Criticism of Ben Gummer MP by a Labour councillor at last night’s council meeting has sparked a war of words, with accusations flying in both directions.
Labour councillor Alasdair Ross used an intervention in the debate around the proposed economic development strategy for the town to condemn Tory MP Ben Gummer for not accompanying a delegation who went to Westminster on Tuesday to meet with Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Eric Pickles.
Yet Mr Gummer claims he gave up his place on the delegation in favour of representing Ipswich during an important debate in the House of Commons, with the added benefit that this allowed others to attend on a delegation whose numbers were tightly restricted by the DCLG.
Cllr Ross told Ipswich councillors that “when this council, led by Cllr Ellesmere, sent people to meet with Eric Pickles, our MP, Mr Gummer, was busy being told off for being unruly.”
Yet a quick check of Hansard, the record of all that is said in Parliament, shows that Mr Gummer was not reprimanded for being “out of order” at all in the Commons yesterday. He did speak, in the debate on fair constituency boundaries, when he condemned what he called a typically graceless speech by Labour shadow minister Sadiq Khan, but he certainly wasn’t unruly.
Mr Gummer told Ipswich Spy that he had given up his place on the delegation so that others could attend, adding “I see Eric Pickles several times a week so there was no point in me taking up a place. I’ve lobbied ministers personally and heavily on this issue.”
Cllr Ross said that he could have received an explanation from Mr Gummer about why he wasn’t on the delegation, had Mr Gummer not blocked him on twitter. “I’ve asked him eleven times to explain to me why he blocked me on twitter. I’ve never been rude to him and yet he has blocked me. I’ve emailed him but he won’t reply.”
The delegation was a joint Ipswich Borough Council and Suffolk County Council visit to discuss City Deals with Secretary of State Eric Pickles. Council Leaders David Ellesmere and Mark Bee were joined by Chief Executive Russell Williams, Deputy Chief Executive Lucy Robinson and Economic Development Portfolio Holder (at SCC) Judy Terry to meet with the minister.
Mr Gummer said “I am really disappointed that Cllr Ross has attacked me for giving up my place on this delegation. I was trying to be helpful, and because I didn’t go it meant the Local Enterprise Partnership didn’t have to drop the business representative. Numbers were tightly restricted by the DCLG.”
Whilst any delegation from Ipswich is understandably strengthened by the attendance of Mr Gummer, voters in Ipswich would always rather he was in the House of Commons when crucial issues are being debated. Yesterday was a key element of the Government’s electoral reform program, and members of all parties were expected to be in attendance; even Gordon Brown managed to vote in the opposite lobby to Mr Gummer. Criticising him for doing his job really is dragging the bottom of the barrel.
Filed under: Campaign Activity, Government, Ipswich Borough Council, sightings, Suffolk County Council Tagged: | Alasdair Ross, Ben Gummer MP, David Ellesmere, DCLG, Eric Pickles MP, Hansard, Ipswich Borough Council, Judy Terry, Lucy Robinson, Mark Bee, New Anglia LEP, Russell Williams, Sadiq Khan MP, Suffolk County Council
Wish councillors/MPs would stop trying to score cheap points against each other and remember they are there to represent the town and help it to improve. Why does policitics always end up being more about ego than anything else? I think Ben was right to attend the boundary meeting not least as Ipswich really needs a boundary review (not that it’s going to happen now) but also because of the political implications of that (those cheeky tories trying to bring more tory voters within labout boundraies). Ultiamtely they’re all as bad as each other and I’d rather see the right thing done for the town. Don’t care whether that’s by a red or a blue. Stop throwing sand around the sandpit and actually build a sandcastle for goodness sake!
I am glad you wrote about this because we are not as bad as each other. I never get personal at council meetings nor do I make unfounded accusations against other people, whoever they are. I am incensed by a couple of things that Cllr Ross said in council, that against Ben Gummer being one of them and the residents do not want to hear snidy remarks bearing no relevance at all to the debate.
Labour councillors should take some lessons from their colleague mayor Mary Blake. I may not have seen eye to eye with her in the past but she is showing herself to be a gracious and calm influence on proceedings. A real champion for the town. Look and learn councillor Ross,