pavement in a promisingly threatening manner, and announcing to the world in general in cacophonous baritones that Norwich City stood in grave danger of relegation. Upon seeing us, they began to make those piggy snorting noises so wittily directed by crowds at the police. Just as they drew level, one of them – a thickset and heavily tattooed young man – accosted Ian with a jut of the chin and the word ‘Oi’, and a broad arm began to rain blows upon Ian’s shoulders and back. I was debating whether to intervene (the press being present, after all) or to follow my instinct and run like the wind, when it became clear that the bombardment which Ian was taking was in fact bestowed in a spirit of affection. It seems they had been at school together. It was when Ian produced a photo of his new baby, which was passed solemnly round the group of skinheads, that Geoff cut his losses and went home.
Any more bright ideas, Michael?
Richard.
PS. It wasn’t a completely wasted evening, however. I did acquire a Suffolk Constabulary souvenir keyring, which is also a lighter. Unfortunately, being neither a smoker nor an arsonist, I am unlikely to get much use out of it.
From: Michael Carragan [[email protected]]
Sent: 2/4/05 09:57
To: Richard Slater [[email protected]]
Do the Suffolk Fire Service have a matching one with a water pistol to put out the fires?
Michael.
From: Richard Slater [[email protected]]
Sent: 2/4/05 10:24
To: Michael Carragan [[email protected]]
And the ambulance service do one with a tiny oxygen mask and burns blanket. I may collect the set.
Richard.
WITCH
Women of Ipswich Together Combating Homelessness
42 Gledhill Street
Ipswich
Suffolk IP3 2DA
Mr Richard Slater, MP
House of Commons
London SW1A 0AA
6 April 2005
Dear Mr Slater,
As treasurer of WITCH I am writing to you, our constituency MP, about a matter of government policy which has recently had a direct impact upon our service provision, and about which we feel considerable dismay.
You are probably aware that asylum seekers are not entitled to any recourse to state funds unless and until their application for leave to remain in the country is successful. This means that even a voluntary project such as Witch House cannot offer financial assistance to an asylum seeker without putting our local authority grant at risk. In our view, this is an attack upon one of the most vulnerable groups of homeless people, and a serious impediment to a group such as ours in our aim to provide a service for those most in need of it. We are currently housing a young asylum seeker, and are having to fund-raise from charitable sources to meet the cost of her accommodation with us. If we cannot raise the sums required, she will lose her room and the support which we provide with it.
I am by this time fully aware that you do not consider correspondence from your constituents to be a high priority, but I urge you most strongly, please do not ignore the plight of this young woman and hundreds like her. I will soon be able to wallpaper my bedroom with your standard form letters. Or perhaps I will bundle them all up and post them to the Prime Minister to show him how much you care about your constituents’ concerns.
Yours sincerely,
Margaret Hayton.
From: Michael Carragan
[[email protected]]
Sent: 7/4/05 14:42
To: Richard Slater [[email protected]]
Hi Richard,
So if ASBOs did not prove a fertile area, how about PFI? It is rarely off the Rottweiler’s lips.
Michael.
Michael Carragan (Labour)
Member of Parliament for West Bromwich West
From: Richard Slater [[email protected]]
Sent: 8/4/05 16:07
To: Michael Carragan [[email protected]]
Michael, hi, and thanks for the suggestion. I’ve looked into it, and I am sorry to say that PFI has not so far exactly been a transformative influence upon health provision in Ipswich. No new
Any more bright ideas, Michael?
Richard.
PS. It wasn’t a completely wasted evening, however. I did acquire a Suffolk Constabulary souvenir keyring, which is also a lighter. Unfortunately, being neither a smoker nor an arsonist, I am unlikely to get much use out of it.
From: Michael Carragan [[email protected]]
Sent: 2/4/05 09:57
To: Richard Slater [[email protected]]
Do the Suffolk Fire Service have a matching one with a water pistol to put out the fires?
Michael.
From: Richard Slater [[email protected]]
Sent: 2/4/05 10:24
To: Michael Carragan [[email protected]]
And the ambulance service do one with a tiny oxygen mask and burns blanket. I may collect the set.
Richard.
WITCH
Women of Ipswich Together Combating Homelessness
42 Gledhill Street
Ipswich
Suffolk IP3 2DA
Mr Richard Slater, MP
House of Commons
London SW1A 0AA
6 April 2005
Dear Mr Slater,
As treasurer of WITCH I am writing to you, our constituency MP, about a matter of government policy which has recently had a direct impact upon our service provision, and about which we feel considerable dismay.
You are probably aware that asylum seekers are not entitled to any recourse to state funds unless and until their application for leave to remain in the country is successful. This means that even a voluntary project such as Witch House cannot offer financial assistance to an asylum seeker without putting our local authority grant at risk. In our view, this is an attack upon one of the most vulnerable groups of homeless people, and a serious impediment to a group such as ours in our aim to provide a service for those most in need of it. We are currently housing a young asylum seeker, and are having to fund-raise from charitable sources to meet the cost of her accommodation with us. If we cannot raise the sums required, she will lose her room and the support which we provide with it.
I am by this time fully aware that you do not consider correspondence from your constituents to be a high priority, but I urge you most strongly, please do not ignore the plight of this young woman and hundreds like her. I will soon be able to wallpaper my bedroom with your standard form letters. Or perhaps I will bundle them all up and post them to the Prime Minister to show him how much you care about your constituents’ concerns.
Yours sincerely,
Margaret Hayton.
From: Michael Carragan
[[email protected]]
Sent: 7/4/05 14:42
To: Richard Slater [[email protected]]
Hi Richard,
So if ASBOs did not prove a fertile area, how about PFI? It is rarely off the Rottweiler’s lips.
Michael.
Michael Carragan (Labour)
Member of Parliament for West Bromwich West
From: Richard Slater [[email protected]]
Sent: 8/4/05 16:07
To: Michael Carragan [[email protected]]
Michael, hi, and thanks for the suggestion. I’ve looked into it, and I am sorry to say that PFI has not so far exactly been a transformative influence upon health provision in Ipswich. No new
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