Parliamentary Selection CV
Parliamentary Selection CV www.richardsrobinson.org.uk
Richard Stephen ROBINSON
Address: 7 Scargill Avenue, Newthorpe, Nottingham, NG16 2DZ
Tel: 01773 531315 (home)
01509 261226 (work)
0775 1970 640 (mobile)
E-mail: richard.robinson@broxtowe.gov.uk
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/rsrobinson1
Twitter: http://twitter.com/drummerrich1
Gender: Male
Ethnic origin: White British
Details of disability (if applicable): N/A
Labour Party Experience
- From 19 July 2010 I started working as Regional Organiser for Ed Miliband MP in the East Midlands.
- Labour Broxtowe Borough Councillor May 1991 to date.
- Labour Nottinghamshire County Councillor 1997-2005
- Secretary of Eastwood & Brinsley Branch Labour Party 1988-1993 & GC delegate.
- Labour Parliamentary Candidate for Charnwood (Leicestershire) a rock solid Tory seat 2005; came second.
- In Charnwood we achieved the 4th lowest swing (0.68%) against Labour throughout the whole of the East Midlands Region. House of Commons Library staff indicated that I gained 2,500 votes that would have otherwise have gone to the Tories. We received recognition of our result in Charnwood from Matt Carter & Ian McArtney. I achieved some notable results for constituents through a high volume of individual casework that I persevered with (helping people get re-housed) etc, and received thank you letters as a token of appreciation.
- Senior Caseworker & Office Manager to Helen Clark MP for Peterborough Sept 2003 to March 2004
- Constituency Office Manager & Parliamentary Assistant to Andy Reed MP (Loughborough) 1 April 2004 to 16 June 2010
- Campaigns Co-ordinator for Nick Palmer MP (Broxtowe) 1 April 2006 to 6 May 2010
- Since first becoming a Labour councillor in 1991 I have fought and won elections in 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003 & 2007. In 2001 I became the first Labour candidate to hold the County Council seat since the current boundary was first formed in 1981. In my Borough Council seat Kimberley & Cossall in both 2003 and 2007 I topped the poll (in a three member ward).
- I am a lifelong Labour supporter. I live, eat and breathe politics, am passionate both about Labour values of social justice, strong communities, a bias towards the poor and want to achieve generational change for the people I serve.
Other life experience
- Have served as a member of a local citizens advice and volunteer bureau.
- Chair Kimberley Community Computer Group (KCCG). KCCG is run by volunteers and provides an up to date information technology resource to residents in Kimberley, Nottinghamshire. Free tuition is provided. It is set up specifically to benefit people who have not got access to computers at home. KCCG have developed a web site for the local town council.
- Member of Christian Socialist Movement (CSM) (East Midlands Executive Committee member).
- Civil Servant – Department of Work & Pensions (October 1979-September 2003).
- Graduate of Nottingham Trent University.
- Winner of the Epolitix.com parliamentary “Report of the Year Award” February 2010.
Knowledge
- I am confident that my knowledge and experience of how to beat the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives over a sustained period of time in local elections, combined with my zeal and passion for Labour values will help us win. Crucially then we will overcome the twin threat of the opposition activity on one hand and voter apathy on the other.
- Being a Parliamentary Candidate is a wonderful experience; I have learnt a great deal and I relish the thought of standing again. Also having worked for several Labour MPs I have gained a fascinating insight into the pressures & workload expected of a Member of Parliament.
Communication skills
- I am used to communicating in a number of different styles, and to various audiences. For example I produce monthly newsletters in my own council ward, which go out to over six hundred constituents. These have been very successful in communicating with residents and in combating the threat from the local Liberal Democrats. The newsletters contain a lot of community information, local personal and relevant to the area. Examples of my newsletters can be found at www.richardsrobinson.org.uk
- I produced Labour Link newsletters for Helen Clark MP, managing to attract commercial sponsorship from the local business community.
- I am also at ease communicating verbally either with constituents who call into the office and senior figures I liaise with in local government and business through my work with Andy Reed MP. I write frequent articles for two local newspapers including the Nottingham Evening Post, and the Eastwood & Kimberley Advertiser.
- I am a contributor to Labour List – see http://www.labourlist.org/richard-robinson
Campaigning & party development skills
- As a regional facilitator for Partnership in Power (PIP) in the East Mids I organised a local policy forum on Democracy and Citizenship in Nottingham which was extremely well attended. The forum included contributions from academia and Labour MPs. I was subsequently asked by the East Mids Regional Labour Party to share experiences with other constituencies as part of the PIP process.
- I have successfully been able to galvanise my own Labour Party Branch from one that was passive, did little work between elections, into one that is now always proactive – delivering Labour newsletters, and taking the lead on developments within the community.
- I work with my local Co-operative movement and am also on the Co-op Parliamentary panel.
- I have organised conferences and seminars in Loughborough for Andy Reed MP, the most salient of which was on a Make Poverty History with senior Labour Party figures, Christian Aid and Oxfam. Two hundred and fifty people attended.
Representational and problem solving skills
- I am well used to representing constituents, listening to their views, taking action on their behalf and maintaining contact with them. One example I can cite is a case when helped a Loughborough constituent successfully obtain £14,000 via the Ombudsman in respect of lost pension entitlement from a previous employer. I have gained additional social benefits for constituents, and ensured correct entitlement to welfare benefits through my knowledge of the benefits system. I work with community groups to secure funding for local projects.
Interpersonal, teamwork and liaison skills
- In the community I try to listen to both individual constituents and community groups and balance their interests. They do not always coincide. For example, there has been an issue in my ward where some individuals did not want a skateboard park to be cited on a local park. After meeting a number of people I was able to defuse a potentially tricky situation, and allay their fears. In another example I successfully worked with local residents this year to prevent a highly controversial mobile ‘phone mast being constructed. I worked hard to reconcile conflicting views that arose.
- As Parliamentary Candidate for Charnwood I quickly gained the respect of Labour Party activists and we developed excellent team working skills. I am able to motivate and bring the best out in people, attributes of course, which are absolutely essential during any campaign.
Other skills
- My time management skills can be well borne out as I manage effectively to combine a full time job together with council activities. This is achieved through prioritising key tasks, planning ahead, and not ducking difficult decisions. I also have a family who are very supportive! I am a grafter, extremely committed, do not give up easily, and always strive to be an outstanding ambassador for the Labour Party.
Nick Palmer MP for Broxtowe 1997 – 2010 writes “…….Richard Robinson is an indefatigable campaigner with a fine eye for constituency issues that have political implications and has been invaluable in his work for me as coordinator of political activity in his area. He is adept at winning allies from community figures not otherwise involved in politics, as well as having access to very good media preparation, and I’m certain would make an effective candidate”.
