Tag: Shailesh Vara

Shailesh Vara on secret voting and the bid to oust Bercow

17:21 Thursday 26th March 2015
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

CHRIS MANN: The last day of Parliament before the General Election has ended in tears, literally. The Government has botched an attempt to undermine John Bercow as the Commons Speaker, leaving him looking on the verge of crying, and dozens of MPs giving him a standing ovation. One of those who voted with the Government was North West Cambridgeshire MP Shailesh Vara, who spoke with me afterwards.
(TAPE)
SHAILESH VARA: I voted in favour of having a secret vote, and I take the view that the vote is sacrosanct. And also, on important decisions, people should be able to have the secret ballot. It’s what we do normally when we have vote systems and I’m sorry that we had all the fuss that we’ve had today. But a decision has been taken and there it is. But ..
CHRIS MANN: It was all just a mechanic to try and get rid of John Bercow wasn’t it?
Continue reading “Shailesh Vara on secret voting and the bid to oust Bercow”

Shailesh Vara On Filming In Court

17:24 Thursday 31st October 2013
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

[C]HRIS MANN: After years of negotiation between the courts and the media, TV cameras have finally been allowed to broadcast proceedings in one of the highest courts of England and Wales, and that’s the Court of Appeal. With the exception of the Supreme Court, they’ve been banned from courts in England and Wales for nearly ninety years, would you believe. They’ve been allowed in Scotland since ’92, but only with the consent of everyone involved. It remains to be seen whether cameras are eventually allowed in Crown Courts and Magistrates Courts. Here’s the moment that history was made in Court No. 4.
(TAPE)
BARRISTER: My Lord I appear for the applicant in this matter. It’s a renewed application for permission, service having been passed on 21st May of this year, and permission refused by Mr Justice Stewart on 22nd July of this year.
(LIVE)
CHRIS MANN: So just to be clear, cameras will only be allowed in the Court of Appeal for now. But perhaps you might think this should be the start of something bigger. We shall see. Should cameras be allowed in all courts? Shailesh Vara joins me now. He’s the MP for North West Cambridgeshire, and of course recently appointed as Courts Minister. Shailesh, hello.
SHAILESH VARA: Good afternoon Chris, and a very good afternoon to all your listeners as well.
CHRIS MANN: Thank you. An historic day.
SHAILESH VARA: Oh, a truly historic day,and a landmark occasion for justice in England and Wales. The first time ever cameras will be allowed, as you said, in one of the highest courts in the land, the Court of Appeal. And the public will be able to see for themselves what lawyers are saying and what the judges are saying. And of course this is all going to help towards the process of an open and transparent justice system.
CHRIS MANN: Because you were a solicitor, weren’t you, before you became an MP.
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Whittlesea Rejects Peterborough South Plan

08:06 Tuesday 3rd April 2012
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: Residents in Whittlesea, Fletton and Woodston have voiced their concerns at proposals to change the boundaries to the constituencies that make up the UK. Today marks the end of a consultation on these proposals that would see the constituencies of Peterborough and North West Cambridgeshire replaced with Peterborough North, and Peterborough South, and the end of North East Cambridgeshire altogether. .. One area unhappy with the changes is Whittlesea. With North East Cambridgeshire being abolished, Whittlesea will join Peterborough South. But is it such bad news? Let’s speak to Mayor Mayor of Whittlesea. Good morning Mayor Mayor.
KAY MAYOR: Good morning Paul.
PAUL STAINTON: Can I call you Kay, to avoid ridiculousness?
KAY MAYOR: I would prefer that, thank you. (THEY LAUGH)
PAUL STAINTON: Now listen, smiling aside, joking aside, why is it such bad news for Whittlesea to be part of Peterborough South? Continue reading “Whittlesea Rejects Peterborough South Plan”

Whittlesea Fen Town Lobby

17:51 Tuesday 13th September 2011
Drive BBC Radio Cambridgeshire.

ANDY BURROWS: As we were hearing earlier on, the seat of North East Cambridgeshire will go altogether, and it will be divided up into four different constituencies, including the new seat of Wisbech and Downham Market. But people in Whittlesea, they will be moved to the seat of the new constituency of South Peterborough. Johnnie Dee went out into Whittlesea today and spoke to a number of people, including Kay Mayor, who is the appropriately named Mayor of Whittlesea. Continue reading “Whittlesea Fen Town Lobby”

NHS Peterborough – MP Condemns Consultancy Spending

07:28 Friday 8th July 2011
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: Millions of pounds to consultants. NHS Peterborough spent more than £1.3 million on consultants in the last year, the second highest out of all the PCTs in England, even though they had to make a £2 million reduction in running costs by April 2012. The figures have been revealed through an FOI, Freedom of Information request, submitted by medical magazine Pulse. Richard Hoey is the Editor. Morning Richard.
RICHARD HOEY: Good morning.
PAUL STAINTON: That’s a heck of a lot of cash. Tell us more. Continue reading “NHS Peterborough – MP Condemns Consultancy Spending”

Shailesh Vara on Uganda

07:37 Tuesday 25th January 2011
Peterborough Breakfast Show BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: Now it’s been 40 years since the dictator Idi Amin seized power in Uganda. We all remember the pictures of him in the ’70s and 80’s in his uniform. It’s thought between 100,000 people to 500,000 people died under his brutal regime. Conservative MP for North West Cambridgeshire Shailesh Vara was born in Uganda. He joins me on the line now. Good morning Shailesh.
SHAILESH VARA: A very good morning Paul, and a very good morning to all your listeners as well.
PAUL STAINTON: Thank you. You left I think quite early on didn’t you? What memories do you have of your country of birth? Continue reading “Shailesh Vara on Uganda”

Peterborough News 2nd December 2010

A summary of the Peterborough Breakfast Show from BBC Radio Cambridgeshire broadcast from 06:00 to 09:00 on Thursday 2nd December 2010.

Topics:
Orton Longueville School is in favour of becoming an academy in partnership with Swavesey Village College and under the management of Cambridge Meridian Education Trust.
This evening Peterborough Accident and Emergency Unit will transfer up to the Peterborough City Hospital. The new hospital acknowledges problems with its switchboard system.
The TSSA union is furious with Thomas Cook for cutting 500+ jobs despite making handsome profits.
Continue reading “Peterborough News 2nd December 2010”

Shailesh Vara on Great Haddon

Peterborough City Council has submitted planning applications for Great Haddon, in essence a new town of over five thousand homes to the south of Peterborough. A number of significant concerns have been raised about what will become one of the county’s largest new developments.
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