DOCSLIB.ORG

Conduct of Sir Nicholas and Lady Winterton

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Conduct of Sir Nicholas and Lady Winterton House of Commons Committee on Standards and Privileges Conduct of Sir Nicholas and Lady Winterton Twelfth Report of Session 2007-08 Report and appendices, together with formal minutes Ordered by The House of Commons to be printed 17 June 2008 HC 744 Published on 18 June 2008 by authority of the House of Commons London: The Stationery Office Limited £0.00 The Committee on Standards and Privileges The Committee on Standards and Privileges is appointed by the House of Commons to oversee the work of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards; to examine the arrangements proposed by the Commissioner for the compilation, maintenance and accessibility of the Register of Members’ Interests and any other registers of interest established by the House; to review from time to time the form and content of those registers; to consider any specific complaints made in relation to the registering or declaring of interests referred to it by the Commissioner; to consider any matter relating to the conduct of Members, including specific complaints in relation to alleged breaches in the Code of Conduct which have been drawn to the Committee’s attention by the Commissioner; and to recommend any modifications to the Code of Conduct as may from time to time appear to be necessary. Current membership Rt Hon Sir George Young Bt MP (Conservative, North West Hampshire) (Chairman) Rt Hon Kevin Barron MP (Labour, Rother Valley) Rt Hon David Curry MP (Conservative, Skipton & Ripon) Mr Andrew Dismore MP (Labour, Hendon) Nick Harvey MP (Liberal Democrat, North Devon) Mr Elfyn Llwyd MP (Plaid Cymru, Meirionnydd Nant Conwy) Mr Chris Mullin MP (Labour, Sunderland South) The Hon Nicholas Soames MP (Conservative, Mid Sussex) Mr Paddy Tipping MP (Labour, Sherwood) Dr Alan Whitehead MP (Labour, Southampton Test) Powers The constitution and powers of the Committee are set out in Standing Order No. 149. In particular, the Committee has power to order the attendance of any Member of Parliament before the committee and to require that specific documents or records in the possession of a Member relating to its inquiries, or to the inquiries of the Commissioner, be laid before the Committee. The Committee has power to refuse to allow its public proceedings to be broadcast. The Law Officers, if they are Members of Parliament, may attend and take part in the Committee’s proceedings, but may not vote. Publications The Reports and evidence of the Committee are published by The Stationery Office by Order of the House. All publications of the Committee (including press notices) are on the Internet at: www.parliament.uk/sandp. A list of Reports of the Committee in the present Parliament is at the back of this volume. Committee staff The current staff of the Committee are Dr Christopher Ward (Clerk), Mr Keith Neary (Second Clerk) and Miss Michelle Owens (Secretary). Contacts All correspondence should be addressed to The Clerk of the Committee on Standards and Privileges, Journal Office, House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA. The telephone number for general enquiries is 020 7219 6615. Conduct of Sir Nicholas and Lady Winterton 1 Contents Report Page Conduct of Sir Nicholas and Lady Winterton 3 Introduction 3 Background 3 Conclusions 4 Appendix 1: Memorandum from the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards 8 Appendix 2: Letter to the Clerk of the Committee from Lady Winterton, 12 June 2008 37 Formal minutes 38 Reports from the Committee on Standards and Privileges in the current Parliament 39 Conduct of Sir Nicholas and Lady Winterton 3 Conduct of Sir Nicholas and Lady Winterton Introduction 1. We have received a memorandum from the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards on the outcome of his investigation of complaints against Sir Nicholas Winterton, the Member for Macclesfield and Ann Winterton, the Member for Congleton, (‘the Wintertons’) by Mr Gary Poole and Mr Michael Barnbrook. The complaints related to claims against their respective Additional Costs Allowances (ACAs) made by the Wintertons in respect of the rental of a property in London. 2. The Commissioner’s report is reproduced at Appendix 1. In accordance with our usual practice, we have shown the Wintertons copies of the Commissioner’s report. A copy of their response is reproduced at Appendix 2. Background 3. The complaints relate to the Wintertons’ use of a flat in London which they purchased on a mortgage in the early 1990’s and have occupied since then as their ‘second home’.1 Initially they claimed the mortgage interest against the ACA.2 Subsequently they paid off the mortgage from their own resources, following advice about their likely Inheritance Tax liability. The Wintertons were further advised to put the flat into a trust, of which they are two of the three trustees. 3 The beneficiaries of the trust are their three children.4 The trust came into existence in February 2002. Since then, the Wintertons have continued to occupy the property as tenants of this trust, paying a market rent based on an independent valuation,5 and they have each charged half of the rent against their respective ACAs. 4. For the duration of the period following the purchase of the property up to the creation of the trust, the Wintertons held both the legal title to the property and the beneficial interest. Following the establishment of the trust, the three trustees held the legal title on trust for those who held the beneficial interest, in this case the Wintertons’ three children. This is relevant to the question of whether and to what extent the arrangements fell within the scope of what was permissible for reimbursement under successive revisions of the ACA rules. 1 The property has throughout been designated by each of them as the property in respect of which they are eligible to claim against the ACA. 2 WE 7, p. 28. 3 WE 8, p. 29. 4 WE 17, p. 35. 5 WE 7 and WE 8, p. 28. and 29. 4 Conduct of Sir Nicholas and Lady Winterton 5. Before entering into the arrangements described above, the Wintertons contacted the Fees Office6 to ascertain whether these would be acceptable as they wished to continue living in the flat (and, by inference, meeting the cost from their ACAs). They say that they would not have gone ahead if the proposed arrangements had not been acceptable to the Fees Office.7 No written record exists of the terms of the assurance or the basis on which it was sought, but from a record of discussions between the Wintertons and the Department of Resources in March 2008, it appears to derive originally from advice given no later than 1998 that paying a market rent, albeit under a family trust arrangement, was not against the rules set down by the House. Likewise, no written record exists of these discussions.8 6. Since the Wintertons established their trust, there have been two relevant changes in the rules in the Green Book. In June 2003, a provision prohibiting claims for “the cost of leasing accommodation from yourself” was introduced both in respect of the ACA and the Incidental Expenses Provision (IEP). The second relevant change was in July 2006, when a provision was introduced explicitly prohibiting the use of the ACA to meet the cost of “leasing accommodation from….any organisation…in which you or a….family member— have an interest; or [from] a…..family member.”9 Conclusions 7. As the Commissioner has pointed out,10 the arrangement entered into by the Wintertons in February 2002 by which they transferred their interest in their London property to a family trust and thereafter continued to occupy the property as tenants of the trust is an unusual use of the ACA. He also pointed out that it benefited the family, their estate and assisted their personal inheritance tax planning. We agree with the Commissioner that, given their substantial personal interest in the arrangements, it would therefore have been prudent for the Wintertons, once having gone ahead with the arrangements, to have checked to ensure that charging the rent to the ACA remained consistent with the rules, particularly when these were changed. 8. We accept the Wintertons’ assurances that they discussed with the Fees Office the likely acceptability of their proposed arrangements before they entered into them. We note, though, that the key assurance on which they apparently relied was given at least three years before the trust was established. It would have been prudent for them to have taken the initiative of checking again when they were finally ready to proceed that their proposed arrangements remained acceptable for ACA purposes. 9. As the Commissioner recognises, the complaints raise two specific questions: 6 The Fees Office was part of the Department of Finance and Administration, now incorporated in the Department of Resources. 7 WE 7, p. 28. 8 WE 9, p. 30. 9 WE 6, p. 27. 10 Appendix 1, para. 37. Conduct of Sir Nicholas and Lady Winterton 5 • did the arrangements made by the Wintertons fall foul of the 2003 prohibition on Members meeting from the ACA the cost of renting from themselves; and • did the arrangements fall foul of the 2006 prohibition on meeting from the ACA the costs of leasing accommodation directly or indirectly from a family member? 10. The Commissioner considers it ‘arguable’ that the change to the Green Book in 2003 put the Wintertons’ arrangements outside the scope of the rules, but does not consider it productive or necessary at this remove to attempt to resolve this issue.11 We agree, but also share the Commissioner’s view that it was unfortunate that there was no recognition that the Wintertons’ arrangements might need to change.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Women Mps in Westminster Photographs Taken May 21St, June 3Rd, June 4Th, 2008
    “The House of Commons Works of Art Collection documents significant moments in Parliamentary history. We are delighted to have added this unique photographic record of women MPs of today, to mark the 90th anniversary of women first being able to take their seats in this House” – Hugo Swire, Chairman, The Speaker's Advisory Committee on Works of Art. “The day the Carlton Club accepted women” – 90 years after women first got the vote aim to ensure that a more enduring image of On May 21st 2008 over half of all women women's participation in the political process Members of Parliament in Westminster survives. gathered party by party to have group photographs taken to mark the anniversary of Each party gave its permission for the 90 years since women first got the vote (in photographs to be taken. For the Labour February 1918 women over 30 were first Party, Barbara Follett MP, the then Deputy granted the vote). Minister for Women and Equality, and Barbara Keeley MP, who was Chair of the Labour Party Women’s Committee and The four new composite Caroline Adams, who works for the photographs taken party by Parliamentary Labour Party helped ensure that all but 12 of the Labour women party aim to ensure that a attended. more enduring image of For the Conservative women's participation in the Party, The Shadow Leader of the House of political process survives Commons and Shadow Minister for Until now the most often used photographic Women, Theresa May image of women MPs had been the so called MP and the Chairman “Blair Babes” picture taken on 7th May 1997 of the Conservative shortly after 101 Labour women were elected Party, Caroline to Westminster as a result of positive action by Spelman MP, enlisted the Labour Party.
    [Show full text]
  • Annual Report and Financial Statements 20-21
    Annual report and financial statements 2020-21 1 Annual report and financial statements 2020-21 Contents Welcome from the Chair 3 The impact of COVID-19 5 Our purpose and method 6 Vision and strategic objectives 6 Skills for Life Our plan to prepare better futures 2018-2023 7 How we operate 8 Our members 9 Growth during a global pandemic 10 Governance structure and Board membership 11 Our advisers Team Cheshire 12 Roll of Honour 13 Our finances 20 Independent Examiners Report Financial statements 21 Our thanks 2 This has given us the peculiar Administration Welcome situation of the current County Thanks to the foresight of Graham Commissioner Dave Hopley Phillips and the backing of the Scout from the reporting on the year when the Association we have been at the previous County Commissioner was forefront of creating young leaders County Chair in office. Dave Hopley was well in roles that helped us well at the prepared coming from his role as start of this pandemic, switching Deputy County Commissioner and from face-to-face scouting to online Be Prepared! reading his report I think you will at the drop of a hat. All Meetings of This has been the most agree that we have had a smooth the Executive, and its sub- extraordinary year in Scouting, not transition. At this stage I would like committees have met online. I thank so much for planned activities but to thank those people who also put Janet Williamson our County for the lack of them when actions their names forward for the role of Secretary for organising and taken have been to keep Scouting CC.
    [Show full text]
  • The Speaker of the House of Commons: the Office and Its Holders Since 1945
    The Speaker of the House of Commons: The Office and Its Holders since 1945 Matthew William Laban Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy 2014 1 STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY I, Matthew William Laban, confirm that the research included within this thesis is my own work or that where it has been carried out in collaboration with, or supported by others, that this is duly acknowledged below and my contribution indicated. Previously published material is also acknowledged below. I attest that I have exercised reasonable care to ensure that the work is original, and does not to the best of my knowledge break any UK law, infringe any third party’s copyright or other intellectual Property Right, or contain any confidential material. I accept that the College has the right to use plagiarism detection software to check the electronic version of this thesis. I confirm that this thesis has not been previously submitted for the award of a degree by this or any other university. The copyright of this thesis rests with the author and no quotation from it or information derived from it may be published without the prior written consent of the author. Signature: Date: Details of collaboration and publications: Laban, Matthew, Mr Speaker: The Office and the Individuals since 1945, (London, 2013). 2 ABSTRACT The post-war period has witnessed the Speakership of the House of Commons evolving from an important internal parliamentary office into one of the most recognised public roles in British political life. This historic office has not, however, been examined in any detail since Philip Laundy’s seminal work entitled The Office of Speaker published in 1964.
    [Show full text]
  • Bibliography
    BIBLIOGRAPHY A. INTERVIEWS Jacob Rees-Mogg MP (London), 9th February 2016. Jesse Norman MP (London), 12th September 2016. Nicholas Winterton (Cheshire), 23rd September 2016. Ann Winterton (Cheshire), 23rd September 2016. Peter Hitchens (London), 11th October 2016. Anne Widdecombe (London), 11th October 2016. Lord Salisbury (London), 12th October 2016. Sir William Cash MP (London), 13th October 2016. Sir Edward Leigh MP (London), 17th January 2017. David Burrowes MP (London), 17th January 2017. Charles Moore (London), 17th January 2017. Philip Davies MP (London), 19th January 2017. Sir Gerald Howarth MP (London), 19th January 2017. Dr. Myles Harris (London), 27th January 2017. Lord Sudeley (London), 6th February 2017. Jonathan Aitken (London), 6th February 2017. David Nicholson (London), 13th February 2017. Gregory Lauder-Frost (telephone), 23rd February 2017. Richard Ritchie (London), 8th March 2017. Tim Janman (London), 27th March 2017. Lord Deben (London), 4th April 2017. Lord Griffths of Fforestfach (London), 6th April 2017. Lord Tebbit (London), 6th April 2017. Sir Adrian Fitzgerald (London), 10th April 2017. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2020 191 K. Hickson, Britain’s Conservative Right since 1945, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-27697-3 192 BIBLIOGRAPHY Edward Norman (telephone), 28th April 2017. Cedric Gunnery (London), 2nd May 2017. Paul Bristol (London), 3rd May 2017. Harvey Thomas (London), 3rd May 2017. Ian Crowther (telephone), 12th May 2017. Iain Duncan Smith MP (London), 4th July 2017. Angela Ellis-Jones (London), 4th July 2017. John Hayes MP (London), 4th July 2017. Dennis Walker (London), 24th July 2017. Lord Howard of Lympne (London), 12th September 2017.
    [Show full text]
  • Mr Blair's Poodle
    LOGO Mr Blair’s Poodle An agenda for reviving the House of Commons ANDREW TYRIE MP CENTRE FOR POLICY STUDIES 57 Tufton Street London SW1P 3QL 2000 THE AUTHOR Andrew Tyrie MP has been Conservative Member of Parliament for Chichester since May 1997. He was special adviser to successive Chancellors of the Exchequer, first Nigel Lawson and then John Major, between 1986 and 1990. He was Senior Economist at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and a Fellow of Nuffield College, Oxford. His previous publications include Subsidiarity as History and Policy (with Andrew Adonis, Institute for Economic Affairs, 1990); A Cautionary Tale of EMU (Centre for Policy Studies, 1991); The Prospects for Public Spending (Social Market Foundation, 1996); Reforming the Lords: a Conservative Approach (Conservative Policy Forum, 1998); and Leviathan at Large: the new regulator for the financial markets (with Martin McElwee, Centre for Policy Studies, 2000). The Centre for Policy Studies never expresses a corporate view in any of its publications. Contributions are chosen for their independence of thought and cogency of argument. ISBN No. 1 903219 11 6 Centre for Policy Studies, June 2000 Printed by The Chameleon Press, 5 – 25 Burr Road, London SW18 CONTENTS Summary and Recommendations 1 1 Introduction 4 2 What is Parliament for? 8 3 The Origins of Executive Supremacy 16 4 The New Threats to Parliament 28 5 The Realm of the Possible 35 6 Stopping the Rot 39 7 Conclusion 61 Appendix A: Recent complaints by the Speaker Appendix B: The New Structure of Number 10 Bibliography ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS THIS PAPER BEGAN LIFE IN conversation in the tearoom with the then shadow Leader of the House, Gillian Shepherd, and developed as a submission to Philip Norton’s Commission on “Strengthening Parliament”.1 Both gave me a good deal of helpful guidance.
    [Show full text]
  • South East Cheshire News Extra
    South East Cheshire How will we vote after Ann Winterton has gone? Latest poll shows it's between Tories and Lib Dems. See Page 4. Tory 51% NewsDistributed in Alsager, Congleton, HolmesExtra Chapel, Middlewich, Lib Dem Sandbach and the villages of Congleton Constituency Labour 37% 12% Published & promoted by P.Hirst on behalf of Congleton Constituency Liberal Democrats at 33 Rushton Drive, Middlewich, Cheshire, CW10 0NJ. Printed by Harmsworth Printing Ltd., 17 Brest Road, Derriford Business Park, Plymouth PL6 5AA. CAR PARKING CHARGES - Cheshire Local people tell Council ‘NO’ to charges East Council accused of putting the for shoppers’ parking ..... ‘CON’ into public CONsultation! FREE OUR CAR PARKS he Conservative-controlled TCheshire East Council has been PAY & DISPLAY - Will it be the local accused of conning local residents with the recent public ‘consultations’ shops who really pay the price ? on proposals to make motorists pay to use local car parks. The Tories are Would-be local Liberal Democrat MP Dr Peter Hirst is pictured below on a tour of local car slammed for going ahead with parks. He believes local shops will bear the brunt of Cheshire East Council’s decision to charging - despite the fact that they charge for all parking. Dr Hirst fears motorists will seek out free parking in superstores had discovered from the so-called elsewhere when the charges come in. ‘consultation’ that local people were Dr Peter Hirst at Sandbach strongly opposed to their plans. Common Car Park And ALL council taxpayers Middlewich councillor Keith Bagnall said will pay for these 2 car “The Tories carried out several public consultations and were told, in no uncertain parks - they’ll run at a loss! terms, that car park charges would be an economic disaster for small shops and in many cases cause real problems for parents taking their children to school.
    [Show full text]
  • Appendix: “Ideology, Grandstanding, and Strategic Party Disloyalty in the British Parliament”
    Appendix: \Ideology, Grandstanding, and Strategic Party Disloyalty in the British Parliament" August 8, 2017 Appendix Table of Contents • Appendix A: Wordscores Estimation of Ideology • Appendix B: MP Membership in Ideological Groups • Appendix C: Rebellion on Different Types of Divisions • Appendix D: Models of Rebellion on Government Sponsored Bills Only • Appendix E: Differences in Labour Party Rebellion Following Leadership Change • Appendix F: List of Party Switchers • Appendix G: Discussion of Empirical Model Appendix A: Wordscores Estimation of Ideology This Appendix describes our method for ideologically scaling British MPs using their speeches on the welfare state, which were originally produced for a separate study on welfare reform (O'Grady, 2017). We cover (i) data collection, (ii) estimation, (iii) raw results, and (iv) validity checks. The resulting scales turn out to be highly valid, and provide an excellent guide to MPs' ideologies using data that is completely separate to the voting data that forms the bulk of the evidence in our paper. A1: Collection of Speech Data Speeches come from an original collection of every speech made about issues related to welfare in the House of Commons from 1987-2007, covering the period over which the Labour party moved 1 to the center under Tony Blair, adopted and enacted policies of welfare reform, and won office at the expense of the Conservatives. Restricting the speeches to a single issue area is useful for estimating ideologies because with multiple topics there is a danger of conflating genuine extremism (a tendency to speak in extreme ways) with a tendency or requirement to talk a lot about topics that are relatively extreme to begin with (Lauderdale and Herzog, 2016).
    [Show full text]
  • Version 1.0 CIVIC SUB COMMITTEE ITEM 6 HONORARY ALDERMEN
    CIVIC SUB COMMITTEE ITEM 6 HONORARY ALDERMEN AND FREEMAN A list of Honorary Aldermen and Freemen admitted by the demised Cheshire East authorities has been researched. Using the records available a list of Honorary Aldermen and Freemen is enclosed at Appendix 1. The criteria and rights and privileges conferred to Honorary Aldermen and Freemen admitted by the demised Cheshire East authorities has been researched. Using the records available the rights and privileges conferred are enclosed at Appendix 2. (Note: Those Honorary Aldermen and Freemen who are deceased have been omitted from the list.) Version 1.0 Appendix 1 ALDERMEN AND FREEMAN OF THE FORMER CHESHIRE COUNTY AND BOROUGH COUNCILS Prior to disbandment on 31 March 2009, Cheshire County Council, Crewe & Nantwich Borough Council, Congleton Borough Council and Macclesfield Borough Council had conferred the title of Honorary Alderman and Freeman onto the following recipients: Cheshire County Council Alderman Mrs J E Hill Pre 1998 Mr D P Hood Pre 1998 Mr Alan Barnes 2001 Mrs Margaret Melrose DL 2001 Mr David Palmer 2001 Mr William Talbot 2001 Mr D A Bould 2005 Mr K A Hemsley 2005 Cllr John Paul Findlow 2009 Mr John Gordon Alexander Fyffe 2009 Mr Barrie Rushworth Hardern 2009 Mr David Lloyd-Griffiths 2009 Cllr Peter Herbert Mason 2009 Cllr Arthur Moran 2009 Mr David John Newton DL 2009 Mr Peter Nurse 2009 Mr Neville Thomas Price 2009 Cllr Stephen Roger Wilkinson 2009 No Honorary Freedom have been admitted Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council Alderman Mr Alan Gilderthorpe Chapman 1990 Mr
    [Show full text]
  • The 'Dispossessed', The'never-Possessed' and The
    The ‘Dispossessed’, and the ‘Bastards’ the ‘Never-Possessed’ ‘Dispossessed’, The the‘Never-Possessed’ The ‘Dispossessed’, and the‘Bastards’ Debunking Major’s Myths of the Eurosceptics the‘Never-Possessed’ Euroscepticism within the Conservative Party has been growing steadily since the Maastricth Rebellion of 1993. And yet the lessons of those turbulent months have yet to be learned properly. This book sets out clearly the reasons why some MPs rebelled and the‘Bastards’ and others did not - and points the way to the future. Debunking Major’s Myths of the Eurosceptics Between 1992 and 1993 the Maastricht Rebellion tore apart John Major’s Conservative Government. An ever-shifting group of Eurosceptic rebels consumed hours of Parliamentary time, derailed legislation and brought the government to the brink of collapse. Major denounced the rebels as the ‘Dispossessed’, the ‘Never-Possessed’ and the ‘Bastards’. This paper rebuts the myths about the Maastricht rebels. Luke Stanley Debunking Major’s Myths of the Eurosceptics Myths of Debunking Major’s With Prime Minister Cameron’s proposed renegotiation and referendum on EU The Bruges Group membership set to take place in 2017 recognising the factors affecting MPs’ willingness to defy the party line is vital. Should Cameron secure re-election at the head of a minority or slim-majority government, the ensuing Europe debate within the Conservative Party is likely to be even more divisive than Maastricht. Understanding MPs’ behaviour on Europe will allow the pro-withdrawal faction to assess the optimum methods of convincing MPs to side with them, as well as how to counter the Europhile faction’s attempts to poach their followers.
    [Show full text]
  • Sessional Diary 2005–06
    HOUSE OF COMMONS SESSIONAL DIARY 2005–06 11 May 2005 to 8 November 2006 Prepared in the Journal Office of the House of Commons INTRODUCTION 1. This diary records the business on which the House spent its time in Session 2005–06, analysed into categories, and similar information for sittings in Westminster Hall. It is intended mainly to provide information in response to statistical inquiries, and in using it the following points should be borne in mind: (a) The diary does not include business which took little or no time, such as presentations of bills, unopposed private business, and motions agreed to without debate or division. (b) Divisions are normally included with the business to which they relate. (c) Timings are taken from the Official Report, using the printed times where available, and otherwise taking a column of debate to last three minutes. Daily prayers are assumed to last a standard five minutes (and are not itemised in the analysis), and the time at which the House rose is taken from the Votes and Proceedings. (d) Periods of suspension are included in the total sitting time, and are listed in section 14h of the analysis (Miscellaneous). However, the 2½-hour suspension from 11.30 to 14.00 in Westminster Hall on most Tuesdays and Wednesdays (introduced on 1 January 2003) is shown in brackets in the “Duration” column and is left out of the totals. Other suspensions in Westminster Hall are included in the totals and in the analysis under section 5. (e) The times in the column headed “After appointed time” refer to business taken after the time appointed as the “moment of interruption”.
    [Show full text]
  • 3729 Rossentales – Winter 2017
    RossenA newsletter from @wecarehere The Rossendale Trust www.rossendaletrust.orgTalesWinter 2017 Fashion Show – see page 3! Oakwood News – see page 6! IT’S WHAT YOU CAN DO THAT COUNTS! Riverside tenants Mark The holiday was operated by the Calvert Goodwin and Trevor Kennerley Trust, an organisation which is well recently had a holiday in the known to quite a few Rossendale tenants. Lake District, supported by staff They have over 40 years’ experience of delivering challenging outdoor adventure members Lisa Law, Wendy Tilley holidays for people with disabilities. and Kate Edwards. (continued overleaf). CONTINUED RAY INTERVIEWS FIONA FROM COVER Trevor’s best activity was doing the swing rope, as well as cracking (terrible) jokes, like ‘you would not be-leaf’ whilst holding a leaf! For this issue Paddock tenant Ray Brookes puts the spotlight on Fiona Lindop, one of the Group Leaders in Buxton. How long have you worked here? When are you getting married? I have worked at the Trust since 1st I am getting married on Saturday, October 2009. 16th June 2018! When did you start being a Where are you getting married? group leader? I am getting married at the bandstand I started my role as group leader in the Pavilion Gardens in Buxton. in January this year. I am enjoying it Do you like taking me to see Dena very much! (my sister)? Do you like working here? I love taking you to Chesterfield to see Yes, I like working with everyone at Dena. It’s nice to go out or to have lunch Mark’s best activity was canoeing.
    [Show full text]
  • Politica Sobria”
    L’addio di Blair e la “politica sobria” di Leo GIUNTI Oggi che ascoltiamo l’appello per una “politica sobria” e per una riforma dei suoi strumenti, non possiamo non volgerci con rispetto e ammirazione al modello dei Parlamenti europei. L’Aula di Westminster, dove con asciutta eleganza, ma anche nobiltà di accenti, si è chiusa una grande carriera politica. In occasione del tradizionale Premier question time del mercoledì, mezz’ora di confronto corretto, efficace, franco e asciutto. Che ha toccato tutti i temi dell’attualità. Ed è stato anche l’occasione per il congedo, di fronte a una straordinaria classe parlamentare. Che ha mostrato la sua compattezza nell’esibizione di toni degni del più elegante e aristocratico club. L’omaggio asciutto del leader dell’opposizione al Primo Ministro uscente, che “senza ombra di dubbio ha fatto i più alti sforzi a servizio della nazione”. Cui il Premier ha replicato ringraziando questi sentimenti generosi. “Nonostante tutti i disaccordi politici tra noi, è sempre essenziale poter lavorare su temi di importanza nazionale, al di là delle divisioni politiche, e io - ha detto il Premier - ho sempre trovato il leader dell’opposizione perfettamente giusto, corretto e cortese nei miei confronti”. Una battuta di pochi secondi, che descrive una realtà dell’Aula verde dei Comuni, che per noi è l’auspicio di una buona politica futura. Un auspicio che proprio in questi giorni, e per essere compreso da un pubblico e dalla stampa italiani, è stato proposto, ripetuto e ribadito, nel discorso di Walter Veltroni a Torino, con frasi ricche di aggettivi e piene di immagini, percorrendo la lancetta dei minuti la stessa distanza che oltre Manica aveva percorso quella dei secondi.
    [Show full text]