Martin Salter's Westminster Diary

Martin Salter MP • Published 20 Nov 2008 09:00 0 Comments

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LOOKING back over my diary for the last couple of weeks illustrated just what a hectic period we had just experienced.

My Westminster staff had taken annual leave to work on the Obama campaign in America and a week's study leave for Viki in my constituency office meant that we were a little stretched, so apologies if some of you are still waiting for replies to correspondence.

From my point of view the first week in November was an early Christmas present.

It began with Reading's fabulous away win at Bristol City, followed on the Tuesday night with Barack Obama's historic election as US president.

On Thursday Labour defied all the pundits and signalled a reverse in our electoral fortunes with an impressive victory in the Glenrothes by-election. On Friday my parents received some welcome news with an all-clear result on some cancer tests and the next day the Royals rounded off the week with a comprehensive thrashing of Derby County at the Mad Stad.

I've always found it difficult to take David Cameron seriously but he provoked even more ridicule than usual by trying to compare himself to Barack Obama and bask in his reflected glory.

This was of course the same David Cameron who invited Obama's Republican opponent John McCain to be the international guest of honour at the Conservative Party Conference just a couple of years ago. As one commentator said, it is only a matter of time before Mr Cameron claims that he is a direct descendent of a long line of Old Etonian goatherders who left the comfort of the Home Counties to settle in Kenya!

It was a real pleasure to make it along to the Governor's meeting at the John Madejski Academy to hear about the excellent OFSTED report that Reading's newest school had just received.

Huge thanks and congratulations are due to Kate Shaw and her fantastic team of dedicated and inspirational teachers. The JMA is a credit to Reading and fully justifies the massive investment by this government in the education of young people in Whitley.

The recent Credit Crunch seminar was hailed as a success by the voluntary organisations and local business representatives who attended. Coordinated efforts are being made to ensure that the maximum help is on hand to assist families and businesses that find themselves in difficulties during the rocky economic times that we are in.

The difference between this recession and the last is that this time we have a government that will not walk away and leave people to struggle on their own.

That's why we are seeing action to boost the economy and create new jobs and to reduce mortgage repossessions and help with rising fuel bills. Sadly, the local Tories reverted to type and boycotted the Credit Crunch seminar because it wasn't their idea.

Luckily their colleagues in other towns with similar initiatives like Slough and Rotherham were a little more grown up and participated in a sensible cross-party manner.

In the Commons I launched the first ever All Party Parliamentary Group on Gurkha Rights and was promptly elected Chairman with the redoubtable Ann Widdecombe as Vice Chair along with my Lib Dem colleague Bob Russell MP from the Home Affairs Select Committee.

I am hoping for a positive announcement on the Gurkhas' claim for settlement rights in the next few days and have been furiously lobbying ministers on the issue.

This blog appeared in Reading Chronicle 20 Nov 08

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