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Labour's Campaign Priorities
What do you think is the most important local priority for Rugby constituency?
| Better recycling services |  |
| Environment/climate change | |
| Tackling crime/anti-social behaviour | |
| More affordable housing | |
| Healthcare services | |
| Access to education/training | |
| Transport infrastructure | |
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 | National News |
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 Cameron would repeat mistakes of the past - Cooper |
Yvette Cooper MP, Labour's Chief Secretary to the Treasury, launching a Labour analysis of Cameron's do nothing approach to the global economic challenges, said today: "David Cameron is making empty promises to hide the fact that the Conservatives would do nothing to help the British economy, and once again would turn their backs on the British people in difficult times. "The cruelest of his empty promises is a loans scheme to business when he also rules out providing the money to fund it. "The fact is every economy in the world will face real challenges in 2009. That's why it's so important to provide British families and businesses with real help to get through the downturn sooner and stronger. "Labour is determined to provide real help - including the VAT cut which will save households on average £275 a year, and £60 for every pensioner this month -- all opposed by David Cameron. "David Cameron talks about the 1970s. The truth is the Conservatives are returning to the worst of Thatcherism in the early eighties with no support for jobs or the economy and cuts in public services as well. "The Conservatives are repeating their mistakes of the past: if a timely fiscal stimulus of similar scale had been applied at the beginning of the 1990s recession, around 300,000 fewer jobs might not have been lost."...
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| State Pension 100 years Old |
Labour Ministers have marked the one hundredth birthday of the state pension – received by over 12 million people across the country. Today the Basic State Pension is worth around four times more than the amount received in 1909. Help with fuel, Council Tax and rent plus the one-off payment of £60 on top of the regular £10 Christmas payment bonus boosts it further. Labour’s Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, James Purnell, said: "It is incredible to think that one in four babies born today could live to 100. Things have come a long way since 1909. People live longer and want more from later life. These days people can spend a quarter of a century getting their State Pension." "As the State Pension moves into its second century we are committed to ensuring that pensioners receive the help they need. Which is why, alongside the State Pension and Pension Credit, this winter pensioners will receive additional support through their Winter Fuel Payment and an extra £60 bonus." Labour’s Minister for Pensions and the Ageing Society, Rosie Winterton, added: "Today we salute the first pension pioneers who fought to provide security for people in old age. 100 years on the State Pension continues to be a foundation of support for people as they retire and we have taken steps now to ensure this will be the case for years to come."...
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| A stronger voice on local policing for every community |
Labour’s Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, has congratulated all 43 police forces for delivering the Policing Pledge for every community across England and Wales. The Pledge, which sets out what the public can expect from the police, gives local people a better say over how their communities are policed and the opportunity to hold the police to account - to ensure they are getting the service they want. The national Policing Pledge gives the public a clear minimum standard of service, including: * contact telephone numbers and maximum response times to emergency, urgent or priority calls. * regular surgeries and meetings between the local police and the community. * local crime information including what has happened to those brought to justice in your neighbourhood * neighbourhood policing teams will spend at least 80 per cent of their time visibly working on behalf of the public in their neighbourhood. * in addition to the national standard every neighbourhood will have a local pledge by which to hold their local teams to account The Policing Pledge is one part of a package of radical reforms set out in the Policing Green Paper earlier this year to build on achievements, like the 40 per cent reduction in crime since 1997. Labour’s Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, said: "The public are our strongest weapon in tackling crime and the Policing Pledge is a clear deal on what you can expect from the police. I passionately believe that building confidence by giving you more local crime information,...
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| Labour challenges David Cameron's 'do nothing' approach |
Labour Ministers today wrote to Conservative Shadow Cabinet members, challenging them to reveal if they support David Cameron's cuts to key investment projects that Labour has brought forward to help Britain through the current economic downturn. £800 million investment in schools and £100 million of improvements in GP surgeries are among the projects that will Labour is bringing forward to help stimulate the economy and improve services. David Cameron has made clear he opposes Labour's economic stimulus and the Conservatives have voted against the government's Pre-Budget Report that introduced the measures. Liam Byrne, Labour's Cabinet Office Minister, said: "The Tory opposition to the Pre-Budget Report has exposed two key strategic weaknesses in the Conservative position in 2009: not just that they would do nothing now to help families and business through the downturn, but that critically they oppose the action we need to take to get Britain ready for the upturn. Families and businesses want real help now and real hope for the future. The Tories are offering neither. The consequence of their inaction would be a repeat of the past: a longer, deeper recession, with homes and jobs needlessly lost. "If shadow ministers don't want to see their party abandon Labour's plans to speed up investment in key areas like primary schools, GP surgeries, and affordable housing, they need to speak out now against their leader's opposition to the Government's plan to stimulate the economy to get us out of the downturn faster."...
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| Cameron's £7 tax on filling up a family car |
Today's average petrol price figures mean that David Cameron's 'fuel duty stabiliser' would put 10p on the price of a litre of unleaded fuel. Geoff Hoon MP, Labour's Transport Secretary, said: "David Cameron wants to hit people driving home for Christmas with an extra £7 tax to fill up an ordinary family car. "He made a reckless, novice policy to win headlines in July, but now he is committed to putting an extra 10p on the cost of every litre of petrol - that's £7 more each time to fill up a Mondeo. "We're giving people real help now with lower VAT and a tax cut for basic rate taxpayers, but David Cameron opposes all of that and instead wants to hike up the cost of driving." To find out more and add our widget to your website click here...
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| Let's not forget Zimbabwe this Christmas |
The recent story of Zimbabwe is one of intense human suffering – of a country where its citizens cannot afford to eat, where education and health systems have failed and where people live in fear. At Christmas, which should be a time of joy and happiness for people all around the world, please remember the people of Zimbabwe and leave your message of support for them below. Over the last few weeks the catastrophe in Zimbabwe has become even worse with a cholera epidemic that has affected thousands and killed hundreds of people. But this is not a pure health problem; this epidemic is a direct result of the abuse, neglect and corruption of a Mugabe regime which long ago lost respect. We must work to stop the suffering of the Zimbabwean people, which is why in response to the humanitarian crisis facing the Zimbabwean people the Labour Government is providing humanitarian aid, including the £10 million we announced recently. But the humanitarian response does not provide a sustainable solution to Zimbabwe’s problems; the only solution for Zimbabwe is a political one. All around the world people, including world leaders, are united in wanting to see change in Zimbabwe. The recent promise of the power-sharing agreement has yet to be fulfilled. Robert Mugabe has failed to respect and uphold the democratic will of the Zimbabwean people and his government long ago lost every shred of its legitimacy. Its people have shown they want change and we must...
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| Osborne's Empty Promises are a Cruel Con - Timms |
Stephen Timms MP, Labour's Financial Secretary to the Treasury, responding to George Osborne's incorrect claims about how business loan guarantee schemes work during Treasury Questions today, said: "George Osborne's empty promises will do nothing to help people or business today. "He has shown he doesn't understand how business guarantee schemes work when he says it 'did not add to public expenditure'. "Such schemes require public spending at the point any participating firm defaults and the bank calls in the guarantee from government. "The Tories have promised a scheme and then ruled out finding the money to fund it. Promises the Conservatives refuse to pay for are nothing but a cruel con. "We're offering real help to businesses - not empty promises from a do nothing Tory party."...
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| Cameron offers no real help for pensioners - Timms |
Stephen Timms MP, Labour's Treasury Minister, responding to David Cameron's comments in today's Telegraph, said: "Unless the Conservatives can explain how they will pay for this commitment, it remains an empty promise - for all Cameron's warm words he opposed Labour's measures to give real help now to pensioners. The fact remains the Tories would do nothing to help families and business. "Cameron cannot hide the fact that he is a do nothing leader of a do nothing party. The Labour Government is giving all pensioners real support through the tough times, including giving every pensioner £60 in January - a measure that the Tories opposed."...
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| Labour gives £4 billion boost to pensioners |
Pensioners are set for a £4 billion boost next year as the Labour Government confirmed the biggest rise in the Basic State Pension since 2001 today, on top of £900m in Christmas Bonuses and a £575m increase in Winter Fuel Payments. From April, the State Pension will go up by 5%, ensuring someone on a full pension will see their weekly income go up from £90.70 to £95.25. Ministers also confirmed that Pension Credit will increase by the highest amount ever, up from £124.05 to £130 per week. The Labour Government confirmed today that most National Insurance benefits will rise by 5 per cent, and most income-related benefits will be uprated by 6.3 per cent, providing real support to people in the current economic climate. Labour's Minister for Pensions and the Ageing Society, Rt Hon Rosie Winterton MP said: "In these tough times, the Government will continue to give real help to pensioners. "I want to do all we can to help those pensioners on the lowest incomes, and the increase in Pension Credit will mean that we can lift even more people out of poverty. We have also made it easier and quicker for those eligible for Council Tax Benefit and Housing Benefit to get what they are entitled to." The increases follow additional help announced in the Pre-Budget Report where eligible pensioners will have their Christmas Bonus increased for this winter from the traditional £10 to £70. This will be on top of the increased Winter Fuel Payments...
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| James Purnell unveils welfare reform white paper |
Labour’s Work and Pensions Minister, James Purnell, has revealed the new welfare reform white paper - ‘Raising Expectations and Increasing Support: Reforming Welfare for the Future’ - which sets out plans for more support to enable those out of work to overcome problems in return for greater responsibility. Labour is offering real help now during the global downturn and reforming welfare for the long term to help people make the most of their potential. This stands in stark contrast to the Conservatives. We are giving real help now to people. The Tories are the do nothing party and would let people sink or swim. This White Paper sets out a vision for a fairer welfare state - where no one is left behind and everyone is given personalised support they need to get back to work. We will: * Give real help to disabled people with more benefits money; more funding to help with back to work adaptations; and a new right to control the state support they get. * Give earlier back to work help to workless parents, personalised to their lives. * Help people off incapacity benefits through personalised support to get well and get back to work. * This will be funded by a new invest to save funding mechanism, using money that would have been spent on benefits to give people the support they need. * Support parental responsibility, lifting more children out of poverty. * Ensure work for all through ‘Work for Dole’ after 2...
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