The Last Boy Scout

Economic credibility in tatters

2008-05-14T08:08:00.004+01:00

Alastair Darling's announcement yesterday about the new tax measures have only been able to do one thing, and that is destroy Labour's one and only argument against the Tories. The cost of the new tax measures are around £2.7 billion, and the government is covering that cost by borrowing it.

Yes, that's right at a time of a global credit crunch our government is taking on another £2.7 billion of credit. Also, the fact that they are borrowing the money means that this tax cut cannot be bu funded by the treasury. Or in layman's terms it is an "unfunded tax cut".

Never again will they be able to throw that line against the Tories with out showing pure hypocrisy.

Labour's only answer

2008-05-13T06:48:00.002+01:00

You would think that after the row of the 10% tax band that Gordon Brown, and the rest of this incompetent government, would steer well clear of any potential taxing issues. But true to form they haven't.

The problem is that Labour have created a situation where elderly care is shockingly bad. Even though they have been in power for 11 years, I'm still waiting to hear the "it was the previous government's fault" line, but still back to the point. Caring for the elderly has become so expensive that most have to sell their homes and use their life savings, to to be able to afford the cost of staying in a care home. Basically leaving the vast majority penniless!

So instead of radical new thinking, the government's answer is.... yes you've guessed it, another compulsory new tax on every household in Britain. Who will be hardest hit by this new tax.... yes you've guessed it again, the same people that have been hardest hit by the scrapping of the 10% tax band.

It simply is further proof that this government has screwed this country so badly that it has no money, and their only answer is to tax us further. Labour's biggest arguement for attack on the tories is about "unfunded tax cuts", but this is a falacy. The questions that should be raised is about about Labour's "unfunded spending". At a time when we are all being warned about spending money that we don't have, and putting ourselves in further debt, it really is hypocritical that the government is doing exactly that with our economy. Prudence, my arse.

Now, it's no surprise that this consultation paper has been supported by Gordon Brown, and seven Cabinet ministers, but even less of a surprise that any decisions have been put back until next year. This wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that the announcement of another tax, so soon after the row of the 10% banding, would finish this government off once and for all? Most likely I would guess. But does Gordon Brown really think that the electorate are that stupid and will simply forget about how they were screwed, and then simply allow themselves to be screwed again.

The want to improve elederly care is noble (or in this case repair the damage they caused), but to simply tax, tax, tax is not the answer, and will only serve one purpose a very long spell on the opposition benches.

Is that all you've got?

2008-05-11T07:32:00.004+01:00

You can tell when things are getting desperate at the Mirror, when they can only criticise Tory politicians on the way they ride their bikes.

For the second time in around a month they have pulled up a tory politician, this time Boris and the last was David Cameron, the have (sarcasm)world exclusive(/sarcasm) on the way that the new mayor of London rides his bike in exactly the same way as every cyclist seems to do in London.

Is that the best they can offer? It just goes to show ~~Labour's Pravda~~ the Mirror, can no longer pull apart the tories, especially when the government is making such a hash of running the country.

Promises, promises

2008-05-07T06:04:00.004+01:00

Gordon Brown has spent the last four days promising this and promising that. But, in an almost carbon copy of his allegations about David Cameron, these promises have no substance. In all of his TV interviews Gordon promised to listen and learn, even though Andrew Marr himself accused him of offering nothing new.

Now, that is the problem. Gordon and his cronies have promised to listen to the electorate, but these promises are hollow. Nobody wants an extension of the 28 day limit on terror detention, but Gordon is going to continue with that policy; the tax credit system is flawed, but he will continue with that; and finally your average family is struggling with car and fuel taxes, but we will still have to swallow these increases.

So much for listening. These are just three of many issues that the electorate have real problems with, and the government is offering nothing new.

That brings me nicely on to the 10p tax row. Here we have again a promise by the government to compensate everyone affected by the tax change, through tax credits. Yes that flawed system that wants you to beg the government for some money back. But, like I said this is another promise that so far appears to have no substance, no details, just an undertaking by the government to do it. It was only a couple of days ago that lead rebel Frank Field MP called Alastair Darling's plans as "clear as mud". Have the plans become clearer? Of course not, in fact we just got another promise from number 11 that it will happen. Personally, I'm not sure that this will buy Frank off, not that it should unless the Labour whip manages to pin him down.

So when Gordon Brown next accuses David Cameron of having no substance during PMQ's, not only does the saying about a pot and a kettle spring to mind, but you can hardly blame Cameron for holding his cards to his chest. After all, if the policy is good this tired and useless government will only pinch it, like they did with inheritance tax.

The morning after the day before

2008-05-03T07:03:00.006+01:00

What a fantastic result! After spending 14 hours at ExCel yesterday for the vote counting, it was so pleasing to see Boris win the mayoralty.

As for me I am well and truly shattered, the last two days have long, and at some points during the count hard, but it was all worth while. The live blogging didn't happen as I had planned, as I'm not blessed with a blackberry, and the thought of text/emailing put me off in the end, so I just ended up feeding Dizzy with a few tit bits of info here and there. Although he must have had a number of sources at the count, as he started feeding info back to me. Mind you, I nearly dropped myself in it right at the end of the night when I was chatting to a very nice lady from Sky News, and jokingly said "I bet that some of the Brixton base files were in the basement of City Hall when it flooded". She nearly believed me, so that will teach me not to be flippant around a nice looking journo.

Anyway, I digress. Nationally the results were bad, but it wasn't until Sky had changed from saying that Labour had "a bad night" to having a "disastrous night" that we saw the scale of unpopularity in Gordon Brown, and the public vote "FOR" the tories, and not just "not voting" for Labour.

The results at ExCel also spoke volumes, with some very unexpected announcements. The biggest surprise was in Bexley & Bromley, which really set the tone for the evening. Prior to first declaration of the evening I finally met fellow blogger James Cleverly and even though it was obvious from the count progress graph that he would win, it was the sheer scale of it that was the surprise. James won with a stonking 75,237 majority! (Congratulations James!) It was at that point that the realisation that Boris really was going to win starting to set in.

This was followed with other expected holds for both Labour and the Tories, in City & East and Havering & Redbridge respectively. Although, despite being the first to finish counting there were quite a few arguments over ballot papers from the BNP members, which caused the declaration to be delayed, and then delayed again. But then again the BNP had making assumptions that there had been some deliberate spoiling of papers to prevent their votes for most of the day. I think it was a green party member (I could be wrong as I couldn't quite see the party affiliation on their security pass) that whispered that it was "probably because their supporters couldn't work out how to put a cross in the box". Again I drift from the point.

So that left Greenwich and Lewisham, the constituency that I had put in 13 hours of electioneering the day before. Now to set the scene, it's a safe Labour set, there's no two ways around that. Which is why the leader of the London Labour party holds it. But the shock for us it that only delivered around a 12000 vote win for Ken! That should not have happened. The pleasing thing to see was our candidate Andy Jennings not only poll brilliantly with 37,040 (Congratulations Andy), but also destroy the UKIP vote, after the vile campaign that their candidate ran. He got what he deserved, and hopefully will never darken our doorsteps again. As Len Duvall himself said in his acceptance speech "there is no place for that in politics". I would even go further than that and say, "there is no place that - full stop".

As for Boris, I still admit I did have initial misgivings, and I'm happy to say he proved me very very wrong. He ran a very positive campaign and clearly showed that he was more than able to take on the Mayoralty. His acceptance speech was very good, and very complimentary to Ken, and you could tell he meant what he said.

So here's looking forward to the next four years. As for me, I'm going to rest my poor weary feet before I start planning for the next election, whenever that is.

Another long day ahead

2008-05-02T06:25:00.003+01:00

After yesterday's 13 hour long stretch at electioneering I finally got home around 9pm last night. But what an interesting day it was. The response has been amazing, while I was doing a four hour stint telling at a polling station, the volumn of poeple that came through was a lot higher than expected. I spent the rest of the day helping out in a committee room which, as it was my first experience of this, was very interesting to watch an election happen.

So what happen in Greenwich and Lewisham? Well, the turnout was a lot higher than we predicted, but the most notable thing was that it wasn't just Labour supporters not coming out to vote, but that they had actually voted against them. In fact it was so bad that London Labour Leader Len Duvall, and Eltham MP Clive Efford were spotted out in Shooters Hill ward knocking on doors as 9pm last night, trying to get Len's vote out. Now that is desperate.

Now, last night I decided not to do a live blog of the results for the simple reason that I will be spending all day today at the ExCel regional count for the London elections. So that made waking up this morning and switching on Sky News very enjoyable. Sky's breaking news this morning was that Gordon Brown has delivered the worst election performance for forty years, in his first outing. I suspect a major "relaunch" is in the offing.

These results also show another very interesting swing. Normally a protest vote for Labour goes to the Lib Dems. It's tradition, plus Nick Clegg has seemed to have potioned himself as LabourLite recently. But this time the swing has been away from Labour, and to the Tories. If that was replicated in a General Election some big name ministers will lose their seats, much in the same way as the Tories did back in 1997.

So for me, like I said, my second long day in row will be at the London regional count as a counting agent for our GLA candidate Andy Jennings. Now for understandable reasons I can't blog from inside the count, but if I get any gossip I'll blog it from the Cafe.

The sea is changing, and I'm going to see it happen live. Go Boris!

Update: I've just had an email questioning why I thought that it was "desperate" for Len Duvall and Clive Efford to still be knocking on doors with only an hour of polling left. Basically, in Greenwich, Labour traditionally does not have its vote counted they have it weighed, as it is a very safe area for them. So for the candidate and the local MP to be personally out knocking up at such a late hour is unheard of in the constituency. That's why.

Thought for the day (well for tomorrow actually)

2008-04-30T19:18:00.006+01:00

As i'm going to be telling at a polling station at 7am in the morning, and then at the ExCel vote count on Friday, I thought I'd post this now.

Make your vote count.

Continuing on.....

2008-04-30T06:50:00.002+01:00

Just seen another Ken advert in this morning's Metro, and like yesterday it was just another swipe at Boris. The difference is clear Boris, and all of the other candidates still standing for that matter will tell you their plans for London. Ken just has eight words to offer.

Doesn't that tell you why Ken must go.

And the final countdown begins

2008-04-29T06:41:00.003+01:00

With only two days left of campaigning the London candidates, in my opinion, are really starting to show their true colours.

Ken's campaigns is hitting new lows, even by his standards. He knows the electorate don't like his policies, so he isn't even bothering to try and fight this election on them. Instead he is using the old NuLabour scare tactics. The usual they will cut your services, and their polices will be a threat to national security. Yes that old tripe is surfacing again. Just like Tony Blair with the old retoric of "if we don't have id cards the security of the nation is at risk", Ken is try the same by saying that Boris is a threat to London.

The contrast is the Boris is holding his own, and campaigning on issues. He is showing his ideas, unfortunately all of good ones are being openly pinched by Ken, but that isn't surprising as Labour are doing that nationally, i.e. inheritance tax. But, he hasn't lowered himself to Ken's level of scaring the voters. In last night's Evening Standard even I was astounded at the lengths that some of his supporters are stooping to. But like I said, it's an old tactic which was continued this morning with an advert in the Metro, and the "Don't risk London" slogan. If the electorate don't want to risk London, then they definetly not vote for Ken.

But, for me, one key indicator of the transformation of Boris from an MP, to real potential as Mayor was shown in last nights Sky News Tv debate. He simply looked fresh, sounded passionate, whereas Ken looked tired and sounded awfully repetitive. The only counter arguement he had was to attack Boris personally.

Is that really how we want our mayor to conduct themselves, to be pasionate about London, or simply to slag off their opponents?

Boris's third election broadcast

2008-04-29T05:03:00.001+01:00

Here's Boris's third and final election broadcast, which was screened last night.

Life on Mars

2008-04-25T04:50:00.003+01:00

The Tories have an 18% lead in the opinion polls, the economy is in dire straits, we are all over burdened by bureaucracy, and the trade unions are calling national strikes.

Have I woken up in the 1970's, like the copper in the BBC series?

Weakness, back downs and rolling over.

2008-04-23T16:40:00.005+01:00

The announcement earlier this morning, by the government about their compensation package for the scrapping of the 10% tax break, is one of the most humilating episodes in recent times. Gordon Brown's leadership credentials are in tatters, he has no credibility left.

This whole row of the budget was his making, and his alone. It was gordon that scrapped the 10p rate in his last budget as Chancellor. It was Gordon that stood firm and said that there would be no change in policy. It was Gordon who had to plead with the PLP not to vote against the Finance Bill. It was Gordon that was forced to announce a compensation package to help the people that HIS budget would have left worse off.

The last week has shown that he is truely weak. When faced with a vote that he would have lost he backed down, he capitulated, and now looks vulnerable. Tony Blair never faced anything of this nature, because he wasn't a stubborn old "clunking fist" that didn't listen.

But it does stop there his leadership example of capitulation to try and avoid losing vote is followed by his subordinates. Gordon promised compensation to prevent a vote going against him, and Ken Livingstone this week handed a compensation package with little compensation to Metronet employees to prevent a tube strike costing him votes. The trend is there, and that is how Labour is governing under Brown's leadership.

What does worry me is that this show of weakness could be repeated yet again, this time in Europe. Remember those red lines in the Lisbon Treaty? Well, he said he would not back down over those, but then he also said he would not back down on the scrapping of the 10% tax rate.

However, it was Brown's PMQ's performance that was really telling. He tried to come out on the attack and make a back track sound like leadership. But David Cameron tore him to shreads, with Brown only being able to respond with claims of successes, all of which where in Blair's era. Gordon accused of not sticking to the central issues, but this is a major issue. Whether you support the government, or not, the one thing you want from a PM is strong leadership. I didn't like Blair, but even I will admit that he controlled a tight ship, Gordon's ship leak more than the Titanic.

So for now, the rebels have been bought off, but does anybody make out of that? Well, no. Yet again the only way the people affected by the tax increases will be able to see any money will be to beg for the money back through tax credits! What is it with this government and tax credits. they make the system so bueraucratic that the people affected don't apply, or by some technicality, get less than they deserve. How demeaning, instead of lower paid people instantly getting the money in their pay packets they will now have to go cap in hand, and beg for the money back.

Party of the people, my arse.

Interesting Jobs

2008-04-23T06:46:00.002+01:00

Yesterday there was much furore of the estimaed cost of the London Olympics soaring. Over three times the original budget to be precise. Am I surprised, of course not, it always happens in the UK just look at the new Wembley stadium for instance.

Anyway, whilst travelling into work this morning I found an interesting job advert in the Metro. CLM Delivery, in partnership with the ODA, are looking to recruit " Cost Estimators". Obviously they don't like the current estimates that are coming in.

The Sun turns on Labour!

2008-04-21T07:03:00.004+01:00

For the paper that claims it wins elections, by throwing their weight behind the side that looks like winning, then Trevor Kavanagh's column this morning will hardly make pleasant reading for Gordon Brown. Or Ken Livingstone for that matter.

In his column Trevor makes some harsh, but true, statements in a rather un-Sun-like way. He first of all states the bloody obvious in that Gordon has "botched just about every decision he’s taken since assuming office — from Northern Rock and the EU Constitution to the 10p tax fiasco and Iraq".

Trevor's rather blunt answer is to give Labour "a kick in the ballots". Next week London Assembly, and a third of council seats in England and Wales will be up for grabs. But the biggest prixe for the tories, and most humiliating for Gordon Brown if he lost, is that of the London Mayoralty. If Ken loses on a Labour ticket then we could see the Labour party start to implode and break ranks, with the prospect of a leadership challenge a real possibility. Now that really would be a message to "old Clunking Fist", the taxer of the masses.

As Trevor quite rightly points out: "Labour has been “investing” like drunken sailors. They spent £1,400BILLION in the last ten years — twice as much as in the previous decade. Yet our capital city resembles bankrupt New York in the Eighties, with roads like ploughed fields and litter-strewn streets decorated with graffiti. We deserve better from our politicians — nationally and locally. So don’t sit at home moaning next week. Get out and vote. Give the beggars a kick where it hurts. In the ballot box."

Trevor, for once I totally agree with you.

Boris's latest election broadcast

2008-04-18T20:57:00.000+01:00

Labour is revolting.

2008-04-18T06:45:00.006+01:00

Is it my imagination or is there an all our revolt in the Labour ranks at the moment. Over the last few weeks there has been a whisper here, and a comment there, which to be fair is par for the course with any party. But yesterday was astonishing.

To start the day you had the Chancellor opening criticising Labour policy. The spin doctors in the party have already tried to defuse that particular row by saying that it shows that the government is listening, and knows that it must do better. However, what is actually happening is that senior Government ministers know that their time could well be up if Gordon ontinues on this track. What surprises me is the openess of their criticisms. Even Gordon Brown himself never dared to criticise Tony Blair in public, and only dared to get his underlings to do it at the end of his tenure.

Although, we shouldn't be surprised at the supposedly calming influence of Ed Balls coming out and saying that all the mud slinging should, after all it's a well known secret that he'll put himself forward for leader at the next opportunity. Which could be in June if the London and local government elections go really badly.

So if the in fighting wasn't bad enough a resignation would be unthinkable, and we nearly saw that. It was hardly a secret that Yvette Cooper's PPS, Angela Smith MP, was telling her colleagues that she was thinking of quitting her role in the goverment over the scraping of the 10p tax band. Even I heard about it, and I'm extremely low in the blogging food chain, that's how well known it was.

But, Angela Smith has now reportedly said that she does not intend to resign after a telephone conversation with Gordon Brown. Now this is a line we've heard before, and it would surprise me if the one of the conversation was similar to that of when PM telephoned Scottish Labour leader Wendy Alexander, telling her "don't resign".

The thing is the resignation of a PPS is hardly big news, it's what is commonly known as a one day item. However, when wee Wendy was told not to resign over donor allegations, at a time of a string of allegations across the government, it could have potentially been the beginning of a chain reaction of resignations. The resignation of a PPS, over the government's tax policy, could have also been the beginning of open season on the government's policies. So it didn;t come as a surprise that after "that conversation" Angela Smith decided not to resign.

Things are certainly not looking good for Gordon Brown at the moment, his popularity is at an all time low, and that will harm Labour on May 1st, and at the next General Election, and the Labour party knows it. I know a couple of Labour party activists, and even they have no faith in Gordon Brown. One of them even said that it having him as leader was like "the worst set of beer goggles possible". That is the problem for Labour, the cabinet are openly criticising his policy, the back benchers are criticisng him as they are worried for their own seats, and the activists have no faith or motivated to go out for the election. Labour councillors, London Assembly members and Ken Livingstone himself, must all be worried that any backlash they face personally, will only be doubled by Gordon's unpopularity.

If the elections go the way the polls suggest expect the "mid-term protest vote" spin from Labour, and for the criticisms to get louder.

Throwing money at another problem.

2008-04-17T06:48:00.003+01:00

If it wasn't bad enough that this goverment, in effect, saddled every homeowner with a second mortgage when it Nationalised Northern Rock, it now seems as though it will saddle the tax payer with an even bigger debt.

The Government and Bank of England are poised to launch a new lending programme for UK banks in an effort to break the paralysis in the credit market. The plans basically amount to the Government lending money to the banks, so that they can lend money to others. In return the banks will be offered bonds.

Now it sounds to me that this could end up us a partial nationalisation of the mortgage industry with all of the risks of lending being met by the government, or which is more likely us the taxpayer. But should I be surprised? of course not. After all this is true to form for the government who's only answer to any problem is to throw more money it.

In case you forgot

2008-04-16T05:00:00.001+01:00

Do as I say, not as I do.

2008-04-15T09:29:00.002+01:00

The government is obivously a great follower of the ethos of "do as I say and not as I do "with regards to their dealings with the banks. After all, this morning they will be telling the Cheif's of the leading lenders that they should cut their lending rates in line with the interest rate cuts announced last week.

Fair enough you would think. But one of those banks refusing to cut their rates is Northern Rock, which as we all know is now government owned. So its all right for the government to demand the cutting of rates, but won;t do it in their own bank.

Bloody hypocrites.

So where's the checks?

2008-04-12T11:16:00.003+01:00

All I've heard for the last few months now is how this country is facing a credit crunch, and how getting credit is going to be so much harder from now on. But in the last tweleve months I've had to apply for credit on two occasions, a small loan to rebuild my kitchen and a 12 month car finance deal. Nothing special I hear you say., and you would be right.

The thing is, on both of those occasions I've almost no checks done at all. For my loan I applied for it on-line and was only required to sign a form. I mentioned at the time that I didn't have to send any proof of ID or anything.

But, as the bank's purse are set to tighten, and the chances of getting credit supposedly diminshing, I expected to not just be asked to jumo throw hops, but flaming hoops at best. But no, it was like history repeating itself.

Yesterday, as I said, I applied for a 12 month finance deal on a new car (stuff you Darling! - sorry got carried away). I was asked a few questions, and I took with me all the documentation that their website told that i would need to take if I wanted to drive the car away the same day. However, none of this was checked! the only check that was performed was the standard credit checks. So as a result I got a credit deal without my payslips being checked or anything.

Now, that is what worries me. Thanks to the government screwing up the economy and leaving us with nothing left in the kitty to avoid a recession, we will all be under a very tight squeeze, and if credit institutions are still going to hand out money without thorough checks then a lot of people will find themselves getting into trouble. Its all very well, people preaching about not overstretching themselves, but if the availablity is there human nature will dictate that we take it.

The cost of Brown's last tax!

2008-04-07T19:15:00.005+01:00

As the new tax year begins the Conservatives have come up with this poster to highlight just how Gordon Brown's last budget as Chancellor is now going to cost us.

However, in the usual spin laden way that we have got used to under Labour, they are claiming that the majority of us would be better off thanks to tax credits. Yes, the very same tax credits that are so confusing to apply for that they are more of a deterrant.

It's nice to know that the party of the working man is still thinking about them. Well, thinking how much more they can screw out of them at least.

Boris's ITV debate

2008-04-05T12:23:00.000+01:00

T5's new resemblance.

2008-04-02T19:44:00.003+01:00

I'm feeling in rather a childish mood this evening, and couldn't help having a giggle at the expense of terminal five. T5 is now finally on the tube map, but I don't think that the designers have realised just what it resembles.

Now is it me, or does T5 look like a certain male appendage?

Labour's day of gaffs: Part two

2008-04-01T18:16:00.003+01:00

In another hilarious gaff Labour's Deputy Leader, Harriet Harman caused herself no end of embarrasment by being pictured wearing a stab vest whilst on a tour of her own constituancy with a neighbourhood police team.

Now I know that the police's "elf and safety" probably did insist on her wearing one whilst she was under their control, but even so, what an own goal.

Its almost as though Labour's spin machine is as much out of touch with the party, as the party is with the electorate. They really don't seem to be able to do spin anymore.

Labour's day of gaffs: Part One

2008-04-01T18:12:00.003+01:00

Ken Livingstone admits that his best achievment was smashing New Labour. I bet that'll will go down well with Labour activists.