7 minute read
MPs
MPs’ round-up
As we pour over details of various Downing Street festivities, rather more dangerous developments have slipped, almost unnoticed, to the sidelines. The very real threat of war is brewing in the heart of Europe – a situation which, should events continue to escalate, will certainly affect us all. From Russia’s annexations of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, along with its alleged involvement in the Salisbury’s Novichok poisoning in 2018, the alleged poisoning of opposition leader Navalny as well as Litvinenko in London, it is starkly clear that President Putin is wholly contemptuous of international peace and security. The Defence Secretary recently announced that the UK, in light of the increasingly threatening behaviour from Russia and in addition to our current support, is now providing new security assistance to increase Ukraine’s defensive capabilities. This support includes the supplying of light, anti-armour, defensive weapon systems and the deployment of a small number of UK personnel to provide training for a short period of time. Ukraine is integral to the bigger picture of European stability, and our support for Ukraine’s sovereignty is – without question – essential to our own security. It is incumbent on all European nations and global superpowers to curtail Putin’s maniacal desire for expanding power into Europe. Moreover, supporting Ukraine and the people of Ukraine is also a moral imperative. Historically, Russia has always both coveted and also threatened Ukraine, taking the view that ‘Ukrainians and Russians are the same peoples.’ This is of course fundamentally untrue, with Ukraine neighbouring Russia but fully European with its distinct language, culture, and values. But Ukraine has always struggled to establish a permanent identity because of the colonial thirst of successive Russian Governments. As I write, Russia has massed 127,000 troops and tanks on Ukraine’s border, and they continue to bring in reserves from the central and eastern military districts. Should they move in, it’s hard to predict just how much pain and bloodshed will be inflicted on the people of Ukraine. This will then impact Europe in an almost domino effect because – as Putin well knows – Europe will be the home of a destabilised country under Russian influence. It is our moral responsibility to do all in our power to preserve the integrity of Ukraine and support them in their defence efforts. Ukraine is a country which has never posed a risk to any other sovereign territory. Its only misfortune is to neighbour Russia. It is incumbent on all of Europe, the United States and NATO to use every means possible to prevent Putin from breaching international law. An attack on Ukraine is an attack on all of us.
Somerton & Frome MP David Warburton
The Yeatman Hospital needs your support
By Faith Eckersall
If giving back was your New Year’s resolution for 2022, Sherborne’s Yeatman Hospital may have the perfect solution. It’s looking for a new chairman and three trustees for its Friends organisation, as four people are moving on. Outgoing chairman of the Friends of the Yeatman Hospital, David Hayes, said: “Our constitution limits the appointment of each trustee to a maximum of six years. This year, 2022, is the one when I and three other trustees will be stepping down, so we are actively recruiting to appoint a new chairman and three other trustees. “While the timing is unfortunate, it is also an opportunity to introduce new thinking and energy to the Friends, so we have created a section on our website https://friendsoftheyeatman. org.uk/ with full information on the role of chairman together with an application form for anyone who is interested.” He said that applications would close at the end of February, following which the trustees would interview internal and external candidates in March and make an appointment in April. All appointments will be subject to the approval of members at the AGM in September. The Friends of The Yeatman Hospital is a registered charity whose main aims are l To provide funds to support additional
facilities and equipment to contribute to the efficient running of the hospital; l To work for the comfort and dignity of the patients; l To encourage and foster public support of the hospital. l To support initiatives aimed at improving the health of the local community l To support initiatives aimed at improving the health of the local community
MPs’ round-up
Thank you to all those who have written to express their views on the Prime Minister and ‘partygate.’ I have carefully noted all the points made and will consider again in the light of Sue Gray’s report and Boris Johnson’s response to it which are not yet available at the time of writing. I have just heard Mr Johnson at the despatch box curing covid restrictions in the light of promising data and the success of the vaccination programme. He is right to do so. I asked if he will reverse the decision to sack NHS workers who, unwisely but nevertheless, will not be jabbed. That’s because the most recent evidence covered in a leaked memo from officials to ministers does not sustain the policy which will simply lose thousands of staff from an already hard-pressed service. I spoke with the PM afterwards and he seemed sympathetic. Hopefully there’ll be a rescrub. The Commons Public Accounts Committee has just reported on the rollout of broadband. Unfortunately it looks like delivery to hard to reach places will not happen within the original timeframe. The goal of nationwide super fast coverage by 2030 now excludes 134,000 premises in the hardest to reach areas, that is where there is no commercial case as far as providers are concerned. So, those areas, including some of our own rural locations, if they are to be connected cannot rely on commercial operators like BT or Openreach. That means the government has to act to avoid digital inequality and to rural-proof super fast rollout. Ministers now have to produce a response to the broadband report. In the meantime I will be writing for an account of how they intend to deal with the issue particularly given the trend for working from home accelerated by covid and the need to promote rural small businesses, many of which by their very nature are reliant on credible broadband. I have written to ministers following news that the great A303 transformation we were promised has been deprioritised to find out what on earth is going on. If it is the case that it will no longer be a fast route into the south west within a recognisable timeframe, can we please have a roundabout at Willoughby Hedge where the A303 meets the A350? The arrangement at the moment is perilous and there are knock on consequences for heavy traffic rumbling through villages.
MP for South West Wiltshire Dr Andrew Murrison
SWR timetable changes are unacceptable
South Western Railway introduced a massively reduced timetable on Monday, January 17 that halves the train service to once every two hours and it also splits the route into two, with trains terminating and starting at Salisbury. I think we have a real fight on our hands here - and the future of our direct train service to London is at risk. While I recognise difficulties faced on the railways with covid, the SWR timetable change, affecting all of us west of Salisbury, again totally cuts off Dorset from any direct service to London. And not only this – it slashes our train service by half as a minimum. South Western Railway has inflicted on Dorset and
MP for West Dorset Chris Loder
most of the West Country a considerable negative impact over the last two years. My colleagues and I have understood that there have been many difficulties and risks to manage during covid - and have been patient with that. But this timetable change, in the fashion this has been introduced and the extent that services are being reduced, is totally unacceptable and goes a long way to show the company’s total lack of concern for the needs of local people in Dorset and surrounding counties and our need for economic recovery. South Western Railway has also removed on-board catering from our trains. They have refurbished trains to make them less comfortable. They have totally pulled out of the Heart of Wessex line on summer Saturdays. They have totally pulled out of Wiltshire’s county town of Trowbridge and the line to Bristol. And Dorchester, the county town of Dorset will now not have a train arriving in London before 9.23am.
It appears to me that South Western Railway has little interest in Dorset. If anything, it is now trying to damage our economy with such drastic measures which are only affecting East Devon, Dorset, South Somerset and Tisbury until further notice. We have requested that they urgently review this proposed timetable and that, as an absolute minimum, direct services are restored between London and Weymouth/ Exeter and an earlier train will run from Weymouth/ Dorchester to London. I spoke to the Managing Director again last week to re-iterate this and I have been in touch with the Rail Minister and anticipate a meeting very soon. New Blackmore Vale, 4th February 2022
