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                           <title><![CDATA[Taking to the Campaign Trail by Bike]]></title>
                           <description><![CDATA[Darren's campaign team have now taken to the streets on the campaign trail by bicycle for a second weekend running.  Darren explained his reason for this part of his campaign strategy; "The new constituency of Harwich &amp; North Essex is incredibly vast geographically and contains one of the most diverse groups of communities than most, since it contains small towns, villages, coastal communities and rural communities. I believe that with no single identity to group together places like Parkeston, Dedham, Fordham and Dovercourt, it is essential for anyone serious about representing those communities to really understand them. Therefore despite...]]></description>
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                           <pubDate>Tue, 27 Apr 2010 06:43:22</pubDate>
                           
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                           <title><![CDATA[Campaigning in Rowhedge]]></title>
                           <description><![CDATA[Darren and team preparing for an evening's campaigning in Rowhedge. Part of the evening was spent delivering personal letters from Darren to first time voters in the village encouraging them to participate in the democratic process....]]></description>
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                           <pubDate>Wed, 30 Nov -0001 12:00:00</pubDate>
                           
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                           <title><![CDATA[Pensioners Hustings]]></title>
                           <description><![CDATA[Darren attended a pensioners hustings in Holland Public Hall, which had been arranged to include candidates from both Harwich &amp; North Essex and Clacton constituencies. Whilst there were four candidates representing Clacton, only Darren and Bernard Jenkin attended for Harwich &amp; North Essex. Darren spoke about energy prices, crime and pensions. He then took part in a question and answer session with around 70 pensioners who attended the event....]]></description>
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                           <pubDate>Wed, 30 Nov -0001 12:00:00</pubDate>
                           
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                           <title><![CDATA[Dream 100 - "The People Ask the questions"]]></title>
                           <description><![CDATA[Darren has taken part in an event organised by local radio station Dream100, in which parliamentary candidates in Harwich &amp; North Essex have been asked a series of questions by voters. The full list of questions is repeated below and you can hear both questions and answers from a number of the constituencies parliamentary candidates when they are broadcast on the station starting next week. Q1 - How will you ensure I can get my child into the school I want? Q2 - How will you ensure university is accessible to all? Q3 - How will you make sure I...]]></description>
                           <link><![CDATA[dream-100---the-people-ask-the-questions]]></link>
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                           <pubDate>Thu, 15 Apr 2010 11:28:29</pubDate>
                           
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                           <title><![CDATA[Darren meets with Small Business Leaders]]></title>
                           <description><![CDATA[Darren accepted an invitation from the Federation of Small Businesses to receive a briefing from them about the key issues affecting businesses within the constituency. Speaking after the briefing Darren said ""Protecting the rural nature of our community while also allowing appropriate growth by businesses which create wealth and provide jobs is also important and the proposals put forward by Essex FSB seem to offer a sensible way forward. "I also share the FSB's concern that Small Business Rate Relief for businesses in England has to be...]]></description>
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                           <pubDate>Thu, 15 Apr 2010 09:46:08</pubDate>
                           
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                           <title><![CDATA[Darren and team meeting voters in Dovercourt]]></title>
                           <description><![CDATA[This evening Darren and his team of Harwich activists took to the streets to meet voters in Dovercourt. Amongst the many doorstep issues Darren gave his views were Social Care, Immigration and the Health Service....]]></description>
                           <link><![CDATA[darren-and-team-meeting-voters-in-dovercourt]]></link>
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                           <pubDate>Wed, 30 Nov -0001 12:00:00</pubDate>
                           
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                           <title><![CDATA[Meeting commuters at Wivenhoe Station]]></title>
                           <description><![CDATA[Darren with key Labour activists preparing to meet commuters during rush hour at Wivenhoe Station....]]></description>
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                           <pubDate>Wed, 30 Nov -0001 12:00:00</pubDate>
                           
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                           <title><![CDATA[Politics discussion with Year 10 students]]></title>
                           <description><![CDATA[Darren spent the morning with Year 10 Students from Ramsey College, as part of their political awareness day. Darren's session was entitled "Why would anyone want to be a politician?" Drawing on his experience of over two decades of political and community activism, Darren described what motivated him to get involved in politics and why he joined the Labour Party in 1986 and has remained a member ever since. Darren encouraged everyone to believe changing things in the world around us really is possible and that as young people they have the ideas and energy to do anything....]]></description>
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                           <pubDate>Thu, 25 Mar 2010 05:57:47</pubDate>
                           
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                           <title><![CDATA[Creative Partnerships Haven Gateway Schools Event]]></title>
                           <description><![CDATA[Darren gave the opening address at the recent Creative Partnerships Haven Gateway Schools Event held at Colchester United's Weston Homes Community Stadium. Darre has been chair of Creative Partnerships in this area since it was established in 2005. His organisation now works with 59 schools in the area and invests over &pound;500,000 a year in schools across the area to help them to encourage creativity in their teaching and consequently help children to be more adventurous and innovative in the way that they learn. In Darren's address he spoke of some of the unique projects that the partnership has introduced...]]></description>
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                           <pubDate>Sat, 13 Mar 2010 10:18:45</pubDate>
                           
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                           <title><![CDATA[Politics talk with Swedish students in Harwich]]></title>
                           <description><![CDATA[Darren was invited to give a talk about politics to students from Blackeberg Gymnasium in Sweden. Around 30 students spent 5 days in the UK with the majority of these in Harwich. After welcoming the students to Harwich, the Mayor Councillor Jacky Wares introduced Darren. His talk covered the political system we have in the UK as well as his own opinion on what he believes needs to reformed. These include introducing a fairer electoral system, fixed term parliaments, the right to recall MPs and votes at 16. Darren then answered questions some really interesting questions from the students. Darren's...]]></description>
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                           <pubDate>Sat, 13 Mar 2010 09:53:36</pubDate>
                           
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                           <title><![CDATA[Meeting voters in Harwich]]></title>
                           <description><![CDATA[On Saturday 27th February, Darren and members of his campaign team spent the day in Harwich and Dovercourt, calling on people who had responded to his recent survey that he has been delivering across the constituency. Darren explained "Rather than spend my time trying to meet people for a few seconds, I would rather take the time to speak to them properly and engage with them to understand the real issues that they have." Darren, along with fellow campaigner Chris Hopkins called on over 40 people during Saturday and they were both very pleased with the reaction on the doorstep....]]></description>
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                           <pubDate>Sun, 28 Feb 2010 07:47:00</pubDate>
                           
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                           <title><![CDATA[Question Time with Harwich 6th Form Students]]></title>
                           <description><![CDATA[Darren joined representatives from the Conservative Party, Douglas Carswell MP, the Liberal Democrats, Rosemary Smith, UKIP, Andrew Smith and the Green Party, Chris Southall for a Question Time session with students from the Harwich School Sixth Form. The session was part of a political awareness day organised by Simon Garnham from the Harwich School. The questions were well thought out and provoked some interesting debate amongst the panelists....]]></description>
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                           <pubDate>Sun, 28 Feb 2010 07:32:00</pubDate>
                           
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                           <title><![CDATA[Darren backs the ban]]></title>
                           <description><![CDATA[Darren with Joshua Kaile, Parliamentary and Political Officer of the League Against Cruel Sports at the launch of their latest campaign. Five years ago, Labour banned fox hunting, stag hunting and hare coursing. The ban outlawed hunting foxes with dogs, although hounds are still allowed to follow a scent or flush out a fox, but not kill it.  The ban has worked and has allowed people to continue riding with hunts without the cruelty previously involved, with the RSPCA stating that the Hunting Act has been a success. Darren, who has been a vegetarian for more than 25 years...]]></description>
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                           <pubDate>Wed, 30 Nov -0001 12:00:00</pubDate>
                           
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                           <title><![CDATA[Electoral Reform Society]]></title>
                           <description><![CDATA[As part of his recent "Is Politics Pointless" debates, Darren has explained his support for reform of the Electoral System and the need for a more proportional system of voting. You can still participate in his online poll (see details opposite) and give your opinion....]]></description>
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                           <pubDate>Fri, 22 Jan 2010 08:43:18</pubDate>
                           
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                           <title><![CDATA[Respect for Shopworkers Campaign]]></title>
                           <description><![CDATA[On Wednesday 4th November, Darren joined USDAW reps to campaign at Morrison&rsquo;s in Dovercourt as part of the &ldquo;Respect for Shopkeepers Week.&rdquo;
 
In response to a survey by the British Retail Consortium that during every minute of the working day a shopworker is verbally abused, threatened with violence or physically attacked, USDAW (the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) has established a &ldquo;Freedom from Fear&rdquo; Campaign. This simple campaign seeks to prevent violence, threats and abuse against shopworkers.
 
Darren said 
 
&ldquo;As many people look forward to the delights of Christmas, particularly those like...]]></description>
                           <link><![CDATA[respect-for-shopworkers-campaign]]></link>
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                           <pubDate>Sat, 07 Nov 2009 07:02:27</pubDate>
                           
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                           <title><![CDATA[Politics talk to Swedish Students]]></title>
                           <description><![CDATA[Following an invitation by the Mayor of Harwich, Councillor Jacky Wares, Darren was delighted to give a talk to 25 students of politics from the Blackeberg Gymnasium in Sweden. Darren's talk, at the Guildhall in Harwich came as part of the first day of a full week of activities for the students which will include a visit to the Houses or Parliament. Darren spoke about the political system in the UK mixed with his own views on issues like electoral reform and the need to change our current democratic system....]]></description>
                           <link><![CDATA[politics-talk-to-swedish-students]]></link>
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                           <pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:42:42</pubDate>
                           
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                           <title><![CDATA[Harwich Town Council 28/10]]></title>
                           <description><![CDATA[Darren attended the Harwich Town Council meeting on Wednesday 28/10 as part of his engagement with the various communities across the Harwich &amp; North Essex Constituency. At the meeting Darren was disappointed to hear that the PCT are still blocking a proposal for a "well man's clinic" to be established at Harwich Hospital. He was also disappointed to hear that Tendring District Council appear to be making change to the Harwich Master Plan without any consultation with the Town Council.
The council expressed their dismay that Essex County Council were proposing to spend &pound;2.88m on renovating Connaught Avenue in Frinton but...]]></description>
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                           <pubDate>Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:30:46</pubDate>
                           
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                           <title><![CDATA[Is politics pointless? Brightlingsea Event]]></title>
                           <description><![CDATA[Darren held the first of his discussion evenings about politics in the Coach House Coffee Shop in Brightlingsea on Monday 26/10. A wide range of people attended the event including the Chair of the Business Association, Chair of Junior School Govenors and Chair of Colchester Trades Union Council as well as Town and District Councillors. Just as importantly were members of the public who came to listen to Darren and engage in a lively debate about where politics has gone wrong, offering suggestions and ideas to improve the situation. The format worked well with Darren speaking for about 15-20 minutes...]]></description>
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                           <pubDate>Tue, 27 Oct 2009 06:48:27</pubDate>
                           
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                           <title><![CDATA[Lawford Parish Council]]></title>
                           <description><![CDATA[Darren attended the Lawford Parish Council meeting on Monday 19/11 as part of his engagement with the various communities across the Harwich &amp; North Essex Constituency, where he invited to address councillors by Chair of the Council, Councillor Brian Rolfe. The meeting included a presentation from Lawford Football Club about their advanced proposals for a new Club House. Their project requires &pound;125k of additional funding from funding applications that they are in the process of completing. Darren offered his support to the club as he has had considerable experience of obtaining funding for organisations, including the &pound;2.1m creation of the...]]></description>
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                           <pubDate>Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:09:43</pubDate>
                           
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                           <title><![CDATA[Public Meeting with Essex Police]]></title>
                           <description><![CDATA[Darren attended the public meeting attended by the new Chief Constable of Essex Police, Jim Barker-McCardle, Chair of the Police Authority Robert Chambers and Linda Belgrove, Chairperson for Tendring, Essex Police Authority and John Hawkins Chair of the Tendring Crime &amp; Disorder Reduction Partnership. The Chief Constable described his prioriities for the district of increasing visible frontline policing, protecting the public from serious harm and ensuring that all resources are used in the best possible way. Several presentations provided details of good results within the Tendring district with the % of people feeling safe within their neighbourhoods during the day...]]></description>
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                           <pubDate>Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:22:12</pubDate>
                           
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