TOPIC : UNDER BREXIT - WHAT TRADING ARRANGEMENTS SHOULD WE AIM
FOR?
SPEAKER : DAVE BERRY
TIME ; 8pm to 9.15pm
DATE : SUNDAY, 11th DECEMBER
VENUE : CONTACT CLUB, SNAPE HILL LANE, DRONFIELD S18 2GT
Dave points out that "whether we are in or out of the EU the issue of globalisation is little discussed. But it remains what may be the greatest reason for both Brexit and the Trump victory. Free trade seems to be the slogan for everyone. But what does it mean? Is it freedom or just part of the race to the bottom? The discussion will look at the history of "free trade" and the current global regime. Where do we go from here?". Issues such as TTIP (the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership) which we last discussed with John Healey MP two years ago and the tentative trade agreement between Canada and the EU (CETA) will be examined.
Dave addressed our July Meeting. He is currently retired/unemployed and has been living in Upperthorpe, Sheffield for the last ten years. Originally from East Anglia he was a shop/steward and convener in the nationalised and privatised gas industry for almost 30 years and served as a Labour Councillor for 16 years. Currently a member of Sheffield Central CLP and Sheffield Momentum. He works with the Independent Working Class Education Network.
If my calculations are correct, I give below the way in which the Boundary Commission’s current proposals would divide up (and thus end) the North East Derbyshire Parliamentary Constituency – which in various shapes has been in existence since 1885.
Numbers on the electoral register would be transferred as follows.
(1) To a newly named Bolsover and Dronfield Constituency – 35,114 (i.e. 47.8% of the NE Derbyshire electorate)
(2) To a newly named Alfreton and Clay Cross Constituency – 20,435 (27.8%)
(3) To the existing Derbyshire Dales Constituency – 13,415 (18.3%)
(4) To the existing Chesterfield Constituency – 4,378 (6.0%).
The NE Derbyshire District Council would then be split in the following dramatic way between Constituencies (although it already laps over the current NED Constituency Boundaries in places) –
(1) To Alfreton and Clay Cross – 32,080 (41,5%)
(2) To Bolsover and Dronfield – 31,761 (41.1%)
(3) To Derbyshire Dales – 13,415 (17.4%)
Submissions about the current proposals can be made to the Boundary Commission up to the 5th December, with their nearest public hearing being held in Derby on 27 and 28 October.
My main concerns about the new arrangments are (a) that the number of MPs are being reduced from 650 to 600. In effect this will remove 50 MPs from the back-benches and adds to the power and influence of front benchers. The quotas for the size of constituencies will also be based on the numbers of people who have registered to vote and not upon those who are entitled to vote. Improved registration procedures should, of course, be brought into operation to close the gap between these two groups. But in the meantime, we should not operate under an added unfairness. Let us cover all who could qualify to vote.
The Boundary Commission was also supposed to take into account the boundaries of District and Borough Councils and cut across them as little as possible whilst meeting requirements in term of the size of electorates. As the NE Derbyshire District is being divided into three large Constituency chunks, this dramatically violates such a requirement.
The Commission’s Report can be found via this link.