Archive for March 13th, 2008

Spring Forum

Published on March 13, 2008 in National Comment. 0 Comments

I’m off to Newcastle and Gateshead for Spring Forum first thing tomorrow morning.

I’m looking forward to catching up with friends and colleagues and I’m sure it’ll be an enjoyable and interesting weekend.

I don’t know if I’ll have chance to blog from Gateshead - if not then normal service may be resumed on Sunday.

Hope you all have a fun weekend!

So what?

Published on March 13, 2008 in National Comment and Salford. 3 Comments

Yesterday during the budget debate, Minister for Children Ed Balls MP managed to encapsulate in two words how arrogant and out-of-touch the Labour Party are in power. Louise Bagshawe picks up the story:

In David Cameron’s excellent Budget reply, he said at one point (I paraphrase):

“Under Labour, Britain is more taxed than at any point in its history”.

On the front bench, Ed Balls - The Man Who Would Be King (part II) heckled:

“So what?’

This astounding statement was met with hoots of shock and disdain from the Tory benches and surprised Cameron sufficiently for him to come back: “So what, says the minister for children. I know he wants to be Chancellor so badly it hurts. I have to tell him another Budget like the one we have just heard and he won’t have to wait very long.”

I’m reminded of a Council budget meeting two or three years ago. During the budget debate, Cllr Maureen Lea (Labour, Pendlebury) - then Lead Member for Environmental Services stood up to speak and said something like “well if I had my way, I’d put the Council Tax up even more“. Cllr Merry turned white as a sheet.

Anyway I am very grateful to Mr Balls for summing up for voters both nationally and here in Salford the attitude that the Labour Party takes towards the views of those people who elect them.

Our Council Tax in Salford has risen nearly 80% in the last decade. ”So what?” says the Labour Party to hard-working taxpayers and pensioners on fixed incomes who struggle to make the payments.

St George’s RC High School, one of the best schools in the City, is being closed down without good reason. “So what?” says the Labour Party to the local community in Walkden and Little Hulton.

Hope Hospital’s maternity unit is being shut down despite being one of the top performing units in the country. “So what?” says the Labour Party to expectant mothers and families across the City.

It’s time for a change in Westminster, and it is time for a change in Salford.