If Labour was running the council this post would sum up how I was feeling. CllrTim in Bansley is agonising over horrendous decisions being foisted on him by central government cuts. Local government is probably the hardest hit of all departments, and this is after already spending years on efficiency drives. I wish I was in his position. Why? Labour is doubly in opposition at the moment in Reading – nationally and locally. So what am I feeling?
I am feeling rather like many people I know, somewhat helpless and in shock. As the largest group on the council we might be able to influence things a little and we will certainly make our voices heard. However we know from the last two council meetings that the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats speak with one voice in the chamber, although to be fair I am sensing disquiet and worry from some of the Liberal Democrat members – outside the chamber at least.
So rather than faced with very difficult choices about services and council staff my Labour colleagues and I are faced with only two things to do. Firstly, and importantly in the short term, make sure that I stand up for my constituents in Whitley and residents in the rest of the town. I strongly recommend that you give your input into the consultation the council are currently running. I have no idea how genuine it is, since the first Labour heard of it was the press release, but at least you will be able to feel that you have given your input. I will be demanding that full results are shared with all councillors, so we will be able to see what people have said.
In the medium term I will work as hard as I can to ensure that Labour takes back control of the council as fast as possible and finally I will work for the return of a Labour government nationally in the long term. Only then can I be confident that cuts will not be met with cheers from the government benches but if any are still needed in 5 years they are done with compassion and a genuine consideration of the impact the will have on the most vulnerable. It is the least I can do to help ensure the sort of Britain I have spent my adult life in will be there for my daughter and the other children of this country.
If you want to help: join the Labour party or get in touch
I'm still waiting to hear what Labour's cuts were, care to shed some light on them? The cuts announced yesterday are actually less than what was proposed whilst they were in power. Ed Miliband doesn't have any cuts to put forward and neither does the rest of the Labour party. By all means criticise the coalition, but put your own cuts forward as well so that we can criticise the cuts Labour would've made.
But then again I think that Labour were quite happy losing the election. Yet again you have to have someone else clean up the mess after you. As to Labour getting back in nationally, I don't think that'll be happening for at least 15-20 years.
I'm not the chancellor, but you can find out about Labour's alternative here:
http://www2.labour.org.uk/johnsons-speech-ahead-of-the-comprehensive-spending-review
For the record this was the first time I stood for election in a seat that I could win, and I was delighted and honoured to be elected. I would have been more delighted if Labour had won control of the council and the government. I know that goes for my colleagues too.
As to the time scale for Labour's return – I will do all I can to prove you wrong, and no doubt vice versa (if you are who I think you are!)
The IFS has pulled to pieces not only Osbourne's claims about 'fairness' but also the absurd claim he has made about the scale of departmental cuts versus Labour's proposals. The IFS is well respected and independent.
Regarding your comment on my previous post I wouldn't bother attacking my sources in future. I use reputable news sources, in which I include the BBC, the FT, broadsheets and independent think tanks. I can also add up!
First up, the credibility of your sources. I don't regard the BBC as a credible nor independent source seeing as they recently admitted to being very left wing in their reporting. The FT I agree with as a credible source, not all 'independent' think tanks are independent mind and you can find one that will say whatever you want them to say if you give them enough money.
Labour's alternatives? I haven't heard any. Johnson, whilst a nice enough bloke, isn't a Shadow Chancellor as was a soft appointment by Miliband so that he didn't have to put Ed Balls in the role. But then again we've seen time and time again that being competent or qualified for a role usually disqualifies you from the role. The closest to a Labour answer to the cuts came from Poison Toynbee from the Gruaniad on last night's Question Time where she said that she would tax more but still spend. Anyone with half a brain cell is perfectly well aware that Poison Toynbee doesn't want anyone to be successful in life or have any ambition, and if you are then you must be taxed into submission. Adopting her approach would mean that the brains of the country would leave, meaning less tax received and the debt increasing some more. That's a not a problem as the socialists will keep on borrowing in order to bribe their voters.
Some figures for you. The top 1% of income earners pay 24.1% of income tax, the top 10% pay 53.5%. The majority of those would be skilled professionals who would just leave the country had Labour stayed in power. Just look at all that lost tax revenue. The bottom 10%, arguably where Labour's voting base resides, contribute 0.6% of income tax. The lowest 50% of earners actually contribute less than 12% of the total tax in this country.
Going on your comment on who you think I am, I don't think you know who I am as we've never met. However as an ordinary working class voter of this country I won't be voting for your party ever as all Labour has ever done is ruin this country and then seek to blame everyone else for the problems that they've caused and created.
You also never answered my question regarding your opinion on Diane Abbot's comments about all whites being sacked in the public sector before 1 black person was sacked. Why has she not been censured by the Labour party or is it a policy that Labour back and promote?
One more for you about 'fairness'. Is it “fair” that a Stella-swigging chav should receive as much while sitting in his free or subsidised council house, while someone in the next street is paid the same (or maybe less) for working 6 days a week?
Is it “fair” that disruptive and unruly pupils who do nothing in school but make life hell for their classmates and teachers and achieve zero qualifications
(even of the dumbed-down Labour variety) should then go on to receive welfare subsidies to bring their income up to and sometimes beyond that of the child who studies and then works for a living?
“Fair?” What claptrap. It's just unadulterated socialism – a failed system everywhere it's been tried.