Allan Knox pledges support for NSPCC General Election campaign to protect children

Allan Knox, prospective parliamentary candidate for Ribble Valley, has pledged to support the NSPCC’s ‘I stand for children’ campaign which aims to make child protection a priority for the next Parliament.

Allan Knox said: “As the Lib Dem candidate in Ribble Valley I’m supporting the NSPCC’s new campaign to ensure protecting children is a political priority: I Stand for Children.”

The NSPCC’s campaign is calling on candidates to commit to a range of child protection measures including:

• Making the internet safer for children
• Continued funding of helpline services for children and for adults concerned about the safety or welfare of a child
• Tackling domestic violence from a child's point of view
• Ensuring that vital child protection reforms are fully implemented and resourced, following the death of Baby Peter and other child deaths since
• Provision of resources for vital therapeutic services for children who have experienced abuse
• Strengthening the role of the children's commissioner in England to act as a genuinely independent voice for children.

The charity’s Diana Sutton, head of the public affairs and campaigns unit at the NSPCC, said: “We need to make sure that the next elected Government keeps child protection high on its list of priorities. By signing up to our campaign, candidates in this next general election can help. The public can play their role by letting the politicians know what they want done.”

Where would we be without our National Health Service?

The NHS services we all use and rely on are admired by people in almost every country in the world. Our doctors, nurses and many other health professionals and staff who work for the NHS do an amazing job for us every single day for people in Clitheroe and the Ribble Valley.

But just imagine for a second what things would be like if they were not there.

We could end up with a health system like they have in America (the one President Barack Obama is trying to change). In America, families have to pay huge sums of money each year for health care.

What happens in America if you can’t afford it? Well in the case of millions of pensioners and less well off people, you can be turned away from a hospital no matter how much you are in need.
We must never allow this to happen here - we must protect our NHS.

Today our NHS is under greater threat than ever. We have had a Labour Government that has wasted millions of pounds on bureaucracy while putting front line services in jeopardy.

Many people will also remember the damage the last Conservative Government did to our NHS.
Over Christmas the Daily Telegraph reported that David Cameron held an hour of talks with a group that wants ‘the full privatisation of the NHS’. Another top Conservative has appeared on American TV to oppose Barack Obama’s plans to reform healthcare. He described our NHS as a ‘sixty year mistake’.

No wonder most people don’t believe that the Conservatives can be trusted with our NHS again.
That’s why we need a strong local MP to fight for local health services. That’s why last August I was one of the first to criticise the decision to suspend work on Clitheroe hospital.

I hope you will now join me by backing Nick Clegg’s NHS guarantee - to find out more please do see the enclosed leaflet. With your support, we can get real change in Britain and protect our NHS.

No More Westminster Gravy Train

I am sure like me you will have been appalled by the behaviour of the country’s MPs over the past year or so and the expenses scandal.

That’s why I am launching my campaign for Ribble Valley by stating what I will do as your MP - and what I won’t.

• As your MP, my main priority will be to work for you the people of Ribble Valley, I will not hang around in Westminster as lobby fodder for the party whips when I could be meeting with and working for you, nor will I travel the world on so called fact-finding trips.
• I will not claim for mortgage interest on any property, nor will I employ any members of my family.
• If I decide to rent a second home in London, I will furnish it at my own expense and pay all bills myself.
• I will not claim for any meals while I am Westminster, and only for 2nd class rail fares.
• I will be open and honest about all expenses involved in representing you.
• Every 6 months I will report back to you on what I have been doing for the people of Ribble Valley constituency.
• I will support legislation that will give you the right to sack corrupt MPs.

Obviously this will will only be a start and all MP elected at this election will have a hard job to regain public trust.

I will be open and honest in everything I do and as your MP all my work will be carried out in light of the pledges I have made above.