News from Deborah Dunleavy

Labour claims to stand up for hard working families.  It has encouraged Mums back to work, saying it is good for them and their families.

Since 2005 they have been able to take advantage of a child care scheme which gives parents up to £243 pm paid directly from their wages to a nursery or childminder before any tax or NI is paid.

Without these vouchers there would be no point in some parents working at all.  In an incredibly sly and typical slight of the hand, Gordon Brown is to take them away to “divert” the money to nursery places for two year olds for lower income families for 12½ hours a week.

If, and its a big IF, a parent could find a job for those hours that would pull them out of poverty, they would be very lucky indeed.  Parents who have made the decision to work rather than end up on benefits, have just had a major stab in the back by this inept government which is simply trying to move the deck chairs round on a sinking ship.  A government that has simply run out of ideas!

On Sunday I attended the Remembrance Service at the Town Hall.

It’s always a moving service for me, especially when the last post is played and the parade does the march past.

This year I felt it more so; the War in Afghanistan

– which is what I think it is, becomes more disturbing by the day.  The sight of our young soldiers being repatriated is almost unbearable.  My personal view is that I would like our soldiers brought home.

I understand all the logic for being there, I despair at the lack of equipment – in fact I find it hard to reason with myself over this matter, but I always come to the same conclusion – they don’t play by the same rules as us.  This needs no further evidence than the recent killings of five brave soldiers murdered by the very people whom they were training.  How can we ever “win” a conflict where each side has different rules …………. and a final question ……. what does winning look like?

I’ve just spent the morning over in Bury helping our Candidate David Nuttall with a petition calling on Gordon Brown to match our committment to the NHS. We were also running a petition to save Fairfields Maternity Unit.

Andrew will make a wonderful Minister for Health, I really believe in his ideas for change. If there’s one thing that needs cutting…it’s targets. Andrew believes we should have enough faith in our doctors and nurses to trust them to do their best for us and start to measure something else….outcomes.

He believes what we should be measuring is if 100 have cancer, how many get better. Surely that’s what counts, not how long where they on that list before they got moved to this waiting list.

What do you think?

Andrew Lansley MP Shadow Health Minister and myself campaiging for the NHS

Yesterday I visited The Royal Bolton Hospital on World Stroke Day. I was invited down by JIGSAW the stroke support group in Bolton and The Stroke association who asked me to go along and help them raise awareness of Strokes. This I did with pleasure as I’m sure all my readers know my Dad is severely disabled through a stroke.

There are so many things to campaign on for Stroke sufferers I don’t know where to start. Improved recognition of Stroke diagnosis would be a good place followed by more access to physio and speech therapy. I think we have seen huge leaps forward in Bolton but it’s all about how it feels for you, and from my visit to JIGSAW recently and talking to those who have suffered a stroke, we still have a long way to go.

Whilst I was at the Hospital Matron Suzanne Lomax took me around The Stroke Unit. I must say that Suzanne was a pleasure to meet, she is so utterly committed to her cause. This is a lady who has devoted her entire nursing career to stroke patients. Suzanne’s view is that nursing is all about patients and being there for them – what a breath of fresh air!

Pictured from left to right myself, Staff  Nurse Wendy Worsley, Health Care Assistant Cristine Gildea and Matron Suzanne Lomax.

On The Stroke Unit

At Bolton Market

Last week (sorry for the late posting but I’ve had a few days in the Lake District with my Mark and the girls over half term) Tobias Ellwood MP The Shadow Minister for Tourism came to visit for the day. Tobias was speaking at my Business Club on Thursday evening and spent the day visiting other businesses in Bolton.

We started the visit at Bolton’s Market (pictured) which earlier this year won the Greater Manchester Tourism Award of the Year. We should be very proud of our market, it has a long history and sells some wonderful produce. I must also thank Unsworth’s Deli for some amazing turkey sandwiches.

Whilst there Tobias did an interview for The Bolton News and Bolton FM. Next we headed off for Smithills Hall, it’s funny that you don’t always appreciate things on your own doorstep, and I think Smithills Hall is one of those. I’d forgotten just how wonderful this historic Hall is, I would recommend anyone to go and visit, and to go with one of the tour guides. We had Derek Eccles who made our journey around the Hall a  pleasure.

Today I gave a speech at Jigsaw the Stroke Group in Bolton (pictured) along with The Stroke Association who were launching a survey on physiotherapy services. This is a subject particularly close to my heart as my own Dad suffered a massive stroke 5 years which has left him unable to speak and confined to a wheelchair.

I am campaigning for more recognition of Strokes and an improvement of care whilst in hospital and on the patient’s return home.

Please find below the press release put out by The Stroke Association which I am supporting.

Stroke survivors from across the region are being asked their views on their experiences of physiotherapy they’ve received following their stroke.

Members of the Jigsaw Stroke Club in Bolton are being visited by the Conservative MP Candidate for Bolton NE, Deborah Dunleavy, when they will be taking part in a survey being commissioned by The Stroke Association to assess the levels of physiotherapy support they’ve received.

The Stroke Association wants to find out what current access stroke survivors have to physiotherapy. The results of the survey will be used to help The Stroke Association form a report that will be presented to the Government and Primary Care Trusts next year. It is hoped that this campaign will improve access to physiotherapy after hospital for all stroke survivors across the UK.

Angela Walkden, Regional Manager for The Stroke Association, said, ‘For many stroke survivors, physiotherapy provides an essential means of rehabilitation following a stroke. We’d like to encourage those who’ve recently had a stroke to give us their input as to the quantity and quality of physiotherapy they’ve received.’

Anyone who has had a stroke in the last two years is being asked to share their views by completing the survey. Questionnaires can be completed on-line, or can be sent by post. People with communication difficulties following stroke can also access an aphasia-friendly version of the survey. To complete the survey, visit The Stroke Association’s website at www.stroke.org.uk, email campaigns@stroke.org.uk, or ring the Campaigns Team on 0207 566 1510.

Deborah with the stroke support group Jigsaw

Awaiting DC's speech

With Andy Crane on BBC Radio awaiting the Post Office workers decision.

Final day at conference was a busy one for various reasons with lots of media interviews going on throughout the day. First of all I met with Granada followed by an interview for BBC Radio Manchester with Andy Crane regarding the Post Office workers decision to strike (pictured awaiting the decision). My final interview was at the BBC at Oxford Road at 6pm on their Five Live programme.

Of course there was the main event of the day at 2.30 with David Cameron’s speech. The picture is of me just before David came on, I was sat on the stage behind David along with the Shadow Cabinet and a group of other Candidates. For me David covered all the right things from Afghanistan to family breakdown and the NHS. Let no one doubt David’s committment to any of these causes. I was also really pleased to hear David voice his support for continuation of Sure Start Centres which the Bolton Labour Party have constantly tried to say otherwise. Basically scaremongering parents of children who attend along with staff from the centres.

Well role on the General Election next May when I plan to lead a positive and thoughtful Campaign….I can only hope my opposition do the same.

Deborah being interviewed today by BBC Radio's Richard Stead

Well today has been another busy day, I’ve had meetings with Save the Children over their hopes on child poverty and then I met with the ABI to discuss the future for Pensions in the UK. This is an area I have extensive experience in, having worked in the Pensions Industry for 20 years.

I welcome George Osborne’s announcement yesterday as a realistic approach to a massive problem for the next generation. I do hope if I’m elected to Parliament next year I will get the opportunity to use my experience. Speaking to those in the Pensions Industry it seems their job has been made more difficult by the constant change of Pension Ministers. I think it is to the Conservative’s advantage that our front Bench Team have remained in their respective briefs for long periods of time on the whole.

How can Ministers constantly hop around from one department to another and make any real difference in their ministerial department.

I then did an interview for BBC radio Manchester (pictured) and immediately left to accompany Lord Marland on a visit to Bolton Lads and Girls Club to see the great work they are doing there.

Last night we had our North West Reception in Manchester Town Hall, and as David Cameron so kindly put to us it was a priviledge for him to welcome the 2009 Conservative conference to Manchester for the first time in 100 years. The event was sponsored by several local organisations such as NFU and the Coop, Warbutons also provided us with some tasty treats, pictured below is me with David O’Donnell and Andrew Grime from the Bolton factory and Simon Dowling who arranged the event for them

Warbutons at the Conservative North West Conference Reception

Now on to the serious stuff………………George Osborne spoke today along with the Treasury Team. No one can say that our party isn’t taking the debt problems seriously. George set out where we are going today for all to see, from Public Sector pay to pensions.

Tough decisions have to be made to solve tough problems….and I think George and Philip Hammond are the people to make them. I’m glad Health and the NHS are protected, I never doubted David Cameron on this as I’ve said all along. Also he guaranteed that we are keeping free TV licenses and the Winter Fuel Allowance for pensioners.

Perhaps the Labour Party will stop frightening our OAPs now………..or is that too much to expect from a desperate party.

Well here we are in Manchester for Conservative Conference 2009, and it’s got off to a great start……….David Cameron has just given a great speech setting out our theme for this year…which is….Get Britain Working. With 2.6 million out of work which includes 1 in 5 young people out of work it’s certainly a key area.

Just before David spoke we heard from the Shadow Cabinet who set out their new proposals amongst them technical Colleges to offer real education for young people in practical skills…just what we need. Why does this present government think that everyone should go to University. When I was young loads of people went to Bolton Tech and got real practical qualifications, lets hope that going forward we are going to offer  pratical choices such as this for further education as well as University.

I feel a real buzz at Conference this year, only months now till Gordon Brown has to call an election.