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17 Jul, 2024
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What was and wasn’t in the King’s Speech today

What wasn’t in the King’s Speech today? Not Colin Firth anyway. The real King’s Speech!

1. Social Care. No mention of helping carers. A cross-party review on reform options is taking place though seemingly, so that will involve us Liberal Democrats.

2. Cleaning up our water. OK, banning bonuses and and making bosses liable, but what has really changed to stop sewage?

3. The two child benefit cap that’s been there 8 years. This is really a big one. Not scrapped. That’s the number one thing that could have stopped poverty in families. Reform of universal credit generally would have been good to see.

4. More on NHS reform and reducing queues.

5. Nothing on compensation for the Postal Workers or WASPI women.

What was good to see?

1. Banning conversion therapy. The state should not tell people who they can or cannot be.

2. Employment rights. End to zero hour contracts.

3. Investing in renewable energy. The power of countries like Russia comes from their oil, we have to break that.

4. Halving violence against women and girls.

5. Mental Health Act reforms.

6. Devolution. More power to local government means more democracy.

7. The football regulator is good news for Southend United.

I think people are hungry for change: if they don’t see the cost of living improving and availability of doctors and dentists getting better, all these other good things will not convince them they’re much better off.

11 Jul, 2024
Stephen 0 Comment
Disability Pride Month 2024

I’m doing my bit to champion any marginalised group and after LGBTQ+ Pride last month, this month it is us disabled people the largest minority group in the UK. I met Beth, Robbie and Luca from Making Care Fair this morning to make a little video advocating for what they need. I’ll post it here when finished. I’ve listed some things below but basically someone with a Learning Difficulty should be receiving what a person over 65 receives. That’s equity as well as equality.

A person with a Learning Disability is not like someone like me who has physical/mobility issues. They just find certain things harder to do and this will never change for them, but they can be supported to live better lives. We as a society cannot just ignore them because we don’t understand them. We all have human rights and they have the same ones.

So what do people with Learning Disabilities find it harder to do?

  1. Understand Written Information: Reading and understanding instructions, forms, and signs.
  2. Manage Finances: Budgeting, paying bills, and handling money.
  3. Use Public Transport: Figuring out schedules, routes, and buying tickets.
  4. Communicate: Expressing themselves and understanding others.
  5. Find and Keep Jobs: Understanding job tasks and interacting at work.
  6. Learn: Keeping up with school or training.
  7. Do Daily Tasks: Cooking, cleaning, and personal hygiene.
  8. Access Healthcare: Understanding medical advice and following treatments.
  9. Socialise: Making friends and joining in community activities.
  10. Use Services: Navigating systems for benefits, housing, and support.

They need clear information, support, and inclusive practices to live fulfilling lives.

Here is what needs to be done for them by ALL of us working to influence change:

  1. Establish permanent disability recognition to simplify benefit access.
  2. Reform or protect PIP to ensure it remains non-means tested.
  3. Ensure living expenses are covered before local authorities take PIP contributions.
  4. Standardize Disability Related Expenditure limits across local authorities.
  5. Simplify council forms and prevent backdated payment demands.
  6. Equalize the minimum income guarantee for all ages.
  7. Improve support for carers based on campaign feedback.
  8. Allow adults with disabilities to use the buses ANY time.

These actions aim to create a more inclusive, supportive community for everyone.

6 Jul, 2024
Stephen 0 Comment
Thank you

Over 3000 of you voted for me and thank you to you all. And to all on the local Lib Dem team: Steve, Billy, Roger, Nina, Granville, Chris, Bob and our Lib Dem councillors Paul, Rob, Dave and Carol.

And of course my long-suffering wife Jane.

Congratulations to David and commiserations to Anna and my fellow candidates Peter, Tilly, James, Tom, Lara and Jason. I got to talk to you all and you’re all lovely people!

David Burton-Sampson MP being elected. Thanks to newsquest.

I continue to be a local community champion despite no winning the seat this time. I’m still a Liberal Democrat and will stand up for our values as best I can. I’m going to focus on our community with learning difficulties and the food banks first as that’s where I see the most need.

I’ll help our new MP David however best I can. Him and his party have the power now to change how the water companies act, how our NHS and its patients are treated and funding for our local council and all the services it provides. I’ve also offered Bayo our MP in Southend East all the help I can. It is one community not separated really by political lines. We’re a coalition on the council too.

The Liberal Democrats have become a large block in parliament again and we’ve a responsibility to prove we deserve to be there. I’ll work with the national party and our MPs on what we are pushing for there. Such as our emergency funding for the NHS bill. Victoria Collins, who’s a new LibDem MP in Harpenden and Berkhamsted, will hit the ground running. She’s holding Thames Water to account for what they’re doing. Their sewage dumping flows down to us as well as what Anglian Water is doing.

Victoria Collins, LibDem MP in Harpenden and Berkhamsted

Change is in the air and I’ll do my bit to help bring it about.

29 Jun, 2024
Stephen 0 Comment
Armed Forces Day 2024

You might say ‘hey Stephen, you sound Irish, how could you be supporting armed forces day? Today, I’m thinking of my Great-grandfather who never came back to my Great-grandmother and their children. Henry Cummins’ name is on the Menin Gate and was killed in the Ypres Salient of The Great War. His remains never found, but commemorated every day with a last post with the other 40,000 on that cenetaph. He was in the Leinster regiment. The conflict between Ireland and the UK is over now and I want to remember the past but not relive it.

So today, on Armed Forces Day in the UK, we should:

  • Honour Service Members: Recognize the bravery and dedication of those in the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
  • Remember Veterans: Pay tribute to veterans for their past service and ongoing contributions.
  • Support Families: Acknowledge the sacrifices made by military families.
  • Reflect on History: Understand the historical role of the Armed Forces in securing peace and security.
  • Engage with the Community: Participate in local events to show support.
  • Raise Awareness: Learn about the challenges faced by military personnel.
  • Support Charities: Consider donating to organisations that help service members and their families.
  • Promote Peace: Reflect on the efforts made by the Armed Forces to maintain peace.

By focusing on these aspects, we can show our appreciation and support for the men and women who serve our country. Like Abraham Lincoln said at Gettysburg that we should resolve that the dead shall not have died in vain and we should dedicate ourselves to …

“a new birth of freedom – and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.“

25 Jun, 2024
Stephen 0 Comment
Hustings Southend West & Leigh

A fantastic set of questions, very deep and straight to the point on what matters to people in this election.

Photo credit: Sean Buckley

If anyone wants more clarity on what I said, email me at stephen@stephencummins.org.uk

I think the best answer came from Tilly responding the Anna on the topic of food banks. You can see it in the video above at 32:23.

A huge thank you to Leigh Road Baptist Church along with the Churches Together in Leigh-on-Sea group for hosting these hustings last night, 24th June 2024

22 Jun, 2024
Stephen 0 Comment
What will be my FIRST act as your MP?
ocean waves at sunrise

Original public domain image from Wikimedia Commons

Stop the sewage dumping. How? The first practical step a Member of Parliament (MP) can take to stop companies like Anglian Water dumping sewage into waterways like the Thames estuary is to introduce new leglislation containing the following:

  1. Sewage Tax: Introducing a tax on the £2.2 billion annual profits of water companies to ensure they are financially responsible for cleaning up their own mess.
  2. Ban on Executive Bonuses: Prohibiting bonuses for water company executives until the sewage dumping problem is resolved.
  3. Real Enforcement: Strengthening enforcement to ensure compliance and investing in infrastructure to eliminate the overspill system, treating and filtering every drop of wastewater.

For more detailed information, you can check their official manifesto on sewage policy​ (Liberal Democrats)​.

Stephen 0 Comment
Protest vs business
Protesting Sewage in the Sea with free ice cream – but taking money from local businesses selling ice cream…

While I was getting my anti-sewage ice cream, the police showed up and a man from Scoop berated the campaigners for taking his business: he paid rates and rent and it wasn’t fair.

I said to him cleaner water means more visitors and more ice cream sold. He melted away.

So how do you balance protest for the greater good with a local business which is also good? I think the campaigners would not have made a big difference. How many people today didn’t buy an ice cream because they got a free one. I saw about 10 people. But they may not have bought one.

So there is a price to pay for democracy. Maybe if they just pretended to give away ice cream? But that might have annoyed people coming g over to the ice cream van! I don’t know.

17 Jun, 2024
Stephen 0 Comment
Fancy a free poo coloured ice cream?

On Tuesday the 18th, “Sewage sundaes” will be handed out on Southend’s seafront to highlight the pollution on the city’s beaches. The campaign, organised by 38 Degrees, features free poo-themed ice cream to draw attention to sewage discharges in Southend’s estuary and other waterways and to demand action from the next government.

Matthew McGregor, chief executive of 38 Degrees, stated, “Summer holidays are approaching, but our seaside is threatened. While our ice creams won’t actually contain human waste, the point is serious. The people of Southend deserve clean seas. We’ll be collecting signatures for a petition demanding the next Prime Minister address sewage spills.”

This protest follows a significant increase in sewage spills by Anglian Water in 2023. Local beachgoers and swimmers have recently rallied near Southend Pier with Surfers Against Sewage, calling for cleaner seas.

I’m meeting up with them at 11.30am on Marine Parade if you’d like to come along.

16 Jun, 2024
Stephen 0 Comment
The plan to stop the Sh*t in our waters

It is not hard to do. The water companies are just not doing it and the outgoing government didn’t make them. And I include Anna Firth and James Duddridge. Whatever they promise or say, this is what they have actually done. No more. The Lib Dems will work for you to stop this irresponsible greed. We’re being listened to as well.

How?

1. New Water Regulator

2. Ban on Executive Bonuses.

3. Local Environmental Experts & Community involvement. We hold them accountable. We measure the water quality not them.

The government’s Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan aimed to gradually stop pollution from untreated sewage overflows But it was useless. Overflows still expected to spill untreated sewage by 2040.

The solution is: remove the overspill system entirely, treat, clean and filter every drop. Stop wasting money on CEOs, Directors, Contractors, invest in your network.

And don’t forget who doesn’t work for you.

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