There’s an interesting short video from the BBC’s Politics Show South East, featuring the new Liberal Democrat MP for Eastbourne, Stephen Lloyd.
“Every single decision I take goes through the prism of Eastbourne,” says Stephen, as he shares his thoughts on coalition government and tuition fees.
You can also read about a typical Westminster work day for Stephen:
His Wednesday starts at 9 am with a two-hour long Work and Pensions select committee.
He goes straight from there to Prime Minister’s Questions and the big topic of debate is the government’s decision to allow universities to charge tuition fees of up to £9,000. It’s a difficult issue for the coalition as the Liberal Democrats pledged to vote against increasing tuition fees.
He stays on in the chamber for a debate on the Bloody Sunday report.
After that he has a meeting with a local businessman about setting up an apprenticeship scheme in Eastbourne. That’s followed by another meeting – this time with representatives from the charity Gingerbread.
He then meets up with his assistant Jack to look at what’s coming up before catching up on some paperwork and his last meeting of the day – a meeting with fellow Liberal Democrats about Work and Pensions.
There are no late night votes tonight so Stephen heads back to his constituency where he has another full day lined up.
Watch the video and read the full piece here, including details of a Friday in Stephen’s constituency.
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3 Comments
Lucky Stephen, lucky Eastbourne: I hope his constituents are looking forward to the avalanche of jobless DFL’s (“down from London”) that’s about to descend on them as a result of his party’s Coalition policies. I’m concerned that being in government “gives me even more influence to transform Eastbourne”: sorry, Stephen, but you’re a member of a ruling party in a national legislature: your horizon should be a bit wider than what plays well locally. He seems a decent guy blinkered by party loyalty and localism to the reality of what’s on the cards for million of his countrymen. This is the country’s future, Stephen, and the less fortunate of your own constituents (soon to be enlarged by a new intake) will be at the sharp end.
£240.49 LHA for four rooms, I see: not much relief to be had from a £400 cap there, for all the nationwide reduction in rent assistance. Enjoy.
Did Stephen sign the pledge to vote against a rise in student fees and is he intending to vote against when it comes up in Parliament?
Dave, thanks for the warning. I’ll have my camera ready to film the avalance of workless refugees streaming down the road from London to Eastbourne. My hear bleeds for people who have to move from inner London (stabbing capital of the world) to Eastbourne, notorious for muggings by OAPs on the promenade.
Else, in Scotland, the Isle of Mull is having to close down two primary schools because of shortage of pupils. Stephen can send his refugees to Mull and keep the schools open. There are lots of summer jobs as well, done at the moment by east europeans on holiday!