Roger Godsiff MP on the outcome of the Mayoral Referendum in Birmingham

 

I was one of the co-Chairs of the All Party ‘No campaign’ which was campaigning against the Referendum on whether Birmingham should have an ‘elected Mayor’.  The Referendum was imposed by the Coalition Government on the people of Birmingham.

I welcome the fact that the people of Birmingham voted overwhelmingly (58% to 42%) against the proposal for an elected Mayor.  As I said on numerous occasions at various meetings during the campaign the concept of concentrating power in the hands of one individual was dangerous. 

The No campaign set out the ten clear reasons why we asked the people of Birmingham to vote against the proposal whereas the ‘Yes campaign’ – supported by elements within the Chamber of Commerce; the Birmingham Post and Mail; Lord Heseltine and Lord Adonis; and assorted individuals who wanted to be Mayor – took it for granted that there would be a ‘Yes’ majority and hardly bothered to advance any coherent reasons why the people of Birmingham should support such a proposal.

The Coalition Government were very keen to get a ‘Yes’ vote and the Electoral Commission, to their shame, devised a ballot paper which did not ask a simple question of ‘Do you want to change the current system to have an elected Mayor in Birmingham – please vote yes or no’ but instead devised two bland options which caused considerable confusion for many people.  Over 5,000 ballot papers were rejected (2.5% of votes cast).  However those ballot papers that had ‘yes’ written on it were counted as being in favour of having an elected Mayor but those ballot papers that had ‘No’ written on it were disallowed.  This was flagrantly biased but, thankfully, made no difference to the massive rejection of the proposal. 

I very much welcome the 20 Labour gains made throughout Birmingham and the change of control in Birmingham.  The Council has many challenges and difficult tasks facing it but the new intake of Councillors, including Barry Bowles, Lisa Trickett and Mohammed Azim from the Hall Green constituency will, I hope, assist with bringing changes to the way that Council is run and I wish them all well for their period of office.

Godsiff calls for tougher action after sex grooming trial

In a letter to the Home Secretary, Theresa May, Birmingham Hall Green MP, Roger Godsiff has sought assurances that any of the convicted who were not born in the UK will deported on completing their sentences.

Mr Godsiff said: “I have received a number of representations from members of the Muslim community living in my constituency who are disgusted and appalled by what these men did to vulnerable young girls and a number of them are strongly of the view that these individuals have no right to be part of British society.

He went on to say: “While I understand that those individuals who were born in this country have a legal entitlement to remain here I note that the ring leader is 59yrs old and may not have been born here”.

Mr Godsiff concluded: “ I have sought assurances that those members of the gang who were not born in the UK but who have been allowed to come here, settle, and may have become British citizens will have their entitlement to be here and any citizenship rights removed and that they will be deported at the end of their sentences”.

In other press coverage of the trial proceedings it has been suggested that at least two of the convicted will be deported at the conclusion of their sentences.

Roger Godsiff Opposes Internet Snooping

In my opinion a balance has to be struck between the rights of ordinary people to be able to communicate without ‘big brother’ watching them and also the need for vigilance in tracking internet usage involved in terrorism or potential terrorist activities and also criminality and money laundering. 

As you know proposals were floated towards the end of the last Government for greater surveillance of various forms of internet traffic but I was not convinced then, neither am I now, that there needs to be blanket legislation brought in.  It is much better, in my opinion, if the security services seek the permission of the Home Secretary if they feel there is a need to monitor the internet traffic of certain individuals as is the case now when permission has to be sought from the Home Secretary for phones to be tapped.

Neither I nor the Leadership of the Labour Party have any control over what the Coalition Government intend to bring forward in the forthcoming Queens Speech but if there are proposals to greatly widen the scope of the existing legislation then I will almost certainly be opposing them and I very much hope that other colleagues in the Labour Party, including the leadership of the Parliamentary Party, also oppose them.

Winterbourne View - Birmingham MP says that we have a duty of care and cannot fail again.

Birmingham Hall Green MP, Roger Godsiff, has written to the Secretary of State, Andrew Lansley MP, in advance of the soon-to-be published review of Winterbourne View in an attempt to persuade him that the only effective way to prevent abuse in the future is to bring care closer to home.

Roger Godsiff said:  “The only way to prevent the abuse of those with a learning disability and behaviour that challenges is an urgent change to assessment and treatment practice and the closure of isolated large centres and a move towards more community based provision which enables families to offer greater support and monitor the quality of care”.

He went on to say: “I think that it has been proved time and again if in different areas of NHS care that what people appreciate most is receiving treatment in surroundings that are most familiar with close family and friends nearby.  Treatment such as this has also proved, when organised effectively, to be the most cost-effective in delivering good quality care and the best way to prevent future abuse to already vulnerable individuals."

Abolition for the House of Lords

I am not in favour of the House of Lords and would vote for its abolition.  I believe in a ‘one chamber’ Parliament with power residing in the House of Commons which is, as you know, fully elected.  There is, however, one scenario where I do believe that there is an argument for a second chamber.

In the Federal Republic of Germany there is a two chamber system.  The Bundestag is the Lower House which is elected by a mixed system of ‘first past the post’ and ‘proportional representation’ and the Upper House, the Bundesrat, consists of members who are nominated by the different Lander in proportion to the size of the population in that particular state. 

Britain does not have a fully-fledged federal system of Government but there are Parliaments in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland who have varying powers and if there were to be an English Parliament as well then I believe that there is a case for each of those four regional Parliaments to appoint representatives in an Upper House in order to, as is the case in Germany, protect the interests of those devolved Parliaments.  The Bundesrat in Germany has a clearly defined set of powers but the Lower House, Bundestag, is still the predominant chamber. 

As I have said were Britain to move towards a federal system with each of the four countries of the United Kingdom having their own Parliament then I can see an argument for having a similar system involving a second chamber but under the current system we have I can see no justification for having a second chamber.

St. George’s Day Greetings.

 

I extend greetings Christians in my constituency on St. George’s Day on the 23^rd April.  St. George is the Patron Saint of England and among the most famous of Christian figures.  The banner of St. George – the red cross of a martyr on a white background – was adopted for the uniform of English soldiers as far back as the reign of Richard I and later became the flag of England and White Ensign of the Royal Navy.  Little is known about St. George himself but he is venerated in many countries of the world and I send my best wishes to all of my constituents who celebrate St. George’s Day.

Further help for Syria from the UK Government

Birmingham MP, Roger Godsiff, has broadly welcomed the recent announcement by Foreign Secretary William Hague that he has agreed to provide half a million pounds of British support to Syria's political opposition. This support includes agreement in principle for practical non-lethal support to them inside Syria.

Mr Godsiff said: “This latest contribution builds on the British Government’s £450,000 of practical support to the Syrian opposition and civil society in the last 8 months, which has included strategic communications and media skills training to internal activists, conflict resolution and negotiation training to independent civil society and training and advice to Syrian human rights defenders from across the country.”

He went on to say: “ I am sure that all of this in its own way will help but estimates place the current death toll at over 8000 and with the number of children killed in the hundreds. What the Syrian opposition really needs is anti-tank artillery and rocket propelled grenades (RPG’s).

William Hague said: "It will help hard-pressed opposition groups and brave civil society organisations inside and outside the country to document the regime’s violations and gain the skills and resources they need to help build a democratic future for Syria.”