Margaret Moran MP
Labour MP for Luton South

Margaret Moran the MP for Luton South has congratulated a local Liberal Democrat supporter, for joining the Labour Party locally.

Mohammed Fazil Zia said he was joining the Labour Party as it had the best approach to handling the current economic down-turn and he praised the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown MP.

Mr Fazil Zia said: “The Prime Minister, Gordon Brown MP, has shown remarkable leadership in the Country in his handling of the current economic downturn. He is a world class leader whose understanding of the global financial markets sets him apart from those around him and from other leaders throughout Europe.

“I believe Gordon Brown MP is the best person to take this Country through the current recession as he alone understands what ordinary people are going through and how to provide help and support to those who may be in danger of losing their jobs or their homes. I want to support the Labour Party, and feel it is right for me to leave the Liberal Democrats and join the party best placed to lead Britain through these turbulent times.”

Ms Moran MP said:” I welcome Mr Fazil Zia to the Labour Party in Luton and congratulate him on his decision to leave the Liberal Democrats and join the Party best placed to take Britain through the recession. Gordon Brown is committed to getting us out of recession, we have the lowest interest rates in decades and we are increasing investment in the public sector. The CBI and the Institute of Directors support our policies.

“It is good that others see that we have a world class leader in Gordon Britain and that the Labour Party is best for Britain and for families in Luton.”

Margaret Moran the MP for Luton South has told local business leaders that Luton is the new “enterprise hub of Britain”.

Ms Moran MP made the comments as she met people from Business Link in the constituency and as a new survey showed just how well Luton was doing compared to other towns and cities.

She said: “Luton is up there near the top of the league table for Britain’s fastest growing business base. This is a huge achievement for all of us in business and in the Labour Party who have worked to make Luton the success it clearly is today.

“The government has provided additional help to new businesses and start ups and is on the side of SME’s in the Town. The Royal Mail, Business Barometer, which measures the growth of businesses relative to the size of the existing commercial base, showed growth of 1.86 per cent in Luton. That’s 156 new businesses which are blooming across the Town and this is well ahead of the national average.

“It’s the Labour government which has made enterprising Luton flourish, working hand in hand with business leaders locally. I want to see this trend continue and am ambitious for Luton and its commercial base in the future. We need to ensure this growth continues during the economic down-turn.”

Margaret Moran the MP for Luton South says she is fully behind the Chancellor’s pre-budget statement which announced a cut in VAT from 17.5 per cent to 15 per cent and an increase in the top rate of tax to 45 per cent.

Ms Moran MP said: “The Chancellor Alistair Darling and the Prime Minister Gordon Brown are taking quick and tough action to ensure Britain rides out the economic down turn. They are world class statesmen who are admired and respected for their grasp of economic theory and their tough policies.

“The government is injecting an extra £20 billion into the economy, a full 1 per cent of GDP, to ensure that our economy is well placed to tackle the global economic down-turn, which was brought about by the collapse of the sub-prime housing market in America.

“The cut in VAT from 17.5 per cent to 15 per cent is good news, it should help the high street pull through, and I support the increase in the top rate of tax to 45 per cent, which will not take effect until after the next general election.”

Margaret Moran, the MP for Luton South has welcomed the government’s decision to keep card account benefits payments with the Post Office Counters.

Commenting on the announcement by the Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell that Post Office Counters would retain the contract under which benefits payments are distributed to 4 million claimants nationally Ms Moran said: “This is good news for Post Office Counters and good news for post offices in Luton.

“I have campaigned to keep all the post offices in Luton open and found the economic arguments put forward by the Post Office for the recent closure of branches locally mystifying and based on false data and information.

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Margaret says she’s “over the moon” at the news Luton is to get a new £24.9 million state of the art aquatic centre.

The proposals have been unveiled by Luton Borough Council and it is hoped the pool will open for the 2012 Olympic celebrations.

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Margaret has put together some factsheets to help people in Luton South with the problems they may face with bills.

Margaret says:

I know many people round here are worried about gas and electricity prices as a result of the big increases in world oil prices. The price of oil is starting to come down and I’m calling on energy companies to pass on the cuts to customers. The Government has recently announced a new £1 billion housing package offering new measures to help people struggling with their mortgages and support for first time buyers and new rules for banks to help people stay in their homes.

These factsheets are there to make sure everyone is aware of the help and support that is available this winter.

The factsheets include:

• What support can I get?
• Where do I go for Help?
• Useful Numbers

Download the Household Bills factsheet
Download the Housing factsheet

Prime Minister Gordon Brown sent out a message to celebrate the birthday of Guru Nanak Dev Ji.

The Prime Minister says:

“Guru Nanak Dev Ji reminded us all of the fellowship to be found in cooperation and of how much we can learn from one another when we approach the world in a spirit of friendship and peace.”

Read The Prime Minister’s full letter (pdf).

Margaret Moran MP for Luton South and a member of the influential Home Affairs Select Committee is supporting a ban on loss leader alcohol sales in supermarkets.

She also chairs a company called eQuality Networks which has created an ‘Alcohol Strategy Toolkit’ which is being piloted by Barnfield South Academy in Luton in January.

Billy Schwer, former World Boxing Champion joins forces with Margaret in motivating the children and helping them to gain a clearer perspective in what the toolkit might achieve for them in their schooling and personal lives.

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Margaret Moran has congratulated the government for its £5.6 million package of measures to tackle crime across the Country by appointing new Crime and Justice co-ordinators.

Luton is to be one of 60 new neighbourhood crime and justice pioneer areas that will give the public a greater say in the way their streets are policed and how offenders are dealt with.

Luton’s new Neighbourhood Crime and Justice co-ordinator will:

• let the public know their entitlement in the new Policing Pledge so that they know their rights, know who their neighbourhood policing team are, how they can hold them to account and the minimum level of service they should expect;
• open up the criminal justice system so that there are clear and public consequences for criminals that the public get to know about, including more visible Community Payback; and
• ensure that services and support for victims and witnesses like separate seating arrangements at court are up to scratch.

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Margaret is meeting with Unions, management and the government to urge it to do more to help save jobs at the General Motors’ car plant in Luton.

Ms Moran MP said:

“Now that we have a new American president elect I am writing to the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown MP to urge him to use his special relationship with the States to secure the future of General Motors/IBC here in Luton.

“Thousands of jobs are at risk locally and many more nationally, and with a new President of America, one who himself has talked of the need to save the failing economy and jobs at all costs, I am sure the UK and the USA can work together to bail out the faltering car industry to protect it from the worst of the economic down turn.

“I am working tirelessly with unions, management, local government and government ministers in a series of meetings to ensure we do everything possible to save the car industry jobs in Luton. However, if jobs do go there will be a re-training budget in place to help retrain workers.”

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