Jo said: "Along with the residents of Downe Road, I am deeply concerned that plans for a burial ground in their backyard have been resubmitted for appeal.  I wrote to Bromley's Chief Planner, Bob McQuillan, last April to express my strong objections to the proposals, and call on the Council to respect the wishes of my constituents who do not want to see a cemetery on this lovely spot of greenbelt land and historic site of Charles Darwin's home.  I have been working with Cllr Richard Scoates on this matter, and have written again to Mr McQuillan, as well as the Bristol Planning Inspectorate, to restate my concerns."

Jo went on the local radio yesterday in support of skating enthusiasts Charlotte Jones, from Wilmington Grammar School for Girls, and Ellie Walker, from Dartford Grammar School, who want to see an ice rink on the site of the old Orpington library.  

Currently, the nearest rink is 40 minutes away in Gillingham.  The young pupils have already collected over 100 signatures on paper and have also launch an online petitition.  

After meeting Charlotte and Ellie, he said: "It really is wonderful to see young people getting involved in politics and taking ownership of their community."  He has invited them to see the Director of Renewal and  Recreation Services for the London Borough of Bromley, Marc Hume,  to discuss the idea.  

A retired businessman has lost his High Court battle against extradition to the United States, where he faces charges of conspiring to sell parts for Iranian missiles.

Christopher Tappin, 64, of Farnborough Park, Orpington, denies unlawfully attempting to export batteries for Hawk air defence missiles and says he was the victim of entrapment in an FBI "sting".  However, two judges sitting in London ruled that the entrapment argument was "unsustainable" and it would not be "oppressive" to extradite him.

The president of the all-Kent Golf Club Union is wanted in El Paso, Texas, for allegedly trying to conduct business without obtaining the appropriate licences for "defence articles".

Orpington MP Jo Johnson told News Shopper: "The extradition law is complex and the government has committed to reviewing whether the US/UK extradition treaty needs to be reviewed or not.  I am confident that they will be looking closely at arguments made in favour of reform."

To read the full article click here

Orpington MP, Jo Johnson, has been promoted in the House of Commons.  The Conservative Party announced Mr Johnson will act as Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to Mark Prisk, Minister of State for Business and Enterprise.  

Mr Johnson said: "I am thrilled to be joining Mark Prisk as his PPS and I look forward to supporting him in his vital role delivering sustainable, shared and balanced growth right across the UK.  This means reducing regulation, investing in skills, and promoting trade with new and emerging markets."

Mr Johnson, who was elected to this seat at the general election in 2010, is a former editor of the Financial Times' Lex newspaper column, which is highly regarded in the world of global finance and commerce.  He is the youngest brother of London Mayor Boris.  

To see times and dates for future surgeries click here

Jo handed out trophies to the winning students as the chief guest at the Tata Crucible UK Campus Quiz 2011.  Roughly 250 students and Tata guests took part, and Jo was joined by Dr Ralf Speth, CEO of Jaguar Land Rover.

The winning team were presented by Jo with Tata Crucible Trophies, £4,000, all expenses paid trip to India to participate in the International Final plus an iPod Touch, Titan Fastrack watch & sunglasses for each team member. 

In India the quiz is a huge event – with 16 regional rounds and a televised international final in Mumbai.   Tata Crucible Quiz is a part of the Tata group's engagement with the youth as a knowledge initiative to encourage lateral associations, speed of thought and out-of-the-box thinking. The quiz seeks to bring together the sharpest young minds to take on the heat of a tough business quiz.

It made its debut in India in 2004-05 and generated a huge response in the first year.  It has now become an annual event, held separately for corporates and campuses each year.  The Tata Crucible Campus Quiz made its international debut with the Singapore edition in 2007 and has been running successfully for the last 5 years.  The UK edition was launched successfully in 2008 and has been running annually since then.

To learn more about Tata Crucible UK click here

The Conservative Party has announced the that Jo Johnson, MP for Orpington, will act as Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to Mark Prisk MP, Minister of State for Business and Enterprise. 

Jo said: "I am thrilled to be joining Mark Prisk as his PPS and I look forward to supporting him in his vital role delivering sustainable, shared and balanced growth right across the UK.  This means reducing regulation, improving access to finance for SMEs, investing in skills, and promoting trade with new and emerging markets."

Jo spoke to a large audience at the TEDx Gateway conference in Mumbai on Sunday 27 November 2011, on the topic of "Should Asia help the eurozone?" 

To watch the full video click here

David Cameron has handed a prized promotion to Boris Johnson's younger brother.  The Mayor of London's musings have proved to be a regular annoyance to the Prime Minister since he took office. But in an apparent attempt to keep at least one Johnson on side, he has made Jo Johnson, who entered the Commons at the last election, the Parliamentary Private Secretary to Mark Prisk, the Business Minister

The move will see the MP for Orpington, a former investment banker and respected financial journalist, assist a ministerial team tasked with finding ways to nurse the economy back to health.

Finding jobs for the talented members of the 2010 intake has proved a headache for Tory whips. The need to hand Government posts to Lib Dems as a result of the coalition has meant spare positions have been few and far between.  Louise Mensch, the vivaciousTory MP for Corby, joked in a magazine interview this week that she needed to ask the party whips what she needed to do to be given a PPS job.

However, Mr Johnson has impressed the leadership with his compelling defence of the City of London and his willingness to speak up about the need to safeguard Britain's trading relationship with Europe.  Boris Johnson, seen as the main rival to George Osborne as the next Tory leader, pleased the Tory grassroots last month by pushing for a referendum on a new EU Treaty.

After just 18 months as an MP Jo Johnson has been given a parliamentary private secretary post. Mr Johnson was elected as MP for Orpington in the May 2010 general election and last night (January 3) appointed in his new role.

As well as representing his constituents he is now also the parliamentary private secretary to the minister of state for business and enterprise Mark Prisk MP.

Orpington Conservative Association chairman Brian Cooke said: "We are delighted that our very hard working and well respected MP has been appointed to the Government only just over 18 months after being first elected to the House of Commons.  Having worked closely with Jo I know that he will bring great skill and tact to this role and we in Orpington are delighted for Jo in this promotion."

To see the full article click here

Jo has thanked Borough Commander, Charles Griggs, for his five years of service to Bromley, and has wished him well in his new job as Commander for Southwark.

Since taking on the role in January 2007, Borough Commander Griggs has overseen a massive 26% reduction in crime, with there now being 7,644 fewer victims of crime a year than when he took over. Robbery has fallen by 35% during this time, theft of motor vehicles by 41%, theft from motor vehicles by 38% and burglary by 13%.

Jo said: "On behalf of all my constituents, I am enormously grateful for Charles's tireless efforts, which have made a real difference to the streets of Orpington, as well as for his leadership during last summer's riots that spared Bromley from the worst of the disturbances.  I wish him the best in Southwark, and I warmly welcome his successor, Stephanie Roberts, to Bromley and look forward to meeting with her to hear her plans for building on Charles's progress."

To read more about the Metropolitan Police in Bromley click here

As we enter 2012, I know this will be a time for many people to reflect on a difficult year. 

I am extremely grateful to all my constituents who have consistently opened their doors to me and I have been humbled by Orpington's strong sense of community– from the Royal Wedding street parties to the summer fêtes, from the extraordinary work of groups like Bromley Mind and Harris Hospiscare to the resolve of residents in response to the disgusting acts of wanton looting and thuggery that hit our streets during the summer.

In Parliament, I have campaigned alongside constituents on issues including securing a fairer funding deal for Bromley Council, seeking the inclusion of local media in the London Olympics, and alerting ministers to the dangers on our roads of sleep disorders and drug driving.

Over the next year, I will continue working with colleagues to protect the British economy from the headwinds from the eurozone, reorient our economy to new emerging markets and promote the financial sector's importance to London.

To read the full article click here

Next month's Franco-British collôque will provide much-needed group therapy for a relationship in crisis. The easy part will be where UK delegates reiterate their commitment to an open and competitive Europe, highlighting the vital national interest in the single market, destination for half of all British exports. This gathering of politicians, business leaders, civil servants and opinion formers will be able to agree that London's position as a top destination for inward investment owes much to EU membership, and that Britain would be taking a big risk if it signalled it was on a glide path out of the EU.

The much more difficult part will be to persuade the French, if not to love the City, at least to recognise how much it has changed since 2008. The scale of British-based banks (with balance sheets five times UK GDP) and the risk they posed to UK taxpayers left the British government no choice but to take early unilateral action. By adopting measures such as the bank levy and now the Vickers report – which demands higher levels of bank capital and ring-fencing of retail banks from their investment banks – Britain is already implementing more radical reforms than those demanded by European regulators.

Jo recently spoke at the annual gala dinner for the Indian Journalists Association, where he released their annual yearbook.  Before becoming an MP, Jo was the FT's award-winning South Asia bureau chief. Based in New Delhi between 2005 and 2008, he led the team of FT journalists that covered India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and the Maldives.

To see more photos from the event, click here

Jo Johnson: As the Christmas period approaches and we enter a new year, I know this will be a time for many people in Orpington to reflect on a difficult year. 

Of the many issues I have been involved with this year, I know that residents are particularly concerned by ongoing uncertainty over the future of Orpington Hospital and I remain committed to ensuring that there be no net loss of locally-delivered services in Orpington. Despite the shocking riots in August, I'm glad that crime figures in Bromley have fallen by 14 per cent since 2008, even if anti-social behaviour remains a blight for too many.

I am grateful for the extraordinary warmth and support my constituents have shown, and I have been humbled by Orpington's strong sense of community– from the Royal Wedding street parties to the summer fêtes, from the extraordinary work of groups like Bromley Mind and Harris Hospice Care to the resolve of residents in response to the disgusting acts of wanton looting and thuggery that hit our streets during the summer. 

In Parliament, I have campaigned alongside constituents on issues including securing a farer funding deal for Bromley Council, seeking the inclusion of local media in the London Olympics, and alerting ministers to the dangers on our roads of sleep disorders and drug driving.   Over the next year, I will continue working with colleagues to protect the British economy from the headwinds from the eurozone, reorient our economy to new emerging markets and promote the financial sector's importance to London.

I wish all the readers of the Bromley Times a very merry Christmas, and a happy, healthy and prosperous 2012. 

La guerre des mots entre la France et la Grande-Bretagne a démarré depuis plusieurs jours maintenant. Elle est une honte pour nos deux pays, et créé un risque majeur de division, alors que nous vivons l'une des périodes les plus dramatiques de notre histoire depuis les années 1930.

Avant d'examiner au fond notre désaccord, sur la City et sur l'Europe, regardons ce qui nous rassemble, et ce que nous risquons de perdre dans cette guerre absurde.

D'abord, ce n'est pas parce que la Grande-Bretagne souhaite rester en dehors de la future union fiscale entre 26 pays, qu'elle va diminuer son engagement dans l'Union Européenne. Le Royaume-Uni entend être membre à part entière d'une Europe ouverte, compétitive avec le reste du monde, et dont le marché uni représente la moitié de ses exportations. Si Londres attire autant de capitaux du monde entier, c'est en grande partie aussi grâce à son appartenance à l'UE. Mettre la Grande-Bretagne sur une trajectoire de sortie de l'UE, c'est mettre en péril l'économie britannique toute entière, qui a besoin de ces flux de capitaux pour se développer.

Jo appeared on Impact Asia on BBC World News to discuss the ongoing crisis in the eurozone and the Prime Minister's decision to veto changes to the EU treaty. 

Jo argued that the fiscal pact was not sufficient.  He said: "The most important indicator of the vulnerability of eurozone countries going into this crisis was not their public deficit or their public debts – it was their current account deficits – their trade deficits. Those remain. The fiscal pact that was negotiated over the weekend did not address the fundamental issue of these ongoing trade imbalances, which leave peripheral eurozone countries so vulnerable to sudden changes of heart in international capital flows."

Jo said that he didn't see it as a problem that the UK was not signed up to the fiscal pact, pointing out that "it is possible for different countries to do different things at different times within the overall framework of the single market", as happened when Britain opted out of the eurozone and the Schengen border-free travel zone.  Jo added: "I think the critical point is, and what I'm sure David Cameron will be wanting to emphasise, is that Britain remains a powerful voice in the EU for an open, single market. We are in the single market, we are not leaving the EU, and we remain open for business for all companies around the world to continue to invest in the UK as they have been over the years."

Jo argued that there is work to do to ensure "our European partners really see that having a deep and liquid capital centre planted in the EU is a great European success story that we would be very foolish to jeopardise through hasty regulation", much as "German luxury-car making or the French wine and aerospace industries" are cherished and promoted in the EU.

To watch the clip in full click here

Jo discussed the economy with Bromley businesses as part of a series of business breakfasts organised by the South East London Chamber of Commerce.  The event was held at Bromley Football Club. 

At the breakfast, Jo spoke about the state of the UK economy, the euro zone crisis, the need to protect the City from vengeful measures coming out of Brussels, what the British Government is doing to boost growth and create jobs and what the Chancellor is doing to support bank lending to small businesses.  He also took the opportunity to listen to the concerns and challenges facing local businesses. 

To learn more about the South East London Chamber of Commerce click here

A hospital is celebrating the 1,000th birth since its new unit opened a year ago.  Freya was born at the Princess Royal University Hospital on Thursday December 1 and her parents Vikki and Adrian Denbow from Elmstead Woods were delighted when they learned she was the new Oasis birthing Unit's 1,000th delivery. 

The new baby, who arrived at about 7pm, was given a Winnie the Pooh bear, and her mother Vikki was presented with flowers by the team of proud midwives.  Vikki said: "We have been overwhelmed by the support we've received here and utterly delighted that our daughter has made her mark on the world already."  The baby was delivered by midwife Julie Holton who coincidentally also delivered the first and 100th baby at the unit.  Donna Ockenden, chief midwife at the hospital in Farnborough Common said: "Congratulations to Vikki and Adrian on the birth of your beautiful baby girl, and congratulations to the midwives on the Oasis Unit on reaching this number of births during a very successful first year." 

Orpington MP Conservative Jo Johnson visited staff to congratulate them on Freya's safe delivery.

Primary school children spent a day quizzing Orpington MP Jo Johnson about life in Parliament.  The Conservative MP visited Farnborough Primary School after pupils wrote him letters asking to support the Send My Sister to School scheme.

The national scheme, which calls on the government to fund education for girls in third world countries, is supported by the school in Farnborough Hill every year.

Mr Johnson took the opportunity to look around the school and talk to the children about life as an MP.

Headteacher Paula Farrow said: "It was lovely having him here at the school.  It was good of him to come and spend some time with us. All the children were very excited."

To see the full article click here