February 2006 Archives

The Wandsworth Guardian has a story about improved rail services that are planned for Clapham Junction. It includes a quote from Martin Linton.

Battersea MP Martin Linton welcomed the proposal, set out in the Cross London Route Utilisation Strategy, and encouraged people to take part in the consultation exercise.

He said Clapham Junction used to be "the centre of the railway universe" but over the years a number of trains have been allowed to run through without stopping. He now thought that trend was reversing and called the strategy "a huge breakthrough".

And, later, the story points out that he wants to canvas public opinion:

Mr Linton added: "The service could be a boon to residents using Clapham Junction but the diversion would affect Battersea Park Station users. I want to hear from people, whether they want the new link or whether they want to keep the current service."

Read the full story

After all those busy days in Parliament, what could be better than spending a few hours at the Battersea Beer Festival. The Wandsworth Guardian has a story about the festival which mentions that Martin Linton put in an appearance.

Martin Linton asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the impact on business of the extension of family friendly policies contained in the Work and Families Bill.

Meg Munn answered for the government.

Read the full exchange on TheyWorkforYou.

Martin Linton didn't speak in any of the debates on the smoking clauses of the Health Bill but in the free vote he voted in favour of completely banning smoking in public spaces. Full details of the votes can be found on Public Whip.

Health Bill - New Clause 5 - Smoke-free premises: exemptions
This vote added exemptions for homes and private clubs

Health Bill - New Clause 5 - Smoke-free premises: exemptions
This vote removed the exemption for private clubs

Health Bill - New Clause 5 - Smoke-free premises: exemptions
This vote made other small tweaks to the clause

Health Bill - Schedule 8 - Minor and consequential amendments
This vote approved the altered Bill for a third reading

Following his performance in the ID cards debate, Martin Linton continues to work really hard in Parliament. Yesterday he was commenting on the decision to bring the West London and North London train lines under the control of Transport for London.

I too welcome the decision to bring the west London line and the north London line under the control of Transport for London, and urge my hon. Friend to ensure that it is accompanied by sufficient borrowing powers in the capital spending review to ensure that TFL can develop London's orbital lines into a real service for Londoners.

Read Linton's speech or the whole debate at TheyWorkForYou.

Martin Linton was very busy during the various debates about the ID card system. He spoke more times during these debates than I have ever seen him speak before. Here are the full details of his speeches:

Oral answers to questions - Speeches 1, 2.

Debate on Clause 5 - Speeches 1, 2, 3, 4

Debate on Clause 1 - Speeches - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

All of the speeches were in support of government policy and concentrated largely on the perceived cost benefit of the cards. At the end of the debate Linton voted with the government in both divisions.

The Wandsworth Guardian has a story about people protesting against the closure of the Vines special school in Battersea. Martin Linton was at the demonstration giving his support.

Read the full story

Martin Linton spoke about community sentences during this debate

I, too, welcome the emphasis on community sentences in my right hon. Friend's statement, and the commitment to an expansion of unpaid work. Does he agree, however, that to win the full-hearted support of probation officers, he will need to ensure that the probation service—especially the London probation service—has the necessary resources and training to supervise that unpaid work? Does he also agree that the key to the success of community sentences—turning them from a soft option to a hard choice—is a well trained and well supported staff, as I am sure the National Association of Probation Officers would agree?

Read Martin Linton's speech or the full debate on TheyWorkForYou

In Foreign and Commentwealth Office Questions, Martin Linton asked if the Foreign Secretary agreed that "the Israeli Government and, to a lesser extent, the United States Government have only themselves to blame for the victory of Hamas, since they cut the ground from under every moderate Palestinian politician by allowing the expansion of Israeli settlements on the west bank in defiance of the peace process, in defiance of the United Nations and in defiance of the law?"

Funnily enough, Jack Straw didn't agree with that view of the situation.

Read from Martin Linton's question or the full debate on TheyWorkForYou

This is from a bit further afield than usual.

The Australian has a story about British Tory Michael Ashcroft donating one million (Australian) dollars to the (Australian) Liberal Party which has "has prompted calls for a ban on political donations from overseas." The article goes on to say that the UK ban on such donations was introduced partly because of donations that Ashcroft made to the Conservative Party whilst he was not living in the UK during the 1990s. Martin Linton is quoted in the article.

"When our law to clean up political donations was introduced, I used to refer to the ban on foreign donors as 'the Ashcroft Clause'," said Martin Linton, a Labour MP and parliamentary private secretary in the Blair Government's Department of Constitutional Affairs, which oversees British electoral laws.

"He was not the only foreign donor who made people focus on that issue, but he was the main one. We no longer allow foreign admirers to help British political parties and, frankly, you should have a similar law in Australia."

Read the full story