Jonathan Mitchell - candidate for MP in East Dulwich

[Amina Graham]

Just an info point about one of your Councillors in East Dulwich - Jonathan Mitchell. FYI he's also our Parliamentary candidate for the lib dems, has lived in the area for over 30 years as an active member of the community and is not part of the Westminster establishment.

Here is a link to his blog which he keeps up to date with local news about what he's up to.

www.jonathanmitchellsblog.com

You can also find him on twitter or facebook under a search for 'libdemmitch'

Attachments: Jonathan Mitchell.jpg (65.7KB)

[*Bob*]

What's with the picture?

Is he also auditioning for a role in Doctor Who, circa 1983?

[SteveT]

Over the hill Peter Cook lookalike from his blog.

[KalamityKel]

Didn't think the drawing room was a place for ads...

AND I guess you have no connection/personal interest here at all eh Amina?

[SteveT]

Coo KK, you are as astute as ever, of course no connection, personal interest, or expenses forms.

[The Chair]

The Drawing Room is not a place for adverts.

However, if Amina or Jonathan wish to discuss Liberal Democrat policy in an intelligent environment then they should be allowed to do so.

Closer to the election there will be a series of formal debates featuring all the major candidates (hopefully). In the meantime I'm happy for LibDem policy to be discussed here.

Please keep comments within that parameter.

Regards

The Chair.

[Amina Graham]

My main objective is for politics to be more transparent and for us to be represented by someone who lives in the community we live in rather than our current MP who lives in North London. I have grown weary of being represented by a politician who not only voted for the Iraq War and against laws to tackle climate change but also against Parliamentary transparency. I really just want people to be informed about the fact that there is a choice at the elections and give them the opportunity to investigate a candidate who I personally feel has done a lot for our area. He is chair of the Keep Dulwich Hospital campaign and has been actively working in our community for years, whether it be at the EDCC or on the SNUB campaign. I just feel that we'd be better represented by someone like that.

And by the way cynics (you know who you are!) I am not being paid and for this. I have met Jonathan at numerous public meetings and been impressed by his dedication to our area and ability to get things done. Through that I have become someone who supports him and someone who wants to make sure that people have in informed choice at the election.

[Amina Graham]

by the way KK re: the expenses forms he has never been an MP yet so he can't be tarred with that brush and given that Tessa our current MP voted against Parliamentary transparency I think thats where we need to look when it comes to issues of that kind

[KalamityKel]

why are you aiming that comment at me?

[Huguenot]

Chuckle - don't rise to it KK!

Amina, not that I want to be petty, but can you tell me the connection between these two statements...

My main objective is to [...] be represented by someone who lives in the community we live in rather than our current MP who lives in North London.

and...

I have grown weary of being represented by a politician who not only voted for the Iraq War and against laws to tackle climate change but also against Parliamentary transparency.

I mean, come on Chicken, what's the issue: North London, 600,000 dead or the end of society as we know it?

You kind of bundled them together in a way that implied they had moral equivalence, and then prioritised your North London snobbery ;-)

Boo hiss.

Perhaps, instead of slagging off the incumbent, Jonathan would like to give us his views on...

The Economy (kind of higher up the list this)

The Iraq War

Climate Change

Voting Systems

[SteveT]

KK wrote:- why are you aiming that comment at me?

Well you caught her out KK and she needed to reclaim some dignity even though you hadn't poked the expenses forms under her nose.

That (expenses form) remark was all my doing Amina Graham so please read the post again, and I think it deserves an apology to KK as she is a completely innocent party in your non-advertising campaign for the 'Dems.

[Mick Mac]

I'll vote for anyone who will give proper consideration to a decent girl's secondary school for ED.

Primary schools are currently having to add more classes so in a few years the current crop of secondary schools will be bursting. And most of the "local" ones people generally refer me to are not in ED anyway.

Is this a thread that Jonathan is going to give his comment on? If so what are Jonathan's views on this? Or is this just a thread for Amina to represent/promote him?

[Amina Graham]

I apologise if anyone has taken anything i've said badly. I have just given my personal views as someone who has lived in Dulwich for years and who knows the way our MP has voted and where she lives which I don't regard as slagging off it's stating facts which are open for anyone to see or opine on at this website http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/tessa_jowell/dulwich_and_west_norwood. They are not those of Jonathan. If you want those you must go to the debates that the candidates have which he will be attending and judge for yourselves or look on his blog/email him.

In reply to the lib dem policy on the issues mentioned by Huguenot (comedy name by the way):

The Economy - Vince Cable has answered these questions in a very detailed way on Monday night see here

The Iraq War- They were the only party what was against it from the start

Climate Change- Have been leaders on climate issues The Liberal Democrats have received three green lights by offering the strongest set of policies on climate change, green taxation and green living." - How green are our parties, report by the Green Alliance 2007 see here for more info(Tessa voted against last to stop climate change)

Voting Systems- Lib dems believe in proportional representation as a fairer way of representing peoples views

[Amina Graham]

By the way Huguenot I thought I had separated the comments on North London and Iraq in a way that meant they were two separate points. I do not think the two issues have moral equivalence, I don't agree that I bundled them together but apologise if that's the way it read. And just so you know I have no problem with North London. I have no snobbery towards it (I used to live there) I just believe an MP should live in the constituency that they represent. If I lived i North London i'd want my MP to live there too. What do you think? Let's debate it....

Also KK the only reason I directed the expenses thing at you is because you mentioned it in your blog so I replied to it with my opinion. Isn't that what blogging is all about? People state their view about stuff that's being discussed? I'm happy to except that I may have misunderstood your comment - what did you mean by 'expenses forms' and what's your view on it?

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Amina, why do you find a name that represents a persecuted minority comedic?

[KalamityKel]

Amina Graham Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

>> Also KK the only reason I directed the expenses

> thing at you is because you mentioned it in your

> blog so I replied to it with my opinion. Isn't

> that what blogging is all about? People state

> their view about stuff that's being discussed? I'm

> happy to except that I may have misunderstood your

> comment - what did you mean by 'expenses forms'

> and what's your view on it?

Nope try again. I certainly didn't say anything of the sort and as Steve has already pointed out it was HIS comments not mine. Perhaps a little more attention should be paid eh?

[Amina Graham]

Fair point KK I take that on the chin and wholeheartedly apologise and redirect my comments at Steve then.....can we have a debate here about the issues then?

[Huguenot]

I wasn't aware that Huguenot was comedy either. I guess I was being wry. My family is Huguenot. ;-)

Huguenots are mainly famous for being weavers and being slaughtered by Catholics for challenging the authority of Rome. Having said that, they were a little bit snotty and uncooperative, but then which tribal groups aren't?

Back on topic... Amina you have an unnerving ability to swing between issues and give them equivalence.

In your post then you advised voting for Jonathan Mitchell because he's local. This is a very 'personal' reason for voting, it's all about the man.

When I said 'what does he believe in?', you gave me the party line: 'Vince Cable says...'

You can't have this both ways. Either make it a policy debate, or make it a personal representation debate.

Besides that, I'm not sure I can be bothered to have a 'debate' between the electorate and Amina's view of Lib Dem policy. You're not up for election and probably aren't a spokesperson for Lib Dem central are you?

And while I'm on the subject, proportional representation is an absolutely boll*cks idea. You've only got to think about it for five minutes to realise that (the party chooses the representatives not the electorate).

[m7post]

As Mr Mitchell is standing for election - and his doing so is under discussion here - please see a copy of an email I sen him yesterday with specific enquires as to policy - If I receive a responce I'll also post it it on.

Martin.

Dear Mr Mitchell, I note the contents of your blog (as below) - re. the missing hospital.

Please what is that the Liberal Democrats intend to do about the situation.

It must be said that all parties but in particular the LD as they controlled the council for large part of the 'process' failed to control / influence the management of the PCT who in turn have failed most seriously the local community in this matter. Those in control of the PCT should be held to account in some way for the gross mismanagement of heritage buildings / public assets which the PCT was supposed to hold in 'trust' - the T in PCT etc.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts and policies on this most important of local issues.

Yours sincerely,

--------------------

Mr Mitchell's Blog SATURDAY, 20 MARCH 2010

Broken Promises on Dulwich Hospital

This pile of rubble is all that's left of the promises made to local people that a new local community hosptial in Dulwich would be built on this ground. The failure by health bosses to answer questions on Wednesday on when beds would be re-introduced into Dulwich Hospital shows there is no plan for Dulwich to have a hospital.

[Marmora Man]

PCT was supposed to hold in 'trust' - the T in PCT etc.

The T for trust is an historical quirk and nothing whatsoever to do with tasking the organisation with being trustworthy, or giving any assurance that it will be trustworthy.

Came about when the Conservative Government were looking for a way to name hospitals that had beeb taken out of the immediate bureaucracy of NHS management to become theoretically self managing. In the event the experiment failed because of lack of vision, a failure to acknowledge that changing name and organisational structure does not, fundamentally, change culture and the new Hospital Trusts became just as bureaucratic, hierarchical and inefficient.

To really achieve effective use of NHS money the various parts of it need to become far more independent of the Department of Health, the various Strategic Health Authorities and politics. Only today it was announced that a long considered inaffordable hospital - the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital - a single specialty hospital which runs counter to prevailing orthodoxy in terms of patient care, that happens to be in a marginal Labour constituency will after all be built. I doubt it will be built but no one will realise that until well after the forthcoming election.

[Amina Graham]

As someone who was born in Dulwich Hospital, this is an issue that is close to my heart.

Jonathan Mitchell has been campaigning for years outside what used to be Sommerfield to keep Dulwich Hospital and is currently the chair of the 'keep dulwich hospital' campaign. He is always questioning health bosses at scrutiny meetings and pursuing the issue at Dulwich Community Council meetings and is the only candidate who is doing anything about this issue. Our MP (who claims to be listening to concerns) voted FOR FOUNDATION HOSPITALS in parliament which clearly goes against any intention to preserve Dulwich Hosptial and it's becoming increasingly clear that it is not being saved by our MP and she has never put a question in parliament about it. As a candidate Jonathan is reliant, just as we are on our current MP for funding to keep the hospital open, however she has clearly not pursued this issue. What Jonathan has done is to campaign as much as he can to get the issue in the open and to question health bosses on what potential money there is for the site. Maybe the better person to question about this is our current MP Tessa Jowell! Below is a copy of a public document which he created for a public meeting about this issue.

PUBLIC MEETING: at 18.30pm on Thursday 19th November 2009

in the Goldsmiths Room, Dulwich Hospital, East Dulwich Grove, East Dulwich.

HELP US to:

fight to keep Dulwich Hospital as a fully functioning Local Community Hospital;

engage wider support from the public;

fill up our Petition to persuade the Government and others to support our Hospital;

get yourselves, your neighbours and friends, to pledge support and ideas for the future of Dulwich Hospital;contribute written support and suggestions to our website;

maintain the pressure on Government Ministers and others to Keep Dulwich Hospital.

DON?T let this Government and local Health Bosses destroy Dulwich Hospital JOIN the fight to KEEP it.

Jonathan Mitchell: Chair ?Keep Dulwich Hospital Campaign?

Tel: 07825 392303

SAVE OUR BEDS in Dulwich Hospital

Kings Hospital is overcrowded: patients on trolleys

Patients bussed to Lewisham not Dulwich for Treatment

Patients sent home too early after operations, only to return later as emergency cases

Patients in mixed wards

Elderly, dementia and mentally ill patients in the same wards as seriously ill patients

SAVE OUR LAND

Keep Dulwich Hospital on our land: in an area of high social need for Lambeth and Southwark. The Primary Care Trust is no longer involved in providing services.

NOW the PCT commissions others to provide our Health services, but they are likely to bypass local people and go to PRIVATE health services.

We do not want American-style Private Health Schemes here.

LOCAL PEOPLE NEED A LOCAL HOSPITAL

1. London as a Capital is short of beds;

2. Dulwich is near Kings Acute hospital, and can take the overflow patients;

3. Dulwich can provide Intermediate Care beds;

4. Dulwich can provide beds for ill people whose carers need respite from their work;

5. Dulwich Hospital has good transport links;

6. A skilled workforce for the Hospital lives locally to provide qualified staff.

800 beds in 1970; 90 beds in 2000; 12 beds in 2009; no plans for any beds in the future.

BUILD a HOSPITAL: BUILD UP the local COMMUNITY

SAVE OUR BEDS : KEEP DULWICH HOSPITAL

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Any chance of the organ grinder himself? It is his local forum after all.

Amina, I'm sure you are genuine but you are coming across as his spin doctor which is a tad irritating, even the fragrant Tessa Jowell stoops to appear on here sometimes.

[m7post]

Hello

Well as we're getting onto which candidate / politician was more or less 'effective'

The Labour team have tried to get in here - after hearing there was curfuffle afoot on the EDF - and tried to get a good look look out of it . . . . . . . oops -

: Tessa Jowell and Health Secretary at Dulwich Hospital ( Last week I think)

Who are the senior people at the PT these days ?- I think Chriss Bull has moved somewhere yes - I hope it wasn't any kind of promotion - considering the mess he left behind him in this regard - anyone going to held to account the serious failings I wonder?

I tried to poilitely point out (to the labour candidate that associating himself to closely to Tessa Jowell would be . . . for his politacal sake - Tessa'a record on this isn't good. I've made some note next to the parts i think where particularly galling / of 'intersst' ;

Tessa calls for action on Dulwich Hospital.( As if she hasn't been involved to date almost - she was very much pleased to be associated / involved with it when it was looking like a possitive scenario, pleased to be seen at all the early public meetings etc.)

Tessa Jowell and the Health Secretary Andy Burnham met NHS Southwark Chiefs today at Dulwich Community Hospital.

During a tough-talking session Tessa told them that she wanted to hear no more excuses over the development (Development - bit vague no?)of the site.( Some detail here would have been good perhaps rather than just posture words - and a list of what the excuses may have been too.) Andy Burnham offered to put NHS Southwark in touch with Department of Health officials to help them push the plans forward and with other NHS projects where similar facilities had been delivered more quickly.(How nice that that DofH will be in touch - were they busy doing something else other the planning healthcare needs for the past nine years?)

Tessa said that her constituents were fed up with the lack of progress( funny - we've been telling her that for years) which, she felt, had not been helped by a complete lack of engagement and support from Southwark Council who were in a good position to help push the project through( what a better possition than her - The Secretary of State! So it was nothing to do with her and her ministerial chums keeness for PFI funding methods / LIFT schemes - whether that approach was waranted or not in the particular case then - and this one certainly wasn't - being a factor for the abject failure. It's true that collectively the executive of Southwark council was completely hapless over this issue , though laterly they did try to preserve the historic building - though oddly didn't have the power. When it became obvious that the project was failing / funding less likely and therefor was no case to demolish - but she as our MP also could and should have done far more - not least to be honest in terms of the idiotic ideas behind the funding framework for these type of projects devised by her government)

Tessa Jowell said:

'My constituents need to know exactly what services will be provided and when. They want to know when they can expect to receive 21st century health services in a 21st century environment.

'The Secretary of State said that others are doing this much more quickly and he is absolutely right. I urge NHS Southwark to proceed with pace and purpose. If they do I will support them to the hilt. And what (if they don't?)

[KalamityKel]

Can you both provide direct links to where this literature has come from? - just to avoid the temptation of Cut and Paste criticism you understand

[katie1997]

I am trying - and failing miserably - to sit on my hands throughout this thread.

As KalamityKel suggested, it would be really helpful if you could please provide a reference to your material. Thanks.