Chris Whiteside's Blog

On the Today programme this morning, Secretary of State for schools, (and would-be chancellor), Ed Balls was defending the government's refusal to carry out a spending review, claiming that although they cannot say how much Labour will spend on schools it will be an increase, and although we don't know how much Labour will spend on schools the Conservatives will spend less. Balls based this allegation on the fact that Michael Gove had refused to match one of his empty promises for extra spending - appparently it did not occur to this self-styled financial genius that perhaps, unlike the government, Gove was too responsible to promise to spend money which neither Labour or the Tories know they actually have to spend. Balls also suggested that the reason he could afford to spend more money on schools is that Britain is recovering from recession faster than anticipated. Shortly afterwards when I arrived at the building where I was working today, the first thing I saw was a big TV ...

A rare night in, and I was glued to the TV this evening watching the tennis. Andy Murray's fourth round nail-biter was one of the most riveting displays of tennis I have ever seen - up there with the Borg-MacEnroe finals. Well done to both players for some superb tennis.

Those of us in Copeland who went through Digital Switchover in 2007 have had to spend some time yesterday or today retuning all our Digital TVs or set-top-boxes to allow for the change round of channels as the Caldbeck transmitter begins the same switchover process. There is now no BBC2 analogue signal in the Border TV area. That means that Border TV area residents who do not have digital equipment, both those in the Whitehaven TV area who didn't go through switchover in 2007 because their signal comes directly or indirectly from Caldbeck, and those in areas like Keswick who are going through this for the first time, will now have lost BBC2. It also means that if you have digital equipment you can check whether it is working: if you have not yet obtained a set-top box you have another month to do so. But on 22nd July all remaining analogue TV signals in the Border region will be switched off. At that stage any would-be viewer without either a digital set-top-box or a digital TV wil...

Those residents of Copeland constituency north of about Bootle who have not already been through digital switchover will lose the analogue BBC2 signal tomorrow. This includes those who get their TV signal from the Parton and St Bees transmitters and those who can "see" the Caldbeck transmitter. It also includes those parts of the redrawn constituency in and around Keswick, and the same applies, of course, to the rest of the Border TV area. The remaining analogue channels will be switched off in another month. Those of us who went through Digital Switchover in 2007 will have to retune all our digital equipment tomorrow as the signal frequencies are adjusted to accomodate the change in the Caldbeck signal, and we will have to retune again in late July when the Caldbeck analogue signals finally cease.

Centre and Centre-Right MEPs from eight different EU countries have announced the formation of a new ‘European Conservatives and Reformists Group’ in the European Parliament. These participants, totalling 55 MEPs, have formed the initial ‘core’ of the group, which is likely to be the fourth largest group in the new Parliament. However, negotiations are still continuing and it is hoped that other EU parties and MEPs may be attracted to the group by the time that the new European Parliament convenes in Strasbourg, on 14 July. The parties, from across the EU, which now comprise the core of the new European Conservatives and Reformists Group, are: Belgium: Lijst Dedecker (LDD), with 1 MEP in the New Group Czech Republic: Civic Democratic Party (ODS), with 9 MEPs Finland: The Centre Party (Keskusta) sits in the Liberal (ALDE) group but one of its MEPs is now joining the New Group. Hungary: ...

The next meeting of the Bransty and Harbour neighbourhood forum will take place at the Royal British Legion centre in Bransty Road at 7pm on Tuesday (23rd June.) The main agenda items will include: 1) public open spaces in the area: Russell Maddams, the Parks Development Officer for Copeland BC will be giving a presentation on children's play areas in the forum area and there will be an opportunity for questions and discussion: there will also be a slot on the agenda for feedback about the maintenance of public areas. 2) Traffic: there will be a feedback on previous discussions about the Whitehaven town centre traffic flow proposals from County Highways and about Town Centre residents parking. 3) A "Civic Quarter" for Whitehaven: Paul Crooks from Westlakes Renaissance will be talking about the Civic Quarter programme

In the coming week communities throughout Britain will honour the contribution made by both the current members of the forces and by veterans, and we l particularly remember those who died defending our country. Tomorrow morning at 10.30 am the Mayor of Copeland will raise an Armed Forces flag from one of the flagpoles at St Nicholas’ Gardens in Whitehaven, and it will remain flying until after the civic service at St James' church at 2pm on Sunday June 28th. The flag will then be lowered by a veteran serviceman.

When I heard that Salford constituency Labour party had decided not to deselect Hazel Blears as their MP, I thought of this. Of course, the electors of Salford may have a different opinion when they finally get a chance to vote ... I promise that's my last musical joke for at least the next month.

I took part in a recording this evening of a local debate for the BBC Politics show about different sources of energy. Issues covered include nuclear power, nuclear waste, onshore and offshore wind, and coal power. Other participants included Jamie Reed MP, Chris Davies MEP, Elaine Woodburn, Martin Forwood of CORE, and various experts and representatives of campaigning groups. The full debate lasting one hour will be available on the BBC politics show website. About 20 minutes will be used on the politics show this Sunday from 11 am in the North East and Cumbria area, and about half an hour will be broadcast on the local radio on Monday afternoon.

"Redaction" - censoring elements of invoices for MPs expenses before publishing them - was supposed to be about removing elements which might pose a security or crime risk if published. For example, nobody in their right mind could object to blanking out bank account numbers or similar personal identification details which might enable fraudsters to steal from the accounts involved, or help conmen to defraud innocent members of the public by adopting the identities of people with whom MPs have had business dealings. There may also be a case for removing addresses where the publication of those addresses may help terrorists - though it has to be said that this justification has been over-used where those addresses are in the public domain. And if the Daily Telgraph had not been handed a full set of expenses claim data prior to "redaction" the practice of "flipping" might never have come to light. But publishing documents which are almost entirely covered in...

Although we have already had two inquiries into the Iraq war, the first two - Hutton and Butler - had highly constrained terms of reference. So there is probably a case for a third and final inquiry with a more open set of terms of reference. What there is no case for is the inquiry announced this week. It will hear evidence in secret, is not allowed to assign blame to anyone, and just to be on the safe side, the timing means that it will probably not report until after the next election when any criticisms of the present government will probably only be of academic interest. This is a waste of public money and a cynical insult to the families of the victims of the conflict.

Coutdown to the opening of polls on the last possible date for a general election: now on 352 days 23 hours.

It has been suggested that the song "I will survive" was particularly apposite to the recent county council election in Millom. The Labour candidate was a recent Tory defector who fought one of the most most personal and nasty campaigns most of us had ever seen - a campaign which several senior members of the constituency Labour party from the MP's staff down have privately been falling over themselves to disavow. As does not always happen in politics, this campaign reaped its just reward with a well above average swing and a wafer-thin Conservative majority converted into a gigantic one. So here, to the tune of Gloria Gaynor's "I will survive" is "A Song for Millom" When the poll was called, I was petrified, Kept thinking, would that two-vote margin really stay on side? But then so many nights canvassing I heard you did me wrong And I grew strong and I learned how to get along And now you're back from outer space And putting out your silly sme...

Hot on the closure of the Sunny Hill pub in Bransty, the Whitehaven News this evening says that Bransty Hill Legion may be under threat. This re-emphasises the need to give more support to the British pub. Public houses have been closing at a frightening rate, and we will miss them if they are all allowed to disappear.

It has been confirmed to me that the drystone wall at Whitehaven Golf Course which has been partly removed was shown as retained in the plans when permission was given for the latest developments on the site. The matter is being taken up with the developers by Copeland council.

As previously mentioned, the Conservatives topped the poll in Copeland terms of votes cast in the County Council elections. We outpolled Labour by about 700 in the Copeland Borough Council area, and by over a thousand in the county council divisions which are wholly within the Copeland constituency. This understates the Conservative lead, as there are two more rock-solid Conservative wards within the constituency which form part of the Cockermouth county divisions, both of which now fall partly in the Copeland constituency and partly in the Workington constituency. Both these divisions returned Conservative county councillors on Thursday. Analysis of the local European election results, which are declared by local council total, suggests that the Conservatives will almost certainly also have topped the poll in the Copeland constituency in the European parliament elections, although again it is not possible to know the exact figures. The Conservatives came within 200 of catching Labour ...

Here we go again ... Local residents have raised concerns about works taking place at Whitehaven Golf Course where planning permission has been given for a small hotel to be added to the facilities for the site. A number of earth mounds have appeared, and parts of a dry stone wall have been removed. A local resident, one of whose ancestors was involved in building the wall, tells me it is over 150 years old. I have raised the matter with the planning department at Copeland Council who have assured me that 1) Officers will visit the site early in the coming week to check the height, width, and position of the earth mounds and verify compliance or otherwise with the planning permission, and 2) The council's understanding was that the wall was to be retained. They have a call out to the consultant for the applicants asking that no further works on the wall take place until the matter is resolved.

Cumbria County Council election results in the twelve wards in the Copeland Borough on 4th June: DISTINGTON & MORESBY - 32.56% turnout Cam Ross (Lab) 548 Frank Hollowell (Lib Dem) 357 Dorothy Wonnacott (Con) 343 Helen Stevenson (BNP) 165 LABOUR HOLD MIREHOUSE - 28.03% turnout John Woolley (Lab) 512 Craig Burns (BNP) 249 Glenn Gray (Con) 240 LABOUR HOLD HENSINGHAM & ARLECDON - 32.65% turnout Mike Hawkins (Lab) 730 Marie Simpson (Con) 504 Shaun Hornby (BNP) 254 LABOUR HOLD BRANSTY - 37.47% turnout Graham Roberts (Con) 782 Bernard Kirk (Lab) 761 Malcolm Southward (BNP) 243 CONSERVATIVE GAIN KELLS & SANDWITH - 40.71% turnout Wendy Skillicorn (Lab) 681 Simon Nicholson (BNP) 491 Brigid Whiteside (Con) 238 Edward Caley-Knowles (UKIP) 180 LABOUR HOLD HILLCREST, WHITEHAVEN - 39.42% turnout Andrew Wonnacott (Con) 826 Steve Gibbons (Lab) 706 Bill Pugh (BNP) 229 CONSERVATIVE GAIN ST BEES & EGREMONT - 39.13% turnout David Southward (Lab) 635 Jane Micklethwaite (Con) 500 Sam Meteer (...

County Council results 4 June 2009 within the county divisions wholly within the Copeland Constituency: Conservative 8,979 Labour 7,900 BNP 3,250 Liberal Democrat 1,558 Green 559 Independent 477 UKIP 180 This slightly understates the Conservative position because it excludes the Crummock and Dalton wards, both represented by Conservative borough councillors, which form part of the Cockermouth East and West County divisions which straddle the new constituency boundary between Copeland and Workington.

Vote Conservative because it's the vote that Labour fears most. Vote Conservative because of David Cameron's tough response to expenses-gate. Vote Conservative because the Tory MEPs are set to leave the EPP and form the largest centre right grouping in the European Parliament opposed to ever closer union. Vote Conservative because Tory MEPs will vote against the EU's ambitions to spend our way out of recession. Vote Conservative because it's the surest way of getting a referendum on Lisbon. Vote Conservative because David Cameron is the only UK party leader fit to be Prime Minister. Thanks to Tim Montgomerie at Conservative Home who drafted the above . POLLS ARE OPEN FROM 7.00 AM UNTIL 10PM TODAY

Today's "Sun Says" editorial backs the Conservatives in this week's European election. In an article headed VOTE FOR EU REFERENDUM , the paper argues that there should be a referendum on the EU constitution (now referred to by its' supporters as the Lisbon Treaty). They point out that "David Cameron promises a Tory government will hold a referendum on the Constitution if it hasn't been enacted by the next election. We want a referendum whatever stage this wretched treaty has reached. But realistically, the Tories are the only game in town." You can read the full article here .

David Cameron came to the new Copeland constituency today as part of a tour of Cumbria. During a visit to Keswick DC spoke to a number of the people involved in running Pubwatch, a scheme to ensure that licenes premises can support one another, particuarly by ensuring that someone who gets barred from one pub for getting drunk and behaving unacceptably is banned from all pubs in the area. He then went to Keswick police station and heard more about the scheme from a police perspective and about the other policing issues in the area. Pubwatch is a great Cumbrian success story which has delivered a huge reduction in alcolhol related crime, and indeed in total violent crime in the area.

The expenses scandal is still the number one topic of conversation across the country. In offices, on buses, at home, the strength of anger being voiced is like nothing we've heard for a long time. But I don't think that anger begins and ends with expenses. I believe it stems from a long, deep dissatisfaction with the way that politics and power work in our country. The fact is that people feel they have very little control over the world around them - and they're right. While some areas of our lives offer us choice and control as never before - in media, travel, shopping, entertainment - when it comes to the things we ask from politics and the state, there's a sense that someone else is always pulling the strings, always pulling power away from people. Today, in a speech to the Open University, I set out our plans for a radical redistribution of power back to the people: from the state to citizens; from Whitehall to communities; from bureaucracy to democracy. This is a...

At the launch of our European Election Manifesto, David Cameron announced that he was turning "the campaign we had planned for these elections into the campaign Britain now needs: a campaign for a General Election." He said the scale of the problems facing Britain - the recession, the debt crisis and the political crisis caused by the abuse of MPs' expenses - "all point in one direction". And he stressed, "There is now only one way of sorting out the mess, and that is for Parliament to be dissolved and for a General Election to be held right away."

I was pleased to see that, at long last, it has been agreed that Gurhka veterans with four or more years service should have the right to settle in the UK. People who are good enough to risk their lives for a country are good enough to be allowed to live in that country.

The past few weeks have been extremely embarrassing for everyone involved in politics. Some MPs and MEPs of all parties have brought politics into disrepute. David Cameron has shown leadership in addressing this issue. On Tuesday, he announced a series of immediate measures to start to rebuild trust in politics and take action on the issue of expenses. He banned Conservative MPs from claiming for furniture, other household goods and food shopping; put an end to the practice of 'flipping'; and set up a Scrutiny Panel to review all excessive claims and arrange repayments where appropriate. In addition, the Shadow Cabinet are publishing online all the expense claims they make to the House of Commons - and you can view all the claims made since Tuesday here . You can also view this week's Conservative election broadcast, in which David Cameron addressed the issue of MP's expenses and described the action he is taking about them, here .

This post records the full list of candidates of all parties who stood for Cumbria County Council in the council and European elections on 4th June 2009. I wrote in the original post on 13th May 2009 that only the Conservatives were standing a full slate of 84 candidates for 84 seats on Cumbria County council. That was correct at the time nominations closed. Numbers of candidates put up by other parties were: Labour 81 Liberal Democrats 50 BNP 42 Greens 15 Socialist People’s Party 6 (all in Barrow) UKIP 5 There were also 18 Independent candidates. The full list of candidates is: ALLERDALE Aspatria & Wharrels: Jim Buchanan (Con)*; Martin Pugmire (Lib Dem); Rob Rimmer (Lab). Bowness, Thursby & Caldbeck: Duncan Fairbairn (Con)*; Bill Goldsmith (Lab); Margrit Scott (Lib Dem). Cockermouth East: Mark Hayhurst (Lab); Juliet Henderson (Lib Dem); Eric Nicholson (Con)*. Cockermouth West: Bill Bacon (Lab); Alan Kennon (Con); Dianne Standen (Green). D...

Chris Grayling has attacked Labour for failing to take “real action” to remove innocent people from the DNA database. The Shadow Home Secretary warned that Labour’s latest plan to trim the DNA database “doesn’t go far enough”, and accused the Government of “trying very hard to do as little as it can as slowly as it can”. Under the current system, details of individuals who are cleared of crimes - or not even charged in the first place - are held for six years, or 12 in cases involving serious violent or sexual offences. Chris stressed the importance of remembering that people are innocent until proven guilty and of achieving the "right balance" – and he said: “I can see no reason to be storing the DNA of people who have not been convicted of any offence.” Chris promised that a Conservative Government would implement the Scottish system, where a DNA sample is taken on arrest but then deleted if the person is cleared, or kept for a maximum of five years if they are cleared of s...

This is the text of the speech David Cameron gave in North Tyneside to launch the 2009 Conservative local election campaign. On June 4th, people across Britain will go to the polls and decide who runs their councils. This isn't just any local election - it really matters. It really matters because you can make a difference. And you can make a difference because it's your best chance to save money and improve your quality of life, your only chance to transform North Tyneside with a dynamic new era of civic leadership and your last chance, until the General Election, to tell Gordon Brown exactly what you think of him and his tired, incompetent and failing Government. But this will only happen if you vote for change. MORE FOR LESS Increasingly, that's what people are doing. Last year, the Conservatives won control of fourteen new councils. We won over two hundred and fifty new councillors - meaning we now have more in England than Labour and the Liberal Democrats combined. And...

Such is the mess Labour have made of our finances that whoever wins the next election will have to make painful and very unpopular decisions. There have already been cuts in Labour spending plans even before the election, and there will be more after the election even if they win. It is extremely important that as much as possible of the pain is diverted away from front line services such as schools and hospitals. There are no easy answers. But if we are to avoid cutting nurses, doctors, dentists, teachers and policemen we will have to find less essential things to cut instead. Now let's make a simple thought experiment. Lets suppose you put a choice of two options to the British people in a poll or referendum Option one - sack thousands of doctors and nurses Option two - save billions by scrapping the ID cards plan instead. Does anyone in their right mind imagine that option one would get more than a tiny handful of votes, mainly those of Gordon Brown, Jacqui Smith, and those pe...