The European Parliament, including local Labour MEP for the Eastern Region, Richard Howitt, has voted to impose new red tape through the EU Working Time Directive.
If the new EU rules go ahead, workers rights to opt out from the Working Time rules will be abolished. Employers would have to ensure workers work no more than 48 hours a week.
"On-call" time in the workplace, even when inactive, would be counted as working time. This would have a devastating impact on retained (part-time, professional) fighters, who double up their fire work with other jobs. Many have pagers - on call in the event of an emergency.
This will cut the number of retained firefighters on active duty, especially in rural areas. There will be reduced local fire cover, response times will increase as firefighters have to come from further away, and more full time firefighters will be needed - pushing up the fire levy on Council Tax bills. The Local Government Association and Chief Fire Officers Association have attacked the plans.
Currently, in Suffolk there are 498 retained firefighters' posts. Only 396 posts are filled, reflecting difficulties in recruiting them. Such shortages would worsen if Labour's Euro MPs get their way.
Peter Aldous said "Retained firefighters do a superb service to our community, helping tackle fires, floods and road accidents. I am very concerned at the effect of these new rules, which would cut back workers rights to work when they choose.
"This red tape, backed by Labour MEPs would cut local fire services, put lives at risk and force up Council Tax bills across Suffolk. It is vital that the Government stands firm on this crucial issue. Labour MEP's need to be sent a message in the European Elections that their failure to protect local fire services is not acceptable. Conservatives will stand up for Britain and our firefighters in the face of this new threat".
The "Honest Food" Campaign launched by the Conservatives seeks to end misleading claims and to ensure compulsory "country of origin" labelling. This will mean that meat products, such as bacon, sausages and ready meals, which carry a British label can only use meat that comes from animals born and bred in Britain. The Conservatives are proposing a change in the law to make this compulsory.
Research into everyday products on supermarket shelves has identified that Tesco chicken dinners "produced in the UK" use chicken from Thailand; Marks and Spencers corned beef sandwiches emblazoned with the Union Flag use meat from Brazil; and goods from the Birds Eye "Great British Menu" range are made with imported meat.
The petition can be found online at www.honestfoodcampaign.com The campaign has been backed by famous chefs, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Clarissa Dickson-Wright, Prue Leith and Antony Worrell-Thompson. Peter Aldous said: "people have a right to know where their food comes from, but there is nothing in food labelling regulation to stop food from abroad that is only processed here from being labelled as British."
"The Conservatives would change the law to prevent unclear labelling so only meat from animals reared in Britain could carry a British label. Shoppers in Lowestoft, Beccles and Bungay would see clearly where their food comes from so they can choose British food with confidence".
The European Parliament, including local Labour MEP for the Eastern Region, Richard Howitt, has voted to impose new red tape through the EU Working Time Directive.
If the new EU rules go ahead, workers rights to opt out from the Working Time rules will be abolished. Employers would have to ensure workers work no more than 48 hours a week.
"On-call" time in the workplace, even when inactive, would be counted as working time. This would have a devastating impact on retained (part-time, professional) fighters, who double up their fire work with other jobs. Many have pagers - on call in the event of an emergency.
This will cut the number of retained firefighters on active duty, especially in rural areas. There will be reduced local fire cover, response times will increase as firefighters have to come from further away, and more full time firefighters will be needed - pushing up the fire levy on Council Tax bills. The Local Government Association and Chief Fire Officers Association have attacked the plans.
Currently, in Suffolk there are 498 retained firefighters' posts. Only 396 posts are filled, reflecting difficulties in recruiting them. Such shortages would worsen if Labour's Euro MPs get their way.
Peter Aldous said "Retained firefighters do a superb service to our community, helping tackle fires, floods and road accidents. I am very concerned at the effect of these new rules, which would cut back workers rights to work when they choose.
"This red tape, backed by Labour MEPs would cut local fire services, put lives at risk and force up Council Tax bills across Suffolk. It is vital that the Government stands firm on this crucial issue. Labour MEP's need to be sent a message in the European Elections that their failure to protect local fire services is not acceptable. Conservatives will stand up for Britain and our firefighters in the face of this new threat".
The "Honest Food" Campaign launched by the Conservatives seeks to end misleading claims and to ensure compulsory "country of origin" labelling. This will mean that meat products, such as bacon, sausages and ready meals, which carry a British label can only use meat that comes from animals born and bred in Britain. The Conservatives are proposing a change in the law to make this compulsory.
Research into everyday products on supermarket shelves has identified that Tesco chicken dinners "produced in the UK" use chicken from Thailand; Marks and Spencers corned beef sandwiches emblazoned with the Union Flag use meat from Brazil; and goods from the Birds Eye "Great British Menu" range are made with imported meat.
The petition can be found online at www.honestfoodcampaign.com The campaign has been backed by famous chefs, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Clarissa Dickson-Wright, Prue Leith and Antony Worrell-Thompson. Peter Aldous said: "people have a right to know where their food comes from, but there is nothing in food labelling regulation to stop food from abroad that is only processed here from being labelled as British."
"The Conservatives would change the law to prevent unclear labelling so only meat from animals reared in Britain could carry a British label. Shoppers in Lowestoft, Beccles and Bungay would see clearly where their food comes from so they can choose British food with confidence".
Peter Aldous, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Waveney, is promoting a petition, which will be presented to Parliament, calling for a level playing field for the UK fishing fleet in the light of the fuel aid that French and Spanish fishermen are receiving and which they are not.
He comments: "It is very wrong that British fishermen are penalised in this way. Lowestoft fishermen are operating with increasingly expensive quotas and now they have been dealt a further blow by having to compete with the subsidised fleets of other nations. It is time for the European Commission to provide a real level playing field by supporting fishermen from all member states with the same amount of aid."
Click here to download petition form.
Photo: Peter Aldous supporting Lowestoft fishermen.
Labour's approach has been wave after wave of new legislation, much of which they have failed to use properly.
Instead, after ten years of Labour's legislative and regulatory hyperactivity we have police officers buried under paperwork and tied to desks with red tape. It now takes ten hours to process an arrest, small wonder, then, that just 14% of a police officer's time is actually spent on patrol.
However, towns in other countries have successfully fought the battle against anti-social behaviour and won. We must do the same. A Conservative government will get rid of the red tape that takes up over one million police hours per annum, quickly freeing up officers to get back on the beat.
We will also dramatically reduce the current 29 central government targets for the police, replacing them with directly elected Police Commissioners charged with making forces accountable to their local communities. It is an approach that allows for tailor-made solutions for local areas, such as Waveney, rather than the current Whitehall diktats.
Labour's approach has been wave after wave of new legislation, much of which they have failed to use properly.
Instead, after ten years of Labour's legislative and regulatory hyperactivity we have police officers buried under paperwork and tied to desks with red tape. It now takes ten hours to process an arrest, small wonder, then, that just 14% of a police officer's time is actually spent on patrol.
However, towns in other countries have successfully fought the battle against anti-social behaviour and won. We must do the same. A Conservative government will get rid of the red tape that takes up over one million police hours per annum, quickly freeing up officers to get back on the beat.
We will also dramatically reduce the current 29 central government targets for the police, replacing them with directly elected Police Commissioners charged with making forces accountable to their local communities. It is an approach that allows for tailor-made solutions for local areas, such as Waveney, rather than the current Whitehall diktats.
Grant Shapps commented:-"I was extremely impressed with the vision and ingenuity that Wellington and Flagship have shown in converting this landmark building. It presents a very good example of how a housing association and a construction company can work together to enable 1st time buyers to get a foot on the housing ladder."
Photo: Peter Aldous accompanies Grant Shapps MP, Shadow Housing Minister, to Gosford Heights a project by Wellington Construction and Flagship Housing to provide shared ownership flats.
The surge caused the closure of two of the most important links to Lowestoft and Waveney: the railway to Norwich and the A12 to Ipswich and London. The Government's current proposals to stop the routine maintenance of the Blyth Estuary defences are short-sighted and could result in such closures becoming more frequent, with serious implications for the Waveney economy.
Peter Aldous comments, "The Waveney area is on the front line in the need to improve flood and sea defences, and Labour has failed to provide the necessary money to protect homes and businesses. The Dutch do it successfully, yet our Government appears to have just given up. By working alongside other Conservatives in Suffolk and Norfolk I am determined to ensure Waveney receives the required funds for this important work."
The surge caused the closure of two of the most important links to Lowestoft and Waveney: the railway to Norwich and the A12 to Ipswich and London. The Government's current proposals to stop the routine maintenance of the Blyth Estuary defences are short-sighted and could result in such closures becoming more frequent, with serious implications for the Waveney economy.
Peter Aldous comments, "The Waveney area is on the front line in the need to improve flood and sea defences, and Labour has failed to provide the necessary money to protect homes and businesses. The Dutch do it successfully, yet our Government appears to have just given up. By working alongside other Conservatives in Suffolk and Norfolk I am determined to ensure Waveney receives the required funds for this important work."