David's weekly article, 8th august

Last week I had a wide variety of constituency engagements, which helped me to catch up with an number of important issues.

On Tuesday, I called in to Yeovil District Hospital to meet Chief Executive James Scott and Chairman Angela Dupont. James and Angela have done a very good job, in leading the hospital towards its third, top, three star rating - in three years! Waiting times are falling in most areas, and there are ambitious plans to improve facilities at the hospital, some of which are already underway. James and Angela are hoping to secure Foundation Trust status, which gives the hospital more operational freedom within the NHS. We will know the result of this application later on this year.

On Wednesday, I met some of the committee from the South Petherton Arts Trust. They are presently trying to secure the funding to keep the David Hall in South Petherton in operation, including all of the finance needed to upgrade the building - which will be VERY expensive. Many people enjoy seeing the performances of plays, music and films at the David Hall, and if anyone can help with aspects of the fund-raising they should call Andrea, the manager at the David Hall. In the meantime, the committee is doing a good job in working up detailed business plans for the future, which is vitally necessary to attract finance and help to balance the books. The local community has also helped with fundraising, and this will need to continue.

On Thursday morning, I spoke at a business breakfast in Taunton about pensions, and afterwards I called in at County Hall to see Chief Executive, Alan Jones. Alan was able to report on steady progress in dealing with the backlog of highways work. Somerset used to have a poor record on road repairs and the state of pavements, but a lot more money has been allocated over the last few years and it is noticeable that a lot of work is finally being done (Milford Road in Yeovil was even resurfaced recently after years of lobbying!).

Alan also told me how impressed he was with the work on the "Yeovil Vision", particularly because it is the community in Yeovil which has led and backed this - not merely the local councils. I asked Alan to help to secure finance for some of the key projects, including highways, and he has agreed to ask the new County Highways boss (arriving in September) to work to support the Yeovil Vision.

I followed up on this meeting later in the day by meeting with James Middleton-Stewart of the Yeovil Chamber of Trade and Commerce. We talked about making sure that Yeovil gets a fair slice of regional cash and that the region gets a fair slice of national cash! I am going to follow up on this with ministers.

On Friday, I called in at the new Information Centre at the Petrol Filling station in Merriott - a useful asset for the village. I have agreed to hold a few Advice Centres each year at the centre. Well done to all those who have made this idea a reality.

On Friday evening I called in to Pittards in Yeovil to meet new Group Chief Executive, Stephen Boyd. Stephen is working hard to keep Pittards competitive in an increasingly tough business environment. The new competition from China and all of the developing world means that we need to keep ahead of the game in manufacturing industry if we are to protect jobs and secure investment.

On Saturday, I held a rather quiet Advice Centre in Yeovil (a number of people had to cancel at the last minute, so I ended up reading the newspapers from cover to cover!). Afterwards, I went to West Coker Recreation Ground where Jane Weaver had organised a fund-raising event to draw attention to the shocking treatment of Wild Bears in China, where they are "farmed" for their bile. The facts are horrific, and I have promised to take the matter up with the Foreign Office, so they can raise it with the Chinese government.

This weekend we heard the very sad news of the death of Robin Cook MP, the former Foreign Secretary and prominent Labour politician.

Robin Cook has been near to the top of British politics for the last two decades. His analytical skills made him a formidable Commons performer, though his sharp mind and tongue, and his sometimes lofty style, made him many enemies, not least within his own party.

I only met Robin Cook once, when I visited him with Menzies Campbell MP, in his grand offices in the Foreign Office when he was Secretary of State. There was a certain sense of self-satisfaction about him, and there were large areas of domestic policy on which we would not have seen eye to eye.

But Robin Cook was a man of integrity and of compassion - and a man of liberal values.

And this was the man who made the outstanding speech of my time in Parliament so far, when he demolished Mr. Blair's case for war in Iraq, in a formidable speech in the House of Commons shortly before the parliamentary vote to sanction the war.

Mr. Cook's speech (it was his resignation speech from the Cabinet) was received with a highly unusual standing ovation, and with applause, from the Liberal Democrat benches and from some on his own benches. Applause
and standing ovations are considered to be most improper and un parliamentary, and the Speaker rapidly called he House back to order.

But I am proud to have joined in the ovation for Mr. Cook's speech, in which he tore to shreds in a calm and rational way Mr. Blair's carefully constructed case for war. The speech reads well today. But it was even more dramatic and telling in the fevered atmosphere which led up to war. I believe that the events since 2003 have shown that Mr. Cook was right in almost every respect. The tragedy is that Robin Cook and others won the argument, but we lost the vote in Parliament.

Robin Cook was a parliamentary reformer too - a great friend of Menzies Campbell and a friend of my predecessor, Paddy Ashdown, too. Robin plotted with Paddy to reform our parliamentary system in the face of
Mr. Blair's caution and conservatism. But he lost most of these battles too, and finished his years in Parliament on the back benches.

Robin Cook seemed to be hoping for a come-back under the expected leadership of Gordon Brown, but his early death denied him this prospect. British parliamentary democracy, British liberalism, and all those who care about the morality and integrity of Britain's foreign policy have lost this weekend a true friend and champion. The House of Commons will be the poorer for Mr. Cook's absence, and he will be missed by many in his party and in the country.

Few MPs have their passing much mourned beyond their constituencies and their friends. Mr. Cook is an exception.

Best wishes,

David.

PS: For the times and details of my upcoming Advice Centres, please call my Yeovil office on 01935 423284.