LIB DEMS BETRAY FIREFIGHTERS

Here is the complete list of those who voted for and against the firefighters in yesterday's debate in the House of Commons on Labour's motion calling for the new firefighter pension regulations to be revoked.

The Lib Dems failed to support the motion and therefore ensured it was defeated. This is a disgraceful way to treat firefighters who spend their entire career risking their lives to keep the public safe only to see their pension undermined.

It will now fall to a Labour Government to ensure that firefighters receive a fair deal.

This is a list of those who voted at the end of the debate. You can read the full debate here: http://tinyurl.com/n475zb2

AYES i.e. those supporting the firefighters

Abbott, Ms Diane

Abrahams, Debbie

Ainsworth, rh Mr Bob

Alexander, rh Mr Douglas

Alexander, Heidi

Ali, Rushanara

Allen, Mr Graham

Anderson, Mr David

Ashworth, Jonathan

Austin, Ian

Bailey, Mr Adrian

Bain, Mr William

Balls, rh Ed

Banks, Gordon

Barron, rh Kevin

Bayley, Hugh

Beckett, rh Margaret

Begg, Dame Anne

Benn, rh Hilary

Berger, Luciana

Betts, Mr Clive

Birtwistle, Gordon

Blackman-Woods, Roberta

Blears, rh Hazel

Blomfield, Paul

Blunkett, rh Mr David

Bradshaw, rh Mr Ben

Brennan, Kevin

Brown, Lyn

Brown, rh Mr Nicholas

Brown, Mr Russell

Bryant, Chris

Buck, Ms Karen

Burden, Richard

Burnham, rh Andy

Byrne, rh Mr Liam

Campbell, rh Mr Alan

Campbell, Mr Ronnie

Caton, Martin

Champion, Sarah

Chapman, Jenny

Clark, Katy

Clarke, rh Mr Tom

Clwyd, rh Ann

Coaker, Vernon

Coffey, Ann

Cooper, Rosie

Cooper, rh Yvette

Corbyn, Jeremy

Crausby, Mr David

Creagh, Mary

Creasy, Stella

Cruddas, Jon

Cryer, John

Cunningham, Alex

Cunningham, Mr Jim

Cunningham, Sir Tony

Curran, Margaret

Dakin, Nic

Danczuk, Simon

David, Wayne

Davidson, Mr Ian

Davies, Geraint

De Piero, Gloria

Denham, rh Mr John

Dobson, rh Frank

Docherty, Thomas

Donaldson, rh Mr Jeffrey M.

Donohoe, Mr Brian H.

Doran, Mr Frank

Doughty, Stephen

Dowd, Jim

Doyle, Gemma

Dromey, Jack

Dugher, Michael

Durkan, Mark

Eagle, Ms Angela

Eagle, Maria

Edwards, Jonathan

Efford, Clive

Elliott, Julie

Ellman, Mrs Louise

Engel, Natascha

Esterson, Bill

Evans, Chris

Farron, Tim

Field, rh Mr Frank

Fitzpatrick, Jim

Flello, Robert

Flint, rh Caroline

Flynn, Paul

Fovargue, Yvonne

Francis, Dr Hywel

Galloway, George

Gapes, Mike

Gilbert, Stephen

Glass, Pat

Glindon, Mrs Mary

Godsiff, Mr Roger

Goodman, Helen

Greatrex, Tom

Green, Kate

Greenwood, Lilian

Griffith, Nia

Gwynne, Andrew

Hain, rh Mr Peter

Hamilton, Mr David

Hamilton, Fabian

Hancock, Mr Mike

Hanson, rh Mr David

Harman, rh Ms Harriet

Harris, Mr Tom

Harvey, Sir Nick

Havard, Mr Dai

Healey, rh John

Hepburn, Mr Stephen

Hermon, Lady

Heyes, David

Hillier, Meg

Hilling, Julie

Hodge, rh Margaret

Hodgson, Mrs Sharon

Hoey, Kate

Hood, Mr Jim

Hopkins, Kelvin

Hosie, Stewart

Howarth, rh Mr George

Hunt, Tristram

Huppert, Dr Julian

Irranca-Davies, Huw

Jackson, Glenda

James, Mrs Siân C.

Jamieson, Cathy

Jarvis, Dan

Johnson, rh Alan

Johnson, Diana

Jones, Graham

Jones, Helen

Jones, Mr Kevan

Jones, Susan Elan

Kane, Mike

Kaufman, rh Sir Gerald

Keeley, Barbara

Kendall, Liz

Khan, rh Sadiq

Lammy, rh Mr David

Lavery, Ian

Lazarowicz, Mark

Lewell-Buck, Mrs Emma

Lewis, Mr Ivan

Llwyd, rh Mr Elfyn

Long, Naomi

Love, Mr Andrew

Lucas, Caroline

Lucas, Ian

Mactaggart, Fiona

Mahmood, Mr Khalid

Mahmood, Shabana

Malhotra, Seema

Mann, John

Marsden, Mr Gordon

McCabe, Steve

McCann, Mr Michael

McCarthy, Kerry

McClymont, Gregg

McDonagh, Siobhain

McDonald, Andy

McDonnell, John

McFadden, rh Mr Pat

McGovern, Jim

McInnes, Liz

McKechin, Ann

McKenzie, Mr Iain

McKinnell, Catherine

Meacher, rh Mr Michael

Meale, Sir Alan

Mearns, Ian

Miller, Andrew

Mitchell, Austin

Moon, Mrs Madeleine

Morden, Jessica

Morrice, Graeme

(Livingston)

Morris, Grahame M.

(Easington)

Mudie, Mr George

Munn, Meg

Murphy, rh Paul

Murray, Ian

Nandy, Lisa

Nash, Pamela

O'Donnell, Fiona

Onwurah, Chi

Osborne, Sandra

Owen, Albert

Paisley, Ian

Perkins, Toby

Phillipson, Bridget

Pound, Stephen

Powell, Lucy

Pugh, John

Qureshi, Yasmin

Raynsford, rh Mr Nick

Reed, Mr Jamie

Reed, Mr Steve

Reeves, Rachel

Reynolds, Emma

Reynolds, Jonathan

Riordan, Mrs Linda

Robertson, Angus

Robertson, John

Robinson, Mr Geoffrey

Rotheram, Steve

Roy, Mr Frank

Roy, Lindsay

Ruane, Chris

Ruddock, rh Dame Joan

Sanders, Mr Adrian

Sarwar, Anas

Sawford, Andy

Seabeck, Alison

Shannon, Jim

Sharma, Mr Virendra

Sheerman, Mr Barry

Sheridan, Jim

Shuker, Gavin

Skinner, Mr Dennis

Slaughter, Mr Andy

Smith, rh Mr Andrew

Smith, Nick

Smith, Owen

Straw, rh Mr Jack

Stringer, Graham

Stuart, Ms Gisela

Sutcliffe, Mr Gerry

Tami, Mark

Thomas, Mr Gareth

Thornberry, Emily

Timms, rh Stephen

Trickett, Jon

Turner, Karl

Twigg, Derek

Twigg, Stephen

Umunna, Mr Chuka

Vaz, rh Keith

Vaz, Valerie

Walley, Joan

Watson, Mr Tom

Watts, Mr Dave

Weir, Mr Mike

Whiteford, Dr Eilidh

Whitehead, Dr Alan

Williams, Hywel

Williams, Mr Mark

Williamson, Chris

Wilson, Sammy

Winnick, Mr David

Winterton, rh Ms Rosie

Wood, Mike

Woodcock, John

Woodward, rh Mr Shaun

Wright, David

Wright, Mr Iain

Tellers for the Ayes:

Tom Blenkinsop

and

Phil Wilson

NOES i.e. those opposing the firefighters

Adams, Nigel

Afriyie, Adam

Aldous, Peter

Alexander, rh Danny

Amess, Mr David

Andrew, Stuart

Arbuthnot, rh Mr James

Bacon, Mr Richard

Baker, rh Norman

Baker, Steve

Baldry, rh Sir Tony

Baldwin, Harriett

Barclay, Stephen

Barker, rh Gregory

Bebb, Guto

Bellingham, Mr Henry

Benyon, Richard

Beresford, Sir Paul

Berry, Jake

Bingham, Andrew

Blackwood, Nicola

Blunt, Crispin

Boles, Nick

Bone, Mr Peter

Bottomley, Sir Peter

Bradley, Karen

Brady, Mr Graham

Brake, rh Tom

Bray, Angie

Brazier, Mr Julian

Bridgen, Andrew

Brine, Steve

Brokenshire, James

Browne, Mr Jeremy

Bruce, Fiona

Bruce, rh Sir Malcolm

Buckland, Mr Robert

Burley, Mr Aidan

Burns, Conor

Burns, rh Mr Simon

Burrowes, Mr David

Burt, rh Alistair

Byles, Dan

Cairns, Alun

Carmichael, rh Mr Alistair

Carmichael, Neil

Cash, Sir William

Chishti, Rehman

Chope, Mr Christopher

Clappison, Mr James

Clark, rh Greg

Clegg, rh Mr Nick

Clifton-Brown, Geoffrey

Coffey, Dr Thérèse

Collins, Damian

Colvile, Oliver

Cox, Mr Geoffrey

Crabb, rh Stephen

Crouch, Tracey

Davey, rh Mr Edward

Davies, David T. C.

(Monmouth)

Davies, Glyn

Davies, Philip

Davis, rh Mr David

de Bois, Nick

Dinenage, Caroline

Djanogly, Mr Jonathan

Dorries, Nadine

Doyle-Price, Jackie

Drax, Richard

Duddridge, James

Duncan, rh Sir Alan

Duncan Smith, rh Mr Iain

Ellis, Michael

Ellison, Jane

Ellwood, Mr Tobias

Elphicke, Charlie

Evans, Graham

Evans, Jonathan

Evans, Mr Nigel

Evennett, Mr David

Fabricant, Michael

Fallon, rh Michael

Featherstone, rh Lynne

Field, Mark

Foster, rh Mr Don

Fox, rh Dr Liam

Francois, rh Mr Mark

Freeman, George

Freer, Mike

Fullbrook, Lorraine

Fuller, Richard

Gale, Sir Roger

Garnier, Mark

Gauke, Mr David

Gibb, Mr Nick

Gilbert, Stephen

Glen, John

Goldsmith, Zac

Goodwill, Mr Robert

Gove, rh Michael

Graham, Richard

Grant, Mrs Helen

Gray, Mr James

Grayling, rh Chris

Green, rh Damian

Grieve, rh Mr Dominic

Griffiths, Andrew

Gummer, Ben

Gyimah, Mr Sam

Hague, rh Mr William

Halfon, Robert

Hames, Duncan

Hammond, Stephen

Hancock, rh Matthew

Hands, rh Greg

Harper, Mr Mark

Harrington, Richard

Harris, Rebecca

Hart, Simon

Haselhurst, rh Sir Alan

Hayes, rh Mr John

Heald, Sir Oliver

Heath, Mr David

Heaton-Harris, Chris

Hemming, John

Henderson, Gordon

Hendry, Charles

Herbert, rh Nick

Hinds, Damian

Hoban, Mr Mark

Hollingbery, George

Hollobone, Mr Philip

Holloway, Mr Adam

Hopkins, Kris

Howarth, Sir Gerald

Howell, John

Hughes, rh Simon

Hunt, rh Mr Jeremy

Hunter, Mark

Hurd, Mr Nick

Jackson, Mr Stewart

James, Margot

Javid, rh Sajid

Jenkin, Mr Bernard

Jenrick, Robert

Johnson, Gareth

Johnson, Joseph

Jones, Andrew

Jones, rh Mr David

Jones, Mr Marcus

Kawczynski, Daniel

Kelly, Chris

Kirby, Simon

Knight, rh Sir Greg

Kwarteng, Kwasi

Lamb, rh Norman

Lancaster, Mark

Lansley, rh Mr Andrew

Latham, Pauline

Laws, rh Mr David

Leadsom, Andrea

Lefroy, Jeremy

Leigh, Sir Edward

Leslie, Charlotte

Letwin, rh Mr Oliver

Lewis, Brandon

Lewis, Dr Julian

Liddell-Grainger, Mr Ian

Lidington, rh Mr David

Lilley, rh Mr Peter

Lloyd, Stephen

Lopresti, Jack

Lord, Jonathan

Loughton, Tim

Luff, Sir Peter

Lumley, Karen

Macleod, Mary

Main, Mrs Anne

Maude, rh Mr Francis

May, rh Mrs Theresa

Maynard, Paul

McCartney, Jason

McCartney, Karl

McIntosh, Miss Anne

McLoughlin, rh Mr Patrick

McPartland, Stephen

McVey, rh Esther

Menzies, Mark

Metcalfe, Stephen

Miller, rh Maria

Mills, Nigel

Milton, Anne

Moore, rh Michael

Mordaunt, Penny

Morgan, rh Nicky

Morris, Anne Marie

Morris, David

Morris, James

Mosley, Stephen

Mowat, David

Mundell, rh David

Munt, Tessa

Murray, Sheryll

Murrison, Dr Andrew

Neill, Robert

Newmark, Mr Brooks

Newton, Sarah

Nokes, Caroline

Norman, Jesse

Nuttall, Mr David

O'Brien, rh Mr Stephen

Offord, Dr Matthew

Ollerenshaw, Eric

Opperman, Guy

Ottaway, rh Sir Richard

Paice, rh Sir James

Parish, Neil

Patel, Priti

Paterson, rh Mr Owen

Pawsey, Mark

Penning, rh Mike

Penrose, John

Percy, Andrew

Perry, Claire

Phillips, Stephen

Pickles, rh Mr Eric

Pincher, Christopher

Poulter, Dr Daniel

Prisk, Mr Mark

Randall, rh Sir John

Redwood, rh Mr John

Rees-Mogg, Jacob

Reevell, Simon

Reid, Mr Alan

Rifkind, rh Sir Malcolm

Robathan, rh Mr Andrew

Robertson, rh Sir Hugh

Robertson, Mr Laurence

Rogerson, Dan

Rosindell, Andrew

Rudd, Amber

Ruffley, Mr David

Rutley, David

Sandys, Laura

Scott, Mr Lee

Selous, Andrew

Shapps, rh Grant

Sharma, Alok

Shelbrooke, Alec

Shepherd, Sir Richard

Simmonds, Mark

Simpson, Mr Keith

Skidmore, Chris

Smith, Chloe

Smith, Henry

Smith, Julian

Soames, rh Sir Nicholas

Soubry, Anna

Spelman, rh Mrs Caroline

Spencer, Mr Mark

Stanley, rh Sir John

Stephenson, Andrew

Stevenson, John

Stewart, Bob

Stewart, Iain

Stewart, Rory

Streeter, Mr Gary

Stride, Mel

Stunell, rh Sir Andrew

Sturdy, Julian

Swales, Ian

Swayne, rh Mr Desmond

Swinson, Jo

Swire, rh Mr Hugo

Syms, Mr Robert

Teather, Sarah

Thornton, Mike

Thurso, rh John

Timpson, Mr Edward

Tomlinson, Justin

Tredinnick, David

Truss, rh Elizabeth

Turner, Mr Andrew

Tyrie, Mr Andrew

Uppal, Paul

Vaizey, Mr Edward

Vara, Mr Shailesh

Vickers, Martin

Villiers, rh Mrs Theresa

Walker, Mr Charles

Walker, Mr Robin

Wallace, Mr Ben

Ward, Mr David

Watkinson, Dame Angela

Webb, rh Steve

Wharton, James

Wheeler, Heather

White, Chris

Whittaker, Craig

Whittingdale, Mr John

Wiggin, Bill

Willetts, rh Mr David

Williams, Stephen

Williamson, Gavin

Willott, Jenny

Wilson, Mr Rob

Wollaston, Dr Sarah

Wright, rh Jeremy

Wright, Simon

Yeo, Mr Tim

Young, rh Sir George

Zahawi, Nadhim

DEMOCRACY SHOULD BE ABOUT IDEAS AND VALUES NOT THE SIZE OF YOUR BANK BALANCE

The Government has changed the law on election spending, increasing election spending limits by £6.2 million - £3.2 million more than the increase recommended by the independent Electoral Commission.

This change in the law is likely to help the Conservatives in the forthcoming general election, as they are the only party currently in a position to take advantage of an increase in spending limits of this size.

They have failed to deliver on their promises to balance the nation’s books and failed to help people to balance theirs. Their policies have impoverished millions while creating record numbers of millionaires. To add insult to injury they’ve also cut tax liabilities for the growing ranks of millionaires while introducing the bedroom tax on Britain’s poorest households.

But they want to go even further. The Tories want to cut the state back to the level it was in the 1930s and now we know they want to buy an election they don’t deserve to win.

This is a party flush with big money backers but without the empathy or ideas the country needs so they are rigging the rules of our democracy in their favour.

This additional spending could potentially see the Tories flood their key seats with millions more leaflets, postcards and other campaign material.

This change in the law comes as the Conservatives are receiving huge sums from an exclusive network backers, including hedge funds, big city interests and secretive supper clubs. Analysis reveals that:
• Hedge funds are bankrolling the Tory Party: they have given the Tories £52 million in total.
• Since the election the Tories have received £6m from secretive Unincorporated Associations, which are clubs that don’t have to declare all their donations.
• The Tories are increasingly funnelling cash to target constituencies: they have raised £2.6 million for key seats since 2010, 60% of which has gone to defensive seats.
This is an indication as to why solidarity is so important in the face of these overwhelming financial odds.

It is imperative that people who believe in progressive policies and social justice get behind the Labour Party to defeat the forces of conservatism. If we fail, the consequences for our country will be dire.

TORIES PLUS TTIP EQUALS SERIOUS THREAT TO NHS AND OTHER PUBLIC SERVICES

FRIDAY’s vote on the NHS in the House of Commons brings the Tories’ desire to privatise public services back on to the news agenda.

For those who haven’t followed these developments, MPs voted in favour of a bill designed to curb the worst parts of the Health and Social Care Act that opened the door to NHS privatisation.

I delivered a 16,442-name petition to Westminster showing how strongly Derby people feel about the issue, and I dearly hope Labour’s long-running campaign to save the NHS will bear fruit.

But while talk of losing something as important as our health service is tangible and inevitably prompts a reaction, another broader issue relating to the future of public services has, to a large extent, slipped under the radar.

Many readers will not have heard of TTIP – the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership – largely because it has been negotiated behind closed doors, but it’s due to be ratified next year.

It is designed to reduce the trade barriers between the US and EU, and to that end clearly has the potential to reap many benefits on both sides of the Atlantic provided it is drawn up carefully.

But there is a reason that it is causing a rumpus among those who have delved into it most deeply.

TTIP could open all of Europe’s public services, such as the NHS and our education system, to private enterprise.

But the prospect of refocusing our public bodies on making money instead of service delivery is anathema to most British people.

Robust caveats must therefore be inserted into the agreement to ensure that doesn’t happen.

There is also a real danger that corporate interests could become deeply embroiled with our democratic processes.

Imagine the next Labour government implementing our pledge to freeze energy bills, only to find the UK being sued by the giant energy companies for loss of profits.

Yet that possibility could arise through TTIP, which proposes the creation of so-called Investor-State Dispute Settlements empowering big companies to take on nation states.

Not only would that be unthinkably bizarre, but it would also be an attack on democracy. Public policy would be stymied by a corporate agenda, giving far too much influence to multinational companies.

But perhaps the biggest question that needs to be addressed is whose interests the politicians negotiating TTIP are representing – the people who elected them or the private corporations pushing for it?

To my mind, economic development is only beneficial if it serves everyone in the chain, not just fat cat executives and wealthy shareholders.

My fear – and one shared by many commentators – is that if we are not careful TTIP will be another mechanism that widens inequality.

We cannot allow this government to use TTIP to enable the rich to get even richer, without any real impact on working people who are actually creating that wealth.

It would make the whole exercise pointless, and if the politicians locked in the secret negotiations can’t see that then TTIP – which offers so much potential – runs the risk of doing more harm than good

THE HUNTING BAN IS TEN YEARS OLD - NOW IT’S TIME STRENGTHEN THE LEGISLATION TO STOP HUNTERS FLOUTING THE LAW

Tuesday 18th November 2014 marks the tenth anniversary of the passing of the Hunting Act. Now the League Against Cruel Sports has launched a new report calling for specific improvements to make it even more effective.

The Hunting Act has proven to be an effective and popular piece of legislation, with a higher number of convictions than similar wildlife laws. Public support for the prohibition of hunting has always been high, but this has also increased substantially over the past ten years.

Yet, since its introduction, the Act has been the target of considerable attack from the pro-hunt lobby which has waged an ongoing and concerted campaign of disinformation to publicly discredit the legislation and promote their campaign for repeal.

The problem is not with the law. It’s with those arrogant bloodsports fanatics who think they’re above the law and openly flout it. This cannot be allowed to go on in a democracy where the rule of law is sacrosanct.

It is now time to build on the successes of first ten years and strengthen the Hunting Act to ensure the spirit of the Act is fulfilled.

The League is recommending three main improvements to strengthen the Hunting Act, these include:

1. Prohibiting the use of dogs below ground - this is arguably where the worst cruelty occurs in hunting, not only to wild mammals pursued underground with limited opportunity to escape (usually foxes and badgers), but also to the dogs sent below ground to find these animals and either flush them out or hold them at bay.

2. Inserting a ‘reckless’ provision to ensure the killing of wild mammals during a trail hunt cannot be passed off as an ‘unfortunate accident’.

3. Increasing the punishments available to the courts so that the Act is brought in line with other animal protection legislation.

LIB DEM COLLABORATORS SEEKING ALIBI FOR VENAL DECISION TO INSTALL TORY GOVT

AFTER four-and-a-half years of merciless attacks on the poor by this disgraceful Government, it takes something pretty galling for someone like me to find myself agreeing with the Tories on anything.

But if there is one thing that seemingly unites Labour and the Conservatives, poles apart though we are in so many ways, it is in the shoulder-shrugging despair at the utter hypocrisy of the Liberal Democrats.

The Lib Dems truly are the most shameless of all when it comes to outrageous acts of mercenary vote chasing, posturing for the popular vote while displaying an abject inability to deliver anything.

There atrocious behaviour in relation to the bedroom tax is probably their lowest, most scandalous act of hypocrisy yet.

It was their ministers and their MPs who backed the Tories all the way when they introduced the bedroom tax, despite anyone with even the merest hint of conscience feeling thoroughly perturbed at such a socially unacceptable policy.

The so-called “spare room subsidy” was designed to pick on people who couldn’t afford it, penalising single parents, disabled people and even parents of soldiers, hitting them in the pocket for having bedrooms not in permanent use.

Did the Lib Dems tell the Tories they weren’t comfortable with such a cut-throat policy?

Did they feel strongly enough to withdraw support or use their position as kingmaker to force a change of heart?

Did they side with Labour and vote it down to protect the vulnerable people who Mr Cameron and Co were so keen to punish.

Of course they didn’t. They didn’t just sit on their hands either – they knowingly voted it through used their controlling influence to transform crackpot right-wing Tory policy into UK law.

Utterly deplorable.

Labour has opposed the bedroom tax from the outset, and Ed Miliband made it perfectly clear some time ago that a Labour Government will reverse this atrocious act against the poor.

And now, suddenly, the Lib Dems agree.

Hark! Is there a General Election in the offing?

Perhaps the most stomach-churning thing of all was reading the comments on Twitter of professional Lib Dem charlatan Vince Cable boasting how he had cancelled his meetings in order back a bill by his party to “fix the Tories’ unfair bedroom tax”.

Mr Cable is unique among Lib Dems.

He has somehow built a reputation, or at least he had prior to his party’s appalling term of office in Government, as something of a one-off – a bright spark of quality among a despairing pit of mediocrity within his party.

Yet the truth is he’s no better than the rest of them. Whether it’s Lib Dems in Westminster or Lib Dems here in Derby, they’re all the same.

In opposition, they promise the earth. They fasten on to every popular policy and tell people what they want to hear (not unlike UKIP), safe in the belief that they will never have to deliver on it.

But then when they stumble into power, the buffoonery begins. They bumble from one place to the next, breaking promises here and digging holes for themselves there.

They are the artisans of hypocrisy and the definition of dishonesty, whether it means promising not to increase student tuition fees then voting for the opposite, or this latest debacle over the bedroom tax.

We saw it in Derby during two forgettable years between 2008 and 2010, and we’ve endured it nationally for the last five sorrowful years.

But their poll ratings suggest that they've finally rumbled once and for all.

FOX HUNT THUGS CONVICTED

Three members of the College Valley and North Northumberland Hunt were last week found guilty of illegally hunting a fox during a hunt meet at West Kyloe Farm, near Lowick, Northumberland on 27th February 2014.

Appearing before Berwick Magistrates’ Court, joint Master, Timothy Wyndham Basil Smalley, huntsman, Ian Robert McKie and kennel huntsman, Andrew John Proe of the College Valley and North Northumberland Hunt, were all convicted of hunting a wild mammal with dogs, contrary to Section 1 of the Hunting Act 2004.

Joe Duckworth, Chief Executive at the League Against Cruel Sports said: “We are extremely pleased with the verdict. We hope this successful case will make other hunt members think twice before breaking the law and causing harm to wildlife.

“We know that many hunts continue to regularly flout the law. Our team of professional investigators work hard in the field to capture illegal activity and work with the relevant statutory bodies to bring about prosecutions.”

The case was brought by the Crown Prosecution Service following evidence supplied by the League Against Cruel Sports and further investigation by Northumbria Police.

Joint Master, Timothy Wyndham Basil Smalley was fined £2,075 with £120 victim surcharge. The Huntsman, Ian Robert McKie was fined £1,150 with a £115 victim surcharge. Kennel Huntsman, Andrew John Proe was fined £480 with a £48 victim surcharge.

Each defendant was ordered to pay costs of £385.

TORY DIRTY TRICKS DEPT'S BOTCHED 1970s SMEAR BACKFIRES

WHEN a politician is recorded without their knowledge making comments at a fringe event or gathering, there normally follows a PR disaster over their controversial utterances.

But I was far from disappointed to learn on this week’s Sunday Politics Show that Conservative Party representatives had made recordings of me without my knowledge.

What was particularly pleasing was how the attempt at political mischief making backfired calamitously, with even Sunday Politics Show host Andrew Neill describing the ruse as “far from impressive”.

In fact, rather than cause me any embarrassment, I was pleased the comments were given air time – even though the first I knew of it was when I was watching the show live on Sunday morning!

The recording featured me detailing many of the great successes of 1970s Britain that made our country anything but the “sick man of Europe” that some would have us believe during that era.

And the facts back up the point I was making.

While the government boasts today about an economic growth which tells half a story as public services gasp for air, the 1.33 per cent growth achieved to 2013-14 is nothing like
the average 2.255 per cent achieved in the 1970s.

Manufacturing represents just 12 per cent of the UK economy today, as opposed to 30 per cent back then.

We are desperately in need of new homes today, and the 135,550 per year managed during this Government’s mid-term is not a patch on the 365,000 achieved at the start of the 1970s.

The list goes on, with unemployment in 2014 more than double what it was 40 years earlier.

Now I’m not saying we should hark back to the old days. Times move on and politics has to move with it.

But I do know that as a 19-year-old apprentice bricklayer in the 1970s, I was able to afford to buy my own comfortable home, something of a pipe dream for many highly qualified professionals starting out on the job ladder today.

What I do believe is that we can learn from our past – be it our successes or our failures – and there is no shame in remembering either from that particular era.

So while those responsible for releasing the recording sought to paint a picture of regressive politics hankering for a return to the dark old days, the truth is somewhat different on both counts.

Reflecting on the past as we seek to move forwards is absolutely essential, and remembering history for what it was rather than what political cowards paint it to be is vital.

And I can’t deny there was something hugely satisfying about watching a panel of analysts and commentators treat the attempt to cause embarrassment with the contempt it merited.