Jordan's Journal

Times are tough. Everybody understands that the economic crisis has hit families, has hit businesses and has his communities.

Last week, I joined the panel for a Question Time style debate hosted by the Colchester Business Forum. Many of the questions were, quite rightly, focused on the recession and the economy and on how the Government, the banks and local leadership can help and support local businesses.

With that in mind, I fail to understand how Bob Russell is spending his time in Parliament. He seems to be more concerned with seats in the Commons Cafe and playing conkers, rather than the people in his Colchester seat.

Yesterday, Bob Russell won the Parliamentary Conker championships. Colchester Labour Party sends him our congratulations, but hopes his promotion of the humble chesnut was not at the expense of serious parliamentary debates about NHS Dentistry.

Also, Mr Russell has been spending his time signing ridiculous House of Commons motions protesting that half the seats reserved for them in one of the Palace of Westminster's cafes were now being made available to the general public. He says the measure meant there was "often insufficient capacity" for MPs and guests in the popular Strangers' Cafeteria. The motion was proposed by Tory MP David Tredinnick and is calling for the decision to be reversed.

At a time when people are concerned about keeping their jobs, perhaps Mr Russell could explain to people here in Colchester why his chief concerns seem to be playing conkers and saving seats at the MPs' cafe?

As many of you will know, I spent last week in Brighton, speaking up for Colchester. Praising local achievements, raising local concerns.

With local Labour Councillors, I lobbied on issues that the residents of Colchester have been raised with us on the doorstep - the future of Colchester's secondary schools, youth unemployment and law and order. This lobbying was done through the personal contact that conference allows us to have with Ministers over and above our usual channels.

In Brighton, I met with the Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth to talk about Colchester Garrison and the reduction in Ministry of Defence Police numbers. I also spoke to the Health Secetary, Andy Burnham, and thanked him for delivering Colchester's new Primary Healthcare Centre - the 100th in the country.

However, your Lib Dem MP Bob Russell tried to tarnish our bid to speak up for Colchester and accused us of spinning a 'myth' about our conference activities. He said in a letter to The Gazette, that we had not had the meetings we claimed to. Well rather than 'blog on' about what we did do, you can judge for yourself by reading my Conference Diary.

Ofcourse by virtue of his political position, Mr Russell has very little influence in the Government and I can understand how frustrating this must be - especially for a former Labour Party member like himself.

However, I believe that the most important thing that my colleagues and I achieved this week was to put Colchester firmly on the Government's radar. You can go to www.colchesterlabour.com to read more about what we achieved at the conference.