The Horrendous Cost Of Living In Britain

The cost of living in Britain is becoming unbearable for a great many people in our society, and what makes it worse is that the government and the Prime Minister in particular appear to be completely oblivious to the perils caused by this critical economic issue.

Since the current Prime Minister took office, price rises can be summed-up as follows:

Butter                  +23p

Spirits                 +55p

Cheese                +99p

Eggs                    +22p

Wine                    +14p

Bread                   +14p

Milk                     +6p

Beer                     +4p

These are only examples, but with the huge rise in the cost of petrol and diesel, household energy bills and the fiasco over the 10p tax band, is it any wonder why ordinary working people are struggling to make ends meet?  Pay rises for the vast majority of local people are limited and jobs are under pressure owing to the uncertain economic climate, yet the government remains totally oblivious to the pressures household budgets are under.  The grim reality is that the government are planning yet more tax raids on the hard-working people of Pendle, this evil tax whack will be focused on family cars.  If you drive a car such as a Citroen Xantia, Ford Mondeo, Nissan Primera, Peugeot 406, Renault Laguna, Rover 75, Toyota Avensis, Vauxhall Vectra or VW Passat over 5 years old, then the government wants to double your road tax.  This retrospective tax hike will take the cost of taxing a family saloon or estate up to as much as £245 per year, quite how the Chancellor expects families already hit by the rising cost of living to fund this is anyone’s guess.  This move is grossly unfair and just another scheme that enables the government to rip off the hard-working and long-suffering British taxpayer.

Is Mr. Prentice Having a Private Fraser Moment?

I was reading the comments made by Pendle’s Labour MP, Mr Gordon Prentice in last Friday’s Nelson Leader regarding the future of the Prime Minister as leader of the Labour Party with a great deal of interest.  Whilst I can understand the feelings expressed by Mr. Prentice, I would completely and wholeheartedly agree with the comments made by Pendle’s Prospective Conservative MP, Andrew Stephenson related to the issue of another Labour Prime Minister.  Mr. Stephenson hits the nail right on the head when he says that it’s not an issue of who leads the Labour Party and Labour Party members being given the right to vote on who should be their next leader and Prime Minister.  Mr. Stephenson very correctly makes the observation that it should be the public who decide who leads our country and not purely members of the Labour Party.  

Should there be another leadership change in the Labour Party, then that person should have the courage and decency to go to the country to seek a mandate to govern.  This is the only way the public will have the opportunity to decide who governs our country.  Come along Mr. Prentice, you can’t go further wrong than that, or are you becoming increasingly desperate to save your own skin?  Or is it a case of you thinking ”We’re all Doomed Captain” out loud?

Nursing Home Concerns Raised

The plans to build a nursing home on allotment land at the junction of Bracewell Street and Fletcher Street were discussed at the Town Council meeting on 29 July.  I, along with Cllr Latif raised concerns about the loss of more green space and allotment land and the pressure on the streets around the site with regard to access and car parking.  The issue of access is of particular importance owing not only to the significant amount of residential properties in the vicinity, but the relatively close proximity of the site to Walverden County Primary School and the potential increase in traffic levels in the Bracewell Street area.  Whilst I do appreciate the economic “benefits” of the scheme espoused by Cllr Mahmood, I believe the environmental considerations should certainly not be ignored, along with the potential traffic congestion issues on narrow residential streets.  I am greatly concerned by the continued desire to build on allotment land, as I greatly appreciate the pride and enthusiasm the plotholders take in the work they do on their allotments in growing fruit and vegetables.

Nelson Town Council Meeting - 29 July

Nelson Town Council met on 29 July, during the meeting, the council chairman, Cllr George Adam informed concillors that the process of selecting candidates for interview for the position of Town Clerk was well underway.  Cllr Adam also informed the meeting that interviews would take place on 11 August, and that these would be conducted by himself, Cllr Brian Parker, chairman of the working group and Mr Philip Mousdale, currently acting clerk and an executive director of Pendle Borough Council.  The committee structure already outlined has been accepted by members.

I personally will be a member of the Planning and Finance and General Purposes committees.  The next meeting of the Town Council will take place on 27 August in the Wilson Room at Nelson Town Hall at 7pm.

Oh Dear What Can The Matter Be Prime Minister?

Interesting isn’t it how the Prime Minister goes on television again this week to remind the nation that he’s “getting on with the job”?  It’s also becoming a force of habit for Mr. Brown to use this comment as a diversion when his party have taken a beating at the ballot box.  Labour aren’t having a good time of it lately, first the local elections, when they polled the fewest number of votes of any of the main parties here in Pendle and elsewhere.  Then came the Crewe and Nantwich by-election, a wonderful win for Edward Timpson with a huge swing to the Conservatives.  Followed up by the Henley by-election where Labour trailed in fifth and lost their deposit.  Next came the Howden and Haltemprice by-election, Labour didn’t even manage to field a candidate against the highly principled and respected David Davis.  Then came the council by-election in Park Ward in Blackpool, a Conservative victory for Peter Collins with a majority of over 500 in what was previously a solid Labour area.   This week it was the turn of the good citizens of Glasgow East who voted for a Scottish Nationalist to be their Member of Parliament in what had been one of Labour’s “safest” seats. 

What is becoming increasingly obvious is that people all over Britain are becoming fed up with the current government, and they are looking for meaningful change.  The government are sending out signals of being in office but out of ideas and of being devoid of rational thought, things have become so bad that people on their own side are looking to replace their leader.  This isn’t a good long-term proposition for either the people of Pendle or the country as a whole.  People deserve a government with a clear and cohesive programme for the future, the general election can’t come soon enough.