Stephen's Week
June 2, 2006 11:13 AM
By Stephen Williams MP
By Stephen Williams MP
MONDAY 22 MAY 2006
Lunchtime meeting in Westminster with the political correspondent of the Times Higher Education Supplement. General chat about Lib Dem education policy and also some background on me for a profile in a future edition. The university lecturers' pay dispute is a current hot topic.
Afternoon meeting of Education Select Committee continued our look at the teaching of citizenship in schools. The witnesses were from faith schools, C of E , catholic, Jewish and Islamic. I did not find their answers wholly convincing on issues that might run counter to religious teaching, for instance on the rights of women.
Evening to the Leader's office for a surprise 65th birthday party for Ming Campbell.
TUESDAY 23rd MAY
Mid morning interview with Opinion Leader Research on the heritage industry.
Lunchtime to Press Gallery dining room for lunch as guest of Western Daily Press. The press gallery are the journalists with "lobby" rights, which means that they can wander the Palace and Parliamentary Estate at will. They have a lunch with a guest speaker each week and this week's guest was Ming Campbell. Several other Lib Dem MPs are there, with about 50 journalists. Ming made a good post lunch speech but the reptiles were not in a mood to be kind. Most of the questions were quite hostile.
Late afternoon called in on a reception by Wessex Reserve and Cadets Association. No cadets, but told by two commanding officers from HMS Flying Fox in Ashton that they now have increasing problem with recruitment. Probably due to bad publicity around Iraq war. Also trouble with employers allowing time off for training etc.
Then to QEII Conference Centre for meeting of British Property Federation. My job is to make a speech launching a report on urban regeneration. I was asked as the new Broadmead development is one of the featured projects. Speech seems to go well.
Back to House by 7pm for start of series of votes on Report Stage of the Education Bill. Two votes tonight are on amendments to have ballots if a governing body wants to convert to a trust school (we are in favour, but it is defeated by govt and Tories voting together) and on our amendment to make admissions fairer by making applicants anonymous. Govt does concede that they may allow a pilot scheme.
WEDNESDAY 24th MAY
Morning meeting of Education Select Committee is on sustainable schools. Interview witnesses about the huge new building programme going on around the country (eg Fairfield and Henbury in Bristol).
PMQs at noon. Ming was fine this week. Real change is now on the Labour side. Labour MPs now mainly look at the floor or the ceiling. I think most of them just want Blair to go.
Spent much of afternoon sitting in Chamber for final stages of Education Bill. Main amendment is on having ballots to consider whether to end selection. The main area that still has the eleven plus is Kent and also the Trafford area of Greater Manchester. Tory MPs make lots of tedious speeches on "saving grammar schools". I now wish I'd intervened on one of them to ask why don't they say that they want to keep secondary moderns as well? Anyway, the government is against this initiative too, no doubt scared of what the Daily Mail might say.
After regular Parliamentary Party meeting we have the final 7pm division on the Third Reading of the Education Bill. It is safely carried as the Tories vote with the government. But there are 46 rebellious Labour MPs which means that the Tories saved Blair from a defeat.
9.15pm out in torrential rain to go to Millbank studios to appear on Sky News's politics programme with Adam Boulton. On panel with David Chaytor, a Labour MP on the select committee (and sponsor of anti eleven plus amendment) and Nick Gibb, Tory Shadow Schools Minister.
THURSDAY 25th MAY
10.30am in Chamber with Sarah Teather for monthly Education Questions.
Rest of day spent mainly in office, apart from mid afternoon interview on College Green for BBC Parliament channel.
Train on way back to Bristol is held up at Chippenham because children throwing stones at trains...
FRIDAY 26th MAY
Morning visit to Yell in Greyfriars, Lewins Mead. Yell publishes Yellow Pages and also runs the 118 247 directory enquiry service. They employ 400 people in Bristol. Listen in to some enquiry calls. I ask for a test on what happens if someone asks for their MP. Somewhat to both their and my embarrassment although they can call up the details for the other Bristol MPs, they don't list me!! They promise to rectify asap.
Afternoon and early evening is MP surgery.
This week (29th May onwards) is Whitsun recess so next report back will be in two weeks!
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