Latest news with #Rosindell
Time Out
03-06-2025
- Business
- Time Out
Could this east London borough really split from the capital?
It's well known that London is a huge city made up of slightly smaller towns. Each borough brings its own unique identity to the capital, but one is currently trying to break free from the city and instead become part of Essex. The London borough of Havering is the city's easternmost point. It's mostly suburbs, is home to places like Romford, Upminster, and Hornchurch, and, according to Andrew Rosindel, the Tory MP for Romford, is 'geographically Essex'. Andrew Rosindell stated his case for Havering to return to its Essex roots in parliament last month. He said: 'We are historically Essex. We are culturally Essex and our social, sporting and commercial connections have always looked towards the county of Essex'. He continued: 'My constituents and I are proud of our Essex identity, which transcends local government or administrative boundaries that are forever changing—as they are again today'. This comes after Angela Rayner, the deputy prime minister, announced plans last year to increase devolution to local authorities and streamline local services. Currently, different responsibilities, such as bins and schooling, are often managed by different levels of local government – the current Labour government wants to see all council responsibilities come under a single, centralised form of leadership. For some smaller authorities, this could mean merging to form a larger, unitary council. This is part of what Rosindell is worried about. With only 260,000 residents, Havering would need to combine with another similarly sized borough to form a big enough authority to stay in London. Instead, he argues that the preferable option would be taking the 'once-in-almost-a-century chance to look afresh at the old boundaries of Greater London that were constructed six decades ago.' He added: 'It is also very costly for us to be part of Greater London, as we pay tens of millions of pounds per year to the Greater London Authority. 'That equates to […] an exorbitant amount of money that my constituents simply cannot afford.' The move, dubbed 'Hexit' by some local supporters, is unlikely to happen in the near future, though. Jim McMahon, the Minister for Local Government and English Devolution, who Rosindell was addressing in his speech, has stated that; 'It is currently not envisaged that the boundaries of Greater London will be changed.' However, he did also say that the area covered by the Essex local mayor could be expanded in future 'should it be locally desired and should statutory tests be met', so all hope is not lost for you loyal Hexiteers. As it stands, Havering will remain in London, at least for now. However, now that the cat is out of the bag, it is not difficult to envisage a future where it returns to its rural roots and officially embraces the Essex way of life once again.
Belfast Telegraph
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Belfast Telegraph
English voters face ‘democratic deficit' without devolved parliament
Andrew Rosindell described himself as a 'strong supporter' of the UK Parliament in Westminster but told the Commons that English people suffer with a 'rather diminished democratic voice'. Unlike Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, where some decisions are taken by lawmakers in Stormont, Holyrood and Cardiff Bay, England does not have a devolved national assembly. Mr Rosindell told MPs that after the devolution process in the late 1990s, 'for the first time in centuries, the unifying lynchpin of these islands – the crown in Parliament – seemed to have been wrenched out of place'.Speaking in a debate about English Affairs, the Conservative MP later added: 'What must in any case be acknowledged is that England, the most populous region with the biggest economy, is the only home nation not to have her own devolved parliament. 'This has created a democratic deficit in which the proud people of England, such as those in my constituency of Romford, Essex, are left with a rich cultural heritage, as I've outlined earlier, and without a fully developed but rather diminished democratic voice.' Father of the House Sir Edward Leigh, the Conservative MP for Gainsborough, urged Mr Rosindell to 'please spare us another parliament'. The Romford MP replied that he was a 'very strong supporter of this Parliament and of this United Kingdom', added he 'would have most certainly not voted to break up our United Kingdom in the way that we have done', and said he would 'love to see' the London Assembly abolished in the capital. Liberal Democrat Scotland spokeswoman Christine Jardine intervened and said: 'What we did was devolve some of the power closer to the people so that they felt more represented, not in an attempt to break up the country, but – as a member of the party who was instrumental with the Labour Party in achieving it – so that we held the country together but gave people the feeling of being closer to where decisions were made.' Mr Rosindell replied that he thought 'all members of Parliament should be equal and elected representatives should be equal, but if you make different types of elected representation at different levels, it obviously means that English MPs have a different role than Scottish MPs, because they have Members of the Scottish Parliament in Scotland, which have another role'. Labour MP Adam Jogee, who opened the debate, had earlier said: 'We must work to ensure that people across England, and indeed all those across the United Kingdom, continue to feel pride in our flag and in our communities, and feel hope for the future and respect for our past.' The Newcastle-under-Lyme MP added that 'any talk about love for flag and country must be matched by an investment in the people who make them what they are – investment in our national health service, in our education and employment support services, in our arts and culture, and in our villages, towns and cities'. Communities minister Rushanara Ali said St George's day was an opportunity to 'fight against the forces of division' that present the English identity as 'an exclusive identity, that is a white only identity'. Mr Rosindell intervened and asked: 'Would the Government consider St George's Day to become a public holiday in England?' Ms Ali replied that she could not 'respond with a positive answer right now'. She added: 'We must inspire the next generation to carry forward the best of England through education, opportunity and the belief that no matter who you are or where you come from, you belong and you can help shape this country's future.'
Telegraph
11-04-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
So much for the Great British Banger
Disappointment among British expats in Singapore where guests at the High Commissioner's splendid residence, Eden Hall, are no longer served meat dishes at parties and dinners. High Commissioner Nikesh Mehta, who took up his post last year, is a vegetarian. My source in the linen suit tells me that this decision is 'much to the displeasure of freeloading' Brits used to a 'wonderful supply of cocktail sausages specially prepared by a local butcher and fish and chips from Smiths – the famous Singapore chippy. These delicacies are 'all now banned! So much for the Great British Banger!' A Foreign Office source confirms: 'The High Commissioner's residence serves vegetarian-only food'. They'll be banning Singapore Slings next. Rosindell saves Easter The last hours of debate in the Commons before recess are normally given over to the 'Easter Adjournment'. Not so last Tuesday when the order paper said there would be a 'General Debate: Matters to be raised before the forthcoming adjournment', with no mention of Easter at all. Andrew Rosindell, Tory MP for Romford, told MPs he was 'perturbed', adding: 'The Easter Adjournment debate was always a significant occasion, marking the fact that Easter is the holiest time of year for Christians.' Fellow Tory MP Bob Blackman agreed to restore Easter to the title of the debate. But without vigilant MPs like Rosindell and Blackman, who else will stop woke efforts to erase Easter? The royal soap Comedian Shazia Mirza, met Elizabeth II, the late Queen, three times, and spoke at length with her. 'It was like chatting to an old woman at a bus stop,' she told the Guess Who's Coming to Dinner podcast. Explaining she was a comedian, the Queen replied: 'What a fascinating way to describe yourself. And where do you do that?' Mirza told the Queen about her next gig at gay venue the Royal Vauxhall Tavern, in London. 'There's tickets available, do you want to come?' she offered, saying that she appeared on BBC and ITV. 'Do you watch TV?' Mirza asked. The Queen replied: 'Yes, I watch Coronation Street.' The Rev keeps on rockin' Pop star turned celebrity vicar, Richard Coles, 63, is feeling his age. He says: 'I'm knackered. My knees are knackered, I'm fat. It was my birthday on March 26 and I bought myself Ozempic as a birthday present.' He tells the Mid-Point podcast: 'I think I'm 28 really, and then I look in the mirror and I see my grandfather looking back at me. My favourite age to be was 38... and I'd be very happy to be 38 for a good long stretch. I'm not that, but I'm really enjoying my 60s.' Boris's glorious reign Boris Johnson remembers his time as London mayor more fondly than his reign in No 10, because there were no pesky Tory MPs who could bring him down. He was overheard at a Saudi event saying: 'I was very lucky when I was mayor of London because it was a bit like being a sheikh... I was in charge, I was a monarch – nobody could challenge me.' Parkinson's humour Former BBC colleagues Rory Cellan-Jones, Mark Mardell and Jeremy Paxman have joined forces with ex-judge Sir Nicholas Mostyn and Vicar of Dibley writer Paul Mayhew-Archer – who all have Parkinson's disease – to push for better treatment for fellow sufferers on their Movers and Shakers podcast. Mayhew-Archer uses humour to lift the mood, Cellan-Jones told me on GB News's Chopper's Political Podcast: 'He was saying to me the other day that there is concern that one of the dangers of Parkinson's is you could be encouraged to take your own life. But luckily, he said, another symptom of Parkinson's is apathy.' Ruled out, Britannia! Concern this week when Radio 3 presenter Georgia Mann played a 1996 recording of Henry Wood's Fantasia on British Sea Songs without Rule, Britannia! as the finale. The BBC apologised when I got in touch, and said the rousing song was included as a separate track, but had mistakenly not been uploaded. But after Katie Derham, presenter of Last Night of the Proms, said the lyrics to Rule, Britannia! were 'incredibly problematic' just seven months ago, it felt like a worrying sign of things to come. Salisbury, Wiltshire Thanks to the dozens of readers who pointed out that Salisbury cathedral is not in Somerset. It was a production error in last week's column, not a late April Fool. Former Tory MP for North East Somerset Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg got in touch to say he was tickled 'by our expansion, it is a beautiful cathedral'. He explained: 'I am delighted to see that Somerset has conquered Wiltshire. If it hadn't been for us, in 878 Wiltshire would have been Danish anyway.'
The Independent
27-03-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
MP suggests Republic of Ireland should take ‘rightful' place in Commonwealth
The Republic of Ireland should take 'our deep neighbourly relations to the next level' and rejoin the Commonwealth, a Conservative MP has suggested. Andrew Rosindell said Ireland 'would do well to emulate countries such as Australia, Canada and New Zealand' and take its 'rightful' place in the Commonwealth. The MP for Romford also called for a bank holiday to mark St Patrick's Day and the resurrection of the Order of St Patrick. Speaking during a St Patrick's Day and Northern Irish affairs debate, Mr Rosindell said: 'The Republic of Ireland, I believe are our friends but we can be much closer, fully realising that we are one family that share a unique group of islands in all spheres of national operation. 'Indeed, Ireland could do much more work themselves, alongside her British brother and her loyal northern neighbour, in recognising that shared heritage and advancing shared values and goals on the global stage. 'Ireland would do well to emulate countries such as Australia, Canada and New Zealand. I believe that one day, perhaps soon, the people of the Republic of Ireland might choose to take their rightful place in the family of the Commonwealth of nations. 'Taking our deep neighbourly relations to the next level to the benefit of both partners, and I believe having a bounteous benefit to global politics.' Mr Rosindell argued that St Patrick's Day, in addition to St David's Day, St Andrew's Day and St George's Day, should all be bank holidays across the UK. He told MPs: 'I would strongly submit that St Patrick's Day should be a national bank holiday, alongside all the other feast days of our Kingdom's patron saints.' He added: 'Not only would this be firmly in line with the position of Anglicanism, as the unchallenged state religion, but would reinforce the importance of all four corners of our nation. 'So too would the resurrection of the Order of St Patrick, which has shamefully been allowed to fall into abeyance for many decades, but I believe remains a sovereign order of the United Kingdom, and I hope the minister will take that back as a consideration for something to be restored.' Mr Rosindell continued: 'Today, I believe we must focus more on bringing the four home nations of… Great Britain and Northern Ireland together, and reversing the constitutional backsliding that I believe has occurred with the British internal markets.' Speaking from the Conservative frontbench, Jerome Mayhew, whose late father Patrick was Northern Ireland secretary under John Major, said the restoration of the Order of St Patrick would be 'a very sensible thing to do'. In the Commons, Northern Ireland minister Fleur Anderson said: 'The Order of St Patrick, I will take away that mention as well.' Responding to a written question from Conservative MP Charlie Dewhirst (Bridlington and The Wolds) on Wednesday, Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds said: 'The most illustrious Order of Saint Patrick is in the personal gift of the sovereign. 'The UK Government is not considering the restoration of the Order of St Patrick.'
BBC News
14-03-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Channel Islands may join 80th VE Day World War Two celebrations
The Channel Islands could be included in 80th anniversary VE Day celebrations a UK minister has Minister Stephanie Peacock's comments followed a question from Tory MP Andrew said he had seen no mention of the liberation of the Channel Islands from German forces in plans to mark the anniversary of the end of World War told the House of Commons she would be "really pleased to meet him" to discuss "how we can pay a fitting tribute to and commemorate the role that they played". Rosindell said: "There is no actual commemoration for those people who liberated those cherished British islands in the English Channel. "Will she ensure that the reunion of the Channel Islands with the United Kingdom and the wonderful liberation of those islands is also commemorated as part of VE 80 this year?"Peacock said Rosindell "makes an incredibly important point about the Channel Islands, and I would be really pleased to meet him to discuss that further to see how we can pay a fitting tribute to and commemorate the role that they played".
