Zeichner welcomes drop in Crime Figures
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Figures released today show that recorded crime in Cambridgeshire fell 2% over the last quarter, with significant falls in motor vehicle related crime and drug offences, but a rise in burglaries.
The Cambridgeshire figures reflect a trend across the country, although the fall in crime is less than across the Eastern region as a whole, which fell 5%, and across the entire country which fell 8%.
Cambridge Labour Parliamentary candidate Daniel Zeichner says that the figures are encouraging: “Most experts predicted that tougher economic times would lead to a sharp rise in crime. So far, that has not been the...
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Liberal Democrat Parliamentary selection
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Tonight, Cambridge residents will finally be presented with the full field of candidates for the general election, following the replacement of both the Liberal Democrat and Conservative candidates
Cambridge Labour Parliamentary candidate Daniel Zeichner welcomes the selection of a new parliamentary candidate for the Liberal Democrats – but promises that they will face tough questions:
“All the Liberal Democrat candidates have one thing in common – they are local Liberal Democrat councillors. That means they share responsibility for the serial local failures of the local Liberal Democrats:
· losing over £640,000 of our money on the folk festival fiasco;
· losing another...
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New bus rules - so why not here?
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New rules allowing councils to regulate bus fares and frequencies come into effect this week – but passengers in Cambridgeshire won’t see the benefit!
Councils in Sheffield and West Yorkshire are taking advantage of changes in the law introduced by the Labour government so that their citizens get a better regulated system, similar to that used in London.
Cambridge Labour Parliamentary candidate Daniel Zeichner says that a monopoly operator like Stagecoach in Cambridge is in a dominant position, and is critical of the failure of local councils to use the new powers on offer from Labour:
Daniel, a...
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Zeichner slams Russell Group on University Funding
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Zeichner slams ‘massive misrepresentation’ by Russell Group
Responding to the Russell Group’s warning that “universities will be brought to their knees in six months”, Cambridge Labour Parliamentary candidate Daniel Zeichner accuses them of a massive misrepresentation of the facts that it is unworthy of a group claiming to speak on behalf of academic excellence:
“Instead of a serious debate about funding, today’s contribution by the Russell group is a hysterical and seriously misleading account of the facts. It is right that they lobby hard in support of universities, and I will be the first to support them, but suggesting that...
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Labour man offers Chief Exec shovel - It clears snow!
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Next MP for Cambridge Daniel Zeichner offered the Chief Executive of Cambridgeshire County Council a shovel this Christmas – as a reminder that shovels help clear snow off pavements! Mr Zeichner says that Cambridge citizens are infuriated that days into the snowfall, pavements are still lethal: “Cambridge is a world renowned city, yet it is run as if it were a parish council. I’m offering the Chief Executive my shovel – alongside the question, how many of your staff, and the staff of Lib Dem run Cambridge City Council have been asked to volunteer for snow-clearing work....
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Christmas cheer for council tenants
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Cambridge council tenants had some pre-Christmas cheer – planned rent rises for this year were halved thanks to measures announced in the Chancellor’s pre-budget report. The guideline rent increase of 6.2% which had been agreed with local councils has been reduced by the government to 3.1% - the second year running when planned increases have been reduced. Cambridge Labour Parliamentary spokesperson Daniel Zeichner says that Labour’s action is in marked contrast to threats from the Conservatives to more than double council house and housing association rents: “News that council rents are to be kept down again...
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Cruddas in Cambridge to launch housing campaign
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John Cruddas MP, with Daniel Zeichner, recently launched a campaign highlighting Conservative plans that will double rents and put tenants at risk of eviction. The Member of Parliament for Dagenham, and a leading housing campaigner joined Daniel in Cambridge last December 3rd. The Tory plans have been discussed by leading Tory councillors and the man who would become Housing Minister if the Tories win this year. The notes of their meetings say that tenants in council housing and housing association homes should pay the same rent as in the private sector, with only the same limited rights. They...
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Zeichner stands with students
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Students were on the march in Cambridge recently – and were joined by Cambridge Labour Parliamentary spokesperson Daniel Zeichner, who told them that Labour must be ‘class warriors’ in the battle to improve Higher Education. Daniel recounted his own experience as an undergraduate at King’s and his grandfather Joe Mead, an agricultural worker from Shepreth who used to sit outside King’s porters lodge “only being able to dream of access despite being as well-read as any man.” Mr Zeichner also pledged his support for the NUS campaign against increasing student fees: “Like the NUS,...
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No going back to the Workhouse!
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Cambridge Labour Parliamentary spokesperson Daniel Zeichner launched a scathing attack on Conservative social policy at a Compass Living Wage Event. Having liaised with students and local trade unions, Mr Zeichner has long campaigned for a decent living wage for Cambridge workers – particularly those employed by the University – which, he argues, Tory policy endangers. ‘Trade Unions do a good job in protecting workers, but their resources are stretched to breaking point already. What Cambridge needs is strong and consistent political pressure to ensure vulnerable workers aren’t exploited.’ ‘The Tories believe...
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Regional housing plans ‘illegal and unacceptable’
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 Cambridge Labour Parliamentary spokesperson Daniel Zeichner, today responded to the consultation being carried out by the East of England Regional Assembly by launching a strong attack on current development plans for the Cambridge region and beyond. Daniel is heading a Labour campaign challenging regional development plans. Labour supports the case for major housing growth in the Cambridge sub-region but argues that current regional decisions about where these should be sited are 'illegal and unacceptable'. Mr Zeichner said: “The Cambridge sub-region needs more homes for local people and those who want to work here. But the Regional Assembly failed to assess...
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The National Care Service
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Carers and Older People Should be Priority Carers and Older People should be a priority in the measures to be announced in tomorrow’s Queen’s Speech, says Cambridge Labour Parliamentary spokesperson Daniel Zeichner. Mr Zeichner, who is a trustee of Cambridge Crossroads for Carers, supports greater focus on issues affecting older people and their right to be cared for: “Many people believe that the state will step in if they need help when they are older, just as the health service is there when you are sick. But that has never been the case –...
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Zeichner backs Marshall campaign
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 Cambridge Labour Parliamentary Spokesperson Daniel Zeichner will join campaigners on Sunday afternoon for a walk around Cambridge airport to ‘Keep Marshall Flying in Cambridge’. Mr Zeichner has argued at recent public events that in the light of the congestion charge climb-down, the plans for 12,000 homes on the airport site are not viable: “The plans for 12,000 homes at the airport are not viable now that the congestion charge scheme has collapsed. The local authorities need to rethink their plans, because more homes are urgently needed, while they cling to a scheme they know won’t happen....
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Universities Review Announced
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Cambridge will benefit from Universities review
The universities in Cambridge should be well-placed to benefit from the review of universities announced by Peter Mandelson today, says Labour Parliamentary Spokesperson Daniel Zeichner. Beyond the eye-catching suggestions of more consumer power for students, the review confirms that Labour will continue to prioritise key science and technology courses and partnership with industry – both central to Cambridge University and Anglia Ruskin University:
“In a keynote speech last month, Cambridge University Vice Chancellor Alison Richard talked of the need to pursue ‘Deliberate Diversity’ – recognising that different institutions have different strengths. Many of the ideas in...
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Concessionary Bus Pass Funding Boost
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Cambridge City Council is set for a £1.31 million funding boost from the Government following an announcement by Transport Minister Sadiq Khan today. The Government gives councils grants to cover the cost of the popular concessionary bus fare scheme which was introduced last year and allows pensioners to travel for free on buses anywhere in the country. The grant is distributed by a formula that has led to windfall gains for rural districts and big shortfalls for cities like Cambridge. Following sustained lobbying, the transport minister has today announced plans for a revised formula. Cambridge Labour Parliamentary spokesperson Daniel...
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Cambourne Visit to talk about Transport and New Town Developments
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Zeichner goes to Cambourne Cambridge Labour Parliamentary spokesperson Daniel Zeichner will be visiting Cambourne on Friday afternoon – at the invitation of residents angered by comments he made about the new community in a speech to the Labour Party Conference last month. Mr Zeichner was challenged to visit and ‘see for himself’ – an opportunity he says he is glad to take up: “I’m pleased that we can have a discussion about the lessons learned from new communities like Cambourne. I am absolutely convinced that when we decide on the places to build new...
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Cambridge council needs more powers
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Cambridge Labour Parliamentary spokesperson Daniel Zeichner has offered local Liberal Democrats a helping hand to boost the powers of the city council. Speaking at a public debate organised by the Federation of Cambridge Residents Associations, Mr Zeichner described the current situation as scandalous: “Cambridge is a city of world renown but is run by a council which has barely more power than a parish council.” He laid down a challenge to City Council Leader Ian Nimmo-Smith, who was standing in for absent MP David Howarth: “If Labour wins the election next...
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Zeichner supports postal workers
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 Cambridge Labour Parliamentary Spokesperson Daniel Zeichner has given his support to local postal workers in their dispute with Royal Mail. Mr Zeichner says that no-one wants to see services disrupted and believes that managers should take up the union's offer of arbitration: "In my experience very few workers want to go on strike - it really is the last resort, and marks a breakdown of trust with managers. A ballot returning 76% in favour of strike action tells me that things have gone seriously wrong within the Royal Mail, and I hope that managers will see sense and agree to...
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City MP to miss key growth debate
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City MP David Howarth will be missing from a major debate this week on future growth in Cambridge. Cambridge Labour candidate Daniel Zeichner says that it is extremely disappointing that the current MP is not taking part in discussion over one of the biggest issues facing the city in the years ahead: “All the Parliamentary candidates were offered a range of dates some months ago, but I am told that Mr Howarth was only able to offer one date. I am sure that we would all have been prepared to accommodate Mr Howarth’s diary. The Member of Parliament, if they...
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 Pressure is building on Government ministers to announce changes to the way the popular concessionary bus fares system is funded. Cambridge Labour Parliamentary spokesperson Daniel Zeichner says that the expected announcement should bring good news for Cambridge: “The free bus pass scheme is hugely popular, but the way the government cash has been distributed has clearly created problems for local councils. In Cambridgeshire, the district councils are massively in surplus, while the City has lost out badly. The same situation has occurred in other areas, and I’ve joined many others in lobbying ministers hard to get changes. We expect...
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Marshall should stay, says Cambridge Labour
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Labour representatives across the region, including Daniel Zeichner, have joined with Councillor Ben Bradnack in condemning Lib Dem – Tory backed plans for moving Marshall Airport. To Bradnack, Lib Dem Cllr ‘Nicola Harrison is naïve to assume a wish to move elsewhere was the significant motive behind Marshall's co-operation with the local authorities in seeking an alternative site for their business. Cllr Harrison asserts correctly that the current airport 'has no expansion potential'. But she then 'presumes' that is why Marshall might want to move, and then jumps from this presumption to the conclusion that they do want to. But...
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