Lichfield constituency members are meeting on 2^nd September at 11am chez Paul Ray at 25 Christchurch Lane, Lichfield WS13 8BA

Suggested items are:

- Key local issues: Garrick, highways, affordable housing, health/social care

- Key national issues especially Brexit. What can we be doing locally?

- Then publicity of these: what issues and who to lead on each?

Wednesday 16th August at 19:30

- George IV Pub, [not the George Hotel!] meeting room 34 Bore St, Lichfield WS13 6LU
(meeting room is sitting area at front of pub on left as you enter)

- contact Colin Reisner 01543 473118 for details

Dear Michael

In last week's Mercury there were two items where you made various claims.

Have you and the Conservative Party not learned anything from June's general election? Please listen and be straight with us.

1. School Funding

You have claimed that there will be no funding cuts for our local schools - and no per pupil funding cuts.

A renowned scientist such as Stephen Hawking questioning your evidence might normally be cause to think again, but sadly it looks as though Jeremy Hunt has joined the chorus of those who have had enough of experts.

Hunt had cherry-picked research to justify his argument. For a scientist, cherry-picking evidence is unacceptable.

Stephen Hawking

The Government's sale of the Green Investment Bank (GIB), which was completed today, is environmentally irresponsible.

The Government confirmed today Macquarie Group Limited has now completed its purchase of the GIB for £2.3bn, which will now be known as the Green Investment Group (GIG).

I launched the Bank in 2012, during my time as Business Secretary. Its environmental mission is now in danger of disappearing, I am calling for Parliament to ensure commitments to protect green investment in the UK are kept.

Over the summer, we heard that Philip Hammond was courageously fighting off the more extreme Brexiteers. Supposedly he was looking for a compromise to keep Britain within the customs union and single market as long as possible.

The rebellion didn't last very long. He has now teamed up with one of the more extreme and ideological supporters of a 'Hard Brexit.

It is now painfully clear who calls the shots in the Cabinet; it isnt' the Chancellor.