LOCAL MP WRONG AGAIN
Release dated: 3rd September 2004
Embargoed until: No embargo
Subject: MP out of touch with grammar school applications.
Gordon Henderson has pointed out that information posted on local MP’s website at lunchtime today (Friday 3rd Sept) is already out of date.
Derek Wyatt wrote that he “has been in touch with governors at both Highsted and Borden as well as Sir Sandy Bruce Lockhart at KCC. There are vacant places at both schools. Those that sat tests at both schools (which may be illegal) are to have their cases examined by the Ombudsman at Millbank in London.”
Gordon said:
‘Unfortunately, Mr Wyatt’s facts are already out of date. I have been helping the group of parents whose daughters wanted to go to Highsted and who objected to the way in which their original appeals were heard, so I know exactly what the situation is.
‘The current state of play is that all those pupils that lost their appeal, and subsequently were refused entry into Highsted, even though they passed the school’s own test, have already had their cases examined by the Ombudsman and he has ruled that they should be allowed a second appeal.
‘The date and time of those appeals have now been set. Indeed, I have agreed to represent any parent who would like help with that appeal.’
…ends…
Release dated: 3rd September 2004
Embargoed until: No embargo
Subject: MP distorts Michael Howard’s stance on ASW pensions.
Gordon Henderson has condemned local Labour MP, Derek Wyatt, for launching an attack on Michael Howard for offering his support to the ASW workers who lost their pensions when the company went into liquidation.
Mr Wyatt claimed that Mr Howard denigrated the Financial Assistance Scheme, put in place by the Government to help the pensioners, when he visited Thamesteel (Sheerness) on Thursday 2nd of September. At the same time he claimed that Mr Howard’s promise that a Conservative Government would increase the amount available to the fund was inconsistent with the Conservatives’ promise to cut taxes.
Gordon said:
‘These comments by our MP are utter rubbish and I cannot imagine why he made them. It is simply not true to say that Michael denigrated the whole scheme. I know exactly what was said at Thamesteel because I was at the meeting. One of the reasons I arranged for Michael to visit Sheerness was to give representatives of the ASW pensioners an opportunity to lobby him.
‘Far from denigrating the scheme, Michael welcomed it and pointed out that it was Conservative MP’s who helped force the Government to take action. However, he did say that the £400 million currently allocated to the fund was inadequate and committed a future Conservative Government to increase the amount available.
‘Michael explained that there are large sums of money in banks and building societies that have remained unclaimed for over twenty years and he proposed that these assets should be used to help the pensioners.
‘Mr Wyatt boasts that he built a cross party alliance to pressurise the Government to help the pensioners. That alliance included many Conservative MP’s, including Michael Howard, so it seems a little irrational to now criticise Michael for continuing to offer that support.’
…ends…