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www.marinayannakoudakis.com |
January 2012 |
| CAMERON PLAYS A BLINDER |
LET ME SHAKE YOU BY THE HAND: Marina and PM David Cameron
He came. He saw. He vetoed. Prime Minister David
Cameron’s refusal to give in to unrealistic demands
by European partners led to the UK’s first ever
veto of an EU Treaty. As London Mayor Boris Johnson
said, the Prime Minister “played a blinder” by refusing
to accept a treaty without a guarantee of safeguards
for British interests. The Prime Minister recognises
that there needs to be tougher fiscal discipline
in the euro zone. The euro zone is in a mess and
it is in Britain’s interests to see a solution to
the problems of the single currency. However, Britain
also must defend the single market and ensure that
the important UK financial services industry is
not unfairly disadvantaged. As a London MEP, Marina
has campaigned hard against an EU Financial Transaction
Tax and understands how we need to protect the City
– Europe’s leading financial centre – from intrusive
European regulation. As the euro zone countries
now embark on a new fiscal union, they must respect
the EU veto and take the opportunity to find solutions
to the euro zone crisis rather than try to introduce
new bureaucratic barriers. |
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DOING THE ROUNDS: MRI & CORD BLOOD |
SCANTASTIC: Marina inspects 3T MRI scanner
Marina has been campaigning for Conservative council candidates
all year from Harrow to Redbridge and Bromley to Islington.
Knocking on doors can really make a difference and Marina
has spent many a weekend helping local activists canvassing
and leafleting to ensure that the Conservatives gain as
many council seats as possible. Of course the big elections
next year are the London Mayoral and Assembly elections.
Marina has been out and about London delivering Boris
surveys as well as campaigning with GLA candidates across
the capital. Marina has also attended fundraisers for
the Back Boris campaign as well as taking part in telecanvassing
for the mayor at this year’s Conservative Party Conference.
“Getting Boris re-elected is the number one priority
for London,” said Marina.
“I shall be out on
the doorsteps until May to ensure a victory that will
LIFESAVING: Cord blood donation at Barnet General
allow the mayor to continue to grow the London economy
while keeping council tax low.” patients’ lives with
the aid of MRI scanners.
At the beginning of January, Marina also visited Barnet General to meet with the
staff of NHS Blood and Transplant at the hospital’s
Cord Blood Collection Room. She learned more about how
umbilical cord blood stem cells can be used to treat cancer, immune deficiencies and genetic disorders.
Marina is currently drafting an EU report on the donation of tissues and cells. In the report she plans to
raise awareness of cord blood donation. “Donating umbilical cord blood after the birth of a child is easy,” said Marina.
“In creating a life you can help save another, as the stem cells in the cord blood can help treat conditions such as leukaemia
and sickle cell anaemia. Cord blood stem cells are even being used to repair vascular injuries after heart attacks.” Unfortunately
there are currently too few mothers donating umbilical cord blood. About 440 patients die needlessly each year because they
cannot find the right cord blood match. Improving registries could dramatically reduce this figure.
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| AROUND LONDON |
FELTHAM & HESTON: With Minister Justine Greening, CF Chair Ben Howlett and National Best Practice Coordinator Janice Lavery
COOMBE VALE: With candidates in dual by-election
CAMPAIGNING
The period before Christmas was especially busy for
Marina as she knocked on doors and delivered leaflets
to support candidates for national and local by-elections
as well as working hard to ensure Boris’ re-election
in May. Marina was canvassing with the Secretary of
State for Transport Justine Greening in Feltham and
Heston where a parliamentary by-election took place
on 15 December. There was a double council by-election
in Coombe Vale Ward, where Conservatives celebrated the election of Lynne
Finnerty and Julie Pickering to Kingston-upon-Thames
Council. Marina joined Lynne and Julie earlier in December
to help get out the vote. The last by-election of the year was held just 3 days before
HAYES: Campaigning with Bob Stewart and James Cleverley
Christmas in Brent’s Wembley Central ward. Marina joined local Association
Chairman Mike Moradian in canvassing for Conservative candidate Madhuri Davda.
December also saw Marina in Hayes in Beckenham constituency in for the remarkable turn out of “all three layers of legislators” when Marina, as MEP,
joined local MP Colonel Bob Stewart and the area’s London Assembly member, James Cleverly. Marina, Bob and James were delivering Boris surveys with GLA top-
up candidate Chris Hampsheir, Association Chairman Tony Power and members of CF.
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Marina will be campaigning for Boris in Hounslow South on Sat 11 February. Call 020 8445 8055 to join. |
HARROW: With Eric Pickles, Bob Blackman, Cllr Marilyn Ashton & Sachin Rajput (photo by Cllr Husain Akhtar)
SOCIAL EVENTS
The Harrow East Conservative Association had its annual dinner in December and Marina joined
members in enjoying an entertaining speech by Communities Secretary Eric Pickles. Marina was also able to
catch up with old friends and colleagues from the association including local MP Bob Blackman,
Association Chairman Cllr Marilyn Ashton and GLA candidate Sachin Rajput.
On the same day Marina spoke at a Christmas coffee morning organised by the Haringey Conservative Women’s Association
where she talked about her role as an MEP, especially her work on the Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee. |
SUPPORTING AFGHAN WOMEN: Clementine Malpas
HELPING CONSTITUENTS
Marina recently met with London filmmaker Clementine Malpas. Clementine’s film on the abuse of Afghan
women “In-Justice” is currently being suppressed by the EU’s office in Kabul in spite of being funded
by the EU’s Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights. The EU wasted £60,000 of taxpayers’ money in
paying for a film which it now withholds. Marina has lobbied the European Commission to release the film.
“We must not shy away from bringing to light injustices suffered by Afghan women as well as the dysfunctional
Afghan justice system,” she said.
Marina also met with Enfield North MP Nick de Bois and Tim Childs, Managing Director of Rimex Metals. Rimex is a company
with over a fifty-year history in North London with a staff of more than 100. The EU is threatening to ban the use of
chromium trioxide and chromic acid, which Rimex uses for metal finishing.
A ban could threaten jobs and Marina is helping Rimex lobby the European Commission not to include chromium
With Sam Gallup CBE of the Parliamentary Limb Loss Group who lost his legs in a Spitfire crash in 1944
trioxide and chromic acid on the list of banned substances and
to find ways to apply for special authorisation to use the chemicals if the ban is introduced.
LIMB LOSS DAY
3 December 2011 was the first ever European Limb Loss Day. As Conservative Spokesman on Health in the European Parliament,
Marina was invited by the Parliamentary Limb Loss Group to speak at an event to mark the day at the House of Commons. Marina
spoke about the need to support those who have lost limbs as well as their friends and families. In the UK as we have had a sharp
rise in the number of those who have lost limbs through health problems such as diabetes as well as those of our brave service
personnel who have lost limbs in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. |
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and printed by Marina Yannakoudakis of 212 Ballards Lane, Finchley,
London N3 2LX. |
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