Chair for the last time

9 Mar 2010
Eric has chaired what may well be his last series of debates in the Commons.
As a senior MP, he chairs debates in Westminster Hall, the Commons' second debating chamber. The topics included Motoring, Raising of the Pension Age, Tankers (Lyme Bay), 2012 Olympics (Employment) and Passenger Safety (Railway Platforms) .

Reduced waiting lists render clinic redundant

6 Mar 2010
Eric has said that a private hospital clinic, built speculatively for profit, remains unused because of NHS success in cutting waiting lists.
The clinic, next to Cumberland Infirmary, has remained unused since it was completed by NorthStar Capita Projects two years ago.

'Bitter' Museum comes one step closer

3 Mar 2010
Eric has seen his dream of a museum - pub dedicated to the former Carlisle & District State Management Scheme come one step closer and his idea has gained support from Cumbria Tourism.
He said that the nationalisation of our pubs during the First World war was a unique experiment and it is still viewed with fond nostalgia by many local people.

Mitchelson at heart of Renaissance failure

12 Feb 2010
Eric has written for the local press outlining his despair at the Carlisle Renaissance. Shops boarded up on Botchergate

He says that under the Tory/LibDem council led by Cllr Mike Mitchelson, there has been a lack of ability, commitment and courage, with a reluctance to take charge and responsibility, which, in essence, has led to a situation where people have lost faith in Carlisle Renaissance's ability to improve the city. The full uncensored version of Eric's article may be read on this website.

University crisis - Boaden seeks clarification of Caldew Riverside

5 Feb 2010
Councillor Michael Boaden, Leader of the Labour Group on Carlisle City Council has called on Council Leader, Mike Mitchelson to urgently clarify the position with regard to the Caldew Riverside site.
Reacting to the news that University of Cumbria have made it clear that they have no intention of proceeding with any plans for a Headquarters in that area, Cllr Boaden said he had a series of questions to put to the Board.

Renaissance bill keeps rising

22 Jan 2010
Labour's parliamentary candidate, Michael Boaden, who leads the Labour opposition on Carlisle City Council, has said he is aghast at the rising cost of Carlisle Renaissance.
Since the original partnership of the County and City Council handed control to an independent board, costs have escalated, but the city's council tax payers are still footing the bill.

Burst pipe bills unfair says Eric

18 Jan 2010
Eric has raised the issue of big bills for burst pipes with the Environment Secretary.
He says that leaking water pipes after the thaw could mean huge increases in charges for metered customers.

Stanwix parents quizzed over school places

3 Mar 2010
A rising birth rate has caught out the County Council in the north of Carlisle.
They are now admitting that they need more school places, which more than vindicates Eric's opposition to the closure of Belah School, which has given rise to these new problems. Stanwix parents are to asked about school expansion plans

University meeting 'positive'

3 Mar 2010
Eric says that a meeting to help the funding crisis and the University of Cumbria went well.
He and the university's vice chancellor Professor Peter McCaffery met David Lammy, the Higher Education Minister on Tuesday to find a way through the problems.

Impact of Nuclear Development

1 Mar 2010
Eric has probed the issue of the effects of changes in the nuclear industry in West Cumbria.
At a recent session of the North West select Committee, he was concerned about the way in which the food processing industry in Carlisle would be affected, as well as the long term employment effects if reprocessing stops at Sellafield.

MP sets up meeting on recession hit university

26 Feb2010
Eric has set up a meeting on Tuesday with Higher Education Minister David Lammy.
University of Cumbria vice chancellor Professor Peter McCaffery will be with Eric when they attempt to thrash out a deal for the cash strapped university. Up to 200 jobs could go as the university struggles with a £20M deficit.

Boaden calls for Okoji inquiry

9 Feb2010
Labour's parliamentary candidate Michael Boaden has called for an inquiry into how the City Council came to employ a convicted fraudster in a sensitive post.
Attah Okoji from Gateshead was employed by the council until last April as a job evaluation analyst. He had previous convictions under the Theft Act.

Attah Okoji at the Newcastle Crown Court

Eric takes the wheel

5 Feb 2010
Eric got behind the wheel of a lorry as part of a visit to see apprentices at city training firm System Training.
He met with the apprentices as well as prospective employers at the firm which is the only place that provides logistics training in warehousing and distribution.

Stagecoach decision a backward step - Boaden

4 Feb 2010
Michael Boaden, Labour's candidate for Carlisle at the next General Election has hit out at Stagecoach's abuse of their monopoly position in the city.
He is writing to the Competition Commission regarding the decision of Stagecoach to stop running the Dalston to Cotehill bus service. Mr Boaden said this is a vital and important service for residents in a number of villages around Carlisle.

A Stagecoach bus in Carlisle (c) Caroline Matthews

Welcome for Hilltop Rethink

3 Feb 2010
Eric has welcomed the decision by NHS Cumbria to review the plans for a 'super surgery' at Hilltop Heights.
He has campaigned from the start that the location is unsuitable and poorly served by public transport, making it a bad choice for the elderly especially as well as mothers with young children.

'Not one job created, not one change made'

3 Feb 2010
Labour's parliamentary candidate Michael Boaden has hit out at the scandalous waste of Renaissance.
He says nothing has been achieved for the millions of public money spent. He was speaking as the Tories and Lib Dems rejected Labour's plans to use some of the money to clean up the city.

Vote Stevenson and the Hare gets it!

2 Feb 2010
Eric has strongly condemned the Tory candidate, John Stevenson, who has pledged to support the reintroduction of blood sports.
He has been sent a copy of a letter an upset constituent had received from Mr Stevenson in which he stated that if elected he would vote for the repeal of the Hunting Act which would allow a pack of dogs to tear a wild animal apart.

Wrong kind of mouse

2 Feb 2010
Eric is incredulous that the West Coast Main Line should be crippled by a mouse. Not a computer mouse but a live furry one.
Network Rail have written to Eric to explain that the hold up on January 2nd, the day of Carlisle's match at Everton, was caused by a "rodent-damaged cable".

Michael positive about Wetheral

30 Jan 2010
The addition of Wetheral to the Carlisle constituency does not worry Labour's parliamentary candidate Michael Boaden.
The traditionally Tory village and its over 3000 voters has been moved from the safe Tory Penrith seat into the city.

Wetheral ©Copyright Roy Douglas and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

Get your facts right, Mr Stevenson

19 Jan 2010
Labour's Parliamentary Candidate, Michael Boaden, has poured cold water on a scare put about by his Tory opponent.
John Stevenson had claimed that Labour would introduce a new tax on listening to music which he said would cost charities. But Michael says the government will not be taxing people to listen to music.

Challenge to Tories over badger cull

21 Jan 2010
Eric has demanded to know Conservative policy on badger culling.
He put this to a Tory speaker in a Commons debate on Food Industry Competitiveness when the issue of bovine tuberculosis was raised. Also, as a food industry 'insider', he asked about supermarket copycat products.

Johnny "Come Lately" Stevenson criticised over Belah School

18 Jan 2010
Eric has roundly criticised Tory candidate, John Stevenson's late intervention in the Belah School debacle. (Cumberland News 15.01.10)
He said that to wade into the argument at this late stage beggars belief and that Cllr Stevenson should have supported him in arguing the case for a school to be retained at Belah. He should have had the courage of his fellow councillor, Alan Toole, who put party politics aside and supported Eric's campaign.

Labour saves Community Centres from cutbacks

14 Jan 2010
Michael Boaden has succeeded in squashing attempts by council leaders to cut funding to community centres in Carlisle.
He tabled a motion at a council meeting at the Civic Centre to block the cuts plan because of the 'central role' the centres play in the life of the city.

MP backs plans for 3Rs catch-up support and stronger discipline in schools

12 Jan 2010
Eric Martlew, Labour MP for Carlisle, has backed plans for guaranteed catch-up support and one-to-one tuition for children falling behind in the 3Rs and stronger discipline through tough home-school agreements.
The measures are part of the Labour government's Children, Schools and Families Bill, which Eric Martlew MP, voted to support last night but was opposed by Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs.

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