Jordan's Journal

So my local Liberal Democrat Councillor, Martin Goss, thinks I am a "non-local candidate" with "little life experience". What a short memory Cllr Goss has - only last week he introduced himself to me as my local councillor.

Is Cllr Goss suffering from Lib Dem short term memory loss? Martin, how can you be my local councillor if I'm not local?

In his letter in the Gazette today - factual and spelling inaccuracies aside - Cllr Goss suggests that I am too young to know what I am talking about at the age of 26, and this offers a very worrying insight into Liberal Democrat thinking.

I wonder what his view is of opinions expressed by our troops fighting in Afghanistan, many of who are younger than me. I am sure that their life experiences are already beyond anything both he or I will ever know. Likewise, is he really saying that newly qualified teachers, doctors, nurses, police officers and fire fighters should be ignored until they are of an age when the Liberal Democrats believe they are worth listening to?

Perhaps his short term memory loss extends to forgetting that until the election of Tory MP Chloe Smith (aged 27) in July, the Lib Dems had the youngest MP in Westminster.

In terms of my experience, I believe my CV stands up to the scrutiny. Working with grass roots organisations, both national and locally, in the charity and voluntary sector combined with the fact that I spent over five years working in Westminster as aide to two Labour MPs. A reasonable amount of experience for a 26 year old. 

Naturally, there is a great debate over who really is a local candidate - whether this is someone born and bred in their constituency, someone with a family connection or someone who moves their once they are selected. Being a truly local candidate is something both Bob Russell and I have in common. Ask the tutors who taught me at Colchester Sixth Form College or the people of High Woods where I have previously stood in local elections.

As I said last week - when I left home, I chose Colchester and I chose it long before Colchester Labour Party chose me as their parliamentary candidate.

Is the Tory rebellion over “Dave’s Darlings” spreading?

When Tory activists tried to see off Elizabeth Truss in South West Norfolk last month, it wasn't just that she had hidden her affair with Tory MP Mark Field but moreover that she was parachuted into the safe seat at the expense of good local candidates. Now neighbouring Mid Norfolk are up in arms about a rumour that the sitting MP - Keith Simpson - is to retire and be elevated to the Lords to make way for another of David Cameron's A-Listers.

The argument for local candidates has now crossed the border into Suffolk, with Tories in the Central Suffolk and North Ipswich constituency also furious after being presented with a shortlist of six people to replace Sir Michael Lord. The list does not contain a single local candidate.

I was struck by the sheer division between Tory HQ and the grass roots was a comment from a Conservative blog. The writer pleaded with Cameron to listen to activists saying - "We need more locally based MPs - not bright young things parachuted into safe seats". Another was less polite - "Still central control. When will they just allow local associations to choose who they wish. Preferably a local candidate, not one shipped in from the Outer Hebrides with no connection to the constituency!"

So what is a local candidate? There is great debate over whether this is someone born and bred in their constituency, someone with a family connection which means they return every few months or someone who moves their once they are selected. I know it is not always possible to have truely local candidates, but at least that is something both Bob Russell and I can claim to be - unlike the Conservative candidate Will Quince.

I was born twenty-minutes down the road from my constituency. I went to the local college, use the hospital, the public transport and the shops. When I left home, I chose Colchester and I chose it before I was Colchester Labour Party's parliamentary candidate.

Over the past twelve years major investment in local public services has transformed Colchester. But you do not need to take my word for it, simply look around at the new Healthcare Centre, the new buildings at Colchester Sixth Form College and the redevelopment of Colchester Garrison.

I read with interest yesterday’s excellent Gazette article about the proposed new Courthouse – another investment opportunity that will bring state-of-the-art facilities to our town.

However I was unsurprised to read that Bob Russell, Colchester's Lib Dem MP, opposes these plans, as he has with every other major investment opportunity Colchester has been offered.

Whether it is investment in our secondary schools, the visual arts facility, a new training ground for Colchester United, the Lion Walk improvements or the Bus Station - you name it, Bob Russell is against it.

I understand that the land for the proposed court development is owned by Essex County Council, which may in part explain Mr Russell’s objection. It is becoming increasingly clear that Bob Russell is engaged in a personal battle of wills with the Conservative Leader of Essex County Council, Lord Hanningfield. A battle that currently risks £130 million of investment in secondary education coming to Colchester’s schools.

Since Labour Councillors entered the coalition that now runs Colchester Borough Council, we have seen an increase in recycling levels; more Street Wardens across the town and a crackdown on littering, graffiti and anti-social behaviour. These measures have lead to sharp drops in crime.

With Labour in power in Colchester's council coalition, we sacked the builders and project managers that had mismanaged the Visual Arts Facility site, and have signed a proper contract to put the project on a sound footing. Labour Councillors have also worked to keep Council Tax increases in the Borough at a reasonable level and have led effective action to enable Colchester to get through the recession.

Bob Russell needs to be reminded that it is incumbent upon him to represent the interests of all the people of Colchester, many of whom will benefit from these new facilities and services, far more positively. For it is amazing what you can do, when you are positive and pro-active in politics.

In a few minutes, Britain will fall silent to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

Remembrance Day is personally important to me coming from a family with strong military links. I am immensely proud of my relatives who have served their country but moreover I feel incredibly lucky, for having sent family members to fight in ever conflict since the First World War every one has returned safely to our family. I do appreciate how lucky we have been, and that is why I feel so strongly that we must honour the sacrifice of those who have been killed in action and remember the families left behind to bear the burden.

When I joined veterans and civic dignitares at Colchester War Memorial on Sunday, it was the first time I had attended the event as a Parliamentary Candidate. However, Remembrance Sunday has been a fixed date on my calender for as long as I can remember.

I was overwhelmed by the hundreds of people who turned out to view the parade and attend the service, which the Band of the Parachute Regiment, war veterans, standard bearers, scouts and sea cadets.  I was proud to wear the medals of my great-great-grandfather, Bombardier Edward Harman of the Royal Horse Artillery. For me it was a special tribute to mark the passing this year of the World War One generation.

Colchester is a town with a proud military tradition, and I am not surprised that so amny turned out this morning to honours those who have made the ultimate scarifice for our country. Remembrance Day is a time to honour the sacrifices our Armed Forces has amde from the First World War through to present day conflicts. As such, my thoughts today are with those men and women who are currently in Afghanistan, as well as their friends and family left behind.

Today, as every year, I will remember them at the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month. 

How can anybody ever trust the Lib Dems in Colchester?

At a recent council meeting they tried to scupper a motion that welcomed £130 million of Government investment into Colchester secondary schools.  If they had succeeded, the result would seen Colchester loose this money and, more importantly, be a missed opportunity that would have benefitted hundreds of children and families across Colchester.

The Lib Dems in Colchester have been hell bent on ruining plans for a new academy on the site of the Sir Charles Lucas School. This is despite popular support from local Labour Councillors, the school's staff and governors, and local residents. Even at this late stage in the process they are making efforts to prevent our new school being built. After last week's council meeting, LibDem Councillors in the Cabinet decided the investment really was too good to turn down. Colchester Lib Dem Councillors have performed a massive u-turn - showing indecision, a lack of clarity and a lack of conviction.

The local LibDems have, over recent months, altered their stance on so many issues including the redevelopment of our secondary schools. We can all well remember their opposition to Greenstead's new community centre. Indeed, they’ve had more ‘local’ candidates in St Andrew’s ward than many of our hard working Labour Councillors care to remember. Nationally, the LibDems were opposed to the National Minimum Wage, the Child Trust Fund and would cut back on SureStart.  Nick Clegg has promised ‘savage’ cuts in public spending which would mean cuts in doctors, nurses, teachers, police and the armed forces. They are soft on drugs and soft on crime and anti-social behaviour. 

Colchester deserves better, and by electing local Labour Councillors the people of Colchester will get it.