Sir Bob Russell

The campaign to ban wild or exotic animals from performing in circuses has taken a big step forward today with the publication of a Draft Bill which has as its main aim to "make it an offence for any circus operator to use a wild animal in performance or exhibition in a travelling circus in England."

Colchester MP Sir Bob Russell has called on Essex County Council to issue "special permits" to wedding cars so that they can travel along the High Street during the hours when it is otherwise banned to cars.

Sir Bob said: "I have been contacted by the mothers of two brides who had booked the Town Hall for either the marriage or the reception, or both.

Colchester MP Sir Bob Russell is urging people across the region to be Carbon Monoxide Safe this summer, as the camping and caravanning season approaches.

Tragic deaths occur every year from summertime CO poisoning, normally caused by campers bringing gas or charcoal BBQs into tents and other enclosed spaces.

Colchester MP Sir Bob Russell has had a meeting at the House of Commons with the Interim Chief Executive of the East of England Ambulance Trust,
Mr Andrew Morgan, to discuss the number of complaints which he and other MPs across the region are receiving about the ambulance service.

The previous evening, with ten other MPs from the region, he attended a meeting where serious concerns were put to Health Minister Earl Howe. The Minister was told that morale amongst ambulance personnel was very low and there was a feeling that the management of the Ambulance Trust was in need of a major overhaul.

Colchester MP Sir Bob Russell has welcomed the "imaginative" announcement in the Budget to use LIBOR banking fines to help fund the "excellent work which the charity Combat Stress does for military veterans with mental health issues - and to pay for Christmas boxes for military personnel on operations over the next two years."

Published in the "East Anglian Daily Times" on Saturday 16^th March 2013

Each Saturday, Colchester MP Sir Bob Russell gives an insight into the working week of a local MP.

Weeks do not get more varied than this!

Last weekend I was in sun-soaked Brighton for the Liberal Democrat Spring Conference. Then it was to snowy Scotland where I went on a nuclear submarine and see work progressing on Britain's next aircraft carrier.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has closed the Liberal Democrat Spring Conference in Brighton by calling on members to spread the message of the Party's commitment in Government to deliver a stronger economy and a fairer society.

In his keynote Leader's speech, Nick paid tribute to the work of the Party in winning the Eastleigh by-election, beating the Conservatives into third place and squeezing Labour while campaigning on the Lib Dem record of delivering in Government.

Each Saturday, Colchester MP Sir Bob Russell gives an insight into the working week of a local MP.

Parliamentary protocol is that when an MP is in another constituency for a "public" or "political" event then the MP for that constituency must be informed. Stanway was in the Colchester constituency until the 2010 General Election, but is now in the Witham constituency whose MP is Ms Priti Patel. I advised her that I would be in her constituency on two occasions over the weekend. First was the Annual Dinner for Colchester Liberal Democrats held at Stanway Rovers Football Club. That was on Saturday when the guest speaker was Lib-Dem Lord Tom McNally who is a Justice Minister. On Sunday my wife and I were guests of Chinese restaurant "Banquet 1408" for a Chinese New Year celebration.