The Budget

Well its budget day today and its an opportunity for me to share some pre budget predictions.

Income Tax allowances up by £1,000
Duty of Fuel up 2p per litre
VAT up by 2.5%
Beer Duty up by 2p per pint
Duty on Spirits up by 10p per litre
Tobacco duty up 5p
Vehical Excise Duty up £20
Capital Gains Tax up
Social Benefits ie Old Age Pensions, Job Seekers Allowance frozen ie real terms cut
Capital programmes ie like the A14 improvements deffered
Public sector pay frozen ie real terms cut

Charles Clarke and the NEC Elections

It was interesting to read in today's EDP an article about Charles Clarke the former Labour MP for Norwich South who for I have actively campaigned for over the years.

Charles is totally right in his view that the Labour Party must learn quickly the lessons for the defeat if it is to avoid 20 years in opposition as happened after the Labour Government of 1974-79 suffered defeat.

With hindsight when Charles called for Gordon Brown to stand down after Labour disasterous European Election campaign it was probably the right call.

However it would have taken a very special leader to halt the slide as the mood of the country was that it was time for a change even if it did not know what type of change it wanted.

UK politics could over the next few years be very different if plans to reduce the number of MP's from 650 to 450 go ahead along with the introduction of Proportional Representation through the alternative vote system it is possible that we might never see a Labour Government again with an overall majority.

I am pleased to see a friend of mine for my time on the Labour East Regional Board and fellow former Labour Parliamentary Candidate Julian Ware-Lane running for the election to the Labour Party National Executive Committee.