EPPING FOREST PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION 2010

So, our sitting Prime Minister, Gordon Brown finally met with Her Majesty The Queen at 10am this morning and requested that she dissolve Parliament and call a General Election on Thursday 6th May 2010. The work for political parties began immediately with troops being scattered right across the UK to win what is believed to be one of the closest fought contests in recent times. In Epping Forest, the following candidates have announced their intentions to stand for election:

Katie Curtis, Labour
I currently work in the trade union movement and lives in Canvey Island.

Ann Haigh, Liberal Democrat
Sitting District Councillor for Buckhurst Hill West. Professional ‘Children's Guardian’, social work consultant and trainer.

Eleanor Laing, Conservative
Sitting MP having represented Epping Forest for the past 13 years. Currently Shadow Minister for Justice having previously served as a Shadow Spokesman for Education and Skills, Constitutional Affairs, been an Opposition Whip, Shadow Minister for Children, Shadow Minister for Women & Equality and Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland.

Simon Pepper, Green Party
Head of Government and Politics at Chigwell School, born in Enfield in 1983 and now lives in Grange Hill.

Pat Richardson, British National Party
Sitting District Councillor for Loughton Broadway, renowned for recently saying to a newspaper: "Firebombing is not a British method. A brick through the window is a British method."

Andrew Smith, UK Independence Party
A Epping resident, born in Cambridge and currently working as a Finance Director at various Lloyds insurance brokers.

Kim Sawyer, English Democrats
The situation with this candidate is confusing. The National Chairman, Robin Tilbrook has states in an email that Kim in standing in Epping Forest, yet the national party’s website suggests Claire Breed is. Not a good start!

For some of the statistical information about the Epping Forest constituency and past election results, please click here. To see a full list of Parliamentary Candidates standing in Essex constituencies, please click here.

DISGUST AT PROPOSED WOOTON BASSETT MARCH

Today, I received a message from the family of the late Royal Marine Georgie Sparks, which informed me of a proposed protest march organised by an extremist Islamic al-Muhajiroun movement in the small market town of Wooton Bassett.

Anjem Choudary of Islam4UK has sparked dismay with plans for 500 of its members to parade with empty coffins symbolising Muslim victims through the town, which has become famous for honouring service personnel killed in the conflict, as they land at RAF Lyneham.

I wrote to Cllr. Chris Wannell, the Mayor of Wooton Bassett, last year to express the thanks of the people of Epping for the truly astonishing way their community had stood together and committed to showing each and every one of our war dead absolute respect when their bodies returned home.

Today, I have found myself writing to the Prime Minister and Home Secretary to express my concerns at the proposed march in this small town, as I believe it to be complete inappropriate and very disrespectful both to the community of Wooton Bassett and also to friends and families of the hundreds of brave soldiers who have travelled through the town.

Islam4UK claim to simply be making a political stand against the war, which, as a wholehearted believer in democracy, I can accept. However, this group, like all others, should make their representations known to those who made the decision to take our country to war and who are the only people who can end it, which is our Members of Parliament. Westminster is designed to accommodate protest marches of this kind. Bombarding Wooton Bassett in this way is, quite frankly, shameful and inappropriate.

This protest march will require the approval of the Home Secretary to take place, so please join me in sharing your concerns by emailing the Home Secretary here johnsona@parliament.uk or by writing to Rt. Hon. Alan Johnson MP, Home Secretary, 2 Marsham Street, London, SW1P 4DF. Alternatively your can email the Prime Minister here BrownG@parliament.uk or write to him at 10 Downing Street, London, SW1A 2AA.