Wirral MP Watch - Global poverty and the 2012 Olympics

By Lorna Hughes on Dec 2, 09 12:07 PM

WITH THAT story taking all the headlines this week, Hamilton Squared is declaring this blog post a strictly a lib**** free zone.

With just months to the General Election and the spotlight firmly on Steve Foulkes, Jeff Green, Simon Holbrook et all, Wirral's MPs are bound to be feeling a little bit left out by now.

So we thought it was time to redress the balance - here's a little look at what three of our five elected representatives are doing this week.

STEPHEN HESFORD

The Wirral West MP is urging Wirralians to back a new campaign to turn a promise to tackle global poverty into a law.

The www.globalpovertypromise.com website is part of a campaign to put the Government's promise to raise international development aid to 0.7% of national income by 2013 into legislation.

Mr Hesford said: "People across Wirral are proud of what we've achieved and the help we've given to people living lives of poverty in developing countries. We've campaigned to Make Poverty History and kept our promises through this global recession. I am urging people to go online and join me in backing 'globalpovertypromise.com'."

ANDREW MILLER

The Neston and Ellesmere Port MP has been looking ahead to 2012 and met Olympian Jonathan Edwards at the House of Commons to talk about how the constituency could benefit from the Olympic and Paralympic Games in London.

Mr Miller said: "Overall, the North West of England looks set to play an integral role in the years leading up to the Games, and will be left with a lasting sporting and commercial legacy well beyond 2012. I will be working closely with all those concerned as we build towards 2012 to ensure that the region maximise the benefits presented by the Games - before, during, and for many years to come."

Also this week, Mr Miller has praised an online discussion hub - www.socialbreakfast.org - launched in the West Midlands - to help politicians to engage with young people and said he hopes it will expand to the North West.

BEN CHAPMAN

It's been a busy week in Wirral South, with the MP giving his response to the news that Tulip is returning to Bromborough and promising to talk to the company about whether they will re-employ staff made redundant after the closure of their previous factory on the site in April.

On Friday, he'll be in the constituency to chair a launch event for the Mersey Coastal Park Strategy at Royal Mersey Coast Yacht Club in Rock Ferry.

Mr Chapman has also been taking a rather unusual tour of Wirral South in response to a story we featured in the paper recently - you can read more on that in next week's Wirral News.