Archive for May, 2009

Conservative MP for Southend West David Amess was approached by Echo reporters yesterday. Reporters wished to speak to Mr Amess regarding his expenses claims. Mr Amess has claimed £400 per month for food over the past four years, which is the maximum amount allowed in the current expenses system. This adds up to £19,200 in total...
Read more »

Blaine Robin, Conservative councillor for the Kursaal ward in Southend, has rallied behind Tory MP James Duddridge over the latter’s expenses claims. Mr Duddridge published his expenses online earlier this month and has since received criticism for using his expenses to pay for refurbishments and mortgage payments on both his homes. Cllr Robin, who is also...
Read more »

 Conservative MP for Rochford and Southend East James Duddridge has published on his website the details of the expenses he has claimed.  In particular, Mr Duddridge has explained in detail his reasons for keeping a second home in London and claiming for it on his expenses.  He writes:  “A number of constituents have asked me why I...
Read more »

 The Labour Party prospective parliamentary candidate, Kevin Bonavia, has published a series of pledges to constituents on expenses.  Mr Bonavia claims that he will make good on these promises if he is elected as MP for the area in the next General Election. On his blog, Mr Bonavia writes that constituents have a right to be...
Read more »

 Rochford and Southend East MP James Duddridge has published details of his expenses online.  Candidates from other parties have used the new information as ammunition against the Conservative MP.  The details published show that Mr Duddridge claimed £7,000 redecorating a London flat, before switching his claim to another, larger property worth £397,500, also in the capital.  Mr...
Read more »

Following the outgoing mayor Gwen Horrigan’s comments that small theatre groups and charities cannot afford to use local theatres, the chairman of a local theatre group has spoken in support of Southend Theatres. Steve McCartney, Chairman of Lindisfarne, a local theatre group that has been running in Southend for 40 years, said:    “Lindisfarne used the services...
Read more »

UK Independence Party candidate for Rochford and Southend East James Moyies has utilised social networking site Twitter to raise the profile of the UKIP campaign in the run up to the European elections on 4th June. Politicians all over the country have been jumping at the chance to use the microblogging site to connect with...
Read more »

 Southend West Conservative MP has condemned the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) following a series of questions to various ministers.  Mr Amess said he was moved to speak on the IPCC in the House of Commons today due to the number of complaints he has received about the body.  ”I get any number of complaints about...
Read more »

David Amess, Southend West Conservative MP, has commended the local authority on its approach to curb binge drinking in the area. Mr Amess told the House of Commons in a speech today of Southend Council’s many measures to combat binge drinking through educational preventative work. He said: “I want to praise Southend council’s measures against...
Read more »

In a speech before the Whitsun recess in Parliament today, Southend West Conservative MP David Amess outlined to the House of Commons his reservations over the expansion of Southend Airport. Mr Amess explained that he had received a large volume of complaints from constituents opposed to the expansion plans: “In all my time here, I have...
Read more »