Tory-led cuts hit Thanet hard

As the Labour Party launches its 2011 South East election campaign today with a pledge to be people’s voice in tough times, new research shows the Tory-led Government’s cuts to local authorities will hit the average two-adult household with children by £182 in 2011/12.

The research also reveals that in Thanet, the Tory-led Government’s average cut per person will be £38.94.  (Tunbridge Wells - £21.60. Sevenoaks - £19.88. Maidstone - £19.70. Tonbridge & Malling - £19.40).

As the cuts made in Downing Street begin to bite in streets and communities across the South East, Labour councillors will today pledge to speak up for their local areas against the Tory-led Government’s unfair policies.

Clive Hart, Thanet Labour Leader said "The Tory-led Government constantly say 'we're all in this together' but the figures clearly show that the cuts cost our residents here in Thanet much more than other people in relatively wealthier areas, in some cases twice as much. Thanet Local Labour will campaign tirelessly to be the people of Thanet's voice in tough times".

Ed Miliband MP, Leader of the Labour Party, said “Labour launches our election campaign with a clear pledge to people across the country: we will be your voice in tough times. Cuts designed by David Cameron and Nick Clegg are coming direct from Downing Street to your street. Families in every part of the country will be hit by these unfair cuts.  Areas with the greatest need are being asked to bear the greatest burden. The worst off areas are being hit the hardest while the average family will be hit much harder than people in David Cameron’s constituency. Labour will be your community’s first line of defence against the damage being done by a Conservative-led Government and their Liberal Democrat allies".

Notes: 

• Tory-led Government cuts to funding to local authorities mean that in 2011/12 the Revenue Spending Power (RSP) of local authorities will fall by £2,480,900,000.
  
  
• The population in England is 51,809,000.
  
  
• The average cut per person in Thanet this year is £38.94.
  
  
• The cut for the average family with two adults and children is £182.
  
  
• Meanwhile, analysis of local authority council tax charges for 2011/12 shows that Labour councils charge council taxpayers on average £207 less than Tory councils and £40 less than Lib Dem councils.

Join the Labour Party for a penny

The Labour Party has a deal at the moment that will allow young people under the age of 27 to join for just a penny. There are not enough young people involved in politics, and hopefully this will help to increase youth membership.

For more information go to:

https://secure2.labour.org.uk/join/speakout

Dover County Council By-election

Dover Town Division, Kent CC. Lab gain from Con. Lab 1491 (43.7%, +14.3), Con 1348 (39.5%, -4.3), UKIP 404 (11.8%, +11.8), LD 170 (5%, -21.8). Swing of 9.3% from Con to Lab since 2009.

Fantastic result right in the heart of the south-east. The Conservative party lost support in this area, but most notable is the collapse of the Lib Dems who haemorrhage support to the sum of 21.8%! 

Broadstairs Cinema

by Dr R. L. Symonds

Here in Broadstairs we have an excellent small independent cinema, with an enthusiastic film society, showing a weekly art or indie film. The cinema also shows the usual general release films the rest of the week. For the last two weeks however, we are unable to see our film society films, because the cinema proprietor is prevented from showing them by Warner Bros.

This multi-billion pound international company insists that when the cinema shows the latest of their 'Harry Potter productions, they will show no other film, and of course the cinema has to comply because they fear retaliation when they next want to show a Warner Bros film.

It seems Warner Bros, who could buy up many small countries, without really noticing, resents losing even a few pounds income. I suspect that this practice is illegal, even though the proprietor admitted it was in his contract with Warner Bros - although it could be said that such a contract is hardly freely entered into. However, the law counts for nothing against the powerful.

The effects of cutting arts funding

The ConDem Government has committed itself to making £350 million worth of cuts to the arts. The above picture shows what the effects could be on the arts, made even the more poignant for Thanet because of all the investment made in the Turner centre in Margate.

Local Tory Leader's inadequacies go National

Bob Bayford's comments recently at a joint transportation board meeting have gone national. The gaffe whereby Bingo Bob claims that residents of Thanet 'don't know they are born' has been picked up by the Daily Mirror. Just goes to show that even the national media is noticing the problems at Thanet District Council with the Tories.

Has David Miliband committed treason?

by Dr R. L. Symonds

Reading today's news, helpfully provided by Wikileaks, it is fortunate that we did elect the right Milliband as our leader. David Milliband is revealed as conspiring with the Americans to conceal the presence of cluster bombs on British territory. To my mind this is a very serious offence indeed, and amounts to treason.

A future Labour government might consider revising the Treason Felony Act 1848, which is still in force today. Any member of Government, Parliament, or the Royal family who conspires with any foreign power in a matter without the knowledge of Parliament and against Parliament's expressed will on that matter, should be guilty of a serious offence, punishable by imprisonment and expulsion from public office.

This could extend to agencies acting on behalf of the government, for example, any envoy, a Royal representing the government or the Governor of the Bank of England (although the actions of the latter recently would fall short of this proposed offence.)