Follies calls on Julie Porksen to back Labour’s promise to get rid of the hated and malicious ‘bedroom tax’ and to distance herself from Sir Alan Beith who now seems to be simply nodding through coalition policies without any thought for Berwicks families

Berwick’s Lib Dems at loggerheads over ‘Bedroom Tax’ New candidate breaks ranks with Sir Alan over ‘spare room subsidy’ Berwick Liberal Democrats are accused of being at ‘loggerheads’ over the controversial imposition of the so called ‘bedroom tax’ with newly selected candidate Julie Porksen setting out her opposition to the ‘tax’ which was backed by ‘retiring’ MP Sir Alan Beith. Now Labour are calling for Ms Porksen to answer whether she would support Labour’s plan to ‘scrap the tax’ if they form a government in 2015. Labour are pointing towards the effects of the ‘tax’ which now means that families on low incomes have to find an extra £680 to cover housing benefit. They’re also highlighting that more than 56% of those affected receive ‘in work benefits’ to top up low wages. Northumberland has the second lowest average ‘wage’ and when ‘in work benefits’ are stripped out the county average is just £12,809. The reality of a Lib Dem MP Alan Beith in Berwick who has slavishly backed a ‘tax’ which isn’t fair or even saving the tax payer money is the Tories can continue to hammer Berwick’s families and enshrine our area as a ‘low wage economy’.Follies calls on Julie Porksen to back Labour’s promise to get rid of the hated and malicious ‘bedroom tax’ and to distance herself from Sir Alan Beith who now seems to be simply nodding through coalition policies without any thought for Berwick’

The £5,000 twits! Town hall shells out taxpayers's cash on 'Orwellian' probe into councillor's tweets... and finds him totally innocent, Alison Austin who made the compliant, photo below.

The Follies are aspreading to North Tyneside Tories The £5,000 twits! Town hall shells out taxpayers's cash on 'Orwellian' probe into councillor's tweets... and finds him totally innocent • Row erupted when Labour's Jim Allan criticised decision by previous Tory administration on North Tyneside council to outsource jobs to private firms • Complaint was made by Tory councillor and an inquiry launched into whether councillor's conduct had damaged authority's reputation By Chris Brooke UPDATED: 01:10, 23 November 2013 Daily Mail A town hall spent £5,000 on an investigation into Jim Allan's tweets - and then decided he'd done nothing wrong Town hall chiefs spent £5,000 on an ‘Orwellian’ investigation into a councillor’s tweets – before deciding he had done nothing wrong. The row erupted when Labour member Jim Allan used Twitter to criticise a decision by the previous Tory administration on North Tyneside council to outsource jobs to private firms. A complaint was made by a Tory councillor and an inquiry was launched into whether Mr Allan’s conduct had damaged the authority’s reputation. It is estimated that the full cost of the investigation exceeded £5,000, including wages and travel expenses. There was even a two-day hearing at the Langdale Centre in Howdon, North Tyneside. The tweets, published towards the end of 2012, related to a council decision to outsource 800 jobs to private companies Balfour Beatty and Capita Symonds. Mr Allan, who leads the Labour group that now has control of the council, said on the social networking site: ‘How could they make a decision without looking at the risks.’ He later tweeted a link to a news item about outsourcing at Barnet Council in London, saying: ‘We have already crossed the line via a Tory cabinet who did not consider the risks.’ On Wednesday, the hearing concluded that Mr Allan was not in breach of the council’s code of conduct. He said: ‘The amount of money spent on the investigation has been an absolute disgrace. ‘We are all in financial difficulty at the moment, and North Tyneside council is no different. ‘The money and time could have been spent in far better ways. ‘I have the right to freedom of speech. There was nothing nasty in what I tweeted, nothing slanderous, and nor did I refer to the council by name. ‘The whole thing was politically motivated. It has been stressful, but I am glad it is over, and the hearing ruled in my favour. ‘I am shocked they spent so much time investigating something that has not affected anybody. ‘It is beyond belief.’ It is estimated that the full cost of the investigation exceeded £5,000, including wages and travel expenses The TaxPayers’ Alliance also criticised the expense. Campaigns chief Robert Oxley said: ‘It’s ludicrous that North Tyneside council has wasted money on an Orwellian investigation into a simple, and perfectly legitimate, tweet. ‘Councillors should be allowed to express an opinion, that’s what we elect them for after all. This appears to be a spurious complaint that should not have been allowed to consume so much council time and money.’ A spokesman for the council confirmed at least £5,000 was spent on the investigation. She added: ‘The council has an agreed procedure, in line with national guidance, that it must investigate any complaints in relation to breaches of the code of conduct by any member. ‘We received a complaint and, in view of the allegation made, agreed it was important that an independent investigation was carried out into this matter. ‘That investigation culminated in the hearing this week. After giving full consideration to the evidence, the panel decided on a majority basis that councillor Allan was not in breach of the code of conduct.’ She said the council had engaged an independent agent to conduct the investigation.

Hexham MP Guy Opperman paid £5,4422.29 to Hexham Constituency Conservative Association

Hexham MP Guy Opperman paid £5,442.29 to Hexham Constituency Conservative Association. Mr Opperman said the office was rented by the party from a private landlord to act as a local headquarters, and space was sub-let to him, meaning all his rent went to the landlord.

Lib Dem councillor in Northumberland has been kicked out of his party after refusing to join its county group

Northumberland County Councillor kicked out of his party 19 Oct 2013 Journal A councillor in Northumberland has been kicked out of his party after refusing to join its county group Councillor Ian Lindley A councillor in Northumberland has been kicked out of his party after refusing to join its county group. Northumberland County Councillor for Morpeth Stobhill, Ian Lindley, has had national membership of the Liberal Democrats revoked at the instigation of the party’s regional branch for not joining its group on the authority. The councillor last night voiced his anger at the move, claiming another member had been allowed to act as a non-aligned Lib Dem and accusing the party of seeking to remove him to prevent him standing as a candidate in the fight to replace MP Sir Alan Beith. Coun Lindley, who joined the party in 2006, was first elected to the county council in 2008, serving on its executive as the Lib Dems formed the authority’s administration. He held his seat at May’s elections despite the party being ousted from power. Shortly afterwards Coun Lindley chose to withdraw from the party group, in protest at the fact it chose to retain the leadership which oversaw the election defeat. The councillor recently faced criticism for producing a newsletter featuring suspected terrorist Abu Qatada. Now, it has emerged Coun Lindley has had his national party membership revoked. Regional branch chairman Ian Jones last night said his departure from the party’s county group was in breach of its constitution. However, Coun Lindley queried how Rothbury county councillor Steven Bridgett had been allowed to remain a Lib Dem for five years despite not being part of the party’s council group. He claimed the moves to have his membership revoked began after he asked to see documents about the party’s selection of its candidate to fight the Berwick seat at the 2015 general election, with Sir Alan to stand aside. Coun Lindley, who stood for the Lib Dems at North Durham in 2010 and was therefore an approved candidate, claimed the party did not want the “opposition.” He claimed he may stand at Berwick in 2015 as an independent. Coun Lindley told how he had knocked on thousands of doors campaigning for the Lib Dems and had recruited three new members who have since been elected as town councillors in Morpeth. He said he would be continuing to work with them and producing a joint newsletter, but not under the Lib Dem banner. Coun Lindley, who undertook party leadership training in 2008, said: “If they had not expelled me, I would not be staying.” A party spokesman said the rule about non-aligned members had been in place a number of years but that local groups may not have been aware of it. He claimed Coun Bridgett’s party membership had lapsed although the councillor refuted this

That's rich: Tory MP says he felt zero hours contract pain - as a £250-an-hour barrister

Daily Mirror- Saturday 19 October

That's rich: Tory MP says he felt zero hours contract pain - as a £250-an-hour barrister 19 Oct 2013 00:00 Guy Opperman's comments sparked disbelief as opponents say he has proved the Tories are out of touch with low-paid workers Are you sure?: Hexham MP Guy Opperman. A Tory MP claims he knows what life on a “zero hours” contract is like – because he experienced it as a £250-an-hour barrister. Guy Opperman, 48, earned the huge rate representing clients in court before he was elected. But rich Mr Opperman said he understands the plight of those staff who are employed under the contracts – for almost universally low wages – because barristers are not guaranteed work. He told fellow MPs: “As a former barrister, I was unquestionably on a zero hours contract in that I was an employee whose employer was not obliged to give work.” The remarks, in a Commons debate on the contracts, met with disbelief from colleagues. Staff on the deals have no idea of their hours or pay from one week to another. Many feel unable to take on other jobs or study for qualifications for fear of missing badly needed work, Labour’s Alison McGovern told the MP for Hexham in Northumberland. Mr Opperman, educated at £33,000-a-year Harrow School, insisted his lucrative legal job meant he can identify with that. “As a barrister, I spent two-and-a-half years without a contract,” he said. “I therefore suggest I do have some experience of that, with no contract whatsoever.” Wirral South MP Ms McGovern yesterday said his remarks show how Tories fail to grasp the reality of austerity Britain. “I’d love him to tell low-paid care workers on zero hours that their lives are like a barrister’s, she said. “Perhaps he can bring his gown and wig just to show how out of touch these Tories are.” Zero hour contract workers earn half as much as full-time staff, according to a recent study. Those with no guarantee of work or hours are paid on average £236 a week, compared with £482 for those on traditional terms, said the Resolution Foundation. Business Secretary Vince Cable has ordered a review amid fears workers are being exploited. This week he was forced to ask number-crunchers to look again at the figures because of fears the Government does not have a proper handle on the problem. Up to a million workers are on zero hours deals, say independent estimates – four times the official figures. The register of MPs’ interests states Mr Opperman stopped working as a barrister when elected in 2010 – and still gets fees for duties before then. It adds that until then “no hourly rate was agreed but all [were] between £100 and £250 per hour save where specified”.

Liberal group are in decline on Northumberland County Council

'It's clear that Jeff Reid and his increasingly fractured Liberal group are in decline, now they've snubbed a motion which saw Northumberland County Council make a historic decision to stop using any resources to promote payday loan companies.

Allan Hepple @allan_hepple County Council have banned payday lenders from their websites. Unanimous? Not quite as 2 Lib Dems didn't support it-Jeff Reid being one

Been reported on Facebook that not all County Councillors suported the motion on payday lenders two did not wonder why ? Allan Hepple @allan_hepple County Council have banned payday lenders from their websites. Unanimous? Not quite as 2 Lib Dems didn't support it-Jeff Reid being one, and D Watkins