Kent Messenger Columns

Every week I write a column in the Dartford Messenger, archived articles can be found here

• Tribute to Pat Coleman, retiring Mayor

  Date: Mon 23rd May 2011
   This week Dartford’s Mayor, Pat Coleman will step down. This is not the first time he has served as the Borough’s Mayor, in fact it is the third time he has given his free time up for the role. The first time I met Pat was in the 1980s when I was a teenager captaining the Dartford ... more >

• MP takes surgery to Dartford market stall

  Date: Mon 9th May 2011
    Next week I will be hiring a stall in Dartford Market to meet with local people and chat about national issues and matters that affect the local area. This is something of an experiment and if it proves to be successful then I hope that  this novel way of holding an MP’s surgery c... more >

• Vote No to AV - Winston Churchill didn't like it

  Date: Wed 4th May 2011
  Today is the first national referendum in nearly forty years.  We will decide on whether or not to adopt the AV system of voting at General Elections. There have been a number of myths suggested about AV. The first is that it ensures a candidate will get 50% of the vote before winning. Due t... more >

• Policing is a hard job and I welcome more of them

  Date: Thu 28th April 2011
  Policing is a hard job in North Kent but we are fortunate to have a good local police force who deserve our support.  In these tough economic times police officers are naturally concerned over how any changes will affect them but appreciate that changes need to take place. I... more >

• I will be enjoying the Royal Wedding

  Date: Thu 21st April 2011
  The preparations for the Royal Wedding are now well under way in London. The Royal Couple will marry in Westminster Abbey in a few days and there is no doubt that the levels of anticipation and excitement are growing. Our Royal Family are probably the most respected institution in the world and ... more >

• Praise for the bandstand in Central Park and Dartford Council

  Date: Thu 14th April 2011
  It was a pleasure to visit the new bandstand in Central Park this week. If you haven’t had a chance to see the new bandstand then I can thoroughly recommend it. It is a traditional Edwardian style structure that proudly sits in the middle of Central Park. I doubt if there are many towns that h... more >

• Farningham Road Rail Station

  Date: Thu 10th March 2011
  Last week I attended the 150 th anniversary of the opening of Farningham Road railway station.  It was actually opened on 3 rd December 1860 but, because of the appalling weather in December, it was postponed until last week. It was an opportunity for commuters, staff and local residents to c... more >

• Welfare Reform Bill

  Date: Thu 3rd March 2011
  The Welfare Bill is seeking passage through Parliament.  This will have huge benefits for those who are unemployed and stuck on benefits in Dartford.  It will get people in to work and will reform the welfare system to ensure that work always pays and no one can say they are better off on ... more >

• MPs meet Transport Minister over Southeastern concerns

  Date: Thu 10th February 2011
  Last week my Kent MP colleagues and I met Theresa Villiers, Transport Minister to discuss the future of Southeastern and its current franchise to run services in Dartford.  We discussed the poor service provided during the winter and the calculation of reliability figures that Southeastern has ... more >

• Darent Valley Hospital

  Date: Thu 3rd February 2011
  Winter is always a challenging time for hospitals. These challenges have been compounded for Darent Valley Hospital by the nearby closure of the A&E and Maternity Departments at Queen Mary’s Hospital. I want to closely monitor the situation, so I have asked Parliamentary Questions of the H... more >

• North West Kent College

  Date: Thu 27th January 2011
  Last Friday I visited North West Kent College. The college is presided over by David Gleed, their excellent principal and is in the process of a huge transformation with new buildings due to be completed shortly. I had the pleasure of addressing around 130 students who are all studying the work of... more >

• The Leigh Technology, Wilmington and Longfield Academies

  Date: Thu 20th January 2011
  I was fortunate enough last week to pay a visit to all three of the Academies run by the Leigh Trust. The Leigh Technology, Wilmington and Longfield Academies are all overseen by the excellent Chief Executive; Frank Green. Each of the Academies are going from strength to strength and giving the pu... more >

• Dartford Family Action

  Date: Thu 13th January 2011
  I recently visited Dartford’s 'Family Action' charity which is based on the Tree Estate. It is a fantastic charity which helps about one hundred families each year get through difficult periods for them. It is another example of selfless charity work taking place in Dartford which many peopl... more >

• Immigration

  Date: Thu 6th January 2011
  Talking to local people and the issues that concern them, immigration is one of the most common concern for people to raise with me. Often people feel afraid of raising it with me as they fear being accused of racism. I believe though that having a robust immigration policy is entirely compatible wi... more >

• Christmas Column

  Date: Sat 25th December 2010
  Christmas is a time for being with friends and family and for many people a chance to remember the significance of why we celebrate Christmas, the birth of Christ. In recent years we have heard of too many cases of people being afraid to be open about Christmas. I loathe the attempts that have been... more >

• IVF

  Date: Thu 16th December 2010
  I have recently organised the creation of an All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) which is made up of MPs and Lords from all sides of the Houses of Parliament. In the absence of an In-Vitro Fertilisation group I decided that I should set up and an APPG that caters for couples who suffer from inferti... more >

• Bad weather

  Date: Thu 9th December 2010
  The recent snow was the heaviest I can remember. The depth of the snowfall right across Dartford was quite extraordinary. It provided opportunities for many to enjoy playing in the snow.  It also placed under a magnifying glass our abilities as a country to deal with extreme forms of weather. I... more >

• House of Commons debate on congestion at the Dartford Crossing

  Date: Thu 2nd December 2010
  Last week I secured a debate in the House of Commons on congestion at the Dartford Crossing.  Many of my colleagues from north Kent and Essex were in attendance with the Roads Minister answering questions. Unfortunately no Member of the opposition was able to attend. A member of the Government ... more >

• Dangerous Dogs

  Date: Thu 25th November 2010
  I have recently been contacted by members of the public who are concerned about dangerous dogs.  Concerns range from young people owning ‘status dogs’ and using them as threatening weapons to people generally not being in control of their dogs in public. One couple were dog walking... more >

• Ellenor Lions

  Date: Thu 11th November 2010
  I   recently visited the EllenorLions Hospice in Dartford and was heartened by the dedication of the staff.  EllenorLions Hospices cares for adults and children and whilst on my visit I met one of their children's nurses who is funded by a local company, Ward and Partners, and I exten... more >