Fuel for Thought - Windsor's Conservative MP Absent from Critical Vote in Parliament

In February 2009 the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead passed a motion, supporting the Fuel Poverty Bill introduced by Lib Dem MP David Heath, with all-party support.

This bill was aimed at ending the fuel poverty currently experienced by five million households in the UK. At the council both the Conservative and Lib Dem councillors voted together to ask the two local M.P's to support the bill.

As a Private Member's bill, the measure needed the support of a majority of MPs voting along with a minimum of 100 MP's voting for it, in order for it to proceed to the next stage.

Last Friday however, only one of Berkshire's eight MPs voted in the debate.

Lib Dem, Cllr Bruce Adams, who moved the motion at the council said "Although the majority of MP's present voted for the bill to proceed it was 11 short of proceeding, so our eight Berkshire local MPs could have made a big difference. It is frustrating that our MPs, having been asked by local councillors to be there didn't attend."

Cllr Kathy Newbound added "The absence of the local MP's to support this Bill has let own the people who need help in these difficult times. These MP's have failed the people they were elected to serve."

Windsor's Conservative MP was absent from Parliament at the critical time.