South East Labour Election Campaign

A group of local young people affected by Tory-led Government cuts joined Labour Shadow Health Secretary John Healey in Brighton on Thursday 31st March for the launch of Labour’s South East election campaign.

From the 19 year-old whose Connexion’s youth worker has been made redundant, to the 18 year-old with three A-levels unable to find work, to the 23-year old new father facing benefit cuts and unemployment, to students who can’t afford university due to soaring tuition fees, the message was spelt out clearly on placards made up by the group: “Vexed Generation”, “Un-sure Start”, “Another Unemployed Woman”.

Shadow Health Secretary John Healey: “The Tory-led Government is kicking away the ladder for young people across the South East. 3,950 people across the region were kept in work by Labour’s Future Jobs Fund, which the Tory-led Government has now scrapped.”

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.

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.