Maiden speech
What a huge honour it was to speak in the Chamber for the very first time. Well, I had asked a question a few days ago, but that's not quite the same. Watched by my family, I rose to make my maiden speech at about 2.20pm. I was called by the charming new Madam Deputy Speaker, Labour's Dawn Primarolo MP. She could not have been kinder or more thoughtful, giving me a clear indication that I was about to be called. Any butterflies I might have had disappeared the moment I stood up and the full realisation sank in that here I was in the world's most famous debating chamber about to represent my constituents for the very first time. The eight minutes or so flew past. I spoke about the constituency, my predecessor and of course flung in a little family history. The day past in a blur and no doubt like all MPs the moment will stay with me forever.
Posted on 30 June 2010 by Richard Drax
Pampered fools
You will have to forgive me as I step into a world I am not too familiar with: the world of professional football. I, like millions of others, watched our national team take on Algeria last night in South Africa. Now, I am not an expert, as I have explained, but I know enough about sport to recognise a team in total disarray. Leaderless and rudderless, our overpaid squad staggered around the pitch just going through the motions. Our overpaid manager lept up and down from his bench like one of my colleagues in the House of Commons, trying to catch the eye of the Speaker. It really was a pitiful sight and as the match dragged on I got to the point I wanted Algeria to score, anything to engender some spirit in our lack-lustre lot. Rightly, the papers today have gone to town on the team, who have been pampered too long at their individual clubs on unaffordable wages and low expectations. The world cup is a magnificent sporting spectacle, but it is revealing how complacent and soft we have become at the highest level of the beautiful game.
Posted on 19 June 2010 by Richard Drax
Public sector pay
The Government’s determination to tackle the soaring public sector pay bill as part of next week’s emergency budget has been given powerful backing by a new report published this week by the Policy Exchange think tank. Their almost unbelievable verdict is that the public sector – those we employ on our behalf, using our taxes – enjoy better pay, better pensions, shorter hours and more sick leave than their private sector counterparts.
They found that the wealth generators in our country work for 23.2% more hours, or 9.2 years longer than public employees. They retire later, take shorter holidays and go on strike less. Yet they are expected to fund the ever growing army of public employees, with a pay bill that rose 33% in real terms between 2003 and 2009 – three times faster than in the private sector
In addition, while most private sector final salary pension schemes have folded, generous deals have added an estimated 15% to public sector salaries. No wonder Nick Clegg described ‘unreformed, gold plated’ public sector pensions as unaffordable.
It is all indeed, completely unaffordable - and unsustainable. Traditionally, public sector jobs were less well paid but workers received better pensions and job security. Those on the outside, with less secure jobs and higher risks, earned more. If they are now earning less, how can they possibly pay for this vast and burgeoning bill for public servants?
Posted on 18 June 2010 by Richard Drax
EU madness continues
Despite the chaos in Greece; despite the fact that both Spain and Portugal are facing dire financial problems; and despite the fact the Euro is at the centre of this mess, EU officials continue to try and strangle our ability to run our economy. David Cameron rightly fended off attempts by the EU to try and control the size of our deficit and to force us to submit budget plans to Brussels before our own sovereign parliament. I have always said, and I still do, that the introduction of the Euro and the slide to a federal Europe was one of the biggest Socialist con tricks ever imposed on us. It will not last and it was never going to. The problem now is how to close it down without causing chaos. Already Germany is becoming more and more truculent as it faces expectations to help bail out Greece. This after Germany has had to cope with the cost and emotion of re-unification. And the realisation that one country's recklessness is not just its responsibility is beginning, at last, to sink in. We need a time of reflection now and time for our leaders to show true leadership and courage and end this ridiculous federalist nightmare in the most painless way possible.
Posted on 18 June 2010 by Richard Drax
The Quartet Representative and Gaza
Could it be that the perma-tanned Quartet representative, currently enjoying his fourth year of residence in Jerusalem’s famed American Colony Hotel, has finally done something to earn his keep?
Tony Blair has, it seems, been hard at work justifying his role as the Middle East envoy and travelled to Washington to announce last week that he had succeeded in persuading Israel to drop the brutal embargo they placed upon Gaza three years ago. The only problem is that the Israeli cabinet, led by Benjamin Netanyahu, does not see it that way and is reportedly split over what goods to allow in, other than the food, toys and household utensils upon which they are agreed. As a result of serial bombardments by the Israelis, Gaza’s need for building materials is critical but so far these remain on a forbidden blacklist.
The UN calls it one of many ‘false dawns’ and Oxfam is reportedly unimpressed. Tony Blair is cautioning that more work needs to be done ‘to flesh out the principles now agreed’ but insists that it is ’a good start.’ Somehow it all feels rather tired and familiar – Mr Blair over promising and under delivering.
Posted on 18 June 2010 by Richard Drax
Rescue helicopter
Government projects totalling more than £10 billion have been 'cancelled' or 'suspended'. This announcement is the first of several, I suspect, as we deal with the mess Labour left behind. One of those projects suspended is new search and rescue helicopters. Down here in South Dorset, our current search and rescue helicopter based at Portland is an AW139, which replaced the Sikorsky 61 (S61) about three years ago. There has been talk of plans to replace the SW139 with the preferred Sikorsky 92 (S92), which is used in Scotland. It is this move, as I understand it, which has now been suspended. The S92 is a larger aircraft than the AW139, giving life savers more room to care for their patients. I understand it can also carry more people. But I have yet to hear anyone say that our current AW139 is under threat, so any comments to this effect are alarmist, in my view. I shall, of course, be seeking reassurance from our government that this is the case and I will let you know once I have received this assurance.
Posted on 18 June 2010 by Richard Drax
Homecoming Parade for the Rifles
Heart-warming to see the tremendous reception given to the Rifles at their homecoming parade yesterday. Thousands of enthusiastic onlookers, cheering and flag waving, lined the streets in Dorchester to welcome A Company 4th Battalion home from Helmand. Although regrettably, I was unable to be there due to commitments in the Commons, what mattered was the warmth of the welcome and the evident pride in our brave soldiers. Many Riflemen spoke of their delight and pride at the extraordinary outpouring of emotion and support.
It was certainly well deserved. These tours of duty are arduous and dangerous. In total, no fewer than 53 soldiers from the Rifles alone have been killed in action in Afghanistan and more than 200 have been severely wounded. Yesterday’s parade was in part to commemorate the five who died on the recent tour of duty and followed a church service held in their memory.
What a far cry from some of the wretched homecomings over recent years, where soldiers where heckled, booed and threatened by Islamist troublemakers. The Labour Government sent our troops out to war, then pulled away the rug from beneath their feet by under equipping them; in particular by denying them heavy lift helicopters.
I am delighted that this Government has made its support for the Armed Forces so clear, no matter what battles they are fighting. We owe them our support and our gratitude. We should indeed, honour and revere them.
Posted on 16 June 2010 by Richard Drax
Renewing the Military Covenant
I was delighted to see David Cameron fulfilling one of our most important manifesto pledges on yesterday’s visit to the troops in Afghanistan. His immediate doubling of overseas operational allowances for soldiers is the first step to restoring our Armed Forces to the place they deserve in the national consciousness. The Prime Minister promised that the British public will once again revere their servicemen – a word I thought particularly well chosen. Once, our soldiers were proud to walk down the street in their uniforms; in recent years they were told it was wiser not to. Although our country has been constantly at war for the last 20 years, we have allowed terrible injustices to those who fight on our behalf; military hospitals closed, amputees refused access to public swimming pools, casualties denied secure and separate hospital wards and countless cases of mental illness ignored and untreated. It took the extraordinary success of Help for Heroes and the stoicism of the people of Wootton Bassett to make the views of the silent majority felt. We are proud of our Armed Forces. The Military Covenant – the agreement that in exchange for his willingness to make the ultimate sacrifice, a soldier and his family will be cared for properly – has been allowed to languish untended for too long. We will change that.
Posted on 14 June 2010 by Richard Drax
Energy Security and BP
Guaranteeing a safe and uninterrupted source of energy is a priority for any government, particularly at a time when powerful cartels can slow or halt a nation’s supplies upon a whim. As a result, I can’t help wondering whether President Obama’s outbursts over the BP oil disaster serve more than one purpose. Without doubt, the ecological catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico merits outrage. BP will have to pay and keep paying - already the dividend payments to shareholders may be delayed or suspended. But the mid terms are not going well for the Democrats and Obama is taking a lot of flak. More significantly, last year BP signed an extraordinary 1.3 billion gas and oil exploration deal with Libya, intended to guarantee direct supplies to the United Kingdom without recourse to the all-powerful Soviet cartels. In addition, after an absence of 36 years, last year a US Ambassador returned to Tripoli. His job is to wrest what the Americans see as too much British control back into American hands. It can only be in Obama’s interests to talk down BP’s competence – Norway and others are already rethinking agreements - because, while BP is not exactly British Petroleum, it is still certainly 69% British and any failure leaves the stage wide open for our American friends.
Posted on 14 June 2010 by Richard Drax
Carrot rather than the stick
At last, common sense has re-emerged. The Coalition government is scrapping bin taxes and gardens will be saved from development. This really is a move in the right direction. So far as the former is concerned, it makes far more sense to offer some form of carrot to dispose of your rubbish sensibly, rather than use the tax stick. And many residents will be breathing a sigh of relief that that tiny area of green in your neighbour's garden will now remain green.
Posted on 6 June 2010 by Richard Drax
Drink driving
I read the Coalition government is looking at proposals to cut the drink drive limit by almost half. I have to caution against this. Either the limit is left where it is, or drinking and driving is banned altogether. A half-way house sends out a very unclear message and it will inevitably catch out many drivers who are not drunk or incapable of driving but whose metabolism, for whatever reason, cannot deal with any alcohol in their blood on the one day they are pulled over. However, if there is good evidence to suggest lowering the limit will work, I am more than prepared to listen.
Posted on 5 June 2010 by Richard Drax
Beyond description
The mayhem Derrick Bird has imposed on his close-knit community in Cumbria is beyond description. What on earth possesses someone to cause such carnage; what finally makes a man like Mr Bird snap? We shall never know the answer to these questions as Mr Bird turned the gun on himself, and in doing so escaped justice, at least on earth. My deepest sympathies go out to all those affected by this tragic incident, although no words can really fully express the impact it will have. It's a horror story and one which will reverberate along the length and breadth of the country for a long, long time.
Posted on 3 June 2010 by Richard Drax
Tax take
An article in today's Telegraph caught my eye this morning and stuck with me throughout the day. It concerned the cost of petrol and how it was a major cause of rural decline. I agree, emphatically. But what to do about it? Personally, I think the cost of petrol is ludicrously high. I appreciate the duty is a large source of tax revenue for any government, but what's the point of raking in taxes if you cause undue hardship to millions of people. If there was some other way of driving our cars, I can see a certain logic in taxing petrol, but there isn't. Petrol is a monopoly business and the government is making monopoly-style profits at our expense. And it's not just those living in the country who are suffering. It's virtually every hard working family and many businesses, not least taxi companies and hauliers. As a country, we must learn to live within our means, and if the tax take has to drop to enable people to live within theirs, so be it.
Posted on 2 June 2010 by Richard Drax