Tag Archives: Craig Whittaker MP

Calder Valley MP votes to overturn recent Gagging Bill improvements

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Following a quick debate on the Gagging Bill that many MPs described as “shoddy” and “shambolic”, Craig Whittaker MP followed Conservative party orders and voted with the majority of MPs to overturn recent improvements made by the House of Lords.

MPs following the Coalition Government line voted to:

  • remove new rules limiting secret lobbying by big business
  • put back in key limits on what campaigners, charities, and voluntary groups can do to speak up on issues of the day.

As reported in Hansard, many MPs found the debate shambolic, with the Government unable to clearly explain what it was proposing to do, and no time for MPs to absorb and understand its last-minute proposals.
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#Calderdale #NHS bureaucrat says public have no access to key A&E report

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The public does not have access to the National Clinical Advisory Team (NCAT) Report on the Calderdale A&E reorganisation. This report contains proposals about the future of Calderdale and Huddersfield A&E departments.

Dr Walsh, Calderdale Clinical Commissioning Group’s Chief Officer, told NHS Calderdale 38 Degrees that Calderdale and Huddersfield Foundation Trust (CHFT) has commissioned the NCAT report, and the report is internal to the CHFT.

It will be late spring before Calderdale Clinical Commissioning Group decides what it wants to do about the report’s proposals and then reveals this in a public consultation.

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Craig #Whittaker MP supports hospital closure clause in #Care Bill

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The law courts twice ruled that the Secretary of State for Health Jeremy Hunt was acting unlawfully in trying to force closures at South Lewisham Hospital, in order to redirect its funding to a nearby NHS Trust that had been bankrupted by Private Finance Initiative re-payments and taken into the control of Trust Special Administrators. So now the ConDem government is changing the law to give precisely this power to Trust Special Administrators who have been brought in to deal with failing NHS Trusts. And  Calder Valley MP Craig Whittaker has voted for this new legislation.
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Craig Whittaker MP votes for draconian NHS closure powers

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Craig Whittaker MP has voted in favour of the House of Commons second reading of the Care Bill – including Clause 118 that makes it possible to close hospitals, A&E departments and other other departments, without proper public consultation. This is at odds with the Tory manifesto commitment to “stop the forced closure of A&E and maternity wards”
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Open letter to Craig Whittaker MP – Vote to keep public right to consultation over hospital closures

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Dear Craig Whittaker,

The Coalition Government is taking a Care Bill through Parliament that will make it possible to close hospitals and A&E and other departments  without proper public consultation.

As you will know, the House Of Lords recently voted to accept  Earl Howe’s last-minute amendment to the  Care Bill. Amendment 168 essentially makes it possible for hospitals and A&E and other departments to be closed without public consultation – however successful, useful and popular they are.

The hospital closure clause 118, along with the rest of the Care Bill, will be debated and voted on in the Commons on 16th December. Clause 118 would allow any hospital to be closed down, or lose its A&E, maternity or other services, with hardly any local consultation.

I believe you have a responsibility to the public to make sure that this terrible Clause does not become law.
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Craig Whittaker MP accepts #Calderdale 38 Degrees petition against #Gagging Bill

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Calderdale 38 Degrees is organising two handovers of the National 38 degrees petition against the Gagging Bill:  one to Linda Riordan MP on 13th December 12.15 at Shaw Lodge. The other, to Craig Whittaker MP, took place on Sunday 8th December at 11am at Ripponden Market.

If the Gagging Bill becomes law, it will effectively outlaw civil society involvement in election campaigns and allow government to carry out a data grab on Trade Union membership – opening up the possibility of blacklisting union members.
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MPs’ 11% pay rise – all in it together? NHS worker Jonathan Hepworth suggests better uses for £4.6m

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Jonathan Hepworth contacted UCV Plain Speaker with strong criticisms of the MP’s 11% pay rise, to come into effect after the 2015 General Election.

This is what Jonathan thinks:

I am writing to express my disgust at the announcement that MPs are to get a pay rise of 11%.  I work in commissioning specialist mental health services and I can tell you that in all sectors, NHS, independent and voluntary, all have made significant cuts and efficiencies. Health managers, clinicians and support staff are all acutely aware of the need to optimise limited and reducing resources, whilst tasked at the same time to improve on quality and to manage the increasing levels of regulation.
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Why did Craig Whittaker MP dodge today’s vote on repeal of Bedroom Tax?

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Dr Eoin Clarke has tweeted a list of MPs who voted against the Labour motion to repeal the Bedroom Tax today. Although our MP Craig Whittaker voted in favour of the Bedroom Tax when it was first introduced, this time he’s not on the list.

Is the list wrong? Or did Mr Whittaker do a runner like Ian Duncan Smith, the minister responsible for the Bedroom Tax? Despite being an avowed Euro-sceptic, IDS took himself off to a meeting in Paris, avoiding the debate and the vote.

Where was Mr Whittaker? I tweeted him to find out. Update 14th Nov: Mr Whittaker has not replied – but another, full list of how all MPs voted (or didn’t vote) has come to light, with our MP among those who didn’t vote.
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