When we get our New Year’s Resolutions for our Ward together as well as our determination to get everything done and not left to blow with the cold January wind! We’ve already been emailing material for our next community Focus leaflet to each other. I found the first Snowdrops in my garden yesterday along with the yellow flowers of the Winter Jasmine – a super sight. I’ve promised a resident that I’ll get my bike out before the end of the year and leave my car at home more often, so I’d better be off …

Top shop hasn’t got any fingerless gloves left but they do have a good sock offer – so I’m now the proud owner of grey socks with pink dinos. Aside this, Crimbo shopping is worrying – many favourite high street shops are advertising ‘closing down’ or reductions/offers – some with sheepish looking staff too,– what will they do in the New Year?

Unfortunately I arrived late; on route from the beginning of my college’s presentation evening at Manchester Town Hall. It was good to find out how so many are doing at uni and in work. Luckily for me, the Metro Trams got me over to my Bury Council meeting pretty quickly and I just missed the first hour. Sometimes I wonder if we spend our time in the Chamber effectively. However, a motion about sustainability was good as was the discussion about the potential loss of our town newspaper group office as it co-locates in a nearby town - but will News Quest listen?

One of the presentations was by young carers, talking about their lives and how their support group is vital. Staff are looking to expand as well as find more young carers to help too. However two of the young people talking about their lives worried me. One is seventeen and cares for his Mum and two sisters; he had to give up his job to do it. Apart from the young carers group, they appeared to get no other forms of support. Another fifteen year old talked about caring for her two brothers – personal care for young men not able to feed or toilet themselves. As well as a brother older and younger than her, she helps support her Mum too. Something they said that they need more than anything, is understanding for when they are late at school or need to take a phone call as they are the main carer. We are failing these children, caring for their families more than the usual expectations I had for chores, of my youngsters. They need help to look after their families, too. This needs looking at!

I almost managed to sneak past Debbie, our Vicar in order to drop off Christmas cards at the end of the service as we’d been out doing political things rather then being in Church (again). My new pink fingerless Top Shop Mittens might be stained yellow but have been fab. I need to find time to buy another pair - and perhaps several more for fellow leafleters! This afternoon it’s our Lib Dem do for helpers - so the house smells of cooking curries … I’m just sorry that the recent bad weather has sorely affected our Focus landing on door steps ….

This particular congestion charging plan has lost - what will the next one be? If it’s a fair plan that will really help the environment I’ll vote for it next time! Click to link to the Manchester Evening News. With many others, I am totally niffed at the sheer amount of wasted money (millions) as well as resources that has been ploughed into this process. Had this money been made available to put into an Oyster-syle card so we could improve the way in wich we pay to use public transport, it would have been far more valuable!

At this time of year, we start to think about the projects that we want to work on for next year. So next week we’ll start listing everything that needs doing in our ward to work out how to tackle each. It gets harder each year. When we first started working this ward, we got a lot done as it had been really neglected by our labour colleagues. Although there is still work to do, we’re also out and about looking for projects to get involved with ….

Today the Government laid out its programme for the next year. They’ve shown yet again that they just don’t understand the hard times facing millions of families across Britain. At a time of unprecedented economic crisis what people need is help. But all they’re getting is more of the same tired ideas from Labour, while the Conservatives would prefer to sit back and do nothing.

The Government wasted a huge opportunity today. They have proposed 14 bills to go through Parliament next year, but not a single one will help deliver affordable homes for local people, lower fuel bills, or create new jobs.

People care about the schools their children are in and the hospitals that serve their communities. That’s why we want to see more power given to local people over the decisions that affect them, rather than hoarded by central Government and unelected civil servants in Whitehall. Plus we want proper measures introduced to safeguard our natural environment and to make sure Britain plays its part in tackling dangerous climate change.

Over the next parliamentary session, I will be working hard with all of our MPs to make the changes that matter to people. We will be defending our precious freedoms, which this Government seems determined to get rid of one by one. Most of all, we’ll be fighting for a fairer and greener Britain.

I’m keen to hear your views. You can read my full address to the House of Commons on my website where you can post your comments.

Best wishes,

Nick Clegg MP
Leader of the Liberal Democrats

PS
Nick Clegg has also recorded a you tube interview about what should be in the Queen’s Speech.