Roger Godsiff MP

2010 Archive

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25 October
A landmark victory for Civil Liberties in Birmingham.

The notorious Birmingham spy camera scheme is to be scrapped. After 6 months of campaigning

Read the BBC story here, with video.

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18th June
Local MP pushes for greater support and recognition of carers in Birmingham Hall Green

Local MP, Roger Godsiff is calling for the contribution of the many thousands of carers in Birmingham Hall Green to be recognised by the local community and society at large after learning that more than three-quarters (76%) of people looking after an ill, frail or disabled loved one do not have a life outside of their caring role.

The statistics, part of new research issued to launch Carers Week (14-20 June), also highlights that 75% of carers say they have lost touch with family and friends, while 4 out of 5 are worse off financially because of their caring role.

Many carers are sacrificing their own lives, unable to do the little things that most of us take for granted in order to carry out vital caring duties for their families and friends, and for their communities. All too often, these unsung heroes are also sacrificing their own health, both physical and mental. Roger Godsiff is backing Carers Week's 'A life of my own' campaign, which calls for carers to receive greater recognition for the work. In doing so,

Roger Godsiff has paid tribute to all local carers, and urged that they receive more support in their caring roles. Roger Godsiff said:

"Whether the chance to have a long bath or a full night's sleep – these are luxuries for many of the thousands of carers in Birmingham Hall Green, They deserve to be recognised for the priceless contribution they make to their loved ones, to our local community and to society at large.

"I am supporting Carers Week and want to express my respect and gratitude to all our carers. I want to ensure that those who feel isolated or lonely because of caring, learn about the services and support out there to help them. To all carers in Birmingham Hall Green, I want you to know, you don’t have to struggle on alone."

Many celebrity carers have also lent their support and voice to Carers Week, including renowned actor of stage and screen, Sir David Jason, who has personal experience of being a carer. He said:

"A lot of people, including myself, have had to look after someone at a time of illness or infirmity. However, the people who really deserve our support and encouragement are those carers, young and old, who are in this situation day in day out, caring for someone who truly depends on them. With little respite, this must surely be a very demanding lifestyle and I acknowledge the sacrifices they make and the limitations which are placed upon them. Thank goodness they care."

Other celebrities supporting Carers Week, all of whom have experience of caring, include Lynda Bellingham, Cilla Black, Jonathan Dimbleby, Gloria Hunniford, Claire King, Phyllida Law, Miriam Margolyes, Esther Rantzen, Angela Rippon, Tony Robinson, John Stapleton and Chris Steele.

Carers Week is organised by a partnership of 7 national charities: Carers UK, Counsel and Care, Crossroads Care, Help the Hospices, Macmillan Cancer Support, Parkinson's UK, and The Princess Royal Trust for Carers.

For more information about local events and activities taking place as part of Carers Week, visit www.carersweek.org or call 0845 241 2582.

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23rd April
St. George’s Day Greetings

“I extend congratulations to constituents on the occasions of St. George’s Day which is the 23rd April.  St. George is the Patron Saint of England and among the most famous of Christian figures.  The banner of St. George – the red cross of a martyr on a white background – was adopted for the uniform of English soldiers as far back as the reign of Richard I and later became the flag of England and the White Ensign of the Royal Navy.  Little is known about St. George himself but he is venerated in many countries of the world and I send my best wishes to all of my constituents who celebrate St. George’s Day.  I have also supported calls in Parliament for St. George’s Day to be made a public holiday in England.”
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7th April
Hustlings

19th February 2010

Dr. Dick Atkinson,
Chief executive,
Balsall Heath Forum,
The Tree Nursery,
82-89 St. Paul's Road,
Balsall Heath,
Birmingham B12 8LS.

Dear Dr Atkinson.

As we are in the run-up period to the General Election I thought I would drop you a line because you have previously organised ‘hustings meetings' during the General Election campaign.

As you know I indicated to you towards the end of 2007 when there was a possibility of a General Election taking place that I was no longer prepared to participate in hustings meetings for two reasons. Firstly when I have attended previous meetings of this type up until, and including the 2001 General Election, the over whelming majority of people who turn up are already political activists supporting one candidate or another and I well remember attending one such meeting in 2001, where neither the Liberal or Conservative candidates turned up, and I shared the stage with a variety of fringe candidates while counting 56 people in the audience of which 48 were known political activists to me.

The second reason why I don't do the hustings meetings is because some of the fringe parties choose to try and turn them into ‘publicity stunts' which are then used in their propaganda and I have no intentions of giving them cheap publicity.

I am, of course, only too happy to meet with your Committee or members of the Forum in order to express my views on political issues and also to engage in a question and answer or discussion with them and you are, of course, perfectly at liberty to invite other candidates to attend similar types of meetings if you so wish.

I made this quite clear to you when I spoke to you at end of 2007 and I thought I would reaffirm what I have said because I do not to place you in the potentially embarrassing position of making arrangements for a hustings meeting in the expectation that all the candidates will be there.

Kind regards,

Roger Godsiff MP

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26th March
 ‘I Stand for Children’

The NSPCC believes that protecting children must remain a political priority, in order to keep children safe from harm and protect those who have experienced abuse. As a prospective parliamentary candidate, I can make an important contribution to this by pledging ‘I Stand for Children’.

Roger Godsiff

Please sign up below by clicking on the link: 

http://istandforchildren.com/candidate

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20th March
Roger Godsiff congratulates the people of Bangladesh on the celebration of Independence Day on the 26th March.

Speaking today Roger Godsiff said "the people of Bangladesh are rightly proud to celebrate their Independence Day which commemorates the declaration of Independence and the start of the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. 

Bangladesh, which was formerly East Pakistan, began its struggle for liberation in order to assert its own unique cultural identity and this is personified by the Bangla language.  I have been very proud to have led a campaign in Parliament for Banlga to be recognised as an official language of the United Nations and I pay tribute to people in all the Bangladeshi communities throughout the United Kingdom who have joined with me in this campaign.

The War of Liberation in 1971 was traumatic for the people of the newly founded Bangladesh and the people of West Pakistan but since Independence, which was achieved under charismatic leadership of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangladesh and Pakistan have enjoyed excellent brotherly relations.

Once again I extend my warmest congratulations to the people of Bangladesh on the celebration of their National Day of Independence.”

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22nd March
Condolences to the family of Mike Nagle

I knew Mike Nangle for many years and I was saddened to here about his death. 

He served with great distinction on the City Council for two decades and was a stalwart of the Labour Party.  I extend my sincere condolences to his family and friends.

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12th March
Mothers Are Extraordinary and deserve the best of everything

Mothering Sunday takes place on Sunday 14th March which is exactly three weeks before Easter and it is time when children pay respect to their mothers for all that they have given to them.

Mothering Sunday is often referred to as 'Mothers Day' and in Victorian times it was the day when children, mainly daughters, who had gone to work as domestic servants were given a day off to visit their mother and family. It is celebrated throughout the world and is a very special day for children to express their love and thanks for all the hard work and loving care of their mothers. I offer my congratulations to all mothers in my constituency and hope that they have a most enjoyable day with their children and grandchildren.

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27th February
Another car bomb in Kabul

Roger has condemned, as he has done previously, the detonation of another car bomb in Kabul on the 26th February which killed 17 people and maimed many others.

Said Roger "this is yet another attempt by the Taliban to spread terror and destruction amongst the civilian population and demonstrates clearly that they have no interest whatsoever in the welfare of the people of Afghanistan and are hell-bent on causing as many deaths as possible as a deliberate of act of policy".

"There are legitimate arguments to be made about whether foreign troops should remain in Afghanistan but this wanton killing of Afghan civilians by the Taliban shows clearly that they have no interest of the wellbeing of the people and if foreign troops left Afghanistan then many of the population would live in terror of reprisals and I suspect many would choose to leave the country rather than live under a new Taliban regime".

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04th February
Roger Godsiff MP supports Fuel Poverty Awareness Day

Roger Godsiff MP is supporting Fuel Poverty Awareness Day 2010 a national campaign which aims to highlight the effects of living in a cold home on people's health.

Fuel Poverty Awareness Day, run by National Energy Action (NEA) and sponsored by EDF Energy, takes place on 12th February and has received backing from high profile health professional Dr Miriam Stoppard and government's chief medical officer Sir Liam Donaldson.

Having just experienced the most severe winter in over 30 years, the campaign aims to draw attention to the health problems caused by living in a cold, damp home and urges vulnerable people to keep their heating on until winter ends and temperatures start to warm up.

Last winter temperatures remained as low as minus 6 degrees well into March, leading to concerns that people may have been risking their health by turning their heating off too early in order to save money on their fuel bills.

Roger Godsiff, Member of Parliament for Birmingham Sparkbrook and Small Heath, said, "Living in a cold damp home can lead to extremely poor health, especially in those who are vulnerable such as older people, young children whose immune system has not yet fully developed and those with long terms sickness and disabilities.

"It is important that people know that there are schemes in place to help them, and to ensure they are keeping warm and healthy throughout the winter period and for as long as the cold weather lasts. Fuel Poverty Awareness day is about acknowledging the issues, helping people to understand the links between fuel poverty and poor health, and making them aware of the help that is available to ensue they are kept warm and well.

"The most important message is that here is help out there for vulnerable households. I urge everyone who is concerned about their fuel bill to contact their energy supplier or to call the Home Heat Helpline on 0800 33 66 99 to access help and advice on staying warm when it is cold without the fear of fuel debt and ill health."

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24th January
Roger condemns the latest suicide attacks in Afghanistan.

Speaking after the massive coordinated suicide attacks in Kabul for which the Al-Qaeda organisation claimed responsibility Roger Godsiff said “yet again the Al-Qaeda organisation are attacking civilians in order to try and destroy the fragile seeds of democracy which have put down in Afghanistan.

Some people consistently offer excuses for what Al-Qaeda is seeking to do by blaming the presence of foreign troops in Afghanistan but they target civilians in shopping centres in order to spread fear and cause the maximum carnage. 

Yet again our thoughts should go to the victims of these vicious unprovoked attacks.”

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20th January
Air Passenger Duty - Caribbean

Roger Godsiff has secured a Debate in Westminster on Tuesday 26th when he will raise what he calls the unfairness of the new four Bands of Air Passenger Duty and the fact that the Caribbean is placed in Band C whereas the whole of America is placed in Band B. He will suggest that all Commonwealth countries be put in a separate band.

In making his point Roger will be instancing an example of a well known celebrity such as David Beckham, his wife Posh and their three children who will be able to travel to and from the United Kingdom to their home in Hollywood and from the 1st November 2010 the five of them will pay a combined amount of £300 as compared to a lowly paid Afro-Caribbean couple working in the Health Service who travel with their two children to the Caribbean who will also pay, after the 1st November 2010, £300 in Air Passenger Duty.

Roger is not challenging the principle of Air Passenger Duty nor the importance of reducing aviation travel as a major contribution towards combating climate change but he will be making the very specific point that the well established Afro-Caribbean community in the United Kingdom, including those living in his constituency of Small Heath and Sparkbrook, feel rightly indignant that in maintaining their traditional ties with the extended families in the Caribbean they will have to pay a rate of Air Passenger Duty which is higher than would be paid by people travelling to a much wealthier country like the United States purely because the capital of the United States is on the east coast of America.

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13th January
Roger condemns latest terrorist attacks by the Pakistan Taliban in Pakistan

Speaking after the latest terrorists atrocities in Karachi Roger Godsiff reiterated his strongly held views that this was a deliberate and coordinated attempt to undermine the democratic institutions of Pakistan and to destroy the country.  Said Roger “the latest attacks, including the one on innocent men, women and children in Karachi are not being carried out against military targets and are designed purely to terrorise people and to destroy the unity of Pakistan.”

In the latest attacks the nephew of a constituent of mine was killed and his two young children would also have been victims of the suicide bomber had he not, by chance, taken them to see an aunt rather than to the shopping centre where the suicide bomber detonated his bombs. “I have seen at close hand the anguish and distress that has been caused to the extended family in my constituency and my condolences go to them and to the families and friends and all the other people who were brutally murdered.” says Roger.

“These attacks should be condemned by everybody who wants to see Pakistan survive and prosper as a country.”

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