LIBERAL DEMOCRAT PARTY
ALEX STONE
website 44 Garfield Avenue, Lancaster LA1 5ET tel: 01524 388742

Introduction:

I have always been interested in local politics and the opportunity to make a real difference for my local community. I grew up in Blackpool and was educated at Devonshire Road Junior School and Blackpool Collegiate. I studied for my first degree in Computer Science in Brighton, where I met my future wife Helen. After University I spent the next ten years working in the South of England in the IT industry. We had the opportunity of moving back to the North West when Helen became a senior lecturer at St. Martin's College.
I have been active in local politics for over ten years now. I first became involved in local government aged 25, when I was elected district and parish councillor for my local village - Lane End & Piddington when we lived in High Wycombe. During this time I learnt the true value of local politics - being able to act as local advocate and be in a position to make a positive difference for my local community. The experience of working for my local community in this way was one of the main reasons why I decided to change careers - leave the IT industry and enter the Nursing profession.
I currently serve as Councillor and Cabinet Member on Lancaster City Councillor representing the University Ward. I have special responsibility for Internal Affairs, which includes e-Government, Council Tax and Housing Benefits, the property portfolio of the Council including the Town Hall buildings, personnel services, Legal, Civic and Ceremonial affairs.
As Member of Parliament for Morecambe & Lunesdale, my intention would be to continue to make a real difference for my local community, in the same way I already try to do in my professional and public life. I am a community politician at heart and this certainly would not change if elected to Parliament.

What's the best thing about the area?

I believe the best thing about Morecambe and Lunesdale is its beauty and history. The view across the bay is truly magnificent and deserves to be protected for the enjoyment of future generations. The countryside which surrounds our towns is equally special, its history and traditions deserve our respect and should be protected.

And the worst?

The worst thing for me is the obvious neglect the area and resort have suffered under previous Governments. As a tourist attraction, Morecambe has clearly suffered from lack of interest by national politicians and a lack of vision. I believe New Labour has failed Morecambe, in the same way the Tories did before that. I believe that as a Liberal Democrat, I can bring real investment and regeneration to the Morecambe Bay area, as we have successfully done in other places, such as Liverpool and Newcastle. New Labour does not have all the answers when it comes to deprivation. Liberal Democrats offer a real alternative; they are the effective opposition nationally and make a real difference locally.

What local issues do you consider the most pressing at this time?

The most important issues locally are the regeneration of Morecambe and the environmental protection of Morecambe Bay.
Firstly, we need to attract more investment to the area and get better quality jobs for local people.
Secondly, I find it unbelievable that the British Government has been unable to protect the Bay from over-cockling, particularly as it is a site of European scientific and special interest. Even after the tragic deaths last year it appears that nothing has really changed and that it is still easier to be fined for fishing illegally on the canal than for cockling out in the Bay without a permit. As Member of Parliament I will fight to get a better deal for Morecambe and make sure environmental concerns about the Bay remain top of the agenda.

Do you support plans for the Northern Bypass?

Yes. Morecambe & Heysham desperately need a link road, which I consider essential in order to successfully regenerate the area. Local Liberal Democrats have campaigned for a Northern Link Road for many years now. It’s a shame that it took so long for other parties to reach the same conclusion as we had done years before. This prevarication by other parties has delayed the scheme for far too long.

What are your feelings about the plans for a gas storage facility being built in the Wyre?

I am very concerned about these proposals. The scheme appears to be located far too close to residential areas around Fleetwood and the Wyre and it is simply not possible to be absolutely certain that gas can be stored in this way without risk. In the case of similar proposals in the Cheshire, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) has proved ineffectual and unable to stand up for the concerns of local residents; choosing instead to side with the developers. I believe it is time to take the fight to Europe to obtain legislation which better protects the interests of local residents and keeps people safe in their own homes. I have spoken to our North-West MEP and Liberal Democrat Environmental spokesperson, Chris Davies about this matter. He has promised to help us with our campaign within the European Parliament.

What one policy change do you think government should make that would most benefit local residents?

Fairer Taxes. Liberal Democrats want to make the tax system fairer and simpler. Abolishing the unfair Council Tax and replacing it with a local income tax based on a person’s ability to pay would help many people within the local area, particularly Pensioners and those on low incomes.

Our council seems to be making a lot of cuts in services but council tax still rises. Do you think council tax is a fair way to generate local tax revenues and if not, what should take its place?

Council Tax is unfair. It penalises those on low incomes and takes no account of individual circumstances. Council Tax should be axed immediately and replaced with a local income tax, based on a person’s ability to pay.

What other ways could government better aid local services?

We need to slim down central government and devolve power back down to local authorities. Far too much power is held centrally in this Country. Local people should be given more responsibility and more of a say in how their communities are run.

There is talk of cuts to free bus school services. What is your position on public transport?
Has privatisation of buses and trains worked?

Current government proposals include the making of free bus school services a discretionary service for local authorities. If this happens I am certain that local authorities will be unable to continue funding these services for fear of being capped by central government. Liberal Democrats are fighting against these proposals. We believe that should be encouraging more children, not less onto these services as it is a proven way of reducing traffic congestion at peak periods and a safe way of children getting to school.
I believe that cutting school busses in this area may be disproportionally harmful to the local community because of our existing problems with traffic congestion, the rural nature of parts of Morecambe & Lunesdale and our particular reliance on buses to get children into schools from outside of the district.
My parents used to own Blackpool Bus Station Café. I was there on the day of deregulation and saw the direct consequences of the privatisation of the buses. When I lived in the south, as a regular commuter into London I have also experienced the damage privatisation has done to our train network.
Privatisation of public transport simply does not work. We need a modern and effective public transport system in this country which supports our industry and economy. As a society we need to invest our taxes in more sustainable transport systems and be given a say in how they are run. Private/Public partnerships are all well and good, but I have yet to see any such scheme work well.

What do you feel are the major issues affecting the region as a whole?

The region has an indirectly elected regional government called the North West Regional Assembly (yes it does really exist), which acts as the regional planning body and works away on important strategies which affect the vibrancy and economic vitality of the entire northwest region. Either Prescott, who set the thing up, should call a referendum to decide if the northwest should have a directly elected assembly or he should scrap it and devolve their powers back to local authorities. In its current form, the northwest regional assembly is completely unaccountable to the electorate and should not be allowed to continue.
Housing development is another major issue affecting us locally. The local area is currently over its quota for new housing and current restrictions are in place until 2007. Whilst this can be considered a good thing for the local area, providing the local council with more control over inappropriate housing development, this situation has only arisen because of housing oversupply in the more urban areas of the northwest, such as areas around Manchester and Liverpool.
When the quota is reviewed in 2007 I believe we need planning guidance which takes a more local and sensitive view on housing development within the district, including rural housing needs and not simply provide quotas based on the region as a whole.

What is your position on the war in Iraq?

We should not have gone to war over Iraq. British soldiers are dying in a foreign country for a war no one really wanted. Our armed services deserve better from the British government. It’s insulting that so little time was spent debating the issue of the war over Iraq and the fate of our soldiers, particularly when so much parliamentary time could be found to debate, in my opinion, the rather less important issue of foxhunting.

The Lancaster and Morecambe area has a large number of students. Given the decline in the number of people voting at elections, how would you try to get them involved in the democratic process?

As a University Ward Councillor I have had plenty of experience trying to engage students and get them more involved in the democratic process. I believe that students and young people are politically motivated but tend to feel that national politics are irrelevant to their own lives. The fact that many students from our own area were motivated enough to travel down to London and demonstrate against the war in Iraq speaks volumes. Students and young people do want a say in how the country is run and do have genuine concerns about specific issues, such as tuition fees and climate change. People often think that their vote doesn’t matter.
In the case of the last city council elections the University Vote was very close and two dozen votes made the difference. I believe that the answer is simple - to get out there and explain to students why their vote is important and what difference they can make to the result.

How do you respond to the challenge of far right parties such as the new England First Party and the BNP in the area?

I am personally disgusted by the policies of far right parties such as the BNP and New England First party. I find it ironic that they can stand on a platform arguing against the rights of minorities when they are themselves in a minority.
The issues of asylum and immigration are often used by right-ring parties in order to make their racist beliefs appear more acceptable to a wider audience. Without stooping to their level I would certainly acknowledge that this country needs to adopt a firm but fair approach when considering asylum and immigration.
We need an immigration system which attracts highly skilled individuals to this country who can help our society continue to move forward. We also need a more effective immigration system, which can identify the genuine asylum seeker and be able to offer refuge for those in need.

Mental illness is on the rise but Mental Health services have been drastically cut in this area - acute admission wards at the Ridge Hospital were closed without consultation, resulting in already disoriented patients now being routinely shipped off as far as Barrow for lengthy in-patient stays. A garden centre scheme providing employment for learning-disabled people is also under threat of closure for the same reason - the land is being sold off for redevelopment. How do you view the future of health resources in this area, and what action, if any, would you take to improve them.

During my Nurse training I looked after many people with acute or long-term mental illnesses. National figures report that one in four people will experience a mental illness within their lifetime. Mental illness is a problem which affects everyone and is often ignored. There is still a problem having to live with the stigma of a mental illness and the statistical fact that people suffering from long-term mental health problems find it more difficult to secure well paid employment and receive a living wage.
The elderly commonly suffer from high instances of mental illness, such as anxiety and depression. Support also needs to be in place for the more vulnerable parts of our community.
Mental health provision often appears to be given a lower priority within the health service than other areas and this needs to change. There has to be a greater emphasis on improved Mental Health services within our area.
A patient’s dietary needs are also often overlooked. Good mental health is a fundamental part of a persons overall wellbeing. More money needs to be invested into primary health care to give patients the best support possible when they are ill.

If elected, how accessible do you plan to be to your constituents?

I am a community politician at heart and intend to remain so when elected Member of Parliament. I firmly believe that an MP must be readily accessible to their constituents in order to be truly effective local advocate.
After May 5th my top priority will be to set up regular weekly surgeries across the constituency so I can listen to the concerns of local residents. If you would like to discuss any issue with me during the election my contact details are as follows. Phone: 388742, emailalexstone.net.

According to the government's scientific advisor, global warming is more of a threat to the country than terrorism - how do you expect it to change our lives and how do you plan to help us minimise the damage and prepare best for these changes?

This is a major threat to our planet and urgent action is needed. Britain needs to be at the forefront of climate change negotiations and Liberal Democrats will ensure that Britain achieves its targets from the Kyoto Protocol well before the deadline.
Liberal democrats understand that environmental improvements are vital to solving the problems people face in their daily lives. Promoting sustainability can improve our quality of life by promoting warm homes and lower fuel bills, clean air and rivers. That is why Liberal Democrats have always integrated environmental concerns into all our policy making, at local, national and international level and why we have a green backbone running through our General Election Manifesto. While action at the global level is vital we also want to promote environmental improvement from the grassroots up.

Fox-hunting and hare coursing - for or against?

As a liberal I will defend people’s rights to go about their own business provided that their actions are not harmful to society as a whole. I am against cruelty to animals. I am also respectful of tradition and the sensible stewardship of the countryside. I would not have voted for an outright ban on fox hunting and hare coursing and would have instead voted for a middle-way as had been tabled in Parliament.

What one thing do you personally hope to achieve should you get elected as MP?

I want a more equitable health service for the residents of Morecambe & Lunesdale. I want better dental care and improved out-of-hours GP provision across the Morecambe Bay area.

What one thing irritates you most as a person...

Spending time in unproductive meetings which ultimately achieve very little.

- And what one thing makes you the happiest?

Knowing that I have done my best to make a real difference for my local community.