Sat, 01 Sep 2007 21:49:53 +0100 http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/ News & reviews from Ludlow Constituency en-gb http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/images/ldlogo.gif http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/ bridgno@bridgnorth-libdems.org http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1525.html Councillor Heather Kidd won her bid to become the Liberal Democrat’s candidate for Ludlow constituency on Wednesday night. Cllr Kidd, formerly leader of South Shropshire District Council and is it's current oposition leader, will attempt to become the area’s first female MP to represent Bridgnorth and Ludlow at Westminster. She beat rivals Susan Juned, who is the chairman of Stratford-upon-Avon Council, and Councillor Christine Tinker, a Ludlow resident, in a vote of party activists. Councillor Kidd said: “This is the only constituency that I’ve ever wanted to fight. “I’m delighted. We love it here, it is our home. There are lessons to be learned from the last campaign. “Our present MP, Philip Dunne, spends more time in parliament but I’ll be working hard in the constituency. We think this is a very winnable seat. “Wouldn’t it be good for Ludlow to have its first ever Liberal Democrat woman MP? I’m ready to go anytime, as soon as the election is called.” Councillor Kidd polled 84 votes, Susan Juned scored 47 and Christine Tinker 34. Sat, 01 Sep 2007 21:49:53 +0100 http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1524.html The results of National Curriculum Assessments at Key Stage One published today show that writing standards among seven-year-olds in England have fallen for the second year in a row. Some 80% of children reached Level 2 in school writing tests - a fall of one percentage point on 2006.There was no change in maths, science or reading this year, with some 90% achieving the required level in maths, 89% in science and 84% in reading. [BBC] It is national disgrace that one in four boys don't even have the most basic writing skills aged seven. These figures will be very disappointing for ministers as boys continue to perform far worse than girls, and improvement overall has stalled or in some cases is even going backwards. The government has lost the momentum of improvement in primary school standards and is now unlikely to meet its targets. (Laws) Thu, 30 Aug 2007 15:56:27 +0100 http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1523.html According to the quarterly NHS financial data published today, the NHS is expected to have a surplus worth £983m by the end of next year. The latest finance forecast estimates that the number of NHS trusts in deficit will fall by three quarters to 22 by the end of 2008, accounting for six per cent of all trusts. The gross deficit stands at £204m, down from £911m since last year, while the surplus has increased from £510m in 2006-07. [ePolitix] Last year saw dreadful cuts in key services used by very vulnerable people to achieve this year's surplus. Patients and those working in the NHS will be left asking what the hidden cost of achieving this surplus was. While NHS staff are working hard to improve patient care, we continue to lag significantly behind Europe on issues such as cancer and stroke care for example. (Lamb) [SOS for the NHS campaign] Thu, 30 Aug 2007 15:42:16 +0100 http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1522.html Conservative leader David Cameron’s campaign to ‘save the district general hospital’ has hit already hit trouble, just one day after its launch. Conservative MP Henry Bellingham was forced to apologise today after Mr Cameron wrongly claimed maternity services at his local district hospital were under threat. Mr Bellingham stressed that the hospital is not facing cuts. Meanwhile, Altrincham General Hospital, named by the Conservatives as being threatened with the closure of its maternity and accident and emergency unit does not have either facilities, it has emerged. Other NHS trusts have also contradicted the Conservative claims. The Conservatives named the Princes Royal Hospital amongst the list of 29 because of the possible loss of maternity facilities. Hospital bosses reacted immediately, saying the information in the report was “totally unfounded” and called for a correction. Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust chief executive Tom Taylor said the claims could cause unnecessary worry to local women and staff. The Emergency Medicine Journal has published research suggesting the closure of local A&E departments will put the lives of seriously ill patients at risk by making them travel further for treatment. However, the government said the study of 10,000 cases in four ambulance services between 1997 and 2001 was outdated and did not take into account developments in ambulance care. [BBC] [MEN – Altrincham] [SHROPSHIRE STAR: Tories’ county hospital row] Wed, 22 Aug 2007 12:07:47 +0100 http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1521.html The Independent on Sunday has reported that senior military commanders have advised the government to withdraw troops from south-east Iraq without further delay. Commanders have said that Britain can achieve "nothing more" in Basra, which has seen a sharp rise in insurgent attacks over the past year. [Independent] Gordon Brown must listen to his generals in Iraq and set a target date for withdrawal. The number of British deaths and casualties is unacceptable. We have a moral obligation to the brave young men and women fighting in Iraq and to the British people to reappraise our strategy and start the drawdown of troops. (Campbell)  Tue, 21 Aug 2007 07:55:15 +0100 http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1520.html Labour has been condemned over the expansion of costly, unaccountable quangos. An in-depth study found the 883 "arm's-length" government agencies and advisory and monitoring bodies spent £167.5billion last year, up from £24.1billion in 1997-98. The study by the Economic Research Council think-tank reveals that 200 more quangos have been set up in the past two years. Seven more have been unveiled in the seven weeks since Mr Brown took power - including a Business Council for Britain, Homes Agency and Independent Statistics Board. Some of these are enormously powerful bodies that dispose of vast quantities of money, are largely unaccountable and are often staffed with extremely highly paid executives, yet they produce results of questionable merit. (Cable) Tue, 21 Aug 2007 07:53:49 +0100 http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1519.html Banks have been accused of creating a whole generation of debtors after it was revealed that one student has just graduated with loans of £60,000 - among the highest ever seen. As students received their A-level results last week, it emerged that banks make minimal checks when university-goers open student accounts, allowing them to have multiple overdrafts of up to £2,000 a time. [Sunday Times] Banks are aggressively promoting debts among students, taking no account of the serious problems associated with getting heavily into debt at such a young age. There is an added issue that the government will not allow information about student debt to be included in pooled debt data that is shared among lenders. This means that banks are lending large sums of money to people because they are unaware of the debts they have already run up. (Cable) Tue, 21 Aug 2007 07:52:29 +0100 http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1518.html Stories continue to surface about the poor state of Tory Shropshire’s County elderly care – supposedly one of England’s best. Mrs M of Much Wenlock is 78 – her husband, Glyn, is over 80 and suffering Alzheimer’s.  His wife has cared devotedly for him until it became “simply too much”.  When he had a fall, she was frightened at how to lift him.  She only went to social services for help when she could no longer cope – “at the end of her tether”.  That was over two months ago.  Every week, social services review the case and say they have no place for Mr M. “There is this constant strain, every week, of not knowing what’s happening – of vain hope”, said Cllr Dave Gibbon (Lib Dem).  “And she has turned for help when she’s at the end of her tether – 78 years old and social services are failing her.  It’s a shameful situation”. Liberal Democrats have revealed a shocking state of affairs in the Tory County Council’s elderly care. “Basically, the budget is hopelessly inadequate – it’s less than they actually spent last year!”  said South Shropshire Lib Dem Leader, Heather Kidd.  “It’s causing real distress to people like Mr & Mrs M.  And bed blocking, impacting on our hospitals and their budgets etc.  A measure of a civilised society is its treatment of its elderly citizens.  We in South Shropshire – indeed in all the Districts – will want to see the Unitary significantly improve on this Tory record.  It’s a shameful record and Barbara Craig, who is the Cabinet member responsible, should resign. Mon, 13 Aug 2007 18:40:48 +0100 http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1517.html Liberal Democrats mocked MP Philip Dunne for comments made last week.  Mr Dunne welcomed the extra £650,000 being put into elderly social care by the Tory County Council.  “They’re still spending less than last year”, said Wenlock Councillor Dave Gibbon.,  “Mrs Craig told the PCT in May that, despite “adding” 600,000 in April, her department made CUTS of £1.7M! Any child could see that the £650k more still leaves her short – and older people’s numbers and needs are growing”. Shropshire’s Liberal Democrats have unveiled the impact of ‘utterly inadequate budgeting for the elderly’ : bed blocking in community hospitals. elderly patients trapped for 4 months or more in hospitals awaiting social care packages. local GP’s unable to get their patients into community hospitals because of bed blocking. carers ‘at the end of their tether’ through lack of care packages. PCT budgets hit because the Tory Council doesn’t pay for thebed-blocking. Flagship ‘Four Rivers’ nursing home slammed by CSCI inspectors and still only operating at three quarter capacity due to lack of staff. “It’s a shameful record”, said Heather Kidd, South Shropshire Lib Dem Leader.  “We – all the Districts – will seek reassurance that the Unitary Council will perform better than this Tory County.  Clearly, care of the elderly mustn’t be a first call on our efficiency savings”. Mon, 13 Aug 2007 18:37:04 +0100 http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1516.html Conservative donor Sir Tom Cowie has accused David Cameron of an "arrogant, Old Etonian" style of leadership and said he would give the party no more money. He said: "All I can say is I am very, very disappointed with the state of the party." He also said: "The Tory party seems to be run now by Old Etonians and they don't seem to understand how other people live. [BBC] "They seem to be very arrogant like I suppose Old Etonians can be. They certainly don't understand about grammar schools." Sir Tom Cowie, who has paid £630,000 to the Tories over the past six years, said he had become "disillusioned" and is now planning to make donations to the Prince's Trust charity instead. Meanwhile a 26 year old Conservative Councillor has defected to Labour in Rhondda. Cllr Anstee said he had hoped Cameron would make the party more in tune with people. He went on to say the Conservative party is "incapable of change".  Tue, 07 Aug 2007 22:24:49 +0100 http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1515.html The communities and local government committee warned yesterday that council tax benefits are restrictive and too few people claim them. Last year, nearly £2 billion went unclaimed.The cross-party group of MPssaid it is difficult to justify rules which leave 1.4 million adults living in poverty and yet still liable to pay the full council tax. [BBC] [Independent] This report shows just how unfair Council Tax is. 1.2 million pensioners and 3.2 million working-age adults in poverty pay full Council Tax. Tinkering with a flawed tax won't make it work better. Millions will still struggle to pay their bills. Council tax must be scrapped and replaced by a tax based on people's ability to pay. (Stunell) [Release] Tue, 07 Aug 2007 21:57:28 +0100 http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1514.html Hospital services face chaos today as an unprecedented 30,000 junior doctors change jobs at once. Operations will be cancelled or delayed, while casualty and intensive-care departments could be severely undermanned. Many will have no experience in the areas of medicine in which they are working, will not know their way around the hospital and will be absent from the wards as they attend induction days. [Daily Mail] [24dash] Patients will be at the sharp end of ministers' incompetence. If the government had listened to the chorus of criticism from doctors, hospitals and opposition parties from the start, this might have been avoided. With so many doctors starting in unfamiliar environments on the same day, human nature means that mistakes are more likely and patients will bear the brunt. (Gidley) Tue, 31 Jul 2007 17:25:26 +0100 http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1513.html The man who introduced David Cameron at the launch of his campaign to lead the Conservative Party less than two years ago has accused the Tory leader for "gimmickry" and being "obsessed with PR". Ali Miraj, who was Tory candidate in Watford in 2005 and is a member of two of Mr Cameron’s policy groups, told the BBC: "I'm disillusioned because I think substance has been replaced by PR. What I'm asking for is some substance and some credibility and not box-ticking and gimmickry. People have had enough of Tony Blair for 10 years. They don't want another Tony Blair.” In an article on the website ConservativeHome, Mr Miraj expands on his criticisms, saying “dark clouds are gathering over Mr Cameron’s leadership”. He attacks the Tories for a failure to engage with ethnic minorities, and cites candidate selection in Ealing Southall, the approach to Greg Dyke over the London mayoralty and the appointment of Sayeeda Warsi to the Tory shadow cabinet as further evidence of “Cameron’s obsession with PR”. Yesterday, writing in the Evening Standard, Lord Saatchi, the former Tory chairman, warned that "nicey-nicey" politics would not win the next election. Lord Saatchi criticised Mr Cameron's focus on branding and urged him to appeal to voters on the economy. Two new polls have also added to David Cameron’s woes (see News in Brief, below). [BBC] [Guardian] [ConservativeHome] Tue, 31 Jul 2007 17:18:19 +0100 http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1512.html A new poll by YouGov for Channel 4 News at Noon has found that more than half of voters do not believe that Tory leader David Cameron is in control of his party. Just 22 per cent of those questioned said Mr Cameron was in control of the Tories, compared to 52 per cent who said he was not. The poll also revealed that neither Mr Brown nor Mr Cameron inspires voters. Only 26% saw the new PM as inspiring against 51% who said he was not. But the Tory leader fared worse, receiving 22 per cent positive responses to the question and 54 per cent negative. [Telegraph] Thu, 26 Jul 2007 18:41:50 +0100 http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1511.html Local Government Minister John Healey has today announced that the Shropshire Bid for unitary status will now go ahead towards implementation with the intention that the new authority will be fully up and running in 2009. In total there were 9 succesful bids, 4 of which need futher work to prove the finacial case. 6 further bids will not be proceeding. Councils currently estimate that the nine new unitary authorities could save over £150 million per year which can be used to directly improve front line services or to reduce council tax bills. The proposals open the door to creating flagship councils that will lead the way on promoting prosperity, empowering citizens and communities, and improving public services for the 3.5 million people in the areas going forward. The number of councils in these areas will be reduced from forty-six to eleven. Read more about the Government decision on a Unitary Council for Shropshire at: http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1002882&PressNoticeID=2470 Read about the Shropshire County Councils perspective: http://www.shropshire.gov.uk/onecouncil.nsf Read more from the Government at: http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1002882&PressNoticeID=2470 Wed, 25 Jul 2007 19:12:53 +0100 http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1510.html ICM’s monthly poll for The Guardian puts the Conservatives down three per cent to 32 per cent, their lowest rating since David Cameron became leader and below their general election percentage (32.3%) for the first time under Cameron. Labour are down one to 38 per cent and the Lib Dems up two to 20 per cent. This is the third poll in less than a week to show a Labour lead of six points or more. As recently as March ICM put the Tories on 41 per cent with a ten point lead over Labour. In other findings: ·         18% of voters say they like Cameron but not his party, however 26% say they like the Tories but not Cameron ·         3% of Tory voters say they like Cameron but not his party, but 42% say they like the party but not Cameron ·         21% of voters say their opinion of Gordon Brown has improved in the last month, while 8% say it has fallen ·         A majority of voters would like an election this autumn or next spring Last week’s by-elections showed that the Conservatives are totally marginalised in the north of England, and they are going nowhere in the south. The Liberal Democrats are the party gaining momentum. This poll backs that up. David Cameron is all spin and no substance. The real opposition to the government is coming from the Liberal Democrats. [ICM polls archive] [Guardian] Wed, 25 Jul 2007 16:32:22 +0100 http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1509.html EALING SOUTHALL: LIB DEMS SLASH LABOUR MAJORITY, DISASTER FOR CONSERVATIVES Nigel Bakhai and the Liberal Democrats have soured Gordon Brown’s honeymoon, slashing the Labour majority in Ealing Southall to just 5,070 votes. The Labour to Lib Dem swing was 5.2%. The Tories, despite five visits by David Cameron and a handpicked ‘local celebrity’ candidate, trailed home in third place in yesterday’s by-election, picking up 22% of the vote. [BBC] [Guardian] [Release] SEDGEFIELD: BIG SWING TO LIBERAL DEMOCRATS - CONSERVATIVES PUSHED INTO POOR THIRD Greg Stone and the Liberal Democrats stormed into second place in the Sedgefield by-election with a spectacular 11% swing from Labour. Labour saw their majority slashed by more than half as the Lib Dems almost doubled their share of the vote. The Tories slumped to third place on 13%, only just ahead of the BNP. [BBC] [Release] MENZIES CAMPBELL ON LAST NIGHT’S RESULTS ON THE LIB DEMS: These are great results for the Liberal Democrats. In Southall we have increased our share of the vote and significantly reduced Labour’s majority. In Sedgefield we have almost doubled our share of the vote, and pushed the Conservatives into a poor third place. ON LABOUR: This is a blow for Brown. The government must heed the warning that their traditional supporters are sending – disastrous decisions on Iraq and rewarding the richest in society are being rejected by hard-working and fair-minded families.  ON THE CONSERVATIVES: This is a disaster for David Cameron. The Conservative Party put everything into Ealing Southall and got nothing out of it. In Sedgefield the Conservatives have been pushed into a poor third place. They are totally marginalised in the north of England, and they are going nowhere in the south. CONCLUSION: The Liberal Democrats are the only party gaining momentum while both Labour and the Conservatives are losing ground fast. Tonight’s results have proved once again that the real opposition to the government comes from the Liberal Democrats. Three-party politics is here to stay. (Campbell) Sat, 21 Jul 2007 12:27:18 +0100 http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1508.html An exodus of young people to the towns is one of the biggest threats to the viability of villages and hamlets in England, a report suggests. The report, State of the Countryside, sees cheaper affordable housing, particularly in the social rented sector, as one of the main solutions to attract younger people to the countryside. The impact of migrant workers on rural communities is also highlighted in the report. This report shows that ten years of Labour policies have failed rural communities. Many areas have no access to essential services such as GP surgeries, banks and post offices. The government must work to ensure our villages and market towns become sustainable communities. That means building more affordable homes and investing in better services for local people. (Huhne) Tue, 17 Jul 2007 16:34:50 +0100 http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1507.html A Liberal Democrat proposal for fair taxation of the wealthy was voted down by Labour MPs in the House of Commons yesterday, as the Tories sat on their hands. The motion was proposed in an opposition day debate led by Shadow Chancellor Vince Cable. Dr Cable called for the closure of loopholes in capital gains tax which allow the very wealthy to pay less tax than their cleaners. He warned that middle-income families were disproportionately burdened by stamp duty and inheritance tax thresholds. [Click here to read a report on the whole debate] We believe that within the current level of taxation it would be possible to have a system that is fairer, simpler and greener. We are a relatively unequal country and I think what one can reasonably ask of the government is that they don't pursue policies which make these disparities worse. (Cable) Tue, 17 Jul 2007 16:32:19 +0100 http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1506.html The Liberal Democrats have been backed to win both of [this] week’s by-elections with William Hill, who have slashed their odds from 5/1 to 3/1 to win the Ealing-Southall by-election; and from 33/1 to 16/1 to win in Sedgefield. “The Lib Dems traditionally fare well in by-elections and as ninety per cent of the money we have taken for these two is being placed on that Party there is clearly an expectation that Sir Menzies Campbell’s leadership could be in for a boost next Thursday” said William Hill’s spokesman Graham Sharpe. Text taken directly from William Hill press release, ‘Lib Dems backed for by-election glory’, 14/07/07 Mon, 16 Jul 2007 22:11:10 +0100 http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1505.html UK troops should withdraw from Iraq as soon as they have trained local forces - regardless of the security situation, a group of senior politicians has said. The US-led coalition has "no easy options left, only painful ones", a report by the Iraq Commission stated. "We are, in a sense, a target for the violence, and therefore we need to hand this process over to the Iraqis," joint Commission chairman Lord Ashdown told BBC One's Sunday AM programme. The Commission recommends a "diplomatic offensive" to stabilise Iraq's borders. Speaking on Saturday, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki said that the Iraqi army and police are capable of keeping security in the country when American troops leave "any time they want". On Friday the US House of Representatives voted in favour of pulling most combat troops out of Iraq by April next year. [BBC - Commission] [Iraq Commission] [BBC – Maliki] The tectonic plates are shifting under President Bush and the end game on Iraq is already well underway in the United States. Coalition troops must withdraw from Iraq. Any further training of Iraqi military and security forces must be done through the United Nations to internationalise support for Iraq so that coalition forces can withdraw. (Campbell) [Liberal Democrats – Commission] [LDs – Maliki] Mon, 16 Jul 2007 22:09:52 +0100 http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1504.html The cross-party Public Administration Committee has urged the government to extend support under the Financial Assistance Scheme to people who lose out when companies close pensions but remain solvent. Currently only those whose firms have gone bust can claim help through the scheme. MPs will vote tomorrow on the question. A government statement today has been dismissed by the Lib Dems as ’more dithering and delay’. [Guardian] The government's scandalous failure to provide proper compensation to the 125,000 victims of collapsed occupational pensions is causing justifiable anger. Parliament must ensure that everyone is treated fairly by voting for the House of Lords amendments tomorrow. Compensation for these people must be provided at the same level as will be paid to any schemes that collapse in future. (Alexander) [LDs1] [LDs2] Mon, 16 Jul 2007 22:08:39 +0100 http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1503.html The Liberal Democrats have unveiled radical plans to cut the basic rate by four pence in the pound, benefiting millions of people on low and middle incomes. The party’s proposals are tax neutral and have been independently evaluated by the IFS. The proposals in the party’s new tax paper include: Reaffirming the commitment to abolishing Council Tax, replacing it with a tax based on ability to pay Removing tax loop-holes exploited by the super-rich Radically simplifying the tax code, removing over 500 pages of unnecessary regulations Reforming stamp duty to reduce the amount of tax paid on properties worth less than £500,000 Reforming Inheritance Tax, with the aim of raising the starting threshold to £500,000 The unacceptable reality is that in Britain today the poorest pay a higher proportion of their income in tax than the super-rich. Under our proposals tax cuts for the majority will be paid for by the wealthy minority, as well as those with environmentally damaging lifestyles. Only the Liberal Democrats have produced a costed plan to create a tax system that is fair, simple and green. I challenge Gordon Brown and David Cameron to back up their rhetoric by endorsing our plans. (Campbell) Please click here for further information on the Lib Dem tax proposals Sat, 14 Jul 2007 09:08:57 +0100 http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1502.html A senior Conservative in the by-election seat of Ealing Southall has quit the party for the Liberal Democrats, following the imposition of a candidate on the local party by Tory spin-doctors. Mr Brij Mohan Gupta, Deputy Chair of Ealing Southall Conservatives, accused David Cameron of showing ‘contempt’ for local Conservative members by forcing the branch to accept someone whose commitment to the party was less than a week old. He said: “Almost all local Conservative party members feel like I do. The Conservative candidate cannot win in Ealing Southall. As the last General Election showed it is the Liberal Democrats who are challenging Labour here.” The news came as Sir Menzies Campbell formally opened the Lib Dem Ealing Southall by-election HQ where the campaign is already up and running. [Release] [Campaign website] Senior Conservative Party members across Ealing Southall are extremely unhappy with the way David Cameron runs the Tory Party. People want their political leaders to have clear principles and policies, but under Mr Cameron even once loyal party members say the Conservatives seem prepared to say anything to win votes. (Davey) [Click here for details of how to help in the Ealing Southall campaign] Thu, 05 Jul 2007 07:57:31 +0100 http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1501.html Figures released today by the Liberal Democrats show that the government has spent at least £2.6 million reorganising and rebranding government departments since 1997. These costs are set to increase even further after Gordon Brown’s announcement to split the Department for Education and Skills into two departments and the rebranding of the Department for Trade and Industry. The research shows: ·         When the Home Office split earlier this year, the creation of the Ministry of Justice cost £1.5million ·         The cost of creating the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in 2001 was £529,000 ·         The creation six years ago of the now split Department for Education and Skills cost £56,057 ·         Local Government has been the responsibility of departments with five different names. People will not be impressed with Brown’s endless tinkering of the titles of Whitehall departments but want him to raise standards in schools, improve patient care in hospitals and protect the environment. Brown should concentrate less on renaming ministries and more on the policies they implement. (Stunell) [Release] Mon, 02 Jul 2007 17:50:37 +0100