Archive for June, 2010

So what did you think of that?

Published by Iain on June 24, 2010 in Miscellaneous. 1 Comment

So, they’ve stumbled through after being under pressure for their poor performance, and they’ve been accused of letting the nation down. They still seem have no coherent ideas going forward and that troublesome left flank is remains a problem…

…but enough of the Labour leadership race, did anyone else watch the football?

Name The New Walkden High School

Published by Iain on June 23, 2010 in Walkden. 3 Comments

There’s a vote on the Walkden High School website about the name of the school when it is rebuilt. I’m pleased to see that “Walkden High School” is winning. It would appear that anyone can vote, so go right ahead!

Some Thoughts On Today’s Budget

Published by Iain on June 22, 2010 in National Comment. 0 Comments

Some very difficult decisions were taken today; decisions which I know George Osborne will have taken no pleasure in making, and decisions which I know under different circumstances would not have been made.

We have to accept the gravity of the situation, which is that the previous Labour Government planned this financial year to spend one hundred and sixty billion pounds more than they were receiving in income. That simply has to be dealt with, and the painful decisions announced today would be far worse if the deficit continued to spiral out of control.

It is refreshing to see a Chancellor be open and honest with the electorate about Labour’s disastrous economy legacy, and be up front about difficult decisions rather than hide them in the small print of the budget documents. I hope that many of the tough changes made today – such as the VAT rise – will prove to be temporary, and when the deficit is dealt with and the economy is growing strongly those decisions can be reversed.

Nevertheless, there were reasons to be cheerful within the budget statement. I’m pleased that nearly one million of the lowest-paid workers will be removed from income tax entirely, and that vital investment in the Metrolink and our local rail infrastructure has been protected.

Labour have been reduced to shrieking from the sidelines, and have no sensible alternative for reducing the deficit. Their own plans called for big cuts but they have refused to set out how they would have done this. I suspect that, had Labour been returned on May 6, they would themselves have implemented many of the decisions that they today decry.

Today has shown that the coalition has what it takes to govern responsibly and in the national interest. The previous administration mortgaged our future to pay for their wasteful spending, and now we have to make those repayments, but we can look to the future with renewed optimism. Today’s decisions will hurt, but the alternative would be far worse, and the future will be much brighter as a result.

Labour’s Legacy To Britain

Published by Iain on June 19, 2010 in National Comment. 1 Comment

Ahead of the emergency budget next week, let us not forget why the extra budget is necessary, and why the difficult decisions that the coalition government is taking are required.

  • Every man, woman and child in Britain now owes £22,400
  • We now have one of the worst deficits in Europe
  • There are 2.47 million people out of work
  • One in five young people is unemployed
  • £3 billion is spent on benefit overpayments and £10 million on tax credits for the dead
  • Britain’s gold was sold off by Gordon Brown at a 20 year low in the market.

This is Labour’s legeacy to Britain. Let us be in no doubt – the blame for the difficult decisions that need to be taken to ensure that Britain does not become another Greece should be laid firmly and squarely at Labour’s door.

MPs Expenses Are Still Generous

Published by Iain on June 16, 2010 in Worsley & Eccles South. 5 Comments

It is very disappointing to see Barbara Keeley MP complaining today that her office expenses are not high enough.

Even under the revised scheme, MPs receive a very generous allowance to provide staff and office space, and it is insulting and wrong for her to whine that her expenses are not high enough, especially with so many local residents struggling in the current economic climate.

Of course, as Deputy Leader of the Commons prior to the election, Ms Keeley would have been one of the key players involved in drawing up the new frameworks, adding hypocrisy to her insulting comments. If she really thought that her expenses were not generous enough, why did she not say so prior to the election?