http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/also_in_the_news/8806560.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/politics/10590932.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/politics/10590932.stm
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2010/07/12/john-prescott-calls-for-end-to-labour-feuds-115875-22406852/
The publication of Peter Mandelson's memoirs was always going to be controversial; given the many years he and Gordon Brown were at loggerheads before he was brought back into government as Business Secretary.
Charlie Whelan, Brown's close aide immediately attacked Lord Mandelson on the publication of the book.
It follows David Miliband's criticism of Mr Brown at the weekend. The former Foreign Secretary, who refused to contest Mr Brown's succession to the Premiership in 2007 and remained publicly loyal to the latter during his time in 10 Downing Street, has now rounded on the former PM, by saying that whilst he supported Brown in all the things he pledged to do on succeeding Tony Blair, these promises were not kept.
All this has led to leading figures in the party to plead for unity. Leadership contender Andy Burnham made an impassioned plea to the party to move on from the factionalism of the Blair-Brown era. And Former Deputy PM Lord Prescott moved quickly to do the same
With the Coalition now likely to be very unpopular, following the cancellation of the BSF programme and all the spending cuts that have been confirmed, Labour absolutely must not turn in on itself.
Those of us who remember the disunity of the Party and the dark days of Opposition in the 1980s will not want to return there.
Monday, 12 July 2010
Friday, 9 July 2010
Labour Accuses Coalition Of Putting Ideology Before The Economy As Osborne Consults Public Sector Workers On Cuts
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/politics/10567295.stm
The Chancellor's move to meet with public sector workers and consult with them on where best to make public spending cuts - has provoked a furious response from the Unions, with both Unite and the GMB accusing George Osborne of asking millions of workers to suggest how they should be sacked.
Likewise, Labour maintain that the Coalition's huge cuts in spending are borne out of an ideological belief in the need to reduce the size of the state rather than sound economics.
And there is no doubt in my mind that asking readers of the Tory-supporting Sun newspaper to give their ideas on where cuts should be made will further legitimise the dead end to which this fledgling Coalition is leading this country.
The only question that still needs answering is how quickly we will go back in to recession.
The Chancellor's move to meet with public sector workers and consult with them on where best to make public spending cuts - has provoked a furious response from the Unions, with both Unite and the GMB accusing George Osborne of asking millions of workers to suggest how they should be sacked.
Likewise, Labour maintain that the Coalition's huge cuts in spending are borne out of an ideological belief in the need to reduce the size of the state rather than sound economics.
And there is no doubt in my mind that asking readers of the Tory-supporting Sun newspaper to give their ideas on where cuts should be made will further legitimise the dead end to which this fledgling Coalition is leading this country.
The only question that still needs answering is how quickly we will go back in to recession.
Wednesday, 7 July 2010
Sir Alan Budd Quits OBR
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/10518961.stm
The head of the new Office of Budget Responsibility, Sir Alan Budd, has quit after three months.
The OBR is the new government department set up by the Chancellor to oversee cuts in spending.
Even though Sir Alan was only due to stay in post for a few weeks, his departure is bound to raise a few eyebrows.
The question needs to be asked if those advising the Coalition are really happy with the vast cuts in spending that have already been announced by the Treasury and whether they support them being implemented so quickly.
The head of the new Office of Budget Responsibility, Sir Alan Budd, has quit after three months.
The OBR is the new government department set up by the Chancellor to oversee cuts in spending.
Even though Sir Alan was only due to stay in post for a few weeks, his departure is bound to raise a few eyebrows.
The question needs to be asked if those advising the Coalition are really happy with the vast cuts in spending that have already been announced by the Treasury and whether they support them being implemented so quickly.
Monday, 5 July 2010
Labour's School Building Programme Scrapped As Coalition Continues To Wield The Axe
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/10514113.stm
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/jul/05/school-building-programme-budget-cuts?CMP=AFC
The Conservative-led Coalition sent the UK right back to the 1980's today, with Education Secretary Michael Gove's announcement to the House of Commons that they were scrapping Labour's schools' building programme.
We will now no doubt see a return to the Thatcher era of schools with leaking roofs and overcrowded classrooms.
It is a disgraceful step by a Coalition that built their election campaign around the need to build a better future
for our country.
By cancelling such an important scheme, both the Conservatives and their Lib Dem puppets are showing that they clearly do not care about the future generation.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/jul/05/school-building-programme-budget-cuts?CMP=AFC
The Conservative-led Coalition sent the UK right back to the 1980's today, with Education Secretary Michael Gove's announcement to the House of Commons that they were scrapping Labour's schools' building programme.
We will now no doubt see a return to the Thatcher era of schools with leaking roofs and overcrowded classrooms.
It is a disgraceful step by a Coalition that built their election campaign around the need to build a better future
for our country.
By cancelling such an important scheme, both the Conservatives and their Lib Dem puppets are showing that they clearly do not care about the future generation.
Sunday, 4 July 2010
Are We Really In For 40% Spending Cuts From Government Departments?
This is the latest story in the media.
Given the horrific extent of the spending cuts already announced by the Coalition, I would like to believe Philip Hammond, the Transport Secretary, when he says such deep reductions in spending are not likely to happen.
I hope he is right. The economy would not be able to function with such cuts to the public sector.
The worst-case scenario of a double-dip recession would definitely become a reality; a situation from which it would take this country years to recover.
Given the horrific extent of the spending cuts already announced by the Coalition, I would like to believe Philip Hammond, the Transport Secretary, when he says such deep reductions in spending are not likely to happen.
I hope he is right. The economy would not be able to function with such cuts to the public sector.
The worst-case scenario of a double-dip recession would definitely become a reality; a situation from which it would take this country years to recover.
Saturday, 3 July 2010
Coalition In A Mess Over Electoral Reform Vote
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/politics/10483841.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/politics/10489088.stm
The key issue of electoral reform will definitely be the making or breaking of this Coalition.
What the result of the referendum - due to be held next May - will mean for the durability of this Government must, surely, be a complete unknown.
A referendum on AV, the Alternative Vote electoral system, was central to the Liberal Democrats agreeing to be part of a Government with David Cameron and the Conservatives.
However, with so many Conservative backbenchers traditionally vehemently opposed to any kind of proportional voting system, and with Mr Cameron prepared to vote against a change to the current first-past-the-post system, the survival of the Coalition, which was at best, wobbly from the start anyway, looks to be on even more shaky ground now.
With both partners in the Coalition so far apart on this issue, it is impossible to see how it can possibly survive.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/politics/10489088.stm
The key issue of electoral reform will definitely be the making or breaking of this Coalition.
What the result of the referendum - due to be held next May - will mean for the durability of this Government must, surely, be a complete unknown.
A referendum on AV, the Alternative Vote electoral system, was central to the Liberal Democrats agreeing to be part of a Government with David Cameron and the Conservatives.
However, with so many Conservative backbenchers traditionally vehemently opposed to any kind of proportional voting system, and with Mr Cameron prepared to vote against a change to the current first-past-the-post system, the survival of the Coalition, which was at best, wobbly from the start anyway, looks to be on even more shaky ground now.
With both partners in the Coalition so far apart on this issue, it is impossible to see how it can possibly survive.
Thursday, 1 July 2010
Cameron's Jobs Prediction At PMQs May Come Back To Haunt Him
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/jun/30/jobless-figures-guardian-treasury?CMP=AFCYAH
David Cameron's prediction that employment will rise during every year of this parliment is a bold one.
Given the public spending cuts that have already been announced by the coalition and the billions of pounds that will be taken out of the economy in the austerity measures to come, how the PM can suggest that employment will actually grow is unbelievable. A stable economy relies on both the public and private sectors functioning well, not just the private sector.
There are bound to be many more angry exchanges in Parliament over unemployment in the months to come.
David Cameron's prediction that employment will rise during every year of this parliment is a bold one.
Given the public spending cuts that have already been announced by the coalition and the billions of pounds that will be taken out of the economy in the austerity measures to come, how the PM can suggest that employment will actually grow is unbelievable. A stable economy relies on both the public and private sectors functioning well, not just the private sector.
There are bound to be many more angry exchanges in Parliament over unemployment in the months to come.
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