News - Mid Suffolk Liberal Democrats

Student appeals to MP to help family attend his graduation

Cambridge medical student, Mohammad Razai has called for help from MP Julian Huppert after immigration officials refused to allow his family permission to attend his university graduation ceremony. Mohammad, 24, had hoped his mother and half-brother could travel from their home in Afghanistan to be with him for Christmas and attend the ceremony in January. He has already delayed his graduation from St Edmunds College twice to allow them to attend; but the UK Border Agency has refused their applications for visitors' visas. Julian has taken up the case with Immigration Minister, Damian Green in the hope that Mohammad's family can make the journey from their home in Kabul. "This case has serious implications for any British citizen in this country planning an event such as a wedding or even a funeral who wants family from overseas to be present," said Julian. "This is one of the biggest events in Mohammad's life and it is only natural that he wants his family to be with him. "The Border Agency is being un

20 Dec 2010

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Pupil Premium welcomed by city MP

MP Julian Huppert has welcomed news that Cambridge's most disadvantaged children will benefit from the Liberal Democrats' Pupil Premium. Every school will receive an extra £430 from the government for youngsters receiving free school meals and those in local authority care. In the first year, the programme will give £625 million to the poorest children with the figure rising each year to £2.5 billion by the end of this Parliament. "This is great news for families in Cambridge," said Julian. "The Pupil Premium means that disadvantaged children will get the extra support they need and deserve. This could mean individual tuition or extra classes to help them catch up if they are slipping behind the rest of the class. Schools will have the freedom to spend the money to help these pupils in the best way they see fit, which in turn will help whole classes to work better and move forward. "We have taken away Whitehall's interference and given Cambridge head teachers and staff the opportunity to make decisions t

14 Dec 2010

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Huppert calls for tuition fees to be phased out completely

Cambridge MP Julian Huppert will vote against a rise in tuition fees tomorrow (Thursday, December 9) and call on the government not to try to increase charges again during this Parliament. Julian will put an amendment to Business Secretary, Vince Cable's motion to raise fees saying that they should be phased out entirely and the government should have no legal right to increase them. He wants to ensure that no authorisation for an increase is given under the Higher Education Act. "I have said very clearly that I will vote against an increase in tuition fees in line with my belief that fees are wrong in principle," he said. "I have campaigned against these since Labour initially brought them in, and will not change that position when I vote tomorrow. "I believe that we should work to phase out tuition fees so that students who have the ability to go to university can go without worrying about whether they can afford it. And they deserve peace of mind knowing that this issue won't be up for discussion again w

8 Dec 2010

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Don’t scrap lollipop patrols, urges MP

With several councils reported to be scrapping School Crossing Wardens to save money, Road Safety campaigning Colchester MP Bob Russell has written to Essex County Council urging them to retain all the county's Lollipop patrols. Liberal Democrat Mr Russell was for several years Chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Road Safety Group. His letter to the County Council was prompted by reports that around the country several councils had axed Lollipop wardens and Essex is debating whether to fill 11 vacant School Crossing Warden positions.

5 Jan 2011

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MP's Christmas Praise For Troops

Colchester MP Bob Russell used the final Parliamentary day of the year to send Christmas and New Year greetings to soldiers from Colchester Garrison currently serving in Afghanistan. He told the House of Commons: "This Christmas, approximately 3,000 of my constituents will not enjoy the festivities with their family. I refer to soldiers from 16 Air Assault Brigade, based at the Colchester Garrison, who are deployed to Afghanistan and predominately Helmand Province.

29 Dec 2010

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Bob's Support for Women's Refuge

A plea to Essex County Council not to cut the funding of the Women's Refuge in Colchester has been made in the House of Commons by the town's MP Bob Russell. Speaking in the final Parliamentary debate of the year, he said that any cut in the Supporting People funding from the County Council would impact on the Refuge - not only affecting the women and children who have fled from domestic violence, but forcing many of the children into foster care which is much more costly.

29 Dec 2010

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