Lewisham Deptford MP Joan Ruddock to stand down at next election

4:30pm Friday 11th January 2013 in News By Mark Chandler

Joan Ruddock MP Joan Ruddock MP

JOAN Ruddock, who has spent 25 years as an MP, will stand down at the next election, she has confirmed.

The Lewisham Deptford representative, who was made a dame in 2012, told News Shopper: "The early announcement is because I want the constituency party to have the longest possible time in which to find a successor."

"I just think that it will be time for a new person to take over. It's always important to have new and fresh ideas, commitment and energy.

"It will be the right time for me to think about a slightly different pace of life."

This week the MP pressed Prime Minister David Cameron over the closure of the A&E and she will join other south east London MPs for a meeting with the Health Secretary on Monday evening.

She said: "My greatest priority now is saving the A&E and maternity services for Lewisham Hospital.

"Nothing could be more important for my constituents and the issue on which there's been the greatest public response in the whole of my 25 years in Parliament."

The MP claims she has taken most pride in the opening of a new Deptford station last year following years of campaigning, along with getting a second inquest into the 1981 New Cross fire, where 13 young people lost their lives.

She said: "We did not get the result we wanted but it actually did bring out a lot of the detail of what had happened. That was tremendously important."

A passionate campaigner on the environment and women's rights, Ms Ruddock was first elected in 1987, serving as a minister in both the Blair and Brown Governments before returning to the backbenches in 2010.

Labour leader Ed Miliband said: "Parliament will really miss her wise words, her formidable campaigning skills and her huge knowledge across a wide  range of areas, especially equality issues.

"Joan has been a passionate advocate for the Labour Party over many years and I know she will continue to care deeply about the people of Lewisham Deptford.

"I personally will miss Joan’s good humour and friendship from the Labour benches."

Comments(10)

Primeval Mudd says...
3:13pm Sat 12 Jan 13

What I'd like to happen: The Greens take the safe Lewisham Deptford seat from Labour (this won't happen.)

What I'd like to happen if that doesn't happen: TUSC or a left wing independent take the safe Lewisham Deptford seat from Labour (this won't happen.)

What I'd like to happen if neither of those happen: Labour select a decent, left-wing candidate for this safe Labour seat who will actually represent the people of Lewisham (this won't happen.)

What I don't want to happen: Labour will select a New Labour stooge for this safe Labour seat who will never rebel and be more concerned with getting into/staying in the Cabinet than representing their constituents (this will happen.)

Neither the Tories or Lib Dems have a chance. You've got to look on the bright side haven't you?

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piglet2011 says...
3:58pm Sat 12 Jan 13

Good riddance to her she has hogged this safe seat for far too long and is pretty ineffective in Parliament.

Now we need a young MP who is not afraid of hard work or speaking out for their constituents.

Heidi has transformed Lewisham East after taking over from Bridget Prentice.

We need more Heidi's in Parliament.

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nearly right all the time says...
9:27pm Sat 12 Jan 13

Another "Champange socialist"

Off to to Room 101!


Peerage?

Give it 18mnts, Lady Ruddock of Ladywell? Has a kind of ring to it!

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Margaret Smith says...
9:30am Mon 14 Jan 13

This is the Best chance for People Before profit, they have huge support base in New Cross and Deptford and Growing Fast, Leading the save the Hospital campaign and the Fact members run the Lewisham Food Bank will help, they have also won huge praise for the Housing Campaign they ran and Won, the opposition to Betting Shops in Deptford and the Brilliant Job they did and still do on Convoy Wharf Development.They also Came Second To Labour in this area in the GLA Elections with Barbara Raymond, She or John Hamilton or Ray Woolford would be fantastic.

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Margaret Smith says...
9:31am Mon 14 Jan 13

Have you not seen, She was Made a Dame last year, So it will be the Lords.. So much for Equality and Principle.
Like All Labour People these days in it for what they can get. Only the Foolish and stupid vote Labour./

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Nana M says...
10:56am Mon 14 Jan 13

Good local MP - who actually worked hard, she will be missed.
Think Florence Nosegbe - Lambeth Councillor who went up against Heidi for Lewisham East will be going for this seat. Good young woman who can engage with non political wonks - would be good for South London to have a half decent black woman in Parliament

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Margaret Smith says...
12:08pm Mon 14 Jan 13

What Deptford Needs and Wants is a Decent MP, Barbara Raymond is Black, but Colour should not be an Issue.Are you not aware that the Reason the Area Health trust went bust, was due top PFI s financial wrotton deal established under Labour, This Labour policy is putting at risk Lewisham Hospital.
Are you aware that the Labour party has refused to State that if they were in Goverment Today, or Win in 20-15 they woulf throw out the Kerhaw closure Plans. Labour is No longer the party of the Poor, The Workers or the People of Deptford thwey were bought out by Big Business years ago, whilst are you Happy that a Labour MP, campaigning on EEqulaity then sells out to become a Dame in the House of Lords? Get Real. People before Profit is best for Lewisham, not another Labour MP, who will say one thing and do another. Only the Greedy, Foolish and the stupid vote labour these days.

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goldenbroomboy says...
12:38pm Mon 14 Jan 13

"People before Profit" is nothing but a Socialist Party front organisation, the Socialist Party is better known under it's former name of Militant Tendency.

However, well done Margaret for referring to the constituency as Deptford, unlike Mr Miliband who seems to think that Lewisham Deptford is the name of a town.

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Inspirationalady28 says...
1:36pm Mon 14 Jan 13

Margaret Smith wrote:
This is the Best chance for People Before profit, they have huge support base in New Cross and Deptford and Growing Fast, Leading the save the Hospital campaign and the Fact members run the Lewisham Food Bank will help, they have also won huge praise for the Housing Campaign they ran and Won, the opposition to Betting Shops in Deptford and the Brilliant Job they did and still do on Convoy Wharf Development.They also Came Second To Labour in this area in the GLA Elections with Barbara Raymond, She or John Hamilton or Ray Woolford would be fantastic.
Are you referring to "Profits Before People" Ray Woolford as a matter of interest?

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Ken D says...
5:36pm Wed 23 Jan 13

About time! Joan Ruddock betrayed her constituents, many times. She refused to support the firemen in their campaigns and allowed the first cut from 4 engines to two and then later refused to support them again when the Deprford Firestation was reduced to one engine. She totally disregarded the safety of many thousands of constituents that reside in high storey buildings. Next was the Jobcentre, she was aware of problems for two years prior to the closure. She pretended to support a last minute campaign and even made a statement that the "Deptford Jobcentre must not close", one month after it had closed and the developers had already moved onto the site. Now, she has done a half-baked support against the closure of Lewisham A&E. Sadly, I feel the A&E will now close as anything local, that Joan has been involved in has been destroyed. Lately, she refused to support a campaign against fascism, even though Lewisham has previously been a target of Neo)Nazis and is a target today. The BNP in Eltham are still motivated and it's in her next door constituency. Dame Joan was simply a "career" woman that was only successful in betraying her supporters over the years. She has not cared a **** about the people of Deptford and has allowed harsh cuts to her constituents' services in order to keep the middle classes of the South of her constituency happy. We need Independents to run for election, not parties. We need people that live amongst us and are trusted by us. We need people that have no "party line" to adhere to.so they can truly represent us. As for her being a Dame, does she really deserve the title? Final point - DO NOT vote for a New Labour candidate in the General Election as they believe that it's such a safe seat that they will bring in the lowest scum in the barrel, of which he /she will suck up to everything the party wants.

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