I sincerely hope that Gordon Brown's U-Turn on tax will save Labour at the Crewe and Nantwich by-election. Even if it smacks rather of a fag packet calculation the announcement is welcome. But one must ask the question why was the policy to penalise the very poor dreamt up in the first place? I think one of the problems is that most MPs are very far away from the day-to-day concerns of people's lives.
On Monday night , I made by debut in the Strangers Bar at Westminster thanks to an invite from Halifax MP Linda Riordan. We sat outside on the terrace sipping wine looking out over the Thames and very nice it was too . Inside, well-dressed male MPs were getting drunk, impressing constituents, and looking eminently at home in this strange little world which is rather like an Oxbridge college. It's easy to see how seductive it could all become.
But if we are somehow to escape electoral Armageddon then the only way of doing so is by MPs leaving this gentleman's club atmosphere, getting out into their communities and addressing people's real concerns on issues like housing and low pay.
Let's also hope that the Government is finally beginning to realise the damage which its self-inflicted wounds are doing to the Labour Party. Because, whatever my differences , I don't want to see the Party annihilated .
Wednesday, 14 May 2008
TAX PACKAGE WELCOME BUT.....
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
7 comments:
why couldnt we simply reintroduce the 10p rate
no matter how good the deal most people will still say we scraped the 10p rate
we dont want people to live off handouts...why are we subsadising business ???
I agree - that's what we should have done. In the absence of that corrective, it's at least a step in the right direction
Well, there is still the problem that those earning between 6-13K lost out by £230 and are only compensated by £120 - the same as people on 40K; so this is not quite what it seems. I welcome the newfound redistributive zeal, and it's a better way of doing it than complex tax credits, but there surely need to be a package of measures in the next budget to sort this all out.
John Mann MP was on the Daily Politics just now, apparently he has a ten point plan for the Govt: this includes 'ending welfare dependency, cutting taxes, a national DNA database,
no wonder the LP is failing, with former TUC types like this, this is right wing stuff
Susan, who is it the Left, the media, N/L even, describing when they talk about the poor? is it the 'deserving hard working' poor or the 'non deserving' disabled on benefits, single parents, pensioners etc. Because it is those who on benefits and fixed incomes who are really being hit by rising utility and food prices, and that benefits have not really risen in many years. Yet, these people seem invisible, even to the left. Now, today in the 'Not the Queens Speech', they face even more harassment and cuts with Purnell’s new welfare reforms.
I am sick of hearing about Clintonesque 'hard working families, the code for middle England, what about the millions who for good reasons cannot work, don't they count?.
Why am I and Jonathan Rutherford form Compass and John Mc at times, the only people on whole of the left raising these concerns?
I have already said what my injuries are from broken back to spinal cord lesion to many other things, all you really need to know I spent eighteen months in one hospital bed before being transfered to a spinal injuries unit in London we traveled 175 miles in an ambulance at 20mph.
Now I have an implanted morphine pump, it's implanted under the skin so I cannot get to it, it drips morphine into my spine to control the pain.
Anyway I worked most of my life well until I was 39 had this accident spent the eighteen months being feed through a tube, I still have a tube implanted to pee.
Last month I was told I've no reason not to work, but lets get something straight I've been looking for work for five sodding years under this government, because they said all disabled should work, I've been offered charity jobs, standing out side in a wheelchair collecting for some bloody charity, I was told well they would take pity on you.
I spend 38 years in the Labour party and my Union, next in October I can lose my benefits all £6,800 of it, because I can move a computer mouse with some part of my body.
Vote Labour I'd Rather vote bloody BNP and I hate them as well but at least they are willing to kill us.
Frenetic, I loathe the phrase "hard working families." And I loathe James Purnell and the right-wing policies he espouses.
I share all your concerns and I think it's shameful that seemingly only a few MPs, including John, have the integrity to raise these issues.
Post a Comment