Well I'm not entirely sure how things got so bad, although I cannot help feel that Labour politicians were so far up their own manifesto, that they didn't notice the growing burden of the welfare state and all those superfluous jobs, an economic disaster waiting to happen.
Still glancing through the papers over the weekend, one indication of altruistic nature of Labour politicians, was to be found in the Mail, reporting on how Peter Mandelson, selflessly made himself available for a documentary film, to be shown on BBC next month.
Things have just got worse for Margate. Sacked council workers to swell the ranks of the unemployed. More than 60% cut in the social housing funds - what about the 6000on the housing list? George has tried to solve this problem by making social housing a lot more expensive and maybe the queue will shrink. Cuts in benifits will mean less money spent in local shops and more will close.
ReplyDeleteLess money for KCC to spend on maintaining roads and filling pot holes.
Where was the Manston Rail link announcement? Did I miss it? But then there were no major transport projects for the SE and these were meant to kick start the economy.
Good news for criminals though.
You obviously feel that Labour spent more than it should. There may be some jobs and functions that were questionable, but these account for a very small percentage of Government spend. You are simply aping the Daily Mail approach of seeking out one or two horror stories and presuming/pretending that represented the norm. Most of the spend was on things the public wanted, and voted to have; things that are now being taken away, with much negative comment. So are the public in fact to blame?
ReplyDeleteYou also deny the facts offered by so many independent experts - that the nation's finances were not in fundamentally poor shape but were badly damaged by the banking crisis and consequent recession. The same happened to most other countries across the world. Was the Labour Party responsible for everyone's problems? Even you cannot think that.
Many experts believe that the cuts do not need to be so severe; that they are driven less by necessity than Tory ideology. The Tories always want less government and less public spending. The Liberal Democrat Party used to hold the contrary view, but they have turned away from their principles to get into bed with the Tories and get their hands on some Cabinet and junior ministerial posts. Your incessant criticism of Labour simply masks the shame you must feel over the Party you support.
How did we get here? Here's at least one clue, Tony, as published in Your Thanet today:
ReplyDeleteLocal Labour – a million miles from a Milliband
So the fratricidal leadership election is over, won by a Milliband (or E Milliband if you want to be precise!) Here’s a man who wants to reconnect with local concerns on the deficit, housing, and public expenditure, to make Labour re electable. Good luck with that one Ed, do you actually know what your people on the ground are proposing?
At a recent Thanet Cabinet meeting, one could be forgiven for thinking the last few years has been simply airbrushed from their history. Faced with a number of items of fairly straightforward council business Labour party members queued up to do what they do best – spend taxpayers money like water without regret, or true understanding of the consequences of their actions. Their response to every item involved either spending money or rejecting the chance to save money.
Dalby Square – they oppose the use of a £1.7 million grant to provide new social housing units, and demand delay that will see the chance to provide new family homes, and the grant, evaporate. Lose £1.7 million income.
East Kent Joint Housing structure – they oppose the provision of better service at lower cost, and demand a £100,000 is spent on a ballot, not required by law, to reaffirm the overwhelming majority in favour from the wide consultation. The additional delay threatens the viability of making the savings. Add £100,000.
Selective Licensing Cliftonville West – a £500,000 project to help with housing difficulties in this critical area. They demand a scheme extended across the whole island at enormous additional cost. Add £500,000.
Countdown to 2011 – this £100,000 project to prepare for Turner Contemporary opening is, according to Labour, too little and too late. Their demands include again extending the scheme across the island. Add £100,000.
Ramsgate THI for coastal shelters – again Labour wants to spend more than the £100,000 proposed. Add £100,000.
Shared Services Vehicle – Labour wants to withdraw from this project, on purely political grounds, and decline the potential saving to the council tax payer. Minus at least £500,000 saving.
There it is; the cost of Labour Party politics for all to see. A £3 million extra burden demanded during the course of one evening, or 20% extra expenditure across the council’s revenue budget.
Come next May, and local elections, Mr Milliband must be desperately hoping voters won’t remember these types of rash demand that Labour constantly makes, or that Conservatives resisted them.
Oooh, is Tory "Doctor" Moores doing some freelance journo work now, then? Times must be hard for his teeny tiny flying adverts outfit.
ReplyDeletewhat you wont read in the local 'rags'
ReplyDeleteReports from demonstrations against the spending cuts, 20 October 2010
http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=22804
How we got here:
ReplyDelete1) Western manufacturing jobs transferred to more severely enslaved areas. This clever move ensured maximum profits for our corporate owners at the expense of the environment and 'work & safety'regulations (15 slave suicides per month reported by Apple iPod sub-contractor).
2) "Terror attacks". Illegal Wars. Depleted Uranium. 1.3 million dead, innocent Iraqis.'Nuff said.
3) Clever mortgage & property scam, ensuring maximum returns for our corporate owners at the expense of the rest of the economy: Self-assessment mortgages, reports of Banking execs making loans to themselves through shell companies & then defaulting, followed quickly by Gordon Brown's incredible bailout, bless his cotton socks (and don't forget his flogging of the gold at the start of it's biggest bull market in history).
4) Health. The nation's health has taken a nosedive.
Accident? - No.
Racket? - Partly.
Something more sinister? - Most definitely!; Tainted food; dodgy pharmaceuticals, aerial spraying of metal salts and sulphur dioxide; poisonous food packaging; you get the idea...
The good news is that things are starting to fall apart for our corporate owners. The slaves have had enough and are choosing to no longer co-operate.
yes it is starting to fall apart for these evil vermin
ReplyDeleteall will face the errors of their ways one way or another I am sure
let the lawful rebellion unfold