Mary Macleod's Blog

Improving Kew Bridge Station

2011-06-07T12:58:00.003+01:00

I recently organised a meeting with a number of local residents about the upkeep and maintenance of Kew Bridge Railway Station. I met with representatives from Strand on the Green Association, St George's, Kew Green, The Kew Bridge Society, Express Tavern, West Thames River Group, a disability interest group, Friends of Stile Hall Gardens, Brentford Community Council and Network Rail.
Prior to the meeting, I had already been in touch with Network Rail, to strongly urge them to deal with some of the key issues around the station. Network Rail confirmed at the meeting that, as a result of my request, they had immediate plans in place now to paint the station, address the rodent problem, board up unused windows and clear graffiti They had also requested additional litter bins from Hounslow Council. At the meeting, St George's highlighted the work they had been doing too to clear up graffiti in the local area.
I am very pleased that Network Rail responded so well and are giving Kew Bridge Station a 'facelift,' which will help local residents. It will make the station seem cleaner and safer and I welcome their efforts to improve it for passengers. As a group, we are also in discussion regarding the future of the station building at Kew Bridge. As it is a Listed Building, it is obviously of architectural importance. It would be excellent if it could be restored to its former glory and put to good use.
The group is going to meet again within the next month to review progress and discuss next steps.

London 2012 Olympics

2011-06-07T12:48:00.004+01:00

I recently invited local schools to join me in a visit to the Olympic Park in East London. I was joined by Chiswick Councillors Todd, McGregor and Oulds, as well as the School Sports Partnership based at Isleworth and Syon School, Chiswick Community School and Brentford Football Club.

The visit was arranged since I was part of the Olympic Bill Committee in Parliament. The bill made a small number of technical amendments to the advertising and trading, ticket touting and traffic management provisions of the London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Act 2006. The Bill also introduced measures to extend the powers to seize unauthorised and fake merchandise and raise the find for Olympic ticket touts from £5,000 to £20,000. During the debate, I raised the issues of the lessons London can learn from other hosting countries, how the traffic conventions during the Games will be enforced, as well as their impact on non-Games related traffic.

Having seen how much has already been achieved at the Olympic site with just a year to go until the Games, I believe the London Olympics and Paralympics provide us with an outstanding opportunity to showcase the best we have to offer to the world. Londoners, who have contributed to the success of the Games, should be encouraged to get involved as much as possible, either through attending or volunteering. Let's make this the best Games ever, showing the best of what London and the UK can offer. Let's also do all we can to create a really strong, lasting legacy and use this for getting more young people involved in sport, creating stronger communities, great team spirit and a healthier nation.

Nominate an Olympic Torchbearer!

2011-06-07T12:38:00.003+01:00

With just over a year to go before the London 2012 Olympics, I want local residents to consider nominating someone to be a Torchbearer for the Games. Do you know someone truly inspirational or someone who always strives to do their best? Out there are ordinary people doing extraordinary things - people from all walks of life and from all over the UK. I need your help to find them.
The Olympics' organisers are looking for truly incredible individuals whose personal stories will inspire millions of people watching the Olympic Torch Relay - in their community, across the UK and around the world.
It would be great to see a representative from Chiswick, Brentford, Isleworth, Osterley or Hounslow carrying the Olympic Torch in the Relay. I really do hope that local residents will consider who they think deserves to take part and then nominate them. I believe that the London Olympics and Paralympics provide us with an outstanding opportunity to showcase the best we have to offer to the world - and that should include the people of our local area. If you know someone who has inspired you to do something you never thought possible, someone who always tries to be the best that they can be, someone who makes a real difference in their school or local community, someone who has shown what it means to be a real friend, a person who shows respect for other people and knows the importance of fair play, in essence, a person who truly represents the Olympic spirit - then please nominate them.
If you think you know someone who has what the organisers are looking for and really deserves to represent the UK in the Torch Relay, nominate them at:
http://www.london2012.com/olympic-torch-relay
Nominations close at 11.59pm on 29th June 2011.

One Year On!

2011-06-06T15:30:00.004+01:00

I can hardly believe that a year has gone by since the General Election! It's been an incredibly busy year, balancing the workload in Parliament with responding to residents' emails and letters and getting out and about in the constituency.

I've met some wonderful people at my Advice Surgery and elsewhere and seen the fantastic work that is going on in businesses, schools and voluntary organisations across Chiswick, Brentford, Isleworth, Osterley and Hounslow.

It will be a challenging year ahead for many I know. I strongly believe, that working together, we can create a better and stronger local community for us all.

Highlight

The early highlight of the year was stopping the 3rd runway at Heathrow. Throughout the year, it has been great to be able to make a difference, however small, in helping individual residents resolve their problems.

Lowlight

The lowlight so far was hearing about planned closures of Day Centres and other key local services but I am positive about continuing to work with local residents, campaigners and Hounslow Council to find a solution.

Top three issues during the past year

Economy - working with businesses and people who are worried about their jobs and the impact of budget cuts

Crime - understanding residents' concerns about crime hotspots and significant issues locally such as domestic violence, drug-related crime and knife crime

Heathrow - confirming the continuation of runway alternation and campaigning to reduce the number of night flights

Top three challenges for the year ahead

Welfare reform - getting people back into work, giving people the confidence to find a job and encouraging entrepreneurship

School provision - supporting efforts to increase the number of school places in both primary and secondary schools

London 2012 Olympics - working to ensure a successful Olympics, address transport issues and secure a lasting legacy in our area

Night Flights at Heathrow Airport

2011-05-25T10:45:00.004+01:00

In a debate in Parliament yesterday, during Noise Action Week, I challenged the Government to ban night flights at Heathrow airport on the grounds of health and quality of life factors for local residents.
New research from Warwick University published in the European Heart Journal in February this year studied the impact of hormones and chemicals caused by chronic lack of sleep in the body. They concluded that: "If you sleep less than six hours per night and have disturbed sleep, you stand a 48% greater chance of developing or dying from heart disease and a 15% greater chance of developing or dying from a stroke."
The World Health Organisation and the HYENA report from Imperial College London also found that, even if people don't wake up, there is evidence that noise from night flights causes immediate increases in blood pressure.
The impact of night flights on the lives of those living under the flightpaths of Heathrow airport is something we must take seriously. Stronger enforcement of current quotas is required, together with higher fines for consistent offenders. As we prepare to set new night flight agreements for 2012/17, we must also give full consideration to reducing or eliminating night flights, especially between the critical 11.30pm and 6.00am period.
I also urge the Government to work with BAA and the airlines to ensure effective noise mitigation, such as insulation and double glazing, for those who are worst affected by the noise of aircraft at Heathrow.
I hope that the Government's current consultation on the future UK aviation strategy marks a positive step forward in relations between the Government and the aviation industry. I want us to ensure that Heathrow airport continues to thrive and, at the same time, takes into account the quality of life of those who live around the airport.

Tiffin Club 2011

2011-05-24T17:31:00.005+01:00

"Memories of India" has won a place in the Regional Final after I selected the restaurant to represent Brentford and Isleworth in the prestigious Lyca Tiffin Cup 2011 competition.
The national competition is held each year to find the best South Asian restaurant in the country.
This year 60 restaurants were nominated. "Memories of India," having won a place in the regional final, will battle with other restaurants from the same region to become one of the national finalists in the Lyca Tiffin Cub 2011 Grand Final.
Within the next few weeks, a mystery diner will visit the restaurant and judge whether it deserves to represent the region.
I am delighted that my nomination for "Memories of India" has been accepted. I hope that "Memories of India" will be chosen to represent our region in the Grand Final of such a prestigious award. I am sure everyone in Brentford and Isleworth will be supporting our restaurant.
Keith Vaz MP, Chair of the Tiffin Club, tells me he is delighted with the nomination of "Memories of India" - it will really put Brentford and Isleworth on the culinary map.

The Dangers of Level Crossings

2011-05-23T13:36:00.007+01:00

I recently spent a day with a team from the British Transport Police in Chiswick. I visited the level crossing in Grove Park Terrace to find out about Operation Galley - London South's initiative to reduce non-compliance at level crossings. Operation Galley involves a specially adapted British Transport Police van, which is able to monitor vehicles and pedestrians crossing the level crossing. I was shown how the operation is conducted, as well as being given a full tour of the newly built vehicle which was sponsored by Network Rail. The new van allows the British Transport Police to immediately issue a fixed penalty notice of 3 points and a fine to drivers, and an on-the-spot fine for pedestrians, who chose to cross the level crossing once the yellow lights are flashing.

I would like to pay tribute to all the hard work that the British Transport Police does in ensuring that our railways are kept safe, both for staff and rail users.

In July last year I was concerned to hear about a bus failing to stop at the level crossing in Bollo Lane, just outside my constituency. Although one passenger was showered with glass when the back window of the bus was broken by the descending barriers, miraculously no serious damage was done. But I am well aware that this was pure chance. Drivers who fail to heed signals at level crossings put not only themselves in danger, but endanger the lives of train passengers also. I therefore very much welcome this new initiative by the British Transport Police and Network Rail to catch and prosecute drivers who do not obey signals at level crossings.

Overcrowding at Turnham Green Tube Station

2011-05-18T10:42:00.005+01:00

Following concerns raised about serious overcrowding at Turnham Green Tube Station during the rush hour, I have been liasing with Transport for London (TfL) to see what can be done to improve the situation. Following correspondence from my office in Westminster, TfL have now confirmed that they are planning to add an extra Ealing Broadway-bound District Line train to the timetable during the evening rush hour. The extra train, which will be incorporated into the timetable in December, has become available due to TfL's cancelling of the Earl's Court to Olympia shuttle service during weekdays.
In addition to this, I am continuing my work to put pressure on TfL for the Piccadilly Line to stop at Turnham Green Tube Station more frequently. The Piccadilly Line currently only stops at Turnham Green during the early morning and late in the evening.
Whilst I very much welcome the addition of this extra District Line train during the evening rush hour, I would like TfL to look into what can be done to tackle overcrowding at Turnham Green Tube Station during the morning rush hour too. The Eastbound platform is often seemingly dangerously overcrowded and commuters often have to wait for a number of trains to pass before they can even squeeze on to a train. As a result, I have written to TfL to highlight the issue of platform and train overcrowding at Turnham Green. A solution to this, of course, would be to get the Piccadilly Line to stop routinely at Turnham Green Tube Station.

Hounslow: 'Transport Borough of the Year'

2011-05-18T10:35:00.005+01:00

I would very much like to congratulate Hounslow Council on being recognised by the London Transport Awards 2011 as 'Transport Borough of the Year.'
The Council, which won the 'Most Improved Borough' Award in 2008, has continued to improve the transport infrastructure of the Borough, and it is heartening to see that all the hard work that has been put in by both the current and previous administrations has been recogninsed. In 2009, the Conservative-led Council succeed in making Hounslow outer London's first 'Biking Borough,' by co-planning and hosting the successful Skyride in Brentford. The event attracted a staggering 11,000 participants.
I wish to pay tribute to the Council's previous and current Lead Executive Member for Environment, Cllr Barbara Reid and Cllr Corinna Smart, who have done a sterling job in attracting investment in infrastructure and worked hard to help revitalise transport across the Borough.
I do hope that the Council will use this award to spur them on to even greater successes in the coming years.

Referendum on the Alternative Vote

2011-04-27T14:26:00.003+01:00

On Tuesday 3rd May I will be taking part in a public debate on the Alternative Vote (AV) Referendum. The event will be chaired by Chiswick resident Michael White, the Associate Editor and former Political Editor of The Guardian.
Representing the YES to AV campaign will be Mike Tuffrey AM, a Liberal Democrat politician and Member of the London Assembly. He was leader of the Lib Dem Assembly Group from May 2006 until May 2010. He will be joined by former Councillor Serge Lourei, who was leader of Richmond Upon Thames Council until 2010. He was a councillor for Kew for 28 years and is co-ordinating the YES campaign in Richmond.
Representing the NO to AV campaign, I will be joined by Councillor Adrian Lee, a Chiswick Councillor representing Turnham Green ward. He was first elected to the London Borough of Hounslow Council in 1998.
After each speaker has put their point across, the debate will be opened to questions from the floor and the public will get a chance to ask questions about the issues in the referendum.
I am delighted that such a frank and open public debate has been organised in the local area. I very much look foward to being able to help the public understand more about the important issues involved in this referendum.
Time: 8pm, Tuesday 3rd May 2011
Place: Chiswick Memorial Club, Afton House, Bourne Place, Chiswick W4 2EL

Supporting the London Fire Brigade

2011-04-27T14:15:00.003+01:00

I was recently invited to visit Chiswick Fire Station to find out more about their work in the local area. I was interested to meet active firefighters and to hear about the challenges they face in both preventing fires and fighting them.
No only is the local Fire Brigade on call 24/7 to deal with fires as they occur, but they work hard to raise awareness of preventing fires. Firefighters regularly visit schools to teach the students about fire prevention and safety, as well as providing a smoke alarm fitting service in the local area. The London Fired Brigade (LFB) carries out statistical modelling to determine which areas in London are most at risk of fire. This is done to ensure that community safety work is targeted where it is most needed.
The staff at the Fire Station also talked to Mary about the importance of sprinklers in preventing loss of life and valuables in a fire. There is clear evidence that installation of sprinklers can be effective in the rapid suppression of fires. In buildings that are fully protected by sprinklers, they can control 99% of fires. Sprinklers also greatly improve the safety of firefighters tackling a fire - they are effective in reducing the risks of flashover and backdraft conditions.
It was very interesting to meet the firefighters and the Borough Commander, to hear about their efforts to improve fire safety in the local area. I am delighted to be able to help support the London Fire Brigade's excellent work by sending out information leaflets to those of my constituents who live in high-risk areas. I do hope that these constituents will consider the matter very carefully and take up the LFB's offer of a home fire safety visit and possibly a free smoke detector. They really do save lives.

The Issue of Turbans At Airports

2011-04-27T14:05:00.005+01:00

Following discussions with the Gurdwara in Hounslow, I wrote to the Minister for Transport in order to clarify the Government's position on the searching of men wearing turbans.

The Government has introduced new procedures for screening religious headgear, which particularly affects Sikh men wearing turbans - considered sacred in the Sikh religion. Since June last year, officials from the Department for Transport have been engaging with the Sikh community about alternatives to hand-search for use with religious headgear. This has led to the establishment of a European Commission-approved trial of alternative methods for screening headgear. The trial uses hand-held metal detectors and explosive trace detection and is underway at a number of UK airports who have volunteered to participate.

I spoke in a Westminster Hall debate in Parliament this week about this issue, highlighting that it would be good for all airports to be involved.

I fully recognise the sensitivities involved in implementing the new procedures for screening religious headgear and do not underestimate the importance of this issue to my Sikh constituents. I would like to assure them that the engagement and discussion with the Sikh community will continue and that the Government will continue to work to find the right solution to this issue. If this trial is successful, I hope that it will be rolled out to cover all UK airports.

Continuing the fight for Chiswick Day Centre

2011-04-19T12:16:00.005+01:00

I recently met with supporters of the Chiswick Day Centre, including a GP and Councillors John Todd and Gerald MacGregor, to discuss options for the future of the Centre.

The Supporters Group felt very strongly that it was important to keep a day centre in Chiswick, especially with an ageing population. The Day Centre is likely in the long term to save money on healthcare as without this support, elderly people could deteriorate more quickly. The Group believe that more elderly people would definitely attend the Day Centre if they knew that they could make use of it.

The facilities offered by the newly-refurbished Day Centre are excellent and it seems a tragedy to get rid of such a superb resource. I believe the Chiswick Day Centre is an underused community resource which should be used to support many elderly people in the local area and their carers for many years to come. I do hope that their views will be taken into account as part of the consultation.

A large number of constituents have written to me about their support for the Day Centre, requesting that their points of view be listened to during the consultation, which is due to end on 30th April 2011.

Pupil Premium

2011-04-13T11:44:00.007+01:00

New figures show that disadvantaged children in my constituency are set to receive £1.4 million this year under the Coalition Government's new "Pupil Premium."

The Pupil Premium is a new policy promised by both the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats before the General Election last year. It is an extra lump sum of cash which follows every disadvantaged child and is received by schools, allowing them to provide additional support such as one-to-one tuition and extra pastoral care.

The Government has announced that in the year from April 2011, the Pupil Premium will be worth £430 for every pupil on Free School Meals, £430 for every looked-after child, and £200 for every child who has a parent in the Armed Services. This means that in the Brentford and Isleworth constituency this year 3,230 children overall will benefit from an extra £1,389,000.

This is good news for children in our area. The gap between the academic performance of children from deprived backgrounds and their peers is too wide and has been ignored for too long.

In the last month, reports estimate that a third of children in Brentford are living in poverty. The Pupil Premium will tackle this disparity head on, providing targeted funding for those who need it most. This could mean extra one-to-one tuition or more pastoral support.

In these tough times, the Pupil Premium will deliver a massive boost to the education of the most disadvantaged and vulnerable children locally.

Mayor of London's Outer London Fund

2011-04-04T17:04:00.004+01:00

I have just written to Hounslow Council to urge them to apply for funding from the Mayor of London's Outer London Fund for the renewal of town centres.

Last week the Mayor of London Boris Johnson announced a £50 million fund to boost regeneration and rejuvenate town centres at the very heart of local London communities. This fund will revitalise projects or get new schemes off the ground at exactly the right time for communities concerned about the future. The money offered will go a long way to support the establishment of local business districts and the improvement of retail, leisure, culture and arts provision. It will bring vibrancy back into communities, providing more secure features for those who live and work locally and above all improving the quality of life of many.

A major step forward to stimulate economic growth in London's vital network of Outer London town centres, this fund will specifically target those boroughs which benefit less directly from the 2012 Games and Crossrail and will accelerate a pan-London economic recovery advancing job opportunities not just for a few but for many.

The announcement from the Mayor's office of a fund to benefit Outer London's key community hubs is to be welcomed by all those living locally. I sincerely hope that Hounslow Council will consider applying for a grant to fund regeneration of key local urban centres, including Brentford High Street and Hounslow Town Centre.

Threatened Closure of Chiswick Day Centre

2011-03-29T15:52:00.005+01:00

On Saturday I joined residents in Chiswick to highlight the threatened closure of Chiswick Day Centre in Bridge Street. At an event held at the Crown and Anchor pub on Chiswick High Road, round the corner from the Day Centre, I met with a number of residents who use the facilities currently offered by the Centre, as well as their families, carers and local volunteers.

The event was organised to show support for the threatened Day Centre by Laura Ware and Pauline Hart (who organises and runs Pensioners Alone At Christmas). It had a 1940's street party theme, including music performed by the "Swingtime Sweethearts." Residents enjoyed singing along to wartime favourites, as well as an old-fashioned "High Tea." The get-together gave me the opportunity to speak to local residents directly affected by the proposed closure and hear their concerns over what will happen in the future.

Many of my constituents have contacted me to share their grave concerns over the threatened closure of Chiswick Day Centre, while a number of local GPs have indicated that they are concerned that some vulnerable patients may not be catered for under the proposed new arrangements. The Centre is a vital local resource - not only for those who use it themselves, but for their families and carers, for whom the care offered at the Day Centre provides some much needed respite from caring for loved ones.

I am concerned that the closure of the Day Centre by Hounslow Council has not been properly considered and that the loss of this important part of the community will have a serious and detrimental impact on residents in my constituency.

The recent refurbishment of Chiswick Day Centre would indicate that the Council previously saw the value in maintaining the facilities at this location. If Chiswick Day Care Centre were to close, the nearest centre with comparable facilities will be in Heston - a long way to travel on a daily basis, particularly for the elderly and those without private means for transport.

Hounslow Council is consulting on this proposal until 30 April 2011.

Pot Hole Repair in Hounslow

2011-03-29T15:41:00.004+01:00

In response to the abnormal damage to roads caused by the severe weather this winter, it was announced in the Budget last week that the Government has allocated a further £100 million to Local Highway Authorities to repair pot holes and other damage to roads. This is in addition to the £100 million already announced earlier this year. This £200 million of additional funding to Local Authorities is possible because of the savings the Department for Transport is making on its budget for 2010/11. The funding has been allocated based on the Department for Transport's existing formula, which takes into account road length and condition. Hounslow has been allocated £321,467. To promote greater transparency and accountability to local communities, all local highway authorities have already agreed to publish information on their website by 30 September 2011 showing how this additional money has been spent. I am delighted that the Department for Transport has been able to make such significant savings and that they are passing these savings directly on to the public. The maintenance of roads is an issue that local residents feel strongly about and I look forward to Hounslow Council using these funds to make a real difference to our local roads. I have written to the Chief Executive of Hounslow Council asking for clarification on where and when these funds will be spent.

Hounslow Chamber AGM

2011-03-23T14:26:00.007Z

Earlier this month, I was asked to be the guest speaker at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Hounslow Chamber, at Fuller's Brewery. This AGM was apparently the best attended in recent years, with just under 100 members and guests. I used the opportunity to speak about the importance of entrepreneurship in boosting the economy and how the Government plans to support small and medium businesses.

I was delighted to meet so many businessmen and women and hear their concerns and aspirations for the future. Enterprise and growth are at the top of the Government's agenda and we want to support small businesses and encourage innovation. I have written to more than 600 businesses locally to call on them to take on young people for work experience and apprenticeships. This will benefit the businesses themselves and help equip the young people with the skills they need to secure long-term jobs.

The new President of Hounslow Chamber, Ela Grabinska-Raubusch, spoke of the exciting year ahead for Hounslow Chamber. Plans include the appointment of a part-time CEO to strengthen Hounslow Chamber's membership and improve the sector representing the Borough. 2011 has apparently started very well for Hounslow Chamber and membership is increasing.

Working closely with Hounslow Council, Hounslow Chamber hopes to re-establish the Hounslow Association of Tourism. One of the success stories of the last year is the revitalisation of the Women in Business group.

Women On Boards

2011-03-23T14:08:00.006Z

Following the publication of Lord Davies' report on Women On Boards, I was delighted to be given the opportunity to put a question directly to the Prime Minister during last week's Prime Minister's Questions. I asked the Prime Minister: "Yesterday was International Women's Day, and today great trade figures and export growth were announced. Does the Prime Minister agree that we would have even better figures if we managed to get more women on the boards of companies across the UK?" The Prime Minister responded: "My Honourable Friend is right to draw attention to today's trade figures, which show a big increase in exports, which is exactly the sort of rebalancing that our economy needs. It is absolutely right that we need to get more women involved in the work force and at board level. In addition, in terms of entrepreneurialism, if we had the same rate of women setting up small businesses as in America, we would have tens of thousands of extra businesses creating wealth and jobs." As a strong believer in the value of having more women at senior levels in organisations, I welcome the report on Women on Boards from Lord Davies. This report summarises neatly the growing body of evidence that points to the fact that companies with women at the senior levels perform better. However, according to a report by the Cranfield School of Management, only 12.5% of directors of FTSE 100 companies are women, and only 7.8% of directors of FTSE 250 companies are women - but there are 52.4% that have no women on their boards. I fully agree with the Lord Davies report that has stopped short of recommending quotas for the number of women on boards - we must promote on the basis of merit and skills. The approach recommended requires companies to consider and report on their policy for promoting women to the senior levels and I believe this is the right way to address the current situation.

Marking International Women's Day in Westminster

2011-03-10T14:01:00.005Z

On Tuesday 8 March I gathered together female MPs and Peers from all parties in Westminster to mark the centenary of International Women's Day.

We were joined in Westminster Hall by the Speaker of the House of Lords, Baroness Hayman, and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons, Dawn Primarolo.

Since its launch in 1911, International Women's Day has grown to become a global day of recognition and celebration across developed and developing countries alike.

I was eager to mark this important day. International Women's Day was founded even before women in Britain were given equal voting rights to men and has been a symbol of women's rights for one hundred years.

We have come a long way since then, but the fact remains that of the 649 MPs currently sitting in the House of Commons, only 144 are women. This is something that I hope will change and I have set up an All Party Parliamentary Group on Women In Parliament to champion this.

We are fortunate in this country that girls and women have good access to education and indeed are outperforming their male counterparts at all stages in the education system - but I believe there is more we can do to encourage and increase uptake of science and technology subjects by women in the UK, both of which are extremely important to the future of the economy.

The global picture is of course quite different. I welcome the role that the United Nation's Millennium Development Goals have played in defining global aims on key issues including access to education for women. In many countries in the world, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, South and West Asia and North Africa, women do not have easy access to education, particularly beyond primary level. It is right therefore that we use International Women's Day to focus on this issue for girls and women across the globe.

International Women's Day

2011-03-07T16:45:00.004Z

On Saturday, I helped mark the centenary of International Women's Day (IWD) by speaking at an event at Hounslow Civic Centre. The event brought together women from across the Borough, giving them an opportunity to celebrate achievements and diversity in the community.

I was delighted to have the opportunity to address more than 900 women who had gathered to celebrate the fantastic wealth of female talent locally. This year's theme for IWD is about 'providing equal access to education, training and science and technology' which in turn will 'provide pathways to decent work for women.'

The global picture is of course quite different. I welcome the role that the Millennium Development Goals have played in defining global aims on key issues including access to education for women. In many countries in the world, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, South and West Asia and North Africa, women do not have easy access to education, particularly beyond Primary level. It is right therefore that we use International Women's Day to focus on this issue for girls and women accross the globe.

We have made significant progress in increasing the number of female politicians but the reality is that it is currently a male-dominated world. There are areas, such as the treatment of women in the justice system and the issue of domestic violence in this country that may not always have been given sufficient focus.

Last week, Lord Davies published a report about Women on Boards. Having worked in the City for a number of years, I am keen to address the issue of giving more women the opportunity to take on senior roles in business.

I have organised a debate in the House of Commons on Thursday in the main chamber to debate women's issues and to celebrate women's achievements to date.

Hounslow Council Cuts

2011-02-16T09:03:00.004Z

Following pressure from the public and from my office, Hounslow Council has agreed to look again at proposed cuts to libraries and has pledged to keep the majority of youth services as well as street cleansing services.
However, cuts to day centres such as Canal House in Brentford and the Chiswick Day Care Centre look set to go ahead. Canal House is the only council-run centre for those with mental health issues and provides support, counselling and advice for these people. Chiswick Day Care Centre provides a range of services for our senior citizens, with special support for those suffering from Alzheimer's disease or dementia.
I am extremely disappointed that the Council appears to be focused on making cuts to front line services rather than looking outside the box for more innovative solutions to managing the Council budget.
Plans to cut day centres such as Canal House take away vital services for our vulnerable residents at a time when mental health problems in the community are escalating and it's vital that we help people with these issues as early as possible. Without such support, there is a risk that people will be unable to live and work independently and may ultimately require far more support and funding from the council. Chiswick Day Care Centre also provides specialised care, for those with dementia, as well as being a community venue for our senior citizens to meet and spend time with others. This is a vital support network not just for those that use the centre but also provides respite for those who care for them.
I would urge the Council to discuss with local residents how we can use these facilities in a different and cost-effective way so that they are utilised fully and support those who are most in need.

Encouraging School Sports

2010-12-21T11:04:00.003Z

The Secretary of State for Education, the Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, has announced more detail on the Coalition Government's new approach on school sports that will embed competitive sport in schools across the country and increase participation.
The Secretary of State said: "I want competitive sport to be at the centre of a truly rounded education that all schools offer but this must be led by schools and parents, not by top-down policies from Whitehall. It's time to ensure what was best in School Sport Partnerships around the country is fully embedded and move forward to a system where schools and partnerships are delivering on sports with competition at the heart."
The Coalition Government has confirmed that School Sports Partnerships will be paid for the full school year to the end of the summer term 2011, at a cost of £47 million. In addition, a further £65 million will be paid to enable every secondary school to release one PE teacher for a day a week in the school year 2011/12 and 2012/13 to work out of the classroom, encouraging greater take-up of sport and securing a fixture network for schools to increase the amount of intra- and inter-school competition.
Lottery funding will also be deployed to build a framework of competitions as part of the new School Games. All schools will be invited to compete against one another in district competitions, leading to county festivals and even the chance to appear in the first national finals in Spring 2012, with events at the Olympic Stadium.
I met recently with Alan Watkinson and Helen Ives, Partnership Development Managers from each of the two School Sports Partnerships in the Hounslow Borough, together with Rory Mawn, School Sport Coordinator and several of the pupils who are Young Ambassadors for sport across the Borough. Alan explained that the Hounslow Schoool Sports Partnerships rank in the top 10 in partnerships nationwide, both in terms of the number of hours of physical activity being undertaken and for quality of the leadership and volunteering skills for the Young Ambassadors.
I was very impressed with their enthusiasm for the programme. It's great to see the commitment of the Young Ambassadors involved in this programme. I am a strong believer in the value of all kinds of sport and the benefits it can bring not only to general health and wellbeing but also to academic achievement and teamworking skills.
I hope that the recent announcement by the Secretary of State for Education will ensure the continuation of the good work being undertaken in Hounslow to involve young people in sport. I look forward to hearing more about how our schools will get involved in the upcoming Schools Event to ensure a lasting sporting legacy from the Olympics in 2012.

The Big Tree Plant Campaign

2010-12-21T10:39:00.003Z

Recently I raised a question in the House of Commons to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to emphasise how important our parks and green spaces are to our city life in London.
I asked the Secretary of State: "Green spaces and trees are vital in our cities, and I am fortunate that my constituency has many beautiful parks, including Dukes Meadows, Gunnersbury Park, Osterley Park, Boston Manor Park, Syon Park and Hounslow Heath. Can my Right Honourable Friend tell me what plans the Department has to plant many more trees across the city of London?"
The Secretary of State responded by encouraging the constituents of Brentford and Isleworth to participate in the Big Tree Plant Campaign, that was launched across the country at the beginning of December. The main aim is to encourage and support community groups to plant trees in neighbourhoods where people live and work. The hope is that at least one million trees can be planted in a mixture of strees, small groups of trees in green spaces and in other neighbourhood tree planting. The campaign will run over four years, 2011 - 2015, and will give £4 million in grants.
Not-for-profit groups or organisations in England, such as charity and voluntary groups that represent the interests of the local community, are eligible to apply. Although local authorities cannot apply directly, projects that are in partnership with local authorities are welcome to apply.
I would encourage everyone to get involved in the campaign, so that we can help maintain our idyllic corner of West London.
Further information is available on the website http://thebigtreeplant.direct.gov.uk/index.html and the initial deadline for submissions is 15 March 2011.

Hammersmith Cinema

2010-12-20T16:28:00.010Z

Like a lot of residents in Chiswick, I enjoy visiting the cinema on King Street, Hammersmith.
Hammersmith and Fulham Council are considering plans by developers to demolish the 1930s Art-Deco landmark, together with other neighbouring buildings, to make way for a new housing complex and supermarket
Some residents have mentioned to me that they would be sorry to see the cinema go. If you are concerned or have questions about the new development please get in touch with Hammersmith and Fulham Council.

Speaking Out in Hounslow

2010-12-13T10:22:00.006Z

I recently visited Hounslow Manor School to judge a public speaking competition for local schools. "Jack Petchey's 'Speak Out' Challenge!" run by SpeakersBank, part of the Speakers Trust charity, is the biggest public speaking event of its kind in the world. Initial rounds are taking place in over 550 schools across London and Essex.
Twelve secondary schools in Hounslow took part in this year's challenge, which involved 500 year 10 students, who all received a full day of training in public speaking and effective communication. The strongest pupil from each school was selected to go forward to a regional final of sixteen students speaking out passionately about issues important to them. Topics included Buses, Facebook, Beauty, Chocolate and the BNP.
Fifteen-year-old Fatima Mahmood from Cranford Community College won the top prize in the Hounslow final. Fatima's speech on her chosen subject, "Stereotyping Teenagers," won her an iPod Touch and a chance to go through to the grand final of the Speak Out Challenge in July 2011. The speech was described by SpeakersBank as "challenging and dramatic," calling on adults to put aside their prejudice and talk to teenagers to discover they are "humans with souls and feelings." I presented Fatima with her iPod and a trophy.
Second place was Leah Black from Hounslow Manor School, speaking on Parenting, and in third place was Ella Whidett from St Mark's Catholic School, who spoke on Prejudice.
It was a fantastic evening. The students were inspiring and so talented - a credit to themselves and their schools.
This initiative teaches young people the vital life skills of confidence in speaking in public and effective communication. This is crucial for so many situations later in life, from job interviews to every day in the working environment. Thanks to the "Speak Out Challenge" for giving students the opportunity to participate.
Sponsored by the Jack Petchey Foundation, and now in its fifth year, up to 20,000 young people are expected to compete for over £25,000 worth of prizes in this year's Grand Final of Jack Petchey's "Speak Out" Challenge.

Dangerous Dogs

2010-10-20T10:54:00.008+01:00

The problem of irresponsible dog owners and dog attacks seems to be on the increase in Hounslow, with some gang members using dogs as status symbols and weapons.

I have received several letters from local residents who are afraid to use local parks and green spaces for fear of being intimidated by dangerous dogs, and within the last month the Hounslow Chronicle has already reported on three savage dog attacks.

My colleague Angie Bray, neighbouring MP for Ealing and Central Action, and her Labour counterpart Steve Pound MP (Ealing North) will lobby the Government and Ealing Council for greater protection after a number of vicious attacks across the borough Ealing. Angie Bray MP said, "It is completely unacceptable that people can't enjoy their local park with their family and pets because of fear of attack by uncontrolled dogs. I shall continue to urge the Government to introduce tougher measures to tackle this growing menace."

I believe we need to be proactive on this issue and look into the laws to see what changes can be made to prevent further serious. Dog training is a simple way where dogs and their owners can be supported and helped.

No Women No Peace

2010-10-13T15:56:00.006+01:00

On Monday I went to support the launch of a new campaign for women living in conflict called No Women No Peace. It is a campaign by Gender Action for Peace and Security (GAPS UK), a network of 14 human rights and development organisations.

All over the world, women are prime targets during conflict. Rape, displacement, torture and kidnap are common experiences of women - yet when it comes to negotiating and building peace, women are often excluded.

The No Women No Peace campaign, launched to mark the 10 year anniversary of an important UN resolution, highlights the fact that without women's involvement peace will fail to meet the needs of 50% of the population.

The campaign launch in the House of Commons included a speech from the Foreign Secretary, the Rt Hon William Hague MP, and women's rights activist Wazhma Frogh.

I am proud an delighted to be able to lend my support to such a worthwhile cause. With women constituting half the world's population, it seems abundantly clear that they must be involved in peace making on both a local and global scale. I wish the campaign every success.

To get involved with No Women No Peace, visit http://www.nowomennopeace.org/

Support Hitz Rugby!

2010-10-12T11:08:00.004+01:00

Hitz is a social inclusion project run by the Rugby Football Union (RFU), operating in Redlees Park, Isleworth. It is designed to encourage young people who could otherwise potentially be at risk of exclusion and anti-social behaviour to get involved in constructive activities through the sport of Rugby Union. The project also aims to help break down barriers with the police and direct young people towards relevant training and volunteering opportunities. Hitz has been running since January 2010, across six London boroughs (Croydon, Ealing, Hackney, Hounslow, Islington and Southwark), and aims to reach 3,000 young people in the first year.

However, Hitz is in desperate need of further funding in order to continue its excellent work. The RFU has applied to the Mayor of London Sports Participation Fund, and last week I wrote to Mayor Boris Johnson to lend my support to this worthwhile project.

I will be attending a Hitz rugby match on Saturday 30th October to see the project in action.

Please visit their website, at http://hitzrugby.com/

Life at Westminster

2010-09-20T13:00:00.012+01:00

On Wednesday 8th September, I was interviewed by Jonathan Sheppard, Editor of toryradio.com.

I had a great time discussing life in Westminster, although, as you may know, since the interview was carried out, I have had to leave the Home Affairs Select Committee as I have been appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary to The Rt Hon Nick Herbert MP, Minister of State for Police Reform and Justice.

If you want to listen to my interview, please click on the following link:

http://toryradio.podbus.com/marymacleod.mp3

Boris standing for Mayor in 2012

2010-09-20T08:29:00.003+01:00

Great news that Boris Johnson is standing again for Mayor of London in 2012.

I think he has done a great job. He has been focusing on cutting crime, protecting green spaces, improving public transport, building more affordable housing and supporting London through a difficult recession. Much progress has been made...but there is more to be done, which is why we need Boris for another term as Mayor. This is after all as Boris says "the greatest city on earth"!

Try out his website on www.backboris2012.com

Support for Anti-Trafficking Campaign

2010-09-06T16:25:00.012+01:00

On Friday, two members of my staff and I visited The Body Shop store in Chiswick to show our support for a campaign by ECPAT UK and The Body Shop UK to combat child trafficking. We met and chatted with staff (including the manager of the store), and discussed their new campaign. It was a great opportunity to hear more about the campaign and learn how they are supporting it. We had a wonderful time trying all The Body Shop lotions and potions, including a new limited-edition handcream called "Soft Hands, Kind Heart" - the profits from which will be going towards funding the campaign.

ECPAT UK (End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes) is a leading children's rights organisation campaigning against the commercial sexual exploitation of children in the UK and on its international aspects. In particular, it focuses on the protection of trafficked children and children exploited in tourism and the prevention of such crimes.
ECPAT and The Body Shop have partnered in a three-year global campaign to stop the trafficking of children and young people, uphold their rights to be protected from exploitation and inspire long-term change to strengthen the protection offered to these children and young people. Together, they are spearheading an international petition calling on governments across the globe to put child trafficking on their agenda and banish this modern-day slave trade.

In the UK, ECPAT UK and The Body Shop UK are specifically calling on the Government to offer greater care and protection to child victims of trafficking by ensuring every child is provided with a guardian to look after them.

I was really heartened to hear about the excellent work ECPAT UK and The Body Shop UK are doing to tackle the trafficking of children and young people for exploitation of many kinds. This appalling form of modern-day slavery must be stamped out and I am very happy to support such efforts by putting my name to the petition. I also call on people in my constituency to sign the petition too, which can be found at www.ecpat.org.uk or in any The Body Shop store. It will be delivered to the UK Government in 2011.

Don't forget to buy your handcream!

Visit to Flooded Residents in Isleworth

2010-08-25T14:40:00.008+01:00

On Saturday 14th August I went down to the site of the burst water main in London Road, Isleworth, to see first-hand the effects of the massive flooding in the area.

Residents of 65 nearby homes have been temporarily re-housed at a local hotel, including 40 sheltered flats at Fenn House. I took the opportunity to visit these residents on Saturday, at their temporary hotel accomodation. I wanted to find out how they, and Thames Water, were coping with the devastating water damage and to offer help and support.

I was glad to meet local residents who have had a very difficult few weeks as a result of the water damage to their homes and it was useful to hear first-hand about the difficult situation in which they find themselves. A number of issues arose from our meeting, and we will work hard to help as much as we can to support residents as much as possible during this distressing time.

Playday Celebrated in Brentford

2010-08-05T12:12:00.015+01:00

Yesterday I took part in the local Playday, which was held in St Paul's Recreation Ground, on Lateward Road, Brentford. Locally coordinated by Alix Reeves of Westplay, the event saw a wide range of fun and engaging activities for children of all ages. Amongst other things, youngsters enjoyed participating in face-painting, t-shirt decorating, hat-making, steel drum playing, bubble blowing and real-life table football. Catering was organised by the Cafe of St Paul's Church in Brentford.

I met a team from Chiswick and Brentford Your Extended Services (YES), who were on hand to give information on Hounslow Council's Extended Services scheme (past events have included yoga for exam-age children, paediatric first aid courses and a Healthy Cooking Club). I also enjoyed lunch from the St Paul's Church Cafe, where I hold regular surgeries.

Playday is the annual celebration of children's right to play, coordinated by Play England. It is an annual campaign where, each year, thousands of children and young people get out and play at locally organised events, encouraging the development of community feeling in the process.

I think this is a wonderful initiative. Play is an essential part of every child's life and is vital to their development. When I was a child, we were able to play freely in the streets and in the parks, and enjoy the great outdoors. Many children now do not get that opportunity.

The event was a chance for children to have a wonderful time together in a safe environment, and gives the community an occasion to come together. I look forward to seeing similar events locally in the future. Well done to the Playday team and the local volunteers!

Opening Indian Affair in Hounslow

2010-07-05T17:45:00.009+01:00

I was delighted to be asked to attend the recent opening of the Indian Affair restaurant in Hounslow which is under new management.

Restaurants like Indian Affair are an important part of our economy and community.

I received a very warm welcome at the opening of the Indian Affair and certainly enjoyed the food that I tried. I look forward to returning in the near future to sample more of the delights from the menu. All the best to the team there in their new venture!

My Maiden Speech

2010-06-14T20:22:00.004+01:00

Making a maiden speech is a landmark for any new Member of Parliament. I did mine on Thursday last week in the Chamber during the Poverty debate. Do have a listen and hear my summary of the constituency and what I would like to do for local residents.

http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?meetingid=6333
move timer to 06:02:50

My First Surgeries

2010-06-05T23:47:00.005+01:00

Yesterday was my first surgery as the local Member of Parliament. It was a packed schedule in Hounslow Community Hall, with lots of residents wanting to meet with me to discuss their issues. I followed this up with another surgery today in Chiswick Town Hall. I listened to a range of issues - all of which were really important to each person.

This is a major part of what being a Member of Parliament is about. Trying to help local people with their specific concerns and to improve their lives on an individual level.

I will follow up with all these issues when I am back in the House of Commons on Monday as it is important to get a response back to people as quickly as possible. I always try and put myself in their shoes...."if this was the issue affecting me, how would I feel?". At the moment, whilst we still don't have an office, it may not be possible to get back to residents as quickly as I would like, but I will make every effort to do so.

An Election Won....

2010-05-09T12:12:00.012+01:00

Election day has been and gone..!

I would like to personally thank all those (20,022 people) who voted for me on Thursday. You have put your trust in me as your Member of Parliament and I appreciate your support.

The residents of Chiswick, Brentford, Isleworth, Osterley and Hounslow have voted for change and a new start. I will work tirelessly for everyone in this constituency and do all I can to bring real change that improves life here for us all.

My heartfelt thanks to you all and I look forward to working with you in the years ahead.

PS Thanks to my amazing team who worked so hard to get the right result.

Photo 1: Mary with her Campaign Director, Barbara Reid

Photo 2: Mary with her sister Liz at the Count just after results had been announced

William Hague meets Chiswick residents

2010-05-05T14:49:00.004+01:00

I was delighted that William Hague, the Shadow Foreign Secretary, spent his Bank Holiday Monday meeting with us, meeting people in Chiswick. He walked the length of the High Road, speaking to local residents.

His message was clear. If residents want a change from Gordon Brown and this tired Labour government, it can only be achieved by voting Conservative at the General Election.

A crowd of local residents gathered at Sir William Hogarth’s statue, and William Hague took to his soapbox to tell everyone listening that only the Conservative Party can deliver the change that is needed for the country. He also encouraged everyone to vote for me!

Every vote counts in this General Election as it is a tight contest between Labour and Conservative. Only by voting Conservative on Thursday will you get a new government that will start to rebuild this country on Friday. A vote for the Liberal Democrats is a vote for five more years of Gordon Brown.

Please vote for change.

Chiswick, Brentford, Isleworth, Osterley and Hounslow need change!

2010-05-04T08:29:00.003+01:00

With only a few days to go, I wanted to give you a few reasons for why I would like you to vote Conservative on May 6th.

Reason No 1

The Labour government and Gordon Brown have backed a Third Runway all the way. Labour still does. So, returning a Labour government or a Labour-led coalition keeps a Third Runway high on the government agenda. Only a Conservative government will stop the Third Runway and introduce a better transport policy - not just for this constituency but also for London and the UK.

If you want a local candidate who will support local residents on this issue and stop the third runway, then vote for me.

And if you want to know more about our policies in this area click here:
http://www.conservatives.com/Policy/Where_we_stand/Transport.aspx

Other reasons to follow!

2010-04-29T12:08:00.002+01:00

The first hustings meeting took place in Brentford last week. I thought it was a good session with some great questions from the floor.

Unfortunately Ann Keen, my Labour opponent, was not able to be there, which was very disappointing. I was looking forward to the opportunity of debating with her. These public meetings are good for democracy and allow local residents to get involved in the political process. It is important though, that all those invited make every effort to be there.

Thanks to Brentford Chamber of Commerce and others who organised the evening.

St George's Day Celebrations at Brentford FC

2010-04-27T17:36:00.003+01:00

I was delighted to be invited to join in the St George's Day celebrations at Brentford FC on Saturday 24th April, which were aptly sponsored by St George PLC - I even wore a red jacket in honour of the occasion and to show my support of The Bees! The sun shone for what was a fabulous family day out with face painting, balloons, art projects and of course the match between Brentford FC and Yeovil Town to entertain all.

The Bees fought back from a goal down to maintain their impressive unbeaten run, with Sam Saunders scoring his first goal for the club and picking up the Man of the Match award in the process.

It was a great day out and I am very happy to see Brentford FC in such an impressive position in the League after their promotion from League 2 last year.

I look forward to working with everyone at the Club, if I am elected as MP, to build for the future and the new stadium at Lionel Road.

Cameron in the Constituency

2010-04-13T15:56:00.002+01:00

It was a great pleasure to welcome David Cameron to the constituency on Monday.

We had a great time being shown around the Fuller’s brewery – one of the constituency’s best known employers and most iconic landmarks.

David also spent time taking questions from staff and talked about how Labour has failed both employers and employees. Under Labour, the state has got too big and the private sector – the wealth creater – has got too small.

When Labour came to power, state debt as a percentage of GDP was just over 40% – but it is now over 53% and STILL growing. The recession simply made things worse, as the country is now saddled with debt which costs more in interest than the education budget. Labour’s plans to tax jobs by increasing the rate of National Insurance contributions rather than making the billions in efficiency savings they admit they could make prove they don’t understand (or care) about the needs of employers. Rather than tackle waste, Labour simply put up taxes instead and go into more debt.

Our message is clear. A Conservative Government will not make it more expensive to employ people, will not increase the cost of National Insurance and will make it easier for employers to employ new staff. We will tackle unemployment - not by politically manipulating figures or through centralised Government schemes, but by setting free businessess and small firms to create new jobs.

Business simply cannot afford Labour’s job tax – and only the Conservatives will protect the interest of the business community, enabling them to create wealth, jobs and prosperity for all.

The NHS – don’t believe Labour’s spin!

2010-04-13T15:49:00.003+01:00

It has been a very busy first few days of the election. As well as canvassing and delivering, on Saturday ‘Team Macleod’ ran a street stall talking about the NHS - which David Cameron has made his ‘number one priority’.

Voters are naturally interested in what we have to say about the NHS – afterall, the vast majority of people depend upon it for their healthcare. Well, despite Labour’s lies and scare tactics, our manifesto commitment is clear – a Conservative Government will invest even more money in the NHS, improve front line services by cutting waste and bureacracy, empower patients by giving them more say over where and when they get treated and set free clinicians to make decisions based on clinical need – not political expediency. We will be challenging the targets' culture and through a £300 million fund, ensure that those suffering from cancer yet denied life-saving drugs are given the treatment they need!

We had some great conversations with people, and one lady – a life-long Labour voter who works in the NHS as a paramedic – told us why she was going to vote Conservative on May 6th. She was fed up with paperwork getting in the way of treating her patients, fed up with her workload being dictated by political targets rather than clinical need, and fed up with the waste and inneficiency she sees at work every day.
The Labour Party like to think that the NHS is their natural territory – but after 13 years of failure, waste and political meddling, it is only the Conservative Party which has the energy and ideas to make the NHS work better for the people of this country.

On the Campaign Trail

2010-04-12T00:05:00.004+01:00

The first week of the election campaign has gone. It started on Tuesday, attending the David Cameron's campaign launch at County Hall and since then we have been at tube stations, train stations and on the streets to meet local residents.

The next four weeks will be the chance for each politician to put their manifesto to the British people. We do not know what the result will be ...but people will have their say at the ballot box.

This is your opportunity to vote for change. Change the Economy, change Society and change Politics. Your vote matters, now more than ever. Your vote can change the local Member of Parliament and can also change the government of this country.

Photo: with supporters outsideTurnham Green tube station

We now get the chance to VOTE FOR CHANGE

2010-04-06T14:15:00.011+01:00

So, we're off.
On May 6th, the voters of Chiswick, Brentford, Isleworth, Osterley and Hounslow will get the chance to choose their Member of Parliament.

I can offer ten good reasons why it is time for change:

1. A Conservative government will say NO to a Third Runway.

2. We will fight crime and control immigration.

3. We will back the NHS

4. We will tackle poverty and support business

5. We will change politics and rebuild trust

6. We will keep council taxes low

7. We will improve safety

8. We will cut graffitti and improve the environment

9. We will increase recycling

10. We will introduce a new free, non-selective Academy school in the borough

VOTE FOR CHANGE!

Photo: Mary at David Cameron's campaign launch today in Westminster

At the Boat Race in Chiswick

2010-04-06T14:14:00.006+01:00

The Boat Race is always a great day and this year was no exception.

There was an excellent atmosphere at Chiswick Pier, as Oxford and Cambridge battled it out on the Thames, cheered on by locals. Thanks to the residents who offered me a glass of wine as I passed with a mass of blue balloons!

Local Issues by Candidates

2010-04-01T16:42:00.008+01:00

ChiswickLife TV asked Ann Keen, Andrew Dakkers and I to come into their studios in Chiswick and answer some questions about our policies. The interviews with Andrew and I are now available on their site:
http://www.chiswicklife.tv/MaryMacleod

Brentford School for Girls

2010-03-30T08:46:00.010+01:00

London Mayor Boris Johnson visited the constituency again yesterday. He did a Question & Answer session with pupils at Brentford Girls School, yesterday, which I had the pleasure to be at along with members of Housnlow council.

It was a typical energetic performance from Boris, who answered a bag full of questions from the smart, well behaved girls at the school: the Olympics, food, cycling, trains, buses, walking and crime all came up. My only surprise, given last week’s High Court decision, was that there were no questions on Heathrow!

Education is a key policy area for a potential Conservative administration so if you want more details see here: http://www.conservatives.com/Policy/Where_we_stand/Schools.aspx

A victory on Heathrow

2010-03-29T01:05:00.003+01:00

Congratulations to everyone involved in the campaign to stop the third runway at Heathrow. Friday's decision at the High Court shows clearly that Labour's transport policy is now in tatters. The decision is one I welcome as I have been part of the team fighting against a third runway for the last three years.

Labour should stop and listen to local people. The majority of residents are against the third runway and so they should take account of what they say. Within hours, transport secretary, Lord Adonis, was quoted by the BBC saying "Today's judgement marks no change whatsoever in the policy on Heathrow." This government has clearly been in power too long. It has lost touch with the electorate.

As long as Labour remain in power, a third runway remains a real threat. A vote for Ann Keen is a vote for a third runway.

If you haven't read details of the decision yesterday, this article from the Independent covers it well. In the picture, you'll also see Barbara Reid, a local Conservative Councillor, on the far right waving the judgement papers along with Justine Greening MP.

http://bit.ly/9yJn0k

An Empty Budget

2010-03-27T01:01:00.002Z

It was incredible this week that the Chancellor announced such a weak and empty budget.

With all the problems that we have right now as a country, there was no sign in this budget of a new vision to boost our economy. We were the last economy out of the recession and we are now facing real issues. The Government is constantly borrowing more money ...but you do not build an economy through continual borrowing. The budget showed that Labour have no plans for how to get us out of this huge deficit problem and what needs to be done to support businesses going forward.

What we need right now is strong leadership and a strong vision. The only Party offering this is the Conservatives under David Cameron.

Nick Hurd MP on Charities and Volunteering

2010-03-15T03:05:00.002Z

Nick Hurd MP, Shadow Minister for Charities and Volunteering, visited us in Chiswick this week to talk to us about the General Election and about the need for change. He emphasised the Conservative Party's commitment to saying 'no' to a third runway.

Polls are not looking great right now, so there is still a lot of work to do if we want to avoid a hung Parliament. Every vote will count in the next General Election. It will be a vote for change.

Photo: Mary with Nick Hurd MP

The Iron Lady in Chiswick

2010-03-11T14:00:00.007Z

A crowd of local residents gathered in Chiswick on Saturday to meet Baroness Thatcher. I invited Lady Thatcher and Gerald Howarth MP, the Shadow Minister for Defence (who is also a local resident) to meet people at The Station House in Chiswick.

Lady T is an amazing woman who, in her time as Prime Minister, truly changed and shaped the world. She had courage, determination, a real vision and an inner strength to make difficult decisions.

Naturally, not everyone agreed with everything she did when she was Prime Minister, but I believe she was deeply respected as someone who believed strongly in the United Kingdom, stood up for our country, did what she thought was right and had a profound impact on the world.

We need more people in politics who, like her, speak their mind, who are focused on doing the right things for the people of this country and create a lasting legacy for future generations to come.

If I am given the honour after the next General Election, of being a Member of Parliament, my aim will be to also create a lasting legacy – one of a stronger community, where there is less poverty, more aspiration and hope, where people believe anything is possible, no matter who they are or where they come from.

Photo: Mary and Lady Thatcher in The Station House

A vote for Keen is a vote for Heathrow

2010-02-23T14:56:00.002Z

Starting today, the Labour Government’s plans to expand Heathrow stands on trial. A coalition of local authorities and other opponents of this potentially disastrous policy have taken the Government to the High Court.

Put simply, their case is that the consultation on Heathrow expansion was flawed and that the creation of a third runway is at odds with climate change targets.

Local Conservatives and I have been helping in this fight for a long time now with many others. It is clear to me that the majority of local residents don’t want the third runway and I know it will only lead to more noise, pollution, congestion and environmental damage.

A third runway can only mean a lower standard of living for too many local people and I am against it.

So I am backing the campaigners in court today in their efforts to stop this potentially disastrous policy.

I’d urge locals to remember that a vote for Ann Keen is a vote for a Third Runway. A vote for the Conservatives will stop a third runway.

Barbara Reid, local conservative councillor, has been a long and fervent campaigner against Heathrow. Here's a short film of her and I on the issue.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZWTzjp5H5g&feature=youtu.be&a

Let's be more transparent

2010-02-12T10:41:00.004Z

Billions are being wasted each year on bureaucracy and failed projects in government. It is about time something was done about this. We need change so that tax-payers money is used more effectively. I believe we should decentralise, be more accountable and transparent, to reduce dramatically the cost of government.

A Conservative government has promised to:
- put online all national government spending over £25,000
- put online the salaries and expenses of the 35,000 most senior civil servants
- abolish any quangos that do not perform a technical function or act independently
- open up government data and publish datasets in full and online
- not start any ICT projects without checking lower cost options

This is a start and will make an immediate difference.

Should MPs be put on trial?

2010-02-08T08:44:00.003Z

Three Labour MPs and a Conservative member of the House of Lords are to be prosecuted for their expenses. The Conservatives have already withdrawn the whip from Lord Hanningfield after he was charged with false accounting over his expenses.

It is incredible that the three Labour MPs are trying to hide behind 'parliamentary priviledge' to avoid prosecution. It is a complete abuse of power.

If Gordon Brown is so keen to reform Parliament, then why does he not come out and insist that they must face court? It is so important to resolve this expenses issue as soon as possible or the public will never trust politicians again.

Funding the Campaign

2010-02-02T23:12:00.003Z

I was interviewed by Channel 4 in Chiswick today about how we fund our campaign. Not included in the final film footage were some key points:

1. The Conservative Party is funded by many donors, not just Lord Ashcroft.
2. The election campaign locally is funded by a range of individual donors, as well as receiving some financial support from Conservative HQ.
3. My Labour opponent's campaign is funded by the £10,000 taxpayer-funded Communications Allowance. The Labour Party is also sponsored by the Unions, including the Transport and General Workers Union.

Fighting a 3rd Runway

2010-02-02T15:39:00.006Z

If you're interested in taking steps against a 3rd runway at Heathrow, Cllr Barbara Reid, a Hounslow Councillor and long term campaigner against Heathrow expansion, explains what local Conservatives have been doing and how you can get involved.
Heathrow expansion is a critical issue nationally and locally, and so I have pledged my support to put a stop to the 3rd runway.

See Barbara here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZWTzjp5H5g

William Hague on Brentford and Hounslow

2010-01-26T13:15:00.008Z

Last week, Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague visited Brentford to give a talk on local issues. He outlined Conservative policy on Heathrow and other issues such as the economy.

To hear him talk see below.

Willliam Hague speaks out against a 3rd Runway

2010-01-20T14:53:00.006Z

Rt Hon William Hague MP, Shadow Foreign Secretary, visited the constituency this week.

He condemned Labour for its support of a third runway at Heathrow and restated the Conservative Party's opposition to it. He said that a fourth Labour term would mean a third runway and Labour will look for ways to expand Heathrow.

Just like him and so many others in the constituency, I’m opposed to plans for a third runway which will damage the lives of millions with noise, pollution and congestion, and will harm the environment. If you are against a third runway, then please vote Conservative at the next election...as this is the only way to stop it happening. I will continue the fight for you.

Photo: Cllr Mark Bowen (candidate Feltham & Heston, Rt Hon William Hague MP, Mary Macleod

A New Year - 2010

2010-01-19T18:19:00.002Z

A belated Happy New Year to you all!

Where have I been since the 1st January, you may ask? Well...between work and the campaign, it has been a very busy start to 2010 and I have hardly had a moment to spare to keep my blog updated. I hope to do better in the forthcoming weeks!

I want this to be a year for change politically and locally in our communities. We need change to get the country back on its feet again...to allow people to be responsible and be able to aspire. We need a united team leading this country. I hope when the General Election comes, that it will be the Conservative Party that will take the helm and take Britain forward to a brighter and stronger future.

2010 may also be a year of change for me personally. You, the voter, can determine that! Time will tell...

I do hope that 2010 brings to you good health, much happiness and a belief in a better tomorrow.

Brentford FC Community Sports Trust..doing great work!

2009-12-15T14:58:00.004Z

Last week, I attended an event at the new Audi centre in Brentford to celebrate the achievements of the Brentford Football Club Community Sports Trust over the last two years.

Brentford FC Community Sports Trust started out as a football-based charity and they now offer some 27 different sports and other educational activities to more than 27,800 children in the area. They have achieved so much over the past two years with 179 projects currently across health, social inclusion, education and sports participation.

I recently saw some of this work, when I visited Brentford FC with Jeremy Hunt MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. We were shown several examples of work that is done in the community, including local schoolchildren enjoying their kayaking lesson at the Kew Boating Arch. Might be tempted to join them next time!

The work that the Brentford FC Community Sports Trust is an inspiration to others. They have shown real leadership and commitment to working within the local community and making a difference to young people by giving them opportunities to develop and learn.

P.S. I was at Griffin Park on Saturday afternoon and was thrilled to watch The Bees take a point from the mighty Leeds United. Well done to the team.

Chiswick Remembers

2009-11-12T08:17:00.005Z

A large crowd came out at the weekend to mark Remembrance Sunday at the War Memorial at Turnham Green.

Wreaths were laid by the Mayor of Hounslow, Cllr Paul Lynch, our local VC veteran and many others. This was followed by a service in Christ Church Turnham Green, led by the Vicar, Mr Matt Boyes.

It was a lovely ceremony and service. The Mayoress' reading (Prudence Lynch) was especially moving as we remembered the brave soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and veterans who have played a vital role in the defence of our country.

We owe it to those in the military, many of whom are still in Iraq and Afghanistan, making sacrifices to ensure our security and freedom at home. We appreciate what they have done and are doing.

We will continue to remember them.

Photo: Mary Macleod with Mayor Cllr Paul Lynch, our local VC veteran and the Lord Lieutenant outside Christ Church Turnham Green

Stop Human Trafficking

2009-10-15T07:01:00.005+01:00

Last night I was at a Helen Bamber charity event in Ronnie Scott's. Great evening organised by Stephen and Trixie Brenninkmeijer with support from Emma Thompson.

The Helen Bamber Foundation is a human rights charity, working with survivors of human rights violations. Do you know that children are sold for as little as $20 each? Do you know that 2-4 million men, women and children are trafficked across borders and within their own country every year? More than one person is trafficked across a border every minute, which is equivalent to five jumbo jets every day. It is a trade that earns twice as much worldwide revenue as Coca Cola. It needs to be stopped.
http://www.helenbamber.org/

2009-10-11T16:38:00.008+01:00

The political conference season is over, which for most people will be a blessed relief. But with the economy struggling and unemployment rising, the need for a change is growing.

The economy is critical and that's why at the Conference, Conservatives outlined how they will aim to tackle the mess we're in.

There are a number of key pledges for council tax payers, business, first time buyers and pensioners:

- freeze council tax for two years
- introduce a £50bn National Loan Guarantee Scheme to underwrite bank lending to businesses and get credit flowing again
- provide tax cuts for new jobs with a £2.6bn package of tax breaks to get people into work
- abolish Stamp Duty for nine out of ten first-time buyers
- raise the Inheritance Tax threshold to £1 million
- cut the main rate of corporation tax to 25p and the small companies' rate to 20p

Policies like these will have a positive impact not just nationally but on the people and businesses in Chiswick, Brentford, Isleworth, Osterley & Hounslow and I'd urge you to find out more about our economic plans by clicking on the link below.

http://www.conservatives.com/Policy/Where_we_stand/Economy.aspx

Labour cuts back on right to buy

2009-10-11T16:28:00.004+01:00

With housing such a high profile issue locally, courtesy of a group of squatters, I thought it was worth highlighting what a Conservative government plans for social housing.

The goal is to extend the opportunity for social tenants across England, by:

- Rewards for good behaviour: Offering tenants with a record of five years’ good tenant behaviour a 10% equity share in their social rented property, which can be cashed in when they want to move up the housing ladder.
- A ‘Right to Move’: Introducing a comprehensive national mobility scheme for good tenants who wish to move to other social sector properties.
- Supporting low-cost housing sector: Strengthening shared ownership schemes which allow those on intermediate incomes to part-own their home.
- Cutting waiting lists: Relaxing the rules that prevent thousands of habitable empty properties being used to house those on local authority waiting lists.

Labour has cut back on council tenants' ‘right to buy’, making it increasingly hard for people on lower incomes to own their own homes. We want to find ways to help tenants get into the property ladder.

An independent report commissioned by the Government has highlighted the benefits of the Right to Buy in promoting home ownership, giving people a stake in the state of their neighbourhood and creating mixed communities:

“The Right to Buy was one of the most successful housing policies… because the policy enabled many households to become owner-occupiers who would not otherwise been able to do so… It has been a positive influence in maintaining mixed communities in spatial terms. It has also provided a cheaper access point into owner-occupation for lower income employed households helping to sustain mixed communities are these properties are transferred into the market.’

(ODPM, Lessons from the past, challenges for the future for housing policy)
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/evaluationenglish

I’d be interested in your views on this, of course.

And if you’d like to know more about Conservative policy in this area check this out:http://www.conservatives.com/News/News_stories/2009/02/Our_plan_to_tackle_Britains_social_housing_crisis.aspx

My Commitment to You on Expenses

2009-08-26T07:44:00.006+01:00

Ever since the details of MP’s expenses were first published, people have been furious about the excessive, unacceptable and possibly illegal claims made by some of the people representing us in the House of Commons. As your local Conservative candidate, I want to make it clear to you that I will not play the system or bend the rules. Instead, I will abide by the standards that politicians expect others to live by.

When I was first selected for this constituency, I made it clear that if I was fortunate enough to be elected as the Member of Parliament for this area, I would not be claiming an additional central London home from the tax-payer. I am now making clear other specific commitments I will make to ensure that we rebuild trust back into the political process. I am giving local residents a clear choice between Ann Keen and I. One of the key differences will be on our approach to expenses.

If I am elected as Member of Parliament at the next General Election, I promise to:

Not claim the allowance for an additional home in the centre of London.
Publish on my website details of all my office expenses incurred as the Member of Parliament.
Publish on my website details of all donations above £1,000, in line with Electoral Commission rules.
Open up my unedited expenses claims to local newspapers at the end of every financial year.
Never claim for day-to-day living expenses such as food, furniture or household goods.
Hold regular surgeries so that local residents can ask directly about issues important to them.

Hounslow Crime Survey

2009-08-24T10:12:00.004+01:00

There’s no doubt in my mind that one of the key roles of government is to keep us safe from crime and criminals. If we aren’t safe in our homes and on our streets, then we will never create a just and successful society.

Sadly though, no society has ever been crime-free. I guess, sadly, it never will.

But government can change the policy framework and working environment for the experts – the police, the criminal justice system, social workers and others working at the coal face – so they can get on with their jobs of preventing crime and punishing criminals.

We need a police force freed from pointless paperwork. We need more than just one in five knife criminals jailed: http://tinyurl.com/ko7ln3. Twelve years on, and Labour has failed us.

Earlier this year, I commissioned a survey about crime in the borough. The survey was sent to about 70,000 people across Chiswick, Brentford, Syon, Osterley and Hounslow. I reckon it must be one of the largest surveys on the subject done in the area.

The results will be available on my website very soon. But in the meantime, if you want to know more about what a Conservative administration would do on crime see the links below.

Conservatives on crime
http://www.conservatives.com/Policy/Where_we_stand/Crime_and_Justice.aspx

Should we be compassionate?

2009-08-19T04:04:00.002+01:00

This week, the Lockerbie bomber has dropped his second appeal against conviction. We are now waiting to hear if the Scottish Justice Secretary, Kenny MacAskill, will grant Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi, who has terminal cancer, early release on compassionate grounds or transfer him to a Libyan jail.

I believe Megrahi should serve out his sentence in Scotland. Justice means that he needs to do the life sentence for what he did. 270 lives were lost in the 1988 bombing.

This is about being compassionate for the victims and their families and not for the the person who did the crime.

Skyride for Cyclists - a great day!

2009-08-12T10:56:00.005+01:00

Even although I was feeling under the weather with a cold and cough, I managed to get out this weekend to participate in the Hounslow Skyride. There was an excellent atmosphere around Syon Park and Osterley Park where individuals, friends and families were all participating in a day of cycling around the Borough.

This was a great initiative from Boris Johnson and one that hopefully will encourage many people to cycle more. Great for health and great for the environment!

Boris Johnson in Hounslow today

2009-06-12T11:41:00.005+01:00

This afternoon, the Mayor of London is in Hounslow to celebrate the launch of Freewheel, Hounslow. http://www.london.gov.uk/freewheel/signup/

After his official duties, Boris will be joining me and some Councillors and doing a walkabout on the High Street. Please do come along and meet us at 4.30-5pm. We will be walking from School Road and heading west to Bell/Cressy Corner.

There are a lot of issues that Boris and I agree on. The most important being our opposition to Heathrow expansion.

Historic Defeat for Labour

2009-06-08T08:56:00.002+01:00

The European results last night were bad for Labour. They slumped to their worst post War election result. In the London region, Conservatives got the most votes and we have kept our three seats. Well done to Charles, Syed and Marina.

The Conservative agenda in Europe is a positive agenda for change in Europe: to drive forward open markets to help beat the recession, taking action on global warming and cutting the cost of Europe. I know the three London Conservative MEPs will work to deliver that. If you want to read the European Manifesto Conservatives stood on, follow the link below: http://www.conservatives.com/Policy/European_Election_Manifesto.aspx

All in all, then, the last seven days have been momentus for politics. Cabinet ministers coming and going randomly. Local government and European elections and, unfortunately, continuing chaos at the heart of Government. It all underlines the need to get on with a General Election. We need a government which is energised, focussed and disciplined. We need a new approach to the problems we face locally in this constituency and nationally. The Labour Party isn’t focussed, energised or disciplined. It has lost the confidence of (even) its core supporters (look at what happened in Wales) and its MPs are too busy bickering. To hear a more poetic explanation of why we need a general election, listen to Daniel Hannan MEP quoting Dr Seuss in a message to Gordon Brown:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8088562.stm

PS: If you’d like to keep abreast of what I’m up to you can also follow me via http://twitter.com/MaryMacleod4MP or join my Facebook group: http://tinyurl.com/pfnfb3

Post Election...

2009-06-05T08:10:00.004+01:00

Yesterday was a busy day. Election days always are!

I managed to get round all the wards in the constituency to talk to voters and the many Conservative supporters, who turned out to help (to all of them, my sincere thanks for all their efforts).

It'll be interesting to see what the actual turn out is. It was quiet in many places but it's hard to tell when many will have used a postal vote. My sense was that the sound of the Government falling to pieces up the road in Westminster distracted voters' attention from this European election. Which is a shame. Over 65% of our legislation gets decided in Europe so people should take an interest in what they are doing. We also need a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty and the Conservatives are the only Party that will deliver that.

Time for a General Election NOW!

2009-06-03T10:35:00.002+01:00

Today’s Guardian editorial says it all: ‘It is time to cut him [Gordon Brown] loose.’
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jun/02/editorial-gordon-brown-labour

The government and its leader have clearly lost the plot. In the midst of a deep recession and a crisis of confidence in the political system, we can’t afford a lame duck Prime Minister and government. As the Guardian says of Brown: ‘The truth is there is no vision from him, no plan, no argument for the future and no support.’

That’s why I and other Conservatives want a General Election now. Tomorrow’s local and European elections are a chance to get that message across to the electorate. In the case of Europe, there’s also the chance to demand the referendum on the Lisbon Treaty we have so far (and so shabbily) been denied by the Government (a right that the Liberals would also deny voters).

My hope is voters in Chiswick, Brentford, Isleworth, Osterley & Hounslow will turn out and vote in the EU elections. I (obviously) hope they’ll vote Conservative because I think our policies, our candidates and our approach is the right one (no pun intended). If you’re not yet decided or want to know more, I’d urge you to check out the following links:

Why we need a general election
http://www.conservatives.com/News/News_stories/2009/05/Cameron_calls_for_a_General_Election.aspx

Why Conservatives want a European Referendum
http://www.conservatives.com/Campaigns/Give_us_a_Referendum.aspx

Who the Conservative European candidates are
http://www.conservatives.com/People/Prospective_European_Parliamentary_Candidates.aspx

Support for Gurkhas

2009-05-12T11:18:00.004+01:00

On Saturday, I visited Dharma Tamang, the President of the Hounslow Branch of GAESCO (Gurkha Army Ex Servicemens Organisation).

Mr Tamang did a fantastic job last week on the Gurkhas' campaign when he appeared at the Home Office Select Committee to discuss Gurkha entry and residence rights. He then fought alongside Joanna Lumley in the campaign for ensuring there is justice for Gurkhas in allowing them stay in the UK.

I went to see him as I wanted to show my support to him and the work he is doing. I believe that people who fight for our country should have the right to come and live in our country. Former Gurkhas, and other foreign-born ex-service personnel, have already contributed to our society, and have therefore earned the right to come here. I am delighted that a Conservative Government would allow pre-1997 Gurkhas the right to settle in the UK.

Photo: Mary Macleod with Dharma Tamang and Cllr Paul Lynch in Hounslow

Women in the Conservative Party

2009-04-30T20:23:00.003+01:00

The Times printed an article this week which stated that the Conservative Party had made no improvement in getting more women into Parliament. It was complete nonsense.

The facts are:

a) 80 women have been selected, most selected in winnable constituencies. If the Conservatives are elected with an overall majority of just one seat they will have 55 Conservative female MPs. More than a threefold increase over the current number of 17 female MPs.

b) There are 7 women in the Shadow Cabinet. Given there are only 17 female MPs women, this means that more than 40% of our female MPs are in the Shadow Cabinet. This is a sign of how committed to women’s advancement David Cameron is.

I have fought long and hard to get more women into roles in public life and Parliament. No-one though should be given a role just because of their gender or race. It should be because they are the best person for the job with the right skills and experience. We want the best men and women in the Shadow Cabinet so that they can deliver much needed change for our country.

There is naturally more to be done of course to increase female representation at all levels of public life and we need to encourage more women to come forward to stand for election – both locally and nationally.

Photo: Theresa May MP, Mary Macleod and some of the female candidates who are standing at the next election

Shadow Justice Minister visits Isleworth

2009-04-29T11:29:00.006+01:00

David Burrowes MP, Shadow Justice Minister, visited the Hounslow Youth Offending Team last week in Isleworth at The Redless Centre in Redlees Park.

We got an excellent briefing on the Hounslow YOS and met a few young offenders who have been supported by the team.

This is such an important issue - making sure we give young people who have made a mistake, another chance in life. It is at this point that we can intervene and stop them creating a life of crime.

David was impressed with the work that was being done by the YOT, "I was very pleased to visit the Youth Offending Team with Mary and hear first hand from the team and also young offenders about how best to tackle youth crime. I was particularly impressed by the dedication and commitment of the YOT. It is important as we develop our policies that we learn from the good practice taking place in Hounslow . We need to ensure that we provide more opportunity for the local Council to have more responsibility for local young people who are in the criminal justice system, particularly when they end up in youth custody."

Photo: Mary with David Burrowes MP, Cllr Paul Lynch and Cllr Lin Davies (Cllr Barbara Reid is the photographer)

Class game shows to help learning

2009-04-17T09:21:00.004+01:00

The Government's latest proposal is to use TV quizes and game shows in the classroom to improve discipline and behaviour in schools.

As a school governor, I know how important it is to make classes as interesting as possible so that children learn. If children understand what is being taught and feel they are learning and achieving results... their behaviour improves. That does not mean however, that teachers have to resort to game shows. Let us leave teachers to define the instructional strategy they use as they are the experts. What is important that children are learning and getting the best education possible in whatever school they attend.

Discipline in the classroom is an issue and teachers do need more power to deal with it. If we can sort out bad behaviour at this early stage, then it will save us years of issues in the criminal courts.

Labour's Political Smears

2009-04-16T06:48:00.003+01:00

This last week has been an awful example of what people hate so much about politics. The games that politicians play to try and get one over their opponent.

The 'e-mail smears' scandal raises serious concerns about what is going on in 10 Downing Street. Although the Prime Minister is trying to distance himself from what is going on, the facts remain that it is all part of the Labour Party machine. Damian McBride was personally appointed by the Prime Minister and directly responsible to him. He worked alongside the Minister for the Civil Service, Tom Watson, at the heart of the Prime Minister's office.

The Prime Minister needs to tell us if he was aware of the proposed smears? Was he aware of the 'Red Rag' website to which they were to be sent? Was he aware that his advisers were involved with it? And did his Minister for the Civil Service have any knowledge of or involvement in it?

In my view, if this government can only make up lies to fight the Conservative Party... then they are not fit to govern.

We must once and for all, get rid of all political lies and smears that are just made up to take down an innocent person and get political advantage. We must clean up politics and bring respect and honesty back into politics. Lets fight on policy.

Fighting Crime Locally

2009-04-15T08:38:00.007+01:00

Chris Grayling MP, Shadow Home Secretary, visited the Borough on Wednesday 25th March to look at crime locally in Chiswick, Brentford, Isleworth, Osterley and Hounslow.

Chris began his visit by being part of a panel in Chiswick Town Hall at a public meeting that was open to all residents to look at ways of reducing crime in the local community. Superintendent Phipps from the Metropolitan Police, Cllr John Todd and Margaret Bourne from Victim Support also joined us on the panel.

Superintendent Phipps gave an excellent overview of crime locally and described the complexities of policing in the Hounslow Borough with 140 languages, between 212-260,000 people living in the area and with half of those arrested for petty crimes, testing positive for drugs. Progress had been made though with surveillance on gateways into high-risk burglary areas, following suspect vehicles and removing Class A drug dealers from the area.

Cllr John Todd highlighted the initiatives that the Council have undertaken in relation to reducing crime, including increasing CCTV cameras in underpasses, organising a leadership course for young people who have been in trouble and creating drink free zones.

Chris highlighted four areas which he saw as a priority:
1. zero tolerance on low level criminality such as broken wing mirrors, anti-social behavior and graffiti before it leads to more serious crimes
2. ending the caution culture that has developed to save police paperwork and achieve targets
3. reviewing the licensing laws
4. reducing the amount of paperwork that the police have to deal with.

Chris and I then went on a tour of the Borough with the Drugs Squad to see the impact of drugs locally and to hear what the police were doing to identify those involved in selling drugs and the challenges they had to deal with to ensure a conviction.

We really need to deal with burglaries, vehicle crime and drug-related crime to make sure we all are safe at home, at work, on the street and in the community. Drugs are having a detrimental impact on the lives of local residents and this issue needs to be dealt with.

Photo: Mary with Chris Grayling MP and Superintendent Phipps

The Battle of the Giants

2009-04-02T08:43:00.008+01:00

The 2009 Boat Race was as exciting as ever at the weekend.

It was the battle of the giants! When they weighed in at the Hurlingham Club in Fulham, the Oxford crew was the heaviest in the 180 year history of the event and Cambridge was the heaviest ever Light Blue crew.

Oxford got it right on the day this year with a win... although Cambridge are still ahead with 79 wins over 75.

Everyone at the Race seemed to really it - the atmosphere, the anticipation and the ice-cream! It is such a good example of a great community event.

Photo: Mary with her godson Mal

Crime Summit in Chiswick

2009-03-24T17:10:00.002Z

You are warmly invited to our Crime Summit tomorrow in Chiswick.

Date: Wednesday 25th March 2009
Time: 1230-1330
Venue: Chiswick Town Hall, Heathfield Terrace, Chiswick, W4 4JN

Panelists:
Chris Grayling MP, Shadow Home Secretary
Superintendent Phipps, Hounslow Borough Metropolitan Police
Cllr John Todd, local Chiswick Councillor
Margaret Bourne, Victim Support
Mary Macleod, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate (chair)

The panel will be there to take your questions and dicuss any concerns you may have. This is our chance to focus on reducing crime locally together and make sure we all are safe at home, at work, on the street and in the community.

All local residents, businesses and local organisations are welcome to attend.

David Cameron's son Ivan dies

2009-02-25T10:24:00.002Z

It was very sad news to hear today of David Cameron's eldest son Ivan dying in the early hours of this morning at St Mary's Hospital. Ivan, who was six years old, suffered from cerebral palsy and epilepsy. My thoughts and prayers are with David, Samantha, Nancy and Arthur and the extended family at this sad and difficult time.

Hearing of a death like this, reminds me how important it is that we make the most of each day. None of us, no matter what age we are, know how long we have in this world. Someone once said, "live each day as though it is your last". Sometimes we get so busy (especially me!) that we forget to "stand still and smell the roses" and enjoy each moment. We need to take time for ourselves, time for friends and family and time to reflect and remember how fortunate we are in so many ways.

Hounslow Community Reception with Baroness Warsi

2009-02-10T17:53:00.003Z

Last night Baroness Sayeeda Warsi was the guest of honour at our Hounslow Community Reception, kindly hosted by the Urban Spice restaurant.

Saira Khan, an entrepreneur and former contestant in ‘The Apprentice’ introduced Sayeeda to the guests. Saira talked about her experiences of being brought up in Britain and the values of hard work, focus and determination, which have helped her get to where she is now.

In her speech, Sayeeda mentioned how important it was to work across religious and ethnic groups and bring them together in the community. She did not feel that giving government funding to just one ethnic or religious organisation helped in creating community cohesion.

In my view, government funding should be given to local councils to distribute as a Community Cohesion grant. They can decide which organisations work best locally across all religious and ethnic groups, in building a stronger society, where people of all backgrounds live, study and work closely together within their local community.

Photo 1: Mary with Saira Khan and Sayeeda Warsi

Photo 2: Mr Pankaj Makol, Mr & Mrs Neeraj Makol and Mr Jaz Walia with Mary Macleod and Sayeeda Warsi at the Urban Spice restaurant, 159 Hanworth Road, Hounslow

Visit to the local Mosque

2009-01-27T15:17:00.010Z

I had a lovely visit recently to the Hounslow Jamia Masjid and Islamic Centre on Wellington Road South.

Tony Arbour AM, Cllr Mark Bowen, Cllr Barbara Reid, Christine Quick and Fauad Hafeez from Hounslow Central and Ranjiv Godfrey from Hounslow Heath also joined me there.

We were given a tour of the Centre and met the teachers and children of the school that is within the Centre. It was really interesting to get an insight into a Community Mosque and hear about the work that they do.

My thanks to all those who invited us there and made us feel so welcome.

Photo: Mary (centre) with Cllr Barbara Reid, Cllr Mark Bowen, Tony Arbour AM, Dr Mobhin, Mr A Majid, Mr Riaz Butt, Mr Saleem and Mr Karamat Malik.

Government give go-ahead for Third Runway

2009-01-19T13:44:00.002Z

Last week, the Government gave the go-ahead for a Third Runway at Heathrow.

This shows clearly that they have not listened to local people and that they do not care at all for the local environment. As Theresa Villiers, the Shadow Transport Secretary warned, “A third runway at Heathrow would inflict devastating damage to the environment and to the quality of life of millions of people and the Conservatives will fight them every step of the way.”

An increase of 222,000 extra flights a year will have a major impact of residents, and I, with Theresa, will continue to fight the Government's plans.

If you have been a Labour voter in the past but are against a Third Runway at Heathrow, please now vote for the Conservatives... so that we can stop these plans from being implemented.

Every child with £17k debt thanks to Labour

2009-01-13T10:39:00.004Z

George Osborne has just launched a poster campaign to highlight that every child in Britain is born owing £17,000 because of Labour’s Debt Crisis.

The stark reality is that under Labour, Britain’s national debt is set to double to over one trillion pounds in just five years. This will have to be paid back. Families will have to work longer and harder as they are facing a bill of more than £2,000 just to pay the interest on this debt.

Gordon Brown promised us no boom and bust......but what have we now got? Exactly that.

As a country, we need change now. We need a change for the better... before Gordon Brown does any more damage.

Can we stop expansion at Heathrow....yes we can!

2009-01-07T08:57:00.004Z

The government's latest plans for a rail link to Heathrow to serve a third runway appears as a last minute desperate measure to shore up their ill-conceived plans for expansion at Heathrow.

We already have proposed high speed rail as an alternative to a third runway. The government is now jumping on the bandwagon. It shows just how much trouble they are in with their expansion plans, which are opposed by 95% of local residents.

A third runway and mixed-mode operations would be disastrous for local people. There would be a 50% increase in flights and the respite that currently comes from runway alternation would be gone. It is immoral to expect people to live with that level of noise. I will continue to fight against expansion at Heathrow and to safeguard and improve quality of life for local residents.

I have invited Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon to visit the constituency before making his final decision but have not yet had a response from him. Wonder why?

Chiswick pensioners - not alone at Christmas

2009-01-02T12:43:00.004Z

On Christmas Day, I went along to the 'Pensioners Alone at Christmas' lunch in Chiswick with Cllr John Todd and Cllr Gerald McGregor.

It was a superb event and wonderfully organised by Pauline Hart. Pauline (who has been doing this for over twenty years) and her team of volunteers collect pensioners in the morning from around the Chiswick area and then give them a fabulous Christmas dinner in the Bridge Street Chiswick Day Care Centre.

The pensioners, who otherwise would have spent the day alone, were thrilled to have a Christmas lunch organised for them and to get together with others to have a fun afternoon.

Congratulations to Pauline and the volunteers for yet again making the day really special for so many.

Photo: Mary and Cllr John Todd with some of the pensioners attending the lunch

Nearing the end of the year...

2008-12-29T16:54:00.006Z

It has been great to meet so many people during the past year whilst I have been out and about in the constituency. A way of listening to your concerns.

The strong message I am hearing throughout the constituency, is that it is time for change. As the Government’s disastrous economic policies bite, people are increasingly worried about their jobs, their homes and their families. Like them, I want to see a change for the better and that means a Conservative government. I am ready, willing and able to serve the people of Chiswick, Brentford, Isleworth, Osterley and Hounslow, so let’s have the election now.

As we move into 2009, I want us all to be able to hope and dream of better times. I want to help build a stronger society locally where people work together in communities, sharing responsibility, trusting and supporting each other. I want to create a future where people believe that anything is possible – a future where everyone is given the support, skills and opportunity to be the best they can be. I want to give more people power over their lives, I want to make families stronger and society more responsible and I want to make our community safer and greener.

I wish you all, no matter who you are or how you vote, a very happy and peaceful Christmas and New Year. I look forward to meeting many more of you in 2009 and beyond...

P.S. Thanks for reading my blog!

Boxing day comes early for youngsters at the Brentford Towers

2008-12-11T12:39:00.006Z

Brentford Towers Residents Association began their festive celebrations in style last week by taking young people off the street and into a makeshift gym at one of the tower blocks on Green Dragon Lane. The Mixed Martial Arts and Boxing class, involved bringing two external instructors from St Mary’s University to give Brentford’s young people a lesson in self defence and fitness.

It is encouraging to see that local people are finding new, great ideas of how to improve their own community and taking responsibility for making it happen. This was an excellent initiative and really benefited the young people who took part. We should try and do more of them elsewhere in the Borough.

Well done to Jane Griffith, chairman of the Residents Association at the Brentford Towers. A great example to others.

Save a London Park please!

2008-12-10T11:20:00.008Z

Please vote in Boris Johnson’s new initiative, where Londoners can vote for the park they think should get GLA funding.

Two parks from the London Borough of Hounslow have made it onto the shortlist and could get a grant of up to £400,000 to make the park cleaner, safer, greener and nicer places to visit. It is important that we get the maximum funding possible as good parks make such a difference to living in a city.

Redlees Park:

The aim for Redlees Park in Isleworth is to make the park fun, welcoming and a high quality environment for local people. A grant would help to improve the entrances, display sculptures by local artists, provide local history information, develop a trim trail, develop facilities for young people and re-open the toilets!

Crane Valley Park:
The Crane Valley Park is a valuable wildlife corridor through west London on Hounslow Heath. A grant could help more people to enjoy this interesting area with improved footpaths and cycle routes, resting points with attractive carved benches, new signage, a new footbridge across the river, improved wildlife habitat and increased staff presence to help people feel safe.

Voting closes on 30th January 2009 and you can vote online, request a postal vote or vote by text
Web: visit http://www.london.gov.uk/parksvote/vote/
Text: text 'parks' and your full London post code to 62967 to vote for your nearest park
Post: call the Public Liaison Unit on 020 7983 4100 and request a form.

Photo - Mary in Redlees Park in Isleworth at the Urban Games this summer with Cllr Lin Davies, the Mayor of the London Borough of Hounslow and Cllr Pam Fisher

Brown’s Tax Bombshell

2008-12-03T11:10:00.002Z

The Government has published their Pre-Budget Report. Their new tax and spending proposals show their plans for higher taxes and record levels of national debt. It includes:

- above inflation hikes (4.5%) in council tax which will be forced on local authorities from this April
- National Insurance will be increased for workers and for local firms
- National debt will hit £1,000,000,000,000 (one trillion pounds)
- Plans are being drawn up to increase VAT to 18.5%

I am extremely concerned about record levels of debt, higher council tax and higher National Insurance on families and businesses. How do we differ, you may ask? Our plan is to:

- freezing council tax for two years by cutting wasteful Government spending
- reducing employment costs for small businesses by cutting National Insurance and a tax break for new jobs
- getting credit flowing by guaranteeing lending to business

We need to find long term solutions to this economic crisis as the impact of this recession will be felt by individuals, families and businesses for the next 4-5 years.

We must learn from Baby P

2008-12-01T22:03:00.007Z

The damning inspectors report was published today into the sufferings of Baby P.

Baby P died aged 17 months, although he was on the child protection register and had been seen by professionals 60 times. Incredible that a mother could inflict abuse on her own child. Baby P had over 50 injuries but yet nothing was noticed. This horrific abuse is yet another example of 'a broken Britain' as this case is not alone.

It brings up some serious questions about what we expect and demand from our public servants. We need to understand what happened, what went wrong, who was responsible, so that we can learn from it and make sure it never happens again.

The inspectors found systemic failings within Children's Services and Haringey Council must take responsibility for this. If only something had been done earlier by someone. A life might have been saved.

An End to the Borrowing Binge

2008-11-19T08:09:00.002Z

David Cameron warned yesterday about the Labour borrowing binge which will eventually have to be paid for through higher taxes.

We have always been the low tax Party ... and so it was great to hear the Leader talk about fiscal responsibility and permanent funded tax cuts with the Conservatives. We are in a recession right now, but we want recovery as quickly as possible. We therefore need to start managing public spending better so that we can get the economy back on that road to recovery.

As a Party, we are now not going to match the Labour unsustainable spending plans for 2010 and beyond. It is not affordable. We need to stop the growth in spending or there will be huge tax rises in the years to come.

There is a clear choice between Labour and Conservative. Labour with more economic mismanagement and the same old short-term policies....or the Conservatives with a long-term vision which is more responsible, more balanced with new ideas for the future.

We will remember them ...

2008-11-09T21:50:00.006Z

Today I was in Isleworth for the Remembrance Day service, organised by the Isleworth branch of the Royal British Legion.

We marched to the War Memorial on Twickenham Road, led by the Pride of Moray pipe band. It is now 90 years after the end of the first world war... and young and old were there today to remember the many men and women who gave their lives for their country ...

"When you go home, tell them of us and say -
For your tomorrow we gave our today."

The service finished with singing:

O God our help in ages past, our hope for years to come
Our shelter from the stormy blast, and our eternal home.

May all those who are serving their country right now be kept safe and return home soon to their loved ones.

How important it is for us to support our troops and the work they do.

Photo: Mary laying a wreath at the War Memorial on Twickenham Road

Good news for Gordon at the Glenrothes by-election

2008-11-08T15:55:00.004Z

A good result for Labour at the Glenrothes by-election this week... but then it would have been a disaster for them if they had lost. This was on Gordon Brown's home territory and if they couldn't win here, all would have been lost.

So what will the Prime Minister do now? Will he be brave enough to call an election in June 2009?

He has managed to recover a little in the polls over the last few weeks as some people think he has has shown leadership over the economic crisis. But how mistaken they are.

- Public borrowing has gone out of control

- He did not save in the good times so we have no reserves to support us now

- He created the Monetary Policy Committee and the Financial Services Authority but did not give them the power they needed to hold Banks to account

- Pension funds have been raided

- Government expenditure has increased dramatically since Labour came to power

- So much money has been wasted on failed government projects

The British people deserve change ...and a change for the better.

The Result - America votes for Change!

2008-11-05T19:02:00.002Z

Barack Obama will be the 44th President of the United States of America.

I watched the results as they were coming in and then listened to Obama's victory speech at 5am. I was moved. It felt like a special moment in time. America was making history. Obama had actually defied history, achieved the impossible and made dreams come true. This had been the dream of so many people, including Marthur Luther King when he made his famous speech "I have a dream...". Many thought it would never happen.

But what Barack Obama has done, is given his country renewed hope and optimism. His response to the challenges that lie ahead has been, "yes we can". He has united so many Americans by getting them to believe in themselves, believe in change and believe that they together can make their country better.

America has proven to the world that it is a nation eager for change. We now need to do the same. We need change for the better in Great Britain.

US Elections... 6 days to go

2008-10-29T08:59:00.004Z

Will the US electorate make history and vote for their first black President?

The Gallup polls now have Barack Obama on a 9% lead. But on the actual day of voting...will voters actually put a cross in his box?

Colin Powell, Secretary of State during George W Bush's first term as President, has announced that he is endorsing Barack Obama, calling him a "transformational figure". He says he has been impressed by Obama's steadiness during the last few weeks and disappointed by the negative approach of the McCain campaign. I agree.

Time for change in the US? Time for change here also!

Recession hits

2008-10-24T09:02:00.004+01:00

Brown has at long last admitted that a recession is likely in Britain.

Mervyn King, Governor of the Bank of England, already said that this was the case on Tuesday... and most people across the country, and certainly in the city of London, could have told Gordon Brown that weeks ago.

But at least now the Prime Minister is facing the reality of the situation. We are entering our first recession in 16 years. The year ahead will be as bad as the early 90s and many people wil lose their jobs. Mervyn King also said that the British banking system had been closer to collapse earlier this month than at any time since the start of World War I.

What is a recession? Technically, it is a decline in a country's domestic economic output or GDP for at least two consecutive quarters. There have been signs of a widening economic crisis:

- Oil fell below $70 a barrel
- The pound fell to to $1.620, its lowest level against the dollar since September 2003
- Consumer spending is falling (National Institute of Economic and Social Research predicte by 3.4%)
- Business investment is down
- Private housing investment down due to falling house prices and difficulties in financing mortgages
- Rising unemployment

If the government's £50bn banking bail-out does not succeed, the recession could be even deeper and longer.

What is clear from the last few weeks .... the complete and utter failure of Labour's economic record. The PM borrowed and borrowed, and racked up the biggest government deficit in the developed world. Now we have nothing when times get tough.

Our economy is broken and we must fix it. What can we do to help? We need to rebuild an economy that is built to last.

Our solution is about fiscal responsibility, financial responsibility and a balanced economy:
- Fiscal responsibility - the Government must live within its means
- Financial responsibility - you cannot build an economy on debt
- Balanced economy - as you cannot rely on unsustainable growth in a few areas to increase prosperity for everyone.

To repair the broken society, we need need social responsibility. To repair the broken economy, we need economic responsibility.