Bob Russell - defender of the poor
"The MP for Colchester is rapidly building a reputation as one of the most effective parliamentarians in the House". That's not our view - but the view of Labour's Helen Goodman, during a debate this week on low income households.
Mr Russell is a man who feels passionately about child poverty and is using every opportunity possible to raise the issue in Parliament - even if it means embarrassing the government.
When George Osborne announced plans to cut benefits last week there were many MPs who felt he should have told the House first. It was an opportunity that Labour should have seized. But instead it was left to Bob, a government MP, to raise the issue and force the Chancellor to come to the House and explain himself.
A day later Mr Russell was taking part in the low incomes debate, where he received that praise from Ms Goodman.
And he had a new statistic: "for almost one in three families there was no holiday away from home - not even a single day trip to the seaside. That is the reality in the UK, one of the world's richest countries, where the divide between rich and poor has widened over the past decade".
He claimed that under Labour child poverty had increased (a claim Ms Goodman went on deny) and he expressed his fear that it was getting worse.
"If people have to spend more money on rent they will have less money to spend on food, clothing and services.
"That is why 30 years ago in Colchester there was no such thing as a housing crisis but there is one now. That is why local churches in my town have had to start a food parcel scheme to help desparate people who need something to eat."
And just in case you were wondering what his motives are, he concluded by saying "my role is to try to influence the coalition government, to make the situation better, not worse"
Ministers are taking Mr Russell seriously. The Work and Pensions Secretary Maria Miller declared that "there has been an inability to tackle the issues of poverty...Labour failed to tackle the root causes of poverty, leaving a catalogue of entrenched social problems that the coalition government must now deal with."
She revealed that there is a cabinet committee considering social justice issues and she promised to stay in touch with Mr Russell.
The MP for Colchester may be seen as a trouble maker by some of the press but he's pursuing an agenda dear to his heart - and it seems to be working.
Welcome to the political blog for the East. I'm Deborah McGurran, the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s Political Editor for the region. From Lowestoft to Luton, this is the place for politics with an eastern twist.
Comments Post your comment