualifications for the post does David Willetts possess, other than being a Conservative MP?
3. How many other candidates were considered?

With under a week left of this Parliament, this is another case of the Prime Minister packing boards with Conservative MPs to ease their retirement. Our great public institutions are too important to become Tory fiefdoms – they are too important to be used for jobs for the Tory boys.

Yours sincerely,

Rt Hon Harriet Harman QC MP

Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport

Today I challenged Nick Clegg on his claim to be “more anti-establishment” than before he was in Government. Without the Lib Dems the Tories would not have been able to implement policies including the bedroom tax, increasing tuition fees and the tax cut for millionaires.

Ms Harriet Harman (Camberwell and Peckham) (Lab): In an interview last week the Deputy Prime Minister pronounced that

“the way in which politics works is bust”

and that “Westminster is a joke”. When he said that, was he referring to himself?

The Deputy Prime Minister: I wonder what answer I should give to that. No, of course not.

Ms Harman: He went on in that interview to say that he is now “more anti-establishment” than he was five years ago. Were those the same five years in which he took the ministerial car, the ministerial salary and the Tory Whip? Were they the same five years in which he trebled tuition fees, imposed the bedroom tax, put up VAT and cut taxes for millionaires? However he describes himself, the only thing people in this country will remember him for is giving a whole new meaning to the phrase, “Yes, Prime Minister.

The Deputy Prime Minister: I cannot blame the right hon. and learned Lady; she certainly finished in the style to which we have all been accustomed for the last five years by reading out pre-rehearsed questions. I think that the era of single-party government in this country is over. I know she does not like that idea and that the establishment parties—those Members sitting both behind me and in front of me—do not like it either, but I think it is over. This coalition Government have, in very difficult circumstances, presided over what is now the fastest growing economy in the developed world, with more people in work than ever before, and more women in work than ever before, after the absolute economic mess she bequeathed us. That is quite an achievement.

Since the Woman to Woman #pinkbus campaign was launched on the 11th February it has toured 65 constituencies around Britain.

Melanie Onn is the Labour Parliamentary Candidate for Grimsby. I joined her with the #Pinkbus to highlight the fact that women in this area have been hit hard in this area since 2010. New figures show that actual wages are lower now than before David Cameron became PM and that is before the rising cost of living is factored in. We joined women from businesses across Grimsby at a local café to discuss what they would want to see from a future Labour Government and what they thought the Government could do to improve their lives.  They raised a number of issues including VAT, flexible working and maternity leave.

Harriet Harman MP for Camberwell & Peckham said: “I'm disappointed that the Secretary of State has refused our request to take personal responsibility for this. As Secretary of State he should call this in and take day to day responsibility. It’s a daily nightmare for passengers - it should be a daily responsibility for the Secretary of State.  It’s not good enough to leave it to a junior minister. Network Rail and the train operators have passed the buck between themselves and they need to be brought in to have their heads banged together. Only when it’s dealt with at the highest level of government will there be any chance of the problems being resolved sooner rather than later. Passengers shouldn't have to put up with a further 18 months of this.

“We pressed the Secretary of State to ensure full compensation but were given no information about the plans they are considering. The current system of compensation is complex, time consuming and nowhere near adequate for what passengers have had to put up with. If the service is 50% down on what it should be, then a season ticket holder should automatically get a 50% refund for the lack of service, as well as additional compensation for the stress, inconvenience and extra expense. Many people have had higher costs as they've had to pay for alternative travel or more hours of childcare from being late home, or they've lost pay for missing time at work.

“The Government should have had a proper consultation with passengers about compensation to hear the full impact these service failures have had on people’s finances before they announce the compensation arrangements rather than just coming out with what we fear will be an inadequate announcement”. 

Note to Editors:

This morning Harriet Harman, Tessa Jowell, Sadiq Khan, Jim Dowd and London Assembly Member Val Shawcross met the Secretary of State for Transport, Patrick McLoughlin, and Transport Minister Claire Perry, at the Department for Transport to demand the Government take immediate action to resolve the ongoing disruptions to train services and compensate passengers for the cost and inconvenience.

This morning Harriet Harman, Tessa Jowell, Sadiq Khan, Jim Dowd and London Assembly Member Val Shawcross met the Secretary of State for Transport, Patrick McLoughlin, and Transport Minister Claire Perry, to demand that he take immediate control of the situation and urgent action to resolve the ongoing disruptions to services at London Bridge station, and compensate passengers for the cost and inconvenience.

Following months of delays and disruptions for passengers travelling to and from London Bridge, London MP’s are meeting with Secretary of State Patrick McLoughlin on Wednesday 18^th March to demand action from the Government after Network Rail and the train operator Southern Railways have failed to improve rail services for their constituents.

Harriet Harman MP for Camberwell & Peckham said:

“My constituents pay for and rightly expect a decent service from Southern Railway. It’s totally unacceptable that people are left waiting for hours and not knowing when the next train will arrive. And it’s not safe to leave large crowds jostling on narrow platforms as they worry about not getting to or from work and home on time.

“Many of my constituents use Southern Railways ‘Metro Line’ to travel to and from central London. Network Rail’s own performance data shows that in the last 12 months only 50% of trains on ‘Metro’ line services arrived on time. And in February 2015 this went down to a shocking 42%. Southern Railway also had the highest percentage of services cancelled in February with 8.2% of ‘Metro’ line services lost.

“Myself and South London MP’s Tessa Jowell, Sadiq Khan, Jim Dowd and London Assembly Member Val Shawcross will be meeting the Secretary of State on Wednesday. We will be asking him to take immediate steps to:

*Provide clear leadership and better coordination between Network Rail and Southern Railway

*Review the management of London Bridge

*Improve communications with passengers

*Establish a fair and easy to use compensation system for all passengers affected

“It’s not good enough that passengers have had to deal with this chaos for so long. The Government must step in now and take immediate control to resolve situation”.

The TUC comprises 54 affiliated unions representing 6.2 million working people from all walks of life. Today was the first day of their annual women’s conference with over 300 delegates from across the UK meeting in London to discuss the issues faced by women at work, including inequality, and the impact on women of recession and austerity. The theme for the conference this year was ‘Equality not poverty – use your vote’. I spoke about the important job that women in the TUC do standing up for other working women and despite the progress we made there is still inequality and poverty in this country. The reality is that for women, who is in Number 10 following the Election will make a massive difference. Labour has a radical and realistic programme which will abolish the bedroom tax, rescue the NHS, increase the minimum wage and give further support for childcare.

On the second stop of the Woman to Woman tour on Saturday 7th March I joined Parliamentary Prospective Candidate Dawn Butler at the packed-out Asian Women Resource Centre as part of their celebration for International Women’s Day.

The Asian Women Resource Centre provides vital support for women and children and a public voice for issues affecting Asian women locally and nationally.

We met with users of the centre, trustees, management and local women to discuss what matters to them ahead of the General Election in May. It was great to see so many women and local organisations represented. 

As part of Labour’s ‘Woman to Woman’ tour and to mark International Women’s Day, the pink bus made its way to Harrow East on Saturday to meet with Parliamentary Prospective Candidate Uma Kumaran.

It was a great turnout and I was pleased to be joined by Rachel Reeves MP, Shadow Minister for Work and Pensions, Diane Abbott MP, Mary Honeyball MEP, and lots of local Party members. 

We talked to local residents on Harrow Weald High Road about the issues that will be a priority for them at the General Election in May and asked women to come and share their ideas. 

Rt Hon Patrick McLoughlin MP

Secretary of State for Transport

Great Minster House

33 Horseferry Road

London SW1P 4DR

9^th March 2015

Dear Patrick,

I am writing to express my growing concern about the persistent disruptions to Southern Rail services to and from London Bridge, and I would like to meet with you as a matter of urgency.

You’ll be aware that the disruptions have been ongoing since December 2014 and the chaotic events at London Bridge on the 3^rd March – severe overcrowding and extreme delays during the evening rush hour - affected many of my constituents.

My constituents rightly expect a decent service from Southern Rail. It’s totally unacceptable that people are left waiting for hours due to a multitude of problems including signal failure, train diversions and cancellations, faulty trains, and problems at level crossings.

And it’s not safe to leave large crowds jostling on narrow platforms as they worry about not getting to or from work and home on time. It’s also a problem for elderly or disabled people who are left waiting for long periods of time, and then get caught in the crush trying to get on to a train. 

It’s not good enough for the Minister for Transport to say that she expects services to be improved within 4 weeks. The Government must step in now and take immediate control to resolve situation.

I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience. 

Best wishes,

Harriet Harman

Everyone knows that many people are fed up with politics and politicians – and think there’s no point in voting.  That’s even more the case for women than for men.  At the last election – in 2010 – more than one million London women didn’t vote at all.

That is a judgement on our politics.  We must ensure women feel that they have a democracy which they can have confidence in, with politicians who understand their lives and speak up for them.

Women in today’s Britain see themselves as equal to men – not second class citizens.  But even now, in the 21^st century, women still lead lives which are very different to men.  More likely to be low paid, less likely to be in the boardroom.  More likely to be taking responsibility for children and older relatives – less likely to be getting promotion at work.

Our politics needs to recognise that, and our policies need to help women to make progress in their lives.  And that’s what Labour women believe in.  We’re in politics to ensure that women’s voices are heard and that decisions are made by women and men working together – not just men on their own.

A balanced team at the top of government will ensure that women have a say and that there’s an understanding of women’s lives.

In the run up to the General Election on May 7^th we are going out and about all over the country in our Labour Women’s Campaign Bus.  And there’ll be lots of discussion online too.  We’ve got record numbers of great women Labour candidates and if we win the constituencies we are targeting we’ll have 150 Labour women MPs in Parliament speaking up for women in the country.

There’s been lots of controversy and news coverage about the colour of the bus.  But this is what you might not have seen in the news – 60% of those hit by the ‘Bedroom Tax’ are women; every week two women are killed by a husband or partner; women are still paid less than men; childcare is too expensive.  This is what Labour’s Woman to Woman campaign is about.

We’re saying to the millions of women who didn’t vote – politics is too important to be left to men alone!  Use your vote, have your say!  Politics matters to women as well as men.  And this election will be a watershed for women.

We’re highlighting Labour’s promise of 25 hours free childcare, our determination to tackle domestic violence, the need for more women MPs and councillors, the recognition that there’s a new generation of older women who are working as well as looking after grandchildren and older relatives, our plans for tougher action against unequal pay.

And we’ll be discussing with women what they want the next Government to do – and not to do.  So we’ll be meeting up with women in their workplaces, in shopping centres, in colleges and at school gates.  We’ve already brought the Campaign Bus to meet up with shoppers in Walworth Road and East Street Market.

It’s going to be a vibrant and important discussion and politics will be regenerated when women’s voices all around the country are heard loud and clear.

For many people living on the Gloucester Grove and North Peckham Estates the first signs of spring have come not a moment too soon.  They have had a horrible winter thanks to the failing of the estate heating system.  For months over the coldest part of the winter the heating and the hot water has been going off in 1,200 flats.  Tenants have told me about going to bed in their overcoat – and even then still not being able to keep warm.  People have spent money on buying electric heaters and then spent huge amounts on their electricity.  Some tried to keep warm by leaving the gas on.  Expensive – and dangerous too.  And the only way to get hot water was to heat it in the kettle.  People had to go out to escape the cold in their flats.  And that costs too.  All the expense and inconvenience was compounded by finding that the heating was back on – but only at half strength.  Or it was back on and then went off again.

The Council have had contractors constantly down there to try and sort it out.  But now that it’s back on there are two issues that need to be dealt with.  Firstly the compensation.  It’s not enough for the Council to ensure that people are not charged for the heating and hot water they didn’t get.  People must be compensated for the extra costs they have incurred.  And for the misery and inconvenience they have endured.  The Council’s housing budget has been slashed by the Government but even so the Council should not, and I’m sure will not, penny-pinch and haggle about the amount of compensation.  One tenant has been offered £25!  That does not begin to be enough.  So the Council needs to put a lot of effort into sorting out the compensation.  After such inconvenience the last thing that tenants need is to have to chase the Council for compensation.

The next thing that needs to be sorted out is ensuring that this doesn’t happen again next winter.  Huge estate boilers were built when the estate was built with the aim of ensuring a constant supply of heating and hot water to all the flats and a low cost.  The problem is that when it goes wrong it’s a huge problem to sort out and hundreds of tenants are hit.  The Council is now working out what to do for the future.  It’s important that the tenants have a big say in this.  They are not technicians but they are the people directly affected.  Some of the blocks have always had small boilers for each flat.  And now with “combi” boilers they can be small and cheap to run.

So let’s be sure that the tenants can be properly compensated for all the expense and inconvenience and look forward to being cosy indoors next winter.

*The print version of this article is slightly shorter.

In the week that we've seen British success at the Oscars, London Fashion Week and the Brits, no-one should be in any doubt about the importance of our film, our music and all our creative industries.

The basis of future jobs and investment in those creative industries depends on the protection of Intellectual Property.

Will he undertake to ensure that in the consideration of a European Digital Single Market:

• He will be absolutely vigilant to protect our creative industries including SME's;
• That he rethinks the paper that the Prime Minister has sent to Juncker which would allow for changes which would pose a real threat to many independent projects;
• And will he insist there is time for proper consultation before its implementation. 

During February constituents in Camberwell and Peckham have sent me 434 emails on 77 different policy issues – from tax avoidance to unlicensed puppy breeding.  Here’s a full breakdown of the issues people have raised:

• HSBC and allegations of tax evasion and tax avoidance – 120

• Serious Crime Bill – Sex-selective abortion amendment –  Vote For - 34

• Serious Crime Bill - Sex-selective abortion amendment - Vote Against - 10

• Support humane and sustainable farming – 31

• Human rights in Palestine – 28

• Battersea Dogs & Cats Home campaign to end unlicensed breeding of puppies – 25

• Cancer on the health agenda – 12

• Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Mitochondrial Donation) Regulations – Vote For - 5

• Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Mitochondrial Donation) Regulations – Vote Against - 7

• Modern Slavery Bill – 12

• Jim Fitzpatrick MP’s Wild Animals in Circuses (Private Member’s) Bill – 10

• Westminster Hall dpebate on non-stun slaughter of animals on Monday 23^rd February – 10

• Living Streets campaign to support older pedestrians – 8

• Support a NHS Reinstatement Bill to reverse privatisation – 6

• Support a rental cap in London – 5

• Energy Bill Revolution ‘End Cold Homes’ campaign – 5

• Climate Change – 5

• Infrastructure Bill – Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy – 4

• Mental health – 4

• Infrastructure Bill – community pubs – 4

• Trident – constituents want to know your views – 4

• Save the Children’s ‘Read On. Get On.’ campaign to improve literacy among children from disadvantaged backgrounds – 4

• Constituents have contacted you saying privatisation of energy has been a disaster – 4

• Alcohol Duty – Call on the Chancellor to make a 2% cut in the 2015 Budget – 4

• Religious freedom – 3

• EDM (Early Day Motion) 746 – The Big Palestinian Bike Ride – 3

• Support a Nature and Wellbeing Act in Labour’s manifesto – 3

• Serious Crime Bill – Support better legal protections for child abuse victims – 3

• BUAV (British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection) and Cruelty Free International campaign to reduce the number of scientific experiments on animals – 2

• Attend Backbench Commons debate on epilepsy on Thursday 26^th February – 2

• Immigration – Labour’s plans – 2

• Westminster Hall debate on respiratory health on Tuesday 3^rd February – 2

• Social care and military compensation for veterans – 2

• Ticket touts – 2

• EDM 488 – Youth Services – 2

• EDM 636 – Animal Welfare (No. 2) – 2

• Tackle global violence against children – 2

• Dementia care – 2

• Labour’s announcement on paternity leave – 1

• Equal pay transparency – 1

• Breast cancer – drug treatment – 1

• Support VSO’s (Voluntary Service Overseas) ‘Women in Power’ campaign – 1

• Support standardised packaging for tobacco products – 1

• A constituent emailed with concerns about the cost of childcare – 1

• Protect the countryside and oppose major road-building projects – 1

• 2015 Nigerian presidential election – 1

• Teacher workload – 1

• Opinion polls – 1

• International Development and the UK’s role in helping developing countries – 1

• Union of South American Nations dialogue with Venezuela – 1

• UK help for Syrian refugees – 1

• A GP who lives in the constituency emailed with concerns about the NHS – 1

• Counter-terrorism powers – 1

• EDM 646 – Rail Fares – 1

• EDM 612 – Buffer Zones Around Abortion Clinics and Pregnancy Advice Bureaux – 1

• EDM 648 – Employment of Supply Teachers – 1

• EDM 445 – Naloxone Availability – 1

• EDM 701 – Imprisonment of Human Rights Activists in Mauritania – 1

• Ban letting agents fees for tenants – 1

• Revenue-Neutral Carbon Fee and Dividend Scheme – 1

• Use of antibiotics on farm animals – 1

• Independent Living Fund – 1

• Air pollution in the Middle East – 1

• Pubs and Planning Regulations (England) debate on Thursday 12^th February – 1

• Mandatory scanning of pets found killed on the road – 1

• Cats Protection's Manifesto for Cats campaign – 1

• National Housing Federation’s Homes for Britain campaign – 1

• Thameslink train services into central London – 1

• Women’s pensions – 1

• Attend British Lung Foundation event in Parliament on Wednesday 25^th February – 1

• Concerns about landlords checking the immigration status of tenants – 1

• Multiple Sclerosis – 1

• Support the Medical Innovation (Private Member’s) Bill – 1

• Allegations of GCHQ (Government Communications Headquarters) hacking SIM card manufacturers – 1

• Support the work of CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) – 1

• Support a Public Service Users Bill – 1

• Labour’s proposals for GP access – 1

• Attend rally in Parliament on Leveson on Wednesday 25^th February – 1

• Radioactive waste regulations – 1

   

You can read my monthly newsletter for February 2015 here.

The woman to woman pink bus arrived in Cambridge to a great reception this afternoon. Parliamentary Prospective Candidate Daniel Zeichner was there to meet us along with local activists and Cambridge students.

As well as local canvassing Daniel and I also met with representatives from the Cambridge Family Mediation Centre to discuss issues that are effecting women, including changes to legal aid.

BBC Look East also came to talk about the woman to woman campaign which is scheduled to visit over 70 constituencies before the end of March but with more dates being added all of the time this number will definitely rise and visits will continue up until the General Election in May.

In Bedford this morning Patrick Hall, Parliamentary Candidate for Bedford met the Woman to Woman campaign bus tour in Cavendish Street. We were joined by a great group of activists to canvass in the local area.

London Fashion Week happens twice a year and I attended London Fashion Week’s opening breakfast to mark the start of the shows.  At the breakfast guests had the opportunity to hear from Natalie Massenet MBE, Chairman of the British Fashion Council (BFC), and James Mcarthur, BFC Business Pillar President.  They talked about the achievements of the British fashion industry and the importance it has both at home and abroad.  London Fashion Week is an opportunity for both well-known and newer brands to showcase their styles.