PPC Profile: Peter Smith

Full Name: Peter Smith

PPC for: South West Norfolk

Selection result: Unanimous

Website: www.southwestnorfolklabour.org.uk

Twitter: @Peter_D_Smith

Member of the Labour Party since: 1970

CV:
I grew up in the North and the Midlands, the son of a vicar and a teacher, and I attended the University of Durham. After spells working in insurance, a brewery and as a road construction engineer I taught in Birmingham and Italy before training as a community worker at the University of York. Subsequently, I established and ran a community centre in Inner London, where much of my work centred on welfare and housing issues. At that point, it became clear to me that most of those seeking our centre’s assistance had real difficulties with reading and writing, so I decided to become a teacher.

I moved to Downham Market with my long term partner, Julie, also a teacher, in 2005, and taught part-time in a Cambridge Sixth Form College.

I’ve also written a number of plays, and my new translation of a major German play was performed in Cambridge in February 2008, co-directed by Julie and myself. I’ve also directed and co-directed over sixty plays and toured with many productions in Europe.

I’m a keen cyclist and mountain walker, with an interest in a wide range of sports.

Now, I’ve temporarily suspended my teaching career to concentrate fully on my role as Labour’s Prospective Parliamentary Candidate.

Throughout my adult life, I’ve been an active member of the Labour Party as well as a committed trade unionist, and am an accredited caseworker for a major teaching union. I’m a member of CND and Amnesty, and am currently Chair of both Downham Market Labour Party and SW Norfolk Constituency Labour Party. I was selected as Labour’s PPC for the constituency in September 2007.

While I’ve always been a loyal Labour Party member, and am very proud of our achievements since coming to power in 1997, I will only support party policy on the most important issues if I am convinced of their arguments.

I was inspired to go into politics because:
The divisive policies of the Tories in the 1980s and ’90s, and a dreadful class system, had not only failed to address the deep-seated social and economic problems of the UK but had actually made the lives of so many much, much worse. I joined the Labour Party because it was, and still is, the only political vehicle for changing society in the interests of the majority.

Many people have helped to mould my political vision, but the most significant are my father, with his lifelong commitment to the less fortunate; Frank Allaun and Michael Foot for their inspirational pacifism; John Rex, from whom I learned incisive political analysis; Germaine Greer, for opening my eyes to gender issues; Bertolt Brecht, for the satirical sweep of his plays and poetry; and Paul Robeson, for his deep humanity.

My main policy interests are:

EDUCATION
Labour’s reforms and massive investment have transformed our schools. The focus on “Every Child Matters” has had a very positive impact in our classrooms, and the ever-improving, and very real, exam results are a testament to the achievements of students and teachers. Buildings and facilities in state schools, after decades of Tory neglect, have seen dramatic improvements. Ever-increasing numbers of students are going on to further and higher education. When I first went to university, only 5% of pupils studied for degrees. Now, that figure is about 40%.

As a teacher, however, I have two key reservations – that the pace of change and improvement has perhaps been too rapid, and that business management models have sometimes been inappropriately applied.

That said, I have no doubts that the quality of education which our children and young people now receive is infinitely superior to that on offer when the Tories were in government.

ENVIRONMENT
To my mind, the connection between human activity and climate change has been proven beyond any doubt. I believe there is a moral imperative to do everything we can, both privately and collectively, to reduce our carbon footprint. So while I support without reservation the specific government measures against gas-guzzlers, I’m disapppointed by the limited scope of measures so far enacted.

In my own constituency, I was shocked by the ferocity of the campaign in and around Marshland against the building of wind turbines as well as the vandalism which toppled a pilot turbine. This highlighted the need for a calm, rational debate on the issues surrounding sustainable energy. In a letter to the local press, I pointed out that not long ago this part of the world was covered with windmills, some of which still stand, often beautifully restored and admired. The modern version, the wind turbine, is, in my view, every bit as attractive. In much of Northern Europe wind turbines can be found in ones, twos, clusters or in huge developments, and there is little or no opposition to their construction. Denmark already draws 14% of its electricity from wind. There will always be opposition to change; there will always be the Don Quixotes tilting at windmills or the latest technologies. But I’m struck by the overwhelming support for wind turbines and other green technology from young people: after all, it is their future which will be blighted if we don’t deal with pollution now.

That said, I think the decision to move to a new generation of nuclear power stations to be a mistake with potentially disastrous consequences, and would oppose any attempt to dump nuclear waste in or near this constituency.

CARE OF THE ELDERLY
It is often said that a society can be judged by how it treats its senior citizens. Labour in Government has committed itself to trying to ensure that all pensioners enjoy dignity and security in retirement. It is worth remembering that the Tories actually reduced the value of the state pension, and millions of pensioners were living in poverty.

The Tories also persuaded millions of workers to opt out of SERPS and company pensions, and then presided over the mis-selling of private pensions which made the investors far worse off. In contrast, Labour has so far:

* Provided a decent minimum guarantee for all pensioners.

* Introduced a Winter Fuel Allowance.

* IIntroduced Free TV Licences for over 75s.

* Brought in Free Eye tests, free local bus travel, free off-peak national bus travel and free prescriptions for over 60s.

* Reduced the qualification period for receipt of the full state pension from 44 years for men and 39 years for women down to 30 years for both, thus ensuring that many more people receive the full state pension.

IMMIGRATION
I believe that genuine asylum seekers should be given sanctuary in our country and that in this respect policy should err on the side of generosity. No asylum seeker should ever be turned away if there is the slightest chance that he or she might suffer persecution or worse as a consequence. Our country has for hundreds of years benefited hugely from immigration – most of us are descended from immigrants – and continues to do so.

The overwhelming majority of immigrants to this country are hard working and have shown initiative and courage in making the move to this country. If they are employed by unscrupulous employers because they can be paid lower wages than British workers, then the fault lies with the exploitative employers.

However, it is important that immigration should be properly controlled and that unequal distribution of immigrants should not result in an overburdening of local services, something which appears to be the case in parts of our constituency. We should not forget, though, that East Anglia is very dependant on migrant labour, and would face serious labour shortages if the supply of immigrant labour was curtailed or significantly reduced.

3 things I would like to see in the manifesto are:
1 – A radical overhaul of the electoral system, which would include the introduction of PR and the abolition of all hereditaries in the House of Lords.

2 – An absolute commitment to renewable energy and the creation of “green” jobs

3 – A focus on making the care of the elderly fit for purpose for everyone, and not dependent on the ability to pay.

I think people should vote for me because:
I am not a London-based career politician and occasional visitor to the constituency for a photo-opportunity, but a local man committed to doing everything within my powers to improve the lives of everyone, regardless of age, colour, creed or political persuasion.

If elected I will focus on bringing inward investment, jobs, improved infrastructure, transport and facilities to all parts of the constituency.