John Hemming's Web Log

John Hemming, a Birmingham MP who chairs the organisation "justice for families" is releasing a charity song called "bring the sunshine in" to fight miscarriages of justice against mothers and fathers. "The song", he said, "calls for more openness in the Family Courts. Britain has a network of secret courts that lock up mothers, fathers and grandparents for heinous crimes like talking to their children or grand children. These secret courts make lots of money for lawyers and expert witnesses, but the general public is not allowed to know what goes on". "The verses in the song refer to real situations although some of the names have been changed. If the names had not been changed then people could be sent to jail for playing the song because of the secret courts." "The money raised will go to the Angela Cannings Foundation and to pay for advisors to help parents fight for justice." "Not all of the decisions of the...

The link is to Fran's story on "This Morning". Denise Robertson said: "I was scared because it seemed so cold so remorseless. I can't understand why the public are not rising up about what is going on. We know this is happening. We have talked about it. Fran's an example. The message that is going out there to young girls is "do not tell" because it will be held against you. "I cannot understand why people are not getting behind John Hemming's campaign. We have had so much sympathy, quite rightly, for the McCanns, but I cannot see the difference between a child being abducted by a stranger and being abducted by the state. To me the loss, the pain is identical. "I think that the family court always without exception takes the word of social services and rubber stamps what is put in front of them. On this programme some while ago I appealed to hear from someone who had been to the family court who had had the situation reversed to w...

The link is to Fran's website about the attempts by the state to steal her baby.

The link is to a story in the Newcastle Journal about Fran Lyon moving to Warwickshire to get away from Northumberland County Council and certain doctors in the North East. Hopefully Warwickshire Childrens Services will be more rational than Northumberland.

It is sad to hear of the death of Mike Oborski. I first met Mike when I delivered leaflets for him and Fran in 1977. He had a long track record in representing the people of Offmore and Comberton and it was not surprising that they continued to support him (and Fran) when the Lib Dems in Kidderminster split into "Liberals" and "Lib Dems". He also brought Polish issues to public attention in the UK long before the fall of the iron curtain. I am currently on holiday and as such unlikely to post much on my web log. I was aware that Mike was not well. However, it is a loss to politics as a whole to hear of his death.

Sky carry Fran's story.

Vanessa Brooks is about to give birth. The first thing the family courts will do when she has the baby is to gag her.

Constituents and other Families that have been helped by John Hemming MP have spoken out in support of the MP’s indirect use of Additional Costs Allowance to support casework and constituency work. Fran Lyon was a resident in Yardley for a short period before she emigrated to Sweden to escape false and legally unchallengeable allegations that she caused her own illness and threats to remove her baby at birth. She had her baby in January 2008 and lives with her daughter in Sweden. Her case was supported from Osmond House. She said “I believe that the work John does, far above and beyond what his role as an MP requires him to do, more than justifies the way he has organised his finances. The work that he and his team do on behalf of constituents and non-constituents alike is immeasurably valuable to those caught in a very ugly system. It is not necessary to agree with John's position regarding the system in order to agree that some of the most vulnerable in our society, during som...

Bolton MBC, Crompton Lab 1528 (47.4; -2.6) Con 935 (29.0; +1.0) Ind 377 (11.7; +11.7) LD Anne Warren 284 (8.8; -13.2) Green 99 (3.1; +3.1) Majority 593 Turnout 31% Lab hold Percentage change is since May 2008. Broadland DC, Wroxham LD Ben McGilvray 960 (62.5; +57.9) Con 346 (22.5; -9.5) UKIP 134 (8.7; +8.7) Green 50 (3.3; -2.8) Lab 46 (3.0; 0.0) [Others (0.0; -54.3)] Majority 614 Turnout 38% LD gain from Ind Percentage change is since May 2007. Derby City UA, Allestree Con 1988 (52.3; -10.2) LD Deena Smith 1037 (27.3; +15.1) Lab 532 (14.0; -0.3) BNP 242 (6.4; -4.5) Majority 951 Turnout 35% Con hold Percentage change is since May 2008. East Ayrshire UA, Doon Valley Lab 1221 (50.5; +1.5) SNP 891 (36.9; +10.9) Con 176 (7.3; -1.1) Ind 84 (3.5; -13.1) Ind 44 (1.8; -14.8) Turnout 26.78% Lab gain from Ind Percentage change is since May 2007 Kettering BC, Northfield Lab 265 (37.9; -17.7) Con 258 (36.9; -7.6) LD Cindy McGrath 80 (11.4; +11.4) BNP 58 (8.3; +8.3) English Democrats 39 (5.6; +5.6) ...

This story (see link), This leader and this story jointly demonstrate the way in which the Family Courts accept basically irrational arguments. We are aware of a large number of babies being taken into care in the North East. What is not clear is the reasoning. We know that some were "munched" by the system. The advantage Fran has is that this is at an early stage where she can fight the system openly. She, of course, would be gagged as soon as the issue goes to court. I think this one that can be won.

The linked story is from the Sunday Telegraph and involves social workers in Northumberland pressurising witnesses in Fran Lyon's case. What is unique abount this attempt to pervert the course of justice is that it has been done in a case which is essentially public. The "culture of consequentialism" means that the ends justify the means. The objective of the local authority is to get the baby. Therefore what is done to achieve this objective is not material as long as they get the baby. It shocks people when they end up in the Kafkaesque world of the Family Courts. Generally things in the UK do not work this way. However, as a result of the secrecy of the court processes bad practice becomes endemic. This is why people start out really bewildered by the irrational way that the system behaves. Another thing that happens frequently is presenting people with the need to prove their innocence. It is suggested that something is possible (without any evidence to prove ...

The link is to a facebook page with 1,813 members of families who are unhappy with the way in which the public family law system works in England. They plan to light chinese lanterns across England on Xmas eve. I spoke about the wider issue yesterday in the House as follows: John Hemming (Birmingham, Yardley) (LD): May I wish you a merry Christmas, Mr Deputy Speaker? I rise on an issue that continues to concern me greatly. I repeat my declaration of interest that I chair the justice for families campaign. I am sure that Members on both sides of the House wish to see the best possible outcomes for children who enter the care system. In trying to improve this, Tony Blair encouraged adoption, but made a big mistake along the way in miscalculating the percentage of children adopted from care. Before I go any further, I should be precise about what I mean by "care". When I say "in care", I do not include those children voluntarily in care under section 20 of the Childr...