Jon Ashworth MP: The world has been watching us... and we didn't disappoint
So we have received the news that Richard III fans have been waiting for. The skeletal remains found last year in Grey Friars car park in my Leicester South constituency are indeed those of Richard III, the last Plantagenet king of England.
It was a truly historic day for the city of Leicester and I wholeheartedly congratulate the hard work of the team at the University of Leicester.
Particularly, I want to pay tribute to the fantastic team behind this historic discovery – Richard Buckley, Dr Jo Appleby, Professor Lin Foxhall, Dr Turi King, Mathew Morris, Professor Kevin Schürer and, of course, Philippa Langley, of the Richard III Society.
At the press conference we were presented with a wealth of evidence, from radiocarbon dating to DNA and bone analysis, which confirmed that, beyond all reasonable doubt, the skeleton discovered in Grey Friars car park is Richard III.
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It served as a reminder of the tremendous research our universities are capable of.
I'm also delighted that Richard will remain in Leicester.
Since last year, I've argued that Richard III should be reinterred in Leicester's splendid cathedral, battling it out both in Parliament and the media with counter claimants from York, Westminster Abbey and – would you believe it – Worksop, in north Nottinghamshire.
Politicians from York have been trying to get Richard sent to York Minster but, as I told them in the House of Commons: "Hands off, York!''
This final resting place is entirely appropriate.
Richard has been buried in consecrated ground in Leicester for 500 years, just yards away from where the cathedral is today.
But we also have had for many years a memorial to Richard in our cathedral – the only cathedral memorial to Richard in the country – which acts as a focus for remembrance, especially on the anniversary of the Battle of Bosworth.
However, while we celebrate this good news, we've had more bad news on the economy, which has slipped back into "negative growth''. That means under David Cameron and George Osborne, not only have we had a "double dip'' recession, there is now also a possibility of a "triple dip'' recession.
Whenever I talk to local business people they warn that not enough is being done to get the economy moving.
In the next few weeks, we'll have the budget and I'll be pressing the Government to change course and finally introduce policies to support growth and jobs.
Finally, many of you have been in touch with me since I warned of the consequences of the "bedroom tax.''
This Tory government's "bedroom tax'' will see people in my constituency losing an average of £12 a week for under-occupation by one bedroom, and £22 a week for under-occupation by two or more bedrooms.
That's thousands of pounds being sucked out of the local economy, which will inevitably have a knock-on effect on local businesses. Two of the worst-hit wards in Leicester are in my constituency, with Freeman ward making up 9.67 per cent and Eyres Monsell ward 9.26 per cent of the cases in the whole city.
I've been speaking out about the unfairness of this tax in the Commons but, sadly, the Government seems determined to push it through.
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by 4_Stroke
Tuesday, February 12 2013, 6:41AM
“DonHenson ... so you are saying the "rich" pay less in tax than someone who lives entirely on tax payers money (benefits). Please explain.
I am sick of hearing how hard things are getting for those whose lifestyle I am funding. Times are hard. Get used to it! If you want to live in house that you don't need and is beyond you means then move, just like the home owners have to do.
Why should tax payers pay for spare bedrooms whilst at the same time be asked to fund more social housing.”
by DonHenson
Tuesday, February 12 2013, 3:10AM
“@democrat
Try a larger font.
"facts" not facts. Many of your "facts" are spurious.”
by DonHenson
Tuesday, February 12 2013, 3:09AM
“Actually everyone pays tax. Just some (the rich) pay a lot less. And they won't pay the bedroom tax either”
by 4_Stroke
Monday, February 11 2013, 11:01AM
“quote.... "This Tory government's "bedroom tax'' will see people in my constituency losing an average of £12 a week for under-occupation by one bedroom, and £22 a week for under-occupation by two or more bedrooms."
How can it be classed as tax when the majority of those affected do not pay tax. It is just that you will get less free money for having rooms that are being paid for by tax payers unoccupied. If you don't need the rooms then move so that those who do need them can have a bed.”
by Bob491
Sunday, February 10 2013, 11:52PM
“Demo you know perfectly well that the World financial crisis was caused by greedyguts bankers and financiers, many friends and party donors of the Cons.
And you also know perfectly well that the crisis is being continued by this incompetent Con government's failed austerity measures which are pushing up the debt whilst causing considerable hardship to the unwealthy.
Plus the rampant tax evasion by wealthy companies and individuals, many friends and party donors of the Cons, which is losing the country many, many £billions in lost revenue each year.
Just as you know the wealthy are doing very nicely thank you.
So nobody is surprised that you are trying to offload the blame onto others!”
by democrat
Sunday, February 10 2013, 12:04PM
“jaynedoh
Xenophobia and popularist bigotry - erm where?
Pointing out that Jon Ashworth seems not to like to dicuss his role in our downfall is bigotry?
I guess that you have actually done some research and now undertstand that I am corect. But rather than admit it your resort to insults. Gordon Brown did the same so I understand the deafult socialist debating stance.”
by democrat
Sunday, February 10 2013, 9:50AM
“DonHenson
'a difference between facts and the truth' - erm, did you really mean to write that? Facts are the truth surely. The fact that 'the facts' are an inconvenient 'truth' to Jon Ashworth and the Labour Party (and it seems to those that support them) would be amusing if is wasn't so sad.
LikeItALot - You are indeed correct that there were several factors that caused the crash. JayneDoh though chose to respond with the standard denial line of it is all down to the bankers. The issue is not the crash but our ability to deal with it - Labour fuelled the economy with debt (I don't recall any Labour supporter asking where all the money was coming from to pay for the millions of Public Sector non-jobs by the way) and flooded the Country with millions of non-productive immigrants. They were steering the ship when it hit the iceberg - so you are saying that it was the icebergs fault?”
by DonHenson
Sunday, February 10 2013, 3:25AM
“Democrat, you are renowned for your use of "facts."
Sadly there is a difference between "facts" and the truth.”
by LikeItaLot
Saturday, February 09 2013, 11:13PM
“democrat, do not patronise people, they are entitled to their opinion . I am certainly not out of my depth and I, along with others, know a confluence of several factors caused the crash, including the bankers.”
by democrat
Saturday, February 09 2013, 9:54PM
“jaynedoh
Come back when you have spent some time actually researching the causes of the crash and I might have some respect for your view
Facts are a concept that Labour and the Left generally do not like to admit.
You are out of your depth”