There should be an Iraq war inquiry

It is hugely disappointing yet also sadly predictable that Labour MPs have blocked Conservative efforts to establish an inquiry into the war in Iraq.

Foreign Secretary David Miliband said an inquiry could not take place whilst British troops remained on Iraqi soil. This is a ridiculous position to take given the ongoing uncertainty over how long they are likely to remain.

As William Hague said during the Commons debate, now is undoubtedly the right time to hold an inquiry – when memories are still fresh and all the relevant documentation is available.

Unlike the majority of my Party, I was against the war from the outset. But making political capital is not what an inquiry is or should be about.

It is about learning lessons so the same terrible mistakes cannot be repeated in the future.

175 British service personnel have lost their lives since the Iraq conflict began.

Their families deserve to know why and they deserve to know it now.

Surprise, surprise...

...she didn't bother to vote!

This is the second time in the last three weeks she has failed to take part in votes of real importance to residents in Keighley and Ilkley.

Previously, she failed to participate in the House of Commons vote on allowing the new EU Reform Treaty to be put to a referendum of the people – something which was included in the Labour manifesto on which she stood for re-election in 2005.

Joking aside, both episodes amount to a very serious dereliction of duty.

Ann Cryer has been elected to represent the voters of Keighley and Ilkley in our nation's Parliament.

She is failing to do her job.

Post Office fight goes to Parliament

Shadow Business Secretary Alan Duncan will today table a Commons Motion calling on the Government to suspend its plans to close more than 2,500 Post Offices across the country.

Unfortunately this very welcome move from my Conservative colleague will have come too late to save those four Post Offices in Keighley and Ilkley - at Bradford Road in Stockbridge, East Morton, Highfield in Keighley and Leeds Road in Ilkley - that have already been served with closure notices.

As I have said repeatly since becoming Conservative Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Keighley and Ilkley, the loss of our local Post Offices will have an extremely detrimental impact on our community and, in particular, on elderly and disabled residents.

Local Labour MP Ann Cryer did nothing to defend the four condemned branches until it was too late.

It will be interesting in today's vote to see whether she now seeks to defend those Post Offices at risk in other MPs' constituencies despite doing nothing to save those in Keighley and Ilkley.

Alternatively she may decide to keep her line consistent and continue to support the Labour Government's organised destruction of our national Post Office network.

Either way, she'll be rightly labelled as a hypocrite.

Brown can’t hold a candle to Cameron

There is currently a storm of claim and counter-claim in the media over whether Madame Tussauds is planning to commission a waxwork of Gordon Brown prior to the next General Election.

Downing Street has apparently produced a letter saying the Great Leader has been invited to model for them sometime within the next six months.

Meanwhile, Tussauds say there is not yet sufficient demand for such an exhibit and that he hasn’t yet proven himself as PM in any case.

They add, somewhat cuttingly, that their model of Tony Blair is still a big draw with visitors.

Hopefully a David Cameron victory at the polls will allow the hollow arguments in favour of a Gordon Brown waxwork to quickly melt away.