Over the last few days their has been talk of what happens in the event of neither the Labour or Tory Party having an overall majority.
The simple answer is that the political uncertainity would cause the financial markets to go into a state of panic not seen since the start of the recession.
All the good work done by the Labour Government in getting Britian out of recession would be undone in a matter of minutes after the election result.
Wednesday, 21 April 2010
Sunday, 11 April 2010
Real Progress on the NHS
The Kings Fund report out today shows the real progress that has resulted from Labour's commitment and record investment in the NHS.
The reduction in waiting times is very welcome.
The challenge for the NHS over the next few years is dealing with the health inpacts of rising levels of Alcohol and the problems caused by obesity.
In England 46% of men and 32% of women are overweight with a Body Mass Index of over 25-30,
Whist 17% of men and 21% of Women are classed at obese ie BMI over 30.
Oh and before you get the idea that I am some mega skinny person telling you about this I have to confess to my own battle with weight I am currently 14 and half stone battling to get down to 13 stone.
The reduction in waiting times is very welcome.
The challenge for the NHS over the next few years is dealing with the health inpacts of rising levels of Alcohol and the problems caused by obesity.
In England 46% of men and 32% of women are overweight with a Body Mass Index of over 25-30,
Whist 17% of men and 21% of Women are classed at obese ie BMI over 30.
Oh and before you get the idea that I am some mega skinny person telling you about this I have to confess to my own battle with weight I am currently 14 and half stone battling to get down to 13 stone.
Tuesday, 6 April 2010
Declaration of interests
As the Labour candidate for the House of Commons for South East Cambridgeshire I am making public all my commercial and financial interests in accordance with Ministry of Justice recomendations.
This will be up on my campaign website www.labourparty-secambs.org.uk
This will be up on my campaign website www.labourparty-secambs.org.uk
Saturday, 27 March 2010
Methadrone
On monday the Advisory Council on Drugs Misuse reports to Jack Straw the Minsiter for Justice on whether Methadrone should be included within the current Misuse of Drugs Act as either a class A, B or C drug.
I have never used Methadrone nor do I have any particular desire to do so however I express my concern over a possible panic ban on the back of a few stories in the press.
In 2008 9,031 people died as a result of a legal drug called Alcohol and another legal drug Tobacco accounts for 80,000 deaths a year.
Banning Methadrone would not stop its use in fact it would just push it under ground leading to more danger for users as dealers cut it with other substances.
The other issue is that even if a ban does dry up supply it is only a matter of months before the chemists come up with a new legal high which may have even more harmful side effects.
Regulation to control the quality and doses of Methadrone would have a far less damaging effect on users.
I have never used Methadrone nor do I have any particular desire to do so however I express my concern over a possible panic ban on the back of a few stories in the press.
In 2008 9,031 people died as a result of a legal drug called Alcohol and another legal drug Tobacco accounts for 80,000 deaths a year.
Banning Methadrone would not stop its use in fact it would just push it under ground leading to more danger for users as dealers cut it with other substances.
The other issue is that even if a ban does dry up supply it is only a matter of months before the chemists come up with a new legal high which may have even more harmful side effects.
Regulation to control the quality and doses of Methadrone would have a far less damaging effect on users.
Friday, 5 March 2010
Tories and VAT
A few years back prior to Labour winning the 1997 General Election I remember going out and campaigning against the Tory Government's plans to put Value Added Tax on domestic fuels.
There for it was interesting to read of Tory leaning Think Tank Reform www.reform.co.uk proposing that VAT be extended to areas such as Food and Childrens clothes.
Indirect taxation hits the weaker members of society the hardest as there have less disposable income the Tories have a pretty bad record of VAT increases.
It was Tory Governments that increased VAT from 8% to 15% and finally to 17.5%.
Whislt the the Tories pretend to be the party of low taxation the truth is far from with plans to give Inheritance Tax breaks to the richest 500 estates in the UK the Tories really can not be trusted when it comes to taxation.
There for it was interesting to read of Tory leaning Think Tank Reform www.reform.co.uk proposing that VAT be extended to areas such as Food and Childrens clothes.
Indirect taxation hits the weaker members of society the hardest as there have less disposable income the Tories have a pretty bad record of VAT increases.
It was Tory Governments that increased VAT from 8% to 15% and finally to 17.5%.
Whislt the the Tories pretend to be the party of low taxation the truth is far from with plans to give Inheritance Tax breaks to the richest 500 estates in the UK the Tories really can not be trusted when it comes to taxation.
Tuesday, 23 February 2010
Single parents and pubs
Was interesting to hear today that all three of the mainstream political party leaders have backed Gingerbreads campaign to remove the stigma of being a lone parents.
Whilst backing this campaign might not be so hard for Labour and the Lib Dems back it shows what a long way the Tories have come from party that was attacking single parents as part of its now infamous back to basics campaign.
Single parents still get a pretty tough time and the Gingerbread Campaign is very welcome and well help in removing some of the stigma that single parents face.
Pubs play a very important role in the community and are as much an asset as post offices the pub industry has been in decline for a number of years factors such as changing lifestyles all are factors however one measure that would help would be a reduction in beer duty.
The Labour Government has recognised many of the challenges that the pub industry faces and John Healey has been appointed Minster of Pubs.
At the Labour Party Conference in Brighton last year I meet with John Mann MP of the All Party Beer Group and the Chief Executive of the Pub Industry Association to raise my concerns at the decline of the pub industry.
Whilst backing this campaign might not be so hard for Labour and the Lib Dems back it shows what a long way the Tories have come from party that was attacking single parents as part of its now infamous back to basics campaign.
Single parents still get a pretty tough time and the Gingerbread Campaign is very welcome and well help in removing some of the stigma that single parents face.
Pubs play a very important role in the community and are as much an asset as post offices the pub industry has been in decline for a number of years factors such as changing lifestyles all are factors however one measure that would help would be a reduction in beer duty.
The Labour Government has recognised many of the challenges that the pub industry faces and John Healey has been appointed Minster of Pubs.
At the Labour Party Conference in Brighton last year I meet with John Mann MP of the All Party Beer Group and the Chief Executive of the Pub Industry Association to raise my concerns at the decline of the pub industry.
Friday, 5 February 2010
A question of Leadership
This week has been a challenging one for John Terry outed by the News of the World having an affair with a french underwear model.
The decision to remove Terry from being England Captian must have been a hard one for the England Manager however the danger is that John Terry's affair with not only anybody but the ex-girlfriend of a team mate might have weakend the respect that other players in the England Team.
Who ever the England Manager chooses to be the new Captain lets just hope they can keep there mind on football.
The decision to remove Terry from being England Captian must have been a hard one for the England Manager however the danger is that John Terry's affair with not only anybody but the ex-girlfriend of a team mate might have weakend the respect that other players in the England Team.
Who ever the England Manager chooses to be the new Captain lets just hope they can keep there mind on football.
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