My latest blog to residents entitled: 'Ed Miliband’s reshuffle & the work ahead'
Posted by Kate Green, MP for Stretford and Urmston, at 08:50, Fri 14 October 2011:
The week began with some exciting news: Ed Miliband asked me to join the Labour frontbench to shadow the women and equality portfolio.
I was delighted to accept. Despite Ministers’ cosy language, women are really losing out under this Tory-led government. Cuts to public spending, child benefits and public services have hit women much harder than men.
I know what that means for ordinary families in Trafford, struggling to make ends meet and pay the bills. I hear again and again from my constituents what it’s like to worry about your job, rising living costs, or paying your mortgage and keeping your home. I’ll be getting my teeth into the government on all of this, highlighting the hardship their policies have caused.
And I’m also keen to get stuck into race equality. We made some good progress on this under Labour, introducing race discrimination legislation that really transformed the way bodies like the police, local authorities and government began to take race equality seriously. But there is still a very long way to go.
People from ethnic minority backgrounds experience poorer health, lower levels of employment, a higher risk of poverty, poorer educational outcomes, and less access to top-level jobs. That’s not acceptable, it’s a waste of potential, and it simply isn’t fair.
That’s why I was especially delighted that the Runnymede Trust, the leading think-tank on race equality, came to Old Trafford last week to launch their new campaign.
It was great to see so many local people packed into the community centre to watch a new film featuring some of our neighbours in Old Trafford, and to talk about what more we need to do to end race discrimination for the next generation. I’m very excited about this campaign, and I’ll be doing all I can in my new job to promote it – and I’d love to hear your ideas about what needs to change
But while it was great to see Old Trafford right at the centre of the campaign for greater equality, this week also saw some worrying local news. The Tory government’s decided to cut by 50 the number of MPs in the next parliament. That means constituency boundaries are going to change. And it could mean very bad news for us in Trafford as a result.
The Tories have proposed that in future Clifford ward would be separated from Trafford to become part of the Salford constituency – splitting people living around Shrewsbury Street from their neighbours and friends further along Ayres Road. The Labour party’s determined to oppose this: we know Old Trafford’s a close, tight knit community, and we don’t want to see it broken up.
A public hearing took place this week to discuss the plans to change constituency boundaries, and I’m very grateful to Tahira, Whit, Mike, Joe, and others who came along to speak out against these proposals. They made a really strong case for why we don’t want to see Old Trafford broken up.
Now we’re organising letters to the independent Boundary Commission to reinforce our concerns. This is really important if we’re to keep our community together, and keep Stretford and Urmston Labour too. If you’d be willing to sign a letter objecting to the Tories’ proposals to “fix” the boundaries in their favour, please email me to let me know (kate.green.mp@parliament.uk).
Best wishes Kate
www.kategreen.org
0161 749 9120 kate.green.mp@parliament.uk
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Posted by Jonathan Homer, 09:11, Fri 14 October 2011: (Is this post abusive?) #
I would be interested to hear what Kate's thoughts are on how the economic situation could be handled. The Labour party are attacking the cuts that are being made but we are not hearing any alternative suggestions. The traditional Labour economic policy of goverment spending in the public sector the cover the shortfall in growth and output, stablising the economic cycle is fine as long as you have money to spend. When we have a £150bn deficit and pressures from the European Union, the central banks and the rating agencies to reduce our debt this Keynesian approach to econimics can not work. How would Labour of handled the reduction of our deficit had the won the last election?
Posted by Mr Clive Gibson, 09:59, Fri 14 October 2011: (Is this post abusive?) #
Good news for you Kate, Ed has given you a new job! Not so good for the rest of us as we face the return, in fact it never really went away, of mass unemployment and a Tory attack on our living standards. They are in the position to do this again because of your failure to do anything substantial or make any real changes while in Government for 15 years. Yes you feel sorry for the 'ethnic minorities, and 'women' and even the 'poor', but this kind of gesture politics is empty of content. What you have to do is promise to actually do something to change the sytem, nationalise the banks, as we own them anyway this should be easy, tax the rich and the multi-nationals, reject the 'free market' model and bring the privatised industries back into public ownership. But why am I bothering to write this - you and your party won't do anything much and you have proven that so-called 'democratic' politics is an utter waste of time - the only answer is direct action, strikes, occupations, building grass roots movements to take control of our own live. While we do this you can worry about parliamentary boundaries!
Posted by Katherine Bays, 10:00, Fri 14 October 2011: (Is this post abusive?) #
Thank you Kate. And congratulations on your new appointment! As part of your new remit, would you give your support for the Mumsnet campaign for better miscarriage care? You're now in a fantastic position to change care for the better for one in four pregnant women. (http://www.mumsnet.com/campaigns/better-miscarriage-care-campaign). Thank you!
Posted by d j humphries, 13:27, Fri 14 October 2011: (Is this post abusive?) #
well you got a new job i see, still no apoligy for the massive debt labour got the country into! and what are the socialist policies to reduce the millstone round the country.s neck by red ed,s party and the part he played??? you will need years to convince that Labour can handle money.. i still remember the I M F being called in to rescue the country following denis healey.s disastrous fiasco
Posted by JANICE FLANAGAN, 18:44, Fri 14 October 2011: (Is this post abusive?) #
Hi kate. I would sincerely like to congratulate you on your new post. you are now in a great position to oppose the conservatives blinded attack on the less well off families of this country. Their policies will lead to greater unemployment and misery for sure. Even now business' great and small are cutting jobs. What is their alternative?? We all have now to tighten our belts in every way shape or form in order to survive the so called 'big society'!! It should be re named the 'big misery'!! Best wishes. Janice flanagan stretford
Posted by Jonathan Homer, 19:15, Sun 16 October 2011: (Is this post abusive?) #
@Janice Flanagan. Janice, interesting that you have cited the 'conservatives blinded attack on the less well off families '. Lest us not forget it was Labour who abolished the 10% tax rate which hurt low income families while the Tories have significantly raised the Tax threshold which benifits low income families. Yes there is unemployment and cuts, but this is the stark reality of deficit cutting. Maybe we should look at the last goverment who after nearley 15 years of ecomomic prosperity left us with this deficit. That has hurt the families of this country more than any cuts could ever.
Posted by d j humphries, 04:29, Mon 17 October 2011: (Is this post abusive?) #
hi johnathan, well said ref legacy left by red ed,s party....... during my life time i have seen and experienced socialist policies which prove that the labour party always tax and spend leaving a financial mess for others to correct!!!!!!!!! and still no apoligy from our local mp or others,
Posted by Mr Clive Gibson, 09:45, Mon 17 October 2011: (Is this post abusive?) #
In anwer to the those on this site who blame Labour for the deficit: The 'Deficit' is mostly the result of the action taken by the last government to prop up the Banks and prevent a wider collapse of the Capitalist system. All western governments took the same action and the conservatives were very much in favour and if in power at the time would certainly have done exactly the same.
In fact of course there is nothing wrong with running a Deficit (national debt) and State action is often needed to keep the 'free market' going, this has been recognised by the more enlightened Capitalists since Keynes. What is funny is that many modern 'funamentalist' conservatives see this as dangerously 'left wing' when it is actually only a strategy to try to help the system they love to survive and cling to power without the need for radical social change. 'Paying down the Deficit' is actually very damaging as it puts the brakes on any chance of economic recovery.
Posted by Jonathan Homer, 07:48, Tue 18 October 2011: (Is this post abusive?) #
@Clive Gibson
In it true that the deficit was exacerbated by the bank bail out, however to state that it was mostly down to this I think is fanciful.
A goverments role in the economy is to soften the peaks and troffs that it naturally goes through. When Gordon Brown sesnationally claimed he had eliminated boom and bust, we should of feared the worst. During the naughties (irony) taxes should of been raised while the economy was in boom and public spending slowed. Instead taxes were kept low to curry favour for a goverment ploughing bilions into war, regional assemblies, id cards etc.
The bankers, while far from innocent, are not the root cause of the problems. When you promote a culture of spend spend spend in your fiscal policy you cant stand shocked when it comes back to bite you.
Paying down the deficit can be damaging, but what option do we have. Look at Greece, Spain, Italy, USA et al, they have failed to reduce their deficits and are in a far worse state than we are. Yes things are bad for all now, but they would be infinatly worse if we had to be bailed out and had our credit rating lowered.
Posted by Kate Green, 09:40, Fri 4 November 2011: (Is this post abusive?) #
Thank you for all of your comments.
1. Mumsnet campaign
I support the Mumsnet campaign and as you’ll imagine already been contacted by many constituents. I’ve written to the Secretary of Health and the local PCT. If you’d like to see their responses please drop you a line with your email address and I’ll pass copies onto you.
2. Economy
Labour’s top priorities for the economy are addressing unemployment and lack of growth. Ed Miliband and Ed Balls recently set out a clear five-point plan for jobs, to help struggling families and support small businesses:
1. £2 billion tax on bank bonuses to fund 100,000 jobs for young people and build 25,000 more affordable homes.
2. Bringing forward long term investment projects – schools, road and transport – to get people back to work and strengthen our economy for the future.
3. Temporarily reversing the Tory-led Government damaging VAT rise – a £450 boost for families with children – immediate help for our high streets and for struggling families and pensioners.
4. A one year cut in VAT to 5% for home improvements, repairs and maintenance – to help homeowners and small businesses.
5. A one year national insurance tax break for small firms which take on extra workers – helping small businesses to grow and create jobs.
Let’s remember the country went into the financial crisis with lower national debt than we inherited in 1997.
And it was absolutely right to ensure when the financial crisis hit that the banking system didn’t collapse. Now it’s important that banks lend to small business to help boost the economy.
Of course we need to pay down the deficit; but the Government’s cutting too far and too fast. The slash and burn policies of the current Government are driving the economy into a downward spiral.
It’s time to change course.