Chris Huhne, the Shadow Home Secretary and Liberal Democrat MP for Eastleigh, has launched a new Liberal Democrat website, www.gosportfocus.co.uk, and an online campaign to save Haslar Hospital.
Chris Huhne called on Gosport residents to visit the website and to sign the online petition which calls on the MOD to hand over the site to a Council-led partnership which plans to take it over and keep beds and services open. He also warned that the Tories were not to be trusted on health issues.
Huhne said that the Liberal Democrats were now the only party committed to saving Haslar following The News’ report which revealed that the Tory leader David Cameron thought Haslar has no future, adding that Gosport Conservatives cannot even convince their own party leadership to support Haslar. Chris Huhne gave support to the local Liberal Democrats’ efforts to find a viable future for the Haslar site which ensures beds and health services are kept on after the Ministry of Defence leaves.
The Gosport Liberal Democrat plan includes redeveloping part of the site to pay for the cost of keeping 250 beds open plus clinical services and medical research. Gosport Council’s Lib Dem administration has been in talks with developers who are prepared to back the bold plan to keep the historic hospital open, but they say that the public’s support is vital to its success.
Tuesday, 24 February 2009
REVEALED: British police taser children
Liberal Democrats have forced the Home Office to admit that police 'shot' children with taser guns 28 times in a 20-month period.
At the same time, experts have questioned Home Office claims that tasers are “non-lethal”.
Police officers must be able to protect themselves, but these weapons have killed more than 300 people in the United States and should not be issued to untrained officers.
We need an in-depth inquiry into the use of Tasers before they become commonplace on British streets.We must not slide down a slippery slope towards fully-armed, US-style policing.
At the same time, experts have questioned Home Office claims that tasers are “non-lethal”.
Police officers must be able to protect themselves, but these weapons have killed more than 300 people in the United States and should not be issued to untrained officers.
We need an in-depth inquiry into the use of Tasers before they become commonplace on British streets.We must not slide down a slippery slope towards fully-armed, US-style policing.
We can't have a bonus? Then we demand a pay increase – bankers
According to the Independent online, bankers are demanding a pay rise to compensate for the loss of bonus payments. “Base salaries at investment banks across the board will have to rise to compensate people for the falls in bonuses they have seen,” said one senior corporate finance investment banker.
Surely the laws of supply and demand suggest that this is completely perverse, as there is a currently a significant reduction in the demand for bankers as the sector contracts. If members of the financial services community are managing to pull the wool over the eyes of their shareholders, this suggests that the problems of governance in the sector are even deeper than we imagined.
The continued ability of the semi-nationalised banks to put highly paid staff ahead of taxpayers shows that the Government has been far too detached and pathetic in its arms-length approach to them.
Surely the laws of supply and demand suggest that this is completely perverse, as there is a currently a significant reduction in the demand for bankers as the sector contracts. If members of the financial services community are managing to pull the wool over the eyes of their shareholders, this suggests that the problems of governance in the sector are even deeper than we imagined.
The continued ability of the semi-nationalised banks to put highly paid staff ahead of taxpayers shows that the Government has been far too detached and pathetic in its arms-length approach to them.
Schools still failing teenagers
Government education adviser Mike Tomlinson estimates that up to 25,000 teenagers are leaving school before starting to study for GCSEs. In other words, thousands of young people are dropping out of school early because the education system has let them down.
This shows just how ludicrous it is for the Government to raise the education leaving age when it can’t even get 14 year olds to turn-up. Ministers need to get a grip on this problem and create a system which motivates and challenges all young people.
Instead of producing more targets and gimmicks, ministers need to provide a better range of vocational qualifications and allow students to access college education from age 14.
This shows just how ludicrous it is for the Government to raise the education leaving age when it can’t even get 14 year olds to turn-up. Ministers need to get a grip on this problem and create a system which motivates and challenges all young people.
Instead of producing more targets and gimmicks, ministers need to provide a better range of vocational qualifications and allow students to access college education from age 14.
Every UK home could be made energy-efficient within 10 years
Every UK home could be made energy-efficient within 10 years in a revamp of British housing stock equivalent to the "digital switchover".
It is estimated that carbon emissions from British homes account for a quarter of the country's total. Under EU agreements, the government has 42 years to cut emissions by 80%.
Currently just one per cent of our housing stock is energy-efficient, yet only half of Britain's poorest households are ineligible for help from the £852m “Warm Front” scheme set up by the government to try to cut fuel bills with grants for home insulation and heating.
The government should underwrite renovation work worth £6,500 per household. Householders should be able to apply for commercial loans to revamp their homes, with the cost being repaid through energy bills that should fall because of improved energy efficiency of the renovated house.
It is estimated that carbon emissions from British homes account for a quarter of the country's total. Under EU agreements, the government has 42 years to cut emissions by 80%.
Currently just one per cent of our housing stock is energy-efficient, yet only half of Britain's poorest households are ineligible for help from the £852m “Warm Front” scheme set up by the government to try to cut fuel bills with grants for home insulation and heating.
The government should underwrite renovation work worth £6,500 per household. Householders should be able to apply for commercial loans to revamp their homes, with the cost being repaid through energy bills that should fall because of improved energy efficiency of the renovated house.
Lib Dem plans for education to be launched
Liberal Democrats are gearing up to officially launch their new package of education education policies which aim to offer long-term proposals to invest in every child from their first day in childcare, through their time at school, to their last day at university.
The policies will be a key plank of the party's manifesto at the next election, just as education has been in past elections. It is through education that we can break down the barriers to social mobility and truly create an opportunity society in Britain. We can train our young people to be productive members of our economy - filling skills gaps for industry and competing in the global economy.
With increased childcare, smaller class sizes and greater funding for the
most disadvantaged, we will ensure that we provide the best education for our
children. With the abolition of tuition fees we will ensure that students
are no longer crippled by debt and with greater support for adult education
we will support life long learning.
The policies will be a key plank of the party's manifesto at the next election, just as education has been in past elections. It is through education that we can break down the barriers to social mobility and truly create an opportunity society in Britain. We can train our young people to be productive members of our economy - filling skills gaps for industry and competing in the global economy.
With increased childcare, smaller class sizes and greater funding for the
most disadvantaged, we will ensure that we provide the best education for our
children. With the abolition of tuition fees we will ensure that students
are no longer crippled by debt and with greater support for adult education
we will support life long learning.
RBS plans £1bn staff bonuses... out of taxpayer bailout
Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor Vince Cable has hit out at the Royal Bank of Scotland's plans to pay almost £1billion in bonuses - despite being propped up with £20billion of public money.
"This is unbelievably crass and irresponsible behaviour by people who have learned absolutely nothing and appear to have no standards of honesty."
Around half of the total would be "discretionary" payments to RBS staff. RBS are "contractually" obliged to give the rest of the cash to employees of ABN Amro, the Dutch bank they bought last year in a catastrophic deal.
"This is unbelievably crass and irresponsible behaviour by people who have learned absolutely nothing and appear to have no standards of honesty."
Around half of the total would be "discretionary" payments to RBS staff. RBS are "contractually" obliged to give the rest of the cash to employees of ABN Amro, the Dutch bank they bought last year in a catastrophic deal.
How we are now “forbidden” from knowing about MPs' foreign trips
Michael Martin, the Speaker of the House of Commons, has started a new row over Parliamentary secrecy by blocking the release of information about foreign trips for MP’s.
The dispute started after the Commons Registrar of Members’ Interests, decided that MPs should not have to declare details of trips they make abroad as guests of the British Council, which is a taxpayer-funded body.
Since February 2007, 12 MPs have travelled overseas with the British Council to destinations including Thailand, India and Malawi, often at a cost to the taxpayer of thousands of pounds.
MPs are required to declare any hospitality they receive from outside organisations, and the British Council does not appear on a list of bodies whose gifts are exempt from the requirement.
When The Sunday Telegraph attempted to use the Freedom of Information Act to ask the Commons authorities why the trips were not being declared, Mr Martin, the Speaker, took the highly unusual action of issuing a certificate preventing the release of any information about how the decision was reached.
The document claims Parliamentary privilege to avoid releasing the information. The certificate even prevents any further investigation by the Information Commissioner, who would normally have the power to intervene.
The Speaker’s decision not to allow the release of information that campaigners claim should be in the public domain has been condemned by MPs from all parties as well as civil liberty experts.
Mr Martin has been previously criticised for trying to suppress details of MPs’ expenses, and for trying to exclude some of their work from the Freedom of Information Act.
It is not the first time that the Speaker has used this controversial certificate, as in 2006, he also issued a certificate which prevented the release of a list of MPs’ staff under Freedom of Information laws, claiming that identifying the employees would “prejudice the effective conduct of public affairs” despite the Information Commissioner ruling that there were no legitimate grounds for witholding the names. Last year, The Sunday Telegraph revealed that two MPs and a peer travelled to Bangkok with the British Council for a two-day conference, two flying first class and the other flying business class.
Documents obtained from the British Council under the Freedom of Information Act reveal that other MPs have enjoyed business and first class flights. They show that the British Council spent £5,018 on business class flights for Mark Lancaster, the Conservative MP, who travelled to Malawi in 2008.
Sally Keeble, the Labour MP, who went on the same trip, flew out economy class and returned business class at a cost of £2,452. In May 2007, Derek Wyatt was flown to India business class by the British Council at a cost of £2,142. Other MPs who have received hospitality from the British Council in the last two years include Phyllis Starkey, Tony Baldry, Denis Macshane, Charles Clarke, Edward Garnier, Patricia Hewitt and Paul Keetch.
The dispute started after the Commons Registrar of Members’ Interests, decided that MPs should not have to declare details of trips they make abroad as guests of the British Council, which is a taxpayer-funded body.
Since February 2007, 12 MPs have travelled overseas with the British Council to destinations including Thailand, India and Malawi, often at a cost to the taxpayer of thousands of pounds.
MPs are required to declare any hospitality they receive from outside organisations, and the British Council does not appear on a list of bodies whose gifts are exempt from the requirement.
When The Sunday Telegraph attempted to use the Freedom of Information Act to ask the Commons authorities why the trips were not being declared, Mr Martin, the Speaker, took the highly unusual action of issuing a certificate preventing the release of any information about how the decision was reached.
The document claims Parliamentary privilege to avoid releasing the information. The certificate even prevents any further investigation by the Information Commissioner, who would normally have the power to intervene.
The Speaker’s decision not to allow the release of information that campaigners claim should be in the public domain has been condemned by MPs from all parties as well as civil liberty experts.
Mr Martin has been previously criticised for trying to suppress details of MPs’ expenses, and for trying to exclude some of their work from the Freedom of Information Act.
It is not the first time that the Speaker has used this controversial certificate, as in 2006, he also issued a certificate which prevented the release of a list of MPs’ staff under Freedom of Information laws, claiming that identifying the employees would “prejudice the effective conduct of public affairs” despite the Information Commissioner ruling that there were no legitimate grounds for witholding the names. Last year, The Sunday Telegraph revealed that two MPs and a peer travelled to Bangkok with the British Council for a two-day conference, two flying first class and the other flying business class.
Documents obtained from the British Council under the Freedom of Information Act reveal that other MPs have enjoyed business and first class flights. They show that the British Council spent £5,018 on business class flights for Mark Lancaster, the Conservative MP, who travelled to Malawi in 2008.
Sally Keeble, the Labour MP, who went on the same trip, flew out economy class and returned business class at a cost of £2,452. In May 2007, Derek Wyatt was flown to India business class by the British Council at a cost of £2,142. Other MPs who have received hospitality from the British Council in the last two years include Phyllis Starkey, Tony Baldry, Denis Macshane, Charles Clarke, Edward Garnier, Patricia Hewitt and Paul Keetch.
Beating the housing crisis
Lib Dems have launched a raft of proposals to boost the availability of affordable housing, stem the tide of repossessions and rescue the beleaguered construction industry.
Among them are plans to introduce a “Repair and Renewal” loan scheme for owners of empty properties if they agree to lease them for at least five years to housing associations.
As the recession deepens, social housing queues are growing ever longer while the construction industry has ground to a halt. Renovating empty and abandoned properties can provide low cost homes while boosting the struggling construction sector.
Among them are plans to introduce a “Repair and Renewal” loan scheme for owners of empty properties if they agree to lease them for at least five years to housing associations.
As the recession deepens, social housing queues are growing ever longer while the construction industry has ground to a halt. Renovating empty and abandoned properties can provide low cost homes while boosting the struggling construction sector.
“No frills mortgages” will help kickstart lending
The Liberal Democrats have called for the introduction of basic mortgages secured by the Government to protect borrowers from the collapse in lending by banks and building societies.
“Safestart” mortgages would be fixed for five years at a suggested interest rate of around 4.5 per cent and would be available to borrowers with a 15 per cent deposit. There would not be any fees attached to the deal.
The plan by the Lib Dems is designed to break the deadlock in the mortgage market, caused by the collapse in wholesale moneymarkets which traditionally supported new mortgage lending.
Mortgage lending fell to a record low in January. Lenders granted £12.4 billion in mortgages last month, down 8.4 per cent from £13.5 billion in December and down 52.1 per cent year on year, figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders show.
“Safestart” mortgages would be fixed for five years at a suggested interest rate of around 4.5 per cent and would be available to borrowers with a 15 per cent deposit. There would not be any fees attached to the deal.
The plan by the Lib Dems is designed to break the deadlock in the mortgage market, caused by the collapse in wholesale moneymarkets which traditionally supported new mortgage lending.
Mortgage lending fell to a record low in January. Lenders granted £12.4 billion in mortgages last month, down 8.4 per cent from £13.5 billion in December and down 52.1 per cent year on year, figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders show.
Failed bank boss should pay us back
The man responsible for the collapse of HBOS back will collect a pension of over half a million pounds a year.
Whilst 50-year old Sir James Crosby is picking up a fat pension, the taxpayer is picking up the pieces of his mistakes. Crosby ignored repeated disaster warnings, and now we are all paying the cost.
Can we have our money back, please Sir?
Whilst 50-year old Sir James Crosby is picking up a fat pension, the taxpayer is picking up the pieces of his mistakes. Crosby ignored repeated disaster warnings, and now we are all paying the cost.
Can we have our money back, please Sir?
Saturday, 7 February 2009
Annual Dinner latest
The menu for the Gosport Lib Dems Annual Dinner (see below for detailed post) – at which CHRIS HUHNE MP is guest speaker – reaches us:
Fan of Gallia melon
Chicken wrapped in Parma ham served with vegetables and a white wine sauce
Profiteroles
Tea and coffee
The vegetarian option is mushroom tagliatelle.
The annual dinner is taking place at the Alverbank Hotel on Friday 13 February, at 7.30 for 8 pm. Tickets are available from Bob Forder: r.w.forder@btinternet.com
Fan of Gallia melon
Chicken wrapped in Parma ham served with vegetables and a white wine sauce
Profiteroles
Tea and coffee
The vegetarian option is mushroom tagliatelle.
The annual dinner is taking place at the Alverbank Hotel on Friday 13 February, at 7.30 for 8 pm. Tickets are available from Bob Forder: r.w.forder@btinternet.com
82-year old Lib Dem Councillor confronts youths goading dog
The following story reaches us from the Islington Tribune about a Lib Dem councillor with a track record of tackling crime and anti-social behaviour head-on:
FACED with a group of youths goading a Staffordshire Bull Terrier to strip bark off trees to toughen its jaws, a lesser person would walk away. But 82-year-old deputy mayor and Lib Dem councillor Anna Berent is not a lesser person – she once bit a burglar – and the safety of the tree, in Petherton Road, in Highbury, was more important to her. …
Cllr Berent said: “I was going home and I saw these young men with a dog. It was attacking the tree. I wandered in that direction because I had to go past them anyway and said: ‘Nice dog but you really shouldn’t teach it to rip bark off the trees’.
“They said trees die anyway and I said give them a chance and they will live longer than you. “They ‘Humphed’ and walked away.”
But Cllr Berent was not shaken by the experience. She said: “I was marginally nervous but I always feel that I’m probably the least likely age and appearance to be thumped. I’m not a challenge to anyone’s masculinity. I’m much too old to be a sex object and I’m not so decrepit that I look like I will fall over if anybody blew.”
FACED with a group of youths goading a Staffordshire Bull Terrier to strip bark off trees to toughen its jaws, a lesser person would walk away. But 82-year-old deputy mayor and Lib Dem councillor Anna Berent is not a lesser person – she once bit a burglar – and the safety of the tree, in Petherton Road, in Highbury, was more important to her. …
Cllr Berent said: “I was going home and I saw these young men with a dog. It was attacking the tree. I wandered in that direction because I had to go past them anyway and said: ‘Nice dog but you really shouldn’t teach it to rip bark off the trees’.
“They said trees die anyway and I said give them a chance and they will live longer than you. “They ‘Humphed’ and walked away.”
But Cllr Berent was not shaken by the experience. She said: “I was marginally nervous but I always feel that I’m probably the least likely age and appearance to be thumped. I’m not a challenge to anyone’s masculinity. I’m much too old to be a sex object and I’m not so decrepit that I look like I will fall over if anybody blew.”
Thursday, 5 February 2009
Chris Huhne MP coming to Gosport
Shadow Home Secretary and Liberal Democrat MP for Eastleigh CHRIS HUHNE is the guest speaker at the Annual Dinner of Gosport Liberal Democrats, which is being held at the Alver Bank Hotel on Friday 13 February.
Huhne, who came within 500 votes of becoming the Lib Dem party leader when Ming Campbell stood down last year, prompted the recent police investigation into Labour members of the House of Lords who allegedly told undercover Sunday Times reporters they had tabled amendments to legislation for paying clients. Huhne has now asked Scotland Yard to extend its cash-for-influence investigation to cover claims made about four more members of the House of Lords.
The MP for Eastleigh this week said that the loss of 400-500 jobs at the Ford Southampton assembly plant was a "hammer blow" for the workers, their families and the local economy. He added that the latest Ford results showed that the car company was "bleeding cash" and was forced to take desperate measures, which were communicated on Wednesday to the trade unions at the plant. But he blamed the Government for worsening the situation by failing to ensure that there was credit for van purchasers.
"Last week's statement from Lord Mandelson missed the key ingredient, which is the loans that van purchasers need as they do not buy vans and cars with cash up front. A van is an investment that needs to be paid back over its lifetime," said Mr Huhne.
"Ford Credit Europe Bank has been struggling, along with other car company financing arms, to raise the cash to loan to customers. This is a key problem if the market is to be stabilised and jobs are to be saved” he added.
"These are desperate times for the car industry with collapsing sales, restricted credit and now job losses. My sympathies are with the local families whose future now looks so uncertain."
Tickets for the annual dinner are priced £22 and are available from Bob Forder on 023 9252 7965 or at r.w.forder@btinternet.com.
Huhne, who came within 500 votes of becoming the Lib Dem party leader when Ming Campbell stood down last year, prompted the recent police investigation into Labour members of the House of Lords who allegedly told undercover Sunday Times reporters they had tabled amendments to legislation for paying clients. Huhne has now asked Scotland Yard to extend its cash-for-influence investigation to cover claims made about four more members of the House of Lords.
The MP for Eastleigh this week said that the loss of 400-500 jobs at the Ford Southampton assembly plant was a "hammer blow" for the workers, their families and the local economy. He added that the latest Ford results showed that the car company was "bleeding cash" and was forced to take desperate measures, which were communicated on Wednesday to the trade unions at the plant. But he blamed the Government for worsening the situation by failing to ensure that there was credit for van purchasers.
"Last week's statement from Lord Mandelson missed the key ingredient, which is the loans that van purchasers need as they do not buy vans and cars with cash up front. A van is an investment that needs to be paid back over its lifetime," said Mr Huhne.
"Ford Credit Europe Bank has been struggling, along with other car company financing arms, to raise the cash to loan to customers. This is a key problem if the market is to be stabilised and jobs are to be saved” he added.
"These are desperate times for the car industry with collapsing sales, restricted credit and now job losses. My sympathies are with the local families whose future now looks so uncertain."
Tickets for the annual dinner are priced £22 and are available from Bob Forder on 023 9252 7965 or at r.w.forder@btinternet.com.
Wednesday, 4 February 2009
NEW GOVERNMENT BAILOUT IS BLANK CHEQUE
Without a thorough review of all the assets that are being underwritten, the latest government bank bail-out means ministers are effectively writing a blank cheque to the banks that have arguably been largely responsible for the financial crisis.
The Government is now proposing to underwrite billions of pounds worth of debt which could leave taxpayers open to vast losses.
Ministers are offering hardly any details about the terms of this underwriting. Taxpayers are being signed up to yet another bank bailout, when it is clear the Government hasn't done its homework. The £100bn insurance of bad debts owned by the banks could result in enormous losses for taxpayers, since these assets are being insured in a falling market and there are still further big losses to come in the property market.
The Prime Minister says he is putting in place proper controls to monitor the use of taxpayers' money. They should already be there! Why weren't the banks required to make a full declaration of their bad loans when the £37bn was invested?
With RBS now 70% publicly owned, there can be no more excuses for it not to start lending at reasonable levels to viable businesses and individuals.
The Government is now proposing to underwrite billions of pounds worth of debt which could leave taxpayers open to vast losses.
Ministers are offering hardly any details about the terms of this underwriting. Taxpayers are being signed up to yet another bank bailout, when it is clear the Government hasn't done its homework. The £100bn insurance of bad debts owned by the banks could result in enormous losses for taxpayers, since these assets are being insured in a falling market and there are still further big losses to come in the property market.
The Prime Minister says he is putting in place proper controls to monitor the use of taxpayers' money. They should already be there! Why weren't the banks required to make a full declaration of their bad loans when the £37bn was invested?
With RBS now 70% publicly owned, there can be no more excuses for it not to start lending at reasonable levels to viable businesses and individuals.
Northern Rock Bonuses
Nationalised bank Northern Rock is to award staff a 10% bonus.
Northern Rock, you will recall, was nationalised in February 2008 after a run on the bank in 2007. Once Britain's fifth-biggest home loan provider, it was taken into public ownership after it failed to find a suitable buyer from the private sector.
A Northern Rock spokesman refused to be drawn on how much money was being paid out, but pointed out that the staff-wide bonus scheme had been announced in October. He also stressed that no executives or senior management would benefit. The reward comes after staff met targets on repaying the bank's £26bn loan from the government.
Asked whether Mr Brown approved of the bonuses, the prime minister's spokesman said: "Northern Rock, as I think is well known, has repaid its debts to the government at a rate faster than originally planned for. Operational decisions such as this are a matter for Northern Rock."
Northern Rock still owes billions to taxpayers. At a time when millions of people are facing pay cuts or even unemployment, this bonus is hard to understand. And harder to accept.
Northern Rock, you will recall, was nationalised in February 2008 after a run on the bank in 2007. Once Britain's fifth-biggest home loan provider, it was taken into public ownership after it failed to find a suitable buyer from the private sector.
A Northern Rock spokesman refused to be drawn on how much money was being paid out, but pointed out that the staff-wide bonus scheme had been announced in October. He also stressed that no executives or senior management would benefit. The reward comes after staff met targets on repaying the bank's £26bn loan from the government.
Asked whether Mr Brown approved of the bonuses, the prime minister's spokesman said: "Northern Rock, as I think is well known, has repaid its debts to the government at a rate faster than originally planned for. Operational decisions such as this are a matter for Northern Rock."
Northern Rock still owes billions to taxpayers. At a time when millions of people are facing pay cuts or even unemployment, this bonus is hard to understand. And harder to accept.
Tories No Better Than Labour On Managing the Economy
Last week, the respected independent research organisation, the Institute for Fiscal Studies released their forecast for UK's public finances. Interestingly, they showed that Labour and the Conservatives are just as bad as each other at managing the UK economy.
Charting the UK's progress, they demonstrated the structural budget balance had risen from minus 5% of national income under the Tories to 1% after three years in government from 1979, but then fell back to minus 3% after eleven years. It then fell to minus 5% after 14 years, closing at minus 3% again after 18 years. Everyone remembers the Conservatives' humiliating failure with Sterling and the Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM).
And guess what. Under Labour the structural budget balance started at minus 3% in 1997, rose to 1% again after three years, but then fell back to minus 3% after eleven years. The Institute for Fiscal Studies now forecast that the balance will fall again to minus 7% after thirteen years before closing at minus 3% again. And so no better than where they started.
So neither party left the public finances in a healthy position after many years in government.
After seeing so much crisis and failure, its now time to give Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg and the very well respected Lib Dem Shadow Chancellor Vince Cable and colleagues a chance.
Charting the UK's progress, they demonstrated the structural budget balance had risen from minus 5% of national income under the Tories to 1% after three years in government from 1979, but then fell back to minus 3% after eleven years. It then fell to minus 5% after 14 years, closing at minus 3% again after 18 years. Everyone remembers the Conservatives' humiliating failure with Sterling and the Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM).
And guess what. Under Labour the structural budget balance started at minus 3% in 1997, rose to 1% again after three years, but then fell back to minus 3% after eleven years. The Institute for Fiscal Studies now forecast that the balance will fall again to minus 7% after thirteen years before closing at minus 3% again. And so no better than where they started.
So neither party left the public finances in a healthy position after many years in government.
After seeing so much crisis and failure, its now time to give Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg and the very well respected Lib Dem Shadow Chancellor Vince Cable and colleagues a chance.
Monday, 2 February 2009
Latest Poll...
There were 7 local Council elections in Britain last week. Of the 3 being defended by Labour, two were gained by the Lib Dems. The Lib Dems also won a seat from the Tories, gained 2 others from independents, and held the seat they were defending.
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