There are many issues facing us all right now, from the economy to climate change, education to crime. Find out more about Daniel and Cambridge Labour's views and what Daniel's priorities would be if you elect him your MP. This section of the site will be updated over the course of the campaign, so check back often.

If you can't find any information about Daniel's position on an issue, get in contact with us and we'll endeavour to help you out and answer your questions.

Environment and Recycling

Daniel is a knowledgeable and committed environmentalist and currently serves on the National Executive of SERA, an organisation which promotes sustainable environmental policies within government and the Labour Party.

Labour's policies on the environment have helped to contribute to a fourfold increase in recycling and we're moving forward with developing the framework for the green economy of the future. For more details of what Labour has done and how we plan to carry this forward, as well as Daniel's stance on the major environmental issues affecting Cambridge, click here.

Education

In a city like Cambridge, everyone agrees education matters. 20 years ago Daniel was privileged to gain a place to read history at King's. The experience changed my life for ever. Education is central to Labour's mission to deliver social justice and equality of opportunity. We are committed to extending high quality education, personalised to each and fair to all. We believe there should be no cap on achievement and no limit to aspiration.

Daniel's attitude to education is conditioned by his experiences and his policies have been thought out thoroughly. For a detailed summary of his position on issues relating to universities, click here. To learn about his views on education up to age 18, click here.

Pensioners

The Labour Government has done a great deal to help pensioners, through winter fuel payments, free TV licences, free prescriptions and discounted driving licences. It is important to ensure that pensioners in Cambridge claim the entitlements that are available to them especially through the Pension Credit that the Labour Government introduced but the Lib Dems and the Tories voted against. The Labour Government is committed to ensuring that every pensioner has a decent and secure income in retirement.

Labour's economic record

No one can deny that we are living through tough times right now. However, our record over the last twelve years is one we can be proud of, and Gordon Brown is the right person to lead us out of this recession. Around the world governments are following Britain's lead. At meetings including the recent G20 summit Gordon provided leadership on a global scale. You cannot cut your way out of a recession and you can trust Labour to protect vital services and benefits whilst making the tough decisions that will see us recovering well, without leaving anyone behind.

Housing

Decent housing matters. At the 2004 Party Conference Daniel was put under huge personal pressure by John Prescott to back down when arguing for fair funding for council housing. Because he knew he had the support of members who had elected me, Daniel stood firm. It was the right thing to do - it has kept the debate alive, and the hope that solutions can be found for the future of council housing in Cambridge. We have committed to building 3 million new homes by 2020, and will ensure that affordable housing - including council housing, is part of this mix.

Many houses will have to be built in the area of Cambridge over the coming decades to meet national targets. Housing is therefore an issue of the utmost importance. To read Daniel's thoughts on making housing affordable, planning processes and the need to consider how we can foster a sense of communities within new developments, click here.

Daniel opposes the plan to build 11,500 homes on the Cambridge airport site, as the transport infrastructure in the area cannot take such development and its construction would force Marshall to leave Cambridge, removing 1,700 jobs from the area. For more detail on this, click here.

International Relations

While Daniel have not agreed with everything the government has done, for example on the issue of Iraq, in the field of international development we have had some good successes. The way in which the Labour Government put global poverty at the top of the agenda when they hosted the G8 summit should make us proud of our government. Gordon Brown and Barack Obama are now leading the debate again - this time on reducing our nuclear weapons stocks and fighting nuclear proliferation.

Health

In 1948 Labour created the National Health Service and today Labour in government is investing in and reforming the NHS to create a health service fit for the needs of 21st century Britain. The NHS we inherited in 1997 was on its knees. It lacked sufficient hospital beds, staff, buildings and equipment. IT systems were out of date and too few people were being treated. Years of chronic Tory underinvestment in the NHS had taken their toll. Today we are creating a better, faster, more convenient service for patients that is fair to all and personal to each. There is still much to do but our programme of record investment and radical reform is bringing about real improvements to the service. Unlike Tory MEP Daniel Hannan we are proud of the NHS and are the only party you can trust to safeguard it.

Find more thoughts from Daniel on the NHS and the challenges facing it here.

Transport

Labour believes that good transport links, for both people and goods, are vital for our economy and the welfare of our community. Our priority is to provide a safe and reliable transport network, consistent with our wider social and environmental objectives. Our transport system is improving - after decades of underinvestment the equivalent of £260 million of public money is being spent every week to improve our transport network. Labour is making transport fairer for those who need it most - we've made off peak bus travel free for older and disabled people. Rail investment is now well over twice the amount that was being spent in the last decade of the Tory government - improving performance for customers. Daniel will continue to press the Lib Dem city council and Tory county council to work together using Labour government powers to balance inequalities in concessionary fare funding.

The Lib Dems and Tories have presided over the guided bus fiasco. Whilst more infrastructure is welcome, the delays are unacceptable. To make matters worse, the council is refusing to use powers given to it by the government to regulate bus companies to force them to provide an acceptable level of service. Daniel is passionate about the importance of good transport systems for our future economic welfare, and has summarised his views here.

Daniel is also a keen cyclist. Information on the support Labour has provided for cyclists and the coming challenges facing it can be found here.

Anti-social behaviour and crime

Under Labour crime has fallen, even during recession, but problems of low level crime and antisocial behaviour such as public drinking, noisy neighbours and graffiti continue to worry people. Daniel is following on the work of former MP Anne Campbell campaigning for the Labour Government's legislation to be put to further use in Cambridge to tackle anti social behaviour, street drinking and neighbourhood disturbance. As our city is an international tourist destination, often the only focus of scrutiny is on the city centre. As your MP Daniel would would represent everyone in the city, including the residential areas too often forgotton at present.

For more information on these issues, click here.

Unitary Authority

Local government is not a particularly sexy issue, but it's of crucial importance for things like transport, recycling and policing. Cambridge is covered by Cambridge City Council and Cambridgeshire County Council, with powers divided between the two.

Unfortunately they're constantly at loggerheads and the ruling Tory and Lib Dem groups on them have consistently failed Cambridge. Daniel therefore favours a unitary authority for Cambridge, which would abolish split jurisdiction between councils and make it easier for voters to punish ineffective councillors.

Local issues

This list of issues is not comprehensive and there are many other important items. Frequent problems councillors are often contacted about include street cleaning, blocked drains and street lighting. If there are specific environmental problems in your area, consider contacting the council's 'Streetscene team' by ringing them on 01223 458282. If you don't receive a sympathetic response from them or local rangers, we're happy to try to help. Contact Daniel with full details or ring a local Labour Councillor.