Westminster Diary (David Rendel)

Westminster Diary

April 7, 2005 1:00 AM

Last week, on Tuesday, I performed an unusual opening ceremony at the new Driver Instructor College in Thatcham by driving apart two cars connected by a ribbon until the ribbon fell to the ground. That evening, I attended another excellent performance by the Newbury Operatic Society. Later in the week, I was delighted to join the Newbury Lions when they celebrated their 35th anniversary in the Town Hall.

By the time this article goes to press, it is likely that the Prime Minister will have called a general election. So this is a good opportunity to look back over the last Parliament.

The key vote was the decision, in March 2003, to go to war in Iraq. I voted against the war. Conservative MPs voted with the Government to support it. The evidence used to justify the war was flawed, and a key issue is how we go about restoring trust in the political process.

Parliament has made other key decisions since 2001. I opposed top-up fees, and am campaigning to scrap all tuition fees. I voted for free personal care for the elderly - but had to watch Conservative MPs join Labour to defeat it.

Another important issue is the Council Tax. A new opinion poll on my website - www.davidrendel.org.uk - reveals overwhelming support for the Liberal Democrat policy of abolishing the Council Tax. In contrast, the Conservatives in West Berkshire say that the Council Tax is "a fair tax".

Locally, I have supported the plan to bring a cinema back to Newbury. That is why I introduced the Cinemas (Rural Areas) Bill in Parliament, calling for more support for cinemas in rural areas and small towns. Sadly, the local Tories oppose the cinema scheme.

These are real choices for local voters to consider in the coming weeks. Newbury, the experts agree, will be one of the closest fought and most closely watched election contests in the country. The Conservatives were less than 2,500 votes behind in 2001, which means that the decision of Labour voters could be critical. Every vote can make a difference.