Andy Reed MP demanded that the Government ends child poverty as they signed up to the “Keep the promise” campaign”. He called on people to back the campaign and demand a better future for children in Loughborough.

The campaign is being run by End Child Poverty, which is mobilising public support to ensure the Government keeps its promise to end child poverty. Without urgent investment in the next year any progress on child poverty is at risk. The charity is asking people to sign an online petition, campaign locally, and attend the largest ever event to end child poverty, in London on October the 4th this year.

Andy Reed said: “We are one of the richest countries in the world, yet we have higher rates of child poverty than many other countries. Child poverty robs people of the opportunities to succeed in education and in the workplace. We can see the damage poverty does for children and our country. Please join me, support the campaign and help end child poverty.”

In Loughborough 14% of children live on very low incomes, dependent on out of work benefits. Across the East Midlands 29% of children live below the poverty line. Across the UK 3.9m children, approximately 1 in 3, live in poverty, one of the worst rates in Europe. In 1999 the Government pledged to eradicate child poverty. Since then 600,000 children have been lifted out of poverty, however, much more needs to be done in order to achieve the goal.

We inherited a scandalous record fom the Tories who INCREASED CHILD POVERTY in this country in their years. They are still not promising to match our targets to reduce child poverty despite hiding behind some warm words. I wouldn't trust them to deliver anything meaningful on this issue and that alone drives me to campiagn to prevent them ever getting their hands on power again"

my opinions on issues to do with taxation and the economy

June 2008 - a quick Q&A about rising fuel prices and the tax situation.

Local MP welcomes Government announcement on funding for free swimming

Loughborough MP, Andy Reed, has expressed his delight at the announcement of a new £140m fund to help local authorities in England offer free swimming to over 60s and under 16s. Funding for the scheme, which will be split between revenue and capital investment will be available from April 2009. It will be up to local authorities to choose whether they want to participate in the scheme.

Andy Reed MP today put down an Early Day Motion in Parliament about slums around the world and the people who live in them who face appalling conditions. The EDM is calling Parliaments attention to the facts about the slums that exist around the world. It raises the issue of more help being given to people in slums and ensuring such people are able to access basic necessities such as running water, sanitation, electricity, employment and schools which are rarely present in slums at the moment.

With 1 in 6 people of the world’s population living in slums the EDM seeks to raise awareness of life in these places. The EDM is calling on the government to ensure progress is made on improving these people lives.

Andy Reed MP has today welcomed a government announcement that it is planning to make it easier for credit unions, like the one operating locally in Loughborough to expand.

In an announcement made to the All Party Parliamentary Group on Credit Unions, Treasury Minister Kitty Ussher MP announced that the Government plans to bring forward legislation to enable local credit unions to attract new members and help more people borrow at affordable rates.

Andy Reed MP today gave his full support to the government plans to update and change the law on co-operatives and the mutual’s sectors. The government has announced plans to bring about legislative change to help co-operatives compete on an equal footing with business and help them to continue to grow.

The aim of the changes is to help enable the sector to grow in economic terms, help to increase efficiency and cut red tape as well as level the field so that co-operatives can operate on an equal footing as other companies.

Today Alan Johnson, the Secretary of State for Health, unveiled the results of Lord Darzi’s year-long review into the NHS – High Quality Care For All.

The purpose of the Next Stage Review is to build on the progress made in delivering the vision set out in the NHS plan and the Government’s reform agenda, to identify the way forward for a 21st century NHS which is clinically–driven, patient-centred, responsive to local communities and to deliver consistently high quality of care for everyone in all aspects, not just some.

Loughborough MP Andy Reed said he welcomed the focus the 60th anniversary of the NHS gave to looking forward not just back.

"Locally the Tories have tried to talk down our NHS yet in every survey and in every table we can produce we have saved the NHS from their years of cuts to services and massive waiting times. Patients surveys show satisfaction at record levels and people waiting a fraction of the time they would have expected under the Tories. Now they find themselves opposing our reforms for greater flexibility and greater choice. The NHS will always be changing to meet new demands and they seem incapable of understanding that."

"Whilst the Tories talk down our NHS and staff I will be telling the review that whilst some increase in choice is welcome what I really want to see with public service reform is the best quality care in every local area. I want the only choice to be the local choice because it is the best care you can get.

"There are still issues in the NHS about rationing, about control of bugs like MRSA but we can cope with these new challenges only if we continue to drive up standards and continue to invest in the NHS. Don't forget we have nearly 80,000 more nurses now than in 1997 and nealry 40,000 more doctors."

Labour & Co-operative MP for Loughborough

Since 1998 I have always published details of my allowancesin my annual report and on this website. Here you can find details of what this all means.

Response to Pay and allowances stories - again!

Response to Teachers Pay Claim campaign in 2008.

Andy Reed MP was on hand to give Sileby a massive £288,000 cheque for football improvements in the village.

Andy Reed said "This is long overdue for Sileby. The village has had to put up with sub standard facilities for too long. I am really pleased that a partnership will deliver a new pavilion and pitches in the middle oft he village. The Football Foundation money is a massive boost. I think the government backed Foundation is making a massive difference here in Sileby. The good news is that over £1million is coming into my Loughborough constituency from the Football Foundation this year."