Best comment I've read on the LibDems and AV

I'll support AV in the referendum even though it's not my preference for reform, but this comment by Nick Cohen says it all.

Ed was the right choice

We now have our new Labour leader, Ed Miliband, elected by a whisker. I was one of those who supported Ed right from the start, and I think he is going to be a very good leader for Labour. I say that not just because of his policies, but also because I know from having seen Ed at meetings with all sorts of local groups and communities - Labour Party members, environmental activists, general members of the public - that he is an incredibly good communicator. I think that will come through over the next few years up until the UK general election, and could well be an important factor in that vote.

It's good to be inspired...

...and this weekend I’ve been privileged to have been really inspired by a number of events in and around Edinburgh North & Leith. On Thursday, a fantastic graduation ceremony at Telford College’s great new campus at West Granton – great to see real enthusiasm from everyone there – students, the new principal and the rest of the staff, and parents.

Friday evening, inspired in a different way by an event in Dynamic Earth organised as part of the international campaign on oil extraction from ‘tar sands’ in Alberta – a really moving and powerful address by a chief from one of the native peoples affected – and lots of other good speakers in what seems a really important campaign – a campaign heavily backed in Britain by the Cooperative Group, which as a Labour & Cooperative MP I’m really pleased to see. (The meeting in Edinburgh was also organised by a wide range of NGOs, led by Friends of the Earth Scotland)

And on Saturday afternoon, different type of inspiration when I went to Malta House in Stockbridge for their annual patient reunion of LEAP (Lothians & Edinburgh Abstinence Programme) where I heard some really powerful testimony from people’s whose lives had been transformed by their experience on LEAP’s treatment programme. And some inspirational leadership from the medical team as well.

Commons vote on Afghanistan

In a major first, the new House of Commons committee which aims to give back bench MPs more of a say in Parliamentary business has scheduled a debate this Thursday (9 September) on the subject of British military involvement in Afghanistan - and there will be a 'free vote' for MPs at the end of the debate. I'll be attending for the debate and vote - and I'd be very interested in constituents' views on the issue. So please give me your comments!

The debate will be on a motion, with two amendments, and I've listed these below.

The motion and amendments:

UK ARMED FORCES IN AFGHANISTAN

That this House supports the continued deployment of UK armed forces in Afghanistan.

As Amendments to Natascha Engel’s proposed Motion (UK Armed Forces in Afghanistan):
Dr Julian Huppert

(b)
Line 1, leave out from ‘supports’ to end and add ‘the UK armed forces; recognises the hard and dangerous work they are performing in Afghanistan; and requests that the Government ensure that they are brought back to safety as soon as possible.’.

Dr Julian Lewis

(a)
Line 2, at end add ‘provided that a more realistic military strategy is adopted designed to fulfil the United Kingdom’s long-term interests in the region at lesser cost in life, limb and financial resources.’.