Newspaper column 8 February 2017 - The vote on Brexit

Last week MPs voted 498-114 to grant the Prime Minister the power to formally trigger Article 50, the process by which the United Kingdom will leave the European Union.

I am honoured to have been part of this historic vote by which, once the Bill has passed through all stages, the Prime Minister will be able to implement the instruction from the British people in formally starting the UK’s exit from the EU.

It was important to me to vote not just on behalf of the majority of residents in Mid-Cornwall who voted for Brexit in last year’s referendum, but also the majority of people across the country who voted to leave.

Although it is right to acknowledge the 48% of those who voted to remain, there also needs to be an acceptance that by granting a referendum we placed this decision in the hands of the British people. It would be undemocratic to now seek to thwart the implementation of this decision as some are seeking to do.

I am therefore pleased that MPs overwhelmingly voted for this Bill, although it was again a shame to see the Liberal Democrats failing to live up to their name, voting to defy the British People and frustrate the majority.

In fact, it was bizarre to hear the former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, who once said his Party was leading the calls for an EU Referendum, lead an attack on the people’s decision in the House of Commons last Tuesday. I suppose in his view Referendums are ok as long as, if you are unhappy with the result, you can keep demanding another one until you get what you want.

As a columnist in a leading daily paper said of Clegg, .… “[his] nine-minute contribution was one of the most nakedly dishonest speeches I have had the misfortune to hear in the Commons. The man is as shameless as a charity store shoplifter.”

Following the vote the Government published the long awaited White Paper on Brexit, which expanded on the Brexit Strategy points made by the Prime Minister earlier in the year. I have included a link to the White Paper on my website, which you can find below:

https://www.stevedouble.org.uk/campaigns/eu-referendum-updated-6th-february-2017

This week the Bill will go on to the committee stage, where various amendments are being tabled to delay or dilute us leaving the EU. I will certainly do all I can to resist any attempts to do so.

As the formal negotiations begin, along with my Cornish MP colleagues I will of course be doing my very best to ensure Cornwall gets the best deal possible from Brexit and look forward to working closely with colleagues both locally and in Westminster to achieve just that.

As always, my team and I are here to serve the whole constituency and work hard to make a real difference to the lives of everyone needing support. If there is an issue you would like my assistance on then please contact me on either 01726 829379 or office@stevedouble.org.uk. Additionally, I hold regular, appointment only, advice surgeries across the constituency. Dates of these can be found at: www.stevedouble.org.uk/events

My view on the STP and its impact on NHS services in Cornwall

In all things. I believe it is important to plan for the future. I am aware of challenges and pressures that face our NHS. It is right that all NHS services across Cornwall are in scope to be part of the full review process as part of the consultation for the STP, so we can ensure we get best value for money from them and they operate to the best of their abilities.

I am pleased that this Government has increased funding for the NHS in real terms and is set to continue to increase the funding going forward. In Cornwall this is also the case. For example, since the creation of NHS Kernow it has had a real terms increase in funding every year, which is projected to continue until at least 2020.

However the funding needs to be spent well and the service fit to meet the demands our population place on it. Just throwing money at a problem won’t necessarily make it go away.

Savings need to be made. While, along with my Cornish MP colleagues I will continue to press for more funding, the NHS in Cornwall does need to live within its means. The current deficit it has is in my view caused by mismanagement which led to an overspend of £57m in just this last year,

I am pleased that the STP is an open consultation where the pubic have a chance to have their say.

Although I have been unable to attend the public meetings in St Austell and Newquay that have taken place so far, due to having to be in Parliament when they took place, a member of my team did go on my behalf. I also meet regularly with NHS and Cornwall Council management and will sure local people’s views are heard and fight for the very best outcome for St Austell and Newquay.

I hope this is helpful in outlining my views on the STP.

Newspaper column 1 February 2017 - Cornwall Council's Truro City of Culture fiasco

Last week the group in charge of Cornwall Council, comprising ten senior Liberal Democrat and Independent councillors forming a Cabinet under leader John Pollard, voted, 9-1, to spend a minimum of £536,000 of Cornish taxpayer money on a bid for Truro to be the European Capital of Culture for 2023. If successful the bid will cost as much as £25million in total.

Regular readers of my column will know that I am not shy to hold Cornwall Council to account.

As an organisation they do many good things, and just last week I was pleased to get an update on them on the work that is taking place for the invaluable A30-A391 link road, the upgrading of the A3058 and the continued excellent progress of Cornwall’s bus service devolution.

However the current leadership at Cornwall Council has been, in my view, making increasingly baffling decisions on how to use your money for the good of Cornwall. This is the latest one.

Those in Cornwall Council’s leadership often tell me, during my regular meetings with them, that they have no money for essential work and services, running from filling potholes to keeping public toilets open. They publicly blame central government cuts on their issues. True, cuts have been made and we all have to tighten our belts. However Cornwall Council is a colossal organisation with a massive budget and as I have said in the past, it needs to take some responsibility for it. To plead poverty in this way, but once again find funding for a pet project is not, to me, the right way to run things.

Of course, this is just another in a growing list of waste of money projects by the Council’s leadership to add to the now infamous bus lane to nowhere and the recent three quarters of a million pounds on a pointless car parking consultation, the results of which I now understand they have kicked into the long grass.

Looking at the papers that the Cabinet voted on there appears to be a lot of support for the move from various organisations around Cornwall for the bid. Indeed, many of them wax lyrical about the benefits the bid, if successful will bring. However what they have all failed to do is commit any money whatsoever to the scheme, leaving Cornwall Council as currently the only funder.

Some say that you have to spend money to make money but I believe, at a time where they say they don’t have money to maintain the most basic public services, Cornwall Council should be prioritising its spending away from projects like this and focusing on what matters. It isn’t their money after all, it is yours.

Of course, apart from anything else, come 2023 we won’t even be in the European Union. Could you see President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker deciding to come along to open Truro as the centre of European Union ideals and culture, at a time that could be five years after we have left the EU?

This decision is a speculative gamble with taxpayers’ money at a time when the Council should have other priorities. My hope is that they will listen to common sense and reverse this decision before any money is wasted. 

Newspaper column 25 January - The objectives of Brexit

Last week I welcomed the Prime Minister’s speech where she set out the Government’s negotiating objectives for Brexit, which aims to get the right deal abroad while ensuring a better deal for ordinary working people here at home.

It is clear from my conversations with people who voted both remain and leave that the vast majority of people just want the Government to get on with it and make Brexit happen. This is certainly the case in Mid-Cornwall, where the highest number of people in any constituency in Cornwall voted to leave.

The referendum vote in 2016 was about something more than simply leaving the European Union. It was a vote for change: to make Britain stronger and fairer – restoring national self-determination while becoming even more global and international in action and spirit.  And while it was a vote to leave the EU, it was not a vote to leave Europe – we want to continue to be reliable partners, willing allies, close friends and trading partners with European countries. 

The question on the ballot paper in June was clear – should we remain or leave. The British people voted to leave.  So in that spirit, the Government is not seeking partial membership of the EU, associate membership, or anything that leaves us half-in, half-out. We do not seek to adopt a model already enjoyed by other countries or hold on to bits of membership as we leave.

We seek a new and equal partnership – between an independent, self-governing, outward looking Global Britain and our friends and allies in the EU.

As the Government negotiates that partnership, it will be driven by some simple principles: we will provide as much certainty and clarity as we can at every stage. And we will take this opportunity to make Britain stronger, to make Britain fairer, and to build a more Global Britain too.

Some of the objectives announced for Brexit last week, include:

Certainty: whenever we can, we will provide it. The Government will put the final deal that is agreed between the UK and EU to a vote in both Houses of Parliament.

Control of our own laws: we will bring an end to the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice in Britain.

Strengthen the Union: we must strengthen the precious Union between the four nations of the United Kingdom.

Control of immigration: Brexit must mean control of the number of people who come to Britain from Europe and that we can manage immigration in our national interest not based on some EU ideal.

Guaranteeing Rights for EU nationals in Britain, and British nationals in the EU: we want to guarantee these rights as early as we can. Protect workers’ rights: as we translate the body of European law into our domestic regulations, we will ensure that workers’ rights are fully protected and maintained.

Free trade with European markets: as a priority we will pursue a bold and ambitious Free Trade Agreement with the European Union.  

New trade agreements with other countries: it is time for Britain to become a global trading nation, striking trade agreements around the world.

I am with the majority of people in St Austell and Newquay in that I want to see a Britain outside of the European Union, outwardly looking with a positive outlook on what life post Brexit will bring. I will continue to do all I can to make this a reality.

As always, my team and I are here to serve the whole constituency and work hard to make a real difference to the lives of everyone needing support. If there is an issue you would like my assistance on then please contact me on either 01726 829379 or office@stevedouble.org.uk. Additionally, I hold regular, appointment only, advice surgeries across the constituency. Dates of these can be found at: www.stevedouble.org.uk/events

                                                                            

Newspaper column 18 January 2017 - Funding our NHS

Last week the NHS dominated national news with concerns that it is in ‘crisis’.

Some were quick to point the finger at the Government, claiming that the challenges it faces are as a result of Government cuts to funding.

However, this is inaccurate and categorically incorrect. In order to see for myself the position with regards to health funding in Cornwall I asked for a breakdown of funding the NHS in Cornwall has received in recent years.

I was pleased to see that since NHS Cornwall, or the Kernow Clinical Commissioning Group’s creation in 2013, the Government has steadily increased its funding year on year, above the annual rate of inflation. This means that far from being cut, NHS services in Cornwall have received both a cash and a real terms increase – that is to say above the rate of inflation.  I was also pleased to see the predicted figures show proposed increases of funding for NHS services in Cornwall until at least 2021 too.

If you are a regular reader of my column, you will know that I don’t think that just throwing money at a problem will make it go away.

Nor do I think turning this great institution of our country into a political football, as all political parties are prone to doing at times, achieves anything.

Our NHS is facing significant pressures, that much is true. I regularly meet with constituents who use its services and have both good and bad experiences, the vast majority of which are in fact very good. I also hold regular meetings with NHS management to discuss their concerns and raise them at all levels of Government as appropriate.

Much of the pressure the NHS faces is as a direct result of the ever-increasing demand it is facing. A growing and ageing population along with ever more complex and expensive treatments results in the expectations we place on the NHS becoming unsustainable.

I will continue to fight for more money for our NHS in Cornwall, as I have done for our local schools, Police and local government. But it is clear to me that the answer is not simply just more and more money. It also has to be about making sure our health care services are run as efficiently as possible and adapt to meet the needs of a changing population. We also need greater integration between our health and care services.

It is well publicised that the NHS in Cornwall has overspent its budget and is projecting a large deficit this year and in the years to come. This is why it is needing to find savings of more than £200 million in the coming years. The Sustainability and Transformation Plan is looking at the future of health and care services in Cornwall and the NHS are seeking the views of the public. You can find details of the plan here and I would encourage everyone who cares about the way our health service is run to take a look and have your say - http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/shapethefuture

As always, my team and I are here to serve the whole constituency and work hard to make a real difference to the lives of everyone needing support. If there is an issue you would like my assistance on then please contact me on either 01726 829379 or office@stevedouble.org.uk. Additionally, I hold regular, appointment only, advice surgeries across the constituency. Dates of these can be found at: www.stevedouble.org.uk/events

                                                                                            

Newspaper column 11 January 2017 - My priorities for 2017

This week we return to Parliament after the Christmas Recess. It has been great to spend a few weeks at home in the constituency. While Parliament has not been sitting it has given me a chance to think about what my priorities for this coming year will be.

The big issue, not just in Cornwall but across the whole country continues to be Brexit and how it will impact on our way of life. I recently joined the European Scrutiny Committee, which assesses the legal and/or political importance of draft EU legislation deposited in Parliament by the Government and also has the power to recommend documents for debate, question Ministers in person and conduct general inquiries into legal, procedural or institutional developments in the EU.

With this role I will make sure concerns of local key sectors in Mid-Cornwall – including tourism, agriculture and fishing are heard at this high level, and that the feedback that I continue to get from meetings with those of you who work in these important areas is noted and acted upon as we move towards a formal Brexit when Article 50 is triggered.

Alongside this I will continue to work for investment in economic growth, jobs and better wages across Mid-Cornwall. I will continue to work with businesses both locally and nationally to drive our economy towards not just having more jobs, but creating demand here for jobs that are high skilled and well paid.

Towards the end of last year I was pleased to report successes in some of my long-term lobbying of the Government, with funding provided to upgrade the dangerous stretch of the A3058 between St Austell and Newquay, as well as moving forward with the incredibly important plans for the A30-A391 link road to St Austell and the surrounding area which will do so much for the economy of the area when built. These are both good starts but there is more to do and I will continue to lobby for more investment on our infrastructure and services as we move forward into 2017.

Another area in which I will continue to watch closely and press the case for change is to do with residential care. We were all shocked by the terrible scenes exposed in Clinton House in St Austell by BBC’s Panorama documentary in November.  There is always a concern that once these stories are no longer in the media that the issues get forgotten. I am determined not to allow that to happen but to make sure lessons are learnt. Over the coming weeks and months I will be working with stakeholders to look at what needs to be done to ensure things change for the better.

Finally, it was great to see yet more routes to and from Cornwall Airport Newquay open up over the Christmas break. The airport’s consistent positive growth is brilliant for Newquay and St Austell and the whole of Cornwall, and I will continue to work with the excellent management team there to do all I can to promote it as a premier destination. Not to mention the plans to possibly make the airport the UK’s first Spaceport, which I continue to champion and do all I can to make a reality.

As always, my team and I are here to serve the whole constituency and work hard to make a real difference to the lives of everyone needing support. If there is an issue you would like my assistance on then please contact me on either 01726 829379 or office@stevedouble.org.uk. Additionally, I hold regular, appointment only, advice surgeries across the constituency. Dates of these can be found at: www.stevedouble.org.uk/events

Newspaper column 4 January 2017 - Money for affordable housing in Cornwall

I hope that, like me, you have had an enjoyable Christmas and New Year. It was great to be able to spend time at home and catch up with family and friends.

I want to start by wishing everyone in Mid-Cornwall a very happy, healthy and prosperous 2017.

Just before Christmas the Government made an important announcement confirming that money will be made available to specifically address the challenges Cornwall faces in providing housing that is affordable to local people.

Over many years now we have watched as house prices in Cornwall have risen and are now beyond the reach of most local people on average incomes. Much of this rise locally has been fuelled by people buying up our local housing stock for holiday homes or investment properties. Many people have been calling for some action for a long time but it is good to at last see that this Government is acting to address this issue.

In the 2015 Autumn Statement the then Chancellor, George Osborne, announced a new stamp duty levy on properties bought that were not for the purchaser’s main residence. This includes all types of 2^nd homes – holiday homes, investment and buy to let properties. An additional 3% has been charged on the purchase of all such properties since April last year. When it was announced, the Chancellor stated that this money would be specifically ring fenced to help to provide affordable housing in places such as Cornwall.

It was pleasing therefore to have confirmation last month that the first tranche of money will now be made available with Cornwall being allocated just over £5 million in the first round.

This money will be made available through Cornwall Council to local schemes that seek to provide housing for local people at below market values through schemes such as Community Land Trusts.

Some have argued that £5 million will not go very far. But it has to be acknowledged that this is the first time any Government has taken direct action to specifically address the housing challenges we face here in Cornwall. After many years of talking I am delighted to be part of the Government that is at last acting.

It is also important to recognise that this is a substantial part of the total national pot of £60 million and is way beyond what we would have normally expected to receive as a share of a national scheme but is clearly a sign that the challenges we face here in Cornwall are recognised.

This is the first round of funding and there will be much more to come in the years ahead. What is important now is that we spend this money wisely and use it in conjunction with private sector funding to provide as many homes for local people as possible.

Future funding will partly depend on how well this first tranche of money is spent and so I will be doing all I can to make sure the Council use it well. I will also be keen to work with any local people who wish to develop Community Land Trust housing in mid-Cornwall.