Right and wrong reasons to criticise Jamie Reed
There are plenty of valid reasons to criticise the performance of Jamie Reed as MP for Copeland.
However, the fact that he has organised meetings in the House of Commons for the Nuclear Industry and for groups working for the industry is not one of them.
It has been estimated that 24% of the working population of Copeland is directly employed by the nuclear industry. And many more are part of the supply chain.
The economy of West Cumbria is heavily dependent on civil nuclear power. And therefore a local MP who was not in regular contact with the industry would simply not be doing his or her job properly.
Any MP for Copeland who was not willing to help the nuclear industry discuss with government and opposition alike the issues of Energy Policy affecting the industry would be failing in his or her duties to the constituency given that those issues present both enormous threats and opportunities for local employment.
Let me be completely open about this - if I become MP for Copeland I will deploy every ethical and open means, within the national and local interest, to help the nuclear industry lobby for measures which will create jobs and opportunities for my constituents. Not because I expect to get a penny in personal gain out of it but because this is in the interests of the people I aspire to be elected to represent.
So whatever criticisms I make of the present MP for Copeland, the fact that he has hosted meetings for the nuclear industry won't be among them.
I do regret that in his defence in this week's Whitehaven News, which you can read here he appears to accuse "certain opposition MPs" of "dirty politics" in making allegations against him.
If you want to find out where these attacks are coming from, just type the words "Jamie Reed nuclear" into Google or Yahoo and hit "Search".
You'll find that the Telegraph article is only the latest in a long series of attacks of this kind. I trawled through thirty web pages of them without finding a single attack on Jamie Reed's advocacy of nuclear power from another MP. But I found dozens of such attacks coming from anti-nuclear campaigners and journalists.
And I have no doubt whatsoever that within five minutes of the election result in Copeland being declared, and should I win, the same people will be throwing the same smears and nonsense at me. I am ready for them.
However, the fact that he has organised meetings in the House of Commons for the Nuclear Industry and for groups working for the industry is not one of them.
It has been estimated that 24% of the working population of Copeland is directly employed by the nuclear industry. And many more are part of the supply chain.
The economy of West Cumbria is heavily dependent on civil nuclear power. And therefore a local MP who was not in regular contact with the industry would simply not be doing his or her job properly.
Any MP for Copeland who was not willing to help the nuclear industry discuss with government and opposition alike the issues of Energy Policy affecting the industry would be failing in his or her duties to the constituency given that those issues present both enormous threats and opportunities for local employment.
Let me be completely open about this - if I become MP for Copeland I will deploy every ethical and open means, within the national and local interest, to help the nuclear industry lobby for measures which will create jobs and opportunities for my constituents. Not because I expect to get a penny in personal gain out of it but because this is in the interests of the people I aspire to be elected to represent.
So whatever criticisms I make of the present MP for Copeland, the fact that he has hosted meetings for the nuclear industry won't be among them.
I do regret that in his defence in this week's Whitehaven News, which you can read here he appears to accuse "certain opposition MPs" of "dirty politics" in making allegations against him.
If you want to find out where these attacks are coming from, just type the words "Jamie Reed nuclear" into Google or Yahoo and hit "Search".
You'll find that the Telegraph article is only the latest in a long series of attacks of this kind. I trawled through thirty web pages of them without finding a single attack on Jamie Reed's advocacy of nuclear power from another MP. But I found dozens of such attacks coming from anti-nuclear campaigners and journalists.
And I have no doubt whatsoever that within five minutes of the election result in Copeland being declared, and should I win, the same people will be throwing the same smears and nonsense at me. I am ready for them.
Comments
These articles appear to have precipitated an article in the Telegraph, which is continuing to probe into all MPs activities. Having moved on from expenses the paper is looking at meetings with lobbying groups. Jamie Reed and the nuclear industry came onto their radar. Whilst the Telegraph is pointing the finger at some MPs receiving possible payments from interest groups that are lobbying them, there is no allegation that Jamie Reed received any payments. Naturally Jamie Reed felt the need to defend himself as inferences could be unjustly drawn.
Much as I respect the Telegraph for exposing the expenses scandal and spearheading a campaign to get Parliament cleaned up, I am now coming to the opinion that the continuation of the sleaze dredging is having a detrimental affect on democracy in this country. This last two or three weeks has seen the flames fanned, of a fire, that was dying down. It was noticeable during the County elections that many voter were put off from participating in the electoral process. Rekindling the fire has started to re-arouse these hostilities to the political system and all politicians in general. This is not good news before a General Election. The consequences could be that a significant proportion of the electorate do not turn out or vote BNP. This undermines democracy and the representative legitimacy of the Parliament that follows. It would be a return to rotten boroughs.
This next Parliament is going to be composed of a new set of MPs, due to people standing down as a consequence of the expenses scandal. It is a time to start afresh, with a positive approach. A little less negativity from the media would be helpful, as currently they are going beyond exposing sleaze and tarring all politicians with the same brush is killing democracy.
As to Jamie Reed's allegation that opposition MPs have been smearing him. It has no foundation. It is noted that he has not named names. The allegations and inferences are media generated. There is no evidence of a dirty political campaign against him. Mr Reed withdraw all accusations that opposition MPs (inferences that Conservative MPs) are operating such a campaign against you or produce the evidence and name them.