Rt Hon David Blunkett MP

Does Kelly 'get it'?

David Blunkett has reacted to the publication of Sir Christopher Kelly's review of MPs' allowances with an article in today's Guardian.

Mr Blunkett wonders if Sir Christopher has fully appreciated the dual role of an MP as legislator and constituency advocate — and calls attention to some of the unintended consequences which will arise from Kelly's recommendations.

Read the full article here at the Guardian website.

Target those most in need to end poverty, says Blunkett

David Blunkett has written an article for today's Guardian following the launch of the Sheffield Project report, A Tale of Two Cities, on how government grants to cities must target deprived areas if we are to best fight poverty.

Writing in the Society section, Mr Blunkett argues that areas such as the north and east of Sheffield would be entitled to a range of government support on employment and regeneration if wealthier areas not in need of such money, such as the Sheffield Hallam constituency, were discounted from government calculations.

"On measure after measure, Hallam could almost be an entirely different city, such are the differences in wealth, health and aspiration", Mr Blunkett writes.

"With an equalities Bill before Parliament, the Government should demand fairness in the allocation of public resources — most of which are delivered from the centre — with those areas in the most need receiving the most support."

Read the full article here at the Guardian website.

Blunkett condemns Lib Dems in Sheffield as "in denial"

David Blunkett has hit out at the Lib Dem leadership of Sheffield City Council after they attempted to smear the independent report into inequalities in the city.

In comments to the Sheffield Star, Lib Dem council leader Paul Scriven said that the report, which was undertaken by the internationally renowned team at the University of Sheffield's Department of Human Geography, contained "factual inaccuracies". He failed to say what these inaccuracies were.

Mr Blunkett responded to Cllr Scriven's comments, saying: "The greatest irony of all is that the university have used data provided by Sheffield City Council - so in a single breath, Councillor Scriven is condemning both the expertise of the university and his own officers".

He added: "Cllr Scriven should demonstrate unequivocally where he believes the report is inaccurate, or he should apologise to the University of Sheffield, which itself ranks in the top 25 internationally."

Read Mr Blunkett's full release here.

Sheffield: A tale of two cities

David Blunkett has welcomed the launch of an independent report into inequalities and poverty in Sheffield by a team of internationally-renowned researchers.

A Tale of Two Cities: The Sheffield Project is the result of a year-long study commissioned by Mr Blunkett and carried out by Professor Danny Dorling and his colleagues at the University of Sheffield's Department of Human Geography.

You can download the full report here from the university's website.

The report notes the widening gaps within Sheffield, with residents in the Hallam constituency enjoying a better education, higher health outcomes, lower risk of being a victim of crime and even longer lives than those in the poorer areas, such as David's constituency of Sheffield Brightside.

The report expresses particular concern that the City Council's strategy of cutting money to the less well-off areas and instead distributing money to all areas of the city regardless of need, threatens to entrench inequality rather than narrow the gap.

Mr Blunkett said: "We have made the most enormous progress in the last decade, with huge investment in our schools, better health outcomes and social regeneration. The challenge now is to maintain that investment in people and communities and the raising of aspiration which has just started to gather pace ... not indulge in cutbacks which would undermine the motivation, morale and civic renewal which has been fundamental to our progress so far."

The Sheffield Star have covered the report, as have the Yorkshire Post; David has also written an opinion piece for the Post which you can find here.

David also appeared on BBC Radio Sheffield this morning alongside one of the report's co-authors, Dr Bethan Thomas. You can listen again here until 9 November (skip forward to 1hr 40 mins in).

What goes on inside a politician's brain?

David has explained his decision to donate his brain tissue to science in a piece in the Mail on Sunday.

"I can't put my finger on why the issue of dementia struck a chord with me," he says in the article. "It is one of those things that just caught my emotion and my determination to stay involved and I have done for the past 30 years."

David, who is the patron of the Sheffield branch of the Alzheimer's Society and the Society's national vice-present, said: "Now I've signed up [to donating brain tissue], I'll be having regular interventions to see just how my brain and my memory are functioning. It's actually quite a comfort to me that they'll be keeping an eye on me."

Talking about the squeamishness or reluctance which people may understandably show about donating brain tissue, David said: "People do worry about it, especially as many equate the brain with the soul."

Read the full article here at the Mail's website.

"I should make it clear that Sadie cannot read departure screens"

You may have seen an article in Saturday's Times in which David highlighted some of the difficulties that blind and disabled people can face when travelling at home and abroad.

In the full article, reproduced here, David relates how he has "lost count of the number of times I've been asked whether my dog could identify the right platform or read the number of the bus that was coming".

David also tells of how he ended up locked in a "new-fangled" train toilet and ended up on a train going in the wrong direction—with Jim Davidson.

David also answers questions from readers of the Saturday Times Magazine in the Problem Panel section. See all of David's advice to correspondents here.

Blunkett strikes positive note as charity is shortlisted for national award

David Blunkett has praised Sheffield-based Lost Chord, the voluntary organisation working with and for those facing the onset of dementia, for their success in being shortlisted for a national award.

Lost Chord has been shortlisted in the Times for the Classic FM Gramaphone Music in the Community Award. The paper said that the organisation was "remarkable".

Mr Blunkett said: "I am really pleased that the enormous work of this small but very interesting organisation has been recognised.

“Working alongside those with dementia to stimulate continuing interest in and connection with the world around them through the use of music is just the sort of innovative programme we need. We are facing a doubling in the number of those with dementia over the next 25 years.

“All of us, either as individuals or through family experience, will face the challenge of dementia as longevity offers both opportunities and major challenges in the years to come. That is why according Lost Chord recognition is so important."

You can vote for Lost Chord by visiting www.timesonline.co.uk/music.

Working for you

We frequently hear that MPs are taking long holidays over the summer when Parliament isn't sitting. Of course, they are really holding surgeries, talking to local people and getting out and about in the constituency.

We thought we'd give a flavour of what David has been doing in Sheffield Brightside since the Commons rose for the summer recess at the end of July:

• Called on the Lib Dem Council to put right the neglected Burngreave Cemetery — covered here in the Sheffield Telegraph — and to restore the facility at Wardsend (includes video)
• Backed a campaign for the NHS to provide more information in braille for blind and partially sighted patients
• Lobbied Transport Secretary Lord Adonis on the need for a new high-speed railway line that includes Sheffield
• Criticised the Lib Dems for trying to "drive a coach and horses through managed migration" policy
• Helped launch a new website for the thousands of people in the city who suffer from back pain
• Called on the criminal justice system to lock up gang members in different jails and to crack down on the use of mobile phones in prison
• Been recognised by the Stubbin Neighbourhood Association for sticking up for residents against drug-dealing and anti-social behaviour
• Welcomed a further £175,000 in government cash for flood defences
• Congratulated Sheffield's teenagers on their record GCSE results
• Joined Prime Minister Gordon Brown in celebrating Jessica Ennis' success in the world heptathlon championships
• Supported the Trade Base allotment project at Wincobank
• Joined Schools Secretary Ed Balls at the opening of Parkwood Academy
• Welcomed Sheffield Wednesday FC's moves to slash the price of tickets for unemployed fans
• Supported 10-year-old Shoaib Amin and the community in Fir Vale in their fight for the extension of a Dispersal Order in their area, against the wishes of the Lib Dems
• Supporting children in the fight against bullying and to have the widest possible access to sport — regardless of disability
• And as we've seen this week, waving off Wednesdayite's cycle riding fundraisers.

Next week, David will be attending the Labour Party Conference — and you'll be able to see him on Sky and the BBC giving his views — before Parliament resumes on 12 October.

Clegg's warm words don't match the harsh reality

David Blunkett has responded to Nick Clegg's speech to his party's annual conference today in Bournemouth by questioning whether the Lib Dems' actions match their words.

Clegg said in his speech: "Back in 1997, Peter Mandelson told us to judge Labour after 10 years in government … If you're poor, you're still far less likely to go to university than if you're better off … And if you're a child born in the poorest neighbourhood of my city, Sheffield, you will probably die 14 years before a child born the same day, just up the road, in a more affluent part of town."

Residents of Sheffield will know that the Lib Dem-led city council has abandoned the previous Labour administration's Closing the Gap strategy — and is now pulling money out of the poorest areas of the city and giving it instead to the richest.

David Blunkett said: "Nick Clegg would be a lot better informed if he spent more time in Sheffield.

"He would know, for instance, that the number of people going to university in the Sheffield Brightside constituency - the most deprived community in Sheffield - has doubled over the last 12 years.

"He would also be wise to ask the question, 'Why is the Liberal Democrat council pulling money out of the most disadvantaged areas, including pressing the health service to do likewise?'

"A bit of joined-up thinking between himself and the Lib Dem leader of Sheffield City Council would certainly not go amiss."

Blunkett backs relaunch of Bookstart

David Blunkett has joined children, parents and councillors at Sheffield Central Library on Surrey Street on to relaunch the Bookstart scheme.

The scheme – which David first started when Education Secretary ten years ago – is designed to engage children and their parents at the very earliest moment of a child’s life with the wonders of pictures and reading and to get books in every home. It aims to work with health visitors, the early years Sure Start programme and nurseries across the city.

David said: “This is a superb scheme and crucial to youngsters beginning to open a window on the world and to appreciate that the ability to read is a crucial first step to learning for the future and success throughout life.

“I am very pleased that the library service is joining with others in promoting access to books and to reading; and I hope that all parents will take advantage of the scheme.”

Anyone interested in the Bookstart scheme can contact organiser Anne Frost at the Library on 0114 273 4734.