Charlotte Leslie is tomorrow (Friday, July 30) holding an innovative new event to connect with voters in her constituency.

‘Pub politics’ is a way to meet Charlotte in a more informal setting than a surgery, long the traditional way that constituents can meet their local MP.

At the Millhouse in Sea Mills, Charlotte is inviting anyone to meet up with her for a chat over a drink.

Charlotte said: “Please can along for a chat about whatever you like. One of the main aims of this first pub politics session is to break down barriers between the public and politicians.

“This is a chance to ask me questions and just have a general chat about the issues of the day in an informal, friendly environment.”

Charlotte will be at the Millhouse pub, Shirehampton Road, Sea Mills, on Friday, July 30 from 6pm to  8.30pm. There is no need to book, simply come along.

Her next pub politics session takes place on Friday, August 13 at the Westbury Park Tavern.

If you have a more serious or specific issue you would like Charlotte to take action on, book into one of her surgeries by calling 0117 973 6811.

Lockleaze residents join Charlotte in Lockleaze Open Space at Bristol's Biggest Picnic

 

 

Four picnics have taken place across Bristol to show residents’ anger at proposals by Bristol City Council to sell off precious green space for housing.

Bristol’s Biggest Picnic was held on four threatened green sites – the Daisy Field in Shirehampton; Okebourne Road open space in Henbury; Lockleaze open space; and Horfield Common.

The picnics were organised by Bristol North West MP Charlotte Leslie and local Conservative party councillors to draw attention to Bristol City Council’s plans to sell off the land for housing.

Charlotte said: “While we have no objections to selling off genuinely unused green space to enhance the space we do use, we do not believe that all of the sites listed in Henbury, Brentry, Avonmouth, Shirehampton and Lockleaze are ‘unused’ open space. They are very much used and valued by the community.
 
“Bristol’s Biggest Protest Picnic was held on threatened green sites across Bristol North West. It was great that so many residents attented every picnic to show Bristol City Council how much they value their green spaces.
 
“We all want to enhance green space, but we also want to save our community green space for future generations.”
 
Charlotte has also set up an online petition, Save Bristol Green Spaces. To sign the petition, visit www.savebristolgreenspaces.bristolpetitions.com

Charlotte joins in the fun with local residents and friends at Bristol's Biggest Picnic last year

 

 

Some of Bristol’s most popular open spaces will be full of smiling and happy residents this weekend as they join together to celebrate our city’s green lungs.

On Saturday, July 17, Bristol’s Biggest Picnic will be held on four threatened green sites – the Daisy Field in Shirehampton; Okebourne Road open space in Henbury; Lockleaze open space off Romney Avenue; and Horfield Common.

The picnics are being organised by Bristol North West MP Charlotte Leslie and local Conservative party councillors to draw attention to Bristol City Council’s plans to sell off the land for housing.

Charlotte said: “While we have no objections to selling off genuinely unused green space to enhance the space we do use, we do not believe that all of the sites listed in Henbury, Brentry, Avonmouth, Shirehampton and Lockleaze are ‘unused’ open space. They are very much used and valued by the community.
 
“Bristol’s Biggest Protest Picnic will be held on threatened green sites across Bristol North West. So bring your picnic rugs, some food and drink, and all your friends and family, and show Bristol City Council how much you value our green space.
 
“We all want to enhance green space, but we also want to save our community green space for future generations so please support our campaign and Bristol’s Biggest Protest Picnic.”
 
Charlotte has also set up an online petition, Save Bristol Green Spaces. To sign the petition, visit www.savebristolgreenspaces.bristolpetitions.com
 
The picnics are all taking place between 12.30pm and 4pm on Saturday, July 17. Charlotte will be visiting every one during the day.

Charlotte Leslie has expressed serious concerns that companies wanting to build new biofuel power stations can earn tens of millions of pounds each year in government subsidies, despite the doubtful environmental credentials of the fuel.

If the proposed biofuel power station in Avonmouth, within the Bristol North West constituency, is granted planning permission, it is estimated that it will burn 90,000 tons of palm oil per annum, requiring 22,000 hectares of new plantations to be cleared from tropical forests.

This would earn subsidies in the form of Renewables Obligation Certificates (ROCs) worth tens of millions of pounds a year.

But Charlotte says that there is a simple fallacy in the argument for these subsidies: from the research available, it appears that palm oil and jatropha oils are renewable – but they are not sustainable.

The greenhouse gases produced by planting, growing, processing, shipping and burning palm oil far exceed those produced by burning petroleum.

In a letter to Environment Secretary Chris Huhne, Charlotte says that “Bristol has a growing reputation for taking environmental issues seriously” and she informs him of her findings and fears.

She says: “According to research by environmental groups, this one power station (in Avonmouth) would double the imports of palm oil used for energy by the UK. But crucially, this proposal would not be viable financially without ROC subsidies costing tens of millions of pounds a year to the government and tax-payers.

“As I understand, these subsidies are available because of the erroneous assumption that burning tropical biofuels reduces greenhouse gases.”

Charlotte asks the Environment Secretary whether the question of applying ROCs to biofuels might be reviewed with some urgency in the light of new science, and whether she could arrange a meeting with him to discuss these very significant issues.

Charlotte Leslie at the official opening of the new gym at the National Smelters Boxing Club, with left, club coach Garry Cave, and right, regional boxing developer Roger Eady

Charlotte Leslie has officially opened the National Smelters Boxing Club’s new gym in Avonmouth.

As Bristol North West’s prospective MP, Charlotte helped raise part of the £68,000 needed to pay for the new building, an amazing change from the former training facilities at the club on Barrack’s Lane which was little more than a large shed.

Charlotte said that the new gym has all been down to the dedication and work of head coach Garry Cave and his team of helpers and volunteers.

She said: “Boxing is so important for young people. I remember getting cross when one lady told me ‘it taught young people to hit’. I’m afraid young people are already perfectly capable of hitting without going to a boxing club.

“What boxing does do is channel natural aggression and energy into a disciplined and highly technical sport, and helps young men feel confident enough to walk away from a fight.

“But it is also the kind of family that builds up around a club like the National Smelters Club. Garry just needs a bit more fundraising done before the gym is completely paid for. I intend to carry on helping and supporting the club, as well as boxing across the city.”

Up to 40 young boxers from aged 10 and up train three times a week at the club under the watchful gaze of head coach Garry and his team. For more information on the club, visit www.smeltersboxing.com

Bristol MP Charlotte Leslie has been elected to serve on the Education Select Committee in parliament. Select Committees are cross-party committees set up to take evidence, and do detailed work on policy analysis and formation.

For the first time, Select Committee members were voted for by voting amongst fellow MPs in the party. Charlotte is one of just three other Conservative MPs to be elected to the committee.

Commenting, Charlotte said:

“I’ve always had an interest in education because it is quite simply where life chances are won or lost; it’s the start of a life-story; And of course in Bristol, the gulf between the best and the most challenged schools is simply massive and one of my life’s ambitions would be to help close that terrible gap.

 Working on the education select committee will be brilliant because it’s where MPs put party political differences aside to work with other MPs. I’ll be looking at evidence, speaking to a massive range of people on the front line of education and really getting to grips with the gritty detail of what works in education and what doesn’t. It’s what I’m in politics to do – work together to make things a bit better, instead of thrashing about in petty party-political tribalism. 

And it will be fascinating to be part of policy making with so much going on in education at the moment – and I hope it will be a real help in getting things done for education in Bristol. “

Charlotte helps launch the Ketamine Awareness campaign on College Green

Charlotte Leslie has helped to launch a campaign to have the dangerous drug ketamine upgraded to class B.

The driving force behind new campaign group Ketamine Awareness is Shielmor Twomey from Henbury, whose son Caleb Morris took his own life after becoming addicted to the horse tranquiliser.

Ketamine is currently a class B drug, but Mrs Twomey hopes that with Charlotte’s help she can get it upgraded.

Mrs Twomey said: “Ketamine destroys lives. I saw it wreak havoc with Caleb’s mental state and get a hold of him, causing awful mood swings. I do not want him to have died in vain. Something good has to come from his death.”

Charlotte has tabled an early day motion in the House of Commons on the issue and is currently looking to gain the support of more MPs.

Charlotte said: “This drug may not be as widely used as others we hear about all the time, but nevertheless it has a huge and devastating impact. I was so struck by what Mrs Twomey recounted in her story, and I am sure that there are others out there with similar stories to tell.”

The Ketamine Awareness campaign was launched at an event on College Green, where a plaque was unveiled to the memory of Caleb.

Charlotte Leslie has made her maiden speech in the House of Commons in a debate about education.

The new Bristol West MP spoke passionately about her constituency, describing it as “fantastic and incredibly diverse” and reiterating her desire to see St Ursula’s School in Westbury-on-Trym transformed into an academy.

Miss Leslie also paid tribute to Doug Naysmith, her predecessor as MP and now a city councillor, who she said “brought a tremendous amount of expertise, wisdom and integrity to the House”.

In her speech, Miss Leslie said that she hopes that financial incentives given to pupils most in need can help schools such as Henbury, Orchard and the Oasis Academy Brightstowe.

Miss Leslie also said that she hopes the graduate teaching programme Teach First can be extended to Bristol.

She said: “Given the legislation that we will be considering, I hope that they will be able to come to Bristol North West, as Teach First will make a tangible difference to the lives of the children there.”

Regarding St Ursula’s School, a private school which wants to open its doors to take state pupils, Miss Leslie said: “St Ursula’s exists in an area of burning parental need and desire for a new school.

“Parents have asked for this new school, but all along the line the authority has said no – the computer has said no. I shall be delighted if the legislation set out… means that parents who want a new school find that the computer can say yes and that the authority can help them to realise their ambitions for their children, giving children from all backgrounds access to new, good schools; to schools that only the well-off can afford at the moment.

She added: “I look forward to working within this Chamber, with my honourable colleagues and friends, to ensure that Bristol North West is a tale not of two cities, but of one city. I want it to be a place of opportunity for all, and that is also what I want this country to become.”

Below are scans of Charlotte’s declaration of interests. Click on a page image to enlarge it.

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Charlotte Leslie has offered her resignation as a governor of St Ursula’s School, saying that in deciding the school’s future, she has to put the needs interests of her constituents in North West Bristol ahead of the school’s priorities.

Charlotte’s resignation follows a letter to Bristol City Council officials, St Ursula’s chair of governors, and prospective sponsors, The Merchant Venturers and Colston’s Girls School, outlining her concern about the direction of travel. She highlighted her concerns and called for a meeting to discuss the school’s admissions policy. She said it would be “a tragedy and, I would even venture, a disgrace” if the school, which is situated in an area of widely recognised, deep parental need for more school places, did not serve the need for a new school, which is right on the school’s doorstep.

Writing to the chair of governors to offer her resignation, Charlotte said:

“The role of school governor is solely to promote the interests of the school. However, since I have been elected the Member of Parliament for Bristol North West, I know that governors and trustees will understand that my primary concern must always be my constituents, who elected me to represent them.”

The letter continued:

 ”I have said before that I cannot happily promote an admissions system for the school which does not serve the local community. Indeed, I strongly believe a future for St Ursula’s exists which serves best both the school and the community in which the school is situated. I do not believe that any conflict between the interests of the school, and of the community need exist at all.

“I must say how much I have enjoyed my time on the governors, and thank you for your support during my time as chairman, during which we made big decisions for the school. But I now feel the time has come for me to support the school and its future in my other role, as MP for the area in which St Ursula’s is situated – Bristol North West. “

Last year, Charotte worked with local parents to start Parents Voice, a campaign group committed to get a new community secondary school for Bristol North West. 

Here is the full draft of the letter that Charotte wrote to Barrie Butler, chair of governors at St Ursula’s:

Dear Barrie,

I am writing to you as Chair of Governors to offer my resignation from the board of Governors of St Ursula’s School. I do so after long consideration, and some regret, but in the strong belief that this is the right thing to do.

The role of School Governor is solely to promote the interests of the school. However, since I have been elected the Member of Parliament for Bristol North West, I know that Governors and Trustees will understand that my primary concern must always be my constituents, who elected me to represent them.

Because of possible or perceived conflicts of interest in this regard, I have decided to resign my position on the board of Governors.

I have said before that I cannot happily promote an admissions system for the school which does not serve the local community. Indeed, I strongly believe a future for St Ursula’s exists which serves best both the school and the community in which the school is situated.

I do not believe that any conflict between the interests of the school, and of the community need exist at all. On all measures, the needs of the school and of the surrounding community are outstandingly mutually compatible; a perfect fit in the jigsaw of Bristol education. However, for the reasons stated above, I now feel that I must resign my position as Governor.

I must say how much I have enjoyed my time on the Governors, and thank you for your support during my time as Chairman, during which we made big decisions for the school.

I have made good friends and am so pleased that I have been able to contribute to securing a flourishing future for this wonderful school. But I now feel the time has come for me to support the school and its future in my other role, as MP for the area in which St Ursula’s is situated – Bristol North West.

I would be grateful if this letter could be recorded in the Minutes. And due to public interest in this issue, and the public nature of my role, I will be making this letter publicly available.

With very best wishes for the future of St Ursula’s School,

Yours sincerely,

Charlotte Leslie MP

Member of Parliament for Bristol North West