Jeremy Browne MP’s Monthly Update - April 2008
Posted by Jeremy Browne, MP for Taunton, at 13:52, Tue 6 May 2008:
This month Jeremy and a group of students from Taunton Deane took part in an educational visit to Auschwitz in Poland. On their return he commented;
"The scale of the systematic genocide which took place at Auschwitz is almost impossible to comprehend. Seeing the death camp is a traumatic experience but it has a profound and permanent educational impact, and teaches us the importance of respecting others."
SAVE TAUNTON DEANE POST OFFICES
Over the past two months, Jeremy has collected thousands of signatures in support of his campaign to save Taunton Deane’s post offices. This month he took them to parliament, saying;
“The post offices of Shuttern, West Monkton, Bradford-on-Tone, West Buckland, Kingston St Mary, Churchinford and Lydeard St Lawrence are all threatened with closure, but are vital service providers to pensioners, those without public transport, and other disadvantaged groups. “Literally thousands of people living in Taunton Deane have signed my petition in protest. The government should listen to public will and reverse its closure programme.” Read Jeremy’s submission at; http://pubs1.tso.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080428/debtext/80428-0021.htm#0804297000001
TAUNTON BREWERY
Taunton Gold proved popular on all sides of the Commons in April when Jeremy arranged for it to be guest ale in the famous Strangers’ Bar. He said;
"Taunton Brewing Company has been in existence for less than two years but its beers are already being appreciated my thousands of drinkers across Somerset.
"I recently visited the brewery in West Bagborough and I think it is great that MP’s from all sides have been able to sample a real taste of Somerset this month.”
SUPPORTING 40 COMMANDO
This month Jeremy welcomed home Taunton based Marines from Afghanistan at two events in London. He said;
“The Marines of 40 Commando have faced terrible dangers and many have suffered serious injury, but their bravery is hugely respected in Taunton. I am proud to support them, and am grateful for their selfless service to their country.”
IN THE COMMUNITY
Jeremy’s activities in Taunton this month included;
- visiting Wellington cinema, St Margaret’s Hospice in Bishops Hull, and the infection control team at Musgrove Park hospital
- speaking to the Wellington Eco Youth Group, West Monkton WI, and stall owners at the Italian market
- opening the South West Muscular Dystrophy conference and the Regional First Aid and Care Awards. - attending the Martin Luther King service at Temple Methodist Church, the NSPCC open day, the Buff Urban Day Spa launch, and Thoroughly Modern Millie at the Brewhouse.
SPOKESPERSON'S NEWS
Jeremy is the Liberal Democrat Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, focusing on issues such as accountability in public spending, personal debt and taxation.
FIGHTING FOR THE 10P RATE
Jeremy has criticised the government for failing to protect low-earners. On voting against the abolition of the 10p rate of income tax, Jeremy argued;
“When I read the concession letter from the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the Chairman of the Treasury Committee [on the 10p tax rate] this month, I could not understand why Labour MPs were in such a buoyant and euphoric mood.
“The Government propose to double the 10p rate to 20p for low earners, going completely in the wrong direction.
“We could choose to use the 10p mechanism to assist those people, or it could be done some other way. A millionaire pays less as a result of the 10p rate decision, so I appreciate that it is not a very focused tax reduction for people on low and low-to-middle incomes, but it is a hell of a lot better than what the Government are proposing.”
Read Jeremy’s speech at; http://pubs1.tso.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080428/debtext/80428-0016.htm
MENDING THE UK ECONOMY
During a debate on the economy, Jeremy drew attention to the poor record of Labour and the Conservatives. He said;
“Personal debt stands at £1.4 trillion. House prices are more than nine times average earnings, compared with five times at the start of the last housing crash back in 1990. Real inflation for real people is far in excess of the official Government figure.
“Furthermore, it is worth looking back to the grim statistics—the record of the Conservative party in government.
“Between 1990 and 1997, 420,000 families had their homes repossessed. Between 1990 and 1995, house prices fell by 14.5 per cent. Average interest rates when the Conservatives were last in office were around 11 per cent. and reached 15 per cent. The average rate of inflation when the Conservatives were in power was 5.8 per cent. That is a truly embarrassing and appalling record.”
Read Jeremy’s full speech at; http://pubs1.tso.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080402/debtext/80402-0012.htm
REFORM, NOT REVENUE RAISING KEY TO BETTER PUBLIC SERVICES
Whilst leading for the Liberal Democrats in this month’s general debate on the Finance Bill, Jeremy spoke against the recent Budget and told the government their endless tax raising measures weren’t resulting in better public services. He said;
“There is no lack of issues for the House and the Government to get to grips with; the question is not “How much?” but “How?”
“We are no longer in the area of talking about whether taxes and public spending can be endlessly raised; rather, we are in the area of talking about how we can spend that money more efficiently and achieve better value for money on behalf of all our constituents in order to achieve the objectives that we all share.
“The primary domestic objective must be to make public services more accessible and more accountable.”
Read Jeremy’s full speech at; http://pubs1.tso.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080421/debtext/80421-0011.htm
PROTECTING SMALL BUSINESSES
Jeremy has voted against the rise in small business tax, arguing that competitiveness is being damaged;
“People in my constituency and elsewhere who work for, or who are related to, people who work in the small business sector are understandably concerned about the impact of that increase [in tax] on its profitability and competitiveness.”
Read Jeremy’s speech at; http://pubs1.tso.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080428/debtext/80428-0004.htm
TACKLING CLIMATE CHANGE
Jeremy has pressed the government to be greener and give stamp duty relief to existing homes that convert to be zero-carbon;
“75 per cent. of houses in 2050 will have been built before 2007. If we concern ourselves solely with newly built houses, we will address the situation only incrementally.”
Read Jeremy’s speech at; http://pubs1.tso.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080429/debtext/80429-0007.htm
Contact Jeremy at office@tauntonlibdems.org.uk , or write to him at: Masons House, Magdalene Street, Taunton, TA1 1SG
Comments
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Posted by Scott Berry, 18:19, Tue 6 May 2008: (Is this post abusive?) #
Its good to see some MP's are still against dropping the 10p rate, the concessions made were not enough and still left many poor of the people affected worse off than before dropping the 10p rate. I was shocked to see David Cameron criticising the government for making what has been billed as the "U-turn" he had been asking for, rather the criticism should have been that this did not solve all the problems dropping the 10p rate had caused, which appears to be what was being said by Jeremy here.